The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1822-12-27 00:00:00

accommodaL
Re shortened the time of sitting-at table, ordering
care for Napoleon and those who accompanied him,
ens before the rest of the company had finished their
dinner.

illon .
ti: , , 11, is, peockusei.es;pidist
~.. _
.trotting maison, we saw the bridge
laws : reeedr were peeled veto& ti
ichmeotphilist totem& ediblille
west•into ,the..Eosperee's room, end &Kiribati Wel
Paris hatappeared to me ; stating the general opl-1
' that Fouche openly betrayed the national cause;
and that the hopes of all patriots were, that his Ms-
jest would this very night join the army, who loudly
called for him. The Emperor limbed to me with SO
air of deep thought, but made no reply, end I lei&
'w soon after. al •

NAPOLEON QUITS NALWAISON.
Meanwhile time pressed. When on the point of
setting out, the Emperor sent a message to the Pro-
visional Government, by General Becker, offering to
place himself at the head of the army, merely in the
rank of a citizen, adding, that after having repulsed
Blucher, be would continue his route. On the refu-
sal of this offer, he left Malmaisou ; the Emperor
and a part of his suite taking the road to Rochefort
by Tours.
56-7th.—At Rochefort, the Emperor no longer
wore a military dress. He lived at the Prefecture :
numbers were coostantly grouped round the house;
and acclamation continued to be frequently repeated.
The Emperor appeared two or three times at the bal-
cony. Numerous proposals were made to him, both
by Generals who came in person, mid others who sent
emissaries.
On our leaving the Bellerophon in the morning to
visit the Superb, the Emperor stopped short in front
of the guard drawn up on the quarter-deck to salute
him. He made them perform several movements,
giviog the word of command himself: having desired
them to charge bayonets, and perceiving this motion
was not performed altogether in the French manner,
he advanced into the midst of the soldiers, put the
weapons aside, with his hands, and seized a mus-
ket from one of the rear guard, with which he went
through the exercise Ininftlf according to our me-
thod. A sudden movement—and change of countenance
amongst the officers and others who were present,
sufficiently expressed their astonishment at seeing
the Emperor thus carelessly place himself amidst
English bayonets, some of which came in contact
with his person. This circumstance produced a most
striking effect. On returning from the Superb, we
were indirectly questioned on the subject, and asked
whether the Emperor ever acted in the same way with
his own soldiers ; while the greatest surprise was ex,
pressed at his confidence. Not one amongst the offi-
cers had formed any idea of Sovereigns who could
thus explain and execute their own commands it
was therefore easy to perceive they had no just con-
ception of the personage now before them, notwith-
standing his having been so marked an object of at-
tention and curiosity for about twenty years.
I was again sent for by the Emperor who, after al-
luding to different subjects, began to speak of St.
Helena, asking me what sort of a place it could be !
whether it was possible to exist there? and similar
questions. " But," said he, " after all, am I quite
sure of going there? Is a man dependant on others,
when he wishes that his dependence should cease ?"
We continued to walk to and fro in the cabin ;
he seemed calm, though affected, and somewhat
absent.

" My friend," continued the Emperor, " I have
sometimes en idea of quitting you, and this would not
be very difficillt ; it is only necessary to create a
little mental excitement, and I shall soon have
escaped. All will be over, and you can then tran-
quilly rejoin your families. This is the more easy,
since my internal principles do not oppose any bar to
it:—l am one of those who conceive that the pains of
the other worl4 -were only imagined as a counterpoise
to those inadequate allurements which are offered to
us there. GOD can never have willed such a contra-
diction to his infinite goodness, especially for an act
of this kind ; and what is it after all, but wishing to'
return to him a little sooner.

