The Tragedy of St. Helena

inistrative, strategical, religious, domestic-he was preeminent above his contemporaries. On religious grounds alone, those thoughts of

osebery's admirable book, "The Last Phase," are so contradictory that they cannot be take

e sun gives to all things life and fertility." At another time he torments the Count, after tying him into a knot and exposing his superficial knowledge, by saying that "the Mohammedan religion is the finest of all." But when his mind seriously dwells o

physical sufferings, and it was he whom he desired should close his eyes in death when the nefarious assassination had been completed. It was he, too, who got himself locked up in the fortress of Ham for seven years by adhering steadfastly to the cause of t

nce by the most amazing attachment that one human being could give to another, and it was natural that the big soul of Napoleon should respond to what amounted to fanatical fidelity. He was the belov

, nor did he ever falter in his devotion to the martyr's cause. It is from him we have handed down the famous constitution drawn up by Napoleon for his son, which is pregnant with democratic wisdom and flows with the genius of statesmanship. We get, too, a vivid knowledge of the religious side of Napoleon's versatile character. His talks and dictations on this controversial subject are unorthodox if y

this avowed declaration on the eve of the great transformation may be confirmed by the fact that the cardinal doctrine of the Roman religion centres in the divinity of Christ. Again, in the course of his public and private duties

him from having his lucid, succinct conversations jargoned into a tattered tedium. It is either a perversion of understanding or a misanthropic egoism that can twist Napoleon's discourses on religious topics into meanin

in no way detracts from his admiration of the genuine follower of Christ. He says that "religious ideas have more influence than certain narrow-minded philosophers are willing to believe; they are capable of rendering great services to humanity." Again, he says that

hese occasions he, Montholon, and Antommarchi are the debaters. To the former he suddenly flashed out: "I know men well, and I tell you that Jesu

udy of the authenticity of the declarations imputed to Napoleon when at St. Helena

apoleon defended the truth of this doctrine with the arguments and eloquence of a man of genius, with something also of the native faith of the Corsican and the

tell you that Jesus

ist and the founders of empires, the conquerors, and the

e out resemblances, weaknesses, and common errors which assimilate them to myself and humanity. Their faculties are those which I possess. But it is different with Christ. Everyth

amine Him, the more everything seems above me; everyt

elligence which assuredly is not the intelligence of man. There is in Him a pro

lity. In every other existence than that of Christ, what imperfections, what changes! I defy you to cite any existence, other than that of Christ, exempt from the least vacil

d the future are alike to Him; the kingdom of the truth has, and in effect can have, no other limit than the false. Jesus has taken p

mit; but that mystery meets difficulties which are in all existences. Reject it, the

ry other love. Without contradiction, the greatest miracle of Christ is the reign of love. All who believe in Him sincerely feel this love, wonderful, supernatural, supreme. It is a phenomenon inexplicable, impossible to reason and the power of man; a sacred fire giv

trand, reflected that splendour, as the dome of the Invalides, gilded by us, reflects the rays of the sun. But reverses have come; the gold is effaced little by little. The rain of misfortunes and outrages wi

f Christ, proclaimed, worshipped, beloved, adored, living througho

e of life, and could describe it with flawless accuracy-are a complete refutation of the opinions expressed either from prejudice or personal and political motives. Napoleon conversed about religion with other men in a critical way,

don the idea and assures him that the charges made against the Holy Office are false. He further says that the Inquisition is not tyrannical, and that sooner than remove the Holy Office he would part with a province. Napoleon for a time gave way

oleon's belief that "Faith is beyond the reach of the law and the most sacred property of man, for

udy. He had, moreover, a kind of childlike vanity in making men feel that he was not only extraordinary, but greatly th

ut believing that no good government could be assured without religion, he carried his convictions through in spite of it being a reversion of one of the cardinal doctrines of the Revolution, and there

IOGR

OOKS REFERRED TO OR C

dence of

ters of

hes of the First Na

's Misce

n's Own

Anecdotes

at St. Helena, b

respondence wi

ers to Josephin

the Island

Napoleon,

leon, by Sir

poleon, by

on, by

e of Napole

poleon, by

Napoleon, by

eon the Third

poleon, by

oleon, edited

poleon, by

oleon, by Geor

oleon, by W

, by J.T

, by Dr.

