NapoleonentersMoscowafterthebrilliantvictorydelaMoskowa; , aboundinginprovisions, arms, munitions, andincalculablewealth, isinNapoleon', onlyhalfthestrengthoftheFrench, '; negotiateanadvantageouspeace, orincaseofarefusalmakeamenacingmoveonPetersburg, oreven, inthecaseofareverse, returntoSmolenskorVilna; orremaininMoscow; inshort, , onlyverysimpleandeasystepswerenecessary: nottoallowthetroopstoloot, topreparewinterclothing—ofwhichtherewassufficientinMoscowforthewholearmy—andmethodicallytocollecttheprovisions, ofwhich (accordingtotheFrenchhistorians) , thatgreatestofallgeniuses, whothehistoriansdeclarehadcontrolofthearmy, tooknoneofthesesteps.
Henotmerelydidnothingofthekind, : winteringinMoscow, advancingonPetersburgoronNizhni-Novgorod, orretiringbyamorenortherlyormoresoutherlyroute (saybytheroadKutuzovafterwardstook), , lettingthetroopsplunderthecity; then, hesitatingwhethertoleaveagarrisonbehindhim, hequittedMoscow, approachedKutuzovwithoutjoiningbattle, turnedtotherightandreachedMalo-Yaroslavets, againwithoutattemptingtobreakthroughandtaketheroadKutuzovtook, , ormoredisastrousforthearmy, 'saimbeentodestroyhisarmy, themostskillfulstrategistcouldhardlyhavedevisedanyseriesofactionsthatwouldsocompletelyhaveaccomplishedthatpurpose, independentlyofanythingtheRussianarmymightdo.
Napoleon, themanofgenius, didthis! Buttosaythathedestroyedhisarmybecausehewishedto, orbecausehewasverystupid, wouldbeasunjustastosaythathehadbroughthistroopstoMoscowbecausehewishedtoandbecausehewasverycleverandagenius.
Inbothcaseshispersonalactivity, havingnomoreforcethanthepersonalactivityofanysoldier, merelycoincidedwiththelawsthatguidedtheevent.
ThehistoriansquitefalselyrepresentNapoleon'sfacultiesashavingweakenedinMoscow, , , inItaly, inAustria, —wherefortycenturieslookeddownuponhisgrandeur—, forwehavetodrawourinformationfromFrenchorGermansources, , thankGod, , andwewillnotabandonthatright.
, andeventheburningofMoscow, , orofthewelfareofthepeopleofRussia, orofthedirectionofaffairsinParis, orofdiplomaticconsiderationsconcerningthetermsoftheanticipatedpeace.
