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EMMA- LADY- HAMILTON  k 


WALTER:  SICHEL 


3s:l: 


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EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 


'  It  takes  a  hundred  and  fifty  years  to  make  a  beauty — a 
hundred  and  fifty  years  out  of  doors.  .  .  .  Without  these 
constant  factors,  beauty  cannot  be,  but  yet  they  will  not 
alone  produce  it.  There  must  be  something  in  the  blood 
which  these  influences  gradually  ripen.  .  .  .  Erratic, 
meteor-like  beauty  !  For  how  many  thousand  years  has 
man  been  your  slave !  The  sentiment  at  the  sight  of  a 
perfect  beauty  is  as  much  amazement  as  admiration.  It 
so  draws  the  heart  out  of  itself  as  to  seem  like  magic' 

Richard  Jefferies. 

'  I  cannot  make  friends  with  all,  but  the  few  friends  I 
have,  I  would  die  for  them. ' 

Lady  Hamilton  to  Lord  Nelson,  Oct.  1798. 
Add.  MS.  34,989,  f.  84. 


EMMA  LADY  HAMILTON 

FROM     NEW    AND     ORIGINAL 
SOURCES    AND     DOCUMENTS 

TOGETHER    WITH    AN 

Appendix  of  Notes  and  New  Letters 
BY    WALTER    SICHEL 

AUTHOR   OF    'BOLINGBROKE   AND   HIS  TIMES' 
'DISRAELI,   A  STUDY* 


I 


SECOND  EDITION 


Bondon 

ARCHIBALD    CONSTABLE 
AND    COMPANY    LTD. 

1905 


First  Printed,  October  1905. 

Second  Impression,  October  1905. 

Third  Impression,  November  1905. 

Fourth  Printing  (Second  and  Revised  Edition),  November  1905, 


Edinbirgh  :  T.  and  A.  Constable,  Printers  to  His  Majesty 


LIBRARY 

UNIVERSITY  OF  C.VLIFORNIA 
SANTA  BARBARA 


TO 

C.  E.  S.  AND  G.  H.  T 


Fi  done  !    Tu  as  I'ivresse  du  peuple.— 
— C'est  la  bonne,  c'est  celle  du  plaisir. 
Beaumarchais. 

Ah,  Emma,  who'd  ever  be  wise 

If  madness  were  loving  of  thee ! 

Lord  Bristol,  Bishop  of  Derry. 


PREFACE 

In  attempting  this  theme,  I  found  that  to  do  it  real 
justice,  both  from  the  personal  and  historical  point  of  view, 
I  must  perforce  and  in  great  measure  begin  afresh.  Many 
new  manuscripts  of  the  highest  importance  have  passed 
into  the  national  collection  during  about  the  last  twenty 
years.  And  apart  from  these,  much  new  and  weighty 
evidence  exists.  Much  casts  new  lights  both  on  the 
character  of  Lady  Hamilton,  the  whole  story  of  her  life, 
and  the  history  of  Naples.  Much  has  remained  unknown 
or  unnoticed  both  in  contemporary  manuscripts  and  con- 
temporary books,  research  into  which  is  needful  if  a  living 
picture  is  to  be  formed  ;  for  by  such  means  alone  we  are 
enabled  to  view  things  from  the  inside,  to  get,  as  it  were, 
behind  the  scenes,  and  close  up  to  the  persons. 

Two  at  least  among  many  manuscript  collections  in  the 
British  Museum  are  new  in  their  revelations,  and  have 
escaped  attention. 

The  first  is  the  correspondence  of  Lady  Hamilton  with 
Nelson  in  the  autumn  of  the  year  1798,  after  the  Nile 
victory  (Add.  MS.  34,989).  Not  only  does  this  shed 
immense  light  on  her  character,  on  the  part  that  she  played 
with  the  Queen  of  Naples,  and  on  the  ripening  of  her 
Nelson-worship,  but  I  was  fortunate  enough  to  discover 
in  it  a  letter  of  June  17  (reproduced  in  this  volume)  to 
which  Nelson's  famous  and  much-debated  '  I  have  kissed 
the  Queen's  letter'  is,  without  question,  the  immediate 
answer.  This  conclusively  upsets  some  of  the  ingenious 
theories  put  forward  by  modern  sceptics  in  criticising  Lady 


viii  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

Hamilton's  claim  to  have  procured  what  enabled  Nelson 
to  water  and  provision  the  British  fleet.  Both  in  this 
respect,  however,  and  in  others  regarding  Lady  Hamilton's 
several  '  services,'  I  had  from  other  documents  arrived  at 
independent  conclusions.  This  collection  further  comprises 
many  most  material  letters  of  later  dates,  and  among  them 
a  series  written  by  Lady  Hamilton  to  Mrs.  William  Nelson 
during  1801,  relative  to  the  hitherto  undescribed  'Prince 
of  Wales'  episode  which  figures  in  these  pages,  and  bearing 
also  both  on  Nelson's  hurried  visit  to  London  before  he 
started  for  the  Baltic,  and  the  life  led  by  him  and  the 
Hamiltons  on  their  first  installation  at  Merton.  These 
and  the  correspondence  of  1798  are  of  such  novel  interest, 
that  they  are  both  transcribed,  with  a  number  of  other 
new  and  enlightening  letters,  in  the  Appendix,  which 
also  contains  the  longer  and  the  controversial  notes,  so 
as  not  to  over-encumber  the  narrative.  The  whole  series 
was  not  acquired  by  the  British  Museum  until  1896,  and 
therefore  neither  Mr.  J.  Cordy  Jeaffreson  nor  Professor 
Laughton  could  have  used  it. 

The  second,  however,  was  purchased  in  1886,  but  possibly 
it  may  not  have  been  available  in  1887  and  1889.  Had 
it  been  so,  it  would  certainly  have  modified  their  views.  It 
is  the  long  and  remarkable  series  of  Sir  John  Acton's 
correspondence  with  Sir  William  Hamilton  (Egerton  MS. 
2639-2640),  penned  in  the  quaintest  English,  illuminat- 
ing events  and  characters,  and  indispensable  to  a  right 
understanding  of  the  persons  and  the  period.  With  these 
should  be  studied  further  letters  of  the  same  Neapolitan 
Minister,  which  are  to  be  found  both  in  the  Hamilton 
correspondence  (Egerton  MS.  2634-2641)  and  in  a  mis- 
cellaneous collection  (Egerton  MS.  1623),  which  to  many 
documents  of  human  interest  adds  letters  both  from  Acton 
and  from  the  Queen  of  Naples.  There  is  besides,  much 
regarding  Lady  Hamilton  herself  to  be  gleaned  from  the 


PREFACE  ix 

correspondence  of  Sir  J.  Banks  with  Sir  W.  Hamilton  (Eger- 
ton  MS.  2641);  and  something — especially  as  to  Romney 
and  Lady  Hamilton — in  a  manuscript  collection  of  Hayley's 
correspondence  (Add.  MS.  30,805).  Moreover,  there  are 
isolated  letters  of  interest  and  value,  such  as  that  from  Sir 
William  Hamilton  to  Greville  about  Emma  (Add.  MS. 
34,710  D)  which  ranks  with  those  in  the  Morrison  Auto- 
graphs ;  and  another  of  Nelson  to  Emma,  also  hitherto 
unquoted,  but  perhaps  the  most  striking  of  any  that  he 
ever  addressed  to  her,  from  a  collection,  too,  of  the  highest 
value  otherwise  (Add.  MS.  34,274).  There  are  also  various 
other  manuscript  sources  which  I  need  not  here  specify. 

There  are,  of  course,  the  Nelson  Papers,  much  used,  on 
which  these  and  kindred  sources  shed  fresh  and  considerable 
light ;  and  there  exist  still  further  and  most  valuable  collec- 
tions which  have  hitherto  been  either  unconsulted  or  insuffi- 
ciently examined.  Such  is  the  correspondence  of  Nelson's 
brother  and  successor  (Add.  MS.  34,992),  which  contains, 
with  much  else  concerning  his  conduct  after  Nelson's  death, 
a  material  document  which  will  be  found  in  the  Appendix. 
Then  there  is  the  correspondence  of  Nelson's  confidential 
friend  Alexander  Davison  (Egerton  MS.  2240),  a  minute 
inspection  of  which  adds  to  our  knowledge  of  the  lives  and 
characters  of  Lady  Hamilton,  her  husband,  and  Nelson. 
Nor  would  it  seem  that  the  Hamilton  Papers  above  men- 
tioned have  themselves  been  fully  scrutinised  in  all  their 
historical  bearings,  since  the  erasures  and  interlineations  in 
one  at  least  of  Sir  William's  official  drafts  perhaps  assist  the 
main  evidence  of  what  seems  to  have  happened  privately. 

The  manuscript  letters  of  Maria  Carolina,  Queen  of 
Naples,  in  more  than  one  series  in  the  British  Museum, 
have  many  of  them  been  quoted  both  by  English  and 
foreign  writers ;  but  her  crabbed  handwriting  has  some- 
times caused  material  mistranscriptions.  Nothing  more 
touching   can    be    imagined    than   these    reliquaries,  so   to 


X  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

speak,  of  past  emotion,  with  their  inclosures  of  sad 
mementoes  and  Emma's  own  indorsements  on  their  covers. 
The  royal  flight  from  Naples  to  Palermo  in  December  1798 
played  a  great  part  in  her  career,  as  she  herself  played  an 
even  greater  part  in  its  thrilling  scenes.  From  the  Queen's 
letters  of  this  date  (Egerton  MS.  161 5  and  1623)  combined 
with  others  from  the  Vienna  Archives  (in  Baron  Helfert's 
Life  of  Fabrizio  Ruffo),  the  Acton  letters,  and  those  in  the 
Morrison  Autographs,  I  have  tried  to  reconstruct  this 
melodrama  as  if  it  were  a  sensation  of  yesterday. 

I  have  further  been  able  to  secure  originals  and  copies 
of  many  unknown  and  striking  letters  touching  Lady 
Hamilton's  actions  and  circumstances  throughout  her  career. 
Nor  should  I  omit  the  great  assistance  afforded  by  the  pub- 
lished excerpts  from  many  autographs  in  Messrs.  Sotheby's 
Catalogues  of  Sale.  Placed  in  their  proper  context,  these 
enable  one  to  understand  much  which  without  them  would 
remain  obscure ;  and  the  Appendix  includes  a  number  of 
these  also, 

I  am  under  the  deepest  obligation  to  Mrs.  Alfred 
Morrison  for  her  kindness  in  lending  me  a  printed  but 
unpublished  copy  of  the  autograph  Hamilton  and  Nelson 
Papers.  These  letters,  invaluable  alike  to  psychologist 
and  historian,  are  only  of  complete  use  when  they  can 
be  consulted  in  their  entirety,  and  in  their  full  relations 
both  to  themselves  and  to  companion  letters.  Had  Mr. 
Jeaffreson  closely  studied  them  he  would  have  come  to 
different  conclusions  on  many  subjects — the  mysterious 
Emma  '  Carew,'  for  instance,  among  minor  matters,  and 
the  affectionate  intimacy  of  Nelson's  sisters,  sister-in-law, 
and  their  children  with  Lady  Hamilton,  consistently  main- 
tained  up  to  the  very  end.^     Perhaps  he  may  have  been 

1  I  now  hasten  to  add  in  the  case  of  so  able  and  accurate  an  investigator  as 
Mr.  Jeaffreson  that  my  meaning  in  this  passage  refers  exclusively  to  the  duration 
of  the  friendship, — in  the  Eoltons'  case  extending  to  January  1812,  and  in  the 
Matchams'  case  to  November  1813. 


PREFACE  xi 

unable  to  do  so,  because  when  he  wrote  they  may  not  yet 
have  been  privately  printed  or  fully  catalogued. 

Like  considerations  touch  the  relevance  of  all  these 
sources  to  history,  to  controversial  criticism,  and  to  Captain 
Mahan's  characterisation,  so  far  as  his  delightful  book  affects 
Lady  Hamilton.  That  book  explains  Nelson's  tactics  far 
more  than  it  penetrates  the  hidden  springs  of  motive  and 
temperament,  based  as  it  is  mainly  on  published  and 
acknowledged  records.  It  hardly  fathoms  the  secret  of 
two  hearts. 

Some  critics,  in  trying  to  dispute  the  date  or  authenticity 
of  material  letters,  have  urged  the  unlikelihood  of  Nelson 
and  Sir  William  Hamilton  addressing  each  other  during 
1798  as  *  my  dear  Nelson,'  or  'my  dear  Hamilton,'  but 
the  Morrison  Manuscripts  of  this  date  comprise  three  in 
which  Hamilton  does  so  address  Nelson  ;  and  in  less  trivial 
examples  also,  the  distinction  between  the  wording  of 
private  and  official  correspondence  has  often  been  over- 
looked. Again,  a  state-document  most  relevant  to  the 
events  of  July  1798  (*  The  Governor  of  Syracuse's  despatch  ') 
is  explained  by  a  letter  from  Sir  John  Acton  in  this  series  ; 
while  many  other  papers  outside  it  supply  a  key  to  the 
diplomatic  situation  which  underlies  and  interprets  most 
of  the  Neapolitan  communications  during  this  period.  It 
has  also  been  objected  that  Nelson  could  not,  in  June 
1798,  have  referred  (as  he  does)  to  the  'sufferings'  of  the 
royal  family.  Acton's  manuscripts  of  this  date,  however, 
many  of  the  Queen's  letters,  a  notable  draft  by  Hamilton 
(Egerton  MS.  2635,  f.  287),  and  a  mass  of  other,  private 
and  official,  correspondence,  unite  in  establishing  the  fitness 
of  the  phrase. 

These  and  kindred  mistakes  are  mere  links  in  a  chain  of 
evidence  ;  but,  broadly  speaking,  all  Lady  Hamilton's  claims 
will  be  found  to  receive  fresh  and  important  corrobora- 
tion.    Some  of  the  statements  in  her  several  '  Memorials ' 


xii  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

have  been  misconstrued,  while  most  have  been  traversed. 
Their  verification,  however,  in  these  pages  by  new  evidence 
is    some   argument  for  the   substantial   truth  of  the  rest. 
It  has  been   assumed,  for  instance,  that   her  mention   of 
the  *  secret  passage  '  in  her  narrative  of  the  royal  family's 
melodramatic  flight  to  Palermo  is  a  myth.     From  one  of 
Acton's  letters,  however,  and  one  of  the  Queen's,  this  way  of 
escape  seems  a  pretty  fair  deduction.    Lady  Hamilton,  again, 
pleaded  inher  'Prince  Regent  Memorial'  of  1813  thather  late 
husband  on  his  deathbed  had  urged  his  nephew  to  press  the 
Government  for  some  recognition  of  her  services.     Greville's 
own  letter,  transcribed  in  the  Appendix,  not  only  confirms 
her  statement,  but  protests  that  the  truth  of  her  'Claims' 
was  within  the  knowledge  of  the  Foreign  Office,     It  has 
been  taken  for  granted  that  the  reason  for  disregarding  them 
was  official  disbelief     The  real  causes  were  very  different 
and  scarcely  creditable  to  the  ministers.     Nor  has  it  been 
borne  in  mind  that  Sir  William   Hamilton's   own   claims 
were  equally  ignored.     A  lack  of  thorough  investigation, 
moreover,  or   of    available    materials,    has    often    caused 
misinterpretation.      Several  new  episodes  have  been  here 
unearthed  which  a  preface   cannot    detail.      It    may   sur- 
prise many  to  learn  that  owing  to  difficulties  raised  over 
Nelson's  bequest  of  an  annuity  to  the  woman  of  his  heart 
its  payment  was  deferred,  and  never  made  in  advance  till 
the  year  before  her  death. 

I  venture  also  to  hope  that  Nelson's  own  character  and 
achievements  stand  more  fully  revealed  by  the  fresh  lights 
and  sidelights  which  serve  to  bring  his  extraordinary 
individuality  into  relief,  to  explain  his  policy,  and  to  clear 
up  some  vexed  passages  both  in  his  private  and  his  public 
actions.     As  England  absorbed  him,  so  did  Emma. 

