Part 9

Chapter 1

           

           Fromthecloseoftheyear1811anintensifiedarmingandconcentratingoftheforcesofWesternEuropebegan,andin1812theseforces—millionsofmen,reckoningthosetransportingandfeedingthearmy—movedfromthewesteastwardstotheRussianfrontier,towardwhichsince1811Russianforceshadbeensimilarlydrawn.OnthetwelfthofJune,1812,theforcesofWesternEuropecrossedtheRussianfrontierandwarbegan,thatis,aneventtookplaceopposedtohumanreasonandtohumannature.Millionsofmenperpetratedagainstoneanothersuchinnumerablecrimes,frauds,treacheries,thefts,forgeries,issuesoffalsemoney,burglaries,incendiarisms,andmurdersasinwholecenturiesarenotrecordedintheannalsofallthelawcourtsoftheworld,butwhichthosewhocommittedthemdidnotatthetimeregardasbeingcrimes.

           Whatproducedthisextraordinaryoccurrence?Whatwereitscauses?ThehistorianstelluswithnaïveassurancethatitscauseswerethewrongsinflictedontheDukeofOldenburg,thenonobservanceoftheContinentalSystem,theambitionofNapoleon,thefirmnessofAlexander,themistakesofthediplomatists,andsoon.

           Consequently,itwouldonlyhavebeennecessaryforMetternich,Rumyántsev,orTalleyrand,betweenaleveeandaneveningparty,tohavetakenproperpainsandwrittenamoreadroitnote,orforNapoleontohavewrittentoAlexander:“MyrespectedBrother,IconsenttorestoretheduchytotheDukeofOldenburg”—andtherewouldhavebeennowar.

           Wecanunderstandthatthematterseemedlikethattocontemporaries.

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