dominions on the afternoon of the 4th of
May, and went ashore in disguise the same evening, in order to ascertain
for himself whether the feelings of the Elbese at all resembled those of
the Provencals. Finding that, on the contrary, the people considered his
residence as likely to increase in every way the consequence and
prosperity of their island, he returned on board the ship, and at noon,
the day after, made his public entrance into the town of Porto Ferraio,
amidst all possible demonstrations of welcome and respect.

The Russian and Prussian commissioners did not accompany him beyond the
coast of Provence: the Austrian Baron Kholer, and the English Sir Neil
Campbell, landed with Napoleon, and took up their residence at Ferraio.
He continued for some time to treat both of these gentlemen with every
mark of distinction, and even cordiality: made them the companions of
his table and excursions; and conversed with apparent openness and
candour on the past, the present, and the future. "There is but one
people in the world," said he to Colonel Campbell--"the English--the
rest are only so many populaces. I tried to raise the French to your
level of sentiment, and failing to do so, fell of course. I am now
politically dead to Europe. Let me do what I can for Elba.... It must be
confessed," said he, having climbed the hill above Ferraio, from whence
he could look down on the whole of his territory as on a map--"it must
be confessed," said the Emperor, smiling, "that my island is very
small."

The island, however, was his; and, as on the eye itself a very small
object near at hand fills a much greater space than the largest which is
distant, so, in the mind of Napoleon, that was always of most importance
in which his personal interests happened for the time to be most
concerned. The island--mountainous and rocky, for the most part barren,
and of a circumference not beyond sixty miles--was his; and the Emperor
forthwith devoted to Elba the same anxious care and industry which had
sufficed for the whole affairs of France, and the superintendence and
control of half Europe besides. He, in less than three weeks, had
explored every corner of the island, and projected more improvements of
all sorts than would have occupied a long lifetime to complete. He even
extended his empire by sending some dozen or two of his soldiers to take
possession of a small adjacent islet, hitherto left unoccupied for fear
of corsairs. He establish