Humbled and conquered as Prussia thus was, it was impossible for Napoleon to abandon his hold of her; she would have immediately rallied, under the cannon of the Russians.  Finding it impossible to gain her to his interests, like Saxony, by a great act of generosity, the next plan was to divide her; and yet, either from compassion, or the effect of Alexander’s presence, he could not resolve to dismember her.  This was a mistaken policy, like most of those where we stop half-way; and Napoleon was not long before he became sensible of it.  When he exclaimed, therefore, “Is it possible that I have left this man so large a territory?” it is probable that he did not forgive Prussia the protection of Alexander; he hated her, because he felt that she hated him.

In fact, the sparks of a jealous and impatient hatred escaped from the youth of Prussia, whose ideas were exalted by a system of education, national, liberal, and mystical.  It was among them that a formidable power arose in opposition to that of Napoleon.  It included all whom his victories had humbled or offended; it had all the strength of the weak and the oppressed, the law of nature, mystery, fanaticism, and revenge!  Wanting support on earth, it looked up for aid to Heaven, and its moral forces were wholly out of the reach of the material power of Napoleon.  Animated by the devoted and indefatigable spirit of an ardent sect, it watched the slightest movements and weakest points of its enemy, insinuated itself into all the interstices of his power, and holding itself ready to strike at every opportunity, it waited quietly with the patience and phlegm which are the peculiar characteristics of the Germans, which were the causes of their defeat, and against which our victory wore itself out.

This vast conspiracy was that of the Tugendbund[1], or Friends of Virtue.  Its head, in other words, the person who first gave a precise and definite direction to its views, was Stein.  Napoleon perhaps might have gained him over to his interests, but preferred punishing him.  His plan happened to be discovered by one of those chances to which the police owes the best part of its miracles; but when conspiracies enter into the interests, passions, and even the consciences of men, it is impossible to seize their ramifications:  every one understands without communicating; or rather, all is communication—­a general and simultaneous sympathy.

[Footnote 1:  In 1808, several literary men at Koenigsberg, afflicted with the evils which desolated their country, ascribed it to the general corruption of manners.  According to these philosophers, it had stifled true patriotism in the citizens, discipline in the army, and courage in the people.  Good men therefore were bound to unite to regenerate the nation, by setting the example of every sacrifice.  An association was in consequence formed by them, which took the title of Moral and Scientific Union.