Meneval

Count Mio

al Count Rapp, w

the Duke

me Junot, Duche

of Napoleon, by

Pan, by

e de

ns of Marsh

the Empress

of Queen

the Court o

press Marie Louis

s of J

f Madame

elson, by

ington, by G

Walter Scott

ier Me

of

tt, by Lor

t, by Charl

t of the Empress Jo

ing, by Fitz

nt Me

Marbot

ier, by Gener

irs of the Lif

arie Louise, b

leon Loved, by

of the Bonapar

t Home, by

les Femmes,

ratrice et Rein

crowned Queen

of Napoleon, by

apartes, by N

ses' J

lena and Sir Hudso

n Relation to Sir Huds

. Helena, by Ph

st Voyages,

Napoleon, by Dr

hstadt, by D

irst Phase, by

Last Phase, by

eon at St. Hel

eon, by Rear-Admiral S

Exile, by Ba

t. Helena, by

a Crime, by

ivity of Napoleon,

tters from

St. Helena, by

Voyages, by Si

ellow Travellers,

me of the Transacti

a since the Appoin

of that Island,

of the Treatment of

a, by Theodo

nsulate and the E

n to Russia, by Coun

Russia, by V

g of Elba, by

History, Volume

es Pa

Wal

Wil

Guil

L. F

ickham

. L

lland

st K

. O

Stsc

n Pflugk-

. W

. G

Detractors, by

Heine's

by J.E.C

by Lady Bl

shals, by R.P.

ution, by Th

lution, by

the Consulate,

udies, by J.

ketches, by Ha

d to Nelso

of Nelson

d, 1780-1817, edite

lde

m, by H.A.

orrespondence

TES HAVING REFERENCE

. Napoleon th

ench Revolution b

on of the

rance declared a

. swears to mainta

King, Queen, and Ro

aren

risoner) signs the N

First coalition

people declare

ions who des

ffer

naparte's marria

uccessful cam

tion to Syri

ropean coalitio

of 500 deposed

red Firs

parte defeats the A

te's life attemp

ch

nce founded

ace of Amiens (wi

lland)

on of Honour insti

on made First

. Bank of Fran

ation of war a

spiracy of Moreau

ole

uc d'Enghi

n proclaimed Em

leon crowned

apoleon crowned

oalition aga

defeats the All

oleon defeats the

oleon defeats the

ace of Til

n issues his Mil

sh co

ew Nobility of

n of Charles IV.

avour of

ment of the P

nce of England an

an

feats the Austr

en

eace of Vi

e of the Empero

decreed by

riage of Napoleon

st

land united

th of the King of

. War with Ru

retreat f

ce of Austria, Ru

st Fr

ritish en

urrender of Pari

bdication of Nap

tion of the Bo

I. arrives

oleon arri

eath of J

poleon escapes f

Can

eon arrives at

eon is joined

s sign a treat

eon abolishes

eon leaves Par

Battle of

poleon retu

cates in favo

ves at Rochefor

for A

s XVIII. re-

n surrenders to

erophon, at

rred at Torbay to

r George Cockburn, s

at St. Helena, to

cution of M

mily of Bonaparte

by the Law

5. Death o

empted insurrectio

ards Em

ty proclaimed for

Napoleonienne

Louis N

e Chambers decre

remains fro

ation of Napol

of Belle Poule fr

mains o

s deposited in the H?

f Louis Napoleon,

wers at Vimerau

ince captured

nment f

nze statue of Napo

e Grande Arm

ouis Napoleon e

ome Bonaparte retu

of thirty

tion of Louis Napol

emb

Napoleon takes

al Ass

d, the reside

t St. Helen

00 fr

rome Bonaparte (t

, ag

leon's body finally

tel des I

TNO

ed at the obsequies. No relatives of the Emperor were present, as at this time the var

