EASY-CHAIR MEMORIES 155 



when he contemplated invading England he had 

 the Hebrides in mind, and Johnson's Tour to the 

 Hebrides got mixed up in his mind as having 

 relation to some religious community or other. 



As for Napoleon's invasion of England, our 

 surgeon says that according to his recollection 

 it was not generally considered practicable, but 

 he gives his authority for the actual intention of 

 carrying it out : 



" Bonaparte positively avers it. He says that 

 he had 200,000 men on the coast of France 

 opposite to England ; and that it was his deter- 

 mination to head them in person. The attempt 

 he acknowledged to be very hazardous, and the 

 issue equally doubtful. His mind, however, 

 was bent on the enterprise, and every possible 

 arrangement was made to give effect to its 

 operations. It was hinted to him, however, that 

 his flotilla was altogether insufficient, and that 

 such a ship as the Northumberland would run 

 down fifty of them . . , but he stated that his 

 plan was to rid the Channel of English men-of- 

 war, and for that purpose he had directed 

 Admiral Villeneuve, with the combined fleets 

 of France and Spain, to sail apparently for 

 Martinique, for the express purpose of distract- 



