with which this gobemouche seems to justice; nor would it have been a dishave swallowed all those fables must grace to England to have acknowledged have been at once amusing and encou- Napoleon Bonaparte as a citizen. He raging to the worthy trio. They evi demanded to be enrolled among the dently saw that the Doctor was a cre- humblest of them; and wished for little dulous gossip, who would not fail to more than the Heavens as a covering, repeat, if he did not print, all his con- and the soil of England, on which he versations with them; and they there- might tread in safety. Was this too fore took care to tell him only what much for such a man to ask?—surely they wished to have known-so that not."-p. p. 13, 14. even when he means to speak truth, 'Now as this is a point which affects and does actually repeat what he heard, the national character, and relates to the substance of his story is generally an event which will be considerable in and often grossly false. A few instances history, we do not think we should be of this we shall now offer to our readers. 'Count Bertrand is represented as making very pathetic complaints to Mr. Warden on "the needless cruelty of their allotment" (lot.) He stated "that the ex-emperor had thrown himself on the mercy of England, from a full and consoling confidence that he should there find a place of refuge." "He asked, what worse fate could have befallen him, had he been taken a prisoner on board an American ship, in which he might have endeavoured to make his escape. He reasoned, for some time, on the probability of success in such an attempt; and they might now, he added, have cause to repent that he had not risked it. He then proceeded. "Could not my royal master, think you, have placed himself at the head of the army of the Loire ? and can you persuade yourself that it would not have been proud to range itself under his command? And is it not possible -nay, more than probable, that he would have been joined by numerous adherents from the North, the South, and the East? Nor can it be denied that he might have placed himself in such a position, as to have made far better terms for himself than have now been imposed upon him. It was to save the further effusion of blood that he threw himself into your arms; that he trusted to the honour of a nation famed for its generosity and love of justified in omitting to repeat the con- and a full corroboration of all we have stated, from the lips of the count de Las Cases.' final determination on this momentous subject; nor shall I attempt to describe the anxiety visible on the contenance "I shall now proceed to give the of our small assembly. The Emperor account of an interesting conversation alone retained an unembarrassed look, which I had with the count de Las when he calmly demanded the opinions Cases on the final resolution of Napo- of his chosen band of followers, as to leon to throw himself on the genero- his future conduct. The majority were sity of the English government. He in favour of his returning to the army, prefaced his narrative with this assu- as in the South of France his cause still rance: No page of Ancient History appeared to wear a favourable aspect. will give you a more faithful detail of This proposition the Emperor instantany extraordinary event, than I am ly rejected, with a declaration delivered about to offer of our departure from in a most decided tone, and with a peFrance, and the circumstances con- remptory gesture-that he never would nected with it. The future Historian be the instrument of a Civil War in will certainly attempt to describe it; and you will then be able to judge of the authenticity of his materials and the correctness of his narration. France. He declared, in the words which he had for some time frequently repeated, that his political career was terminated; and he only wished for the secure asylum which he had promised himself in America, and, till that hour, had no doubt of attaining. He then asked me, as a naval officer, whether I thought that a voyage across the Atlantic was practicable in the small vessels, in which alone it then appeared that the attempt could be made. I had my doubts,' added Las Cases, and I had my wishes: The latter urged me to encourage the enterprise; and the former made me hesitate in engaging for the probability of its being crowned with success. My reply indicated the On our arrival at Rochfort, the influence of them both. I answered, difficulty of reaching the Land of Pro- that I had long quitted the maritime mise appeared to be much greater than profession, and was altogether unachad been conjectured. Every inquiry quainted with the kind of vessels in was made, and various projects pro- question, as to their strength and caposed; but, after all, no very practica- pacity for such a navigation as was ble scheme offered itself to our accep- proposed to be undertaken in them; tance. At length, as a dernier resort, but as the young midshipmen who had two chasse-marées (small one-masted volunteered their services, must be comvessels) were procured; and it was in petent judges of the subject, and had actual contemplation to attempt a voy- offered to risk their lives in navigating age across the Atlantic in them. Six- these vessels, no small confidence, I teen midshipmen engaged most willing- thought might be placed in their proly to direct their course; and, during bable security. This project, however, the night, it was thought they might was soon abandoned, and no alternaeffect the meditated escape. We tine appeared but to throw ourselves on met,' continued Las Cases, in a the generosity of England.' From the time the Emperor quitted the capital, it was his fixed deter mination to proceed to America, and establish himself on the banks of one of the great rivers in America, where he had no doubt a number of his