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ceed from what is called greatness of mind! I will quote one in-- 
stance of the effect of his dissatisfaction about things of minor im- 
portance, which came to my knowledge from the best authority. 
A butcher at James-town, who used to deliver meat for his table, 
being- at length wearied out with continual repetition of complaints, 
though he furnished the best meat he could procure, directed the 
following laconic epistle to the Governor: "Sir Hudson! May it 
please your Excellency, this same General Bonaparte is hard to 
please. I begs to be excused sarving him any longer with meat." 
As he hates Sir Hudson Lowe, the latter does not unnecessarily 
trouble him with his presence, but delivers all notices to him by 
Sir Thomas Reade, whose polished manners, good-humoured dispo- 
sition, and knowledge of the Italian language, which General Bona- 
parte is said to prefer to French in conversation, makes him a plea- 
sant messenger. Sir Thomas has therefore had more opportunities 
of becoming acquainted with him in the various affections of his 
mind, than most Englishmen, with whom he has conversed. 
A proof of great meanness is this, that he will not give credit to 
the English for any great warlike action. He says, that by all the 
rules of war, he ought to have gained the battle of Waterloo, and 
that the Duke of Wellington ought, if he had been a good General, 
to have retreated, and not made his stand where he did. Yet at 
other times, feeling peculiarly indignant at the Prussians, he, of 
course, will not allow them to have had any share in the result of 
that action, but describes his defeat to the firmness of the English 
infantry alone, by which all his plans were disconcerted. 
It is not my intention to add to the numberless accounts given 
of this celebrated captive, who thinks that he has friends and de- 
fenders enough among the English nation. Not having seen and 
spoken with him myself, I can only repeat what has been said by 
others, and as to those communications, which are made in the 
course ot friendly and unguarded conversation, I am of opinion, 
that, without special permission, common civility requires, that 
they should not be published, lest by any unintentional mistate- 
