As early as the battle of Waterloo, reports were prevalent in France that Napoleon’s health was declining; yet we have already seen that, so late as April, 1817, no symptom of bodily illness could be traced in his external appearance.  From this time, however, his attendants continued to urge, with increasing vehemence, the necessity of granting more indulgence, in consequence of the shattered condition of his constitution:  and, although such suggestions were, for obvious reasons, listened to at first with considerable suspicion, there can be little doubt now, that in this matter the fame of Longwood spake truth.

Dr. Arnott, an English physician, already referred to, who attended on Napoleon’s death-bed, has informed us that he himself frequently reverted to the fact, that his father died of scirrhus of the pylorus.  “We have high authority” (says this writer) “that this affection of the stomach cannot be produced without a considerable predisposition of the parts to disease.  If, then, it should be admitted that a previous disposition of the parts to this disease did exist, might not the depressing passions of the mind act as an exciting cause?  It is more than probable that Napoleon Buonaparte’s mental sufferings in St. Helena were very poignant.  By a man of such unbounded ambition, and who had once aimed at universal dominion, captivity must have been severely felt.  I can safely assert, that any one of temperate habits, who is not exposed to much bodily exertion, night air, and atmospherical changes, may have as much immunity from disease in St. Helena as in Europe; and I may, therefore, further assert, that the disease of which Buonaparte died was not the effect of climate.”—­It is added, that out of all Napoleon’s family, which, including English and Chinese servants, amounted to fifty persons, only one individual died during the five years of their stay in St. Helena, and this man, an Italian major-domo, had brought the seeds of consumption with him from Europe.

In March, 1817, Lord Holland made a solemn appeal to the British Parliament on the subject of Napoleon’s treatment, and was answered by Lord Bathurst—­in such a manner that not one could be found to second him.  The intelligence of this appears to have exerted a powerful influence on the spirits of the captive.  It was about the 25th of September 1818, that his health began to be affected in a manner sufficient to excite alarm in Dr. O’Meara, who informed him, that unless he took regular exercise out of doors (which of late he had seldom done), the progress of the evil would be rapid.  Napoleon declared, in answer, that he would never more take exercise while exposed to the challenge of sentinels.  The physician stated, that if he persisted, the end would be fatal.  “I shall have this consolation at least,” answered he, “that my death will be an eternal dishonour to the English nation, who sent me to this climate to die under the hands of....”  O’Meara again represented the consequences of his obstinacy.  “That which is written, is written,” said Napoleon, looking up, “our days are reckoned.”