Marmont and Mortier's rear guards drew off in the direcof Sezanne, and every disposition was made to harass and surround them.

In the advance Generals Von York and Kleist were seriously engaged on the 26th, and nothing but continued forced marches saved the French army from being annihilated. The grand allied army proceeded to advance in three columns with the most astonishing rapidity. The passage of the Marne at Meaux was effected with little resistance, every opposition being surmounted in the most gallant and instantaneous 'manner. On the 30th of March, the allies appeared in front of the heights of Fontenoy, Romanville, and Belleville; defended by the French army, under Joseph Bonaparte, aided by Marshals Mortier and Marmont. Their left was on Montmartre, with redoubts on the centre, and on the whole line an immense artillery of above 150 pieces. These heights are very commanding, the ground being covered with villages and country seats, and the whole had been fortified with the utmost skill and labour. Marshal Blucher was directed to attack Montmatre, while the grand army attacked the heights on the right of their position. Prince Eugene of Wurtemberg's division, supported by the reserves of grenadiers, carried the heights of Romanville, after enduring a very galling fire of artillery. In the mean time the Prince Royal of Wirtemberg supported the attack more to the left. Marshal Blucher experienced the most determined resistance; but as the heights of Romanville exposed the right of the French line, the contest ended in their complete discomfiture on all sides. The heights that commanded Paris and 69 pieces of cannon, were already taken, when a flag of truce was sent to demand a cessation of hostilities, with an offer to give up all the ground without the barrier of Paris, until further arrangements would be made. The King of Prussia and Prince Schwartzenberg wishing to save the city from being sacked and destroyed, acceded to the proposition.

At 2 o'clock, on March 31st, the capitulation of Paris was signed, allowing five hours for the troops of the lines to evacuate the city. The cavalry of his imperial highness the Grand Archduke Constantine, and the guards of all the different allied forces, were formed in columns, early in the morning, on the road from Bondi to Paris. The Emperor of Russia, with all his staff, his generals, and their suits present, proceeded to Patin, where the King of Prussia joined him with a similar cortége; these sovereigns, surrounded by all the princes of the army, together with the prince field-marshal, and the Austrian etat-major, passed through the Fauxbourg St. Martin, and entered the barrier of Paris about 11 o'clock, the Cossacks of the guards forming the advance of the march. Already was the crowd so enormous, as well as the acclamations so great, that it was difficult to move forward, but before the monarchs reached the Porte de St. Martin, to turn on the Boulevards, there was a moral impossibility of proceeding; all Paris seemed to be assembled and concentrated, in one spot-one animus or spring evidently directed all their movements, they thronged in such masses round the emperor and king, that with all their condescending and gracious familiarity, extending their hands on all sides, it was in vain to attempt to satisfy the populace. They were positively eaten up amidst the cries of Vive l'Empereur Alexandre,' Vive le Roi de Prusse'-'Vive nos liberateurs;' nor did the air alone resound with these peals, for with louder acclamations, if possible, they were mingled with those of 'Vive le roi,'- Vive Louis XVIII.'- Vive les Bourbons,'

A bas le tyran.' The white cockade appeared very generally; many of the national guards wore them. The clamorous applause of the multitude was seconded by a similar demonstration from all the houses along the line to the Camps Elisées, and handkerchiefs, as well as the fair hands that waved them, seemed in continued requisition. In short, to have an adequate idea of such a manifestation of electric feeling as Paris displayed, it must have been witnessed. The sovereigns

halted in the Champs Elisées, where the troops defiled before them in the most admirable order, and the head-quarters were established at Paris.

CHAP. LI.

DEPOSITION OF BONAPARTE BY THE SENATE-RESTORA

TION OF THE

UNDER HIS

FLECTIONS.

BOURBONS-CONDUCT OF BONAPARTE DEGRADATION-BANISHED TO ELBA-RE

THE Emperor Alexander, immediately on entering Paris, issued a declaration, stating the determination of the allies not to treat with Napoleon Bonaparte; after which the members of the senate met, and, under the presidency of M. Talleyrand, Prince of Benevento, established a provisional government. On Saturday, April 2d, the sitting was resumed, whence a decree was passed, stating that the Emperor Napoleon and his family have forfeited all right to the throne, and consequently absolved the French people and the army from their oath of allegiance.'

