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Leader (1850-1860), 12th January 1856, Edition 2 of 2, Page 19

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      "Napoleon En Deshabille. The Confidentia...

      ^^ —¦———¦——————» i »^^^^™^^^^^ » only by his soldiers , and jet , even in 1806 , we Qading him writing in this wise : — I have told you already , and . I repeab it , that you place too much confidence iu the Neapolitans . I say this especially- with reapect to your kitchen and the guards of your person . Lest you should be poisoned or assassinated , I make a point that you keep your French , cooks , that you have your table attended to by your own servants , and that your house-hold be so arranged that you maybe always guarded by Frenchmen . You have not been sufficiently acquainted with my private life to know how much , even in France , I have always kept myself under the guard of my most trusty find oldest soldiera .

      Eleven years before this he was ready to " defy fortune and fate . " Evidently the time had not yet come when he would not get out of the way when a carriage passed . It is strange that such precautions should be taken by men -whose existences are the peculiar care of Providence . In our own time we have seen one who sets at naught the arrow that flieth b y night , tremble to encounter the pestilence that walketh at noonday . It is easier to brave the pistol that has been fired in vain , than the fever which spares neither sovereign nor sutler .

      We have alrendy alluded to Napoleon ' s advice to Joseph to garble his published reports . It is notorious that such was his own practice in drawing up his bulletins . But even in his private letters to his brother he was guilty of the same duplicity , fortlie truth was not in him . It is matter of history how a dense mass of Russians crowded together on a frozen lake after the rout of Austerlitz , —how the French Latteries , by the Emperor ' s own orders , played first upon the ice along the shore , and how then the fire was turned upon the kneeling supplicants until the last man was killed or drowned . Here follows the imperial version of tlie massacre : —

      . A whole column of the enemy threw itself into a lake , and the greater . part of them were drowned . . 1 fancy that I . still hear the cries of these wretches ' , whom it was impossible to save . It is almost laughable to observe the mean , unforgiving tone in which he speaks of Sir Sidney Smith : ^—The less attention you pay to Sir Sidney Smith , the less you spealc of him , the better . Sir Sadney Sniitii ia a nxnit whom it is easy to deceive . I bavo often laid traps for him , and he has always fallen into them ; when he has suffered three or four times , he will get tired . Never talk aliout Sir Sidney Smith ; all that he wants is to mak « a noise , and the more you talk about Mm the more he will intrigue . Sidney Smith ' s answer is impertinent , like everything else that proceeds from hinii

      Sir Sidney's impertinence was the successful defence of St . Jean d'Acre . But bow pitiful are sueli expressions of impotent resentment on the part of one who vaunted that he would find in Spain the Pillars of Hercules , but not the limits of his power . In another letter he points to the goal he had in view in endeavouring to secure Sicily to Joseph—a goal well nigh attained by his nephew , our trusty ally : — You will have the finest "kingdom in . the world , and I hope that , by setting to work earnestly to form a good army and fleet , you will assist me to become master of the Mediterranean , which is the chief and perpetual aim of nay policy . There is also another point upon which uncle and nephew are probably asreed : —

      If tmy of tlio great people or others are troublesomo seud theua to France ; vud say that you do it by nay order . No lialf-ixieasuves , n-o weakness . I intend my blood to reign in Naples aa long as it does in France : the kingdom of Naples is necessary to me , Joseph was likewise necessary to him , in the same manner aud for the same reason as Louis . He was useful as the temporary occupant of a vacant throne until the imperial conquests could be consolidated and the government centralised at Paris . As au hereditary and constitutional sovereign , Joseph would have been adored by his subjects . lie would not have betfn contemptible even as a Field Marshal—in a constitutional sort of way . But his whole life was sacrificed as the lieutenant of an imperious and relentless conqueror , wlio only vulued men as fitting instruments for his selfish purposes . At times , indeed , Joseph ' s gentle spirit was stung to the quick by the slights lie received , and more than once he demanded to he freed from a burden he frit himself incapable of supporting with honour .

