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CONVERSATIONS WITH NAPOLEON 
 
• ;•".•? ••. 
 
 
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CONVERSATIONS WITH 
 
 NAPOLEON AT 
 
 ST. HELENA 
 
 BY 
 
 HENRY MEYNELL 
 
 (h.m.s. Newcastle) 
 
 LONDON 
 
 ARTHUR L. HUMPHREYS 
 
 1 87 Piccadilly, W 
 
 1911 
 
J* ; y * ' ' 
 
 '^'i 
 
CAPTAIN H. MEYNELL, R.N. 
 
 The Register of Quorn Church gives August 24, 
 1789, as the date of baptism of Henry Meynell, 
 the 2nd Son of Hugo Meynell of Hoar Cross, 
 Co. Stafford, by the Honble. Elizabeth Ingram, 
 3rd Daughter and Co-heiress of Charles 9th 
 Viscount Irwin, of Temple Newsam, Yorkshire. 
 
 Henry Meynell entered the Royal Navy in 
 June, 1803, ^^^ ^^ actively employed during 
 the first seven years of his Service on the 
 Mediterranean and Home Stations. He after- 
 wards sailed as Lieut, of the Theban with a 
 convoy for the East Indies and China. 
 
 He was next appointed acting Commander 
 of the Arrogant at Bombay in 18 13, and in 
 August of the same year was promoted to be 
 Commander of the Cornwallis. 
 
 In 18 15 he became acting Captain, and in 
 1816 he was confirmed in the rank of Captain 
 while serving in the Newcastle, the Flagship of 
 Rear- Admiral Sir Pulteney Malcolm, who was 
 Commander - in - Chief at St. Helena Station, 
 specially appointed to enforce a rigid blockade 
 
 V 
 
 25^028 
 
of the Island, and to keep a close guard on 
 Buonaparte. 
 
 His Commissions in the Royal Navy bore 
 date as follows : 
 
 Lieut 8 Nov. 1809. 
 
 Commander . . .24 Aug. 18 13. 
 
 Captain . .10 April 18 16. 
 
 Rear- Admiral (reserved list) 29 April 1851. 
 
 Vice-Admiral . . * 9 July 1857. 
 
 Admiral .... 4 October 1862. 
 
 Captain Meynell represented the Borough of 
 Lisburn in Parliament from 1826 to 1847. He 
 was appointed Gentleman Usher to Geo. IV. 
 in the early part of 1820 and held a similar 
 appointment for a short time under William IV., 
 and for some years, up to April 1845, ^^^ ^ 
 Groom-in-Waiting to her late Majesty Queen 
 Victoria. 
 
 Admiral Meynell died unmarried in Paris, 
 March 25, 1865. 
 
 VI 
 
A NOTE 
 
 Sir Pulteney Malcolm while on the St. 
 Helena Station had frequent interviews with 
 Napoleon, and his notes of the conversations 
 which took place on these occasions were pub- 
 lished in 1899, under the title of A Diary of 
 St. Helena^ 1816-1817, by Lady Malcolm. 
 
 In these visits Captain Meynell often accom- 
 panied his Admiral, took part in the conversations, 
 and evidently kept a careful record of what passed 
 in his presence and hearing. In these circum- 
 stances his Memorandum necessarily contains 
 much that was already anticipated in the Diary, 
 so that those who are acquainted with the earlier 
 publication will feel that the two narratives 
 cover, to a considerable extent, the same ground. 
 Nevertheless, Captain MeynelFs recollections un- 
 doubtedly contain fresh matter in addition to 
 what is related by Sir P. Malcolm; they supple- 
 ment and confirm the account given in the Diary, 
 while there is often sufficient variety in the two 
 versions of the same conversation, in the particular 
 language used by Napoleon, and in the diifFerent 
 
 vii 
 
impressions left by these interviews upon the two 
 officers, by what he said, by his manner and 
 personality, to give value and importance to 
 Captain Meynell's independent recollections. For 
 these reasons, and having regard to the peculiar 
 interest which attaches to the subject, it has been 
 considered that Captain Meynell's Memorandum, 
 which has been recently found among some 
 family papers, is worth preservation, and it has 
 accordingly been printed in the present form. 
 
 vin 
 
MEMORANDA 
 
 BY 
 
 CAPTAIN HENRY MEYNELL, 
 
 H.M.S. 'NEWCASTLE; ST. HELENA. 
 
 npHIS morning (June 20th, 1816) Captain 
 ^ Cochrane, Mr. Irving and myself 
 accompanied the Admiral, who with the 
 Governor and his Staff went to Longwood, 
 for the purpose of the Admiral's being intro- 
 duced to Buonaparte on his first arrival at 
 St. Helena. When we arrived we were shown 
 into a Room, in which we found Generals 
 Montholon and Gourgaud, after remaining 
 a short time, the Admiral and Governor 
 were ushered into the next Apartment by 
 Count Bertrand, where they were received 
 by Napoleon who had also the Count Las 
 Cases with him. They remained together 
 about a Quarter of an hour, the Door was 
 then opened, the rest of the party went in, 
 and were separately introduced to Buona- 
 parte, after the usual Salutation to those 
 of the Governor's Staff whom he knew. 
 
: .CGSyVfiBSATIONS WITH NAPOLEON 
 
 He turned to Colonel Wynyard (whom he 
 observed to be wounded) and asked where 
 he got the wound, on being told Santa 
 Maura. Ah, said he, par Les Brigands, 
 cela ne vaut pas La peine, he then asked 
 after Mrs. W. and looking at Captain 
 Cochrane, and myself asked if we were not 
 Capitaines de Fregates. After which, a few- 
 general observations were made on the 
 Wr., &c. when we all made our Bows and 
 retired. In his Appearance He struck me 
 as resembling a Picture painted by Robert 
 Lefevbre only considerably stouter. His 
 face remarkably Pale, a very thick neck, 
 & Broad Shoulders, a well made Leg and 
 Foot, in Height about 5 feet 5 inches (it 
 was remarked by Ldy. M. a few days after- 
 wards that he had also a very Handsome 
 Hand). In his dress he was not particularly 
 neat. He wore a single breasted Green Coat, 
 or Habit de Chasse with a velvet Collar and 
 Silver Buttons, having the figures of different 
 animals on them. He had on the Star of 
 the Legion of Honour, White Breeches, 
 Silk Stockings, and Shoes, with Gold Oval 
 Buckles. He kept his Cocked Hat under 
 his left arm, with that hand generally in 
 his Pocket, the other was occupied with a 
 Snuff Box out of which he took a good 
 
CONVERSATIONS WITH IS^APOLEON- 
 
 deal of SnuiF. His figure though fine is 
 certainly not graceful. He spoke quick, 
 and I thought his French difficult to under- 
 stand. His countenance was pleasant, and 
 he seemed in good humour. He is irregular 
 in his meals, but generally breakfasts at ii, 
 and dines at eight. He Remains in His 
 Apartments until 4 in the afternoon, when 
 he walks or drives out until sunset. 
 Bertrand has since informed me that he 
 often gets up in the middle of the Night 
 and writes, or reads for an hour or two, 
 having contracted that habit at an early 
 period when Commanding his Armies. 
 
 The Admiral went up to Longwood this 
 day (June 25th, 1816) with Ldy. M. On 
 the Road they stopped at Count Bertrand's 
 House, Hut's Gate, to pay a visit to Madame 
 B., they found there Bonaparte's Carriage 
 with 6 horses, which on hearing she was 
 coming to see him, he had sent for her, and 
 Madame B. who accompanied Lady M. in 
 the Carriage, 2 French Postillions drove it 
 at a gallop along a narrow road bounded 
 on one side by a Precipice called the 
 Devil's Punch Bowl, and on entering the 
 Gate of Longwood they nearly overturned 
 it. On their arrival B. received Lady M. 
 most graciously; asked her several questions; 
 
 3 
 
GONVERSATIONS WITH NAPOLEON 
 
 How she bore so long a sea voyage; and if 
 she was not very sea sick ? He then asked 
 her if she was fond of hunting, as he under- 
 stood that Ladies in England were partial 
 to that amusement. He talked to her 
 much about Ossian's Poems, which he had 
 always admired, Lady M. remarked that 
 they had been very generally admired on 
 the Continent, as they had been translated 
 into all languages. Ah, said he, it was I 
 that brought them into Fashion on the 
 Continent, I have even been accused of 
 having my head filled with Ossian's Clouds. 
 He mentioned some names in it which 
 resembled the Italian (viz.) D'Arthulla and 
 Comalla two poems he particularly admired. 
 He said he had seen two translations of 
 them in French, that neither were good, 
 but that the one he had seen in Italian, was 
 excellent and beautiful. He then asked 
 Lady M. if she thought them genuine, that 
 there had been many controversies about 
 them, and whether she did not think that 
 Macpherson had written them. Lady M. 
 replied, That she did not think Macpherson 
 capable of writing them, that the Highland 
 Society had taken much pains to investigate 
 it, and proved their authenticity. 
 
 The Admiral this time (July 4th, 1816) 
 4 
 
CONVERSATIONS WITH NAPOLEON 
 
 took with him the Officers of the Newcastle 
 previous to their being introduced to Bona- 
 parte. He saw the Admiral alone for about 
 two hours when the Officers were introduced, 
 and they took leave. He does not appear to 
 have made up his mind to remaining at St. 
 Helena all his life. He asked the Admiral, 
 If he thought he would be kept here for 
 ever. The A. replied, Yes, and endeavoured 
 to persuade him to be contented. B. said 
 we ought to have confined him in England, 
 he would have liked it much better, He 
 could have taken exercise on the top of a 
 prison, and he would then have had access 
 to all the books requisite for writing His 
 History. Why send him to such a vile 
 island as this. He said he should be dead 
 in three years. The Admiral remarked 
 that he hoped not, that it would take him 
 that time to finish his history. He smiled 
 at this, and talked of something else. The 
 Admiral thought he bore contradiction 
 better than he expected, provided you diffisr 
 from him in a Mild Manner. In speaking 
 of the Commissioners from the Allied 
 Powers now at St. Helena, He observed. 
 How can I receive them ! ! It would be 
 acknowledging I am a Prisoner to their 
 Masters; What could I say to the Austrian 
 
 5 
 
CONVERSATIONS WITH NAPOLEON 
 
 (the Baron de Sturmer) who comes without 
 a kind word, or even a line from my 
 Father-in-law, to say my son His Grandson 
 is well; and what to the Russian (Count 
 Balmain) whose Master has been at my 
 feet and has so often called me his best 
 friend, I have volumes of their letters, 
 which would shew, what they owed to me. 
 In saying this he became animated & His 
 Countenance put on a severe look. (The 
 Admiral here remarked that he hoped 
 he would one of these days publish them 
 to the world). He then continued, as to 
 the Frenchman (The Marquis de Mont- 
 chenu) I am less embarassed with him, 
 Louis owes me nothing. He spoke of Lord 
 Nelson, He said he had heard Lord Nelson's 
 mode of attack at Trafalgar criticised.* 
 The Admiral said, not by Judges, that it 
 was impossible to form any regular plan 
 of attack so near the shore, that had the 
 two fleets met in the open sea, & been of 
 equal force, that Lord Nelson's method 
 would have been different, that he (the 
 Adl.) thought Ld. Nelson the greatest 
 Naval Character that had ever appeared. 
 
 ♦ Admiral Villeneuve destroyed himself at Rouen, where 
 he had been ordered to remain until a Court Martial had 
 assembled. He was a brave man though not possessed of 
 talent. 
 
 6 
 
CONVERSATIONS WITH NAPOLEON 
 
 In this B. fully concurred, and remarked 
 that the French seamen were certainly not 
 so good as ours, that they had never done 
 anything very Brilliant at sea, but that they 
 had on many occasions defended their flag 
 with honour to themselves. 
 
 Toulon Fleet, he said, he had given the 
 Command of it to Admiral Allemand, as 
 he was a rough, strict officer, that he knew 
 he would make every person do his duty, 
 that for the last 3 Years he had kept every- 
 body on board that he would not give 
 them permission to go on shore. That he 
 had ordered Allemand to stand out towards 
 the English Fleet every day and manoeuvre 
 but not to risk an action, their awkwardness 
 at first caused great expense, but latterly 
 they became more expert. 
 
 The Adl. asked him why he did not 
 attack the right of the English line, at the 
 Battle of Waterloo, where it was weakest. 
 He replied, a General always calculates on 
 the Characters of the Officers opposed to 
 him. I knew Wellington was an Officer 
 of Method, and never moved his Army 
 without having his arrangements complete. 
 
 The other, Blucher, I knew was a 
 perfect Hussard, and if I had attacked the 
 English First, I should have had him on 
 
 7 
 
CONVERSATIONS WITH NAPOLEON 
 
 me at full Gallop. Grouchy followed up 
 his Victory over the Prussians too far, I 
 thought I should have had time to have 
 beat them, but Grouchy was unable to keep 
 the remainder in Check as I had ordered 
 him, and my Guards charging too soon, this 
 caused the loss of the Battle of Waterloo. 
 
 He spoke of the Bourbons, That when 
 Louis returned to France he ought to have 
 considered himself as the Beginner of the 
 Fifth dynasty, that he ought to have said to 
 the People, You have had a great revolu- 
 tion during which great atrocities have been 
 committed, France has done great things, 
 you chose an Emperor who increased and 
 raised the Glory of France. Great changes 
 have induced you to recall my family to the 
 Throne, I will forget all that is past, and com- 
 mence a new dynasty. He then said that 
 the Bourbons were insecurely seated on the 
 Throne that they sat on a Smothered Volcano. 
 
 July 25th, 1 8 16. — The Admiral went up 
 alone to Longwood, and took up some French 
 Papers, which had just arrived by the Griffin 
 from England. B. asked the Admiral if 
 the Papers contained any news ? The Adl. 
 replied that they mentioned the prorogation 
 of the Chambers, and the condemnation of 
 Bertrand. The Adl. said the cause assigned 
 
 8 
 
CONVERSATIONS WITH NAPOLEON 
 
 for Proroguing them, was the fear that 
 they would not grant so much as forty-six 
 millions to the Clergy. No replied B., I do 
 not see how they could, I had much trouble 
 in getting them twelve millions of Francs. 
 The French are not a religious nation. 
 
