The brave First Consul now began To set on foot his fav’rite plan; The Senate, when the door was clos’d, As Emperor of France, propos’d Brave Boney, and his heirs, and then They call’d him worthiest of men; So much accustom’d down to cram a lie, They prais’d, too, his _illustrious_ family. What _sweet_ addresses, what _kind_ answers, A proof mankind, too, oft in France errs; All these were equally prepared In Boney’s closet, ’tis declared. Addresses from the army came, Which were in tendency the same. Nap manag’d matters with facility, Such was the people’s instability. A deputation waited on him, And by _solicitation_ won him; In a fine sentimental speech, Began they Boney to beseech, That he would graciously agree The Emperor of France to be; Elected by the general voice, They said he was the people’s Choice, And begg’d the title to confer On one who was not _prone to err_. Nap much humility pretended, But to accept it _condescended_. The business settled thus, _nem. con._ He put th’ imperial purple on, More gay appear’d his lovely wife, Than e’er she did in all her life; It was enough to make her grin, As she was Empress Josephine. Nap now sent letters by the dozens, To the French Bishops, his new _cousins_, Informing them that Heav’n, indeed, His elevation had decreed; And, trusting for the same, that they Wou’d order a thanksgiving day. As Nap--’twas wise we must allow-- A Roman Catholic was now; A prayer had been, to this intent, By the Pope’s legate to them sent. Moreover, all the Christian Nations, Received the same notifications. Soon made they every preparation For a most brilliant Coronation. The flotilla, on the other side of the Channel, was still looked upon with uneasiness, and watched with jealous care. Still, we find that it was only at the commencement of the year that it was caricatured, Napoleon’s being made Emperor proving a more favourite subject; and, besides, a feeling sprung up that there was not much mischief in it. One of the most singular caricatures, in connection with the projected invasion, that I have met with is by Ansell, January 6, 1804. ‘The Coffin Expedition, or Boney’s Invincible Armada Half seas over.’ The flotilla is here represented as gunboats, in the shape of coffins: all the crews, naval and military, wearing shrouds; whilst at the masthead of each vessel is a skull with _bonnet rouge_. It is needless to say they are represented as all foundering, one man exclaiming, ‘Oh de Corsican Bougre was make dese Gun boats on purpose for our Funeral.’ Some British vessels are in the mid distance, and two tars converse thus: ‘I say Messmate, if we dont bear up quickly, there will be nothing left for us to do.’ ‘Right, Tom, and I take them there things at the Masthead to be Boney’s Crest, a skull without brains.’