With  regard  to  books,  I  may  say  that  I  have  endeav- 
oured to  study  every  contemporary  work  that  can  possibly 
illustrate  the  life  of  Lady  Hamilton  or  the  imbroglios  of 


PREFACE  xiii 

history  in  which  she  became  involved:  no  odd  corner, 
whether  in  print  or  manuscript,  has  been  left  unsearched  ; 
nor  have  I  omitted  those  clues  regarding  either  her  or  any 
of  her  friends  (however  slight  their  parts  in  the  drama)  that 
even  parish  registers  afford.  The  apocryphal  Memoirs 
of  1815,  frequently  repeated,  aver  that  she  signed  her 
marriage  register  under  a  false  name.  The  Marylebone 
parish  books  show  that  this  was  not  the  case ;  and  it  will 
be  found,  moreover,  that  previous  conjectures  as  to  the  date 
of  her  birth  have  been  inaccurate.  It  may  be  added  that 
most  of  the  striking  material  for  Emma's  life  in  the 
Nelso7i  Letters'^  (surreptitiously  published  in  1814)  has 
passed  unnoticed.  These  two  volumes  include  one  of  her 
few  surviving  letters  to  Nelson,  some  of  Sir  William's 
private  epistles  to  her  in  1792,  as  well  as  two  of  her  letters 
to  Greville,  some  from  him  and  Lord  Bristol,  and  of  course 
a  long  series  of  private  letters  from  Nelson  himself. 

In  striving  to  understand  the  inner  workings  of  the 
Neapolitan  Revolution  of  1799,  I  have  gone  straight  to 
many  of  the  Italian  sources  ;  and  here  I  may  express  my 
obligation  to  Mr.  Gutteridge's  most  scholarly  monograph  on 
Nelson  and  the  Neapolitan  Jacobins,  published  last  year  for 
the  Navy  Record  Society,  which  summarises  almost  every 
available  authority,  and  with  the  conclusions  of  which  I 
cordially  agree.  I  can  only  trust  that  my  mite  of  research 
may  not  be  wholly  useless  in  the  exploration  of  this 
comparatively  forgotten  but  most  interesting  back-water 
of  history. 

Without  further  enlargement,  then,  the  foregoing  con- 
siderations must  furnish  an  excuse,  if  excuse  be  needed, 
for  endeavouring  to  grapple  with  the  subject,  and  a  justifi- 
cation for  thinking  that  Lady  Hamilton's  history  needs  to 

'  Their  full  title  is,  '  The  Letters  of  Lord  Nelson  to  Lady  Hamilton,  with  a 
Supplement  of  Interesting  Letters  by  Distinguished  Characters.  London.  For 
Thomas  Lovewell  &  Co.,  Staines  House,  Barbican.' 


xiv  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

be  rewritten  with  all  the  new  lights  and  authentic  records 
that  time  has  added,  and  that  the  survey,  if  condensed, 
should  aim  at  being  comprehensive. 

It  is  a  career  of  widespread  interest  and  unusual  fascina- 
tion— a  '  human  document '  of  many  problems  that  well 
repay  the  decipherer  and  the  discoverer.  My  aim  through- 
out has  been  to  quicken  research  into  life,  and  to  furnish  a 
new  study  of  her  striking  temperament  and  the  temperaments 
which  became  so  curiously  interwoven  both  with  each  other 
and  with  history.  I  have  sought,  however  imperfectly,  to 
render  investigation  vivid  rather  than  to  register  statistics 
about  Lady  Hamilton.  I  have  tried  to  stage  anew,  and 
with  fresh  scenes,  a  drama  surprising  both  in  plot  and 
character,  and  to  picture  the  peculiar  psychology  of  the 
Tria  juncta  in  uno,  as  well  as  their  psychological  moments. 

In  conclusion,  my  repeated  thanks  are  due  to  Mrs.  Alfred 
Morrison  for  so  kindly  allowing  me  to  have  copies  of 
the  two  volumes  of  the  catalogued  manuscripts  printed 
for  private  circulation ;  to  my  friend  Mrs.  Hampden  of 
Ewelme  for  copies  of  most  interesting  manuscript  letters, 
some  wholly  unpublished,  others  partially.  My  acknow- 
ledgments are  also  due,  among  others,  to  Mr.  Sabin  and 
Mr.  Robson  for  allowing  me  to  have  copies  of  the  letters  in 
their  possession ;  to  Messrs.  Sotheran  for  permitting  me  to 
inspect  a  very  curious  collection  of  cuttings,  autographs,  and 
portraits ;  to  the  Reverend  Canon  H.  Drew,  the  Reverend 
Canon  E.  C.  Turner,  the  Rector  of  Marylebone,  and  the 
Reverend  C.  Jagger  of  Merton,  for  their  kind  compliance  with 
my  request  for  information  on  many  points  from  the  parish 
registers  of  Hawarden,  Neston,  Marylebone,  and  Merton  ; 
to  Miss  Andalusia  Harvey  for  being  so  good  as  to  acquaint 
me  with  the  basis  for  her  family  traditions  regarding 
Ickwell  Bury  and  Lady  Hamilton  ;  to  my  friend  Mr. 
C.  C.  Lacaita  for  his  suggestions  concerning  sources  for 
the  events  of  the  Neapolitan  Revolution  of  1798-1799;  an.' 


PREFACE  XV 

to  Mr.  Neville-Rolfe,  our  Consul  at  Naples,  for  his  helpful 
information.  My  thanks  are  further  due  to  the  Hon.  Herbert 
Gibbs  for  most  kindly  allowing  me  to  reproduce  his  original 
of  'Circe' ;  to  Signor  Monaco  of  the  San  Martino  Gallery 
at  Naples  for  permitting  the  recently  acquired  portrait  of 
Sir  John  Acton  to  be  photographed  ;  to  Mr,  Jones,  parish 
clerk  of  Havvarden,  for  much  kind  assistance ;  to  Messrs. 
E.  Parsons  for  being  so  good  as  to  let  me  photograph 
the  portrait  of  Lady  Hamilton  in  their  possession ;  to 
Mr.  Urban  Noseda  for  consenting  to  the  reproduction  of 
his  mezzotint  of  '  Euphrosyne '  ;  and  to  Mr.  Sanderson  of 
Edinburgh  for  kindly  placing  a  photograph  of  his  historical 
table  at  my  disposal. 

It  is  hoped  that  the  illustrations — comprising,  besides 
the  miniature  sold  this  year  from  the  Capel-Cure  Collec- 
tion, original  and  unreproduced  studies  and  sketches  by 
Romney  as  well  as  rare  and  unknown  likenesses  of  her 
and  her  friends — will  add  fresh  and  special  interest  to  this 
epitome  of  the  'sad  vicissitude  of  things.' 

WALTER  SICHEL. 

September  1905. 


PREFACE   TO   REVISED   EDITION 

I  TAKE  the  opportunity  afforded  by  a  new  and  revised 
edition  to  make  some  necessary  corrections.  The  main 
errors  which  have  needed  them  are : — 

(i)  A  few  subsidiary  points  with  regard  to  the  council 
of  June  17,  1798,  with  which  a  portion  of  Chapter  VIII. 
and  Note  G.  of  the  Appendix  are  concerned. 

(2)  A  mis-statement  (at  the  beginning  of  note  i  p.  447) 
about  Lord  Grenville. 

(3)  One  of  the  inferences  drawn  from  the  technical 
terms  in  the  legal  document  referred  to  on  pp.  433,  434. 
On  close  consideration  I  find  that  while  it  establishes 
that  Lady  Hamilton's  annuity  was  never  paid  in  advance 
(as  Nelson  intended)  till  May  6,  18 14,  and  goes  to  show 
that  till  January  1808  she  received  nothing,  it  does  not 
justify  an  assumption  that  she  did  not  receive  her  annuity 
between  those  two  dates.  The  Abstract  of  this  document 
(Appendix,  p.  489)  contained  two  inaccuracies  which  are 
now  rectified. 

(4)  A  statement  on  p.  340  that  Lady  Nelson  dissemi- 
nated and  contradicted  rumours  about  Nelson's  will,  which 
I  find  cannot  be  substantiated. 

(5)  Some  confusion  on  pp.  400  and  434  as  to  Emma's 
financial  position  after  Nelson's  death.  This  has  now 
been  thoroughly  cleared  up. 

I  have  been  able  at  the  same  time  to  incorporate  a 
few  new  particulars  about  Emma's  earlier  and  later  career, 
and  have  added  a  letter  of  1809  from  Emma  to  Sir  William 
Scott,  in  which  she  enlarges  upon  her  duties.  I  owe  this 
to  the  kindness  of  Mr.  C.  Milnes  Gaskell. 

WALTER  SICHEL. 

November  1905. 


CONTENTS 


PAGE 

vii 


Preface  ..... 

I.  Prelude  :  Lady  Hamilton's  Temperament  .  .       i 

IL  The  Curtain  Rises  :  1 765-1 782           .            .  -33 

III.  The  'Fair  Tea-maker  of  Edgware  Row':  i 782-1 784     56 

IV.  '  What  God,  and  Greville,  pleases':  To  March  1786     79 
V.  Apprenticeship  and  Marriage  :  1787-1791   .  .     97 

VI.  Till  the  First  Meeting  :  1791-1793  .            ,  .  137 

VII.  '  Stateswoman  ' :  1794-1797     .             .            .  .168 

VIII.  Triumph:  1798             .            .            .            .  .201 

IX.  Flight:  December  1798 — January  1799           .  .   242 

X.  Triumph  Once  More  :  To  August  1799          .  .  262 

XI.  Homeward  Bound:  To  December  1800          ,  .  312 

XII.  From  Piccadilly  to  'Paradise'  Merton  :   1801  .  341 

XIII.  Exit 'Nestor' :  January  1802 — May  1803      .  .  384 

XIV.  Penelope  and  Ulysses  :  June  1803 — January  1806  .  405 

XV.  The  Importunate  Widow  in  Liquidation  :  February 

1806 — July  1814        .  .  .  .  .  433 

XVI.  From  Debt  to  Death:  ]uly  1814 — January  1815        .  464 

b 


xviii  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

APPENDIX 
Part  I. — Notes 

PAGE 

A.  Evidences  as  to  the  date  of  Lady  Hamilton's  birth      .  .     476 

B.  Dr.  James  Graham  ......     476 

C.  Emma'Carew'    .......     479 

D.  Lady    Hamilton's    Letter    in   French    to    the    Countess    of 

Lichtenau         .......     481 

E.  New    Inferential    Evidence  for    Lady   Hamilton's    General 

Services  to  England  in  1 794- 1 795       .  .  .  .481 

F.  Lady    Hamilton's   Claim    concerning  the   King   of  Spain's 

secret  letters  in  the  spring  of  1795  ^.nd  the  autumn  of  1796 
further  considered        ......     483 

G.  Lady  Hamilton's  Claim  to  have  procured  the  watering  of  the 

British  fleet  in  the  summer  of  1798  further  considered         .     486 

H.  An  Abstract  of  the  legal  document  of  May  6,  1814,  whereby 
Lady  Hamilton  received  her  first  payment  in  advance  of 
Lord  Nelson's  annuity  .....     488 

Part  IL — Nev/  Letters 

A.  Lady   Hamilton's    Correspondence    with    Lord    Nelson    in 

September  and  October  1798  .....     489 

B.  Lady  Hamilton's  Correspondence  with  Mrs.  William  Nelson 

in  February  and  March  1801,  and  in  the  following  Novem- 
ber ;  together  with  two  extracts  from  letters  addressed  to 
Lady  Hamilton  by  Mrs.  William  Nelson  (afterwards  Sarah, 
Countess  Nelson)  in  1804  and  1805  respectively,  and  a 
letter  of  September  20,  1802,  from  Lady  Hamilton  to 
A.  Davison  about  the  Welsh  trip        .  .  .  .501 

C.  Later  and  other  New  Letters  from  and  to  Lady  Hamilton — 

(i)  {a)  Extract  from  a  letter  from  Lady  Hamilton  to  J.  D. 

Thomson,  September  14,  1805        .  .  .507 

(b)  Lady   Hamilton  to   Earl   Nelson   about  the   'last 

codicil,'  November  14,  1806  .  .  .     508 

(2)  Earl  Nelson's  answer  to  the  preceding,  November  16, 

1806 508 


CONTENTS  xix 


PAGE 


(3)  (a)  Lady  Hamilton  to  William  Hayley,  June  5,  1806     .     508 
(d)  Lady   Hamilton   to   the   Rev.   A.  J.  Scott   (a  vin- 
dication), September  7,  1806  .  .  .     509 

(4)  Summary  of  a  letter  from  Lady  Hamilton  to  Sir  R, 

Barclay   regarding   the   sale  of  the   Merton   estate, 
Richmond,  1805  .  .  .  .  .  .510 

(5)  (a)  Extract   from   a   letter  from  Lady  Hamilton  to  J. 

Heaviside,  surgeon,  June  3,  1808    .  .  .510 

(6)  Extract  from  a  letter  from  Lady  Hamilton  to  the 

Hon.  C.  F.  Greville,  November  1808         .  .510 

(6)  (a)  Extract  from  a  letter  from  Lady  Hamilton  to  Mrs. 

Girdlestone  respecting  her  mother  and  the  Duke 
of  Sussex,  August  I  r,  181 1  .  .  •     511 

(d)  Extract  from  a  letter  from  Lady  Hamilton  to  Captain 

Rose,  1807   .  .  .  .  .  -512 

(7)  Summary  of  a  letter  from  Lady  Hamilton  to  Mrs.  Russell 

about  the  '  Prince  Regent'  Memorial,  Dec.  28,  18 12   .     512 

(8)  Letter  from  the  same  to  Lord  St.  Vincent  (.'')  on  the 

same  subject  (cf.  Note  E.  in  Part  I.),  February  7, 1813     512 

(9)  Extract   from   a   letter  from    the    same    to    Mr.   and 

Mrs.  Russell  about  'the  unfortunate  Jewitt,'  1813       .     512 

(10)  (a)  Extract  from  a  letter  from  Lady  Hamilton  to  Sir 

William  Scott  (afterwards  Lord  Stowell),  from 
'  The  Common  of  St.  Peter's,  two  miles  from 
Calais,'  September  12,  1814  .  .  '513 
(i>)  Lady  Hamilton's  letter  to  the  newspapers  about  the 
rumours  which  had  been  published,  September  14, 
1814 513 

Addenda 

(11)  Extract  from  a  letter  of  Lady  Hamilton  to  Flaxman, 

January  (?)  1801  .  .  .  .  .  •     5'4 

(12)  Extract    from    a    letter    of    W.    Hayley    to    Flaxman 

relating  to  the  same,  November  17,  1805  .  •     5>4 

(13)  Extract  from  a  letter  of  Lady  Hamilton  to  Lady  Nelson, 

November  (?)  1800  .  .  .  .  -514 

(14)  I.  Account  of  Haberdashery  supplied  to  Lady  Hamilton 

for  mourning  after  Sir  William's  death  .  •     5'5 

2.  John  Salter's  bill  for  jewellery  supplied  to  her  from 

January  1802  to  March  1803  .  .  .  •     5'5 

(15)  Extract  from   a    letter   of  Lady    Hamilton    to   Tyson, 

May  8,  1805         .  .  .  -515 


XX  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

►•AGP. 