 He observed that the condemnation of 
 Bertrand was useless as, by the laws of 
 France, it could never be put in execution, 
 without a fresh trial; bethought the French 
 Government would have acted more wisely 
 (If they wanted examples) to have fixed on 
 many others not so immediately about his 
 person, and that if they had wished to 
 establish themselves, they ought at first to 
 have proceeded with more vigour, and 
 decision, that the Prisons were now full. 
 Of the disturbance at Grenoble mentioned 
 in the same Papers, He remarked that 
 those sort of petty insurrections only added 
 strength to the Government. 
 
 Lady M. rode up with the Admiral 
 this morning (August loth, 1816), as they 
 came opposite the stables, they met B. in 
 his carriage driving out with Madame 
 Montholon. On observing them he stepped 
 out, and asked Lady M., Laughing, If she 
 would take a drive round the Park. 
 
 He then handed her in, got in himself, 
 9 B 
 
CONVERSATIONS WITH NAPOLEON 
 
 and called to Madame Montholon, and the 
 Admiral to follow. They drove at full 
 gallop, about a mile in extent round a 
 dreary ridge that forms Fisher's Valley. On 
 coming to one very dismal spot, He asked 
 Lady M., If that was like Ossian's Country. 
 As they approached the Garden on their 
 return, He observed to Lady M., Are you 
 fond of Gardening or of Flowers ? Voila un 
 Jardin, said he, pointing to a brown border 
 without the least sign of vegetation. Vi^hen 
 they got up to the House B. remarked that 
 it was late, and they took leave. 
 
 The conversation this time was but 
 short. He asked Lady M., If she knew 
 Lord Kinnaird, & where he was. He asked 
 also, how many Scottish Peers were Peers 
 of Parliament, which she not being able to 
 answer, he appeared a little out of humour, 
 but on her explaining the Mode of Electing 
 the 1 6 Peers, and that many Scottish Peers 
 were English Peers, he seemed satisfied. 
 
 August I St, 1816. — Went with Captain 
 Festing and Murray, of Falmouth and Griffin, 
 to pay a visit to Napoleon, whom they had 
 not yet seen. B. was in the Billiard Room 
 where we were introduced to him by Ber~ 
 trand,who said, To His Majesty the Emperor. 
 He began the conversation, by asking Captain 
 
 10 
 
CONVERSATIONS WITH NAPOLEON 
 
 Festing what vessel he commanded, whether 
 she was a Ship or a Brig. Captain F. replied, 
 a Corvette. How long from England, 
 whether she had not been at Gibraltar, and 
 the Mediterranean, and If he was not going 
 to the Pacific Ocean.* Captain Festing 
 answered. That he did not know, but 
 that he was going to the Cape of Good 
 Hope. Upon Captain F. saying he did not 
 know. He gave Bertrand a look, which 
 betrayed considerable ferocity, and conveyed 
 the Best possible Idea of his quick transition 
 of Countenance. He then again repeated 
 the Question, and did not appear to credit, 
 that Captain F. was going to the Cape. 
 Bertrand then took notice of my being in 
 some surprise, (or rather at a smile which 
 I believe was on my Countenance) partly 
 
 * Note. — Captain Feasting was about to sail with secret 
 Orders, to take possession of the Island of Tristan d'Acunha 
 previous to going to the Cape. Some erroneous Reports that 
 had reached B. on this subject had probably induced hitn to 
 put the question about the^outh Seas. Captain Festing*s 
 Orders being secret, of coufe he could only say he was 
 going to the Cape, which he was to do after taking possession 
 of the Island. 
 
 Bertrand told me on our quitting the room that B. was 
 displeased at having no Apartment to receive us in, & that! 
 had he not supposed that Festing would not return, he would 
 not have seen him. The room he generally received company, 
 in was then under repair from a fire that had lately taken 
 place there. 
 
 IS 
 
CONVERSATIONS WITH NAPOLEON 
 
 created by B. persevering in supposing 
 Captain F. going to the South Seas, and 
 partly by Bertrand*s appearance after Nap's 
 Look. B. then continued, are there not 
 many Islands in the Pacific Ocean ? Is the 
 Coast of New Holland well known ? Are 
 there any dangers off it ? He then turned 
 to me, and asked what Brig I commanded, 
 and to Captain Murray, what Country he 
 came from. He then Bowed, turned his 
 back, and walked away evidently in 111 
 humour. The sky was a little clouded, 
 passing by the window, he shrugged up 
 his shoulders & remarked. It was a miser- 
 able Climate. 
 
 The Admiral rode up to Longwood alone 
 this afternoon (August i6th, 1816). He 
 found Napn. engaged looking at an Ice 
 Machine lately sent out to him & Invented 
 by Professor Leslie. He much admired the 
 construction of it, and said that He wondered 
 it had not been invented before, the Process 
 was so simple. A Thermometer was placed 
 in one of the freezing cups. B. tried to take 
 it out & in the attempt broke it, on which 
 he exclaimed. Ah, this is worthy of me. 
 He then observed that there were more 
 Chymists in France than in England, and 
 that the study was more general. The 
 
 12 
 
CONVERSATIONS WITH NAPOLEON 
 
 Adl. asked him If he had heard of Sir 
 Humphry Davy. He replied he had seen 
 him at Paris. He then proposed to the 
 Adl. a walk in the Garden, which they 
 accordingly did. He resorted to His 
 favourite Topic Egypt. He asked, How 
 much a Ship of the Line could be Light- 
 ened to, so as to take her over a Shoal 
 into a Harbour. He said, Had Admiral 
 Bruix taken my Advice, he would have 
 saved his Fleet, by getting it into Alex- 
 andria. That Captain Barre had sounded, 
 and reported that there was sufficient water 
 to admit the Fleet, but that Admiral Bruix 
 was of a different opinion.* The Admiral 
 remarked that Barre had fought a gallant 
 action in the Rivoli, and was considered by 
 us a Good Officer. Yes, said he. But he 
 has not met with the reward he merited. 
 One of your Brigs assisted in taking him. I 
 ordered the Rivoli to be built in the Gulph 
 of Venice, in a place where there was so 
 little water, that she was obliged to be 
 floated over the shoals, on Camels similar 
 to those used by the Dutch, but improved 
 
 * B. in the meantime advanced into the Interior with the 
 Army, all communication with the Fleet by Messengers was 
 cut off by the Bedouin Arabs, who intercepted and murdered 
 them, otherwise He would have ordered them to Alexandria. 
 
 13 
 
 k 
 
CONVERSATIONS WITH NAPOLEON 
 
 upon by my Engineers. He then asked 
 what was the Best mode of Arming a Ship 
 of the Line, and whether it was best to 
 aim at the Hull or Rigging. He said 
 that he had proposed arming a three Deck 
 Ship entirely with 32 Pounders, of different 
 Lengths, but that his Engineers objected 
 to it. 
 
 The Adml. said, that he did also, 
 because it frequently happened that the 
 Lower deck Ports could not be opened, 
 and then the long 24 Pounders would have 
 an advantage over the short thirty twos. 
 He asked what nations had abolished the 
 Slave trade, and said that we ought to 
 have obliged the Portuguese to have relin- 
 quish it entirely. The Admiral explained, 
 that it would be so in few years & that 
 now they were not permitted to trade 
 to the Northward of the Equator, that all 
 vessels found there were seized. 
 
 B. asked what we did with the slaves. 
 The Adl. answered that we landed them 
 at Sierra Leone, where they were provided 
 for and Implements of Husbandry were 
 given to them, &c. He said that was 
 Good, very Good, that in time, Africa, by 
 their spreading into the Interior, might 
 become civilized. There was an iron tank 
 
CONVERSATIONS WITH NAPOLEON 
 
 at Longwood, taken out of one of the 
 ships. He asked, How long they had been 
 in use in the Navy. He thought it an 
 excellent invention and wondered he had 
 not before heard of it. 
 
 The Admiral went up to Longwood alone 
 this day (September 21st, 18 16), being the 
 one before our sailing to the Cape, to take 
 leave of Buonaparte. This was the first visit, 
 after the dispute B. had with the Governor. 
 He avoided making any sort of Complaint 
 to the Adl. and merely talked on General 
 subjects, on the Passage to the Cape, &c. 
 
 He spoke of the Dutch Nation, that 
 they had become a more simple and idle 
 People, than any other in Europe, that 
 they had no Navy until he taught them 
 to build ships at Antwerp. He said it was 
 his intention to have made an Arsenal at 
 Cuxhaven. 
 
 He mentioned the Russian, and German 
 Soldiers, that the former were the bravest 
 men, that the latter were not good troops. 
 
 The Admiral asked his opinion of the 
 Cossacks. He said that they were the most 
 enterprising Men he knew, that they would 
 pass through a Country that they had 
 never before seen, in the most extraordinary 
 manner ; but that they were not formidable 
 
 15 
 
CONVERSATIONS WITH NAPOLEON 
 
 in Bodies, nor fit to contend with an Army, 
 that he had not seen one of them at the 
 Battle of Borodino, but that they after- 
 wards annoyed him much, that they were 
 accustomed to such warfare, and [had] been 
 brought up to it from their Infancy. 
 
 We arrived from the Cape on the 23rd, 
 and this day (November 25th, 18 16) I 
 accompanied the Admiral to Longwood, 
 His first visit after our return. On the road 
 we visited Betrand and Madame B. and on 
 our arrival there we also visited Montholon, 
 Madame M. and Gourgaud, & conversed 
 with them about half an hour on general 
 subjects (in which they appeared pleased 
 at the Admiral's return) until B. sent to 
 say he was ready to see the Admiral. 
 
 We then went to the Billiard Room, 
 and as on the former occasion, the Admiral 
 went first to him, w^th Bertrand, and 
 stopped about half an hour, leaving me 
 with Montholon and Gourgaud. I was 
 then called in, and after recognising me. 
 He began by asking me. If I had been 
 sick during the voyage (I was then not 
 very well), upon my saying No, He 
 then asked me If I was married. I 
 answered No. And the Admiral observed 
 that I was young enough. B. next asked 
 
 16 
 
CONVERSATIONS WITH NAPOLEON 
 
 my age. The Admiral then added, laugh- 
 ing, that sailors ought not to marry too 
 soon, as they were often absent a long time 
 from their wives. B. was silent a short 
 time and then said Yes ! I believe you are 
 right, Les femmes Quelquefois font des 
 sottises. He then asked me. If the New- 
 castle was not an uneasy ship, and turning 
 to the Admiral asked if I was not Capitaine 
 de Pavilion. He remained silent a few 
 Minutes, we then Bowed, wished him good 
 Morning, and withdrew. I thought B. 
 this day appeared more sallow, and rather 
 thinner. 
 
 He was dressed in a plain Green Coat, 
 double breasted with a Fall down Collar, 
 and a handsome Star of the Legion of 
 Honour. He began the Conversation with 
 the Admiral with asking him, how he 
 was, and how Lady M. had borne the 
 voyage, whether during the Passage to the 
 Cape we had not experienced much Bad 
 Weather, and a few other Questions on 
 that subject. He then asked about the 
 establishment at Tristan d*Acunha (lately 
 taken possession of) what sort of an Island 
 it was, and If it would be a good place 
 for ships to stop at. He then spoke of 
 the Expedition mentioned in the News- 
 
 1/ 
 
CONVERSATIONS WITH NAPOLEON 
 
 papers, as fitting out against the Algerines. 
 The extensive manner in which we were 
 undertaking it He disapproved of. He 
 thought a Man of Lord Exmouth*s Rank 
 and Character, ought not to have been sent. 
 He said we ought merely to have block- 
 aded the Port, and that when the Algerines 
 found they were prevented carrying on 
 their trade, they would have cut each 
 others' throats. He repeated the story of 
 the Dey, who on being told that Louis 
 the Fourteenth was fitting out an expedi- 
 tion against Algiers, said that. If he would 
 send him half the Money the Expedition 
 would cost. He, the Dey, would himself 
 burn the Town. B. then added, that If 
 we succeeded we should gain great credit 
 in the Mediterranean, but that if we 
 failed, it would make the Algerines more 
 Impudent. 
 
 On our return, we called at Madame 
 Bertrand's, they had moved into their new 
 House within the Grounds of Longwood, 
 which appears tolerably comfortable & well 
 furnished. She remarked to me that it 
 seemed to her as if she had lived all her 
 life in a village, and was now removed 
 to a Palace, the difference of the two 
 Habitations was so great (this was com- 
 
 i8 
 
CONVERSATIONS WITH NAPOLEON 
 
 paring it with the House we had left her 
 in). She asked us several questions ; How 
 we thought Buonaparte looked, &c., & 
 spoke much of her wish to leave the Island, 
 which she seemed most anxious to do. 
 Amongst other things, she observed that 
 B. never allowed waltzing at Court, and 
 that he highly disapproved of it. Madame 
 B., I think is an agreeable interesting 
 woman, speaks English perfectly. Bertrand 
 seems a good natured Man, always in low 
 Spirits, & does not appear to possess that 
 strength of Mind, which from his attach- 
 ment to Napoleon one might suppose him 
 to have. They have 4 children, one an 
 Infant just born, the other three, two Boys 
 & a Girl are very pretty and nice Children 
 with excellent manners. Both Bertrand & 
 Madame B. seem much attached to them. 
 Montholon is a good looking little man, 
 but I do not think him or Madame agree- 
 able. He has the Character of being a great 
 Lyar. Gourgaud seems clever, and has more 
 conversation than any of them, but I believe 
 is occasionally a great Boaster. 
 
 Montholon told me this day, that the 
 Tent which the Newcastle's Men had put 
 up, was the greatest agrement possible, and 
 the place of all others that B. most enjoyed 
 
 19 
 
CONVERSATIONS WITH NAPOLEON 
 
 himself in when the weather was fine. On 
 our Quitting Bertrand's House we met at 
 the Door the Governor, with all his staff, 
 who with Sir G. Bingham were just arrived 
 for the purpose of Arresting Comte Las 
 Cases, for an attempt which he had made 
 to send a letter to England, concealed in 
 the lining of a Waistcoat, belonging to a 
 young Islander who had been his Servant. 
 The Father of whom, having discovered 
 it, gave information. Comte Las Cases 
 was accordingly arrested, All his Papers 
 seized, and himself conveyed that Evening 
 to Ross Cottage belonging to Mr. Balcombe, 
 a Guard was placed over him, and he 
 remained a Prisoner there until a few days 
 previous to his Embarkation in the Griffin, 
 Sloop of War, for the Cape. 
 
