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

LIFE OF NAPOLEON BONAPARTE.
and thiat tile captain could not deny that we calne Bonaparte should be well received in Engla.d, r
freely and ill good faith; that the letter from the indeed made promises of any sort. I have endeaemperor to the Prince of Wales, of the existence of voured to conduct myself with integrity and honour
whichll I had given Captain Maitland information, throughout the whole of this transaction, and theremust necessarily have created tacit conditions, since fore cannot allow such an assertion to go nncoitrahe had imade no observation on it." Here the ad- dieted.''Oh!' said Count Montholon,'Las Cases
tiiral's inpatience, nay, anger, broke forth. He said negotiated this business; it has turned out very difto him sharply, that in that case Captain Maitland ferently from what he and all of us expected. He
was a fool, since his instructions contained not a attributes the emperor's situation to himself, and is
word to such a purpose; aind this lie should surely therefore desirous of giving it the best countenance
know, since it was le, Lord Keith, who issued them. he can; but I assure you, the emperor is convinced
Count Las Cases still persevered, stating that his your conduct has been most honourable;' then
lordship spoke with a hasty severity, for which lie taking my hand, he pressed it, and added,' and that
might be himself responsible; since the other ofli- is umy opiniion also.'"
cers, as well as Rear-admiral Hothain, had ex- Lord Keith was, of course, perfectly convinced
pressed themselves to the same effect, which could that the charge against Captain Maitland was not
not have been the case had the letter of instructions only totally unsulpported by testimony, but that it
been so clearly expressed, and so positive, as his was disproved by the evidence of impartial witlordship seemed to think.+ nesses, as well as by the conduct and public exLord Keith, upon this statement of Count Las pression of sentiments of those who had the best
Cases, called upon Captain Maitland for the most right to complain of that officer's conduct, had it
ample account he could give of the communications been really deserving of censure. The reason why
which he had had with the count, previous to Napo- Count Las Cases should persist in grounding hopes
leon's coming on board the Bellerophon. Captain and wishes of his own framing, upon supptosed exMaitland of course obeyed, and stated at full length pressions of encouragement from Captain Maitland,
the manner in which the French frigates lay block- has been probably rightly treated by Count Monaded, the great improbability of their effecting an tholon. Napoleon's conduct, in loading Captain
escape, and the considerable risk they would have Maitland with the charge of " laying snares for llim,"
run in attempting it; the application to him, first by while his own conscience so far acquitted that brave
Savary and Las Cases, afterwards by Las Cases officer, that he pressed upon him thanks, and yet
and Gourgaud; his objecting to the frequent flags nimore substantial evidence of his favourable opinion,
of truce; his refusal to allow Bonaparte to pass to can, we are afraid, only be imputed to a predominant
sea, either in French ships of war or in a neutral sense of his own interest, to which he was not unvessel; his consenting to carry to England the late willing to have sacrificed the professional character
emperor and his suite, to be at the disposal of the and honourable name of an officer, to whom, on
Prince Regent, with his cautions to them, again and other occasions, he acknowledged himself obliged.
again renewed, in the presence of Captain Sartorius As Captain Maitland's modest and manly narrative
and Captain Gambier, that he could grant no stipu- is now published, the figment, that Napoleon came
lations or conditions whatsoever. These officers on board the Bellerophon in any other character
gave full evidence to the same effect, by their than as a prisoner of war, must be considered as
written attestations. If, therefore, the insinuation silenced for ever.
of Count Las Cases, for it amounts to no more, is to Having prosecuted this interesting sublject to a
be placed against the express and explicit averment conclusion, we return to the train of circumstances
of Captain Maitland, the latter must preponderate, attending Napoleon's departure fioom England, so
were it but by aid of the direct testimony of two far as they seem to contain historical interest.
other British officers. Finally, Captain Maitland The inconvenient resort of immense numbers,
mentioned Napoleon's acknowledgment, and that of sometimes not less than a thousand boats, scarce
his suite, that though their expectations had been to be kept off by absolute force by those who rowed
disappointed, they imputed no blame to him, which guard within the prescribed distance of' 300 yards
he could not have escaped, had he used any unwar- from the Bellerophon, was rendered a greater anranted and fallacious proposals to entice them on noyance, when Napoleon's repeated expressions,
board his vessel. As the last piece ofevidence, he that he would never go to St Helena, occasioned
mentioned his taking farewell of Montholon, who some suspicions that he meant to attempt his escape.
again reverted to Napoleon's wish to make him a Two fiigates were therefore appointed to lie as
present, and expressed the emperor's sense of his guards on the Bellerophon, and sentinels awere
civilities, and his high arnd honourable deportment doubled and trebled, both by day and night.
through the whole transaction. An odd incident, of a kind which could only have
Captain Maitland, to use his own words, then said, happened in England (for though as many bizarre
"' I feel much hurt that Count Las Cases should whims Ina arise in the minds of foreigners, they are
have stated to Lord Keith, that I bad promised much more seldom ripened into action), added to
the cares of those who were to watch this important' The reader may judge for lhirself, by turning to p. 738, prisoner. Sonie lnewspaper, which was not possessed
-here the instructions are printed, acting under which no of a legal adviser to keep them right in point of
man but a foel, as the admiral truly said, could have e;i- i form, had suggested (in tenderness, we suppose, to
tered into such a treaty, as Count Las Cases pretentls I public curiosity), that the person o)fNapoleon Bt3owC'aptain Maitland to have engaged in. |parte should be reti(ived to shore by agency of a