O’ Meara’s Voice from St. Helena. 
free discussion, and listen to the admo- 
nitions of bye-standers, before any thing 
‘is “done, ‘which, ‘if* wrong, ‘cannot’ be 
bo reealled.] ‘ 
: 
bs oe 
| PREFACE. 
“Paced by peculiar. circumstances 
‘arising from my profession, about the 
person of the most extraordinary man 
perhaps of any age, in. the most critical 
juncture of his life, I determined to pro- 
fit by the opportunities afforded'me, as 
far as'Feould consistently with honour. 
The following volames are the result. 
Thefew: alleviationswhich Thad it in 
my power to offer, Napoleon repaid by 
the ‘condescension with which he ho- 
noured me; and my necessary profes- 
‘sioha? intercourse ‘was ‘soon increased 
into’an intimacy, iF I may speak of inti- 
macy with: suchyapersonage.: In fact, 
in the seclusion ‘uf Longwood, he soon 
almost entirelydaidvasidée the emperor ; 
with those about-him, he conversed fa- 
iniliarly°on his past life; and sketched 
the characters, and ‘detailed the anec- 
dotes, which are here presented faith- 
fully to’ the ‘reader. ‘The unreserved 
manner in which he spoke of every thing 
can only be conceived by those who 
heard him ; and, though where his own 
conduct.was questioned, he had a natu- 
ral-human leaning towards himself, still 
truth appeared: to be his principal, if not 
his only object: In the delineation of 
characters he ‘was peculiarly felicitous, 
His! mind*seemed to concentrate its 
beams on the object he wished to eluci- 
daté, and its prominent features became 
instantly discernible—It may perhaps 
be only right to add, that some of the 
observations or arguments on particular 
subjects were committed to paper from 
Napoleon’s own dictation. 
1 spoke as little and listened as atten- 
tivelyas I. could, seldom. interposing, 
except) for the purpose of leading to 
those facts ‘on which I wished for infor- 
mation.’ To my memory, though natu- 
rally ‘retentive, I did not entirely trust ; 
imimediatély on retiring from Napoleon’s 
presence, I hurried to my chamber, and 
carefully committed to paper the topics 
of conversation, with, so far as I, could, 
the exact wordsused. Where I had the 
least doubt asto my accuracy, I marked 
it in, my. journal, and. by.a subsequent 
recurrence to the)topic, when futare 
opportunities offered, L satisfied myself ; 
this; alihough I have avoided them as 
much as possible, may account for some 
occasional repetitions, but Phave thought 
it better to appear sometimes tedious, 
619 
than ever to run the risk of a» mis- 
statement. 
The following official letter will shew, 
that it was at least. the desire of his Ma- 
jesty’s ministers, to, bury, Napoleon’s 
mind with. his body in the crave of his 
imprisonment. IfI have disobeyed the 
injunction, it is because I thought that 
every fragment of such a mind sbould 
be preserved to history,..because I de- 
spised the despotism which would incar- 
cerate even intellect:—and because I 
thought those only should become sub- 
sidiary to concealment, who were con- 
scious of actions which could not bear 
the light. 
A dmiralty-office ; Sept. 13, 1817. 
Sir,—My Lords Commissioners of 
the Admiralty having had under their 
consideration a work which has been 
published by Mr. Warden, lale surgeon 
of his Majesty’s ship Northumberland, 
their lordships have commanded me to 
signify their directions to you to acquaint 
all the officers employed under your or- 
ders, that they are to understand, that 
if they should presume to publish any 
information which they may have ob- 
tained by being officially employed at 
St. Helena, they will suffer their lord- 
ships’ heavy displeasure. 
I am, Sir, 
Your most obedient, humble servant, 
JOHN Barrow. 
To Rear-Admiral. Plampin, St, Helena. 
LONGWuoD. 
Longwood is situated on a plain forms 
ed on the summit of a. mountain about 
eighteen hundred feet above the Jevel 
of the sea; and including Deadwood, 
comprises fourteen or filteen hundred 
acres of land, a great part of which is 
planted with an indigenous tree called 
gumwood. Upon his return from Long- 
wood, Napoleon proceeded to the Bri- 
ars, and intimated to Sir George that he 
would prefer remaining there, until the 
necessary additions were made to Long- 
wood, to returning to town, provided 
the proprietor’s consent could be obtain- 
ed. This request was immediatcly 
granted. The Briars is the name of an 
estate romantically situated about a mile 
and a half from James ‘Town, compris- 
ing a few acres of highly cultivated land, 
excellent fruit .and kitchen gardens, 
plentifully supplied, with water, adorned 
with many delightful shady walks, and 
long celebrated for the genuine old Eng- 
lish hospitality of the proprietor, Mr. 
Balcombe. About twenty yards from 
the dwelling house stood a little pavi- 
lion, Consisting of ene good room on the 
ground. 