 In the course of conversation this day 
 with Montholon and Gourgaud, Piontouski 
 the Pole was mentioned. He had arrived 
 at the Cape previous to the Newcastle's 
 quitting it. They both called him an 
 adventurer, and said that Bonaparte knew 
 nothing of him until his return from Elba, 
 where it appeared he had been a Private 
 in his Guards, and from that reason was 
 first induced to promote him. They ex- 
 pressed no regret at his departure. 
 
 20 
 
CONVERSATIONS WITH NAPOLEON 
 
 Captain Wauchope and myself accom- 
 panied the Admiral this day (January 1 1 th, 
 1 8 17) to Longwood, after visiting Madame 
 Bertrand where we stopped about half an 
 hour, the Count came back for us, and we 
 went into the Billiard Room. The Admiral 
 then saw him alone for about 3 hours. 
 Montholon and Gourgaud were left with us. 
 During this Interview we heard Buonaparte 
 often Laugh Loudly apparently in high 
 Spirits. The two Frenchmen remarked that 
 they had not for a Length of time heard B. 
 Laugh, as we were then hearing him. 
 He also spoke so loud, that with a little 
 attention we might have heard what he 
 said distinctly. On the Admiral's being 
 about to retire. He mentioned Captain 
 Wauchope and myself being in the next 
 room, we were then introduced. He asked 
 a few Questions of Captain Wauchope, 
 what Ship he commanded, How old 
 he was — Then Bowed to me, asked me 
 how I was, and wished us all Good 
 Morning. 
 
 His Conversation with the Admiral 
 began about Lord Exmouth's Expedition 
 against the Algerines, the Success of which 
 we had just heard. He thought the Victory 
 Brilliant, and that it would give eclat to 
 
 21 
 
CONVERSATIONS WITH NAPOLEON 
 
 England, but the British Navy stood so 
 high, they were not in want of it. He 
 adhered to his former Opinion, that he 
 expressed before Ld. Exmouth's success was 
 known, (viz.) that it would have been better 
 to have brought the Algerines to reason by 
 the Blockading System, than by knocking 
 down their Batteries, that it would only 
 teach them to build them up on an 
 improved plan. He said he saw no pro- 
 vision made against their Building more 
 vessels, that although it would be some 
 time before they could build large Ships, 
 yet they would purchase small ones which 
 were the most troublesome. We had 
 agreed that they should not make any 
 more Christian Slaves, but we had not 
 stipulated that Prisoners were not to be 
 made, and that in the latter situation, 
 their treatment would be worse than in 
 the former, for it was the Interest of a 
 Man to treat his Slave well being his 
 Property. 
 
 He then conversed about Egypt. He 
 said he Landed there with thirty-one 
 thousand Musquets, that his losses there 
 were trifling, very few at the Battle of 
 the Pyramids, at the Siege of Acre, he 
 had Sixteen hundred killed, and about 
 
CONVERSATIONS WITH NAPOLEON 
 
 four thousand wounded.* About twenty- 
 two thousand afterwards returned to France. 
 He praised Sir Sydney Smith, and said he 
 shewed much talent in making the Con- 
 vention of El Arish, and much honour 
 towards Kleber, For when he learnt that 
 the treaty was not confirmed by the British 
 Government he prevented him from giving 
 up to the Turks the Citadel of Damietta. 
 He said he thought the British Government 
 did right in not confirming the Convention^ 
 and gave the Explanation — That General 
 Kleber after his, B.'s, return to France 
 was most desirous to evacuate Egypt, on 
 any terms, as nothing more seemed likely 
 to be done. To effect this, he wrote to 
 the Directory, and represented his Army 
 to be in a wretched state ; that it was only 
 twelve thousand strong, and that he had 
 not the means of making a defence. Now 
 the fact was he had twenty-two thousand 
 
 * According to Las Cases, the official returns of the whole 
 
 of the loss of the Army was — 
 
 
 Killed in Battle 
 
 361 + 
 
 Dead of Wounds . 
 
 854 
 
 „ by Accidents 
 
 290 
 
 „ different Illnesses . 
 
 2468 
 
 Pestilential Fever . 
 
 1689 
 
 
 8915 
 
 This was up to 2 Mths. after B/s 
 
 return to France 
 
 2?. 
 
 
CONVERSATIONS WITH NAPOLEON 
 
 in good condition. This letter of Kleber's 
 was intercepted and deceived the British 
 Government. In the meantime Sir Sydney, 
 who knew the true State of the French 
 Army was anxious to conclude this Con- 
 vention. Kleber was equally so, knowing 
 that Sir Sydney having styled himself 
 Commander-in-Chief & a Minister, when 
 he was neither, that the act became Illegal, 
 and that it was at the Option of the 
 English Government to confirm it or not, 
 (as they might judge best). Now as they 
 believed the Intercepted letter, they would 
 not confirm the Treaty. He was of Opinion 
 that had Kleber lived, and Commanded the 
 French Army instead of Menow,^ Sir Ralph 
 Abercromby (who he thought a Brave, and 
 good Officer) would have had many more 
 obstacles opposed to him, and the English 
 would have had much more difficulty in 
 forcing the French from Egypt, because 
 Kleber was a more Able General than 
 Menow whose talent lay in diplomacy. 
 Kleber was a Brave and Clever Man.f 
 
 * Menow really did become a Mahometan & married one. 
 Kleber & Dessaix both Perished the same day & about the 
 same Hour (according to Las Cases) one at Cairo, by the hand 
 of an Assassin & the other, by a Cannon Ball at Marengo. 
 
 I Had Kleber lived, he would have had the Army down 
 from Cairo in nine days, and would have overwhelmed the 
 
 24 
 
CONVERSATIONS WITH NAPOLEON 
 
 He said. If the French had kept 
 possession of Egypt, sooner or later, we 
 would have lost India for it could not have 
 been conquered by the Red Sea.* The 
 Commerce would have been drawn thither. 
 He would have made even the India Com- 
 pany trade with him. Merchants were of 
 the Country that gave them most profit. 
 Those of London had frequently supplied 
 him with Money. On His return from 
 Elba he had several propositions, One from 
 
 English. He would have done it in seven, He would have 
 been down on the Coast previous to the disembarkation. He 
 had done so before when Sydney Smith and the Turks landed. 
 Abercromby seeing such a force against him, would not have 
 attempted to Land, or IF he had his army would have been 
 cat to pieces. If Kleber had been there he would have had 
 18,000 Men, with 100 Pieces of Artillery against Abercromby 
 on the 2 1st. The French in the Action had only 4,500 Men. 
 The English will never believe this never the less it was really 
 the case. 
 
 * He had intended to make two Canals, one to the Nile at 
 Cairo, & another from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean. He 
 had had the Red Sea surveyed & found that the waters of it 
 were 30 feet higher than the Mediterranean at high water; 
 but only 24 at low water ; that his plan was to have prevented 
 any water coming into the canal from the Red Sea except at 
 low water, which would be 24 ft. and that this in the course 
 of a distance of 30 Leagues in its passage to the Mediterranean 
 would have been of no consequence. Besides he intended to 
 have had some sluices in the course of it. The Nile wa^ 
 lower 7 feet when at its lowest than the Red Sea, but was 
 (I think) 14 feet higher than the sea at Suez during its 
 inundation. The expence had been calculated to amount to 
 probably 18 Millions of Francs, and two Years Labour. 
 
 2q C 
 
CONVERSATIONS WITH NAPOLEON 
 
 a very rich House. He had their proposal 
 with him, He was to repay them with 
 Government funds, but it was to have been 
 a secret how those funds were disposed of. 
 The Admiral, as on a former occasion, 
 observed that he hoped that one of these 
 days we should see all these things pub- 
 lished. B. Laughed. . . . 
 
 He had a Memoir which he could 
 shew the Admiral on the subject of opening 
 the Ancient Canal from Suez to Cairo, He 
 thought it practicable and it was his inten- 
 tion to have done it. He had ascertained 
 that the Nile at Cairo was nearly on a 
 level with the Red Sea. He proposed 
 effecting this by the waters of the Nile, 
 the Embankments of which are 4 feet 
 higher than the Red Sea. 
 
 He said the English should keep 
 possession of Alexandria, instead of Malta, 
 to prevent any Power getting to India. 
 We had sent some troops to take Alexandria 
 but they were too few in number, and went 
 to fight at Rosetta, instead of remaining on 
 the defensive. It is only, continued he, 
 the weakness and ignorance of the Turks, 
 that prevents your India Trade from being 
 ruined, if any European Nation had posses- 
 sion of Egypt, it would be speedily effected, 
 
 26 
 
CONVERSATIONS WITH NAPOLEON 
 
 and one day or another you will see Egypt 
 destroy the East India Company. 
 
 He thought it for the Interest of 
 England to keep the Grand Seignor in full 
 power, so added he, it must be of France. 
 The French, continued He, will never 
 consent to the dismemberment of Turkey. 
 At Tilsit in conversation with the Emperor 
 Alexander, who was always very desirous 
 of driving the Turks out of Europe he had 
 Bavard with him, and talked as If he 
 would consent. But as soon as he looked 
 at a Map, he perceived it was not for the 
 Interest of France to have Constantinople 
 in the hands of the Russians and Austrians. 
 When Moscow was Burnt, all the Greeks 
 were enraged, their Religion drew them 
 towards the Russians, and they would like 
 their Dominion better than any other 
 Power. 
 
 He spoke of General Paoli, whom he 
 described as a fine Character, that he was 
 strictly honourable to all parties, and 
 neither betrayed France nor England, that 
 he was always for his Country. 
 
 The Admiral asked if it was true, as 
 has been reported, that He was offered a 
 Commission in the English Army. He 
 Replied — Je vous le dirai. Paoli was a 
 
 27 
 
CONVERSATIONS WITH NAPOLEON 
 
 particular friend of my family, He urged 
 me to enter into the English Service, as 
 He had the Means of there procuring me 
 a Commission, But I preferred the French, 
 because I spoke their Language, was of 
 their Religion, and understood their Man- 
 ners, and I thought the Beginning of a 
 Revolution was the time for a young Man. 
 Paoli was angry with me, but I always 
 respected him, and so did he me, for once 
 he said. That Young Man will be one of 
 the Antiques de Plutarch (It was a Com- 
 pliment that had gratified him more than 
 any that had since been paid him). He 
 continued. The Beginning of my rise was 
 at the Siege of Toulon, there were few 
 officers in the Artillery^ in which I was 
 then serving, who were Men of Science. 
 A Number of Soldiers had been made 
 Officers. It was known to the General 
 that I had been educated at L^Ecole Mili- 
 taire, and I was the sort of person he 
 wanted he gave me the Command. I was 
 successful, and gained reputation. I was 
 fortunately in Paris just in time for the 
 Revolution of the 13th Vendemiaire. I 
 
 * Artillery at Toulon. In Mr. Warden's Book he is made 
 to command only ten pieces, instead of the whole, consisting 
 of near 300 pieces. 
 
CONVERSATIONS WITH NAPOLEON 
 
 then went to Italy, where I gained further 
 Reputation, and then to Egypt, and returned 
 to France at a Fortunate Moment. The 
 Adl. here remarked that he was also for- 
 tunate in escaping the British Cruisers. 
 He replied, Yes, I gave myself much credit 
 for that. I had a bad sailing Ship and 
 for thirty days we lost Ground, and were 
 driven towards Alexandria, but I stood 
 towards Cyprus against the wind, knowing 
 it would change, and probably Blow strong. 
 It did so, and I arrived safe at Ajaccio in 
 Corsica, from whence I went to France. 
 It was I that obliged Admiral Bruix to 
 change His route and to make the Land 
 sixty Miles to the Westward of Alexandria, 
 by which Manoeuvre we escaped Lord 
 Nelson. He said. If Sir Sydney Smith 
 had kept a Cruiser off the Port, He could 
 not have got out, but he was then think- 
 ing of Diplomacy. 
 
 He spoke in praise of Sir G. Elliot 
 (Ld. Minto) But said it was an act of folly 
 wishing to join Corsica to our Dominions. 
 He thought Mr. North a Clever Man, 
 he was Secretary to Sir G. Elliot. He 
 said that when he landed from Elba, the 
 French troops shewed the most exact dis- 
 cipline, that they always came over to him 
 
 29 
 
CONVERSATIONS WITH NAPOLEON 
 
 in bodies. He continued I will relate 
 some anecdotes to prove that I was liked 
 by the Soldiers, and that they were devoted 
 to me, and it was in consequence of that, 
 more than any premeditated insurrection, 
 and my also knowing the French Character, 
 that I succeeded so well in getting to Paris. 
 He said that in one instance a Corps, by 
 orders from the Officers, presented Arms 
 against him, that he rode up to them and 
 exclaimed. Who ordered you to present 
 Arms, are you going to fire at your 
 Emperor, who has so often led you to 
 victory? I then, continued He, called to 
 some whom I saw by a Bridge, and who 
 had served with me, And you old soldiers 
 do you wish to kill your Emperor? See 
 if we do, said they, and immediately put 
 their Ramrods into their Musquets to shew 
 that they were not loaded. 
 
 On appearing before Grenoble, The 
 General (Marchand) Commanding, and also 
 many of the Officers were loyal to the 
 King. They had closed the Gates, I 
 went up to them amidst the cries of Vive 
 L*Empereur, Yet there appeared no dis- 
 position on the part of the troops to open 
 them. I spoke to them, and asked the 
 use of these cries. If they did not open 
 
 30 
 
CONVERSATIONS WITH NAPOLEON 
 
 the Gates. They said we are not com- 
 manded. I turned to General Bertrand, 
 and ordered him to call out the Emperor has 
 destitue The General Marchand, and it is 
 his orders that you open the Gates. The 
 troops were struck with this, & said Voila 
 une autre chose. The General is dismissed. 
 Open the Gates. It is the Emperor's 
 Orders. The next day I reviewed some 
 of the Regiments, and reprimanded one 
 severely for not having their accoutrements 
 in better order. He related an anecdote of 
 Colonel Moncey, the son of the Marshal, 
 who commanded a Regiment, and whose 
 conduct he considered highly honourable. 
 He said that the Colonel wrote to him 
 to say that although he owed him much, 
 yet as he had sworn to be faithful to the 
 King, He was determined not to violate 
 his Oath, but to do his duty. He was 
 amongst the few that preserved his Regi- 
 ment together for a considerable time. B. 
 afterwards sent for him, and said. The 
 French Nation have chosen me again for 
 their Ruler, You have been faithful to the 
 King, but you see there is no longer any- 
 thing to be done for his cause, you had 
 better serve me, I continue you in the 
 Command of your Regiment. 
 
