uonaparte's mental sufferings in St. Helena
were very poignant. By a man of such unbounded ambition, and who had
once aimed at universal dominion, captivity must have been severely
felt. I can safely assert, that any one of temperate habits, who is not
exposed to much bodily exertion, night air, and atmospherical changes,
may have as much immunity from disease in St. Helena as in Europe; and I
may, therefore, further assert, that the disease of which Buonaparte
died was _not_ the effect of climate."--It is added, that out of all
Napoleon's family, which, including English and Chinese servants,
amounted to fifty persons, only one individual died during the five
years of their stay in St. Helena, and this man, an Italian major-domo,
had brought the seeds of consumption with him from Europe.

In March, 1817, Lord Holland made a solemn appeal to the British
Parliament on the subject of Napoleon's treatment, and was answered by
Lord Bathurst--in such a manner that not one could be found to second
him. The intelligence of this appears to have exerted a powerful
influence on the spirits of the captive. It was about the 25th of
September 1818, that his health began to be affected in a manner
sufficient to excite alarm in Dr. O'Meara, who informed him, that unless
he took regular exercise out of doors (which of late he had seldom
done), the progress of the evil would be rapid. Napoleon declared, in
answer, that he would never more take exercise while exposed to the
challenge of sentinels. The physician stated, that if he persisted, the
end would be fatal. "I shall have this consolation at least," answered
he, "that my death will be an eternal dishonour to the English nation,
who sent me to this climate to die under the hands of...." O'Meara again
represented the consequences of his obstinacy. "That which is written,
is written," said Napoleon, looking up, "our days are reckoned."

Shortly after this, O'Meara--being detected in a suspicious
correspondence with one Holmes, Napoleon's pecuniary agent in
London--was sent home by Sir Hudson Lowe; and, Napoleon declining to
receive any physician of the governor's nomination instead, an Italian,
by name Antommarchi, was sent out by his sister Pauline. With this
doctor there came also two Italian priests, whose presence Napoleon
himself had solicited, and selected by his uncle, Cardinal Fesch.

His obstinate refusal to take bodily exercise might have sprung in some
measure from intern