NAPOLEON BONAPARTE


Two letters and a pass relating to a visit to Napoleon at St Helena by Mrs Arbuthnot, comprising:(i) Autograph letter signed by Eliza Arbuthnot, to her sister Catherine Vans Agnew in Madras, posted from Ascension Island, describing the visit ("...We were 5 days at St. Helena of which I was the greater part of 3 of them – & 1 night on shore, that night we slept at Mr. Balcombe's in the room that Buonaparte occupied for one or two Months upon his first arrival... It is an ugly, miserable, hot, disagreeable place... Our visit to Longwood & introduction to the Emperor... took place on Tuesday Afternoon... had the Honour of being introduced, but such a place as it was to be the residence of an Emperor! The furniture consisted (in the room we were received in) of a large clumsy deal Table with crooked Legs, 2 old sideboards of different Patterns, and a few Chairs, the drawing room which we looked into afterwards was better, but neither of them were sufficiently large to admit us, (about 20 persons) & the Emperor's suite, He therefore, after apparently much deliberation with Count Bertrand, said he wd receive us in the Gardens, which is a place in front of the House just like a Madras Compound – Grass & Trees. – Upon this intimation we all sallied forth, headed by Count Bertrand, & met Napoleon attended by Count Lascase, & General Gorgo [Gourgaud]. We all, of course halted, hats were taken off & then introductions took place... When my name was mentioned, all he said was & where is her husband? Mr A was then introduced & he spoke much to him about Mr. Arbuthnot, the Minister at Copenhagen, who had been obliged to run away with all the English, when they heard the french were coming, He then asked what service he had been in, if he had been employed in Diplomacy & was answered no, in Commerce, He then said that was much more profitable! He then asked about Children, whether they were not spoiled in India, 'gaté' was his expression – Mrs Welland & Lady Darrell, two Bengal Ladies he complimented upon their complexions, (they had both rode up the hill & were much heated)... His face is remarkably fat, & as sallow, as Mrs. Anderson's, His hair long, thin straight & greasy, & his Dress a plain Green Coat, with a velvet standing collar & cuffs, & funny silver buttons – the vest white..."); with the postscript: "I enclose Mr A's order to be admitted to Longwood, that you may judge of the ceremony & form attending it"; autograph address panel, marked "British Letter", 10 pages, gilt-edged paper, small seal-tear, some browning and wear especially to outer leaves, 4to, "Ship Rose at Sea – near the Island of Ascension May 18th" [1816](ii) Autograph letter signed by Eliza Arbuthnot, to her sister Catherine Vans Agnew in Madras, headed "Duplicate", written from off the Ascension Islands, like the previous one, but posted on arrival back in London; after an opening paragraph explaining the circumstances of its posting, repeating the text of the letter posted from Ascension; with a final section added after her arrival back in London in July; integral address panel, marked "Via Ceylon", 12 pages, gilt-edged paper, light browning, 4to, "Ship Rose at Sea, near the Island of Ascension May 18th 1816", postscript from Thomas's Hotel, Berkeley Square, 10 July 1816(iii) Partly printed pass, signed by Sir Hudson Lowe, stating: "The Officer Commanding the Guard at Long Wood will permit the Bearer hereof... to pass to the Residence of General Bonaparte", made out to "Mr Arbuthnot and Mr James Strange passengers on board the Fleet from Bengal", headed "No.3", with printed subscription: "Memo:- This Ticket will be delivered to the Officer of the Guard, who will transmit it to the Governor the following Morning", plus printer's colophon: "Printed for Solomon & Dickson, by J. Boyd", 1 page, light spotting and minor tears where folded, oblong 8vo (160 x 205mm.), "Given at Head Quarters, St. Helena, this Eleventh May 1816"
|'HIS FACE IS REMARKABLY FAT, & AS SALLOW AS MRS ANDERSON'S, HIS HAIR LONG, THIN STRAIGHT & GREASY' – ELIZA ARTHUTHNOT ENCOUNTERS NAPOLEON BONAPARTE AT ST HELENA. Mrs Arbuthnot's interview with Napoleon occurred early in the governorship of Hudson Lowe (who had arrived on the island on 14 April, was to hold six interviews with Napoleon before cutting off all direct contact after 18 August). His pass admitting her access was printed by the island's principal entrepreneur, Saul Solomon (whose company survives on the island to this day), who profited greatly not only by supplying the passing East India Company trade but also from Napoleon and his household; indeed so much so that 'The house of Solomon was also frequently the medium through which clandestine correspondence was sent from Longwood to Europe' (Archibald Arnott, A St. Helena Who's Who, 1919). These papers form part of the muniments of the Vans Agnew family of Barnbarroch and Sheuchan.