The Rhode Island American, And General Advertiser

FROM A LONDON PAPER.
BONAPARTE.
The following anecdote is taken from the
account of the revolution in Spain, written by
the Abbe de Pradt. It does honour to the
Count de Lima, who appears to have excited
something like a generous emotion in the self-
ish breast of Bonaparte:
"Napoleon had ordered that there should
be sent to Bayonne a deputation of the best
qualified persons in Portugal. It waited for
him in this city, and was presented to him
some hours after his arrival. At its head was
the Count de Lima who had been Ambassador
from Portugal to Paris, and, who was in high
repute there. Napoleon did not wait for the
delivery of the President's speech, as is usual
on such occasions; but, either from some de-
lay on the part of the Count, or from his own
impatience; at once began the conference in a
most singular manner. After some polite
forms, he said, addressing the Deputies. " I
don't know what I shall do with you; it will
depend on what takes place in the south; are
you in the situation of making a nation? Have
you means sufficient for that purpose? You
are abandoned by your Prince; he has suffered
himself to be carried to Brazil by the English;
he has committed a great blunder, and will re-
pent of it!" Then turning to me, he added,
with an air of great gaiety, " it is with Princes
as with Bishops--they must be resident."-
Afterwards, addressing himself to the Count de
Lima, he asked him about the population of
Portugal; and then presently-joining-the an-
swer to the question, according to his custom,
said-" Are there two millions?" " More than
three," said the Count. " Ah, I did not know
it," replied Napoleon. " And Lisbon, does it
contain 150,000 souls?" " More than double,"
answered the Count de Lima. " Ah, I did
not know it." again remarked Napoleon.--
Other questions and answers were exchanged
with the same difference of opinion; and from
one I did not know to another. Napoleon at
length arrived at this question: " What is it
that you Portuguese want? Do you want to be
Spaniards?" At these words I saw the Count
de Lima swelling to ten feet in height, plant-
ing himself in a firm position, placing his hand
on the guard of his sword and answering with
a voice that shook the room, " No!" The old
heroes of Portugal, could not have said it bet-
ter. Napoleon was accordingly exceedingly
struck with this heroick monosyllable, and the
next day, in a conversation with one of his
principal officers, he showed the impression
which had been made upon him by observing
" The Count de Lima yesterday gave me a
superb No." He afterwards treated the
Count with great and unremitting distinction.
In a future conversation with him he plainly
showed the kind disposition which this noble
repartee had excited; he granted to the Count
all he asked for the interests of Portugal, and
did not say another word about its union with
Spain.