Napoleon's Afterthoughts

Written at St. Helena in justification of the Russian invasion:

The Russian war should have been the most popular war of modern times. It was a war on the side of good sense and sound interests, to bring peace and security to all. It was purely pacific and conservative. It was a war for a great cause, the end of uncertainties, and the beginning of security. A new horizon, and new labours would have opened up, full of well-being and prosperity for all. The European system was established : all that remained was to organize it.... In this way Europe would have become in reality but a single people and every man travelling anywhere would have found himself in a common fatherland.... Paris would have become the capital of the world and the French the envy of the nations.

(Nicolson, p.177-178)