      I will bo auch a king , he writes , aa tho brother and the friend of your Majesty ought to be . or 1 "will return to Mortofontaino , where I ask for no happiness , but to live without ^ humiliation , and to die with a good conscience . Only a fool remains in a falao position . In forty years of life I have learnt only what I knew almost at the beginning , thut . all i . s vanity , except a good conscience and Holf-estoom 8 ire , my misery is as much as I can bear ; what T dosexve and what I expect from you is consolation and encouragement—without thom the burden becomes intolerable ; I nniat slip from under it before it crushes me . If there is oil earth a , man whom you esteem or love more than you ilo mo , I ouglit not to bo King of Spain , and myhiippinoso requires mo tooeaao to l > o ho . I -write to you my vholo thoughts , for I will not clocoivo you or myself , 1 do not choose to have an advooabo with you ; as soon an that becomes necessary , I retire . During my whole lifo I nhnll bo your best , perhaps , j'our only Mend . I will not romajn King of Spain unless you can think , this of in « . Many illusions have left me ; I cling a littlo to that of your friendship : nooosenry as it is to my liappinotia , I ought not to continue to rink losing it by playing tho part of u dune .

      To auch re monstrances and supplications Napoleon seldom deigned to moke any reply . Occasionally , indeed , lie condescends to say that ho is aware of his brother ' s affection , which is merited by his own feelings of friendship . But for th « moat part he treats Joseph aa a petulant child , or woman , whose poutiugs are to bo smiled uwny or simply disregarded . lw <> extracts , however , will show the difference between the two men better than any Roneral remarks wo might offer . Joseph writes thus demonstratively , on the 13 th A . ucuat , 1806 : —

      I remain horo till your Majesty '* , birthday , on whioli I wibIi you joy . I hopo that you may roooivo with nomo littlo pleasure this oxptwaion ' of my nffootion . Uw glonouH bmneror yr \ l \ never roplwoo to mo the Napoleon whom 1 bo much » ov « a , aurt whom 1 hopo to And again , tw I know him twenty yoiu-a ngo , if wo are to moot , xn tho Elysiuu Fioldn .

      The great man responds to this burst of feeling with the un-sympathising haughtiness of a demi-god : — My Brother , —I have received your letter of the 13 th of August . I am sorry that you think you -will find your brother again only in the Elysian Fields . It us natural that at forty he should not feel towards you aa he did at twelve * but Ma feelings towards you have greater truth and strength ; his friendsliip has the features of his mind . " We now take leave of this record of the littleness of a great man ; tendering , our grateful thanks to the translator for his very judicious notes , and for the excellent style in which he has executed his tedious task .

      January 12, 1866.] Tee Leader. __^ 4a <

      January 12 , 1866 . ] TEE LEADER . __^ 4 a

      Sir Edward Belcher. The Last Of The Arct...

      SIR EDWARD BELCHER . The Last of the Arctic Voyages : Being a Narrative of the JSxpeditiovT'in H . M . S Assistance , vnder the Command of Sir E . JBclcfier , C . B ., in Search nf Sir John FranJdin . 2 vols . Reeve . Sir Edward Belcher writes with a perpetual consciousness af his own importance . His narrative of Arctic research , which possesses real and permanent value , is continually interrupted by the suggestions of self-love . We are told how the Captain of the Assistance pondered over his responsibilities —how he mused—how he formed unalterable resolves—and , in italicised lines , how his measures were " attended with success . " His diagrams are

      not designed for scientific use ; they are simply monuments of the CB . ' s naval services . Even the playbills of the Arctic theatre are reproduced , with "" the distinguished patronage of Sir Edward Belcher , " in conspicuous type . Thus , an interesting book has been spoiled . The Voyage of the Assistance was an historical event . Throughout that voyage Sir Edward acted well ; he took care of his crew j he was zealous , courageous , patient ; lie preserved diseipliue while exercising little severity ; he left his ship , but brought home her company ; and has not , perhaps , received his proper reward . All this'he has explained ; but , told in a style less puffy , the story would have been , more readable and more impressive .

