RETROSPECT AND SELECTIONS RELATIVE TO LITERATURE, ARTS, AND SCIENCES, IT CHAPTER I. BIOGRAPHICAL ANECDOTES AND CHARACTERS. T seems a prevalent error, among writers of biography, to imagine that the lives of eminent persons only are worthy of record, and that they furnish the most useful as well as the most splendid lessons. The principle upon which they proceed appears to be, that excellence is only of one kind, or at least one kind of it only is worthy of imitation, namely, that which is calculated to inspire and gratify ambition. If a man shoot, like a rocket, above the general mass of mankind into mid heaven, whatever may have been the cause or character of his elevation, it is seldom he is allowed to drop into the darkness and oblivion too often merited; some great admirer blows into a flame the expiring ember, and contrives to impart to it some degree of perpetuity. That an extraordinary career, of any description, may furnish useful and important lessons, we do not question; and the minute investigation of its causes, its progress, and its consequences, to say the least, will serve to satisfy a not illaudable curiosity-we may undoubtedly learn, in a far humbler sphere, how to shun the recesses of vice or the paths of folly, and how to pursue the course which a superior wisdom would inculcate but our chief objection lies against that exclusive regard to splendid biography which is cherished in the writer by the approbation of the multitude, and in the multitude by the compliant spirit and frequently erroneous judgment of the writer. If we would thoroughly know the human character, we must study it in all its varieties we must descend into the vale, as well as "climb the steep ascent," "Where fame's proud temple shines afar." We must acquaint ourselves with the characteristics of vulgar vice and lowly virtue and here, perhaps, we shall gain the most valuable instruction, and acquire a more correct knowledge of that mysterious compound-human nature. This is likely to be the case for many reasons-particularly because, in humble life, the real characters of individuals may be more distinctly seen-their biographer will be less tempted, from certain motives of self-interest, to depart from the truth in his moral delineations, and the more beneficial purpose of perpetuating their history will be more constantly kept in view. The species of biographical record to which we are now adverting, has certainly been better, and more extensively, performed of late than formerly; and the general taste for these records having encreased, a number of minor publications have issued, which, if they have not always proved of the most classical and correct kind as to the principles of composition, have nevertheless, in innumerable instances, exerted an advantageous influence. They have developed the springs of action, and the tendencies of conduct to persons in inferior life; and, by their faithful pictures of vice or virtue, in its infancy or maturity, have rendered the one attractive and the other odious. These little works, insinuating themselves into hamlets and cottages, resemble the rills and rivulets that wind their unobserved, but refreshing way, where larger streams cannot flow, and produce a cheering verdure and fertility, as by a secret and unknown influence. Notwithstanding the preceding observations, however-which indeed do not strictly apply to ourselves, as extractors from works more distinctly recognized by the public, and, recording them in a volume, whose form necessarily precludes its circulation among the lower classes-we shall begin our citations from a book which has excited no ordinary interest, and is full of a name which has roused the attention, and excited the wonder, of the world, and which probably will give birth to historical speculation for centuries to come. 1.-Napoleon in Exile; or, a Voice from St. Helena. The Opinions and Reflections of Napoleon on the most important events of his life and government, in his own words. By Barry E. O'Meara, esq. his late surgeon. Take it in whatever way we will, this must necessarily prove an interesting publication. To his friends and to his enemies it will alike be an important document, and may be viewed as a kind of semi-auto-biography, in which a celebrated individual speaks his own life and feelings through the medium of one who had the opportunity of long and free intercourse. If it be regarded as a conversational defence on the part of Bonaparte, it is still valuable, as it will enable posterity the better to judge of his extraordinary career; as, in addition to public documents, they will here possess his own opinions, at least generally. Motives he may sometimes pretend by which he was not in reality influenced, and representations may be given of public events which do not always accord with the strictest verity; individuals may be applauded who deserve it not, and others maligned and misrepresented from party feelings or political purposes. Still, in the main, we possess what every person must wish, a pretty fair transcript of the great man's C mind; great, in the ordinary sense of the word, he certainly was; to this all circumstances contributed -his talents, his actions, the strange vicissitudes of his life, the elevation he acquired, the depression to which he sunk-no less remarkable as the central point of European politics, and the conqueror of nations and as the powerless inhabitant of a desert island. As to O'Meara's account, it is not compiled with any considerable skill, but it seems possessed of the essential quality, truth that is to say, no reasonable doubt