wine is too much extravagance for a subaltern officer."

In this sort of easy, pleasant manner he often conversed with the ladies of our regiment. I say our regiment, for no military lady has a proper esprit de corps until she often catches herself saying our regiment.

As I pursued my way through the garden at Longwood, one day, towards camp, accompanied by my little daughter, I met the great Napoleon walking there with General Bertrand. The first question Bonaparte always put to E- was this, "Etes vous sage ?" To which she instantly answered, "No!"

" I

He began on that day to discourse with me respecting religion. understand, madame," said he, "that you are a Puritan ?"

"From what circumstance," replied I, "has this denomination ari

sen ?"

"Why," returned he, "I am informed by persons who have attended church in your barracks, that you are often seen kneeling on the bare floor."

My reason for so doing," replied I, "is that there are no cushions, or hassocks, in the barracks, and having from infancy been accustomed to kneel during particular parts of divine service, I took to the floor, without minding the want of cushions."

"Bon," replied he; "and, pray, what is your opinion of us Catholics? Do you think that we have any chance of going to Heaven ?"

I replied I did think it possible. "Excellent-well! You are much more tolerant than we Catholicsfor we all think that you Protestants must all burn." This he said laughingly, and in a manner which shewed that he was not of so harsh an opinion. He then asked me if I ever rode on horseback, and then, without stopping for an answer, he began to exclaim on his own delight in riding on horseback. "I have frequently," said he, "rode sixty miles before breakfast. But at present I have not quite so much room to do so." This he said in a halfangry, half-joking tone of voice.

We were staying at Plantation House, the country residence of the Governors of St Helena, with Governor and Mrs Wilks, about a fortnight just before the arrival of Sir Hudson Lowe from England, who succeeded Colonel Wilks in the government of the Island.

Mrs Wilks one morning entered my dressingroom before breakfast, saying she came to ask a favour of me. "What is it?" said I," for I am sure I shall be but too happy to grant you any in my power."

"It is this," replied she, "that you will chaperone Miss Wilks on her visit to Longwood. She is going to see Bonaparte with her father, but wishes a lady to accompany her."

I was delighted to chaperone so elegant, amiable, and beautiful a young lady as Miss Wilks,* and felt proud that Napoleon should see so perfect a specimen of my fair countrywomen. Miss Wilks was then in the first bloom of youth, and her whole demeanour, affability, and elegant, modest appearance, conspired to render her the most charming and admirable young person I ever before or have since met with in all my peregrinations in Europe, Asia, and Africa, for the space of thirty years.

Governor Wilks was a Colonel in the East India Company's service at Madras. He was a tall, handsome, venerable-looking man, with white curling locks, and a courtier-like manner. He had been employed in India in the diplomatic line, and was also an author, having published the History of the Mahratta War, which he had submitted to the perusal of the Ex-Emperor, who, besides admiring his literary performances, respected his character as a man and as a Governor; and never had the Island of St Helena, since its first possession by the English, been under the government of a man so enlightened, so judicious, so mild and affable, or so much beloved. His kindness, firmness, and philanthropy, caused his departure to be regretted by all ranks on that Island, where he had made so many wise and lasting improvements.

The Governor, his daughter, and myself, set forth from Plantation House in the Government carriage,

a huge vehicle, drawn by six bullocks; for in the steep precipitous roads up and across the Island of St Helena, to proceed in a carriage drawn by horses would be dreadfully dangerous, nay almost impossible. These bullocks, therefore, were drawn and driven by three men; and after some hours going across the most dangerous narrow roads, or rather paths, sharp turnings, and precipitous horrors beneath, enough to terrify the stoutest heart, and turn giddy the strongest head, we arrived at Longwood House. We proceeded first to visit Countess Bertrand, and the Countess de Montholon.

The Countess Bertrand accompanied us into the drawingroom at Longwood. We found Bonaparte full dressed, and standing to receive Governor Wilks with etiquette. He was arrayed in a green coat, with all his stars, orders, and ribbonssilk stockings, small shoes with gold buckles, and a chapeau-bras under his arm.

