The Emperor began by speaking of the English army, its organization, and particularly its system of promotion. He compared it with the French army, and repeated what I have formerly stated with regard to the excellent composition of our military force, the advantage of the Conscription, and the bravery of our troops. Then, turning to the subject of politics, he said, “You lost America by liberation: you will lose India by invasion. The first loss was perfectly natural; as children advance in years, they break the parental bonds. But, for the Hindoos, they are not advancing at all. They still remain children. The catastrophe, therefore, can only proceed from without. You are not aware of all the dangers with which you were threatened by my arms or my negotiations. As for my Continental system, you perhaps laughed at it?” “Sire,” replied the Colonel, “we affected to do so, but all men of judgment felt the full force of it.”—"Well," continued the Emperor, "I stood alone in my opinion on the Continent; and I was forced for the moment to employ violence every where. At length my plan began to be understood. The tree already bears its fruit. I made the beginning; time will do the rest.... Had I maintained my power, I would have changed the course of trade, and the direction of industry. I had naturalized sugar and indigo in France, and I should have naturalized cotton, and many other articles of foreign produce. I should have knocked up the Colonies, if we had continued to be denied a share of them.
“With us the impulse was most powerful. National prosperity and science advanced beyond measure. Yet your Ministers proclaimed through all Europe that the French were overwhelmed with misery, and were retrograding to a state of barbarism. Thus the view of our internal prosperity strangely surprised the vulgar mass, and even disconcerted the more thinking portion of the European public. The strides of knowledge in France were gigantic. The ideas of the French people were every where properly directed and extended. We took pains to render science popular. I was informed that your countrymen were distinguished for their knowledge of chemistry; and yet I will not decide on which side of the water the most able chemist will be found.”—"In France," said the Colonel immediately.
“It is of little importance,” continued the Emperor; “but I maintain that in the mass of the French people there is ten, and perhaps a hundred, times more chemical knowledge than in England; because the manufacturing classes now employ that science in their daily labour. This was one of the characteristics of my school. Had I been allowed sufficient time, there would soon have been no such thing as trades in France; they would all have been converted into arts.”
The Emperor concluded with these remarkable observations: "England and France held in their hands the fate of the world; and particularly that of European civilization. What injury have we not done to each other!——What good might we not have done! Under Pitt’s system, we desolated the world; and what has been the result? You imposed on France a tax of fifteen hundred millions of francs, and raised it by means of Cossacks. I laid a tax of seven thousand millions on you, and made you raise it with your own hands, by your Parliament. Even now, after the victory you have obtained, who can tell whether you may not sooner or later sink under the weight of such a burden?——With Fox’s system, we should have understood each other; we should have accomplished and preserved the emancipation of nations, the dominion of principles. Europe would have presented but a single fleet and a single army. We might have ruled the world. We might every where have established peace and prosperity, either by dint of force or persuasion. Yes, I repeat it, what mischief have we not done! What good might we not have effected!"
Never was Napoleon in a more talkative humour. He laughed more than once at the endeavours I made to keep up with the volubility with which he uttered his observations. As for the Colonel, he took his leave, amazed and confounded by what he had heard.
When he was gone, the Emperor continued to converse for a long time in the drawing-room. He afterwards went into the garden, in spite of the bad weather, and sent for us all to join him. He was desirous of reading the declarations which we had made; they became the subject of conversation.
Four ships arrived here to-day from Europe. They had on board the 66th regiment, and had left England before the Phaëton, which brought the new Governor, Sir Hudson Lowe.
After dinner, the Emperor good-humouredly related the remark made by an old soldier of the 53rd, who, having seen him yesterday for the first time, went back to his comrades and said,—"What lies they told me about Napoleon’s age; he is not old at all; the fellow is still young enough for at least sixty campaigns." We thought this expression savoured very much of the Frenchman, and we laid claim to it as having proceeded from one of our grenadiers. We then related to him a number of bons-mots made by our soldiers during his absence and on his return, with which he was much entertained. But what particularly excited his risibility was the answer made by a grenadier at Lyons. A grand review was held there, just after the Emperor had landed on his return from Elba. The Commanding Officer remarked to his soldiers that they were well clothed and well fed, that their pay might be seen upon their persons:—"Yes, certainly," replied the grenadier to whom he addressed himself.—"Well!" continued the officer, with a confident air, “it was not so under Bonaparte. Your pay was in arrear, he was in your debt?”—"And what did that signify," said the grenadier smartly, “if we chose to give him credit?”
THE EMPEROR’S MESSAGE TO THE PRINCE REGENT.—CHARACTERISTIC REMARKS.—PORTFOLIO LOST AT WATERLOO.—ON AMBASSADORS.—M. DE NARBONNE.—NAPOLEON ON THE POINT OF BEING TAKEN PRISONER IN GERMANY AFTER THE BATTLE OF MOSCOW.—COST OF THE EMPEROR’S TOILET.—EXPENSE OF A FAMILY ESTABLISHMENT IN THE DIFFERENT CAPITALS OF EUROPE.—THE FURNISHING OF NAPOLEON’S HOUSE IN THE RUE DE LA VICTOIRE.—THE FITTING UP OF THE IMPERIAL PALACES.—THE EMPEROR’S METHOD OF EXAMINING HIS ACCOUNTS.
21st.—The Emperor sent for me to attend him in the garden, about four o’clock, to act as interpreter. Captain Hamilton, the Commander of the Havannah frigate, was to sail next day for Europe, and, with his officers, had come to take leave of the Emperor. Captain Hamilton spoke French. When I joined the party in the garden, the Emperor was expressing himself with warmth.