I remonstrated warmly against such notions. Poets
and Philosophers had said that it was a spectacle
worthy of the Divinity, to see men struggling with
fortune. What might not the mere change of a Mi-
nistry, death of a Prince, that of a confidant, the 1
slightest burst of passion, or the most trifling dispute'
bring about ?
" Some of these suggestions have their weight,"
said the Emperor, " but what can we do in that deso-
late place r-" Sire," I replied, " we will live on the
past there is enough of it to satisfy us. Do we not
enjoy the life of Ctesar and that of Alexander ? We
shall possess still more, you will reperuse yourself,
Sire 1."—" Be it so !" rejoined Napoleon ; we will
write our memoirs. Yes, we must be employed ; for
occupation is the scythe of time. After all, a man
i ought to fulfil his destinies ; this is my grand doc-
trine : let mine also be accomplished." Reassuming
from this instant an air of ease and even gaiety, he
passed on to subjects totally unconnected with our
situation.

- .
While walking in the stern-gallery with the Em-
peror, at the usual hour, he drew from under his
waistcoat, still conversing on a totally different sub-
ject, a species of girdle, which he handed to me,
saying, •• Take care of that for me ;" without inter-
rupting him, I placed it under my own waistcoat.
The Emperor told me soon after, that it contained a
diamond necklace, worth two hundred thousand
francs, which Queen Hortensia forced him to accept
on his leaving Malmaison. After our arrival at St.
Helena, I frequently spoke of returning the neck-
lace, but never receive(' toy reply. Raring men-

After the preliminary remarks on the weather, the
ship's progress, and the winds, Napoleon used to
start a subject of conversation, or revive that of the
preceding or some other former day ; and when he
had taken eight or nine turns the whole length of the
deck, he would seat himself on the second gun from
the gangway, on the larboard side. The midshipmen
soon observed this habitual predilection, so that the
cannon was thenceforth called the Emperor's yin:.

A letter from A: of the 15th instant, coot‘ias the
following important intelligence :--
•• I announced in my last that Mina missed his Ob.
jectin the outset, and that he was oonsimisiendy in tit
unfavourable position. My information was IleigaCt
and the new check which he has just received wit(
contribute, not II little, to augment his embar-
rassments."