His secretary and interpreter, Count Las Casas, stood by his side. Governor Wilks having introduced his charming daughter to Bonaparte, the Ex-Emperor looking at her with a pleasing smile, addressed her in these words:"I have long heard from various quarters of the superior elegance and beauty of Miss Wilks; but now I am convinced, from my own eyes, that report has scarcely done her sufficient justice." Saying this, he bowed politely.

And now a most animated conver. sation took place, through means of his interpreter, between Bonaparte and Governor Wilks.

This most curious and interesting conversation lasted two hours, during which time Bonaparte became animated to excess, and appeared almost a supernatural being.

This conversation was committed to paper, separately, by Miss Wilks and myself, we having been previously requested to note all we heard by Colonel Wilks. I gave my notes of the conversation to the Governor the same evening on our return to Plantation-house, and Miss Wilks likewise presented hers; but he did not return them to us again. Therefore farther the deponent sayeth not.

His Majesty's 53d regiment being relieved by his Majesty's 66th regiment, prepared to embark in July, 1817. Part of the officers, and most of the privates, proceeded to join the other battalion in the East Indies; and part returned to England, under command of Major Fn.

A few days previous to their several embarkations, the officers, in a body, waited on the Ex-Emperor, at Longwood House, to take leave of their mighty prisoner. Bonaparte had always expressed his unqualified approbation of the conduct both of the officers and privates of the 53d regiment. They had never shown any impertinent curiosity when he came within their view, nor had ever looked or stared at him like a wild-beast, or Bajazet in a cage. On the contrary, they all respected his feelings; so he was well pleased when they paid him the compliment of taking leave of him in a body.

The next day the married officers waited on him again, accompanied by their wives and children.

On this occasion he took his usual kind notice of E-y; and put the usual question to her of " Etes vous sage?" which, in the French idiom, signifies, "Are you a good girl?"

To which she as usual replied, "No."

"How old are you now?" said Bonaparte.

"Ten years old," replied she. "Well," said he, "you have now attained the age of reason, you are no longer a child."

Saying these words, he placed his hand kindly on her head, and smiled most benevolently; and no one can deny, who has ever seen Bonaparte smile, that the expression conveyed was of the finest and most benevolent nature.

He then pointed out to the ladies a bust of his son Napoleon, which he had lately received. It was of white marble, and beautifully executed. The ladies all expressed their admiration of the bust, and pronounced its likeness to Bonaparte; upon which he said, "Oui; mais il a le nez de l'Imperatrice."

We soon after took our leave, with an indefinable sensation of regret, mingled with a pleasing awe, at our having had for two years so near a

view of that wonderful being whose name must ever cause astonishment to future ages.

I must not forget to give my female friends an account of Countess Bertrand.

She was the daughter of a noble man of the name of Dillon-by his wife, an American lady.

The Countess Bertrand was a most engaging fascinating woman. She had resided many years in England with her aunt, an English lady of quality. She spoke our language with perfect fluency, but with a slight French accent. Her figure was extremely tall and commanding; but a slight elegant bend took from her height, and added to her interesting appearance ;-her eyes black, sparkling, soft, and animated;-her deportment that of a lovely young Queen, accustomed to command admiration-yet winning to preserve it. She had, in fact, been a sort of queen at Trieste, when her husband, General Bertrand, was viceroy; and when she held a regular court, her dress was well chosen, splendid and elegant. We had been invited the day of our landing at St Helena, to dine with Admiral Sir G- e C- -n, (who came from England in charge of Bonaparte,) at his residence in the Castle James Town. He had arrived in the Northumberland, in charge of the noble captive, some days before us, with the rest of the squadron; but the frigate, in which was a large portion of His Majesty's 53d regiment, under the command of Captain Y-. being constrained, from distress for want of water, to put into the Portuguese settlement of Bingweeta, on the Guinea coast, he did not arrive at St Helena until some time after the squadron.