 31 
 
CONVERSATIONS WITH NAPOLEON 
 
 Speaking of Marshal Soult ; He said, 
 I know he was faithful to the King, yet 
 all his acts had so much the appearance 
 of being in my favour, that it was only 
 myself could know that they were not done 
 with that Intention. B. then mentioned 
 that several Corps, the most attached to 
 him, were placed in the South of France, 
 and there were no troops on which the 
 Bourbons could rely. The Adml. asked Why 
 this was done, if Soult was faithful ? He 
 replied, because he looked on me as dead 
 to France, and did not calculate on my 
 return. He thought that had he pursued 
 the plan, that was supposed, that of landing 
 in Italy, Soult would have done his duty. 
 
 The Admiral spoke of Marshal Ney. 
 He answered, Gest une autre ckose^ Ney 
 was a hero in the field, but not clever in 
 other Respects, and by his manner clearly 
 showed that he had committed himself 
 towards the Bourbons, His conduct on the 
 whole was Bad.* 
 
 He now spoke of the Bourbons, That 
 the King was a well-disposed man, but 
 that there was a Party that he could not 
 
 * Ney did not make use of haughty language in 1814, 
 at Fontainbleau, as Reported. He was always submissive in 
 his presence, 
 
 32 
 
CONVERSATIONS WITH NAPOLEON 
 
 keep in order, who would Bouleverse 
 France. The Party had become Popular 
 altho* not numerous. The Prefets had been 
 allowed just at the return of the Bourbons, 
 to fill up the numbers of the Electors, they 
 thought it would please, if the most violent 
 Royalists were put in, & now they wish 
 that the Moderates had been placed in their 
 stead, but it is too late, even the Govern- 
 ment cannot control them. The allies 
 cannot be pleased to see them the majority. 
 
 He said, He thought the Duke of 
 Orleans the Only one of the Bourbons, 
 that could settle France. He had fought 
 for the Revolution, had never drawn his 
 sword against Frenchmen, & he had made 
 himself popular by wearing the Legion 
 of Honour, and never that Order of St. 
 Esprit on great occasions. This, he 
 observed, was apparently a trifle, but 
 apparent trifles are great things at times 
 in France : Reason nothing. 
 
 He said that the Comte D^Artois, 
 when he arrived at Lyons with Macdonald, 
 had acted very Impolitic. He appeared 
 before the Army wearing the Order of 
 St. Esprit, which all those that have been 
 born since the Revolution Hate, because 
 by the Institution they never can obtain 
 
 33 
 
CONVERSATIONS WITH NAPOLEON 
 
 it, however great their merit may be, as 
 it requires four generations of Nobility of 
 Blood. He had also twelve Officers on 
 his Stafif, not one of whom had fought 
 with, but against them, not one bore the 
 Legion of Honour. This was remarked 
 to Macdonald who said it should be 
 changed. 
 
 The Admiral asked. If he thought it 
 prudent of the Bourbons to continue the 
 Legion of Honour. He replied. He 
 thought Not. That had he been in Louis* 
 situation, he would have ecrasee it immedi- 
 ately, for, continued he, it will always call 
 me to remembrance, but as they have con- 
 tinued it they should not vilify me, they 
 should praise me for what I did, that 
 brought Glory to France. I was always 
 the first to speak of the great deeds of 
 Henry the Fourth. I will tell you what 
 will happen, when I am personally out of 
 the Question, in Thirty Years. The Govern- 
 ment will be obliged to yield to public 
 opinion, and raise a Monument to me for 
 the glory of the Nation. It is what your 
 Regent has done in Italy to the descendant 
 of a Stuart. The Adml. replied. Yes, but 
 it was to the last of that family. 
 
 He spoke of the Americans, He smiled 
 34 
 
CONVERSATIONS WITH NAPOLEON 
 
 at the Idea of their wishing to have the 
 Island of Lampedosa from the Neapolitans, 
 in part payment of a debt, and said, What 
 fools there are in the World, that People 
 who may do as they please on half the 
 Globe, should wish to have a little bad 
 Island, that will embroil them constantly 
 with the European Princes, and which 
 with their small Navy they would lose in 
 the first war. These People's Heads are 
 turned, said he, by their accidental success, 
 which they attribute to their superior power 
 and knowledge. 
 
 He spoke of the Harbour of Lampe- 
 dosa. The Adl. said, You wished us to 
 have it instead of Malta. He laughed, and 
 said. At the Peace of Amiens, Yes ! ! Lord 
 Nelson thought it a good Harbour. 
 
 He thought England would be much 
 better without Canada. He said, It kept 
 her in a prepared state for War, at a great 
 Expense, and kept up constant irritation, 
 but it is, said He, A point of honour not 
 to give it up. 
 
 The Adml. mentioned that he thought 
 it Impolitic of Louis making the Infant 
 children of Marshals Lasnes and Bessieres, 
 Peers, and that he concluded the Motive 
 was, that they would have very large for- 
 
 35 
 
CONVERSATIONS WITH NAPOLEON 
 
 tunes, and that it was desirable such people 
 should be Peers. B. replied that the 
 probable reason was that at the time 
 Ministers thought the King had the inten- 
 tion of restoring the Property of the 
 Emigrants, and that by doing this. The 
 King considered it would furnish an addi- 
 tional Proof that such was not in his 
 thoughts, for it would be said. He has 
 made these two Infants Peers, who cannot 
 be of any use to him until they are of age, 
 and their properties are those of Emigrants. 
 
 In speaking of England, he added, I 
 have always admired the English Character, 
 for they have one, all Islanders have, even 
 the Inhabitants of St. Helena are angry if 
 you find fault with their Isle. In this the 
 Admiral agreed. 
 
 The Admiral asked him, how he became 
 acquainted with the state of France, when he 
 was in Egypt. He replied that the Gazettes 
 which had been landed by the English 
 Cruisers first gave him that Information. 
 
 * He asked, and seemed anxious to 
 
 * The Ship*s Name was * The Vengeur,' about 200 of her 
 Men were saved by the Boats of the English. This Report 
 however was spread, & the Republic provided for his (Capt.) 
 family. He therefore thought it best not to undeceive them, 
 but to remain in England, as in those times had he returned, he 
 might in the end have been put to Death. 
 
 36 
 
CONVERSATIONS WITH NAPOLEON 
 
 know. If it was true, that on the ist of 
 June (Ld. Howe's action) a French 74 
 went down, with her colours flying, refus- 
 ing assistance. Admiral told him not, that 
 her Captain behaved nobly, but struck, on 
 finding her in a sinking state, that many 
 were saved, and that her Captain lived in 
 England several years afterwards. He said 
 he had heard so too. 
 
 The Admiral particularly remarked 
 this day that in his description of various 
 events he made use of the Strongest Expres- 
 sions, and that he was not very nice in 
 the terms he used. He generally keeps 
 his cocked hat in his hand but this day 
 when he was energetic, he often laid it 
 down, and took it up again. He this 
 day, and has before said, on the Admiral 
 observing that particular plans of his had 
 not succeeded, J'etais trompee. 
 
 January 31st, 18 17. — I accompanied the 
 Admiral and Lady M. to Longwood after 
 visiting Madame Bertrand, B. sent to say he 
 was ready, and we all went to the Billiard 
 Room when the Admiral and Lady M. were 
 shewn into the next apartment, as before with 
 Montholon and Gourgaud. They remained 
 nearly three hours with him, when they 
 retired. He observed me in the Billiard 
 
 Z7 
 
CONVERSATIONS WITH NAPOLEON 
 
 Room, and came forward and said Comment 
 se va Le Capitaine M. comment va votre 
 Newcastle? (He) asked me if there was 
 not a great deal of surf on the Beach, and 
 what was the Reason. If it was not pro- 
 duced by Northly Winds, made some 
 general remarks to the Admiral about the 
 Weather when we all retired. 
 
 On seeing Lady M. he began by 
 asking If she had enjoyed good health 
 since he had last seen her. She had made 
 a long voyage, and he thought she must 
 now have learnt enough to qualify her for 
 a Midshipman. He then asked them to 
 sit down. He had heard that Lady M. 
 had dined at Sandy Bay at Mr. Dovetons 
 {which is the prettiest place on the Island). 
 He asked Ldy. M. if she thought this 
 Island like Scotland? She replied she 
 thought some parts were. He then began 
 a long discussion on the Politics of Europe. 
 
 He asked the Admiral If it was true 
 that he was going home. The Admiral 
 replied that he did not know it Officially, 
 but thought it probable, and observed that 
 he only came out on the promise that he 
 should not stay long, that he was desirous 
 of remaining some time at home, now that 
 we had Peace. B. said lo years was the 
 
 38 
 
CONVERSATIONS WITH NAPOLEON 
 
 utmost we could be at Peace. He had 
 seen by the Newspapers lately arrived, that 
 great discontents existed in England, He 
 believed there were in every part of Europe, 
 Europe was like a smothered volcano. 
 
 He thought it impossible we could 
 go on with such a great expense as we 
 were now at. He could not see the end 
 of it. We might in part pay the National 
 debt by saving the Revenues of the Clergy, 
 (on observing Lady M. shake her head at 
 this) He laughed, and asked if she was a 
 Puritan.? She answered she was Church 
 of England, the Admiral, Presbyterian. 
 Then said he to Lady M., Do you think 
 his soul will be damned? She answered 
 such were not our tenets, & answered several 
 Questions he put to her, as to the Orna- 
 ments in our Churches, whether we had 
 flowers. Candlesticks and incense. The 
 latter he liked it, it made the church smell 
 sweet. 
 
 He asked the Admiral several Ques- 
 tions about the Scottish Church, who 
 explained that the two Churches differed 
 only in Civil forms. B. approved of the 
 manner of paying the Clergy in Scotland, 
 instead of Tithes. 
 
 He asked the Admiral and Lady M., 
 39 
 
CONVERSATIONS WITH NAPOLEON 
 
 If they did not often see the French 
 Commissioner Montchenu. He said Mont- 
 chenu would lose much when they went 
 away. He was told the Baroness Sturmer 
 was pretty. Lady M. replied, she thought 
 her not so much so as she had been, she 
 had lately grown so fat. Then, Quoth he, 
 she will have no Children. 
 
 Lady M. remarked that If he had 
 remained on the Throne of France He 
 never would have liked the English. Pardon 
 me, Said He, On the Contrary I did not 
 dislike the English, I had always the 
 highest opinion of the English Character,* 
 and as a Proof I trusted to it, and was 
 duped, other wise I should not have been 
 here. If I had not preferred coming to 
 you, I could have gone to my Father-in- 
 law, and have had one of his Palaces to 
 live in. 
 
 He said that he believed in England, 
 we had as many, if not more Honourable 
 Men as any other Country, but that we 
 had also a great many very bad, we were 
 in the extremes. 
 
 * He thought that there was more Nationality, more public 
 Spirit and attachment in England than in France, but to form 
 a correct judgment of the two Nations, it would be necessary 
 to see them both immediately subsequent to a Revolution. 
 
 49 
 
CONVERSATIONS WITH NAPOLEON 
 
 He spoke highly of Lord Cornwallis, 
 he thought him a man of great honor. He 
 said it was easy to know when a Govern- 
 ment wished for Peace by Observing the 
 Character of the Person sent to treat for it. 
 
 * He said that when the Treaty of 
 Amiens was ready, it was late in the 
 Evening, that it was necessary for the 
 Plenipotentiaries to go to the Hotel de Ville 
 to sign it (that being a neutral place) that 
 They were tired, and mutually agreed to 
 defer going until the next morning, but 
 to consider it signed. In the Night a 
 Courier arrived from London with dis- 
 patches that might have occasioned further 
 discussion. Mr. Merry the Secretary urged 
 Lord C. very much to make some further 
 proposals, but that Lord Cornwallis Replied, 
 My word is pledged and I will sign the 
 Treaty as it is. It depends on my Govern- 
 ment afterwards to ratify it or not as they 
 please. 
 
 He spoke also of Lord Whitworth, and 
 the Duchess of Dorset, The latter he had 
 understood was not much esteemed in 
 England. When they were at Paris, he 
 was in the habit of giving dinners of 50 
 
 * He proposed to destroy Algiers, but our Ministers would 
 not consent to a united Expedition. 
 
 41 D 
 
CONVERSATIONS WITH NAPOLEON 
 
 Covers, many English were at the Parties, 
 and used to be very angry because she 
 never came in time. This is a thing the 
 French were very particular about. 
 
 Lord Whitworth was a man of sang 
 froid, but he mistated a conversation he 
 had with him. The Adl. asked if it was 
 the one that he had at his Levee. He 
 said. No, that it was a private one that 
 he had with him, for that everybody had 
 heard the other. 
 
 He did not like Lord Lauderdale. He 
 did not think him a Man of Talent, not 
 a Moral man. 
 
 He thought Mr. Fox a most honourable, 
 good Man, he had seen him with pleasure. 
 In his journey through France Mr. Fox 
 had been every where received well, in 
 many places with Fetes. He then dwelt 
 on what has been frequently stated, that 
 he thought the death of Mr. Fox a Mis- 
 fortune to Both Countries. That if he 
 had lived, he would have made Peace. He 
 said Lord Lauderdale's conduct had altered 
 immediately on the news of his death. 
 
 He then spoke of Mr. Drake, Jackson, 
 & Rumbold not in the most flattering 
 terms, he thought Mr. Jackson a Char- 
 latan. 
 
 4f{ 
 
CONVERSATIONS WITH NAPOLEON 
 
 On speaking of the scarcity of Corn 
 in France, He said we had humbled the 
 vanity of the French, that they were a 
 vain nation, and would rather have their 
 vanity gratified than their hunger allayed. 
 