During the same evening, the Emperor of Russia, at an audience given by the senate, thus expressed himself:- A man who called himself my ally,' said the Emperor Alexander, entered my states as an unjust aggressor; it is against him that I have made war, not against France. I am the friend of the French people; what you have just done redoubles this sentiment; it is just, it is wise, to give to France strong and liberal institutions which may be comfortable to the present state of knowledge; my allies and myself 'come only to protect the liberty of your decisions.' The emperor stopped a moment; then his majesty continued with the most

affecting emotion, As a proof of the durable alliance which I mean to contract with your nation, I restore to it all the French prisoners who are in Russia: (near 200,000 men) the provisional government had already asked this of me: I grant it to the senate in consequence of the resolutions which it has taken to-day. The senate withdrew, penetrated with septiments of gratitude and of the highest admiration.

Previous to the deposition of Bonaparte, he sent Caulincourt to Paris, offering to accede to the terms the allies had offered at Chatillon; but was answered, that the time for treating with Bonaparte, as Sovereign of France, was past. On the 3d Marmont acceded to the wish of the senate, only stipulating that Bonaparte's life should be spared. So late as the 4th Bonaparte had the folly to send Ney and Macdonald with an offer to abdicate in favour of his son. This offer was also rejected, and Bonaparte after a violent struggle, signed on the morning of the 6th the following form of abdication, in which his habitual hypocricy is clearly exhibited: The allied powers having proclaimed that the Emperor Napoleon was the only obstacle to the re-establishment of the peace of Europe; the Emperor Napoleon, faithful to his oath, declares, that he renounces for himself and his heirs the thrones of France and Italy, and that there is no personal sacrifice, even that of life, which he is not ready to make to the interest of France.'

In the mean time Monsieur entered Paris in great pomp, and was invested with the regency, until the arrival of Louis XVIII.

It will now be proper to return to Bonaparte, and to review his conduct during these great events. When he had ascertained the march of the allies, he followed their route by Troyes with great rapidity. On the 28th at night, he came incog, and travelled post to the very gates of Paris, where he had a secret interview with a general from the city, and endeavoured to concert means for forming an army, out of the wrecks of the different corps. He then returned to his army,

which had reached Fontainbleau, where after the capture of Paris, he was joined by Marmont and Mortier, when his army might amount to about 40,000 men. The allies did not press upon him here, as there existed a strong hope of effecting their purpose by negociation alone.

On the 1st of April, in the morning, Bonaparte reviewed the troops, which he seemed to consider as his own; the marshals and generals, who had learned from the papers the resolutions of the senate and the provisional government, conversed on the subject loud enough to be heard by Napoleon; but he appeared to pay no attention to what they said, and the review passed quietly. When it was over, Marshal Ney, as had been settled, entered the palace with him, and followed him into his cabinet, where he asked him if he was informed of the great revolution that had taken place at Paris. He replied, with all the composure he could assume, that he knew nothing of it, though he was doubtless well informed of the whole. The marshal then gave him the Paris papers, which he seemed to read with attention; but he was only seeking to gain time to form an answer. Meantime came Marshal Lefebre, who, addressing his late emperor in a feeling tone, said, 'You are undone; you would not listen to the counsels of any of your servants; and now the senate has declared that you have forfeited the throne.' These words made such an impression on him, who was used to consider himself above all laws, that he immediately burst into a flood of tears, and, after some minutes reflection, wrote an act of abdication in favour of his son.

On the 5th, about 11 o'clock, several generals sent to the Duke of Bassano, who was mostly alone with the emperor, to dissuade him from appearing on the parade; but he would not refrain from it. About half-past 11 he formed a plan, which he made the Duke of Bassano write and sign with him, to repair, with 20,000 men that he had still with him, to Italy, and join the Prince Eugene Napoleon. He repeated several times, If I choose to go there, I am certain that all