loyal supporters of the Government and that indomitable British nation
which had declared '_no surrender_ to the Corsican,' and, either in
victory or defeat, had persevered, while their allies were conquered
and their subsidies wasted, were rewarded for the 'outpouring of
blood and treasure abroad' and the hard times and anxieties at home
by finding that at last, after Waterloo, their enemy was at their
mercy. Rejoicings, fireworks, and illuminations became the order of the
day; and our artist, who had traced the varying career of the dreaded
bugbear Boney, now lent his assistance to commemorate his downfall. In
Rowlandson's simple allegory Buonaparte, on his white Arab charger,
is riding his hardest away from the British pursuit; he has lost his
sword, and his crown is shaken off. Wellington, with his sword ready to
smite, is rapidly coming up with the fugitive, whose flight, however,
is unexpectedly brought to an end by finding old Blucher, on his sturdy
charger, drawn up across the very path he is taking. The redoubtable
veteran is discharging a huge blunderbuss full in the face of the
common enemy. Incidents in the pursuit of the routed French legions are
slightly indicated in the background, and a flight of certain gilded
birds are scurrying out of the dangerous vicinity.
_July 28, 1815._ _Boney's Trial, Sentence, and Dying Speech, or
Europe's Injuries Revenged._--Napoleon is arraigned, as a criminal at
the bar, before the Court of Europe and a crowded tribunal; the seat of
chief judge is occupied by Prince Blucher, and the assembled potentates
are seated on the bench, wearing their recovered crowns, which the
prisoner, in his various triumphs, had so often caused to tremble and,
in some cases, had carried off completely. The kings, it is true, do
not make an imposing spectacle; with the exception of the Emperor
Alexander, who is seated beside the Prince Regent, they still seem to
look upon the lately dreaded foe with trepidation. The occupants of the
court and the lawyers are regarding the criminal under sentence with
abhorrence; a _posse_ of tipstaves are drawn up below the prisoner's
bar; and Napoleon, who is trying to move the compassion of his hearers
by hypocritical humility, has a friend at his back, who is ready to
seize his bond--the Black Fiend is his unseen attendant prompter in
person. Old Blucher, clad in his field-marshal's uniform, with the
addition of a judge's wig, is standing up, and, with emphatic gestures,
is pointing to the act of accusation set forth at length on a screen
in the court: 'Napoleon Bonaparte, the first and last by the wrath
of Heaven, ex-Emperor of the Jacobins, and Head-Runner of Runaways,
stands indicted: 1. For the murder of Captain Wright in the Temple, at
Paris. 2. For the murder of the Duke D'Enghien, Pichegru, and Georges.