suddenly fell. All the letters which arrived in Hamburg from the capital
of Russia and from Riga, attributed the fall to the election of the
Prince of Ponte-Corvo as Prince Royal of Sweden. Of thirty letters which
I received there was not one but described the consternation which the
event had created in St. Petersburg. This consternation, however, might
have been excited less by the choice of Sweden than by the fear that that
choice was influenced by the French Government.




CHAP XXII.

1809-1810.

Bernadotte elected Prince Royal of Sweden--Count Wrede's overtures
to Bernadotte--Bernadottes's three days' visit to Hamburg--
Particulars respecting the battle of Wagram--Secret Order of the
day--Last intercourse of the Prince Royal of Sweden with Napoleon--
My advice to Bernadotte respecting the Continental system.

I now come to one of the periods of my life to which I look back with
most satisfaction, the time when Bernadotte was with me in Hamburg. I
will briefly relate the series of events which led the opposer of the
18th Brumaire to the throne of Sweden.

On the 13th of march 1809 Gustavus Adolphus was arrested, and his uncle,
the Duke of Sudermania, provisionally took the reins of Government. A
few days afterwards Gustavus published his act of abdication, which in
the state of Sweden it was impossible for him to refuse. In May