EASY-CHAIR MEMORIES 157 



It had been conjectured by many of the 

 newspapers that Bonaparte, whose personal 

 courage had never been questioned, would play 

 the coward at last, and put an end to his own 

 life rather than suffer the disgrace of being sent 

 a captive to St. Helena. The matter came to 

 his ears, and he said : " No, no ; I have not 

 enough of the Roman in me to destroy my- 

 self." He reasoned for some time on the 

 subject of suicide, and concluded with this 

 decisive opinion : 



" Suicide is a crime the most revolting to my 

 feelings ; nor does any reason present itself to 

 my understanding by which it can be justified. 

 It certainly originates in that species of fear 

 which we denominate cowardice. For what 

 claims can that man have to courage who 

 trembles at the frowns of fortune? True 

 heroism consists in becoming superior to the 

 ills of life in whatever shape they may challenge 

 to the combat." 



The great man seldom suffered a day to pass 

 without making particular inquiry respecting 

 the health of the crew and the nature of such 

 diseases as then prevailed among them, with 

 the particular mode of treatment. The com- 