 On the subject of the Bourbons, he 
 said, It was Impossible to force a great 
 nation contrary to its Opinion, we were 
 trying to do so by supporting them. 
 
 He had put an end to the French 
 Revolution but the Allies were renewing 
 it by placing Louis on the Throne contrary 
 to the Opinion of the People. 
 
 He continued. The System I pursued 
 in Spain was contrary to the Opinion of 
 the Nation, and therefore I failed.* Fer- 
 dinand is right in his present system. The 
 Spaniards like their Priests, their Bigotry, 
 and their ancient usages. Ferdinand's Con- 
 fessor once more told me. Why do you 
 wish us to change. We like our present 
 Modes^ and so ought you, for we shall 
 never be a powerful Nation while they are 
 followed. 
 
 * Of the opposition that had been made to the continuation 
 of the Property Tax in England and of the Proceedings of the 
 Livery of London. He said it was a bad thing to force the 
 will of the People, that it had caused the failure of his War 
 in Spain. 
 
 43 
 
CONVERSATIONS WITH NAPOLEON 
 
 * He would not admit as^'the Adl. 
 advanced, that there was anyHparty in 
 France, in favour of Louis. On the con- 
 trary he affirmed that they would have 
 dethroned Louis, tho' he had never left 
 Elba. The Bourbons, said he, never can 
 be secure till they restore the French Glory, 
 at Present the Nation feel themselves 
 humbled, and their King is the cause. 
 He came to France on the Shoulders of 
 Wellington, treading over the dead bodies 
 of Frenchmen. 
 
 He thought it Impolitic taking away 
 the Pictures &c. from the Louvre, It was 
 making the King unpopular. 
 
 Had he, B., been allowed to remain 
 in France, it might have been politic to 
 have humbled him, and the French 
 Nation as much as possible, but that 
 measure under Louis could only serve to 
 
 * He said, Suppose a King was forced on you in England 
 by foreign bayonets. How would you like it ? Louis only 
 reigns under the Duke of Wellington. There is no leader of 
 the French Nation, time will show whether there is a Partv 
 in his Favour. n-;,?'^ r.'iri-j 
 
 He thought it not Politic levying contributions in France, 
 that the Nation hated it, that it would have been much better 
 to have taken territory at once. That at first, it would have 
 created a strong sensation, which would have died away, but 
 that now the Indignation of the People was kept up by the 
 other measure. 
 
 44 
 
CONVERSATIONS WITH NAPOLEON 
 
 inflame the minds of the People more 
 against him. 
 
 He spoke of the Policy of the Peace 
 we had made. He thought we had not 
 profited sufficiently by it. 
 
 He said, England has not done herself 
 Justice at the Peace. The King of the 
 Netherlands owes His Country to you, so 
 does Spain, and Portugal, and as these 
 Countries could not indemnify you with 
 money, you ought to have made them grant 
 you an exclusive Charter to trade with 
 them, and their Colonies, for five or even 
 ten years, to repay you for the sums you 
 have expended on their account. This would 
 have been just, The other Allied Powers 
 could not have dissented. 
 
 Of the Abilities of the Duke of Welling- 
 ton, he remarked, that it would one day 
 be of bad consequence to the English 
 Nation, who would expect more from 
 their Army than they had capacity for, 
 when not guided by superior knowledge. 
 
 He said that If the War with England 
 had lasted two or three years longer, that 
 France would not have had any further 
 occasion for Colonies, as he had already 
 caused to be made in France (by the great 
 encouragement he gave) Sugar from the 
 
 45 
 
CONVERSATIONS WITH NAPOLEON 
 
 Beet Root.* On the Adl. remarking that 
 the Specimens he had seen were not good. 
 He replied that until very lately, the 
 Chymists had only discovered the Method 
 of Chrystallizing it which made it equal to 
 the Sugar from the Cane. He said that 
 they would have done in lieu of Coffee, 
 with Leaves of Herbs as Tea, & would 
 have been contented with it, and that 
 indeed he would have been able to have 
 grown Coffee in some parts of France; 
 that from Grain an inferior kind of Coffee 
 might have been Prepared. 
 
 He said that his Chymists had also 
 discovered how to make Indigo, that it 
 had been known long since, but that they 
 did not understand extracting some in- 
 gredients that spoiled it, but now they 
 did. He had established a Manufactory, 
 which was in a Flourishing State. He 
 had also established an Academy for 50 
 youths to study Chymistry, He believed 
 
 * He had succeeded in getting Sugar for 1 3 sous the Pound, 
 and when the Process of making it had been a little more 
 Matured, Sugar would have been made in France almost as 
 cheap as it could have been Imported from the West Indies. 
 
 N.B. — All the Licenses which had been granted for the 
 Importation of Colonial Produce into Europe during the war 
 had been signed by himself. He regulated everything respect- 
 ing this, personally. 
 
 46 
 
CONVERSATIONS WITH NAPOLEON 
 
 we had a few as good Chymists in England 
 as in France, but that in France the science 
 was now general, that it might be con- 
 sidered that Chymistry had made Revolution 
 in Commerce, like that which the discovery 
 of the Passage to the Cape of Good Hope 
 had done. 
 
 March 7th, 18 17. — ^The Admiral went 
 alone to Longwood, and conversed about 
 half an hour on various subjects. B. asked 
 if the Commissioners had received letters 
 by the Store Ship ? The Adl. replied in 
 the Affirmative. Will they then see me 
 as Individuals? I shall be glad to see them, 
 but not as Commissioners, because that 
 would be acknowledging myself a prisoner 
 to their Masters. The Adl. remarked that 
 he did not know they had ever requested 
 to see him as Individuals. He replied that 
 the Russian had no objection. He could 
 see that by the manner of wording the 
 letter that was sent to him. 
 
 He then entered into a discussion on 
 the late Restrictions, to which the Admiral 
 observed that the Parts he complained of 
 had been changed, and that he was certain 
 the Governor had every disposition to 
 render his Situation as agreeable as the In- 
 structions from Government would admit. 
 
 47 
 
CONVERSATIONS WITH NAPOLEON 
 
 Instructions, said he, from Ministers are 
 like a sword that cuts two ways, and you 
 may use it as you please. He would not 
 allow that the desire of the Governor was 
 such as the Adl. stated. He said that 
 previous to the sailing of the Orontes, He 
 was preparing a Paper to send to the Prince 
 Regent, but stopped on account of a pro- 
 position made thro' Dr. O'Meara that the 
 Admiral should mediate an arrangement 
 to obviate what was found so disagreeable 
 in their situation. That he had agreed 
 to this. But, said He, this he has not done. 
 
 The Admiral told him that he certainly 
 had not been spoken to on the subject, 
 but that he concluded that the reason was, 
 that the G. was desirous to know the 
 sentiments of Ministry on the subjects that 
 had caused the restrictions, before he took 
 further steps in the Affair. 
 
 B. said Sir H. does not know my 
 Character, I am a Man that can live Tran- 
 quilly provided that I am treated with 
 some regard, I think I have a claim to 
 that. He said the G. has never seen me 
 except when I was irritated and spoke 
 Betises. 
 
 The Adl. said that he did hope that 
 ere long they would be on better terms, 
 
 48 
 
CONVERSATIONS WITH NAPOLEON 
 
 and remarked that the G. was a Man of 
 considerable attainments, and well acquainted 
 with the History of the late eventful 
 Period, & that he felt confident that Both 
 would find much satisfaction in a free 
 intercourse. B. replied, It is for Sir H. to 
 bring it about, He can do much for me, I 
 cannot do anything for him. The Adl. 
 again pointed out that these misunder- 
 standings had certainly arisen from People 
 about him. 
 
 Captains Stanfell and Festing accom- 
 panied the Admiral and Lady Malcolm 
 this day (March 25th, 1817) to Longwood. 
 After stopping a short time with Made. 
 Bertrand, a servant came to the Admiral 
 and they all walked on to the House. 
 General Bertrand was there, and ushered 
 them into the Billiard room where B. was. 
 He advanced to meet Lady M. and after 
 asking if she always continued to enjoy 
 good health. He spoke to the Admiral, 
 who replied to His Compliments, and then 
 introduced Captain Stanfell. B. remarked 
 he had never seen him before, asked If he 
 was Married & had Children, the name of 
 his Ship, His destination, and on hearing 
 that he had just arrived from the Cape 
 of Good Hope, He asked If Captain Stanfell 
 
 49 
 
CONVERSATIONS WITH NAPOLEON 
 
 had seen the Comte Las Cases, and whether 
 He was not at liberty. Captain S. replied 
 that he was living at Newlands, (the seat 
 of the Governor Ld. C. Somerset) that 
 he had called upon him, but had not seen 
 him, that he had seen his son. 
 
 The Admiral observed that the Health 
 of young Las Cases was considerably im- 
 proved from the Prescription of a wonderful 
 young Physician, describing Dr. Barry. B. 
 observed that a similar Medical Phenomenon 
 had appeared in France, named Bichat, that 
 he died at the early age of twenty-eight, 
 which was a great misfortune, for had he 
 lived he was expected to have made great 
 additions to medical knowledge. 
 
 Tho' Captain Festing's former interview 
 had been so short, B. appeared to recollect 
 him. He asked him also. If he was 
 married, and on his answering No, He 
 said in English, then you are Boy, Bertrand 
 observed that was not the right word, that 
 he meant Bachelor. On which B. repeated. 
 Bushier, 
 
 He asked various Questions about Scot- 
 land, he said it was a poorer country than 
 England. The Admiral allowed that, and 
 added that it had been much enriched by 
 the numbers of Scotchmen who had made 
 
 50 
 
CONVERSATIONS WITH NAPOLEON 
 
 fortunes in the Colonies, & returned and 
 settled in their native place. Yes, said he, 
 Mountaineers always love their country, 
 and turning to Lady M. asked If she v^as 
 a Mountaineer. 
 
 He could not understand about Scotch 
 Peers being made English Peers. The 
 Adl. explained it to him, and that since 
 the Union there had been no Scotch Peers 
 created, nor in fact English Peers, that 
 they were now British Peers. 
 
 He then asked Lady M., If her Uncle 
 Lord Keith was not a Scotch Peer, and 
 if Lord Melville was not also? He knew 
 his name was Dundas, he asked the AdL 
 if Lady M. was of an ancient family who 
 replied No, they sprung from the Law. 
 
 He asked which were the great families 
 in Scotland, Whether the Douglas was not 
 one of the greatest? The Adl. replied Yes, 
 and named the Campbells and some others. 
 He seemed anxious to understand the differ- 
 ent degrees of English Nobility, and asked 
 If they did not usually take their titles 
 from their Estates ? He spoke of the titles 
 of Wellington and Nelson and asked who 
 Nelson's title had gone to? 
 
 He asked Lady M. if she had been at 
 the Play lately performed in the Valley 
 
 51 
 
CONVERSATIONS WITH NAPOLEON 
 
 (The Rivals) he knew it was a play of 
 Sheridan's, with whose talents he seemed 
 to be acquainted. 
 
 He spoke of the difficulty of a person 
 not conversant with a Language reading 
 Poetry. He said he could read English 
 Newspapers sufficiently to be amused by 
 them, but he should never speak the 
 Language for he could not pronounce it, 
 nor could he read Poetry, He had tried 
 Milton, but could not make it out. Did 
 we not consider him our greatest Poet? 
 He was an Infernal Poet. The Adl. said. 
 And a Celestial one too, for he had written 
 of Heaven as well as of Hell. He then 
 asked if Milton was not one of the Regicides 
 who voted for the death of Charles the ist? 
 The Adl. said, he had not voted for the 
 King's death but after it had taken place 
 he wrote in defence of it, and Cromwell 
 in consequence employed him as Secretary. 
 He appeared curious to ascertain whether 
 or not he had been a Regicide, and twice 
 asked the Admiral, if he was certain he 
 was not, advancing close to him. 
 
 He asked if the English Language like 
 the French, was not much altered since the 
 days of Shakespeare, and If his plays had 
 not been modernised that they might now 
 
 52 
 
CONVERSATIONS WITH NAPOLEON 
 
 be understood. If Dryden and Addison had 
 not made a change in the English Language. 
 
 He asked if we had not now a Poet 
 named Byron. The Adl. answered Lord 
 Byron's poetry was much admired, and that 
 we had several others. Yes, said he in 
 Scotland, but the climate is too damp for 
 Poetry. Italian Poetry he said was very 
 fine, but their prose bad ; that it was very 
 difficult for a Person not well acquainted 
 with the Language to read Italian poetry, 
 for they cut their words. 
 
 He asked when the Conqueror was 
 expected, & what was the class of ship, 
 if larger than the Northumberland, which 
 he observed was from a French Model. 
 The Adl. replied that she was built after 
 the Impetueux which had been the Amerique, 
 B. then asked. If the Tonnant was the 
 ship of that name taken at the Nile, and 
 If she had suffered much in that action. 
 The Adl. referred to Captain Testing who 
 had seen her after the action and then told 
 him she had suffered very considerably. 
 He asked what name we had given the 
 Guillaume Tell. The Adl. answered the 
 Malta, and that Le Franklin was now called 
 the Canopus. B. said they were both of 
 the same class and fine Ships. 
 
 53 
 
CONVERSATIONS WITH NAPOLEON 
 
 He enquired what sort of Transports 
 we used to carry Cavalry. The Admiral 
 answered small ones that took between 30 
 and 40 Horses, seldom so many as 50. 
 
 He then asked (and it seemed by his 
 manner, not to be a chance Question, but 
 one that he had recollected to ask) How 
 many Regiments had come from America to 
 Ostend. The Admiral said six or seven, but 
 that they were not all in the Battle of Water- 
 loo, some were at Ghent and some at Brussels. 
 
 B. turned to Lady M., and said you 
 play at Chess. She answered. Very little, 
 but on the Admiral saying she did. He 
 ordered the Chess Table, which was placed 
 in the drawing room. Hitherto they had 
 remained in the Billiard Room, in which, 
 besides Bonaparte and General Bertrand, 
 there were the Count & Countess de 
 Montholon & General Gourgaud ; Bertrand 
 formed a part of the circle with them, and 
 sometimes put in a word, but Generals Mon- 
 tholon & Gourgaud stood behind on each 
 side of the Billiard Table, and never Articu- 
 lated except when Bonaparte addressed them.* 
 
 * Madame de Montholon came round the Table near 
 Lady M. & when B. who moved about, as he talked, turned 
 his back, she whispered to Lady M. If she was tired, she 
 might sit down. She however preferred standing, the better 
 to hear what he said. 
 