Sir Ge C- -n, as I before observed, invited my husband and myself, the captain of the frigate, and some of our officers, to dine at the Castle the day we disembarked.

He handed me to table; for be it known, for the information of my

female friends, that I was at this period Prima Donna; or, as we say in Bengal, Burrah Betee; or, in plain English, Lady of the first rank in the regiment, in absence of Lady B-m, who did not join her husband, our colonel, until some months afterwards; consequently, I had often the honour of doing the honours to the French Countesses, at Sir Ge Cn's house, and in tents.

After dinner, Sir G- -e Csaid to me

-n

"I wish you would go to-morrow, and call on the Countesses Bertrand and Montholon, and shew them every attention in your power."

"I will do so," said I. Accordingly, the next morning I waited upon them.

I was instantly struck with the elegance, kindness, and dignity of Countess Bertrand. The General, her husband, who was likewise Grand Maréchal, presently entered, leading in two of the most exquisitely beautiful children I ever beheld, Hortense and Henri. The latter had a profusion of the most luxuriant fair ringlets, hanging from his face nearly to his feet-his hazel eyes were laughing and soft-his snowy shoulders and bare arms were only adorned by a slight sleeve of rich lace-his dress consisted of scarlet silk trowsers, with a frock body; he appeared about five years of age.

Hortense was about six or seven years old. She was a brilliant brunette, with a sweetness and archness in her countenance I have seldom seen equalled. An elder boy soon after entered the room, about ten years of age. General Bertrand was a fine martial veteran-looking man, apparently about forty; his manners were open, natural, and dignified.

The pleasing impression of that morning was never effaced. They seemed to like us, and we soon became acquainted-for military men and women seem all brothers and sisters.

I HAD resided about a year at Pisa, when I was seized with a sudden ardour and enthusiasm in favour of the cause of Greece, then exciting, throughout Europe, the strongest sympathy. Intending to embark for the Ionian Islands, on my way to the Morea, I requested a friend at Leghorn to look out for a vessel bound to Zante, or Cephalonia. He informed me that there was not likely to be any opportunity for some time; but he strongly recommended me to apply for a passage to Lord Byron, who had just chartered an English brig for that destination. As his Lordship and I had some mutual friends, I ventured, but with some reluctance, to write to him on the subject; he returned a very polite answer, stating, that he should feel much pleasure in acceding to my request, and that I might either join his party at Genoa, or he would direct the vessel to touch off Leghorn and take me on board. As I was desirous of purchasing some seastock, and had other business at Leghorn, I preferred the latter plan, as told his Lordship in a letter of thanks for his kindness; the vessel accordingly, at the appointed time, made her appearance, when I immediately joined her in the Roads, and had the honour of becoming personally known to him. My first personal introduction to Lord Byron thus took place at Leghorn, on board of the Hercules, which vessel he had caused to be chartered at Genoa, for the purpose of conveying himself and suite to the Ionian Islands, or perhaps direct to Greece.

He had kindly promised to touch off the port and take me on board, it being understood between us, that if he did not intend to communicate with Leghorn, certain signals should be displayed, when I was to lose no time in joining him.

I was accompanied to the ship, riding at anchor in the Roads, by

Messrs Jackson and Lloyd, who departed immediately after seeing me safe on board, as I was apprehensive that Lord Byron might have conceived that they had come for the purpose of catching a glimpse of him. He put to me some interrogatory relative to them, regretting that I had hurried them off. On my informing him that the former gentleman was son to the Rev. Dr Jacksonwho, so unfortunately for his family, rashly engaged in the Irish Rebellion, and would have suffered the death of a traitor; only escaping so disgraceful an end, by having anticipated the sentence of the law, in terminating his existence by poison, conveyed to him, it was alleged, by his lady, a very high-spirited woman, who afterwards, with her family, retired to France, where Bonaparte conferred a small pension on her-Lord Byron appeared quite conversant with the particulars of this unhappy affair, and said he should have felt a great interest in conversing with young Jackson.

His Lordship's mode of address was peculiarly fascinating and insinuating-" au premier abord" it was next to impossible for a stranger to refrain from liking him.