D.  New  Letters  from  Lord  Nelson  to  Lady  Hamilton — 

(i)  {a)  Extract  from  a  letter  from  Lord  Nelson  to  Lady 

Hamilton,  St.  George.,  March  7  [1801]        .  •     5i5 

{b)  '■  St.  George  o^  Kosiock,' yiay  24,  iZoi  .  .     516 

(2)  (a)  Extract  from  letter,  ^Medusa  at  Sea,'  August  24,  180 1     517 
{b)  Extract  from  a  letter  from  the  same  to  the  same 

regarding  Merton,  Amazon,  September  23,  1801       518 

(3)  Letter   from    Lord    Nelson    relating    to    Sir   William 

Hamilton's  death,  April  6,  1803  .  .  .518 

(4)  Extract  from  a  letter  from  the  same  to  the  same,  in- 

dorsed May  [4?]  1803,  about  the  reading  of  Sir  W. 
Hamilton's  will    .  .  .  .  .  .518 

(5)  Extract    from   a    letter    from    Lord    Nelson    to    Lady 

Hamilton,  '  Victory,  August  24,  1803'   .  .  .     518 

(6)  Copy   from  the  original,   Amazon,  October    14,    1801, 

showing  variations  from  its  transcription  by  Pettigrew,     519 

(7)  Extracts  from  two  letters  from  the  same  to  the  same, 

{a)  May  4,  1S05,  Victory  ;  (b)  August  18,  1805,  Victory 

ofif  Spithead         ......     520 

(8)  Victory  off  Carlisle  Bay,  Barbadoes,  June  4,  1805  .     521 

(9)  Victory,  showing  the  passages  omitted  by  Pettigrew, 

August  27,  1804  ......     521 

E.  Other  New  Letters  from  Lord  Nelson — 

(i)  Extract  from  a  letter  from  Lord  Nelson  to  the  French 

Commander  at  Malta,  October  1798     .  .  .     522 

(2)  Extract  from  a  letter  regarding  Malta  from  the  same  to 

Sir  James  St.  Clair  Erskine,  Naples,  23rd  July  1799  •     5^2 

(3)  Extract  from  a  letter  regarding  Minorca  and  his  policy, 

from  the  same  to  the  same,  Naples,  August  2,  1799    .     523 

(4)  (a)  Extract  from  a  letter  from  the  same  to  Lady  Hamil- 

ton, San  Josef  \?>r\%}c\aLVc{\,  February  11,  1801         .     523 
{b)  Extract  from  a  letter  from  the  same  to  the  same, 

February  14,  1801    .....     523 

F.  Supplementary  Letters — 

(i)  From  the  Hon.  C.  F.  Greville  to  Lord  Hobart  or  Lord 
Pelham  regarding  Lady  Hamilton's  services,  April 
12,  1803    .  .  .  .  .  .  .524 

(2)  The  Rev.  A.  J.  Scott's  Account  of  the  Battle  of  Trafalgar 

in  a  letter  to  his  uncle,  Victory,  October  27,  1805       .     524 

(3)  Account  by  the  same  of  Lord  Nelson's  death  in  a  letter 

to  the  Right  Hon.  George  Rose  .  .  .     525 

(4)  Extract  from  Lady  Hamilton's  letter  to  Sir  W.  Scott, 

March  22,  [1809]  ......     526 

Index  .......,,     527 


LIST    OF    ILLUSTRATIONS 

1.  Lady  Hamilton  (Emma  Lyon),  .  .       Frontispiece 

From  an  original  sepia-study  by  G.  Koinney.     (Pro- 
bably  the  first  sketch  for  '  Sensibility.') 

2.  Lady  Hamilton  (Four  Attitudes),       .  to  face  page  17 

From  an  original  sepia-study  by  G.  Romney, 

3.  Lady  Hamilton,  .  .  .  .  ,,  21 

From  a  water-colour  miniature  by  H.  Treskam. 

4.  Lady  Hamilton,  .  .  .  •  »»  33 

From  an  original  sepia- study  by  G.  Romney.     (Pro- 
bably the  first  sketch  for  her  as  '  Emma.') 

5.  The  Honourable  C.  F.  Greville,    .  ...  35 

From  a  mezzotint  by  Meyer. 

6.  The   Cottage   at  Hawarden  inhabited  by 

Lady  Hamilton's  Grandmother,  .  .  „  41 

From  a  drawing,  after  a  photograph,  by  Florence  Holms. 

7.  Jane  Powell,  Actress,  .  .  •         ..  45 

From  an  old  print. 

8.  Lady  Hamilton  (Emma  Lyon)  as  an  Orange- 

Girl,  .  .  .  .  „  46 

Probably  by  J.  Opie. 

9.  Paddington  Church  and  Green,     .  .  „  56 

From  an  old  print. 

10.  Study  in  Pen  and  Wash,  by  Romney,  ok 
Emma  seated  in  his  Studio:  Greville 
entering,      .  .  .  .  .  „  62 


XXll 


EMMA,   LADY    HAMILTON 


II.  The     Right     Honourable     Sir     William 

Hamilton,    ....  to  face  page    67 

Fr07n  a  rare  engraving,  probably  by  Gravelot. 


12.  Lady  Hamilton  Dancing  the  Tarantella,  . 

Front  an  engraving  after  the  drawing  by  Lock. 

13.  Sir  John  Acton,  .... 

From  the  portrait  acquired  by  the  San  Martino  Gallery 
at  Naples. 

14.  Lady  Hamilton  as  'Cassandra,' 

From  the  mezzotint  in  Hay  ley  s  Life  of  Roni7iey. 

15.  Lady  Hamilton  (1792), 

From  the  original  miniattcre  in  water-colours  by 
Miss  Carr,  afterwards  the  wife  of  General  Cheney, 
Aide-de-camp  to  the  Duke  of  York. 

16.  Lord  Nelson,  ..... 

From  an  engraved  medallion. 

17.  Lady  Hamilton  as  'Circe,'  . 

From  the  original  oil  painting  by  G.  Romney. 

18.  Lady  Hamilton  as  '  Euphrosyne,'    . 

From  a  mezzotint  by  Hury. 

19.  Lady  Hamilton  as  'Serena'  in  the  Boat  of 

Apathy,         ..... 

Frojn  afi  original  oil-sketch  by  G.  Romney. 

20.  The  Table  presented  by  Nelson  to  Lady 

Hamilton,  and  probably  painted  by  Angelica 
Kauffmann,    ..... 

From  a  photograph. 

2  1.  Lady  Hamilton,  .  .  .  . 

From  the  original  oil-portrait  by  J .  Masqncrier, 

2  2.  Lady  Hamilton  (Emma  Lyon)   in  an  atti- 
tude of  Dejection, 

From  the  original  sepia-study  by  G.  Romney. 


109 


123 


135 


137 


157 


169 


201 


256 


259 


262 


325 


LIST   OF    ILLUSTRATIONS  xxiii 

23.  Lord  Nelson,  ....  to  fact  pa^e  341 

From  an  original  chalk-sketch  by  G.  Romney. 

24.  Merton  Place,  ..,.,,         384 

From  an  engraving  after  the  drawing  by  Locker. 

25.  George  Romney,  .  .  .  •         .,        394 

From  a   rare  engraving  by  Madame  Bovy  after  the 
medallion  by  Alphonso  Hay  ley, 

26.  Lady    Hamilton    as    a    Pompeian    Dancer 

WITH  A  Child,         .  .  .  .         „         399 

From  the  shaded  edition  of  the  Attitudes. 

27.  The  Earliest  Sketch  of  Emma  Lyon,         .  ,,        443 

By  Miss  Thomas  of  Hawarden,  daughter  of  her  first 
employer. 


AUTOGRAPH   COLLOTYPES 

1.  Lady  Hamilton's  Letter  of  June  17,  1798,    to  face  page  209 

2.  Admiral  Nelson's  Immediate  Answer  of  the 

same  date,     .  .  .  .  .,,211 


ERRATA 

Page  67.    Portrait  of  Sir  W.   Hamilton  facing  this  page,  for  '  Gravelot '  read 
'  Grignion.' 

,,     94,  note  3,  omit  '  The  "/a"  is  Greville's.' 

,,   188,     ,,      I, y<?r  '  kind' r£a^ 'kindred.' 

,,  ,,  „  4, /or '2629' r^a^' 2639.' 
Pages  192,  195,  and  483.  As  regards  my  theory  that  in  April  1795  Emma 
procured  not  only  Galatone's  ciphered  letter  but  its  key,  I  find  on 
reconsideration  that  it  is  not  supported  by  my  distinction  between 
the  wording  of  the  Queen's  two  letters  to  Emma  of  April  28  and  29. 
The  French  for  '  a  letter  in  cipher  '  in  the  first  is  *  un  chiffre,'  which 
tallies  therefore  with  'the  promised  cipher 'in  the  second.  More- 
over, Hamilton's  dispatch  of  April  30  alludes  to  the  Queen  having 
sent  a  document  with  each  of  them.  My  distinction,  therefore, 
is  untenable  and  confusing.  Hamilton  does,  however,  style 
Galatone's  communication,  which  he  then  forwarded  home  with  the 
two  letters,  a  '  decyphered  dispatch,'  so  that  presumably  he  possessed 
a  key.  I  did  not  realise  at  the  moment  that  the  translation  expressly 
adopted  by  Professor  Laughton  was  Pettigrew's,  and  rightly  so  if, 
as  I  incline  to  believe,  '  vingt-quatie  heures '  means  noon  by  Italian 
time.  I  now  recognise  the  correctness  of  his  interpretation.  I  wish 
to  make  it  quite  clear  that  in  his  article  he  gives  all  the  data,  and 
regret  my  hasty  conjecture  that  so  accurate  and  able  an  investigator 
might  not  have  consulted  the  original. 
Page  202,  note  4.  With  regard  to  the  '  sufferings '  of  the  Royal  family,  it  was 
Nelson's  knowledge  thereof  that  'has  been  doubted.'  The  note, 
however,  shows  that  Lord  St.  Vincent  knew  of  them  in  1798,  and 
Hamilton  was  in  correspondence  with  Nelson. 

,,  218,  line  10.  The  allusion  to  the  '  old  song  '  should  be  rather  to  Byron's 
Don  Juan,  cant.  i.  st.  cxvii.  1.  8:  'And  whispering  "I  will  ne'er 
consent,"  consented.' 

,,  252,  line  17.  The  part  of  the  Queen's  letter  regarding  her  embarkation 
should  have  had  space-marks  to  indicate  a  few  omissions.  The 
whole  of  the  passage  runs  in  French  as  follows  :  '  Nous  sonimes 
descendus  avec  le  plus  grand  secret,  dix  de  famille,  a  I'obscur,  sans 
femmes  ni  personne,  personne  ne  le  savait,  et  en  deux  bateaux, 
guide  Nelson.  Nous  sommes  a  bord,'  etc.  That  'femmes,'  etc., 
mean  'attendants'  appears  from  the  statement  that  nobody  knew, 
which  cannot  refer  to  the  Queen's  intimates. 

,,  342,  line  25,  note  2.  Since  Romncy  left  Hampstead  for  the  north 
before  1800,  I  am  mistaken  in  thinking  that  he  could  then  have  seen 
Emma  or  Nelson,  whom,  I  find,  he  never  'painted.'  The  drawing 
facing  p.  341  was  sold  to  me  as  by  Romney  of  Nelson.  If  it  is,  it 
must  date  from  the  end  of  1797  or  beginning  of  1798.  In  this 
connection  I  may  note  (p.  61)  that  the  study  of  Emma  reading  the 
Gazette  seems  to  be  of  her  as  Serena  reading  scandal  about  herself; 
(p.  79)  that  some  trace  of  a  goat  figures  in  all  the  known  versions  of 
the  '  Bacchante';  (p.  394)  that  Romney  went  north  in  1765  as  well 
1767  ;  and  (p.  466)  that  it  was  Steele  who  painted  Sterne  in  York, 
and  not  the  youthful  Romney,  his  pupil. 

,,  394.  Medallion  facing  this  page, ybr  '  by  Madame  l^oiry  after  the  medallion 
by  Alfonso  Ilaylcy  '  read  '  by  Caroline  Watson  after  the  medallion 
by  Thomas  Hayley,  drawn  by  Maria  Denman.' 

,,  486,  line  \^,for  '  But  Jeaffreson's  argument '  read  '  But  the  argument.' 


EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

CHAPTER    I 

PRELUDE  :    LADY   HAMILTON'S  TEMPERAMENT 

Among  the  lovely  faces  that  haunt  history  (and  they  may 
be  counted  on  the  fingers),  none,  surely,  is  lovelier  than 
that  of  Emily  Lyon,  who  abides  undying  as  Emma,  Lady 
Hamilton.  Yet  it  was  never  the  mere  radiance  of  rare  beauty 
that  entitled  her  to  such  an  empire  over  the  hearts  and 
wills  of  several  remarkable  men  and  of  one  unique  genius, 
or  which  empowered  a  girl  humbly  bred  and  basely  situated 
to  assist  in  moulding  events  that  changed  the  current  of 
affairs.  She  owned  grace  and  charm  as  well  as  triumphant 
beauty ;  while  to  these  she  added  a  masculine  mind,  a 
native  force  and  sparkle ;  a  singular  faculty,  moreover,  of 
rendering  and  revealing  the  thoughts  and  feelings  of  others, 
that  lent  an  especial  glamour  to  both  beauty  and  charm. 
Her  beaux ycux  need  no  more  bewilder  us.  But  that  glamour 
of  endowment,  emanating  from  diverse  elements  of  a  most 
complex  and  vigorous  character,  and  bound  up  even  with 
its  ugliest  blemishes  and  imperfections,  demands  analysis 
before  the  curtain  rises  on  a  drama  of  most  manifold  in- 
terest. Nor  can  the  subtle  lights  and  shadows  of  her 
character  be  duly  appreciated  without  those  new  clues 
which  the  preface  has  detailed.  It  may  be  helpful  also  at 
the  outset  to  hint  something  by  sidelights  of  the  tempera- 
ments of  three  main  associates  of  her  destiny.  Such  a 
survey,  so  far  from  forestalling  the  coming  picture,  will 
rather  illuminate  it  by  examples. 

It  will  be  found  that  Lady  Hamilton,  by  turns  fulsomely 

A 


2  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

flattered  and  ungenerously  condemned,  was  a  picturesque 
power  and  a  real  influence.  She  owned  a  fine  side  to  her 
puzzling  character.  She  was  never  mercenary,  often  self- 
abandoning,  and  at  times  actually  noble.  Her  courage,  warm- 
heartedness, and  gift  of  staunch  friendship,  her  strength  in 
conquering,  her  speed  in  assimilating  circumstance,  the 
firmness  mixed  with  her  frailty,  were  conspicuous  ;  and  it 
was  the  blend  of  these  that,  together  with  her  genuine 
grit,  appealed  so  irresistibly  to  Nelson.  She  must  be 
largely  judged  by  her  capabilities.  Her  faults  were  greatly 
those  of  her  antecedents  and  environment.  Her  sins  were 
involved  in  the  after-falsities  that  the  birth  of  Horatia  was 
to  entail.  In  this  prelude  it  will  be  a  more  pleasing  task 
to  dwell  partly  on  her  better  aspects,  and  in  so  doing  to 
repeat  the  praises — long  forgotten — of  such  as  knew  her 
best.  In  any  case  the  reader  is  asked  to  suspend  opinion 
until  he  has  considered  all  the  new  and  striking  evidence 
to  be  laid  before  him. 

Her  temperament  was  in  essence  both  impressionable 
and  sensitively  expressive.  By  sheer  and  extraordinary 
expressiveness  she  was  able  not  only  to  interpret  the  moods 
and  thoughts  of  others,  but  to  unveil  them  unconsciously 
to  themselves.  Throughout,  she  not  only  acted  without 
art,  but  was  a  prompter  also.  She  could  suggest  possi- 
bilities beyond  her  part,  and  image  more  even  than  she 
performed.  Throughout,  moreover,  a  sense  of  destiny 
encompasses  her.  She  rose  suddenly  to  situations  and 
fulfilled  them,  while  these  again  led  her  both  to  climax  and 
catastrophe.  She  worked  long  and  hard,  and  with  success  ; 
she  took  a  strong  line  and  pursued  it.  She  became  a 
serious  politician  in  correspondence  with  most  of  the 
leaders  in  the  European  death-grapple  with  Jacobinism. 
So  far,  as  has  been  represented,  from  having  proved  the 
mere  tool  of  an  ambitious  queen,  it  will  appear  that  more 
than  once  she  swayed  that  beset  and  ill-starred  woman 
into  decision.  So  far  from  having  craftily  angled  for 
Nelson's  love,  it  will  be  shown  that  the  magnet  of  her 
enthusiasm  first  attracted  his.  She  was  indeed  singularly 
capable  of  feeling  enthusiasm,  and  of  communicating  and 
enkindlinsr  it.     It  is  as  an  enthusiast  that  she  must  rank. 


LADY  HAMILTON'S  TEMPERAMENT     3 

Many  and  most  various  are  the   ministers  of  enthusiasm, 
and  even  the  least  worthy  deserve  a  niche. 

The  two  refrains  of  her  bein^^,  harped  on  with  delight 
and  astonishment  from  the  first  by  the  most  various  ob- 
servers, were  '  Nature '  and  '  Sensibility!  She  was  eminently 
a  child  of  Nature,  and  her  plastic  fibre,  like  some  ^olian 
harp,  vibrated  to  every  gust  or  whisper  of  the  emotions. 