 54 
 
CONVERSATIONS WITH NAPOLEON 
 
 When the Chess table was ready, B. 
 walked into the drawing Room, Lady M. 
 following. He placed himself on a sofa 
 and pointing to a chair opposite to him 
 said, Allons Madame, (Madame de Mon- 
 tholon sat on a Chair near them). The 
 Gentlemen stood round the table looking 
 on. B. took the White Men, Lady M. 
 the Red. He desired Lady M. to take 
 the move. He played very Quick, talking 
 to those around, and sometimes made bad, 
 and even false moves, of which both 
 General Bertrand and General de Mon- 
 tholon told him. They also noticed a 
 bad move she made, which he bid her 
 * take back. Lady M. won the Game, at 
 which he laughed and said, they must 
 try another Game. He again desired Lady 
 M. to take the first move. He soon 
 exposed his Queen, and as she could 
 change with advantage she did so. He 
 noticed that she seemed fond of Castling, 
 and on her moving a piece which defeated 
 his attack, he said. Very well defended. 
 He won, and immediately rose saying. The 
 other Room is cooler, and walked back. He 
 observed to the Admiral that he did not 
 reckon himself a good Chess Player, that he 
 merely played to amuse himself sometimes. 
 
 55 
 
CONVERSATIONS WITH NAPOLEON 
 
 In general the Rooms at Longwood 
 are darkened with Green Blinds or Curtains, 
 on returning to the Billiard Room, he 
 ordered the Blinds to be drawn up, the Sun 
 was shining bright, and the view of the 
 Green, and the trees at the back of the 
 House appeared rather less sombre than 
 usual. B. took out a small glass like an 
 Opera one from his waistcoat Pocket, and 
 looked towards the Sea, and then towards 
 the entrance of his house. He observed the 
 Griffin moving to Windward of the Island, 
 He asked the Admiral, If it was his Cruiser. 
 
 He then spoke of the Number of India 
 Ships, and Passengers that came here, of 
 the usual length of the voyage the China 
 Ships made, their size and how many Men 
 they had. 
 
 On speaking of the Harbours in France, 
 the Admiral observed that he had been 
 much in Duarnenez Bay. B. laughed, and 
 said He had ordered Mortars that would 
 throw shells an immense distance, to be 
 placed on the heights at the entrance of 
 Duarnenez Bay, as he had done to keep 
 Pellew out of Hieres Bay. 
 
 He then asked what o'clock it was & 
 on hearing it was five. He continued to 
 talk to the Admiral of different English 
 
 56 
 
CONVERSATIONS WITH NAPOLEON 
 
 diplomatick Characters, with Praise again 
 of Lord Cornwallis (whom he termed a 
 Brave Homme), He also spoke with appro- 
 bation of Lords St. Helens, Malmesbury, 
 and Whitworth, but not your Drakes, 
 Rumbolds, Mackenzies, and Jacksons, such 
 Gentlemen as these were not to be de- 
 pended on. 
 
 B. asked. If Scotchmen did not drink 
 very hard, and turning to Lady M. said 
 they never got up from table. Both the 
 Admiral and Lady M. said that had formerly 
 been too much the case, but that they 
 were now much improved in that respect, 
 and hard drinking was happily no longer 
 the fashion in Scotland. B. then said it 
 had been the fashion when the P. Regent 
 was young, he seldom got up from the table, 
 he often sat till he fell under it, (pointing 
 down below the Billiard Table). Was it 
 not so ? The Admiral answered that these 
 stories were always much exaggerated. B. 
 Laughed, and said it was true. He touched 
 the sleeve of Lady M.'s Pelisse and asked 
 If it was English silk. She told him it 
 was Chinese, she had got it at St. Helena. 
 But how did you get it made, said he? 
 Pointing to the trimming, there are no 
 Marchands des modes here. She Replied, 
 
 57 » 
 
CONVERSATIONS WITH NAPOLEON 
 
 there was one, and Made, de Montholon 
 named her (Mrs. Beaumont). He asked 
 if the silks made in England were as good 
 as those made in France. Lady M. replied. 
 Not quite. He said he believed the Lyons 
 silks were the finest in the world. Soon 
 after this, he wished all the Party good 
 morning. 
 
 He observed to the Admiral that his 
 war with Russia was undertaken because 
 Alexander had not fulfilled one of the 
 Treaties of Tilsit, and that he wished also 
 to establish solidly the kingdom of Poland, 
 as a barrier against the Russians, for that 
 sooner or later, they would overrun Europe. 
 The Adl. asked. Why he did not stop in 
 Poland .? He replied, because I could have 
 dictated from Moscow the terms of Peace, 
 but the Russians burnt Moscow & ruined 
 me. The Adl. then asked why he did 
 not go to Petersburgh instead of Moscow\ 
 He answered because he could have had 
 no Magazines in that direction to subsist 
 his Army, that round Moscow it was a 
 fine Country, with abundance of grain. 
 
 In a conversation before this, B. observed 
 that it was true as stated in the News- 
 papers, that the Belgians were sorry that 
 the English had gained the Battle of 
 
 58 
 
CONVERSATIONS WITH NAPOLEON 
 
 Waterloo, they considered themselves French- 
 men, and were such. The greatest part of 
 the Nation liked him, and wished for his 
 success. The stories that our Ministers 
 took such pains to circulate respecting the 
 Nations united to France hating him, and 
 detesting his tyranny were all false. The 
 Belgians, Italians, Piedmontese, and others 
 were examples of this. The English that 
 have travelled, said he, will confirm this. 
 Millions now weep for me. The Pied- 
 montese preferred being a province of 
 France, to being an independent Kingdom 
 under that King of Sardinia. 
 
 He spoke also of Lord Grenville, whom 
 he considered at present, as the greatest 
 Statesman in England. 
 
 May 3rd, 1 8 17. — The Admiral went to 
 Longwood alone. B. spoke of the Nobility 
 of England, that they were only the chiefs 
 of the Populace, but that in France the 
 Old Nobility were the Masters of the 
 Populace, and that they made very bad 
 Masters. They were in general. Vain Ignor- 
 ant People. For example, said he, Gourgaud 
 had a few minutes conversation with Mont- 
 chenu at the Races the other day, and 
 he began to tell him of what an Ancient, 
 and noble family he was descended from. 
 
 59 
 
CONVERSATIONS WITH NAPOLEON 
 
 He said Our Expedition to Copenhagen 
 was not a measure of great policy. It would 
 have been if we had kept possession of it, 
 but He did not want Ships, he had more 
 at Antwerp than he could Man, and much 
 better ones than the Danish, it was Men 
 he wanted. 
 
 He spoke of our taking the Spanish 
 Frigates before the War, and said the sum 
 of Money we got was of very great National 
 Importance. That the measure hastened 
 the war, which he had been using his 
 endeavours to produce between England 
 and Spain. That the loss of the Money 
 was of no consequence to him; He never 
 got any Specie from Spain, but he got Bills 
 on Vera Cruz, which he sent to London, 
 where they were negociated, and by that 
 Channel he got money for them. That 
 the Money for them found its way to 
 Jamaica, and then to England, so that the 
 three Nations had all a little to do with 
 it, and all got a little. He spoke of my 
 Illness, and said I should get over it. If 
 there was nothing the matter with my 
 lungs. 
 
 He asked. If wc were going to interfere 
 with the Disturbance in Spanish America. 
 He said we should favour underhand the 
 
 60 
 
CONVERSATIONS WITH NAPOLEON 
 
 Separation of the Mother Country. That 
 no matter how kind, or how well England 
 treated Spain, or how ill France behaved 
 to her. That as long as Spain retained her 
 Colonies, she would be jealous of England, 
 from the fear that her Commerce would 
 be destroyed by our Navy. She would 
 be jealous of England, and the friend of 
 France, but once separate her from her 
 Colonies, she would become a warlike 
 Nation on the back of France, and league 
 with England against France. 
 
 June 19th, 1 8 17. — The Admiral and 
 Lady M. went up to Longwood accompanied 
 by Captains Jones & Wright, after receiving 
 them in the usual way. He conversed a 
 short time on indifferent subjects, and went 
 into the next Room, taking the Admiral 
 and Lady M. with him. 
 
 He took notice of Lady M.'s gown, 
 and asked her, If it was of Scotch Manu- 
 facture. She replied in the Affirmative. 
 He said, that is right, we should all wear 
 the Manufactures of our own Countries. 
 
 He observed that by the Newspapers 
 brought out by the Store Ships, he had 
 seen Lord Bathurst's Speech, (in reply to 
 Lord Holland's) that there were several 
 falsehoods in it, and that he did not think 
 
 61 
 
CONVERSATIONS WITH NAPOLEON 
 
 he could be in possession of the Governor's 
 Restrictions with his Notes upon them, 
 that if Ld. B. was, the Falsehoods were 
 wilful. The Admiral replied he was sure 
 he had. He said he was preparing an 
 answer to this Speech, as it appeared in 
 the Morning Chronicle, the first part of 
 which he had finished, and offered to read 
 it to the Admiral, who immediately objected 
 to this, and said he was not authorized to 
 enquire into any of his Complaints, and 
 observed he ought not to believe all the 
 Papers said, that they made many mistakes 
 in reporting Speeches, and that some stated 
 Lord B/s Speech differently. 
 
 B. said he was aware of these mistakes, 
 but that they generally agreed in sub- 
 stance. 
 
 He shewed Lady M. a Bust of the 
 King of Rome lately brought to him, Lady 
 M. admired the fine Curly hair on it, and 
 said the Bust was like him. B. said it was 
 invaluable to him, that the lower part of 
 the face resembled him, and the upper, the 
 Empress, that an Artist in Leghorn had 
 made two, one for the Empress, and another 
 for him. He said that he had heard that Sir 
 
 T. R had told the Captain of the Ship, 
 
 that brought it out, that he ought to have 
 
 62 
 
CONVERSATIONS WITH NAPOLEON 
 
 thrown it overboard, and said to Lady M. 
 was not this barbarous ? 
 
 Lady M. replied that it was so barbarous, 
 that she could not conceive Sir T. capable 
 of having said so. The Admiral said the 
 same. B. said, I know he did say so, for 
 he mentioned it in the presence of several 
 Officers. He said that he was preparing 
 a letter on the subject, but the Captain 
 of the Ship came up to Longwood and 
 
 told Bertrand that Sir T. R had never 
 
 said so. 
 
 He complained of the declining state 
 of his health, and on the Admiral remarking 
 that he was looking well. Bah! said he, 
 my bodily health is good, I have a strong 
 Constitution but my mental powers are 
 failing fast.* 
 
 He shewed Lady M. a Gup and Saucer f 
 (One of a set made at Sevres, and presented 
 to him on the day of his Marriage with 
 Maria Louisa) and said, it was a gift for 
 her, and after she had admired it, and thanked 
 him for it. He smiled, and said that he 
 would not give the Admiral any present, 
 
 * He has said he thought they would not last 2 years. 
 
 I There is a Landscape painted on the Cup representing 
 a view of Cleopatra's Needle, beautifully executed on the 
 Saucer is the head of a Mameluke. 
 
 63 
 
CONVERSATIONS WITH NAPOLEON 
 
 that he would not listen to reason, that he 
 was too much of an Englishman to believe 
 that the G. or that any of his Countrymen 
 could do wrong; that Ladies had more 
 compassion for People in misfortune than 
 Men. Lady M. answered, for People who 
 had been distinguished. 
 
 He then exclaimed, I have worn the 
 Imperial Crown of France, The Iron Crown 
 of Italy, But the English have done more 
 for me than them, They have given me a 
 more glorious one, that which was worn 
 by the Saviour of the World, A Crown 
 of Thorns. Every Insult and oppression 
 offered to me, by the English adds to my 
 Fame, & I want nothing more to complete 
 my renown, but to bear my Misfortunes 
 with firmness. 
 
 He spoke of Italy. He said that Italy 
 was longing for a Constitution, and so were 
 Many of the German States, that the 
 Emperor of Austria was afraid to crown 
 himself King of Italy, that when he tra- 
 velled through the Country He mistook the 
 Applause he met with, that it was intended 
 for his daughter, B's Wife, who was tra- 
 velling with him. 
 
 He spoke of Prince Leopold, and the 
 Princess Charlotte, that once the Prince was 
 
 64 
 
CONVERSATIONS WITH NAPOLEON 
 
 going to be his Aide-de-Camp, that he 
 was a fine Young Man with an Excellent 
 Character. 
 
 He remarked upon reading Mr. Warden's 
 Book, that Mr. W. was a man of great 
 vanity, and that it displayed much Egotism, 
 and self consequence. That it was full of 
 Misrepresentations, and that it made him 
 say a thousand betises, that never came out 
 of his Mouth, and speak long Orations that 
 he never heard before. 
 
 Mr. Irving, The Adl.'s Secretary, went 
 up to Longwood this afternoon (2nd July, 
 1 8 17), Dr. O'Meara told B. that he was 
 there, on which he desired him to shew Mr. 
 Irving in. He was in the Billiard Room 
 with Bertrand, looking at some books. He 
 first asked him how he did, and how the 
 Admiral & Lady Malcolm were, then point- 
 ing to the Books on the billiard table, and 
 naming Robertson's Charles the 5th, Leigh's 
 narrative of a Journey in Egypt above the 
 Cataracts, and a Translation of Lopez de 
 Vega, by Lord Holland, He desired him to 
 look at them, and said that he had just 
 received them by the Conqueror, from the 
 Duke of Bedford and Lord Holland, and 
 that If Mr. Irving saw them he was desirous 
 they should be informed he was very much 
 
 65 
 
CONVERSATIONS WITH NAPOLEON 
 
 obliged to them for the Books, and also to 
 mention that he had seen him (B.) reading 
 them. He said that he supposed it was the 
 Duchess of Bedford, who had sent those, 
 that were said to have come from the Duke, 
 that he had seen her several times in Paris, 
 when she was Lady Georgiana Gordon, and 
 that she was very fond of dancing. 
 
