THE APPEARANCE OF NAPOLEON.
[To THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR.") S1R,—In 1887, while working in London as a curate to Rev. Canon Fleming, I was called in ray vicar's absence to ad- minister a religious service to an old Admiral in Eaton Square. The Admiral's name was Eden. After the service was over he took may hand and said : "Shake bands with me, young man. There are not many alive who can say what I can say. You are talking with a man who has talked to Napoleon the Great." "Sir," I said, "that is history. May I hear more ? " The old Admiral then told me that he was once returning with the Fleet—I think from the West Indies, but of that I am not sure—and touched at St. Helena. The Admiral said: "I am going up to Longwood to pay my respects to Napoleon, and the senior midshipman comes with me" :- "I was the senior midshipman," said the old gentleman, "and so I went. We waited for Napoleon in an uter room, and you must imagine how eagerly I expected his entrance. The door was thrown open at last and in he came. He was short and fat, and nothing very attractive, but for his eye ! My word, Sir, I had never •-een anything like it. After speaking to the Admiral he turned .o me, and then I understood for the first time in my life what was the meaning of the phrase, • A born ruler of men.' I had been taught to hate the French as I hated the devil; but when Napoleon looked at me there was such power and majesty in his look that if he had bade me lie down that he might walk over me, I would have done it at once, English middy though I was The look on Napoleon's face was the revelation of the man and the explanation of his power. He was born to command."
Such was Admiral Eden's version to me of an incident which at ninety years old, or thereabouts, seemed to him as fresh as if it had happened only the day before.—I am, Sir, Ste., Christ Church Vicarage, Beckenham. JOHN ROOKER.
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