friends from France would gather round him; and, as he had been finally baffled in the career of his ambition, he determined to retire from the world, and, beneath the branches of his own fig-tree, in that sequestered spot, tranquilly and philosophically observe the agitations of Europe. small room, to discuss and come to a "In the midst of this midnight coun⚫ cil, but, without the least appearance and it is therefore reasonably supposed of dejection at the varying and rather that this profession of honour and highirresolute opinions of his friends, Na- minded loyalty was a cloak to cover poleon ordered one of them to act as the conspiracy which was hatching, and secretary, and a letter to the Prince an insidious attempt to deceive the Regent of England was dictated. On king and his ministers. This letter, the following day I was employed in written to the duke of Fitzjames, (who making the necessary arrangements has the misfortune to be Bertrand's with captain Maitland on board the brother-in-law,) cannot be denied; it Bellerophon. That officer conducted was at the time communicated by the himself with the utmost politeness and duke to the king, and it has been since gentlemanly courtesy, but would not verified and officially published in enter into any engagements on the France, and in half the journals of Eupart of his government." pp. 60-64. This avowal of Las Cases is quite sufficient to oppose to the falsehoods which Bertrand related to Mr. Warden, and which Bonaparte recorded in the famous protest which we gave in the article before mentioned. Why, it will be asked, do we, on this occasion, give that credit to Las Cases which we deny him in every other? We answer, because his account tallies with undisputed facts, and because Bonaparte's and Bertrand's story is irreconcilable with those facts. rope. The contempt in which these folks must have held poor Mr. Warden, is evident from the absurdities with which they crammed his credulity. Thus, Bertrand says that "Bonaparte was never sensual, never gross.” (p. 212) His manners and language were gross in the extreme, and his habits scandalously sensual. We need only recall to our readers' recollection the anecdote slightly alluded to in our 27th number, page 96, the authenticity of which (filthy and disgraceful to Bonaparte as it is) is established by the testimony of the commissioners that attended him to Elba, and his own confessions. 'Las Cases completes the picture "He never speaks of himself; he never mentions his achievements. Of money he is totally regardless; and he was not known to express a regret for any part of his treasure but the diamond necklace, which he wore constantly in his neckcloth, because it was the gift of his sister, the Princess Hortense, whom he tenderly loved.' This he lost after the battle of Waterloo." p. 212. 'Marshal Bertrand is a great favourite with Mr. Warden, and he therefore endeavours to exculpate him from the charge of having, while at Elba, made overtures to the king. On this point Mr. Warden thinks count Bertrand himself the best witness he could adduce, and he represents him as saying, "the report of my having taken oath of fidelity to Louis XVIII is groundless; for, I never beheld a single individual of the Bourbon family of France." (p. 45.) Admirable logic! But M. Bertrand misstates the charge-he was not charged with having sworn allegiance, but with writing a letter to the Duke of Fitzjames, promising allegiance on This is no bad instance of Las the honour of a gentleman, and solicit- Cases's varacity: the necklace in quesing permission to return to France, tion was stolen or forced from his siswhere he intended to live as a faithful ter previously to his leaving Paris, when subject of the king, and under his protection and it is further charged, that this letter was written at a time when Bonaparte's return was in preparation, the generous Bonaparte, contemplating the chances of a reverse, determined to collect about his own person as much wealth as possible; he accordingly, as the most portable, took all the jewels mitted to Paris; and instructions were he could lay his hands on, and, amongst expeditiously returned to interrogate the the rest, this necklace of the Princess crew, separately, and transfer their tesHortense; who wished her brother's anxiety for a keep-sake had been contented with a lock of her hair, or a bracelet, or a ring, or any thing, in short, rather than her best diamond necklace, of the value of 20,000l. timonies to the minister of Police. The purport of their examination was at first very unsatisfactory; but, at length, on the examination of one of the crew, some light was thrown on the subject. He stated that the brig had landed several Frenchmen, and among them he particularly remembered one, a very merry fellow, who was called Pichegru. Thus a clue was found that led to the discovery of a plot, which, had it suc ceeded, would have thrown the French nation, a second time, into a state of revolution. Captain Wright was accordingly conveyed to Paris, and con But there are four topics connected with the character of Bonaparte, on which above all others, a good deal of interest is naturally excited-we mean the murders of Captain Wright and the duke D'Enghien, the poisoning of his own sick at Jaffa, and the massacre of the garrison of that place; and as Mr. Warden professes to have heard from Bonaparte himself explanations of fined in the Temple; there to remain both of these events, we shall give them as shortly as we can, but always in his own words; stating, however, that Mr. Warden's reports may be in these instances substantially correct, because we have understood that Bonaparte was forward to give similar explanations to other persons. till it was found convenient to bring the formidable accessaries of this treasonable design to trial. The