The successes of the English in the Baltic and in Egypt were well calculated to dispose Napoleon for negotiation:  and the retirement of Mr. Pitt, who was considered throughout Europe as the author and very soul of the anti-revolutionary war, was not without its influence.  On the other hand, Napoleon’s mighty successes against the German emperor had been followed up this same year by the march of a French and Spanish army into Portugal, in consequence of which that last ally of England had been compelled to submit to the general fate of the continent.  On both sides there existed the strongest motives for accommodation; and, in effect, after a tedious negotiation, the preliminaries of peace were signed, on the 10th of October, at Amiens.  By this treaty England surrendered all the conquests which she had made during the war, except Ceylon and Trinidad.  France, on the other hand, restored what she had taken from Portugal, and guaranteed the independence of the Ionian Islands.  Malta was to be restored to the Knights of St. John, and declared a free port:  neither England nor France was to have any representatives in the order; and the garrison was to consist of the troops of a neutral power.  This article was that which cost the greatest difficulty—­and Malta was destined to form the pretext, at least, for the re-opening of the war at no distant date.

Meantime, except by a small party, who thought that England should never make peace unless the Bourbon family were restored to the throne of France, this news was received with universal satisfaction throughout Great Britain.  “It was,” as Mr. Sheridan summed up the matter, “a peace which all men were glad of, and of which no man could be proud.”  The definitive treaty was signed on the 25th of March, 1802:  and nothing could surpass the demonstrations of joy on this occasion, both in London and in Paris—­or the enthusiastic display of good-will with which the populace of either capital welcomed the plenipotentiaries.

[Footnote 41:  For the details of the battle of Copenhagen see Southey’s Life of Nelson.  That conflict has been celebrated, in a noble lyric, by Campbell—­

    “Of Nelson and the North
      Sing the glorious day’s renown,
    When to the battle fierce came forth
      All the might of Denmark’s crown,” &c.
]

CHAPTER XVII

     Peace of Amiens—­The Concordat—­The Legion of Honour—­Buonaparte
     President of the Cisalpine Republic—­First Consul for Life—­Grand
     Mediator of the Helvetic Confederacy—­St. Domingo—­Toussaint
     L’Ouverture—­Dissatisfaction of England—­Trial of Peltier—­Lord
     Whitworth—­Rupture of the Peace of Amiens—­Detention of English
     Travellers in France.