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Ch. XVI.]
the Emperor Napoleon.
187

a kind of coarse cow-grass, which even horses refuse.

A long interval frequently elapsed between our visits to the emperor. A few months previously to our leaving St. Helena he had been very ill, and from Mr. O'Meara's account we feared he might never rally from the state of prostration of mind and body into which he had sunk. He was obstinate in refusing to take exercise, disliking the strict watch kept over him on the occasion of his walking abroad; and he declared he would rather die at once than use the only means recommended of alleviating his disorder. Mr. O'Meara entreated permission to call in a brother surgeon, that in the event of his complaint continuing obstinate, blame might not be attached to him for trusting solely to his own opinion. I recollect hearing Mr. O'Meara repeat the emperor's reply, which was to this effect; "that if all the physicians in the universe

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