law of France would have subjected Wright to the punishment of death: but he was of minor consideration. My grand object was to secure the principals, and I considered the English captain's evidence of the utmost consequence towards completing my object.' Bonaparte again and again, most solemnly asserted, that Captain Wright, died in the Temple, by his own band, as described in the Moniteur, and at a much earlier period than has been generally believed." p. 139-141. We beg leave to postpone making any observations on ́this story till we have quoted the ex-emperor's denial of the murder of Pichegru, and his defence of that of the duke D'Enghien.' "The English brig of war commanded by Captain Wright, was employed by your government in landing traitors and spies on the west coast of France. Seventy of the number had actually reached Paris; and, so mysterious were their proceedings, so veiled in impenetrable concealment, that although general Ryal, of the Police, gave me this information, the name or place of their resort could not be discovered. I received daily assurances that my life would be attempted, and though I did not give entire credit to them, I took every precaution for my preservation. The brig was afterwards taken near L'Orient, with Captain Wright, its commander, who was carried before the Prefect of the depart ment of Morbeau, (Morbihan,) at Vannes: General Julian, then Prefect, had accompanied me in the expedition to Egypt, and recognised Captain Wright on the first view of him. Intelligence "At this time, reports were every of this circumstance was instantly trans- night brought me,' (I think, he said, VOL. 1.-No. 11. N "Here Napoleon became very animated, and often raised himself on the sofa where he had hitherto remained in a reclining posture. The interest attached to the subject, and the energy of his delivery, combined to impress the tenor of his narrative so strongly on my mind, that you need not doubt the accuracy of this repetition of it. He began as follows. by General Ryal,) that conspiracies quitted his house, I eonceived there were in agitation; that meetings were would be good ground for suspicion. held in particular houses in Paris, and The old Monk was secured, and in the names even were mentioned; at the act of this arrest, his fears betrayed same time, no satisfactory proofs could what I most wanted to know- Is it,' be obtained, and the utmost vigilance he exclaimed, because I afforded and ceaseless pursuit of the police was shelter to a brother that I am thus evaded. General Moreau, indeed, be- treated!'-The object of the plot came suspected, and I was seriously was to destroy me; and the success importuned to issue an order for his of it would, of course, have been my arrest; but his character was such; his destruction. It emanated from the name stood so high, and the estima- capital of your country, with the count tion of him so great in the public d'Artois at the head of it. To the mind; that it appeared, to me, he had west he sent the duke de Berri, and to nothing to gain, and every thing to lose, the east the duke d'Enghien. To by becoming a conspirator against France your vessels conveyed underme: I, therefore, could not but exon- lings of the plot, and Moreau became erate him from such a suspicion. I ac- a convert to the cause. The moment cordingly refused an order for the pro- was big with evil: I felt myself on a posed arrest by the following intima- tottering eminence, and I resolved to tion to the minister of police. You hurl the thunder back upon the Bourhave named Pichegru, Georges, and bons even to the metropolis of the BriMoreau: convince me that the former tish empire. My minister vehemently is in Paris, and I will immediately urged the seizure of the Duke though cause the latter to be arrested. Another in a neutral territory. But I still heand a very singular circumstance led sitated, and Prince Benevento brought to the developement of the plot. One the order twice, and urged the meanight, as I lay agitated and wakeful, I sure with all his powers of persuasion : rose from my bed, and examined the it was not, however, till I was fully list of suspected traitors; and chance, convinced of its necessity, that I sancwhich rules the world, occasioned my tioned it by my signature. The matstumbling, as it were, on the name of ter could be easily arranged between a surgeon, who had lately returned me and the duke of Baden. Why, from an English prison. This man's indeed, should I suffer a man, residing age, education, and experience in life, on the very confines of my kingdom, to induced me to believe, that his con- commit a crime, which within the disduct must be attributed to any other tance of a mile, by the ordinary course motive than that of youthful fanaticism of law, Justice herself would condemn in favour of a Bourbon: as far as cir- to the scaffold? And now answer me; cumstances qualified me to judge, did I do more than adopt the principle money appeared to be his object. I ac- of your government, when it ordered cordingly gave orders for this man to the capture of the Danish fleet, which be arrested; when a summary mock was thought to threaten mischief to trial was instituted, by which he was your country? It had been urged to found guilty, sentenced to die, and in- me again and again, as a sound poformed he had but six hours to live. This litical opinion, that the new dynasty stratagem had the desired effect: he could not be secure, while the Bourwas terrified into confession. It was bons remained. Talleyrand never denow known that Pichegru had a bro- viated from this principle: it was a ther, a monastic priest, then residing fixed, unchangeable article in his poliin Paris. I ordered a party of gen- tical creed. But I did not become a darmes to visit this man, and if he had ready or a willing convert. I examined |