'Sensibility'  was  an  eighteenth  century  catchword.  It 
did  not  mean  'sentimentality'  (and  Emma  was  never  senti- 
mental), though  the  fantastic  whimsies  of  Sterne — one  of 
Romney's  earliest  patrons — have  in  part  persuaded  us  to 
think  so.  It  meant  rather  the  intuition  that  imparts  as  well 
as  absorbs  the  moods  and  feelings  outside  it ;  an  impro- 
vising sympathy,  so  to  speak  ;  a  sensitiveness  eloquent  and 
appealing  ;  what  Nelson  in  one  of  the  '  poems  '  that  '  Henry  ' 
composed  for  his  '  Emma  '^  calls  '  a  heart  susceptible  and  true.' 
And  '  Sensibility '  is  to  be  contrasted  with  those  two  other 
catchwords  of  that  century,  '  Sense '  and  '  Benevolence^  the 
one  the  set  morality  of  worldly  prudence  (incarnate  in 
Greville),  the  other  the  good  nature  of  rationalism,-  a  lead- 
ing strain  in  Sir  William  Hamilton.  'Sensibility'  has 
been  finely  characterised  by  Byron  through  his  vignette  of 
'  Aurora  '  in  the  sixteenth  canto  of  Don  Juan,  where  he 
sketches  it  under  another,  and  a  French,  name : — 

'  So  well  she  acted  all  and  every  part 

Uy  tarns — with  that  vivacious  versatility 

Which  many  people  take  for  want  of  heart. 
They  err — 'tis  merely  what  is  called  mobility, 

A  thing  of  temperament  and  not  of  art, 

Though  seeming  so,  from  its  supposed  facility, 

And  false,  though  true  ;  for  surely  they're  sincerest 

Who  are  strongly  acted  on  by  what  is  nearest. 

'  Several  of  these  will  be  given  hereafter.  Nelson  never  tires  of  repeating 
this  phrase  to  Emma.  '  Henry  '  antl  '  Emma  '  are  names  borrowed  from  Prior's 
poem  of  that  name,  which  contains  many  lines  curiously  apposite  to  their  own 
case. 

-  Lord  Bristol,  Bishop  of  Dcrry,  himself  always  styled  by  the  Queen  of 
Naples  '  L'Archeveque  benevolent,'  writing  to  Emma  in  November  179S,  says 
of  Hamilton  :  ' ,  .  .  Remember  me  in  the  warmest  and  most  enthusiastic  stile 
to  your  friend,  and  my  friend,  and  the  friend  of  human  kind.' — Nelson  Letters 
(1814),  vol.  i.  p.  261. 


4  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

This  makes  your  actors,  artists,  and  romancers 
Heroes  sometimes,  though  seldom — sages  never  ; 

But  speakers,  bards,  diplomatists,  and  dancers. 
Little  that's  great,  but  much  of  what  is  clever  ; 

Most  orators,  but  very  few  financiers.' 

It  was  this  receptive  naturalness  and  artlessness — which 
make  all  her  unpunctuated  and  interjectional  letters  the  very 
echoes  of  her  heart — this  quick  '  sensibility,'  that  in  her  very 
beginnings  so  strongly  impressed  Greville,  the  man  of  studied 
Art  and  '  Sense.'  Her  good  points  and  her  bad  were  alike 
impromptu.  She  was  the  creature  of  impulse,  and  even  her 
falsities  and  frailties  were  spontaneous.  Her  '  sensibility  '  ^ 
sprang  from  volition,  and  little  in  her  was  designed.  This 
may  be  shown  by  several  passages  in  different  parts  of 
her  varied  career.  As  a  young  girl  of  less  than  twenty, 
writing  to  Greville  with  tears  in  her  eyes  from  Parkgate 
in  the  summer  of  1784,  and  assuring  him  how  indelibly 
his  '  angelic '  goodness  has  touched  her,  she  continues  : 
'  And  oh !  Greville,  did  you  but  know  when  I  so  think, 
what  thoughts,  what  tender  thoughts,  you  would  say  Good 
God!  and  can  Emma  have  such  feeling  sensibility'^  .  .  !'^ 
Greville  himself,  corresponding  with  his  uncle  a  year  and 
a  half  afterwards,  repeated  to  his  '  dear  Hamilton  '  that, 
whereas  from  the  first  '  she  had  good  natural  sense  and 
quick  observation,'  and  was  '  perfectly  to  be  depended  on,' 
' .  .  .  she  is  no  fool,  but  there  is  a  degree  of  nature  in 
her  .  .  .  and  yet  she  has  natural  gentility  and  quickness 
to  suit  herself  to  anything,  and  takes  easily  any  hint  that 
is  given  with  good  humour.'^  The  'but'  and  'yet,'  by 
the  way,  stamp  Greville  to  the  life.  Again,  shortly  after 
her  first  appearance  at  Naples,  when  within  a  few  months 
of  the  summer  of  1786,  her  improvement  and  industry  were 
marching  by  strides,  when  King,  Queen,  and  Court  were 
already  entranced,  and  she  '  had  turned  the  heads  of 
the  English,'  the  neighbouring  peasants — from  the  days 
of  Augustus  worshippers   of  '  Madre    Natura' — eyed   her 

•  Nelson  shared  this.  Writing  to  her  in  the  critical  opening  of  1801,  he  says, 
'  I  am  all  soul  and  sensibility;  a  fine  thread  will  lead  me,  but  with  my  life  I  will 
resist  a  cable  from  dragging  me.' — Morrison  Mii.  507. 

2  Morrison  MS.  126. 

3  Ibid.  138,  June  1785  ;   142,  December  3,  1785. 


LADY  HAMILTON'S  TEMPERAMENT  5 

devoutly  as  a  vision  from  another  sphere,  and  actually  knelt 
to  her  as  the  Madonna  ;   even  priests  crossed   themselves 
as  they  beheld  her.^     And  in  after  years  Beckford  recalls 
to  his  kinsman,  then   her  husband,  an    actual  occurrence 
which   might  well   inspire  a  charming  picture:    '.  .  .  Re- 
member me  in  your  kindest  manner  to  the  lovely  Emma, 
whose  friendship  for  me  throws  a  bright  ray  over  my  whole 
existence.     I   cannot  help  looking  upon  her  as  a  sort  of 
superior  being — so  good,  so  candid,  so  ingenuous,  that  the 
poor  old  woman  who  mistook  her  in  the  dawn  of  the  morn- 
ing for  a  statue  of  the  Holy  Virgin,  need  not  have  been 
ashamed  to  renew  her  homage  in  the  open  daylight.  .  .  .'' 
Thirteen  years  later  again,  when  she  was  the  all-powerful 
Lady   Hamilton — as  '  great  a  lady  as  can    be   imagined,' 
said  Madame  Le  Brun — Sir  William  wrote  of  her  to  Nelson, 
just  before  she  started  with  both  of  them  on  her  *  adored  ' 
queen's    fateful    errand    to    insurgent    Naples :    ' .    .    .    Poor 
P2mma   is   unwell   and   low-spirited  with  phantoms  in  her 
fertile  brain  that  torment  her.     In  short,  she  has  no  other 
fault  than  that  of  too  much  Sensibility,  and  that  at  least  is 
a  fault  on  the  right  side.' '     It  was  her  extreme  naturalness, 
moreover,   and    complete    disregard  of  formalities,  that  a 
starched  diplomatist  ■*  and  Madame  Le  Brun '^  herself  both 
singled    out    for   censure.      Once   more,   the   scientific    Sir 
Joseph   Banks,  in   a   letter  to  his  old    crony  Sir  William 
Hamilton,  of  November  1795,  thus  refers  to  Emma,  whom 
he  knew   well   and    liked    much :    '  I    hear  of  her    beauty, 
affability,  and  prudence  from  all  quarters.     I  hear  of  them 
with  an   interest  which   all   who  have  seen   her  must  feel 
for  her  welfare.'^ 

But   under    Nature    and     Sensibility   simmered    another 
and     more     overwhelming    quality,    both     for    good    and 

'  Morrison  MS.  i6S. 

-  Ibid.  235,  February  i8,  1794.  Long  before  this,  in  a  letter  to  Hamilton,  he 
conchules  :  '  Je  me  prosterne  aux  pieds  de  la  Madonne,'  The  reader  will  recall 
the  central  incident  of  Droz's  Atitour  d'tiiie  Sot<ne. 

^  Add.  MS.  34,912,  ft  3  and  4.  *  Elliot  in  1800. 

'•"  In  1 790:  J/ifwo/;,s- (translated  by  Lionel  Strachey),  p.  68.  She  complained 
that  after  dofiing  the  costume  in  which  she  was  painting  her,  .she  appeared  in  a 
simple  one  at  dinner, 

^  Egerton  MS.  2641,  f.  157. 


6  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

evil,  the  implanted  instinct  —  doubly  remarkable  if  we 
remember  her  first  surroundings — of  needing  and  aspir- 
ing to  play  a  grand  part  on  a  great  stage.  I  have 
said  that  Emma  was  unsentimental.  There  lurked  in 
her,  indeed,  more  of  the  storm  than  of  the  flirt  of  the 
fan,  more  of  the  torrent  than  of  the  cascade ;  and  this 
understrain  it  was  that  fired  her  enthusiasm  and  the 
enthusiasm  of  others.  '  She,'  wrote  of  her  the  shrewd  and 
calculating  collector,  only  six  months  after  he  had  parted 
from  her  with  the  pain  of  a  prudent  mariner  who  sinks  his 
treasure  to  save  his  ship — '  She  is  capable  of  aspiring  to  any 
line  which  would  be  celebrated,  and  it  would  be  indifferent 
when  on  that  key  whether  she  was  Lucretia  or  Sappho, 
or  Screvola  or  Regulus ;  anything  grand,  masculine  or 
feminine,  she  could  take  up,  and  if  she  took  up  the  part  of 
Sca^vola,  she  would  be  as  much  offended  if  she  was  told 
she  was  a  woman,  as  she  would  be,  if  she  assumed  Lucretia, 
she  was  told  she  was  masculine.'  ^  Twelve  years  after- 
wards, admired  and  beloved  at  Naples,  the  confidante  of 
a  queen  by  one  of  those  strokes  whereby  the  whirligig 
Time  brings  about  his  revenges,  she  thus  delivered  herself 
to  Nelson  a  few  days  after  the  convulsing  news  of  the 
battle  of  the  Nile  had  privately  reached  her,  and  in  one  of 
the  new  letters-  transcribed  in  our  Appendix:  'How  I 
felt  for  poor  Troubridge !  He  must  have  been  so  angry  on 
the  sandbank.  In  short,  I  pity  those  who  were  not  in  the 
battle.  I  wou'd  have  been  rather  an  English  powder- 
monky  \sic\  or  a  swab  in  that  great  Victory  than  an  emperor 
out  of  it.'  And  again :  '  How  I  glory  in  the  Honner  of 
my  country  and  my  countryman.  I  walk  and  tread  in  air 
with  pride,  felling  I  was  born  in  the  same  land  with  the 
victor  Nelson  and  his  gallant  band.'^  Rhapsody  and 
ecstasy  succeed  ecstasy  and  rhapsody.  She  is  dressed  all 
^  alia  Nelson,'  anchors  for  earrings  and  buttons,  her  very 
seal  stamped  with  the  Nile  and  Nelson.  She  and  her 
husband  are  '  be-Nelsoned '  all  over.  Europe  and  Naples 
have  been  rescued  from  the  jaws  of  death.     The  impetuous 

1  Morrison  MS.  156,  Nov.  15,  1786.     Greville  to  Hamilton. 

2  Add.  MS.  34,989,  f.  4,  Sept.  8,  1798. 
»  Ibid.  f.  14. 


LADY  HAMILTON'S  TEMPERAMENT     7 

queen  cries,  hysterical  with  joy,  over  her  ardent  children  ; 
even  her  stolid  husband  walks  frantically  round  the  room, 
as  they  invoke  blessings  from  their  '  swollen  '  hearts  on  their 
'deliverer,'  Naples  is  en  fete.  Not  'a  French  dog  dares 
show  his  face.'  Maria  Q,^xoX\Vi2i—incognita,  for  war  is  not 
yet  declared — sends  a  ring  to  'that  brave  lad'  Captain 
Hoste,  and  casks  of  wine  and  presents  of  money  to  every 
English  sailor  within  reach.  And  Emma  sees  and  stirs  it 
all,  mounting  her  highest  horse  in  the  delirium  of  the 
moment,  proud  of  the  young  officer  whose  genius  and 
heroism  Sir  William  and  she  had  discerned  and  welcomed 
five  years  agone  ;  and  whom,  as  will  be  proved  hereafter, 
she  had  actually  and  secretly  helped  to  this  glorious  issue. 
She  sings,  in  that  pure  soprano  which  had  long  delighted 
her  various  hearers — she  sings  *  See  the  Conquering  Hero 
Comes '  (rewritten  and  reset  by  herself)  every  day  for  ten 
days  before  the  arrival  of  the  man  who  avowed  himself,  '  if 
it  be  a  sin  to  covet  glory,'  'the  most  offending  soul  alive,' ^ 
When  the  news  first  reached  her,  and  Naples  blazed  with 
illumination  and  resounded  with  songs  and  sonnets,  she 
lights  up  the  English  Embassy  for  three  nights.  '  'Tis, 
'twas  covered  with  your  glorious  name.  Their  were  3 
thousand  lamps,  and  their  shou'd  have  been  3  millions 
if  we  had  had  them.  All  the  English  vie  with  each  other 
in  celebrating  this  most  gallant  and  memorable  victory.' 
What  a  time,  what  a  scene,  what  a  triumph !  Emma  is  all 
exultation,  apostrophe,  crescendo,  superlatives,  and  italics. 
And  yet  it  is  not  bombast ;  her  sympathy  and  genuine 
gratitude  are  as  manifest  in  these  natural  outpourings  as 
her  heroics  and  swell  of  spirit,  A  little  later,  and  she  is  as 
indignant  as  her  husband  that  the  saviour  of  the  situation 
has  been  begrudged  a  viscountcy,  but  her  queen  shall  make 
amends:  'If  I  was  King  of  England,  I  wou'd  make  you 
the  most  noble  .  .  ,  Duke  Nelson,  Viscount  Pyramid,  Baron 
Crocodile,  and  Prince  Victory,  that  posterity  might  have  you 

'  Nelson  is  quoting  Shakespeare's  Henry  V.,  and  he  misquotes,  for  the  word 
is  '  honour,'  not  '  glory.'  From  the  same  play  he  constantly  repeats  the  phrase 
'  band  of  brothers.'  Emma's  own  familiarity  with  Shakespeare  is  evidenced  by 
some  of  Lord  Bristol's  unpublished  letters  to  her  in  the  writer's  possession,  and 
these  also  evidence  her  acquaintance  with  some  Latin. 


8  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

in  all  forms.' ^  Some  six  weeks  afterwards,  when  the 
aigrette  of  honour  comes  from  the  Grand  Signior,  she 
blesses  the  '  good  Turban  soul,'  cries  '  Viva  il  Turk  ! '  and 
longs  to  'smell,  touch,  and  taste'  the  magnificent  pelisse 
which  accompanies  it ;  yet  when  she  presented  Troubridge 
to  the  queen,  what  pleased  her  most  was  that  he  was 
touched  at  the  sight  of  the  royal  children :  '  he  thought 
of  his  own.'  *  How  you  are  beloved,  for  not  only  with 
her  Majesty,  but  with  the  general  [Acton]  you  was  our 
theme,  and  my  full  heart  is  fit  to  Burst  when  I  hear  your 
honoured  name.'^  She  is  still  'the  same  Emma,'  who 
made  tea  in  Edgware  Row,  who  wept  over  that  letter 
from  Parkgate,  who  invited  Romney  and  Hayley  to  Caserta 
directly  she  had  quitted  London,  How  homely  she  was 
and  remained,  will  be  traced  in  another  portion  of  this 
chapter. 

In  October,  while  vacillation  still  reigned  in  the  per- 
plexed palace,  and  faintness  tinged  every  preparative  for 
war,  she  thus  again  addressed  Nelson,  and  with  the  same 
characteristic  exaltation  which  led  him  five  years  onwards 
to  praise  her  denouncing  '  eloquence '  against  corruption 
in  high  places :  '  I  flatter  myself  WE  SPUR  them  on, 
for  I  am  allways  with  the  queen  and  I  hold  out  your 
energick^  language  to  her,  .  .  .  And  I  tell  her  Majesty/^/' 

1  Add.  MS.  34,989,  f.  16. 

"  Add.  MS.  34,989,  f.  :S.  Passages  like  these  explain  her  proud  enumera- 
tion of  Nelson's  triumphs  in  her  letter  to  him — which  is  a  sincere  tirade — of 
some  four  years  subsequent,  on  the  first  anniversary  of  the  battle  of  Copenhagen. 
—Eg.  MS.  1623,  f.  38. 

