dined there before. Wood, the Lord Mayor of the later last year, with whom I am personally acquainted, dewa was re-elected for the present year. His conduct W during his mayoralty has been highly meritorious; particularly in detecting an atrocious conspiracy of thief-takers to get innocent men convicted of coining, that they might share the rewards given on such occasions. It is usual for the Ministers to dine with the Lord Mayor; but as the present Ministers do not approve of Mr. Wood's politics, they all absented themselves. They had done the same last year.

Spa Fields.

Dec. 2d, Mon. A meeting was held to-day of a Meeting in great multitude of persons in the Spa Fields near Islington, pursuant to an adjournment of a former meeting which had been held in the same place about a fortnight ago. The ostensible object of that former meeting was, to petition the Regent on the subject of the public distresses; and that of the present, to learn in what manner the petition had been received, and what further steps were to be taken. Hunt, formerly candidate at Bristol, took the lead upon both these occasions, and made violent speeches against all public men, except Sir Francis Burdett, Cobbett, and Lord Cochrane. It was determined at this meeting, that a petition should be presented to the House of Commons, and that Lord Cochrane, and I believe Sir Francis Burdett, should present it. These proceedings would be hardly worth mentioning, had it not been that a party, headed by one Watson, issued forth from the meeting, and, proceeding into the city, broke into the gunsmiths' shops, armed themselves

and committed many violent outrages, till they were dispersed, and some of the ringleaders secured by the courage and good conduct of the Lord Mayor.

26th. I left town for Tanhurst, and remained there with my dear Anne and all my children except William, who is still with Mr. Otter, till the 10th of January. Mine has been a happy life, but I know not any fortnight in it which I have passed more happily than this.

1817.

ceived from

Jan. 10th. On my return this day from Tan- Letter rehurst, I found a letter which had come by some General Saprivate hand. It was from General Savary, and vary, Duke was dated at Smyrna, 4th of July, 1816. It begins in these words:

"Ce n'est que depuis le recouvrement de ma liberté que je puis vous remercier de la réponse que vous avez eu la bonté de faire à la lettre que j'ai eu l'honneur de vous écrire il y a environ un an, lorsque je me suis cru en danger à bord du Bellerophon dans la rade de Plymouth. Tout ce qui m'est arrivé depuis cette époque m'a convaincu que je ne dois qu'à votre intérêt généreux de n'avoir pas été victime d'une translation en France, qui étoit alors vivement demandée par le gouvernement de ce pays. * Pendant ma longue détention je vous ai voué une bien sincère reconnoissance." He then proceeds to the objects of his letter, which are, to inquire how he should proceed to obtain redress against persons who, he says, have libelled him in publications in England, imputing to him the murder of Captain Wright, and other atrocities to which he was an entire stranger; and to communicate to me a narrative (which was enclosed) of the transactions which preceded

I do not believe that it was ever intended by the Ministers to deliver him up to the French Government.

de Rovigo.

Bonaparte's request to Savary.

Bonaparte's going on board the Bellerophon, in order that, if I thought proper, I might publish it, or make what use of it I might think fit. "Vous vous rappellerez," he says, "que j'étois du nombre des personnes qui avoient suivi la mauvaise fortune de l'Empereur, et que, par suite d'une disposition ministérielle, j'ai été conduit à Malte, et enfermé au secret le plus rigoureux pendant sept mois, ainsi que sept autres officiers qui étoient au même cas que moi. C'est en vain que l'on a cherché des prétextes pour justifier une mesure aussi étrange. Le véritable motif de cette sévérité étoit la crainte que je ne parlasse, ainsi que mes compagnons, de toutes les circonstances qui ont précédé et suivi l'arrivée de l'Empereur à bord du vaisseau de Bellerophon. J'ignore les raisons que l'on a eu de craindre des divulgations; mais quelques soient les considérations qui aient déterminé à agir comme on l'a fait, je ne m'en crois pas moins obligé à tenir la parole que j'ai donnée à l'Empereur en recevant son dernier adieu; il m'a fait promettre, Monsieur, de vous adresser tout ce qui étoit relatif à cette partie de son histoire, et je m'y suis engagé. Il connoissoit votre nom et votre caractère; cela étoit suffisant pour entraîner sa confiance; et c'est avec le même respect que je recevois ses ordres dans sa plus haute prospérité, que j'exécute les dernières volontés qu'il m'a manifestées dans son infortune. Je n'ai aucun but agitateur en vous transmettant cette narration, mais, si l'usage qu'il vous conviendra d'en faire en rendoit la publication nécessaire avec l'attache de mon nom, je suis homme d'honneur, Monsieur le

Chevalier, et, quelque danger qu'il pût en résulter pour moi, je vous prie d'en agir comme il vous plaira sans avoir égard à moi; dût-il m'en coûter la vie, je mettrai de la gloire à convenir que c'est moi qui vous l'ai adressée." The narrative enclosed, and thus referred to, consisted of seventeen quarto pages, closely written, and in a small hand.* The most important part of it is that which relates the interview which took place between himself (Savary) and Captain Maitland, before Bonaparte ventured on board the Bellerophon. Bonaparte, according to this account, having arrived at Rochfort, and not having received the passport which Fouché had undertaken to apply to the Duke of Wellington for, to enable him to go to America, sent Savary and Las Cases on board the Bellerophon, to inquire whether Captain Maitland had received it. Captain Maitland had heard nothing of any passport, and was even ignorant of Bonaparte's abdication. In the course of the conversation which took place, Savary and Las Cases asked Captain Maitland how he would act if Bonaparte sailed for Rochefort in a French vessel, and how, if he were to take his passage in a neutral ship; after answering that, in the first case, he should capture the vessel and make Bonaparte a prisoner, and that, in the latter, he should detain him till he had received directions from his admiral how he was to act, he added, according to the narrative: 66 L'Empereur fait fort bien de demander des passeports Anglois pour éviter des

* It is entitled "Note sur les Evènements qui ont suivi le Départ de l'Empereur de l'Ile d'Elbe jusqu'à son transport à Ste. Hélène."