can be entertained of these conversations being actually held with Bonaparte, and of his having made the observations and sentiments which are here recorded. They are what he would be likely to say-they bespeak his peculiar mind and manner-they give you the manin a word, they are completely characteristic. We now proceed with our extracts : "Some short time after his arrival at Longwood, I communicated to him the news of Murat's death. He heard it with calmness; and immediately demanded, if he had perished on the field of battle! At first I hesitated to tell him that his brother-in-law had been executed like a criminal. On his repeating the question, I informed him of the manner in which Murat had been put to death, which he listened to without any change of countenance. I also communicated the intelligence of the death of Ney." He was a brave man, nobody more so; but he was a madman," said he." He has died without having the esteem of mankind. He be trayed me at Fontainbleau: the proclamation against the Bourbons, which he said in his defence, I caused to be given him, was written by himself, and I never knew any thing about that document until it was read to the troops. It was true, that I sent him orders to obey me. What could he do? His troops aban-, doned him. Not only the troops but the people wished to join me. "Napoleon's hours of rising were uncertain, much depending upon the quantum of rest he had enjoyed during the night. He was in general a bad sleeper, and frequently got up at three or four o'clock, in which case he read or wrote until six or seven, at which time, when the weather was fine, he sometimes went out to ride, attended by some of his generals, or laid down again to rest for a couple of hours. When he retired to bed, he could not sleep unless the most perfect state of darkness was obtained, by the closure of every cranny through which a ray of light might pass; although I have sometimes seen him fall asleep on the sofa, and remain so for a few minutes in broad daylight. When ill, Marchand occasionally read to him until he fell asleep. At times he rose at seven, and wrote or dictated until breakfast time; or, if the morning was very fine, he went out to ride.When he breakfasted in his own room, it was generally served on a little round table, at between nine and ten; when along with the rest of his suite, at eleven: in either case à la fourchette. After breakfast, he generally dictated to some of his suite for a few hours, and and at two or three o'clock received such visitors, as, by previous appointment, had been directed to present themselves. Between four and five, when the weather permitted, he rode out on horseback or in the carriage, accompanied by all his suite, for an hour or two; then returned, and dictated or read until eight, or occasionally played a game at chess, at which time dinner was announced, which rarely exceeded twenty minutes or half an hour in duration. He ate heartily and fast, and did not appear to be partial to high seasoned or rich food. One of his most favourite dishes was a roasted leg of mutton, of which I have seen him sometimes pare the outside brown part off; he was also partial to mutton' chops. He rarely drank as much as a pint of claret at his dinner, which was generally much diluted with water. After dinner, when the servants had withdrawn, and when there were no visitors, he sometimes played at chess or at whist, but more frequently sent for a volume of Corneille, or of some other esteemed author, and read aloud for an hour, or chatted with the ladies and the rest of his suite. He usually retired to his bed-room ́at ten or eleven, and to rest immediately afterwards. When he breakfasted or dined in his own apartment (dans l'intérieur), he sometimes sent for one of his suite to converse with him during the repast. He never ate more than two meals a day, nor, since I knew him, had he ever taken more than a very small cup of coffee after each repast, and at no other time. I have also been informed by those who have been in his service for fifteen years, that he had never ex ceeded that quantity since they first knew him. "His bed room was about fourteen feet by twelve, and ten or eleven feet in height. The walls were lined with brown nankeen, bordered and edged with common green bordering paper, and destitute of surbace. Two small windows, without pullies, looking towards the camp of the 53d regiment, one of which was thrown up and fastened by a piece of notched wood. Window-curtains of white long cloth, a small fire-place, a shabby grate, and fire-irons to match, with a paltry mantel-piece of wood, painted white, upon which stood a small marble bust of his son. Above the mantel-piece hung the portrait of Marie Louise, and four or five of young Napoleon, one of which was embroidered by the hands of the mother. A little more to the right hung also a miniature picture of the empress Josephine, and to the left was suspended the alarm chamberwatch of Frederick the Great, obtained by Napoleon at Potsdam; while on the right, the consular watch, engraved with the cypher B, hung by a chain of the plaited hair of Marie Louise, from a pin stuck in the nankeen lining. The floor was covered with a secondhand carpet, which had once decorated the dining-room of a lieutenant of the St. Helena artillery. In the right hand corner was placed the little plain iron campbedstead, with green silk curtains, upon which its master had reposed on the fields of Marengo and Austerlitz. Between the windows there was a paltry second-hand chest of drawers; and an old book-case, with green blinds, stood on |