^  Nelson  also  spelled  the  word  thus.  After  her  self-education  Lady  Hamilton 
still  retained  many  slips  in  grammar  and  orthography  ;  though  that  they  arose 
rather  from  haste  and  carelessness  than  from  ignorance  is  shown  both  by  her 
spelling  and  misspelling  the  same  words  in  the  same  letter—'  has '  and  *  as,'  for 
example — while  she  always  spells  '  have '  correctly  ;  and  from  the  difficult  words 
like  '  physiognomy  '  being  almost  invariably  correctly  spelt.  In  an  early  letter 
to  her  Sir  William  Hamilton  banters  her  on  writing  'except'  for  'accept,'  and 
adds  :' ...  It  is  only  for  want  of  giving  yourself  time  to  think '  ^Nelson 
Letters  (1814),  vol.  ii.  p.  171)  ;  while  in  another  he  says  that  she  neglects  'her 
handwriting  too  much ' ;  but  as  what  she  writes  '  is  good  sense,  everybody  will 
forgive  the  scrawl '  {lb.  p.  145).  Her  spelling  and  grammar  are  no  worse  than  that 
of  many  who  enjoyed  far  greater  educational  advantages.  Even  Greville  and 
Sir  William  trip — (' extreordinary,'  for  instance;  'apoligy,'  'nonsence,'  'delit- 
tante,'  'enimy,'  '  Amalphi,'  '  Paisilippo,'  etc.). 


LADY  HAMILTON'S  TEMPERAMENT     9 

God^s  sake,  for  the  country's  sake,  for  your  own  sake  send 
him  \i.e.  General  Mack]  of[f]  as  soon  as  possible';^  and 
shortly  afterwards :'...!   flatter  myself  I  did  much,  for 
while  the  passions  of  the  queen  were  up  and  agitated,  I  got 
up,  put  out  my  left  arm,  like  you,  spoke  the  language  of 
truth  to  her,  painted   the  drooping    situation   of  this   fine 
country,  her  friends  sacrificed,  her  husband,  children,  and 
herself  led    to   the    Block,  and  eternal    dishonner  to  her 
memory,  after  for  once  being  active,  doing  her  duty  in 
fighting   bravely   to    the    last   to    save    her    country,    her 
Religion   from    the  hands  of  the   rapacious    murderers  of 
her  sister  [Marie   Antoinette]  and   the  royal  Family  .  .  . 
that    she  was   sure  to  be   lost  if  they  were   inactive,  and 
their  was  a  chance  of  being   saved   if  they  made  use  of 
the    day,   and   struck    now   while   all    minds    are    imprest 
with  the  Horrers  their  neighbours  are  suffering  from  these 
Robbers,     In  short  there  was  a  Council,  and  it  was  deter- 
mined to  march   out  and   help  themselves.  .  .  .'     '  If,'  she 
continued,  warming  herself  as  she  proceeded, '  things  take 
an  unfortunate  turn  here  and  the  queen  dies  at  her  post,  I 
will  remain   with   her,  if  she  goes,  I   follow  her.     I  feil  I 
owe  it  to  her  friendship  uncommon  for  me.'-     That  this 
and  many  like  outbursts  were  no  passing  froth,  is  shown  by 
her  own  private  endorsements  at  the  time  on  the  envelopes 
of  Queen   Maria  Carolina's  letters.     One  of  these  was  to 
record :    '  Emma   will    prove   to    Maria    Carolina   that    an 
humble-born   Englishwoman  can  serve  a  queen  with   zeal 
and  true  love  even  at  the  risk  of  her  life.'"^     She  displayed 
the  same  spirit  when  in  the  preceding  year  she  protested  to 
Nelson  that  she  would  rather  have  '  her  flesh  torn  off  by 
red-hot  pincers  '  than  betray  the  trust  of  the  secret  which 
he  had  reposed  in  her.'^     It  was  this  spirit  that  endeared 
her  to  the  Lazzaroni  and  their  leader,  whom  she  boldly 
armed    and    organised    in    1799,   to    Nelson's   admiration.* 
The  same  spirit  animated  her  in  the  summer  of  1800  to 
harangue   a    raging    mob    assembled    below    the    queen's 

1  Add.  MS.  34,989,  f-  14-16.  -  Add.  MS.  34,989,  f.  iS,  July  2,  1779. 

^  Egerton  MS.  1616,  f.  38.  *  Add.  MS.  34,989,  f.  30. 

•'■'  Morrison  MS.  41 1.    This  unknown  episode  of  Pali,  '  the  head  of  the  Lazza- 
roni,' and  Lady  Hamilton,  will  be  found  post,  chap.  x. 


10  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

balcony  at  Leghorn  and  appease  them.     That  these  were 
not  mere  gasconades  will  appear  from  the  wearying  exertions 
undertaken,  the  real  risks  run  in  contriving  the  royal  flight 
in  December   1798,  and  from  the  unremitting  care  which 
she,  as,  in  Lord  St.  Vincent's  grateful  words,  '  the  patroness 
of  the  navy,'  bestowed  on  all  the  seamen  who  came  under 
it.     These  were  the  qualities  which    from   the  first  drew 
Nelson — himself    '  electric,'    as    Lord    Malmesbury's    diary 
recorded    on   his  death ;  ^    Nelson  hailed  the  sympathetic 
spark  that  met  and  reinforced  his  own.     One  of  his  earliest 
mentions  of  her  in  1798  attests  the  nature  of  her  influence. 
'  Her   Ladyship's   .   .  .  inexpressible   goodness   to   me,'    he 
wrote,  '  is  not  to  be  told  by  words,  and  it  ought  to  stimulate 
me  to  the  noblest  actions ;  and  I  feel  it  will'     When  most 
under  her  thrall,  he  declared  the  year  before  he  died, '  as 
I  grow  in  rank,'  '  my  exertions  double."-^     lie  perpetually 
urged,  both  in   conversation,"^  his  private  letters,  his  early 
draft  wills,  and  his   last  codicil,  that  it  was  she  who  had 
helped  and  encouraged  those  actions  '  which  had  won '  him 
honours    and    rewards.'       It   was    these   very   qualities   of 
ambitious  ardour  and   of  vehement  sympathy  that  made 
him  repeatedly  apply  to  her  the  word  used  of  Miranda  in 
The  Tempest — '  a  nonpareil ' ;  *  these  again,  that  made  him 
remind   the  'friend'   of  his  '  bosom,' ^  that  he  had  'often 
heard    her    say'   that   'she   would    not    quit   the   deck'  if 
'she   came  near  a  Frenchman';*^   and  to   remark  of  her 
patriotism,  '  It   is  your   sex    that   make   us    go  forth   and 
seem  to  tell  us  "  None  but  the  brave  deserve  the  fair,"  and 
if  we  fall,  we  still  live  in  the  hearts  of  those  females  who 

'  Vol.  i.  p.  136.  'He  added  to  genius,  valour,  and  energy,  the  singular 
power  of  electrifying  all  within  his  atmosphere.' 

'•*  Nelson  to  Dr.  INIosely :  Victory,  March  ii,  1804;  excerpted  in  Messrs. 
Sotheby's  catalogue  for  July  8,  1905.  The  previous  sentence  is  given  in 
Mr.  Long's  republication  of  the  Memoirs;  it  occurs  in  a  letter  to  Lord  St. 
Vincent. 

■'  At  Dresden,  for  example,  in  1800. 

*  Nelson  in  an  early  letter  also  uses  this  word  of  Troubridge.  '  I  have  been,' 
wrote  Nelson  to  her  in  P'ebruary  1801,  '  the  world  around,  and  in  every  corner  of 
it,  and  never  yet  saw  your  equal,  or  even  one  who  could  be  put  in  comparison 
with  yon.^— Nelson  Letters,  vol.  i.  p.  24. 

*  Morrison  MS.  543,  March  11,  1801.      Nelson  Letters,  vol.  i.  p.  136. 

*  Pettigrew,  vol.  ii.  p.  161. 


LADY  HAMILTON'S  TEMPERAMENT         ii 

are  dear  to  us.  It  is  your  sex  who  cherish  our  memories.'^ 
All  this  is  of  a  piece  with  what  Greville  wrote  of  her,  long 
before  so  large  a  range  was  opened  out  to  her,  that  '  she  has 
a  generous  mind  and  a  true  woman's  that  is  regardless  of 
self  and  its  interests  when  affection  is  put  into  competition 
with  reason."-  Thus  she  and  the  queen  'touched  them- 
selves' (in  Emma's  words)  into  terms  of  rapture,  wonder, 
respect,  and  admiration  ;  thus  '  Sir  William  laughs  at  us, 
but  he  owns  women  have  great  souls,  at  least  his  has.'^ 
Thus  in  the  same  series  she  writes  of  the  Turk  who  has 
honoured  Nelson  that  he  '  is  turned  Christian,  although  I 
fancy  he  denies  souls  to  women.'  Like  Sterne,  and  like 
Heine  repeating  him,  she  too  '  was  positive  '  she  had  '  a  soul.' 
One  may  characterise  her  as  naturally  theatrical.  She 
did  not  'pose/  she  acted,  till  she  became  the  Maenad 
of  the  emotions  which  she  typified.  And  this  truly 
Celtic  faculty  for  dramatic  transport  frequently  swept 
her  steps  astray,  and  sometimes  contributed  to  her 
glaring  blemishes.  Curbed  under  the  chill  guidance  of 
Greville,  but  fostered  by  Sir  William,  and  eventually 
adored  by  Nelson,  it  gradually  grew  into  a  habit.  As  a 
'  wild  and  giddy  girl '  *  of  seventeen,  thankful  to  one  who 
had  rescued  her  from  admiration  without  affection,  cling- 
ing to  her  reprimander  as  a  trustful  pupil  to  a  beloved 
preceptor,  she  had  laboured  to  restrain  her  wayward  out- 
bursts. Greville's  express  wish  from  the  first  was  to  lead 
her  to  '  value  '  herself  and  '  be  respected.'  ^  Her  temper  was 
'  unequal,'  as  even  then  the  nephew  assured  the  uncle, 
while  praising  her  normal  sweetness,^  and  as  a  few  years 
afterwards  the  uncle  reinformed  the  nephew.  Through 
Romney — Greville's   client  —  to    whom    she   first    'opened 

'  Nehofi  Letters,  vol.  i.  p.  24.  Cf.  '  You  have  sent  your  dearest  friend,  and 
I  have  left  mine.  The  conduct  of  the  Roman  matron  :  Return  with yottr  shield, 
or  upon  it ;  so  it  shall  be  my  study  to  distinguish  myself,  that  your  heart  shall 
leap  for  joy  when  my  name  is  mentioned. — Pettigrew,  vol.  i.  p.  442,  March  13, 
1801.  -  Morrison  MS.  147,  March  11,  1786,  and  cf.  136. 

'•'•  Add.  MS.  349S,  tf.  18-24,  October  24,  1798.  «  Her  own  words. 

''  Morrison  MS.  177,  May  26,  1789. 

"  Cf.  Morrison  MS.  138  and  passim  under  all  dates,  and  Nelson's  first 
description  of  her  to  his  wife  (1793):  'She  is  a  young  woman  of  amiable 
manners  and  who  does  honour  to  the  station  to  which  she  is  raised.' — Pettigrew, 
vol.  i.  p.  42. 


12  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

her  heart,'  she  became  acquainted  with  Hayley  and  his 
didactic  '  poem,'  The  Triumphs  of  Temper.  The  example 
of  its  heroine  '  Serena '  she  acknowledged  as  a  leading 
influence  for  good  ;  but  for  it,  she  told  Romney  in  1791,  her 
'  girdle,'  unlike  Serena's,  '  had  burst.'  After  Nelson's  death 
had  set  in  motion  the  thickly  gathering  troubles  which 
were  to  culminate  in  catastrophe,  when  she  had  already 
proved  '  Victim e  de  secours  plus  que  la  doulenr'  she  may 
be  found  conveying  the  same  assurance  to  the  same 
Hayley  :  ' .  .  .  I  was  leaning  my  cheek  upon  my  hand 
very  unhappy  ;  but  I  did  try  to  get  a  victory  over  myself 
and  seemed  to  be  happy  though  miserable.  .  .  .  Now, 
indeed,  again  must  I  read  your  Triumphs  of  Temper'^ 
Long  before  and  long  afterwards,  she  was  always  repeat- 
ing her  diplomatist-husband's  pet  exclamation,  '  Patienza 
per  forca!'  -  She  wished  and  tried,  often  with  success,  'to 
be  an  example  of  good  conduct,  and  to  show  the  world  that 
a  pretty  woman  is  not  a  fool.'^  But  her  self-discipline  was 
never  achieved ;  and  underneath  incessantly  smouldered 
a  southern  fire,  which  a  freak  of  Nature  had  engendered  in 
a  county  raw  even  for  the  north  of  England,  and  which  a 
stroke  of  fate  equally  curious  had  restored  to  the  volcanic 
soil  of  its  affinity.  Had  she  only  '  had  a  good  education,' 
sighed  the  poor  girl  of  nineteen,  'what  a  woman  might  she 
have  been ' ;  ■*  an  opinion  echoed  later  by  her  protector, 
himself  agreeing  with  Sir  William  that  she  was  an  'extra- 
ordinary '  and  gifted  being.  Her  intellectual  nurture,  at  first 
one  of  accomplishments,  never  became  a  severe  discipline 
of  the  mind,  though  her  serious  study  astonished  even  the 
learned.  She  trained  herself  into  some  acquaintance  with 
art,  literature,  and  history,  she  became  an  excellent  linguist.^ 

^  Autograph  letter,  June  5,  1806,  in  Mr.  Sabin's  possession.  Cf.  App., 
Part  II.  C.  (3)a:. 

^  In  an  early  letter  he  warns  her  never  to  be  in  a  hurry.  Nelson  Letters, 
vol.  ii.  p.  166. 

^  Morrison  MS.  189,  January  1791,  when  she  says  also  'Ma  patienza,  io  ho 
molto.'  ^  Morrison  MS.  128,  July  1784. 

•'  Eg.  MS.  2641,  f.  139.  After  her  early  proficiency  in  French  and  Italian, 
she  added  such  a  knowledge  of  Spanish  and  German  as  to  be  able  to  teach 
them  to  Horatia  during  her  closing  years.  Cf.  her  letter  of  September  12, 
1814,  to  Sir  William  Scott,  afterwards  Lord  Stowell,  excerpted  in  Sotheby's 
catalogue  for  July  8,  1905.     Cf.  App.  Part  11.  C.  (io)a. 


LADY  HAMILTON'S  TEMPERAMENT         13 

Her  moral  training  had  been  one  mainly  of  discretion  and 
esteem.  The  wandering  steps  of  her  extreme  youth  were 
retrieved  (though  they  were  never  forgiven  or  forgotten), 
but  a  lofty  level  was  never  reached.  Once  having  seized 
the  opportunities  of  a  big  arena,  she  gave  full  rein  to  her 
native  glow  of  irrepressibility.  '  Difficult,'  as  she  avowed 
to  Nelson,  '  and  unable  to  make  friends  with  all,'^  she  easily 
lost  balance  when  once  congenial  or  caressing  fondness 
had  fastened  her  passionate  friendship.  Her  sympathetic 
gratitude  hymned  hero-worship  in  bravura.  She  some- 
times became  headstrong,  hysterical,  frantic,  grandiose  to 
the  verge  of  hallucination.  Good  opinion  once  gained 
must  be  kept,  and  at  all  hazards.  Though  eager  to  part 
with  her  all  for  her  friends,  though  from  the  first  the 
interested  Greville  praised  her  as  the  most  disinterested 
creature  existing,  and  indeed  to  be  scolded  for  her  readi- 
ness to  share  'her  last  shilling,'^  though  'loving  to  do  a 
benefit,'  as  the  queen  of  the  two  Sicilies  was  proud  to 
avow,^  though  she  could  not  rest,  when  her  husband  had 
given  her  a  new  gown,  till  her  poor  old  grandmother, 
who  had  so  often  helped  her  young  need  out  of  her  own 
aged  poverty,  had  received  her  annual  gift,*  though  kind 
to  the  ungrateful,  she  wilfully  exacted  praise  and  greedily 
hoarded  fame.  Flattery  soon  duped  her  thirst  for  admira- 
tion ;  she  could  seldom  forfeit  esteem  by  facing  the  truth, 
or  confess  that  she  or  her  friends  were  other  than  what  she 
wished  or  fancied  them.  Prosperity  indeed  warped  her 
less  than  adversity.  The  suddenness  of  her  rise  turned 
her  head  the  less,  because  from  the  first  she  had  nourished 
extravagant  ambitions.  Her  very  simplicity  had  always 
been  self-conscious.  It  was  the  fury  of  her  feelings,  easily 
fired  and  with  difficulty  quenched,  that  spasmodically 
warped  her  reason,  and,  in  one  fatal  instance,  her  con- 
science. The  riot  of  sympathetic  emotion  perpetually 
tended  to  run  away  with  her,  till  it  hurried  her  unaffected 

1  Add.  MS.  34,989,  ff.  iS-24. 
-  Cf.  Morrison  MS.  137,  142,  and  154. 
3  Eg.  MS.  1615,  f.  95- 

*  Morrison    MS.    215,    December   4,    1792.      'I    cannol,'   she    here    writes, 
'  divcsl  myself  of  my  original  feelings.' 


