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CHAPTER XLVII.

RETREAT TO CORUNNA—THE BROKEN BRIDGE OVER THE DANUBEWAGRAM-JOSEPHINE'S DIVORCE.

IN the year 1809 there are very few caricatures of Napoleon. After the taking of Madrid, Sir John Moore thought it prudent to retreat, which he did, and, after many difficulties, reached Corunna. The repulse of the French there, although at the cost of Sir John Moore's life, enabled the troops to be embarked.

Napoleon had but little rest, for in March the Austrians again took up arms against him, to which he replied by victoriously marching to Vienna, which was bombarded before it capitulated. One incident in this campaign was seized upon by the caricaturist. There had been much fighting about Aspern and Essling, with pretty equal fortune, until the destruction of a bridge, caused by a sudden rise of the Danube, which brought down timber rafts, barges, &c., deprived Napoleon of all the advantage he had gained, and compelled him to retreat to the island of Lobau.

There is a caricature by Rowlandson (June 12, 1809) of 'Boney's Broken Bridge.' An aged general, cocked-hat in hand, is thus addressing Napoleon: With all due deference to your little Majesty-It was the Austrian Fire-boats that destroyed the Bridge.' Napoleon, however, turns on him savagely, and, pointing to the broken bridge, says, 'Ah! who is it that dares contradict me, I say it was some floating timber, and the high swell of the river that caused the

Shocking Accident.' The Austrian army, on the opposite bank, are singing a paraphrase of 'London bridge is broken down':

Boney's Bridge is broken down,

Dance over the Lady Lea—
Boney's Bridge is broken down,

By an Arch Duke-ee.1

Ansell gives his version of this event, shewing the Austrian Archduke, pickaxe in hand, having destroyed the bridge, and, pointing to some ducks and geese, he sings :—

The Ducks and the Geese with ease swim over,

Fal de rol de rido, Fal de rol de rido.

The Ducks and the Geese with ease swim over,

Fal de rol de rido, Fal de rol de rido.

But Napoleon, dancing with rage, on the other side, yells out, 'You Rascal you! How dare you break down my Bridge, If I knew how to get over, this invincible arm should make you repent your rashness.' In the background an officer calls out to the army, 'Invincible Army go back, the bridge is broke down and we should not be able to run away.'

It was in this retreat that Lannes was killed--but it was avenged at Wagram, a battle that so crippled the Austrians that they had to ask an armistice, which afterwards led to a peace between the rival nations.

It seems he wanted satisfaction,
So Wagram was the scene of action.
By some, however, 'tis believ'd,
The Emp'ror Francis was deceiv'd,

That Boney had, in his caprice,

Made secret overtures for peace,

''The Broken Bridge, or Boney outwitted by General Danube,' June 1809.

VOL. II.

H

And a connubial match propos'd

With which the Cabinet had clos'd;
They having been assured, that by it
They should be peaceable and quiet.
And that great Bonaparte might seem
A victor worthy of esteem,

Unknown to Francis they acceded,
To such a battle as he needed;
So that the battle of Wagram,
They say was nothing but a sham-
In other words,-tho' low, but certain,
'Twas all my eye and Betty Martin.'
But if a sham, as it is said,
The farce was admirably played,
For twenty thousand men each lost,
So that they acted to their cost;

But, be 't a real one, or a mock,

They fought both days till six o'clock;

Nap to the vict'ry laid claim,

And saved the credit of his name.

Hostilities began to cease,

It seems both parties thought of peace.

Sauler (August 1809) shews us 'The rising Sun, or a view of the Continent.' This rising sun is inscribed 'Spain and Portugal,' and gives great uneasiness to Napoleon, who says, 'The rising sun has set me upon thorns.' He is employed in rocking a cradle, in which peacefully reposes a Russian bear, muzzled with 'Boney's Promises.' Behind is Sweden, who brandishes his sword, calling to Russia to 'Awake thou Sluggard, ere the fatal blow is struck, and thou and thy execrable ally sink into eternal oblivion.' Holland is fast asleep, and leans against Napoleon. Poland is represented by a shadow, and Denmark wears a huge extinguisher on his head. Turkey is virtually dead, on the ground; but Austria is springing into activity, ex

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claiming, Tyrant, I defy thee and thy Cursed Crew.' Prussia is depicted as a lunatic, with straws in his hair, wearing a strait-waistcoat, and, with a very vacuous expression of countenance, is singing, 'Fiddle diddle dee, Fiddle diddle dee, The Mouse has married the humble bee -and I am Emperor of the Moon.' Underneath are the following lines:

Just as the Rising Sun dispels

The gloom of night to bless us with new day,
So genuine Patriotism expels
Vindictive Tyrants from despotic Sway.

Thus Spain, the source of patriotic worth.
(A Rising Sun of Freedom to the Earth),
Invites the Captive Nations to forego
The Yoke and crush their sanguinary foe.

Why then, ye Nations, will ye not embrace
The proffer'd Freedom smiling in your face?
Why dilly-dally when to sink or rise

Rests with yourselves-dare ye contemn the prize

Is Freedom nothing worth, that for her sake

Ye dare not e'en one gen'rous effort make?

Alas! infatuated Monarchs see,

What is, and what your Fate must ever be.

Spain is a Sun arising to illume

The threefold horrors of your future doom,
While she on Freedom's golden wings shall tow'r,
The Arbitress of Continental pow'r.

Russia's a Bear amid impending woes,

Rock'd by th' insidious Tyrant to repose.

Sweden's a Warrior of distinguished worth,

Sweden hath giv'n to many heroes birth.
Austria's a Phoenix rising renovated,

Whose genial warmth with Spain, incorporated,
Longer disdains to crouch at the fell shrines
Of Usurpation, and the foulest crimes.

Prussia, poor Prussia, with straightjacket on,
And Crown of Straw, proves what delays have done.
Denmark too, half extinguish'd, shows,
The fruits of leaguing with old England's foes.
And Holland, drowsy Holland, dreams
Of aggrandizement, potent Kings and Queens.
While Poland, a mere shadow in the rear
(As proof of something once existent there),
Yields to the Yoke, nor dares its shackles break,
Lest by so doing, she her Freedom stake.

Poor silly mortals, will ye ever bow

To the dread Shrine of Tyranny and Woe;

Or by co-operation overwhelm

The Scourge of Nations, and resume the Helm ?

One of the great events of this year, as regards Napoleon, was his divorce from Josephine. That he loved her, as far as he could love any woman, there is no doubt; but there were State reasons why he should have another consort. His ambition could not be satisfied till he had an heir male of his own. The dynasty he fondly hoped to found ought not to descend to any of his brothers, and none but his own son could have any hold upon the affection of the French nation.

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