I start to-morrow morning for Ancona, and thence for Rimini, Ravenna, and Bologna. If your health permit, come to Rimini or Ravenna, but, I beseech you, take care of yourself.

Not a word from you--what on earth have I done? To think only of you, to love only Josephine, to live only for my wife, to enjoy happiness only with my dear one--does this deserve such harsh treatment from her? My dear, I beg you, think often of me, and write me every day.

You are ill, or else you do not love me! Do you think, then, that I have a heart of stone? and do my sufferings concern you so little? You must know me very ill! I cannot believe it! You to whom nature has given intelligence, tenderness, and beauty, you who alone can rule my heart, you who doubtless know only too well the unlimited power you hold over me!

Write to me, think of me, and love me.--Yours ever, for life.

BONAPARTE.

_March 16th.--Bonaparte defeats Archduke Charles on the Tagliamento._

_March 25th.--Bonaparte writes the Directory from Goritz that "up till now Prince Charles has manoeuvred worse than Beaulieu and Wurmser."_

_March 29th.--Klagenfurt taken by Ma.s.sena._

_April 1st.--Laybach by Bernadotte._

_April 17th.--Preliminaries of peace at Leoben signed by Bonaparte._

_April 18th._--Hoche crosses the Rhine at Neuwied.

_April 21st_.--Moreau at Kehl.

_April 23rd._--Armistice of two Rhine armies follows preliminaries of Leoben.

_May 16th.--Augereau enters Venice._

_June 28th._--French capture Corfu, and 600 guns.

_July 8th._--Death of Edmund Burke, aged sixty-eight.

_July 18th._--Talleyrand becomes French Minister of Foreign Affairs.

_September 4th._--Day of 18th Fructidor at Paris. Coup d'etat _of Rewbell, Larevelliere-Lepeaux, and Barras, secretly aided by Bonaparte, who has sent them Augereau to command Paris_.

_September 18th._--Death of Lazare Hoche, aged twenty-nine, _probably poisoned by the Directory, which has recalled Moreau, retired Bernadotte, and will soon launch Bonaparte on the seas, so that he may find failure and Bantry Bay at Aboukir_ (Montgaillard).

_September 30th._--National bankruptcy admitted in France, _the sixth time in two centuries_.

_October 17th.---Treaty of Campo-Formio; Bonaparte called thereupon by Talleyrand "General Pacificator."_

_November 16th._--Death of Frederick William II., _King of Prussia, aged fifty-three_; _succeeded by his son, Frederick William III., aged twenty-seven_.

_December 1st.--Bonaparte Minister Plenipotentiary at Congress of Rastadt, and_

_December 5th.--Arrives at Paris._

_December 10th.--Bonaparte presented to the Directory by Talleyrand._

_December 27th.--Riots at Rome: Joseph Bonaparte (amba.s.sador) insulted; General Duphot (engaged to Joseph's sister-in-law, Desiree) killed._

SERIES C

THE MARENGO CAMPAIGN, 1800

LETTERS OF THE FIRST CONSUL BONAPARTE TO HIS WIFE

_3rd Outlaw._ "By the bare scalp of Robin Hood's fat friar, This fellow were a king for our wild faction!

_1st Outlaw._ "We'll have him; sirs, a word.

_Speed._ "Master, be one of them, It is an honourable kind of thievery."

_The Two Gentlemen of Verona_, Act iv., Scene I.

SERIES C

(For subjoined Notes to this Series see pages 223-225.)

LETTER PAGE

Christmas Day, 1799 223

No. 3. Ivrea, May 29th 224 _M.'s_ 224 _Cherries_ 224

No. 4. _Milan_ 224

THE CAMPAIGN OF MARENGO, 1800.

EVENTS OF 1798.

NAPOLEONIC HISTORY.--_May 20th._--_Napoleon sails from Toulon for Egypt._

_June 11th.--Takes Malta; sails for Egypt (June 20th)._