The life of Napoleon Buonaparte, emperor of the French. By Sir Walter Scott.

LIFE OF NAPOLEON BONAPARTE.
could have been done consistent with the main George Cockburn proceeded on his arrival to arexigencies of the case, to save Napoleon, in his range this upon the system recommended by his
unfortunate situation, a single pang, that measure final instructions, which run thus:
should have been resorted to. But there could he " In committing so important a trust to British
no reason why Britain, in compassionate courtesy, officers, the Prince Regent is sensible that it is not
should give to her prisoner a title which she had necessary to impress upon them his anxious desire
refuised to him de jure, even while he wielded the that no greater measure of severity with respect to
empire of France de facto; and there were argu- confinement or restriction be imposed, than what
ments, to be hereafter stated, which weighed power- is deemed necessary for the faithful discharge of
fully against granting such an indulgence. that duty, which the admiral, as well as the GoThe place of Napoleon's confinement, also, has vernor of St Helena must ever keep in mind,-the
been the subject of severe censure; but the question is perfect security of General Bonaparte's person.
entirely dependent upon the right of confining him at'Whatever, consistent with this great object, can be
all. If that is denied, there needs no further argu- allowed in the shape of indulgence, his royal highment; for a place of confinement, to be effectual, ness is confident will be willingly shown to the
must connect several circumstances of safety and general; and he relies on Sir George Cockburn's
seclusion, each in its degree aggravating the suffer- known zeal and energy of character, that he will
ings of the person confined, and inflicting pain which not allow himself to be betrayed into any improviouht only to be the portion of a legal prisoner. dent relaxation of his duty."'
But if it be granted, that a person so formidable as It was in the spirit of these instructions that Sir
Napoleon should be debarred from the power of George Cockburn acted, in selecting a place of remaking a second avatar on the earth, there is per- sidence for his important prisoner, while, at the
haps no place in the world where so ample a degree same time, he consulted Napoleon's wishes as
of' security could have been reconciled with the much as the case could possibly admit.
same degree of personal freedom to the captive, as The accommodation upon the island was by no
St Helena. means such as could be desired in the circumThe healthfllness of the climate of that island will stances. There were only three houses of a public
he best proved by the contents of a report annexed character, which were in any degree adapted for
to a return made on 20th March, 1820, by Dr Tho- such a guest. Two, the town residences of the
mas Shortt, physician to the forces; from which it governor and lieutenant-governor of the island,
appears, that among the troops then stationed in St were unfit for the habitation of Napoleon, because
Helena, constantly employed in ordinary or on fa- they were within James Town, a situation which,
tigne duty, and always exposed to the atmosphere, for obvious reasons, was not advisable. The third
the proportion of sick was only as one man to thirty, was Plantation House, a villa in the country, beeven including casualties, and those sent to the longing to the governor, which was the best dwellhospital after punishment. This extraordinary de- ing in the island. The British administration had
gree of health, superior to that of most places in the prohibited the selection of this house for the residworld, Dr Shortt imptltes to the circumstance of the ence of the late imperial captive. WeA differ from
island being placed in the way of the trade winds, their opinion in this particular, because the very
where the continued steady breeze carries off the best accommodation was due to fallen greatness;
superfluous heat, and with it such effluvia noxious to and, in his circumstances, Napoleon, with every
the human constitution, as it may have generated. respect to the authority of the governor, ought to
The same cause, bringing with it a succession of have been the last person on the island subjected
vapours from the ocean, affords a cloudy curtain to to inconvenience. We have little doubt that it
intercept the sun's rays, and prevents the occurrence would have been so arranged, but for the disposiof those violent and rapid forms of disease, which tion of the late French emperor and his followers
present themselves throughout the tropics in general. to use every point of deference, or complaisance,.
Checked perspiration is noticed as an occasional exercised towards them, as an argument for pushcause of disease, but which, if properly treated, is ing their pretensions farther. Thus, the civility
only fatal to those whose constitutions have been shown by Admiral HIotham and Captain Maitland,
previously exhausted by long residence in a hot in manning the yards as Napoleon passed fron one
climate. It should also be observed, that the cli- vessel to the other, was pleaded upon as a proof
mate of the island is rerlarkably steady, not varying that his free and regal condition was acknowledged
upon an average more than nine or ten degrees in by these officers; and, no doubt, the assigning, for
the course of the year; which equality of tempe- his use the best house in the island might, accorldrature is another great cause of the general health- ing to the same mode of logic, have been assumeed
filness.? The atmosphere is warm, indeed; but as to imply that Napoleon had no superior in St tIeNapoleon was himself horn in a hot climate, and lena. Still there were means of repelling this spiwas stated to be afraid of the cold even of Britain, rit of encroachment, if it had shown itselfi and we
that could hardly in his case be considered as a think it would have been better to risk the consedisadvantageous circumstance. qnences indicated, and to have assigned Plantation
In respect to Napoleon's personal treatment, Sir House for his residence, as that which was at least
* See Appendix, No. 10- "State of thermometer, as the best accommodation which the island afforded.
taken at Deadwood, Island of St Helena, during 12 calen- * Extract of a dispatch from Earl Bathurst, addressed
dar months, viz. from Ist Sept., 1820, to 31st Aug., 1821, to the lords commissioners of the admiralty, dated 30th
inclusive.* July, t815.