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ANECDOTES OF BONAPARTE
In the 7th Number of The Investigator,
published quarterly in London, is an article, entitled "Narratives
of a Visit to the Island of St. Helena, with Minutes of a
Conversation with Bonaparte, at Longwood, in March, 1816, by an
Officer in the East India Company's Service," from which we
make the following extracts:
"The story respecting Bonaparte's escape from his boundaries,
and the firing of the guard, is an idle tale. The fact is,
Napoleon being an expert cavalry rider, and Captain Poppleton (the
Captain on guard) only an infantry officer, and little accustomed
to riding manoeuvres, the latter had been left far behind by his
companion in one of the airings. Bonaparte it seems enjoyed most
heartily the triumph of galloping away from his keeper, who could
only bear the simple jog-trot of his Rosinante. Bonaparte had
really exceeded the length of his chain, made some romantic and
chivalric leaps in his progress, and had climbed some dreadful
steeps. Capt. P. was highly incensed at his conduct, and made a
report to the Admiral. The unlucky civil-doer was not allowed to
ride out with the Captain for some time, and he was assured, by a
rough message from the Admiral, that if he transgressed in such a
way again, the sentinels had orders to level him to the earth.
Some of his questions were doubtless very silly, but I think in
the main they discovered him to be a man of very superior
discernment. When any were asked of a trifling nature, it was
easy to discover a decided absence of mind, and a total
inattention to the reply. In spite, however, of all our
antipathies to the man, he appeared to have many intellectual
distinctions -- to possess one original and supernatural faculty;
the faculty of developing a subject by a single glance of the
mind, and detecting at once the very point on which it depends. I
regret my inability to record all the judicious observations
which I heard him make. His mental operations were too rapid for
the memory to retain. His judgment on men and things appeared to
be instantaneously formed. Hence it has been said of him, that
the first burst of his mind was always grand. It is impossible
for me to notice one third of the infinite variety of topics
which he entered into and asked questions upon. Not that he
needed instruction, or was a novice in human affairs, for he was
evidently master of all subjects brought under his view.
Much anxiety was displayed in questions about the Chinese. He
wondered at the policy of Government in fostering ignorance and
monopoly; said he thought it would be proper to pull down the
hold of prejudice, suspicion, and covetousness; but observed,
"I only think so -- the subject is new to me -- it is worth
attention." He asked what the Chinese thought of the British
naval power? We replied, they thought very greatly of it. "Ah,
indeed," said he, "and so do I!" Respecting teas,
we enjoyed a hearty laugh, Bonaparte excepted. "I have been
informed," said he, "that there is much imposition
practiced on your Company by the Chinese, in the article of tea.
That they first of all derive for themselves the virtues of the
tea, dry it up, and sell it to the Company. You may not think so;
but what do you know about the secrets of their trade? You are
strangers without, not within the gates!" He inquired if we
had heard of the battle of Waterloo, with as much sang froid as
if he had not been involved in its ruin. He praised Lord
Wellington -- praised the courage of the conflicting armies, and
intimated very intelligibly that Wellington was the only General
equal to himself. "In prudence," said he, "he is
my superior." He adverted to the war in Spain, in terms of
regret. He declared Sir John Moore to be the bravest General the
English ever had; spoke of the immense difficulties he
encountered, and the glorious death he died. Bonaparte made many
observations on the bravery and character of the British cavalry;
ridiculed their many appendages, and assured us with great
gravity, that they were by no means equal to the French. No
censure was implied in this on the gallantry of the former, but
against the bad management of their horses, and the generally bad
constructed curb of their reins."
Throughout the whole of the conversation, I had an opportunity of
beholding his countenance, with which I was much prepossessed,
and which I can never forget. His person was truly interesting,
and he carried his figure to the best advantage. His manners were
those of a gentleman, and extremely winning; upon the whole I
think I never saw his equal for natural shape and perfectability
of countenance. I should conceive the latter a fine specimen of
the Roman cast, and to be a perfect model of the plastic hand of
nature. In vain I looked for the murderer, the monster, the
villain, the wretch, the assassin, in the place which is
generally said to be an index of the mind.
During our interview with Napoleon, he took a prodigious quantity
of snuff, from a box made of exquisite tortoise shell, mounted
with silver medallions, with the heads of the King of Rome, Maria
Louisa, and Julius Caesar. His dress was the same as he is
usually described to have worn. He had a singular aversion to red
clothes. Captain Poppleton, indulged him on his first arrival in
the island with putting on a dress not militaire.
During our conversation with Captain P. An Irishman at work very
near us, was talking and muttering to himself in a most humorous
manner, and cursing his hard fate in being shut up in such a
place. He made it appear that he had been trepanned into the
island.
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-Napoleon Bonaparte
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