14  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

sincerity  into  false  positions,  despite  its  many  intervals 
of  sense  and  judgment.  At  the  root  of  this  highly-strung 
and  adaptive  temperament  lay  a  nervous  physical  organisa- 
tion that  in  part  accounts  for  it.  Throughout  her  life  she 
was  ever  swooning  at  moments  of  crisis.  On  hearing  of 
the  Nile  battle,  she  swooned  and  hurt  herself;^  on  greet- 
ing the  victor's  return  she  swooned  again ;  at  the  song 
which  celebrated  his  death  she  swooned  thrice.  When 
her  friends  were  in  affliction  she  lost  her  sleep ;  under  the 
strain  of  energy  she  neither  ate  nor  slept.  Though  muscu- 
larly  robust,  she  was  fundamentally  delicate;^  she  was 
always  ailing,  often  morbid.  Her  constitution  seemed  to 
crave  violent  excitements  and  grew  to  feed  on  them. 
Without  an  audience  she  could  not  relish  existence,  though 
it  was  seldom  a  public  audience  that  she  craved — rather 
a  circle  small,  but  responsive. 

And  bound  up  with  all  these  instincts,  in  one  ever  easily 
led  by  kindness,  was  her  sharp  resentment  not  only  at 
affront,  but  at  being  crossed.  Although  these  gusts  were 
fleeting,  she  could  ill  brook  to  be  thwarted,  and  her  un- 
chastened  spirit  rose  up  in  arms  and  sent  her  distracted. 
'  Ay,'  wrote  Nelson  of  the  child  Horatia,  '  she  is  like  her 
mother :  will  have  her  own  way  or  kick  up  the  devil  of  a 
dust.'^  'She  has  the  devil  of  a  temper,'  said  Beckford, 
*  when  she  is  set  on  edge.'  And  Romney's  '  divine  lady ' 
could  strike  the  beholder  with  awe  as  well  as  admiration. 
An  English  savant  at  Naples,  shortly  after  she  first  dawned 
on  its  horizon,  was  '  frightened  '  by  a  certain  '  Majesty  and 
Juno  look  '  with  which  she  received  him.^ 

A  strong  element  of  all  this  effervescence  was  her  delight 
in  defeating  expectation.  '  You  know,'  she  observed  of  her 
singing  at  Naples,*!  love  to  surprise  people.'^  And  cer- 
tainly surprise  followed  surprise. 

She  had  always  surprised  her  kinsfolk  and  her  mother,  to 
whom  by  common  consent  she  was  unselfishly  devoted,  and 

»  Add.  MS.  34,989,  f.  4. 
^  Cf.  Morrison  MS.  142. 
^  Nelson  Letters,  vol.  i.  p.  158,  and  cf.  p.  162,  Oct.  18,  1803. 

*  Morrison  MS.  163,  Jan.  18,  1787. 

*  Ibid.  172,  to  Greville,  Jan.  8,  1788. 


LADY  HAMILTON'S  TEMPERAMENT         15 

who  was  never  parted  from  her  except  by  death.  She  sur- 
prised the  unemotional  Greville  alike  by  her  prudence,  by 
her  self-sacrificing  constancy,  and  by  her  abilities.  She  sur- 
prised her  doting  husband  successively  by  her  gifts,  her 
behaviour,  and  her  application,  by  her  '  divine  '  music,  and  by 
her  landscape  drawings  at  Sorrento  ;  ^  nor  least,  by  con- 
verting him  from  the  lukewarm  companion  in  sport  and 
cards  of  a  sluggish  king,  into  the  fiery  partisan  of  a  great 
hero  and  an  indefatigable  queen  ;  by  arousing  the  quality, 
always  dormant  in  him  but  alert  in  Nelson,  of  '  doing  nothing 
by  halves.'  ^  Twice  she  saved  his  life  by  nursing  him  unre- 
mittingly night  and  day  for  more  than  a  week.  She  sur- 
prised him  also  by  her  'domesticity.'^  She  struck  the 
Neapolitan  court  and  society  by  the  '  example '  which  she 
'set'  to  the  Italian  ladies  of  quality.*  Her  'Attitudes,' 
privately  performed  and  perpetually  varied,  joining,  by 
universal  consent,  to  the  grace  and  intensity  of  Greek 
statues  the  most  delicate  gleams  of  impersonation,  as- 
tounded Goethe  himself  on  his  '  Italian  Journey,'  and  a 
succession  of  distinguished  and  sometimes  hostile  observers. 
Her  vocal  powers  surprised  equally  the  prima  donna 
Banti,  and  the  musicians  Hart  and  Aprile.  English  and 
Spanish  impresarios  often  offered  large  sums  for  a  public 
performance,  but  she  surprised  them  by  her  refusals.  At 
Palermo,  in  1799,  her  talents  roused  tame  poets  into  rapture, 
and  an  unfriendly  diplomatist^  into  unfeigned  wonder  that 
'she  manages  everybody  and  rules  everything.'  She 
amazed  the  gifted  Lady  Diana  Beauclerk  and  the  beautiful 
Duchess  of  Argyll,  after  them  the  two  famous  Duchesses  of 
Devonshire,  into  unceasing  attachment.  Nor  was  she  ever 
jealous  of  bewitching  rivals  ;  ^  while  in  many  other  concerns 

'  '  Drawing  is  as  easy  as  A,  B,  C,'  Morrison  MS.  164.  And  afterwards  her 
drawings  pleased  the  artistic  queen;  cf.  Eg.  MS.  1616,  f.  53  (July  1799), 
' .  .  .   I  thank  you  too  for  the  three  drawings.     Kvery  one  admires  them.' 

-  This  phrase,  habitual  both  to  Sir  William  and  to  Nelson,  is  first  employed 
by  the  former  in  a  letter  of  June  1773.     Morrison  MS.  30. 

•*  Cf.  Nelson  Letters,  vol.  ii.  p.  153,  'You  are  certainly  the  most  domestic 
young  woman  I  know ' ;  and  Morrison  MS.  passim. 

*  Sir  William  noticed  this  especially  to  Greville :  they  were  '  preaching  up ' 
Emma  as  a  model  of  propriety.  •'"'  Rushoul,  Elliot  Memoirs,  vol.  ii.  p.  13S. 

*  Cf.  the  episode  given  post,  chapter  v.,  of  her  friendship  in  January  17S7 
with  Beatrice  Acquaviva,  Morrison  MS.  160. 


i6  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

also  she  evinced  an  entire  lack  of  pettiness.  Her  assailants 
were  always  men  ;  most  women,  high  and  low,  with  one  very 
just  exception,  had  ever  a  good  word  for  her.  How  she  en- 
thralled Nelson  we  shall  observe  as  the  narrative  proceeds. 
She  enchanted  his  homely  sisters,  and  riveted  the  love  of  their 
children,  as  the  Morrison  Manuscripts  testify  in  abundance. 
She  surprised  the  rugged  and  caustic  *  Peter  Pindar,'  the 
eccentric  and  Voltairean  Bishop  of  Derry.  She  surprised 
that  astonishing  Anne  Hyde,  Marchioness  of  Solari,  whose 
brilliant  vicissitudes  almost  outdid  her  own.  She  surprised 
the  erudite  Banks,  the  fastidious  Gavin  Hamilton,  the  savant 
Saunders.  She  surprised  the  clever,  critical,  the  artificial 
and  tainted  author  of  Vathek.  She  amazed  the  unsur- 
prisable  Horace  Walpole.  Herself  she  amazed,  alike  by 
her  achievements,  her  struggles,  her  '  idolisation  '^  of  Nelson, 
and  consequent  calamities.  She  dazzled  the  ever-green 
bucks  and  cynics  of  the  Regency,  and  many  more  reputable 
luminaries  of  fashion  whom  she  won  into  regard  and  respect.^ 
She  astounded  alike  her  friends  and  her  foes.  Her  phases 
— less  abrupt  than  has  been  supposed — form  one  long  chain 
of  surprises.  Her  romping  spirits  continually  captivated 
and  cheered  the  few  for  whom  they  were  reserved.  Romney 
she  enchained,  as  he  confesses,  by  that  infinite  and  inspiring 
power  of  expression  which  held  him  from  1782  to  1786, 
which  has  mutually  immortalised  them  on  canvas,  and 
bereft  of  which  in  1791  he  gradually  drooped  and  withered, 
till  his  death  in  1802. 

He,  an  unlettered  son  of  the  people,  welcomed  in  her  an 
unschooled  daughter  of  the  soil,  with  all  its  untempered  sap 
and  the  wild  gaiety  of  its  hedgerows.  She,  the  least  con- 
ventional of  interpretesses,  appealed  to  him,  the  least 
conventional  of  painters.  Romney,  indeed,  won  his  spurs 
by  defying  the  conventions  which  then  exacted  that 
soldiers  in  a  modern  battle-piece  should  be  classically  clad  ; 
after  the  same  manner  Talma  was  to  win  his,  by  refusing 

^  'Idol'  is  her  refrain.  It  occurs  in  the  last  letter  that  she  wrote  to  him. 
Morrison  MS,  845,  Oct,  8,  1805. 

-  Such  were  the  Duke  of  Sussex,  who  for  more  than  twenty  years  remained 
not  only  her  good  friend,  but  her  mother's  ;  and  Lord  Northwick  and  Sir  Brooke 
Boothby, 


LADY  HAMILTON'S  TEMPERAMENT         17 

to  play  'Titus'  in  peruke.  Whether  on  the  stage  Emma 
would  have  proved  a  great  actress  in  sustained  efforts  may  be 
doubted,  but  in  flashes  and  glimpses,  as  an  actress  of  impres- 
sions, she  stands  supreme — a  lyricist  of  passion  and  emotion. 
And,  contrasted  with  the  realism  of  Reynolds,  Romney 
remains  an  impressionist  also.  Between  the  two,  indeed, 
are  many  coincidences  extending  to  words  and  handwriting, 
though  he  lacked  her  fluency  of  phrase.  They  hailed  from 
neighbouring  provinces,  and  both  spoke  with  something  of 
the  same  twang  ;  ^  he  too  shared  what  the  Bishop  of  Derry 
soon  longed  to  be  near  once  more,  together  with  '  woodcock 
pye '  and  '  humble  port '  in  his  '  garret  at  Caserta  ' — '  dearest 
Emma's  Dorick  dialect.'  -  He  was  to  her  a  '  friend '  and 
'father' — a  father-confessor  to  whom  she  poured  out  her 
heart  ;'^  while  she  to  him  was  the  'divine  lady,'  deigning 
to  pose  for  one  who  also  then  laboured  under  many  slights 
and  disadvantages.  According  to  Hayley's  line,  her  'smile 
to  him  was  Inspiration's  beam,'  She  was  all  effluence  ;  he 
was  shy,  often  moody,  taciturn,  dejected;  always  expressing 
his  ideas  more  easily  by  the  brush  than  by  his  awkward 
speech  and  pen.  As  peasant-artist  he  welcomed  the  superb 
expressiveness  of  a  country  girl.  At  a  glance  he  discerned 
her  Nature  and  Sensibility,  which  he  embodied  among  his 
first  presentments  of  her. 

To  form  any  idea  of  her  varied  emotional  suggestiveness, 
rivalling  the  future  range  of  her  activities,  we  must  gaze  on 
their  countless  phases  in  Romney 's  sketches  and  pictures 
alone.  As  Cassandra,  she  is  all  despairing  Destiny.  As 
Miranda,  she  looks  out  on  a  world  of  wreck  and  hurricane 
with  a  wild  and  pitying  wistfulness.  As  Sensibility,  how 
tenderly  her  lips  tremble,  in  answer  to  her  eyes.  As  Nature 
how  sylvan  she  appears,  how  simply  she  rejoices  to  be  alive  ! 
As  Circe,  standing  in  sovereign  silence,  while  Ulysses  sails 
away  behind  her,  how  imperiously  the  sorceress  resigns 
her   reign  as,  with  wand    down-pointed,  she   beckons   her 

*  These  are  phrases  common  to  both.  In  June  iSoS  she  wrote  to  Ileavyside, 
her  doctor,  who  had  just  saved  her  life  :  '  You  have  been  like  unto  me  a  father, 
a  good  brother '(a  letter  in  Mr.  Sabin's  ownership) ;  and  in  1784  her  sentence, 
'  the  wild,  unthinking  Emma  has  turned  philosopher,'  is  quite  in  Romney'? 
manner.     Morrison  MS.  1261. 

-  Morrison  MS.  305.  '  Il>iiL  208. 

B 


i8  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

savage  beasts  back  into  humanity !  As  Joan  of  Arc  (a 
memorial  of  Romney's  French  visit),  she  is  patriotism 
inspired  and  inspiring.  As  Saint  Cecilia,  she  is  the  soul 
of  rapt  melody  ;  as  *  Mirth,'  the  ideal  of  careless  laughter  ; 
as  '  Comedy,'  bending  over  the  infant  Shakespeare,  she 
reflects  frolic  motherhood;  as  '  Euphrosyne,'^  she  seems 
arch  '  L'Allegra  '  herself,  all  '  wreathed  smiles.'  Two  less 
familiar  but  most  idyllic  representations  of  her  as  a  tired 
Bacchante,  piping  amid  the  grass,  and  a  fervid,  tragic 
Muse,  long  went  by  the  names  of  '  Tragedy  '  and  '  Comedy,' 
but  have  now,  I  believe,  been  called  '  shepherdesses.'  As 
Bacchante,-  as  Magdalen,  as  a  Sibyl,  she  imparts,  not 
receives,  moods,  ideas,  emotions.  I  have  seen  a  chalk 
sketch  of  her  as  a  vision  of  Hellas,  all  majesty  and  terror  ;  an 
oil  sketch  of  her  as  Ophelia,  ethereal  and  fading,  in  the  dis- 
array of  her  spirit,  as  the  field-flowers  in  her  hair.  Romney 
studies  of  her  are  extant,  as  agonised  or  martyred  suppliant, 
as  an  incarnation  of  listlessness  or  pensive  regret,  as  clinging 
Juliet  abandoning  herself  to  Romeo.  The  picture  of  her  as 
Medea,  the  figure,  as  Romney  wrote  to  her, '  sitting  with  her 
hair  floating  in  the  air,'^  has  vanished,  but  another  'Medea' 
remains  which,  although  a  mere  outline  by  the  architectural 
Rehberg,  is  left  with  that  wonderful  'Thamar'  among  the 
'  Attitudes,'  and  recalls  some  impression  of  the  tragic  mother 
hastening  her  child  and  herself  in  horror-stricken  fear  to 
Nemesis.  The  *  Serena  in  the  Boat  of  Apathy '  *  has  at  last 
been  found;  so  also  the  original  portrait-study  of  *  Emma ' 
with  all  its  speaking  brightness  of  expression.      She  was 

^  I  cannot  agree  with  Messrs.  H.  Ward  and  W.  Roberts  that  one  of  these 
'  Euphrosynes '  is  a  portrait  of  Mrs.  Crouch. 

*  John  Romney  in  his  Memoirs  of  George  Romney  mentions  another  of  her  in 
this  character  for  Sir  W.  Hamilton,  and  '  lost,  I  believe,  at  sea  on  its  return  to 
this  country.' 

