The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-11-25
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very qualities which he showed in his in
tercourse with Gourgaud-the capacity
for an affection and consideration pecu-
liarly fascinating in SO strong and self
willed a nature. He was never unseltish:
but he was certainly often considerable of
others. The English crew of the Belle
rophon declared that ii the people of Eng
land knew him as they did not hair of
his head would be harmed The ships
company OF the Undaunted, which carried
him to Eliza. wished him long life and
prosperity, and better luck another time.
Several chapters of the book are taken
up with an account of Napoleon's rela-
items with the Governor of st. Helena.
Sir Hudson Lowe. Lord Rosebery says OF
him that he was a narrow. ignorant, irri-
table man. without vestige of tact or
sympathy. Napoleon says that his eye
was that of a hyena caught in trap, and
Lady Granville remarks that he had the
countenance of a devil. Lord Rosebery
concludes rather naively:
We are afraid We must add that he was not
what we should call, in the best sense, gen
tlernan.
The manner OF life which Napoleon led
at St. Helena is also described. He is
said to have spent most of his days in his
hut, reading, writing, talking. but withal
bored to death" The picture which the
biographer gives of his habitation is in
teresting:
Longwood itself was collection of huts which
had been constructed as cattle shed. 1t was
swept by an eternal wind; it was shadeless.
and it was damp. Lowe himself say no good
of it, and may have felt the strange play of
fortune by which he allotted the de-
lightfu residence the island, with twelve
thousand year, while Napoleon was living in
an old cowhouse eight.
The lord of many places. who had slept
as conqueror in so many palaces not his own,
was now confined TO two small of equal
size-about fourteen by twelve, and ten or eleven
feet high To this little measure had shrunk
all his conquests glorics, triumphs, spois.
Each of these rooms was lit by two small win
dows looking toward the rcgimental camp. In
one corner was the little camp bed, with green
silk curtains. which the Emperor had used at
Marengo and ACsterlitz. To hide the back door
there was screen. and between this screen and
the fireplace old sofa. on which Napoleon
passed most OF his day, though it covered
with books that there was scarcely space for COM
fort. The walls were covered with brown nan
keen, and amid the general squslor a magnificent
wash-hand-stand, with silver and basins.
displayed an incongenia splendor. But the
naments of the room were other than this; they
were the salvage Of the wreck of his family and
his empire There was, OF course, portrait (by
Isahey) of Marie Louise, then living in careless
bcatitude with Neipperg at Parma There were
q
md putting on slipper, beth by Thibault;
there was also bust Of the child. There was
miniature of Josephine. There hung also the
alarm clock of Frederick the Great taken from
Potsdam, and the watch of the Frs Consul when
in Italy. suspended by chain of the plated
hair of Marie Louise.
In the second room there was 4 writing table,
some book-shelves, and another bed. which
the Emperor would rest in the daytime, to
which he would change from the other when he
was. generally the case, restless and
seepless at night.
Etiquette was, however strictly OBJ
served by the little court held in this
cluster OF cow-sheds. No one ever sat
down in the presence of Napoleon with
out an invitation. When he went abroad
there were six horses to his carriage, and
an equerry in full uniform riding at each
door. But tie roads at st. Helena were
such that when the ladies of his party
went any distance to dinner or a ball
they had to go in an ox-cart. His dinner
was served on gold and silver plate. but
the meal only occupied twenty minutes.
The one pleasure of his life was the ar
rival of books, for he was then, as always
voracicus and Unsuitable reader. In the
last year of his life he took an interest in
gardening, and the conqueror of Europe
might often be seen digging therein at
dawn, wearing pair of red slippers and a
vast straw hat, and surrounded by a gang
of Chinese laborers.
Lord Rosebery's analysis of the charac-
ter of this phenomenal man occupies two
or three of the most interesting chapters
in the book. 1t is in part as follows:
To learn enough English to read in the news.
papers what was going on in the Europe which
he had controlled, to dictate memoirs giving his
point of view OF what interested him at the mo-
ment, to gossip about his custOdians, to preserve
order and harmony in his little household
these were the crumbs o. existence which he was
LETT to humble There is no parallel to his posi-
ton The world hss usually made short work OF
its Caesars when it has done with them. Ma
poleon had sought death in battle, and by sui
side in vain. The constant efforts at assassina-
ton had been fruitless. The hope of our minis
tiers that the French Government would shoot or
;ang him had been disappointed. So Europe
buckled itself TO the unprecedented task of gag
ging and paralyzing intelligence and force
which were too gigantic for the welfare and Sc
curity of the world. That is the strange, unique,
hideous problem which makes the records Of ST.
Helena 50 profoundly painful and fascinating.
his dazzling career, his conquests, his tri-
rmphant assault en- the Old World. In that
brief space we the lean, hungry conqu-ror
swell into the sovereign and then into the SOW
ereign of sovereigrs Then comes the catastrophe
He loses the balance of his judgment and becomes
a curse TO his own country and TO all Others. He
cannot be still himself or give mankind instant
of repose. His neighbors landmarks become play |
things to him; he cannot leave them alone: he |
msnipuates them for the mere love OF moving |
thcin His island enemy is on his nerves; nc secs
her everywhere; he strikes at her blindiy and |
wildly And so he produces universal unrest, uni |
versal hostility, the universal of his incom-
patibility with all established society. But he |
pursucs his path as If possessed, IL driven by |
the inward sting o! some burning devil. He has |
ceased to be sane. Tie intellect and energy are ,
frnv hut / rqrp IN carlo ftt-a hoy
have become monstrosiiies. Body and mind are |
affected by the prolonged strain 10 be more than |
mortal Then there is the inevitable collapse |
and at St Helena We are watching with curious |
the reaction and decline.
The truth take TO be this: The mind Of |
man has not in it sufficient ballast to enable it
TO exercise or endure for long, supreme. uncon-
Lrollei power. Or, 10 put IL in other words, The |
human frame is unequal to ANYTHING approaching |
Jmnipetenc All history. from the Caesars
ward teaches us this. Strong was the intel
ect of Napoleon, it formed no exception TO the
-uc.
For in the first period Of his consulate he was
N almost ideal ruler. He was firm, sagacious,
ar-seeing. energetic, just. He was, moreover,
What is not of less importance. ready and anxious
o learn lie was, indeed conscious of extreme
ignorance on the civil side Of his administration.
But he was never ashamed 10 ask the meaning Of
he simplest word or the most elementary pro- J
,cdure; and he never asked twice. He thus ac-
Iuired and assiinilatcd all necessary information
sith extraordinary rapidiiy. But when he had
earned all that his councillors could teach him
e recognized his immeasurable superiority TO all
men with whom he had been brought into CON
set He arrived at the conclusion-probably a
,ist one-that his genius WAS unfailing and
upreine in the art Of craftsmanship as in tine
ri of war; and that he was as much the first
uler as the first captain Of the world That dis
oyery, or conviction. backed by the forces and
esources Of France inspired him with amb
ion at first vague, but growing as it was fed;
I last immeasureahe aud impossible. Nothing
ccfned impractcable- nothing illusory.
he star Of his destiny, which bulked so largely