. MADAME DE STAEL AND NAPOLEON BONAPARTE. 269 He says himself that the secret of success in war is always to have the greatest force at the point of contact. Would you know how it was that Napoleon contrived to have the greatest force at the point of contact ? Read the bulletins which, with such consummate skill, he flat- tered, dazzled, bewildered, and maddened the people of France. Some years ago, when the eyes of the world were turned toward Prussia and France, and many were disposed to censure the severe terms imposed by the victor, I examined these despatches to learn how Napoleon treated Prussia when that kingdom lay prostrate and helpless before him after the battle of Jena. The battle of Jena was fought October 14, 1806. On the very next day the Emperor issued a decree, imposing a heavy contribution in money upon every German state and city that had sided with Prussia in the war. Prussia herself was required to furnish one hundred millions of francs, of which Berlin was to pay ten millions ; Saxony had to pay twenty- five millions ; Hesse-Cassel, six millions ; the Duke of Brunswick, five millions and a half ; Weimar, two millions two hundred thousand. From eighteen states and cities, the sum of one hundred and fifty-nine millions four hundred and twenty-five thousand francs was extorted. This to begin with. Of course, all the treasure belonging to the king of Prussia, and all the war material of the kingdom were seized at once. Three days after the battle, the King of Prussia wrote to Napoleon, asking an armistice. The Emperor refused it, on the ground that a suspension of arms would give time for the Russian armies to arrive and renew the struggle within the Prussian territories, " which," added, Napoleon, " would be too contrary to my interests to permit." A few days after, the students of the University of
