In the chapter “Tilsit” of the first volume of the book “Napoleon and Alexander I”, Albert Vandal tells in detail about the second meeting of the emperors with the participation of the Prussian king: “The second meeting on the raft on the Neman took place on the twenty-sixth. The Prussian king arrived at this meeting and was introduced to Napoleon by Alexander. His deportment drew an unpleasant contrast to that of the tsar. Friedrich William was naturally lacking in grace and ease; his unhappiness made him even more awkward, and he lacked the knack of smiling when he was heavy-hearted. His sullen look, his downcast eyes, his stammering speech, all indicated how painfully awkward he felt. Beneath his reserved exterior, Napoleon sensed a soul that was all the more difficult to win over to his side because it was honest and committed. He condemned and passed a final verdict on Prussia embodied in her king. He had no hope of joining it to his system, but was compelled to preserve it, as the Russian alliance was conditioned by this price, he thought only of the means of bringing it to a state of impotence. Not being able to kill it, he wanted to disrupt its life.

He spoke harshly and condescendingly to the king. Barely hinting at the terms of peace, he made poignant references to the shortcomings he had noticed in the Prussian administration and army, gave Friedrich William some advice and with insulting insistence pointed out to him his royal duties. He then made a cruel demand. Before the war, Baron Gardenberg, Prussian First Minister, had treated France without due respect by refusing an audience to her ambassador; in retaliation for this insult, Napoleon now refused to negotiate with him. This meant ordering the minister’s dismissal, accusing him of political mediocrity and removing him from the royal council. Frederick William disputed this demand: he had no one, he said, to replace with Gardenberg. Napoleon took no notice of this, listed several names, and among them, by a singular mistake, mentioned Baron Stein, the future transformer of the Prussian monarchy. After a painful conversation, they parted very coldly. Returning to the right bank, Friedrich William heard Napoleon and Alexander talk about meeting each other that same evening in Tilsit.”