The Memoirs of François René Vicomte de Chateaubriand sometime Ambassador to England. volume 3 (of 6): Mémoires d'outre-tombe volume 3Chateaubriand, François-René, vicomte de
History
The Memoirs of François René Vicomte de Chateaubriand sometime Ambassador to England. volume 3 (of 6): Mémoires d'outre-tombe volume 3
Chateaubriand, François-René, vicomte de
Chateaubriand, François-René, vicomte de, 1768-1848
Sir George Cockburn[393], the author of those severe regulations, was
replaced by Sir Hudson Lowe. Then began the bickerings about which all
the Memoirs have told us. If one were to believe those Memoirs, the
new Governor must have been of the family of the enormous spiders of
St. Helena and the reptile of those woods in which snakes are unknown.
England was lacking in elevation, Napoleon in dignity. To put an end to
his requirements of etiquette, Bonaparte sometimes seemed determined
to conceal himself behind an assumed name, like a monarch travelling
in a foreign country; he had the touching idea of taking the name
of one of his aides-de-camp, killed at the Battle of Areola[394].
France, Austria, Russia appointed commissaries to the residence of St.
Helena[395]: the captive was accustomed to receive the ambassadors
of the two latter Powers; the Legitimacy, which had not recognised
Napoleon as Emperor, would have acted more nobly by not recognising
Napoleon as a prisoner.
[Sidenote: Life at Longwood.]
A large wooden house, constructed in London, was sent to St Helena; but
Napoleon did not feel well enough to inhabit it. His life at Longwood
was regulated in this way: he rose at uncertain hours; M. Marchand, his
valet, read to him when he was in bed; after rising, in the morning,
he dictated to Generals Montholon and Gourgaud and to the son of M. de
Las Cases. He breakfasted at ten o'clock, rode on horseback or drove
until about three, returned indoors at six and went to bed at eleven.
He affected to dress as he is painted in his portrait by Isabey[396]:
in the morning, he wrapped himself in a caftan and wound a Madras
handkerchief round his head.
St. Helena lies between the two Poles. The navigators who pass from one
spot to the other salute this first station where the land refreshes
eyes wearied with the spectacle of the Ocean and offers fruits and the
coolness of sweet water to mouths chafed with salt. The presence of
Bonaparte changed this isle of promise into a plague-stricken rock:
foreign ships no longer touched there; so soon as they were signalled
at twenty leagues' distance, a cruiser went to challenge them and
charged them to keep off: none were allowed into port, except in case
of stormy weather, but the ships of the British Navy alone.
Some of the English travellers who had lately admired or who were on
their way to see the marvels of the Ganges visited another marvel on
their road: India, accustomed to conquerors, had one chained at her
gates.
Napoleon allowed these visits with reluctance. He consented to receive
Lord Amherst[397] on the latter's return from his Chinese embassy.
Admiral Sir Pulteney Malcolm[398] he liked:
"Does your Government mean," he asked him one day, "to detain me upon
this rock until my death's day?"
The admiral replied that he feared so.
"Then the term of my life will soon arrive."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account