      The Assistance , the Resolute , the Pioneer , the Intrepid , and the North Star left England hi April , 1852 , to prosecute the search for Sir John Franklin . By the 16 th of June they had reached the western entrance of the Wai gat Channel , the main passage into the Arctic interior ; and here the floes were found , rough aud brittle , and stretching everywhere over the sea . Passing on by Upernavik , the excitements of the voyage commenced , for they were in the very wilderness ; and here Sir Edward pauses , -with inimitable naivete , to talk of his family motto ; of himself—* ' the naval chief ; " — proceeding "in charity with all men , not perfect myself , and willing-to overlook all faults in others , provided they do not , when I tell them of it , still continue to tread upon my corns . " However imperfect , Sir Edward confesses to few faults . When he acted upon liis own resolves , he is certain that nothing could have been more judicious ; when he acted on advice" he is " far from believing that he did right . " "

      The expedition slowly forced its way through the frozen fields , sawing and blasting the ice , and experieneiug " perils and disasters at sliort intervals . Among the phenomena remarked was that of the red snow , noticed by Sir John Itoss ; not a pale or dirty red , but deep lake and crimson , lying in spots on the exquisity white surface . Sir Edward Belcher imagines that these tinted patches may be caused by the birds here , which feed on fish of a brilliant scarlet colour . The vessels were not delayed in their course , except where the floes lay across the way , or at points at which former expeditions

      had left their records . Sailing through the spaces marked as land in the popular charts , they reached the head of Queen ' s Channel , and here an unexpected obstacle presented itself . Ten miles of thick-ribbed ice extended in front , barring their progress westwards ; but northwards the sea was still open . But the season had closed ; a little liarbonr was near , the Admiralty instructions were positive , and the Assistance was moored behind a spit of land , not to stiv thence until the spring of 1853 . Yet , suggests Sir Edward , ordinary persons by no means knew that the proper moment had arrived for making preparations : —

      What impressed me with the conviction that the present occurrence was decisive against further motion , I cannot conceive , nor did I wait to inquire . Intuition , clearly . Three days afterwards , Sir Edward began his sledge journey , with twenty companions and three weeks' provisions . His first adventure was with the walrus : — The duty of naturalist compels me to notice the conduct of these warm-blooded animals on being -wounded . The father , mother , and cubs wore of the party . On tho death of the mother , or rathor on l'eceiving her wound in th' 6 neck , it was painfully interesting to notice the action of her young : one literally clasped her round the neok , i \ tid was apparently endeavouring to aid in staunching the blood with its m < mth or flipper , -when at a sutldou convulsive pang she struck at her infant with her tusks , and repeating this several times with some severity , prevented its further repetition .

      Sir Edward Belcher ' s relation is more varied than the generality of Arctic narratives . Though pompous , ho ^ is lively , and his egotism tempts him to mention slight incidents by the way , which will amuse the general reader more , perhaps than his own companions . To the customary descriptions of icebergs , snowy coasts , boat excursions , walrus and ljcar-hiinting , interviews with the natives , winter comforts and convivialities , he nuMs notes of his eomriuios' actions , tempers , & c . We will quote , as an example of his lighter style , nn account of a performance amid a northern tempest , " under tho distinguished patronage of Sir Edward lSeldier , C , H . " : — As tho play-bill intimates , tho subjects solooted wort ) " Tho Irish Tutor ; ' and " Tho Silent Woman . " . . . .

      Tho thoatro wan got up with considerable tiwto , and ovory oharaotor admirably supported , evon to a most troublesome ono-oyoil \ no and ginger-beer man , who moat pertinaciously oho « o to present ; himHclf at tho Royal Box . He know ful well her Majesty and tho l ' rinoo could not travel this weather ; indeed , lie had heurd tho apology from the Lord Chamborlnin road by tho Sole Lessee , explaining the eauHo , and intimating her most gracious pleasure that tho men ehouldnot fovgot Mr . Allsopp , which latter aontouco wara reooivod with thunders of npplaus * . Ah to hearing anything , Iloioaa hewl it all his owu way : it lay principally between

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), Jan. 12, 1856, page 19, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_12011856/page/19/