N

e and Duchess

, Lor

ti, Dr

see Russia,

st, L

ussia, Pr

r., 32, 75, 82

mbaud

t, Dr

General,

mmissioner

of, 49, 55, 113,

ti, M

itizen," 2

5, 45, 70, 80, 81, 82

lexandre, 231,

ugene, 235, 24

116, 232, 235, 254, 2

, Marquis d

rne, M

, Bishop

e, Marsha

General,

5, 34, 51, 57, 139

nd, Ma

es, Gen

, Prince

, Marsh

es, M.

e, Carol

ph, 49, 115, 17

e, Leon,

te, Lou

, Lucien,

Madame Mère

117, 120, 121, 122, 124, 126, 127, 128, 139, 155, 160, 162, 172, 194, 201, 206, 207, 210, 213, 221, 2

tian religio

Pauline, 11

Countess P

., 113, 128,

ng, Os

, Marc

, von

n, Dr

, 191, 199

udal

Juliu

ountess Nap

le, J

e, Tho

t, 24

, 34, 64, 65, 68

, Lord, 45,

f Westphali

ippolyte,

es VI

es X.

iani

, Captai

lot

t, see Walews

Signor

rs of the P

t, Loui

eau, l'

amin, 123, 207

at, Dr

Broth

ll, Ol

, Marsh

Madame Ele

, Gene

stein, C

see Officia

t, M.

arshal,

Edinburgh

Georg

en, Due

Cardi

ts, MM

6, 76, 91, 99, 100,

129, 176, 206,

rles Jam

issioner for

ee Austria

of Pruss

k the Gr

n, M.

I., 1

70, 94, 95, 11

r, M.

r, Major

, 77, 78, 80, 81, 112, 139, 171,

lle, E

Marshal

ot,

Elector

Gener

Mr.,

VIII

eneral

Gener

, Lady,

, Lord,

per

u, Dr

y, La

Arc, 104

Prince, 2

118, 155, 210,

, Gener

rshal, 12

1, 65, 66, 120

, General

, Gene

yette

eman

s, see C

General

Max, 193

, Lord, 8

stone,

, 21 et seq., 120,

XVI.,

VIII.,

49, 50, 51, 57, 62, 63, 64, 65, 72, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 88,

ay, Lo

ld, Mar

i, Colo

ng, M

. Alexan

aptain, 63,

M., 75, 15

ntoinet

roline,

1, 137, 146, 151 et seq.

l, 132, 134, 13

General

, 118, 234

rg, Princ

, Miot

, 159, 189,

, 133, 136, 138,

l, Do

Marquis de,

0, 43, 50, 51, 65, 75, 82, 83,

on, Cou

u, M.

109, 1

hal, 153, 2

Charles, P

see Bonapar

I., see Ro

I., 118, 14

e Louis, 132, 1

erg,

7, 152, 156

Marsh

rraz

Baron, 13

, 17, 18, 20, 21 et se

43, 46, 49, 50, 64, 73, 77,

Prince

, Marsh

seph Tasche

n, Lord,

ir Robe

, Mada

Jeanne Mar

egru

ron

Will

II., 1

Sir Rober

on, Cap

ount, 136,

mmissioner

ing of, se

ch, Gu

omas, 41, 42,

Duches

Charles

me de, 129, 2

M. de,

, Paul

rre, 213

M., 214

er, M

49, 57 et seq.,

Lord, 19

Duke of,

n, Jo

mmissioner

of, 49, 65, 12

-Deni

M. de Pa

, 54, 5

ter, 28, 90, 9

er, M

ni, Duke

t, D

Lord Charl

arshal,

de, 129, 204

Dr. John

, Sir T

e, M

, 129, 156, 161, 17

m, Lor

rs,

e, Gene

mares

, Sena

nder (Count Col

dame, 118, 2

of, 31, 103, 186,

nd, 1

rth, L

na of Pr

s, H. N

ey, Lo

th, Will