^  Letter  of  August  1786,  quoted  in  Mr.  H.  Ward's  and  Mr.  W.  Roberts's 
Life. 

*  Hayley,  writing  to  her  in  1804,  and  signing  himself 'The  Hermit, 'says  that 
in  his  '  little  marine  cell '  he  could  '  entertain '  her  '  with  a  sight  of  yourself 
in  three  enchanting  personages,  Cassandra,  Serena,  and  Sensibility.  These 
three  ladies  are  all  worth  seeing,  whether  the  old  Hermit  is  so  or  not  ;  so,  pray, 
come  to  see  us  whenever  you  can.  Adieu.' — Pettigrew,  vol.  ii.  p.  597.  John 
Romney  in  his  Life  of  his  father,  says  it  was  painted  for  Mr.  Christian  Curwen 
(p.  180). 


LADY  HAMILTON'S  TEMPERAMENT         19 

never  ashamed  of  having  been  a  servant,  and  in  this  guise 
too  Romney  has  painted  her  as  well  as  in  that  of  a  gypsy.^ 
Mr.  Hargreaves  of  Liverpool  possesses  an  early  portrait  of 
her  as  a  country  girl.  Of  Romney's  many  portrayals,  per- 
haps the  loveliest  is  that  in  the  present  possession  of  Mr. 
Alfred  de  Rothschild  ;  but  a  rival  to  this  exists  in  the  fine 
likeness  of  her  as  '  Ambassadress,'  completed  on  her  wedding 
day  in  September  1791,  and  immediately  after  her  return 
from  Marylebone  Church.  She  sits  dressed  in  white  with 
a  blue  band  round  her  waist,  and  one  of  those  large  blue 
velvet  hats  which  were  her  favourites,  and  which  Greville 
used  often  to  forward  to  Naples,  in  meek  obedience  to  her 
behests,  after  she  had  become  his  aunt.  Romney  also 
painted  her  in  that '  Turkish  dress '  with  which  she  greeted  him 
on  her  return  to  London  in  the  spring  of  that  year.  He 
painted  her  reading  a  book — one  of  the  most  charming  of 
his  unfinished  likenesses  ;  he  painted  her  in  every  posture 
and  aspect.  Romney's  own  choice  among  all  his  portraitures 
of  her  was  that  where  her  staid  sweetness  is  personified  as 
'  The  Seamstress,'  which  should  be  distinguished  from  the 
even  more  beautiful  *  Spinstress,'  also  painted  for  Greville 
and  parted  from  (like  the  original)  with  a  pang  of  almost 
pious  resignation,  to  Mr.  Christian  Curwen.'-^  '  The  sight,' 
wrote  Romney  to  her  in  1786,  soon  after  her  first  appearance 
in  Naples,  '  of  such  a  head  as  the  Cassandra,'  which  he  was 
copying  for  Hayley,  always  'inspires'  him;  but  as  for  his 
subsequent  sitters,  '  ladies  of  fashion,'  since  her  departure, 
'  all  fall  far  short  of  the  Sempstress ;  indeed,  it  is  the 
sun  of  my  Hemispheer  and  they  are  the  twinkling  stars.' ^ 
Emma  was  eminently  '  when  unadorned,  adorned  the  most.' 
Greville,  remarking  on  her  discretion  in  conduct  and  choice 

'  Emma  sent  for  this  picture  in  1786,  soon  after  her  arrival  at  Naples,  but 
it  seems  to  have  vanished.  It  is  interesting  to  note  that  so  late  as  1799  Sir 
Alexander  Ball,  writing  from  Malta,  reminds  her  how  she  had  dressed  up 
in  gypsy  guise  at  Palermo,  and  told  his  fortune.      Cf.  Nelson  Letters,  vol.  i. 

P-  233- 

'  Cf.  Greville's  letter  lo  Romney,  February  25,  17S8,  quoted  in  John  Romney's 
Life  of  his  father,  p.  184. 

^  Cf.  the  letter  of  August  1786,  found  in  one  of  Romney's  sketch-books  by 
Mr.  Fairfax  Murray,  and  given  in  Mr.  II.  Ward's  and  Mr.  W.  Roberts's  Life  of 
Romney^  vol.  i.  p.  67. 


20  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

of  acquaintance,  also  noticed  her  neatness  and  fondness  for 
plain  if  good  attire.  Sir  William,  writing  to  her  from  a 
shooting-box  some  years  before  her  marriage  with  him,  and 
after  she  had  graced  without  jewels  a  Neapolitan  ball  where 
all  the  wives  of  the  corps  diplomatique  glittered  with  gems, 
observed  that  she  was  the  '  brightest  jewel '  there ;  and  in 
another  letter :  '  Take  my  word,'  he  told  his  wife,  '  that  for 
some  years  to  come  the  more  simply  you  dress,  the  more 
conspicuous  will  be  your  beauty,  which,  according  to  my 
idea,  is  the  most  perfect  I  have  met  with,  take  it  all  in  all.'^ 
None  the  less,  her  simplicity  suffered  as  she  won  applause, 
and  the  earlier  pictures  of  her  are  the  most  touching. 

It  is  needless  to  pursue  the  dreamland  which  she  created 
for  Romney.  Scores  of  other  artists,  at  home  and  abroad, 
painted,  sculptured,  modelled  her  in  wax,  carved  her  on 
intaglios  or  enamelled  her  on  boxes.  Tischbein,  Hackert 
and  the  Italian  Rega  were  prominent.^  Romney's  friend 
Tresham  was  always  painting  her.  The  great  Sir  Joshua 
is  not  ascertained  to  have  painted  any  other  semblance  of 
her  than  the  'Bacchante' — commissioned  by  Sir  William 
Hamilton,  his  old  ally,  to  whom  he  wrote  among  the  first 
about  the  foundation  of  the  Royal  Academy.^  But 
Hoppner  and  Lawrence  limned  her  more  than  once;* 
Gainsborough  also  painted  her,^  though  I  cannot  agree 
that  his  'Musidora'  resembles  her;  rather  it  is  like  Mrs. 
'Perdita'  Robinson.  Cosvvay  drew  and  miniatured  her. 
There  are  two  among  several  representations  by  Angelica 
Kauffmann,  one  as  Cleopatra,  the  other  a  really  fine  study 
of  Ariadne  deserted,  though  not  to  be  compared  with 
Romney's  presentment  of  her  in  that  forsaken  character. 
'  Angelaca '  (as  Emma  styled  her)  painted  her  also  as  an 
Italian  Contadina  resting  by  a  pillar  of  the  Caserta  home- 

^  Nelson  Letters,  Jan.  l8,  1792.  From  Persano,  whither  he  accompanied 
the  king. 

2  The  writer  has  one  of  these  ;  another,  in  the  British  Museum,  was  used  by 
Nelson  as  a  seal. 

2  Morrison  MS.  17,  March  1769.  Reynolds,  however,  is  believed  to  have  left 
at  least  one  sketch  of  her. 

■*  In  Sir  Walter  Armstrong's  Life  this  portrait  is  catalogued  as  '  Ex  Bishop  of 
Ely.' 

•"'  He  drew  her  at  least  twice — once  after  Sir  William's  death ;  but  his 
Bacchante  holding  a  cherry  is  the  sole  work  of  significance. 


Lady  Hamii.ion. 

From  an  early  -Mater-colour  sketch  by  H.  Treskaiii. 


LADY  HAMILTON'S  TEMPERAMENT         21 

stead,  or  perhaps  in  Rome,  and  this  portrait,  which  lacks 
distinction,  is  now  in  the  South  Kensington  Museum.  But 
she  also  delineated  her  naturally  as  '  A  Lady  Resting.' 
Cipriani  made,  it  is  said,  a  delicate  water-colour  of  her  towards 
the  close  of  his  life,  while  she  was  still  on  the  threshold  of 
youth.  Gavin  Hamilton  drew  her  as  '  Thalia,'  and  the  head 
of  this  still  masquerades  in  England  as  a  work  of  Romney. 
Madame  Le  Brun's  '  Bacchante  on  the  Seashore'  is  familiar, 
but  she  further  portrayed  her  as  a  Sibyl  and  also  as 
'  Bacchante  '  in  a  different  attitude.  Cuzzardi — a  mediocre 
painter — portrayed  her  both  at  large  and  in  miniature. 
Opie  seems  to  have  painted  her  as  an  orange-girl ;  Single- 
ton drew  her  as  '  Maternal  Attention  '  and  as  '  Laughter' — 
reminiscent  of  Romney.  The  Irish  Barry  also  tried  his 
hand  ;  Wells,  too,  limned  her  as  '  Inquiry '  and  '  Nerissa ' ; 
others  as  '  Hebe,'  as  '  Industry,'  as  '  Idleness.'  Even 
Westall  could  not  vulgarise  her  as  '  St.  Cecilia '  and 
*  Sappho.'  The  second-rate  Masquerier  took  her  portrait 
in  England  about  1802.  Saye's  mezzotint  has  a  Neapolitan 
background,  but  the  original,  unearthed  at  the  end  of  last 
year,  shows  an  English  park,  possibly  that  of  Eonthill. 
There  were,  moreover,  masses  of  apocryphal  portraits, 
especially  in  Paris,  where  the  Jacobins  delighted  to  malign 
even  her  face  from  imagination.  She  may  be  said  to  have 
founded  both  a  type  and  a  vogue,  for  more  than  one  fashion- 
able lady  was  taken  'as  Lady  Hamilton.'  Her  play  of 
expression  was  indeed  extraordinary.  She  could  so  trans- 
form her  face  and  gestures  in  harmony  with  her  moods  as 
to  become  a  separate  impersonation.  In  repose  her  counte- 
nance looked  wholly  different  from  its  aspect  under  agita- 
tion, and  her  profile  differs  from  her  full  face. 

To  Romney  then,  as  afterwards  to  Nelson,  she  was  a 
Muse  ;  a  Muse  communicating  and  inspiring,  or,  at  least,  a 
medium  of  inspiration.  To  the  part  of  Muse  the  symmetry 
of  her  form  and  features — those  of  a  Greek  statue  or  in- 
taglio ^ — the  classical  yet  mobile  mouth  which  artists  from 

'  When  Sir  William,  the  most  zealous  of  connoisseurs  and  antiquarians,  made 
a  tour  in  1789  to  the  southernmost  region  of  Italy,  he  acquired  an  intaglio  which 
he  averred  the  image  of  Emma.  In  1800  he  called  her  his  'fair  Grecian.'  Cf. 
Cyrus  Kcdding's  Fifty  Years  of  my  Life. 


22  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

the  first  singled  out  as  a  miracle,^  the  auburn  tresses 
touched  with  gold,  that,  released  from  their  fillets,  swayed 
around  her  dancing  feet,  the  clear,  deep  grey-violet  of 
the  large,  soulful  eyes,^  all  lent  themselves.  The  old 
Bishop  of  Derry,  Sir  William's  friend  and  schoolfellow, 
scarcely  blasphemed  in  asserting  that  Emma's  creation 
betokened  a  *  glorious  mood  '  in  her  Creator.^  True,  she 
was  often  a  muse  of  the  green  room,  a  free  and  easy  muse 
of  Bohemia,  sometimes  a  muse  with  something  of  the  fury  * 
behind  her,  on  occasion  a  muse  of  dare-devilry,  a  volatile 
muse  too,  a  muse  also  that  could  'cook  "Sir  Willum's" 
apple  pies/^  or  enjoy  the  Irish  stew  which  her  own  mother 
had  dressed,^  and,  above  all,  a  muse  that  gloried  in  having 
sprung  from  the  people,  and  could  snap  her  fingers  gaily  in 
the  face  of  kings.'^  But  a  muse,  notwithstanding,  she 
endures.  She  could  never  have  fixed  the  respectful  wor- 
ship of  Romney  and  the  reverent  passion  of  Nelson  had 
not  this  prerogative  been  hers. 

Or,  if  exception  be  taken  to  so  fine  a  metaphor,  let  me 
explain  my  meaning  otherwise.  Emma  was  by  nature  a 
model — a  model  that  called  forth  the  slumbering  ideals  or 
sensations  of  others.  To  Romney  she  was  the  model  of  all 
the  possibilities  of  feeling,  and  every  beauty  in  action  ;  she 
transformed  his  art,  as  may  be  seen  by  comparing  his 
pictures  before  with  those  after  he  knew  her.  To  Hamilton 
she  was  the  model  of  antique  art.  To  Nelson,  of  glory, 
of  Britain.  All  these  she  may  not  have  been,  but  it  was 
her  strange  faculty  to  realise  and  revive  them  in  others  ; 
to  the7n,  these  she  was.  How  many  models  of  loveliness  in 
pictures  have  faded  away  nameless,  while  Emma  abides ! 
And  just  as  the  study  for  a  great  picture  has  the  weakness 

^  So  said  Gavin  Hamilton. 

2  One  of  them  had  a  small  brown  speck  upon  it.  The  writer  owns  a  water- 
colour  likeness  by  Romney  which  defines  the  colour ;  Mrs.  St.  George  in  her 
Journal  calls  them  '  blue. ' 

3  Morrison  MS.  248,  November  1794.  A  letter  from  Joseph  Denham,  who 
recalls  the  saying  to  her  mind. 

^  Tischbein  painted  her  in  this  character,  and  as  '  Iphigenia.' 
''  Minto  Life  and  Lcttets,  vol.  ii.  p.  365. 

^  Journal  o{  Mrs.  St.  George  [Melesina  Chenevix,  afterwards  Mrs.  Richard 
Trench].     Cf.  posl,  ch.  xi. 

^  She  did  so  once  in  the  face  of  Ferdinand  of  Naples.     Cf.  post,  chap.  xi. 


LADY  HAMILTON'S  TEMPERAMENT         23 

peculiar  to  studies,  but  a  special  charm  of  its  own  tran- 
scending the  finished  work,  and  tingling  with  the  soul  in 
unison  with  the  hand,  so  Emma  was  such  a  study  for  that 
which  often  she  never  attained,  but  constantly  inspired. 
There  is  a  strain  of  'Trilby'  about  Lady  Hamilton,  and 
Du  Maurier's  pathetic  apology  for  his  heroine's  lapses 
applies  to  her  also. 

Yet  fully  to  understand  a  faculty  so  chameleon,  we 
must  recognise,  as  was  certainly  the  case,  the  grave 
drawbacks  that  it  entailed.  Although  there  was  a  sub- 
structure that  was  always  Emma,  she  was  yet  possessed 
by  the  reigning  influence  of  the  hour.  She  was  what  she 
/e/t.  Under  Greville's  rule  she  was  prudent,  childlike, 
scrupulously  exact  even  in  the  household  accounts  which 
survive.  With  Hamilton  she  became  a  diplomatist  anxious 
to  shine,  and  rather  an  economist  of  fame  than  money, 
which  she  lavished  on  both  public  and  private  purposes, 
more  indeed  than  his  Highland  hospitality  and  the  demands 
of  a  pinched  connoisseur  approved;^  but  even  then  for  her 
own  expenses  she  never  exceeded  her  most  moderate  allow- 
ance, much  of  which  was  bestowed  on  charity.  While  she 
was  the  queen's  comrade  she  caught  from  Maria  Carolina 
the  terse,  broken  over-emphasis  of  her  style.  With  Nelson 
she  turned  heroine,  and  it  will  be  found  that  her  heroics 
meant  real  heroism.  When  he  died,  however,  and  no  ruler 
of  her  life  was  left,  the  Duke  of  Queensberry's  set,  rapacious 
Italian  refugees,  the  demands  of  kinsfolk,  the  burden  of 
Merton  improvements,  prompted  extravagance  at  every 
turn.  She  relapsed  into  a  mere  tissue  of  embedded 
memories  and  of  bygone  selves,  unsteadied  by  controlling 
mastery.  And  after  her  mother's  death  in  18 10,  only  her 
unvarying  attachment  to  the  child  Horatia  regulated  her 
at  all.  The  muse  as  medium,  the  muse  of  mutual  inspira- 
tion was  dead. 

Few  will  question  that  here  was  an  original  woman,  whose 
iridescent  nature  was  not  that  of  the  common  herd,  but  a 
compound   of  strange  opposites.     This  was  no  cultivated 

'  In  one  of  his  letters  of  1801  Nelson  reminds  Emma  how  her  husband  used 
to  stint  in  candles  and  other  tritlcs.  As  early  as  1774  Sir  R.  Keith  banters  him 
from  Vienna  on  '  economising '  in  postage.     Morrison  MS.  32. 


