Deducing this covering army, the rest of the al-
lied forces moved in columns along the three grand
routes of Meaux, Lagny, and Soissons, thus threat-
ening Paris along all its north-eastern quarter. The
military sovereigns and their victorious armies were
now in sight of that metropolis, whose rnler and his
soldiers had so often and so long lorded it in theirs t
<of that Paris, which, unsatisfied with her high rank
among the cities of Europe, had fomented constant
.war until all should be subjugated to her empire ;
of that proud city, who boasted herself the first in
arms and In science, the mistress and example of the



L



B OF NAFOLEOTI. [181^1

civilized world, the depositary of all that is vonder-
ful ia tlie fins arts, and the diotiitress as well of taste
as of law to continental Europe.
