act the spy. He refused, and as Lowe required willing tools, not
honest men, he was ultimately banished from the island. The Emperor
embraces him, bestows his benediction, and gives him credentials of
the highest order, together with messages of affection to members of
his family and to the accommodating Marie Louise, who is now mistress
to the Austrian Count Neipperg. He is charged to convey kindly
thoughts of esteem and gratitude to the good Lady Holland for all her
kindness to him. The King of Rome is tenderly remembered, and O'Meara
is asked to send intelligence as to the manner of his education. A
message is entrusted to him for Prince Joseph, who is to give to
O'Meara the private and confidential letters of the Emperors Alexander
and Francis, the King of Prussia, and the other sovereigns of Europe.
He then thanks O'Meara for his care of him and bids him "quit the
abode of darkness and crime."[9]

Before O'Meara left the island, news of the diabolical treatment of
the Emperor had filtered through to Europe in spite of Lowe's
precautions. The _Edinburgh Review_ had published several articles
exposing the Governor's conduct, and when these were delivered at St.
Helena (addressed to Longwood) a great commotion arose at Plantation
House. Reade had orders to buy every one of the obnoxious
publications, but determined men of talent are not easily thwarted in
their object, especially if it is a good one, so the Governor had the
mortification of seeing himself outwitted. O'Meara was confronted and
charged with securing for Montholon the objectionable _Edinburgh
Review_. The articles gave the Emperor great pleasure, and when this
was made known to Lowe it was intolerable to him. O'Meara gets
official notice to quit on July 25, 1818.

Napoleon thought it a bold stroke on the part of the British Ministers
(whom he regarded, and spoke quite openly of, as assassins) to force
his physician from him. The doctor took the precaution to reveal the
place of concealment of his journal to Montholon, who found a way of
having it sent to him in England. This document was read to the
Emperor, who had several errors corrected, which do not appear to have
been of great importance, except one that had reference to the
shooting of the Duc d'Enghien.[10]

On the day following his exit from Longwood O'Meara sent a report on
the exile's illness and his treatment thereof. The report is an
alarming account of the health of the Emperor, who, no