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CHAPTER VIII.

Napoleon's Illness-viz. Cancer in the Stomach.-Dr Arnott's opinion that it was NOT the effect of Climate, but had been growing upon him since 1817.-The disposition which might have obtained a relaxation of the restrictions by which Napoleon was guarded, not manifested by him.-Removal of Las Cases from his household.-Montholon's various Complaints brought forward by Lord Holland in the House of Lords, and replied to by Lord Bathurst.-Effect of the failure of Lord Holland's Motion upon Buonaparte.— Symptoms of his Illness increase-his refusal to take Exercise or Medicines.—Removal of Dr O'Meara from his attendance on Buonaparte-who refuses to permit the visits of any other English Physician.-Two Roman Catholic Priests sent to St Helena at his desire.-Napoleon's Opinions an the subject of Religion.-Dr Antommarchi arrives to supply the place of O'Meara.—Continued Disputes between Napoleon and Sir Hudson Lowe.-Plans for effecting Buonaparte's Escape.-Scheme of Johnstone, a daring Smuggler, to approach St Helena in a Submarine Vessel, and receive the Prisoner on board—frustrated by the Seizure of the Vessel.-The disturbed state of Italy and other causes render fresh vigilance in the custody of Napoleon's person necessary.-His Disease increases.-Letter expressing his Majesty's interest in the Illness of Napoleon.-Consent of the latter to admit the visits of Dr Arnott.-Napoleon employs himself in making his Will—and gives other directions connected with his Decease.-Extreme Unction administered to him. His DEATH, on 5th May, 1821.—Anatomization of the Body.-His Funeral.

REPORTS had been long current concerning the decline of Buonaparte's health, even before the battle

of Waterloo; and many were disposed to impute his failure in that decisive campaign, less to the superiority of his enemies than to the decrease of his own habits of activity. There seems no room for such a conclusion: The rapid manner in which he concentrated his army upon Charleroi, ought to have silenced such a report for ever. He was subject occasionally to slight fits of sleepiness, such as are incident to most men, especially after the age of forty, who sleep ill, rise early, and work hard. When he landed at St Helena, so far did he seem from showing any appearance of declining health, that one of the British grenadiers, who saw him, exclaimed, with his national oath, "They told us he was growing old; he has forty good campaigns in his belly yet, d-n him!" A speech which the French gentlemen envied, as it ought, they said, to have belonged to one of the Old Guard. We have mentioned Captain Hall's account of his apparent state of health in summer 1817; that of Mr Ellis, about the same period, is similar, and he expresses his belief that Buonaparte was never more able to undergo the fatigues of a campaign than at the moment he saw him. Yet at this time, viz. July 1817, Napoleon was alleging the decline of his health as a reason for obtaining more indulgence, while, on the other hand, he refused to take the exercise judged necessary to preserve his constitution, unless a relaxation of superintendence should be granted to him. It

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is probable, however, that he himself felt, even at that period, the symptoms of that internal malady which consumed his life. It is now well known to have been the cruel complaint of which his father died, a cancer, namely, in the stomach, of which he had repeatedly expressed his apprehensions, both in Russia and elsewhere. The progress of this disease, however, is slow and insidious, if indeed it had actually commenced so early as 1817. Gourgaud, at a much later period, avowed himself a complete disbeliever in his illness. He allowed, indeed, that he was in low spirits to such an extent as to talk of destroying himself and his attached followers, by shutting himself and them up in a small apartment with burning charcoal-an easy death, which Berthollet the chemist had, it seems, recommended. Nevertheless, "on the subject of General Buonaparte's health, General Gourgaud stated that the English were much imposed upon; for that he was not, as far as bodily health was concerned, in any degree materially altered, and that the representations upon this subject had little, if any, truth in them. Dr O'Meara was certainly the dupe of that influence which General Buonaparte always exercises over those with whom he has frequent intercourse, and though he (General Gourgaud) individually had only reason de se louer de Mr O'Meara, yet his intimate knowledge of General Buonaparte enabled him confidently to assert that his state of health was not at all

worse than it had been for some time previous to his arrival at St Helena."

Yet, as before hinted, notwithstanding the disbelief of friends and foes, it seems probable that the dreadful disease of which Napoleon died, was already seizing upon the vitals, though its character was not decisively announced by external symptoms. Dr Arnott, surgeon to the 20th regiment, who attended on Napoleon's death-bed, has made the following observations upon this important subject:

"We are given to understand, from great authority, that this affection of the stomach cannot be produced without a considerable predisposition of the parts to disease. I will not venture an opinion; but it is somewhat remarkable, that he often said that his father died of scirrhus of the pylorus; that the body was examined after death, and the fact ascertained. His faithful followers, Count and Countess Bertrand, and Count Montholon, have repeatedly declared the same to me.

"If, then, it should be admitted that a previous disposition of the parts to this disease did exist, might not the depressing passions of the mind act as an exciting cause? It is more than probable that

"See Dr Baillie's inestimable book on Morbid Anatomy, pp. 141, 142."

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Napoleon Buonaparte's mental sufferings in St Helena were very poignant. By a man of such unbounded ambition, and who once aimed at universal dominion, captivity must have been severely felt.

"The climate of St Helena I consider healthy; the air is pure and temperate, and Europeans enjoy their health, and retain the vigour of their constitution, as in their native country."

Dr Arnott proceeds to state, that notwithstanding this general assertion, dysentery, and other acute diseases of the abdominal viscera, prevailed among the troops. This he imputes to the carelessness and intemperance of the English soldiers, and the fatigue of the working parties; as the officers, who had little night duty, retained their health and strength as in Europe." I can therefore safely assert," continues the physician," that any one of temperate habits, who is not exposed to much bodily exertion, night air, and atmospherical changes, as a soldier must be, may have as much immunity from disease in St Helena as in Europe; and I may therefore farther assert, that the disease of which Napoleon Buonaparte died was not the effect of climate."

In support of Dr Arnott's statement, it may be observed, that of Napoleon's numerous family of nearly fifty persons, English servants included, only one died during all their five years' residence on the.island; and that person (Cipriani, the Major-Domo,)

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