The contour of his countenance was noble and striking; the forehead, particularly so, was nearly white as alabaster. His delicately formed features were cast rather in an effeminate mould, but their soft expression was in some degree relieved by the mustaches of a light chestnut, and small tuft" à la houssard," which he at that time sported. His eyes were rather prominent and full, of a dark blue, having that melting character which I have frequently observed in females, said to be a proof of extreme sensibility. The texture of his skin was so fine and transparent, that the blue veins, rising like small threads around his temples, were clearly discernible. All who ever

saw Byron have borne testimony to the irresistible sweetness of his smile, which was generally, however, succeeded by a sudden pouting of the lips, such as is practised sometimes by a pretty coquette, or by a spoiled child. His hair was partially grizzled, but curled naturally. In conversation, owing to a habit he had contracted of clenching his teeth close together, it was sometimes difficult to comprehend him distinctly; towards the conclusion of a sentence, the syllables rolled in his mouth, and became a sort of indistinct murmur.

It must have been almost impossible, I apprehend, for any artist to seize fully the expression of Byron's countenance, which was varying at every moment, as different ideas suggested themselves to his powerful mind. I have never seen any likeness that conveyed to me a perfect resemblance of his Lordship, with the exception of a marble bust, which was in the drawingroom of the late Honourable Douglas Kinnaird, executed, I think, by Thordwaldson. It struck me as being very like him.

Lord Byron was habited in a round nankeen embroidered jacket, white Marseilles vest, buttoned a very little way up; he wore extremely fine linen, and his shirt-collar was thrown over in such a way as almost to uncover his neck; very long wide nankeen trowsers, fastened below, short buff laced boots, and sometimes gaiters, with a chip Tuscan straw hat, completed his personal equipment. He invariably paid the most scrupulous attention to cleanliness, and had a certain fastidiousness in his dress, strongly savouring of dandyism, of which he was far from disapproving; at least he infinitely preferred it to a slovenly disregard for dress. His Lordship, who had just dined, instantly ordered some hock and claret to be brought under the awning where he was sitting, which he invited me to partake of. Whilst discussing our wine, he plied me with questions relative to the Ionian Islands, and my opinion with regard to the posture of affairs in Greece; frequently observing that he did not imagine that he could render any essential service to the cause, but that as the

Committee seemed to think otherwise, he was going thither in obedience to their commands. He then, as we could not avoid discerning both Corsica and Elba from the deck, changed the conversation to the subject of the life of Napoleon, exclaiming that he had been wofully deceived in his estimate of the character of that wonderful man; repeating the pain and mortification which he endured whenever he chanced to glance his eye on either of these islands, as they recalled to his recollection the humbling conviction of the weakness of human nature. "I at one period," he said, "almost idolized that man, although I could not approve of many of his actions; regarding other potentates as mere pigmies when weighed in the balance against him. When his fortune deserted him, and all appeared lost, he ought at once to have rushed into the thick of the fight at Leipzig or Waterloo, and nobly perished, instead of dying by inches in confinement, and affording to the world the degrading spectacle of his petty bilious contentions with the governors to whose custody he was confided at St Helena. Even if he had maintained a dignified silence amid the persecutions to which in his latter days he complained of being subjected, I could almost have forgiven him; yet this man's fame will descend to, and be revered by posterity, when that of numbers more deserving of immortality shall have ceased to be remembered."

Byron's suavity of manner surprised and delighted me; my own previous conceptions, supported by common rumour, having prepared me to expect to find in him a man of morose temper and gloomy misanthropy, instead of which, from his fecundity in anecdote, he was a most delightful associate. I had recently lost for ever one who was deservedly dear to me, and in consequence was clad in deep mourning. I apo logized to Lord Byron for the unavoidable depression of my spirits; he instantly seemed to sympathize unaffectedly with my grief. I shall ever entertain a grateful recollection of the amiable and soothing attentions which he then paid me, using gentle efforts to draw me into conversation, and endeavouring at