Last Tuesday, the 10th instant, Mina made Ms
dispositions for enabling the division which blockaded-
Seo to commence the assault. He directed the at-
tack upon the weakest point, on the side of 1111rla.
Romagosa, looking at his movements like a t'iil
tactician, gave precise orders to let the 0011151itetion- '
alists approach within range of the JR she
ramparts, and almost to their very foot; illinal ,
diately a dreadful fire of artillery spiced 4 end ,
ced4
terror among the ranks of the assailants : five hundred.
of the enemy remained dead upon the field of battle, •
without counting a considerable number of woseded.l,, „gi
The conflict lasted during the whole of the 101 h. astir'
the cannon continued to be beard even on ate 11th.
The rout of Mina's division was most complete, and
his retreat was upon Arta and Beluer. It is said that
Mina himself has taken refuge in this latter village. '
situated in the basin of Spanish Ceedegee. -
On the 12th, Romagosa, atthebeeet debase 1.000 I
men, made a vigorous sortie aqd perused the fremsti.:l
tutionalists to Pla. He took from them sixties,' basd. i
of flour, four of brandy, and. two of oil; nollet,'o9-
0
rieges, &c. all fell into his hands. This Irtiottlertlifi -
siegalarly disconcerted the Liberals, aad: 1111121
hopes ofd the Royalists. Mina ought to be oily
Grand Purveyor of See. His position, as I hut*,
already told yon is now much worse than it was, and. - ,
hardly tenable ; and for this reason— Moue Anton is
at Organ is with 1,500 men; Mirailhes, with a division '
of eight or nine hundred cues on his right, maintains
a position in a small village two leagues from the
quarters of General Mina. If, as is confidently
said, a division of twelve or fifteen hundred Royalists
is at Labourcy, there remains no other path open to
Mina but by Spanish Cerdagne, and it is to be pre-
sumed that he would be harassed in the rear, and
that he could not throw himself into the plain, either
by Rippol or 010, because he would be opposed by ...
the brave Royalist divisions of Fleyres, Mims, tad '
Malavella.
Mina, however, it is said, has declared, that, in spite
of this first defeat, he is determined to take Seo by
assault, at whatever loss,.even though it should cos;
him his whole army. Should he again attempt it,
there is little doubt lie would sustain a heavy loss.
[From the Etai4e of Monday.) •
ENVIRONS OF PUYCERDA, DECEMBER 14.
My letter of the 11 th informed you of the military
operations which had taken place before Sea ma dim
Oth and 10th, down to three o'clock in the afteeweem,, '
at which hour Romagosa was forced to abandon the
position he occupied at the Font de Nesse, and to re-
tire within the fort,
I have now to announce to you, that two hours,
after the entrance of Romagosa, the Constitutionalists'
again put themselves in motion, and made prepara-
tions for attacking the citadel. A column even ap.,
proached very near a tower which is called La Lenpm.,
de Serp. It was by this tower that the Royalists
entered the citadel last June. This column, upon
whom a heavy fire was opened, was forced to retire,
after having sustained a loss of thirty or forty men.
The 11 tb, at daybreak, all the troops in the neigh-
bourhood of the fort were on foot; the same move-
ments, the same evolutions took place, as on the pre-
ceding evening. The garrison made some sorties
during the morning, at no great distance from the
fort ; that which took place in the afternoon, at Arabel,
about three-quarters of a league distant, ou the road
to Pailhas, was attended with succeu : the Royalists •
captured fifteen mules laden with flour,
[From the ColostitvtionrieLJ
LISBON, nEcamalig R.
(By an Extraordinary Courier.)
Among the topics which have most occupied the
attention of the Cortes, is the project of a Decree pre-
sented by M. Correa de la Cerda to augment the army,.
which, said the orator, was considerably diminished.
by the dismissals given to soldiers who had served
their full time. The orator dwelt upon the milita,
attitude of all the nations of Europe, and especially
upon the French army cantoned along the frontiers of
Spain, whose vicinity, according to the Spaniards, in.
spired the factious with the strongest hopes of suc-
cess, and which were so disposed as to be able to'
enter Spain at the first moment's notice. We seeat •
added he, a Congress at Verona, of whose **ewe,
we are ignorant ; but the designs of pow GpasciT-
meats against other Governments are well house,
Piedmont and Naples are wimples held out to Spain-
Suppose, said M. Correa, that Spain should be in..
vaded, and that unjust Governments should asemeibq
the mid project of dictating the law to it, 00111111 be
delay, for an instant, to run to arms, to partake 6,7
the struggle; we to whom it is so important, both as
friends and as allies, to see Spain triumphant? lam
convinced there is not a single Portuguese who would
not be impatient to take the field, to preserve the rich
inheritance which expiring despotism has left us.
But it is not by wishes that victories are plod. Our
army is reduced; I propose, therefore—
'. That the regiments and_ *Mahone Sr the ♦lnt lieet
should be completed te the tqN strength they hW Imo,'

_--- --
went out on deck, followed by the Grand Mar* array,
ir the Em .He 11177.-
jot kiwi, the cowman. and myself. This disconcerted the Adtairal,*ltook shy. et 't on • iti ; for. nu yes.
I no t.,,, seal, '
sod in_ occasion to express his surprise to his offi•m;. but fist alid!, • wilinbor itii,
lagirthat he „did Madame Berubncl, whose Maternal ladi iu Fag- mend bis amp; sod '', . 46.
1 *beret. list, warmly replied, '' no Not forget; INglig, ,that *meat 0 his troops, asp" been by
your guest is a man gibo.bse gemp011...21r.40_._ crick mil salibmoser acesticegyieire • ' •
"Pr P?,- hue eriiseee4etige to atteciwiertie.
the Legisistare• at the world, and
I hearty- isereatto horiour of being admillitirdtirs.tialfleary trim, 1:0 been considerable gleeertides from the troop of
val., in consequence of discontents &sprit
lit the gat"' .un rejoined the Admiral ;ad this ofiker, wile passages
officers. The Army of the Faith 4. r, • ,
I bridge of Chatou io
good sense, a becomin pliability of &antlers, and
g*
,
°lt'd the palace, and sometimes much elegance, did his utmost from that increased.
intim park walls. I moment to accommodate the Emperor in his habits. A
6 ,
and described how u • ' , t •
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