 He asked if the Admiral was coming 
 up before he left the Island and where 
 Admiral Plampin was. 
 
 At times he coughed a good deal, and 
 immediately after a severe fit of coughing. 
 He looked up in Mr. Fs face, and said You 
 must tell the People in London, that this is 
 the Inquisition, and that I want nothing but 
 the Hat, to make me a Dominican Friar. 
 In saying this, he laughed. Mr. Irving said, 
 that he hoped his situation would in time 
 be Improved, upon which his Countenance 
 assumed rather an angry appearance, and he 
 said in a louder tone than he had spoken 
 before — Bah ! never while this Governor is 
 here. They should send the Admiral out 
 to govern the Island, He is much of an 
 Englishman. 
 
 He then asked Mr. Irving, If he was a 
 Scotchman, whether he was married, and 
 what he was going to do when he got 
 
 66 
 
CONVERSATIONS WITH NAPOLEON 
 
 home. Mr. I. replied that he probably 
 would remain on shore, till another War, 
 and then perhaps go to sea again with 
 Admiral Hotham. Ah ! said he, I met you 
 with him in the Bellerophon, and Superb. 
 I see he is lately married. Where does he 
 reside? Mr. I. replied, London. He then 
 said, it is time for you to get married also, 
 I wish you a good voyage, and hope you 
 will find all your friends in England well. 
 
 Mr. Irving had not seen B. since the 
 2oth of June 1 8 1 6. At that time he had 
 observed an Alteration in B's appearance 
 for the worse, since he had seen him in 
 the Bellerophon & Superb, and at the 
 present period he certainly thought him 
 very considerably altered, also for the 
 worse, and his appearance altogether struck 
 Mr. Irving to be that of a Man declining 
 fast. 
 
 Mr. I told Dr. O'Meara what he thought 
 of him, who answered that from seeing him 
 every day, he was unable to perceive the 
 change so readily as a stranger did, but that 
 he knew he was materially altered since he 
 embarked in the Bellerophon, and he could 
 answer for his health being much impaired 
 latterly, which he attributed to his want of 
 exercise, and that he would not be per- 
 
 67 
 
CONVERSATIONS WITH NAPOLEON 
 
 suaded to take any, under the restrictions at 
 present imposed on him. 
 
 Bonaparte remained after his first arrival 
 at St. Helena nearly two Months at the 
 Briars, A Cottage belonging to Mr. Bal- 
 combe, who has two daughters. Miss Jane & 
 Betsy. The stories Circulated about the latter 
 in the Newspapers are nearly all untrue. 
 
 Miss Betsy told me that B. occasionally 
 in the Evening came and played a Rubber 
 of Whist when the family was alone, that 
 once, she caught him revoking, on which 
 she told him that he must pay her a Napo- 
 leon. He replied No, No, you owe me a 
 Pagoda, and I will not give you a Napoleon 
 till you pay me the Pagoda. She said, that 
 in the first conversation she had with him. 
 He asked her the names of the Capitals of 
 the different Countries in Europe, when 
 he came to Russia, she said Petersburgh, 
 but said he, What was the Ancient? She 
 replied Moscow. Who burnt it? I don't 
 know. Yes, you do, said he laughing, you 
 know it was me. 
 
 The two Miss B's. asked him one day 
 to let them look at some of his pretty things, 
 which he promised to do. He accordingly 
 a day or two afterwards sent for them at 
 dinner, and after making them eat some 
 
 68 
 
CONVERSATIONS WITH NAPOLEON 
 
 Bon Bons He shewed them the Miniatures 
 of all his family, and several prints, in which 
 [He] was represented, that two or three 
 times he pointed at his own figure in the 
 Print, and said. That's me. He then showed 
 them a very handsome Sword, presented to 
 
 him by the City of The Handle was 
 
 set round with Jewels, the Scabbard, tortoise- 
 shell, studded with Bees, which he remarked 
 were the emblems of Industry. Miss Betsy 
 asked permission to draw the Sword, which 
 he gave her, she did so and pointing it to 
 him said. Supposing I was to kill you. He 
 laughed, & said you would not be so cruel, 
 and called Miss Jane to come to his Assist- 
 ance, Who did so, and took the Sword from 
 Miss Betsey, since which when he sees them 
 he calls Miss Jane, His dear Miss Jane^ the 
 Preserver of his life. 
 
 On his leaving the Briars for Longwood, 
 He said he hoped they would often pay him 
 a visit, which they occasionally do. The 
 first time they went. He proposed some 
 game of Play on which, Miss B. fixed on 
 Blind Man's Buff. Miss B. was first Blinded, 
 and after some little time, caught hold of 
 somebody. B. said C'est Le Las Cases. 
 Miss Betsy uncovered her eyes, and beheld 
 that it was him B. she had caught. On 
 
 69 
 
CONVERSATIONS WITH NAPOLEON 
 
 which she immediately insisted on his being 
 blindfolded, which he submitted to, & she 
 tied the Handkerchief round his eyes, after 
 which she gave him a Blow on the Back, he 
 soon became tired & pulled it off, and said 
 to her, Pourquoi vous me frappez ? 
 
 The last time they went to Longwood, 
 He went to Miss Betsy, and took her by 
 the ear, said she was a petite Espiegle, & 
 also said Estes vous sage et qui est votre 
 Amant. 
 
 The Party at Longwood speak of Talley- 
 rand, as a great villain, a man who has 
 betrayed all Parties on every side. Madame 
 Talleyrand is a woman of bad Character, 
 and had been banished from Court by 
 Buonaparte on that account. The follow- 
 ing anecdote current in Paris will display 
 her ignorance. 
 
 Talleyrand had asked Denon to dinner 
 
 one day. He said to Madame T . My 
 
 Dear, you must be very civil and polite to 
 him, you must pay him every attention, and 
 say something handsome to him about his 
 Travels, because He may be useful to us 
 with the Emperor. 
 
 Madame T. said she would, but being 
 extremely ignorant, and never having read 
 any other Travels probably than those of 
 
 70 
 
CONVERSATIONS WITH NAPOLEON 
 
 Robinson Crusoe, she thought that Denon 
 could be nobody else than Robinson. She 
 therefore, before a large Company wishing 
 according to Her Husband's Request to be 
 very civil to him, and to pay every atten- 
 tion to Denon, began to ask him Divers 
 Questions about his Man Friday. Denon 
 astonished, did not know what to answer 
 for a long time, but at last discovered by 
 her Questions that she really imagined him 
 to be Robinson Crusoe. The astonishment 
 of him, and the company can scarcely be 
 conceived, nor the Laughter, which it after- 
 wards produced there, and through all Paris 
 where it was everywhere spoke of. 
 
 The Due D'Enghien. — In a conversa- 
 tion about Him, He said that he caused him 
 to be put to death, because the Duke wanted 
 to assassinate him (B.). That He had the 
 trial of the laws of His Country,and that they 
 condemned him. If he was condemned 
 unjustly it was not B's fault, but that it was 
 not so, that it was strictly according to the 
 existing laws. We should change our minds 
 about this in England. He also remarked 
 that our opinion in England about him 
 would be changed by the means of the 
 English travellers themselves. 
 
 Warden's Book. — Heard that he had 
 71 
 
CONVERSATIONS WITH NAPOLEON 
 
 made the following observations upon it. 
 That whoever reads W's book will say that 
 He is a coxcomb, a great egotist and eat 
 up with vanity, that amongst other things 
 the Doctor had said in his work, that he 
 B. had never committed assassination or a 
 crime without having some object in view, 
 now he (B.) had never said this and he could 
 declare that he never had committed either 
 assassination or a crime ivith or without 
 having any object in view, neither did He 
 ever cause them to be committed by others, 
 that he had not a single crime on his 
 conscience to reproach himself with. 
 
 In a conversation it was remarked to 
 him that it was Believed in England that 
 B. aimed at universal Dominion and that 
 his intentions were to annex England to 
 France, that nothing less would have con- 
 tented his ambition. B. replied, Why that 
 as to annexing England to France upon 
 mature deliberation, that He considered it 
 Impossible, that to have united two nations 
 so dissimilar in ideas would have been as 
 difficult as to have brought together India 
 and Europe, that he had no intention of 
 that kind in his head. He then went on to 
 say that had he succeeded in his descent 
 upon England he would have made her a 
 
CONVERSATIONS WITH NAPOLEON 
 
 republic and separated her from Ireland, that 
 he would have made Both Republics and 
 independent of each other and then left them 
 to themselves, having first sown seeds of re- 
 publicanism in their Morale^ and established 
 in each Island the republic form of govern- 
 ment, that as to Commercial Dominion He 
 had certainly aimed to render Himself and 
 France the most powerful in the World but 
 no further, that it was ever His Intention 
 to have made Italy an independent king- 
 dom, there were natural bounds for France 
 which he did not intend to pass. It was 
 His object to prevent England ever being 
 able to go to war with France without 
 assistance from some of the Continental 
 Powers without which indeed she ought 
 not to venture. 
 
 73 
 
OBSERVATIONS OF NAPOLEON 
 
 Buonaparte told the Admiral : The first time 
 the Governor came to see me he told me he had 
 orders to impose further restrictions ; the second 
 time, that he wished to replace Dr. O'Meara by 
 Dr. Baxter, which I positively objected to; and 
 you were present at the third interview. Was 
 this the way to conciliate me ? 
 
 Prince Swartzenbergh. — A man of no 
 abilities — an ass; not fit to command a regiment. 
 
 The Archduke Charles of Austria. — By 
 far the best Austrian General. 
 
 BlUcher. — A brave man, a good officer, 
 nobody better to command at a charge, but not 
 sufficient head for a general. 
 
 Augereau. — A good general, but a great 
 rascal and plunderer — a man of low family and 
 no education. 
 
 Montchenu. — C'est un homme d'honneur, 
 bon soldat, beaucoup de loyaute, mais pour dire 
 franchcment, ce n est pas un homme amusant. 
 
 At Wagram he had caused the bodies of the 
 
 74 
 
OBSERVATIONS OF NAPOLEON 
 
 slain to be burnt, which he was desirous should 
 be the end of his (own) body. 
 
 Battle of Marengo. — The chief cause of 
 the loss of this battle by the Austrians was in 
 consequence of a piece of folly that they had been 
 guilty of, in sending about 20,000 men of the 
 elite of their army three or four days before to 
 attack (Lannes) with 15,000, who they hoped to 
 find crossing a river. They arrived too late, were 
 beaten there, and lost their best troops. Still, at 
 Marengo, they were superior in number, and the 
 French troops were raw recruits. 
 
 Ney. — Buonaparte thought him sincere in his 
 professions to the king at the time he made them, 
 and remained so till the i8th March, although 
 he had denied to him that he was sincere in his 
 promise to bring B. back in an iron cage. He 
 asserted that he thought himself obliged to make 
 use of hypocrisy to get rid of a hateful dynasty. 
 B. thought his conduct afterwards shameful to- 
 wards the king. After B.*s return from Elba, 
 Ney was sent to examine all the strong places 011 
 the frontier. Ney, taking advantage of a moment 
 when he was alone with him, said, in a confused 
 manner, Has your Majesty heard it reported that 
 I promised to the king to bring you to Paris in 
 an iron cage ? B. replied. No, I have not. Besides, 
 J attach no importance to whatever may have been 
 
 75 
 
OBSERVATIONS OF NAPOLEON 
 
 said, written or done. Je sais qu'elle est Tinfluence 
 des circonstances, and it is from other data that I 
 appreciate true fidelity and the sentiments of men. 
 
 Speaking about the English Revolution and 
 that of France, he remarked that there was a wide 
 difference between them — that the former was one 
 of religion, and operated powerfully in the hands 
 of fanatics, it was also confined to a few; but 
 that of France was one of the entire nation against 
 the reigning family. 
 
 76 
 
INDEX 
 
 Abercromby, Sir Ralph, 24, 25 n. 
 
 Acre, Siege of, 22 
 
 Addison, Joseph, 53 
 
 Ajaccio, 29 
 
 Alexander, Emperor of Russia, 27, 
 
 58 
 Alexandria, 13, 13 n., 26, 29 
 Algerine Expedition, 18, 21, 22 
 Algiers, 41 
 Algiers, Dey of, 18 
 Allemand, Admiral, 7 
 Allied Powers, 45 
 
 America, Spanish, disturbance in, 60 
 Affierigite, 53 
 
 Amiens, Peace of, 35 ; Treaty of, 41 
 Arroganty v 
 Artois, Comte d', 33 
 Augereau, 74 
 Austria, Emperor of, 64 
 Balcombe, Mr., 20, 68 
 Balcombe, Betsy, 6S-70 
 Balcombe, Jane, 68-70 
 Balmain, Count, 6 
 Barre, Captain, 13 
 Barry, Dr., 50 
 Bathurst, Lord, 61, 62 
 Bavayd, 27 
 Baxter, Dr., 74 
 Beaumont, Mrs., 58 
 Bedford, Duchess of, 66 
 Bedford, Duke of, 65, 66 
 Bedouin Arabs, 1 3 n. 
 Bellerophon., 67 
 Bertrand, Count, 3, 8, 10, 11 n., 16, 
 
 I9» 3i» 49, 50, 54, 55, 63, 65 
 Bertrand, Madame, 3, 16, 18, 19, 
 
 21,^37 
 Bessieres, Marshal, 35 
 Bichat, Dr., 50 
 Bingham, Sir G., 20 
 BlUcher, 7, 74 
 Borodino, Battle of, 16 
 Bourbons, The, 8, 32, 33, 43, 44 
 ' Briars, The,' 68, 69 
 
 Bruix, Admiral, 13, 29 
 
 Buonaparte, Napoleon, his early 
 career, 28, 29 ; his manner and 
 habits, 2, 3 ; dress and appear- 
 ance, 2, 3, 17 ; his speech, 3, i^j ; 
 ill-humour, 10-12; his estimation 
 of his own character, 48; his 
 health, 63, 66, 67 ; mental de- 
 cline, d^f ; disapproval of waltz- 
 ing, 19 ; as a chess-player, 55 ; 
 popularity with French soldiers, 
 30, 31 ; his jewelled sword, 69 ; 
 re receiving the Commissioners, 
 5, 6 ; refuses a commission in the 
 English army, 27, 28 ; marriage 
 with Maria Louisa, 63 ; return 
 from Elba, 20, 25, 29 ; re return 
 to Paris in an iron cage, 75 ; his 
 History^ 5 ; arrival at St. Helena, 
 I ; his discontent with, 5 ; at 
 • The Briars,' (>%y 69 ; at Long- 
 wood, 3, 69 ; his dislike of the 
 Governor, 15, 48, 66 ; insulted 
 and oppressed by the English 
 64 ; his comparison of English 
 and French fleets, 7 ; accounts 
 for his loss at Waterloo, 7, 8 ; 
 on the insecurity of the Bourbon 
 dynasty, 8, 44 
 
