The National Register.
London, England, 1816-12-09 00:00:00

BUONAPARTE.

WE resume our notice of Mr. Warden's Publication.
The following is a curious little Episode in the limited
career of the Emperor.

I am about to vary the scene, but I follow the track
of the distinguished Exile, whenever I have the oppor-
tunity; and I now call you to attend him among the
Arcadians of St. Helena. When he takes his exercise
on horseback, he generally bends his way through a deep
ravine, luxuriantly covered with vegetation and used
for pasture. The road is narrow, the place lonely ; and
he, in a sentimental or poetical moment, had named it
" The Valley of Silence." On ascending this contracted
pass, the eye is greeted, and on the first occasion, might
probably be surprised, by the residence of a farmer.—
Here the confined Tourist, on his first excursion, deter-
mined to snatch a probable amusement, by paying a
visit. Fortunately for him, the family were taken by
surprise ; for the apprehension of such a guest would
bare emptied the house of its inhabitants. Master Legg,
the tenant of the mansion, a plain honest countryman,
'met him at the door, when the extraordinary visitor,
on the invitation which he received, dismounted from
his horse, and accompanied by the Count De las Cases,
entered the house, familiarly took his seat, and, as usual,.
began his interrogatories. _

" Have you a wife ? Yea, and please you, Sir Empty
or.—Have you any children? Six.—How much land
have you set ? A hundred acres.—All capableof being
cultivated? No, not one half.—What profit4lses it bring
you ? Not a great deal: but it is much improved since
you, Mr. Emperor, came amongst us.—Aye, how do you
make that out ? Why, yon must know, Sir Emperor,
we do not grow corn in this here Island ; and our green
vegetables require a ready market. We have generally
had to wait for the arrival of a fleet ; and then, rat'em,
they would sometimes all spoil : but now, Sir General,
we have a prime sale for every article. Where is your
wife ? Dang it, and please you, I believe she is scared ;
for I see my children have all run out. Send for them,
and let me be introduced. Pray have you any good
water ? Yes, Sir ; and wine too, such as is to be had
from the Cape.

" The good woman's alarm had by this time subsidd;
and she was persuaded by her husband to male her ap-
pearance, and entered with every mark of respect, and
some astonishment. Napoleon, De las Cases, the Farm-
er and his wife, forming a panic puirree, for your phi-
losophic and profouud contemplation, sat down to four
glasses of Cape wine ; and, when they were emptied,
the visit was concluded."

Another &runt on the Island possessed a very pretty
daughter of about 17, whom the Emperor found
" mettle very attractive."—So much so, that the pa-
rents were put on their guard by the neighbours,—
and the young lady was not permitted to appear, and
the Emperor discontinued his visits.
The following is an account of a visit of Mr. War-
den at Longwood at the request of the Emperor.—
There is, it must be confessed, a good, deal of justice in
Buonapartes strictures on the English Newspapers.
" On entering the room I observed the back of a sofa
turned towards me ; and on advancing I saw Napoleon
laying at full length on it, with his left-arm hanging
over the upper part. The glare of light was excluded by
a Venetian blind, and bethre him there was a table co-
vered with books. I could distinguish among them some
fine bound volumes on the French Revolution. The
heat of the day had occasioned him to dismantle himself
of coat and waistcoat. The moment his eve met mine,
he started up, and exclaimed, in English, in a tone of
good-humoured vivacity, " Ah, Warden, how do you
do ?" I bowed in return ; when he stretched out his
band, saying, " I have got a fever." I immediately ap-
plied my hand to the wrist, and observing, both from
the regularity of the pulsation and jocular exprea-
Ilion of his countenance, that he was exercising a little
of his pleasantry, I expressed my wish that Ins health
might always remain the seine. He then gave me a
familiar tap on the cheek, with the back of his hand•;
and desired me to go into the middle of the room as he
had something to say to me. I now congratulated him
on the preservation of his health, and complimented
Aim at the same time, on the progress he appeared to
have made in the English language. " I certainly enjoy,
be said, a very good state of health, which I attribute
In a rigorous observance of regimen. My appetite is