O? Meara’s Voice from St. Helena, 
morning’ a violent wind arose, and the 
fireispread with othe greatest rapidity. 
Some Hnnadred misereants, hired for that 
purpose, ‘dispersed ‘themselves im «dif- 
ferent parts ‘of othe town, and owith 
matches; which they concealed: wider 
their cloaks, set fireto’as many houses 
toowind wardsas ‘they: could; which was 
easily done; iniconsequence of the com- 
bastible) materials cof which they were 
ibuiitie:Dhis, together with the violence 
of ithe bwind, ‘rendered «every effort ‘to 
extinguish ‘the fire ineffectual. 1 my- 
itself narrowly:-escaped) with life. In 
lorder toy shew ianoexample, T ventured 
intoothe midst 'of the flames, and had 
imy ‘hair andoeye:brows:singed, and my 
clothes’ burnt:off my back; bat it was 
in yain,~as theyhadodestroyed most of 
the pumps, of which there were above a 
thousand sout of alk these, I believe 
thats we could. only° find one: that was 
serviceable; Besides, the wretches that 
had been hired by Rostopchin, ran about 
“in every quarter, disseminating fire with 
their matches);) in which they were but 
too much assisted by the wind. ‘This 
terrible conflagration ruined every thing. 
(was prepared forevery thing but this. 
dt was unloreseea, for who would have 
) thought thata nation would have set its 
capital on fire?) The inhabitants them- 
uselves, however, did all they could to 
extinguish: it, and several of them pe- 
lorished in:their endeavours. They also 
isbrought before us numbers of the in- 
cendiaries with their matches, as amidst 
such a popolazzo we never could have 
discovered them ourselves. I caused 
about two hundred of these wretches to 
be/shot., Had it mot been for this fatal 
fire, L had every thing my army wanted ; 
-excellent winter quarters; stores of all 
kinds were in plenty ; and the next year 
would. have decided it. ©» Alexander 
would have made peace, or I would 
hiave been in Petersburgh,” I asked if 
he thought that he could entirely: sub- 
due Russia. ‘ No,’ replied Napoleon ; 
“but IT would bave caused: Russia to 
»make such a peace as suited the in- 
terests of I'rauce. 1 was five days too 
late. in quitting Moscow.’ Several, of 
the generals,” continued he, ‘were burnt 
vout, of their, beds. I. myself: remained 
in the Kremlin, until. surrounded, with 
flames, The fire advanced, seized the 
Chinese and India warehouses, and se- 
veral stores: of oil (and) spirits, which 
burst forth in flames and overwhelmed 
every thing. I themretired toa country- 
house of the Emperor) Alexander's, 
distant about a Jeague from Moscow, 
»so0?” 
637 
und you may figure {o yourself the in- 
tensity of the fire, when ET tell you, that 
you''could ‘scarcely bear your lauds 
upon the walls or the windows on the 
side ‘next to! Moscow, in’ consequence 
of their heated’state... [i was the spec- 
tacle of a sca and billows of fire, a sky 
and’ clouds of flanie;* mountains of red 
roiling flames; like immeuse waves of 
the sea, alternately bursting forth and 
elevating themselves to skies of fire, and 
then sinking juto the occan of flame 
below. Oh, it was the most grand, ‘the 
most sublime, and the most terrific sight 
the world ever beheld! 
HIS RELIGION. 
I observed, thatin England there were 
different opinions about his fwith; that 
some had latterly supposed him to be a 
Roman Catholic. © ‘* £bbene,” replied 
he. “Credo tutto quel che crede la 
chiesa.” (E believe all that the church 
believes.) ‘I used,” continued be, ‘* to 
make the bishop of Nantes dispute with 
the Pope frequently in my ‘presence. 
He wanted to re-establish the monks. 
My bishop used to tell him that the em- 
peror had no objection to persons being 
monks in their hearts, but that he ob- 
jected io allowing any society of them 
to exist publicly. The Pope wanted me 
to confess, which I always evaded by 
saying, ‘Holy father (santo padre), 1 
am too much occupicd at present. 
When I get older.’ I took a pleasure 
in conversing with the Pope, who was a 
good old man, ma testardo, (though 
obstinate.)” 
“There are so many different reli- 
gions,” continued he, ‘ or modifications 
of them, that it is difficult to know 
which to choose. If one religion bad 
existed from the beginning of the world, 
I should think that to be the true one. 
As it is, Tam of opinion that every per- 
son ought to continue in the: religion in 
which he was brought up; in that of bis 
fathers. What are you?” ‘“ A protes- 
tant,” I replied.“ Was) your father 
I-said, “ Yes.” “Then conti- 
nue in that belief.” 
“Tn Fratice,”” continued he, “IT re- 
ecived Catholics and Protestants alike 
at my levee.’ [ paid’ their ministers 
alike. DE gaveothe oProtestants a fine 
ebureh at: Paris; which had formerly be- 
jonged to the Jesuits. | In order to pre- 
vent any religious ‘quarrels in places 
where | there’ were both Catholic and 
Protestant churches, I prohibited them 
from tolling the bells to summon the 
peuple to worship in their respective 
churches, uiless the ministers of the 
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