 His Opinions : — of Louis 
 XVIIL, 32, 34; of the Duke 
 of Orleans, 33 ; of the Comte 
 d' Artois, 33 ; of Admiral Barre, 
 13 ; of General Paoli, 27 ; of Sir 
 G. Elliot, 29; of Marshal Ney, 
 32, 75 ; of Marshal Soult, 32 ; 
 of Lord Cornwallis, 41 ; of Fox, 
 42 ; of the French nation, 8, 9, 
 43; of the Dutch nation and 
 navy, 15 ; of Prince Swartzen- 
 bergh, 74 ; of the Archduke 
 Charles, 74 ; of BlUcher, 74 ; of 
 Augereau, 74 ; of Montchenu, 
 74 
 
 n 
 
INDEX 
 
 Buonaparte, Napoleon {continued). 
 His Conversations: — with Sir 
 Pulteney Malcolm, 5-9; 12-17, 
 2i-37» 39-47» 49-64 ; with Lady 
 Malcolm, 3, 4, 10, 38, 40, 49-59> 
 61-63 ; with Capt. Testing re 
 possession of Tristan d'Acunha, 
 II, 12; the condemnation of 
 Bertrand, 9 ; Egypt (his favourite 
 topic), 13, 22-27 ; slave trade, 
 14 ; expedition against Algiers, 
 17, 18, 21 ; Russian and German 
 soldiers, 15 ; the Cossacks, 15 ; 
 dismemberment of Turkey, 27 ; 
 national expense, 39 ; Church of 
 England, 39; Church of Scot- 
 land, 39 ; Treaty of Amiens, 41 ; 
 Louis XVIIL's unpopularity, 44, 
 45 ; the abilities of the Duke of 
 Wellington, 45 ; war with Eng- 
 land, 45 ; England's peace policy, 
 45 ; his war with Russia, 58 ; the 
 manufacture of beet sugar, 45, 
 46 ; and of indigo, 46 ; poetry, 
 52, SZ\ particular ships, 53; 
 drunkenness in Scotland, 57 ; 
 relative values of English and 
 French silks, 58 ; his criticism of 
 English policy with regard to 
 Copenhagen, Spain, and Spanish 
 America, 60, 61 ; his observations 
 on Warden's book, 72 ; his inten- 
 tions r^ the annexation of England, 
 72, 73 ; his comparison of the 
 English and French Revolutions, 
 76 ; his criticism of America's 
 acquisition of the island of Lam- 
 pedosa, 34, 35 ; of England's 
 possession of Canada, 35 ; his 
 admiration for the English 
 character, 36, 40 
 
 Byron, Lord, 53 
 
 Cairo^ Ancie7it Canal frotn Suez to^ 
 Memoir on, 26 
 
 Camels, ship floated on, 13 
 
 Campbell Family, 51 
 
 Canoftis, 53 
 
 Cape of Go<xl Hope, 47, 49 
 
 Charles I,, death of, 52 
 
 Charles, Archduke of Austria, 74 
 
 Charlotte, Princess, 64 
 
 Chess, game of, 54, 55 
 
 Cleopatra's Needle, 63 n. 
 
 Cochrane, Captain, i, 2 
 
 Conqueror^ 53, 65 
 
 Constantinople, 27 
 
 Copenhagen, Expedition to, 60 
 
 Corn, scarcity of, in France, 43 
 
 Cornzvallis, v 
 
 Cornwallis, 41, 57 
 
 Corsica, 29 
 
 Cossacks, 15 
 
 Cromwell, Oliver, 52 
 
 Cuxhaven, Arsenal at, 15 
 
 Damietta, Citadel of, 23 
 
 Davy, Sir Humphry, 13 
 
 Denon, 70 
 
 Dessaix, General, death of, 24 n. 
 
 Devil's Punch Bowl, 3 
 
 Dorset, Duchess of, 41 
 
 Douglas Family, 51 
 
 Dovetons, Mr., 38 
 
 Drake, Admiral, 42, 57 
 
 Drunkenness in Scotland, 57 
 
 Dryden, John, 53 
 
 Duarnenez Bay, 56 
 
 Dundas, Lord Melville, see Melville 
 
 East India Company, 25, 27 
 
 Kgypt> 13. 22-27, 29 
 
 El Arish, Convention of, 23, 24 
 
 Elba, Napoleon's return from, 20, 
 25, 29, 75 
 
 Elliot, Sir G. (Lord Minto), 29 
 
 Enghien, Due d', 71 
 
 England, Church of, 39 
 
 English People, Napoleon's admir- 
 ation of, 36 
 
 English Revolution compared with 
 j French, 76 
 I Exmouth, Lord, 18, 21, 22 
 i Falmouth i 10 
 
 Ferdinand of Spain, 43 
 
 Festing, Captain, 10, 11. 11 n., 49, 
 
 50,53 
 Fisher s Valley, 10 
 Fontainbleau, Ney at, 32 n. 
 Fox, C. J., 42 
 Franklin y 53 
 
 French Revolution, 28, 33, 43, 76 
 German States, 64 
 
 78 
 
• • • • • • 
 
 INDEX 
 
 Gordon, Lady Georgiana, after- 
 wards Duchesti of Bedford, 66 
 Gourgaud, General, i6, 19-21, 37, 
 
 54.59 
 Grenoble, 9, 30 
 Grcnville, Lord, 59 
 Griffin^ 8, 10, 20, 56 
 Grouchy, 7, 8 
 Guillaunie Tell, 53 
 Henry IV., 34 
 Hi^res Bay, 56 
 Hoar Cross, v 
 Holland, Lord, 61, 65 ; translator 
 
 of Lope:; dc Vcga^ 65 
 Hotel de Ville, Treaty of Amiens 
 
 signed at, 41 
 Hotham, Admiral, 67 
 Howe, Lord, 37 
 Hut's Gate, 3 
 Impetueux, 53 
 India Trade, 26 
 Indigo, manufacture of, 46 
 Ingram, Hon. Elizabeth, v 
 Inquisition, the, (3^ 
 Iron Cage, 76 
 Irving, Mr., i, 65-67 
 Irwin, Charles, 9th Viscount, v 
 Italy, 29, 32, 34, 64, 73 
 Jackson, Mr., 42, 57 
 Jamaica, 60 
 Jones, Captain, 61 
 Keith, Lord, 51 
 Kinnaird, Lord, 10 
 Kleber, General, 23, 24, 25 n. ; 
 
 death of, 24 n. 
 Lampedosa, Island of, American 
 
 possession of, 35 
 Las Cases, Count, i, 20, 23 n., 
 
 24 n., 50 
 Lasnes, Marshal, 35 
 Lauderdale, Lord, 42 
 Lefevbre, Robert, 2 
 Legion of Honour, 33, 34 
 'Lti^\^s Journey in Egypt, 65 
 Leopold, Prince, 64 
 Leslie, Professor, 12 
 Lisburn, Borough of, represented 
 
 by Captain Meynell, vi 
 Long wood, fire at, 1 1 n. 
 Lopez de Vega, Translation of, 65 
 
 Louis XIV., 18 
 
 Louis XVIIL, 32, 34, 35, 43, 44, 
 . 44 n. 
 
 Louvre, the, 44 
 
 Lowe, Sir Hudson, I, 15, 20, 47, 
 48, 62, 64, 66, 74 
 
 Macdonald, t,'^, 34 
 
 Mackenzie, 57 
 
 Macpherson, 4 
 
 Malcolm, Lady, vii, 3, 4, 9, 10, 17, 
 37-40, 49, 57» 58, 61-63, 65 ; A 
 Diary of St. Helena, by, vii 
 
 Malcolm, Rear-Admiral Sir Pul- 
 teney, Commander-in-Chief of St, 
 Helena Station, v ; introduction 
 to Buonaparte, i ; visits Count 
 Bertrand, 3 ; visits Buonaparte, 
 3-9, 12, 15, 16, 21, 37, 47,49, 
 59, 61, 65; his opinion of Nelson, 
 6 ; his leave-taking of Buonaparte, 
 15 ; his visit to the Cape, 15-17 ; 
 his return, 16 
 
 Malmesbury, Lord, 57 
 
 Malta, possession of, 26, 35 
 
 Malta, 53 
 
 Marchand, General, 30, 31 
 
 Marengo, Battle of, 24 n,, 75 
 
 Maria Louisa, 6^, 64 
 
 Melville, Lord, 51 
 
 Menow, General, 24, 24 n. 
 
 Merry, Mr., 41 
 
 Meynell, Captain Henry, R.N., 
 baptism of, v ; parentage of, v ; 
 commissions in Royal Navy, v, 
 vi ; other appointments, vi ; M. P. 
 for Lisburn, vi ; visits Napoleon, 
 vii, I, 10, 16, 21, 37 ; death of, vi 
 
 Meynell, Hugo, v 
 
 Milton, John, 52 
 
 Moncey, Colonel, 31 
 
 Montchenu, Marquis de, 6, 40, 59, 74 
 
 Montholon, General, i, 16, 19-21, 
 
 37, 54, 55 
 Montholon, Madame, 9, 16, 19, 54, 
 
 54 n., 55, 58 
 Moscow, 68 ; burning of, 27, 58 
 Murray, Captain, 10, 12 
 Napoleon I. , see Buonaparte 
 Napoleon, King of Rome (son of 
 
 Napoleon I.), bust of, 62 
 
 n 
 
c » » • 
 
 INDEX 
 
 National Debt, 39 
 
 Nelson, Lord, 6, 29, 35, 51 
 
 Newcastle^ v, 17, 19, 20, 38 ; 
 officers of the, 5 
 
 Newlands, scat of the Governor, 50 
 
 Ney, Marshal, 32, 32 n., 75 
 
 Nile, the, 25 n., 26, 53 
 
 North, Mr., 29 
 
 Northumberland, 53 
 
 O'Meara, Dr., 48, 65, 67, 74 
 
 Orleans, Duke of, 33 
 
 Oroniesy 48 
 
 Ossian's D'^Arthulla^ 4 ; Comalla^ 4 
 
 Ossian's poems, 4 ; country, 10 
 
 Paoli, General, 27, 28 
 
 Pellew, 56 
 
 Petersburgh, 58, 68 
 
 Piontouski (a Pole), 20 
 
 Plampin, Admiral, 66 
 
 Plutarch, Antiques afe, 28 
 
 Poetry, conversation on, 52, 53 
 
 Poland, kingdom of, 58 
 
 Property tax in England, 43 n. 
 
 Pyramids, Battle of the, 22 
 
 Quorn Church, extracts from Re- 
 gister of, V 
 
 R , SirT., 62, d^ 
 
 Red Sea, 25 n., 26 
 
 Regicides, the, 52 
 
 Kivoliy 13 
 
 Robertson's Charles ^., 65 
 
 Rosetta, fighting at, 26 
 
 Rouen, suicide of Admiral Villc- 
 neuve at, 6 n. 
 
 Rumbold, Mr., 42, 57 
 
 St. Esprit, Order of, 33 
 
 St. Helena, Sir Pulteney Malcolm 
 at, vii ; Buonaparte's arrival at, i ; 
 his dislike of, 5 ; Commissioners 
 from the Allied Powers at, 5 ; 
 pride of inhabitants of, 36 
 
 St. Helena, Diary of, vii 
 
 St. Helens, Lord, 57 
 
 Santa Maura, 2 
 
 Scotland, conversation on, 50-53 
 
 Scotland, Church of, 39 
 
 Shakespeare, William, 52 
 
 Sheridan's Rivals^ 52 
 
 Sierra Leone, slaves landed at, 14 
 
 Silk, conversation on, 57-58 
 
 Slave Trade, 14 
 
 Smith, Sir Sydney, 23, 24, 25 n., 29 
 
 Somerset, Lord C, 50 
 ; Soult, Marshal, 32 
 ; South Seas, 11, 11 n., 12 
 I Spain, 43, 43 "•.» 45» 60, 61 ; capture 
 i of Spanish frigates, 60 
 I Stanfell, Captain, 49, 50 
 I Sturmer, Baron de, 6 
 i Sturmer, Baroness de, 40 
 
 Suez to Cairo, Ancient Canal from, 
 \ Memoir on, 26 
 
 Sugar, manufacture of beet, 45, 46, 
 46 n. 
 
 Stiperb, 67 
 
 Swartzenbergh, Prince, Napoleon's 
 observations on, 74 
 
 Talleyrand, 70, 71 
 
 Talleyrand, Madame, 70, 7 1 
 
 Temple, Newsam, v 
 
 Theban, v 
 
 Tilsit, Treaty of, 27, 58 
 
 Tithes, payment of, 39 
 
 Tonnant, 53 
 
 Toulon Fleet, 7 
 
 Toulon, Siege of, 28 
 
 Trafalgar, Battle of, 6 
 
 Tristan d'Acunha, Island of, 11 n., 
 17 
 
 Turkey, dismemberment of, 27 
 
 Vengeur, 36 n. 
 
 Venice, Gulf of, shipbuilding in, 13 
 
 Villeneuve, Admiral, suicide of, 6 n. 
 
 Warden, Mr., book referred to, 
 28n.,65, 71, 72 
 
 Waterloo, Battle of, 7, 8, 54, 58, 59 
 
 Wauchope, Captain, 21 
 
 Wellington, Duke of, 7, 44, 44 n. , 
 
 45»5i 
 West Indies, importation of sugar 
 
 from, 46 
 Whist, game of, 68 
 Whitworth, Lord, 41, 42, 57 
 Wright, Captain, 61 
 Wynyard, Colonel, 2 
 Wynyard, Mrs., 2 
 
 London : SO-aH^0u<avi, Pi^inlcrs. 
 
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