CHAP. XXIII.--Preparations for the Invasion of Britain--Nelson put in command of the Sea--Attack of the Boulogne Flotilla--Pitt leaves the Ministry--succeeded by Mr. Addington--Negotiations for Peace--Just punishment of England, in regard to the conquered Settlements of the enemy--Forced to restore them all, save Ceylon and Trinidad--Malta is placed under the guarantee of a Neutral Power--Preliminaries of Peace signed--Joy of the English Populace, and doubts of the better classes--Treaty of Amiens signed--The ambitious projects of Napoleon, nevertheless, proceed without interruption--Extension of his power in Italy--He is appointed Consul for life, with the power of naming his Successor--His Situation at this period, 364 CHAP. XXIV.--Different Views entertained by the English Ministers and the Chief Consul of the effects of the Treaty of Amiens--Napoleon, misled by the Shouts of a London Mob, misunderstands the Feelings of the People of Great Britain--His continued encroachments on the Independence of Europe--His conduct to Switzerland--Interferes in their Politics, and sets himself up, uninvited, as Mediator in their concerns--Ney enters Switzerland at the head of 40,000 men--The patriot, Reding, disbands his Forces, and is imprisoned--Switzerland is compelled to furnish France with a Subsidiary Army of 16,000 Troops--The Chief Consul adopts the title of Grand Mediator of the Helvetic Republic, 372 APPENDIX-- No. I.--Buonaparte's Letter to General Paoli, 381 No. II.--Letter of Napoleon Buonaparte to M. Matteo Buttafuoco, Deputy from Corsica to the National Assembly, 382 No. III.--The Supper of Beaucaire, 388 No. IV.--Letters of Napoleon to Josephine, 392 No. V.--Descent of the French in South Wales, under General Tate, 396 No. VI.--Buonaparte's Camp-Library, 397 No. VII.--Buonaparte, Member of the National Institute, Commander-in-Chief, to the People of Egypt, 398 No. VIII.--Historical Notes on the Eighteenth Brumaire, 399 [Illustration] CHAPTER I. _Corsica--Family of Buonaparte--Napoleon born 15th August, 1769--His early habits--Sent to the Royal Military School at Brienne--His great Progress in Mathematical Science--Deficiency in Classical Literature--Anecdotes--Removed to the General School of Paris--When in his Seventeenth Year, appointed Second Lieutenant of Artillery--His early Politics--Promoted to a Captaincy--Pascal Paoli--Napoleon sides with the French Government against Paoli--And is banished from Corsica--Visits Marseilles, and publishes the Souper de Beaucaire._