24  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

type  of  the  Renaissance  such  as  Diane  de  Poitiers  with 
the  fin  sourire  of  her  epoch.  She  was  no  vulgar  or  venal 
adventuress,  still  less  the  wanton  minx  or  pariah  of  tradi- 
tion. She  was  not  a  daughter  of  pleasure  at  all.  Nor  did 
she  resemble  those  of  her  contemporaries,  like  Lady  May- 
nard  and  Lady  Seaforth,  whose  mere  frailty  found  refuge 
in  titled  wedlock  ;  or  those  refined  intrigantes^  the  Countess 
of  Lichtenau  and  '  Princess  Elizabeth,'  ^  whose  romantic 
adventures  drew  both  to  Naples,  and  whose  pitiful  ends 
proved  that  royalty  is  perhaps  the  weakest  reed  of  all  on 
which  to  lean.  Nor  was  she  a  feinnie  galante  like  her  luck- 
less friend  Mrs.  Billington,  or  like  that  nobly-born  and 
winning  wanderer  Grace  Dalrymple  Elliott,  or  the  sad, 
sentimental  'Perdita.'  Emma's  good  name  was  absolutely 
untarnished  from  the  date  of  her  marriage  until  1800;  she 
could  fix,  as  hundreds  of  epistles  witness,  not  only  regard 
but  respect.  One  of  their  foundations  was  her  inherent 
homeliness. 

This  homeliness,  Propriety-Impropriety-Greville  —  the 
pattern  of  precision — always  gratefully  acknowledged.  She 
had  not  been  long  with  Sir  William  before  he  too  vaunted 
that  she  was  very  '  domestic'  '  Good  and  kind,'  Nelson 
often  wrote,  she  was  to  everybody,  *  knowing  how  to  reward 
merit  in  rich  or  poor,  beggar  or  prince,'  and  he  loved  her  to 
row  him  on  the  tiny  Nile  at  Merton.^  '  I  assure  you,  my 
dear  friend,'  he  exclaimed  in  October  i8oi,'I  had  rather 
read  and  hear  all  your  little  story  of  a  white  hen  getting 
into  a  tree,  or  an  anecdote  of  Fatima  [Horatia],  or  hear  you 
call  "  Cupidy,  Cupidy,"  than  any  speech  I  shall  hear  in 
Parliament ;  because  I  know ' — he  adds,  referring  to  an 
episode  which  long  affected  her  fate — '  although  you  can 
adapt  your  language  and  manners  to  a  child,  yet  that  you 
can  also  thunder  forth  such  a  torrent  of  eloquence  that 
corruption  and  infamy  would  sink  before  your  voice  in 
however  exalted  a  position  it  might  be  placed.'     Children 

'  This  extraordinary  woman  claimed  (and  perhaps  rightly)  to  be  the  Czarina's 
daughter  by  Count  Rasoumowski.  After  an  education  in  Persia  and  many 
wanderings,  she  appealed  to  the  aid  of  the  Sultan,  besought  Hamilton's  assist- 
ance at  Naples,  was  betrayed  by  the  Russian  Minister,  Orloff,  to  the  Court  of 
St.  Petersburg,  where  she  languished  a  prisoner  till  she  died. 

2  Nelson  Letters  (1814),  vol.  ii.  passim. 


LADY  HAMILTON'S  TEMPERAMENT         25 

and  animals  and  all  young  things  were  her  joy.  She 
shrank  from  those  enormous  battues  which  Sir  William 
shared  annually  with  the  King  of  Naples,  and  her  compas- 
sionate heart  bled  for  its  victims.  Never,  once  wrote 
Nelson  to  her,  would  any  live  thing  be  hurt  in  her  neigh- 
bourhood. Tranquillity,  repose,  the  details  of  a  farm 
superintended  by  her  own  hands,  sat  on  her  as  easily  at 
Merton  as  flutter  and  excitement  in  Piccadilly.  She  long 
bestowed  care  on  the  education  of  Nelson's  nieces,  includ- 
ing the  future  Lady  Bridport.  Horatia's,  mismanaged  as 
it  was,  engrossed  her  from  the  moment  when  the  child 
could  be  received  under  her  roof  And  in  her  heroic  days 
at  Naples  she  performed  the  humblest  services.  She 
was  an  excellent  nurse,  perhaps  from  her  early  servi- 
tude as  a  poor  little  maid  of  thirteen.  She  was  always 
nursing  her  old  husband,  and  she  nursed  him  affec- 
tionately to  the  end.  She  received  Lord  St.  Vincent's 
written  thanks  for  nursing  Nelson.  She  was  constantly 
nursing  sick  friends.  And  she  was  ready  to  tend  and  mend 
the  entire  fleet.  There  is  an  amusing  passage  in  one  of  our 
new  letters  of  1798  from  her  to  Nelson  in  this  connection. 
It  concerns  an  Irish  orphan,  a  lad  in  Nelson's  ship  when 
in  the  October  of  this  year  he  was  settling  affairs  at  Leg- 
horn. Emma  thus  wrote  to  her  hero :  '  My  dear  little 
fatherless  Fady — tell  him  to  keep  his  head  clean  and  when 
he  comes  back  I  will  be  his  mother  as  much  as  I  can  ; 
comb,  wash,  and  cut  his  nails  ;  for  with  pleasure  I  loved 
to  do  it  all  for  him.'  ^  The  Morrison  Collection  is  full  of 
grateful  thanks  from  all  sorts  and  conditions  of  men  and 
women  for  her  kindnesses  towards  them.  One  of  these 
speaks  of  her  '  divine  urbanity  and  condescension  by 
which  you  have  attracted  to  yourself  the  admiration  and 
respect  of  mankind.'  - 

Such  was  the  woman  that  Nelson's  intense  attachment 
has  idealised.  How  he  idealised  her  the  following  excerpt 
from  an  unpublished  letter,  written  on  the  St.  George  off 

'  Add.  MS.  34,989,  f.  iS,  October  24,  179S.  Sir  W.  Ilamiltou  in  one  of  his 
letters  to  her  {Nelson  Ixttcrs)  looks  forward  to  the  same  attentions,  and  so  does 
Nelson  in  another  (Morrison  M.S.). 

-  Morrison  MS.  453.     From  T.  Roche,  Feb.  14,  iSoo— a  welcome  Valentine. 


26  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

Rostock  some  seven  weeks  after  the  Copenhagen  battle, 
will  indicate.  Its  praise  was  caused  by  her  rejection  of 
the  overtures  of  the  Prince  Regent  and  his  graceless  crew, 
circumstances  which  called  forth  some  of  the  most  extra- 
ordinary letters  ever  written  by  Nelson.^  Sir  William  had 
been  selling  his  pictures  at  Christie's,  and  among  them,  to 
Nelson's  rage,  portraits  of  Emma  herself.  Nelson  com- 
missioned the  purchase  of  Romney's  '  St.  Cecilia,'  and 
it  eventually  found  its  way  to  his  cabin :  '  Yesterday  I 
joined  Admiral  Totty  where  I  found  little  Parker  with  all 
my  treasures,  your  dear  kind  friendly  letters,  your  picture 
as  Santa  Emma,  for  a  Santa  you  are,  if  ever  there  was  one 
in  this  world.  For  what  makes  a  Saint.?  The  being  so 
much  better  than  the  rest  of  the  human  race.  Therefore 
as  truly  as  I  believe  in  God,  do  I  believe  you  are  a  Saint, 
and  in  this  age  of  wickedness  you  sett  an  example  of 
great  Virtue  and  Goodness  which  if  we  are  not  sunk  in 
Luxury  and  Infamy  ought  to  rouse  up  almost  forgot 
Virtue.  .  .  .  And  I  am  one  of  those  who  believe  that  in 
England  the  higher  the  class,  the  worse  the  company.  I 
speak  generally.  I  will  not  think  so  bad  of  any  class  but 
that  there  may  be  some  good  individuals  in  it.  How  can  I 
sufficiently  thank  you  for  all  your  goodness  and  kindness 
to  me,  a  forlorn  outcast  except  in  your  generous  soul.'^ 

Hyperbole  from  a  lover's  lips ! — and  so  amazing  that  it 
brings  one  to  a  halt.  It  sounds  incredible  until  the  curious 
episode  that  underlies  it  is  unfolded  with  our  story.  And 
even  then,  a  lover's  hyperbole  it  remains.  Their  mutual 
troth  was  no  common  passion,  but  a  deep  and  lasting  love. 
It  led  him  to  idealise  her  beyond  comparison,  to  find  in  her 
the  fulfilment  of  his  dearest  and  highest  dreams.  Her 
idealised  image  was  for  him  none  the  less  an  inspiriting 
reality.  Good  Dr.  Johnson  deemed  his  plain  wife  a  beauty. 
Nelson  knew  that  Emma  had  been  a  heroine,  and  here  he 
proclaims  her  a  saint ! 

But  his  devotion  led  him  to  invert  the  accepted  stan- 
dards ;  to  consecrate  a  love  that  discarded  wedlock,  and  to 
exalt  wifeliness  far  above  wifehood,  to  regard  the  one  in  the 

^  Cf.  chap.  xii. ,  where  they  are  reproduced  for  the  first  time. 

2  Add.  MS.  34,274  G.,  May  24,  1801.     Cf.  Appendix,  Part  li.  D.  (i). 


LADY  HAMILTON'S  TEMPERAMENT         27 

light  of  convenience,  the  other  in  the  h'ght  of  conviction. 
No  one  can  read  his  later  letters,  especially  the  new  and 
striking  instances  given  in  the  Appendix,^  v/ithout  realising 
to  what  lengths  he  carried  these  transposals.  Just  as  the 
conventional  morality  often  canted  against  him,  so  Nelson, 
by  spiritualising  his  defiance,  may  be  said  in  a  manner  to 
have  canted  also.  But  for  him  it  was  all  truth  itself  And 
sAewas  no  less  genuine.  Her  ill-regulated  ideals  of  kindness, 
of  feeling,  and  of  glory — all  these  she  realised  in  Nelson. 
Hitherto  she  had  been  lovingly  grateful  to  varying  selfish- 
ness. Nelson's  unselfishness  transfigured  her  to  herself; 
she  became  capable  of  great  moments.  And  she  was  born 
for  friendship.  '  I  would  not  be  a  lukewarm  friend  for  the 
world,'  she  wrote  to  him  at  the  outset  in  one  of  our  new 
letters.  '  I  cannot  make  friends  with  all,  but  the  few 
friends  I  have  I  would  die  for  them.'-  She  was  always 
warm-hearted  to  a  fault,  as  will  amply  appear  as  her 
character  grows  up  in  these  pages.  So  far  from  numbing 
Nelson,  she  nerved  him  ;  nor  did  she  ever  debase — far  less 
befoul — any  within  the  range  of  her  influence. 

But  she  was  also  a  born  pagan,  and  a  born  rebel.  If 
such  a  temperament  could  admit  of  saintliness,  if  such  a 
thing  could  be  as  a  lawless,  an  unregenerate  saint,  then, 
perhaps,  Emma  had  earned  her  profane  halo  far  more  than 
would  be  readily  conceded.  I  f  courage  alone,  and  generosity, 
and  tenderness,  and  energy,  and  big-heartedness,  and  a 
will  over-defiant  of  opinion,  could  make  a  'saint,'  the  phrase 
had  not  been  overstrained.  But  Emma  never  learned 
the  lesson  of  self-effacement ;  rather  she  sought  to  realise 
herself. 

I  have  reserved  to  the  last  perhaps  the  most  singular, 
and  certainly  the  most  blameworthy,  phase  of  her  develop- 
ment, which  really  led  to  all  the  miseries  and  wrongs  of  her 
closing  years,  for 

'.  .  .  II  est  juste 
Qu'on  soit  puni  par  oil  I'on  a  pechc.' 

From   the  disguised   birth  of  Horatia   in  January   1801 

•  Appendix,  Part  il.  D.  (i)  (a)  and  {f>),  and  (8)  (2)  {a). 

^  Add.  MS.  34,989,  f.  24,  Oct.  28.     See  Appendix,  Part  II.  A. 


28  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

involving  both  Emma  and  Nelson,  each  from  their  wish  to 
defend  the  other,  in  a  degrading  conspiracy  of  silence,  she 
was  constrained  to  play  the  part  realised  by  Sudermann  in 
the  heroine  of  his  play  Es  lebe  das  Leben.  Lady  Hamilton 
thenceforward,  like  '  Beate,'  craved  a  triple  realisation  of 
existence  in  the  strong  lover,  the  weak  but  still  cherished 
husband,  and  the  tenderly  guarded  child.  It  was  and  ever 
will  be  a  futile  quest.  But  the  Muse  in  search  of  a  Hero, 
and  the  Hero  in  search  of  a  Muse,  encountered  each  other, 
and  there  was  an  end.  To  '  warm  '  tJiree  '  hands  before  the 
fire  of  life '  is  incompatible  with  the  very  basis  of  society, 
and  she  wronged  irretrievably  that  blameless,  if  narrow  and 
inadequate,  woman  who  had  been  united  to  him  in  hasty 
and  regretted  wedlock.^  Nelson  always  hoped  to  have 
been  able  to  legalise  his  and  Emma's  union  of  hearts.  She 
was  his  '  pride  and  delight,'-  '  his  wife  before  God ' ;  his  love 
for  her  was  '  unbounded '  as  his  element  'the  ocean ';^  he 
would  take  unto  him  a  wife  '  more  suitable  to  his  genius ' 
than  the  once  '  valuable '  Fanny.  To  Emma,  Nelson  was 
'the  dearest  husband  of  my  heart,'  her  'idol,'  her  'man  of 
men,'^  her  'Hero  of  Heroes,' ^  her  'all  of  good' — surely  a 
very  sweet  and  genuine  expression,  and  occurring  in  the 
last  letter  but  one  that  she  ever  addressed  to  him.*^  All 
his  enemies  were  hers,  and  all  his  friends.'^  For  him  she 
lived  ;  in  the  faith  that  she  would   meet  him  again,  she 


^  In  one  of  her  letters  Mrs.  Bolton,  Nelson's  sister,  says  that  Lady  Nelson 
only  'pretended  to  love  him.'  But  his  family  were  biassed  against  her.  Her 
real  faults  will  appear  as  the  chronicle  advances. 

-  From  an  unpublished  passage  in  a  letter  belonging  to  Mrs.  Hampden  : 
'  Victory,  off  Carlisle  Bay,  Barbadoes,  June  4,  1805.'  In  another  from  the  same 
source  (one  of  his  last):  '  Victory,  off  Portland,  Sept.  16,  1805.'  ...  'I  love 
and  adore  you  to  the  very  excess  of  the  passion.  .  .  .  Should  I  be  forced,  I  will 
act  as  a  man,  neither  courting  or  ashamed  to  hold  up  my  head  before  the  greatest 
monarch  in  the  world  !  I  have,  thank  God,  nothing  to  be  ashamed  of.'  These, 
among  other  letters  belonging  to  Mrs.  Hampden,  were  originally  Pettigrew's, 
but  such  as  he  printed  were  published  with  the  fervour  stoned  out  of  them.  Cf. 
Appendix,  Part  li.  D. 

^  Nelson  Letters,  vol.  i.  p.  135,  Aug.  26,  1803.  He  also  calls  her  his  'Alpha 
and  Omega.' 

^  Eg.  MS.  1623,  f.  32,  April  2,  1802.  ^  Eg.  MS.  2240,  f.  151. 

^  Morrison  MS.  844,  Oct.  24,  1805. 

^  Ibid. ,  passim,  and  cf.  post,  chapters  xi.  and  xii. 


Jl 


LADY  HAMILTON'S  TEMPERAMENT         29 

died.^  Never  was  a  pair  more  tenderly  attached,  or  indeed 
wrapped  up  in  one  another.  It  should  be  recollected,  too, 
that  from  their  first  and  brief  acquaintance  in  September 
1793.  till  his  death  in  October  1805,  the  sum  total  of  time 
that  could  be  spent  in  each  other's  company  did  not  extend 
to  as  much  as  four  years.  This  ordeal  of  absence,  while  it 
heightened  their  longings,  proved  a  hard  strain  for  endeared 
affection.  But  none  of  this  can  excuse  Nelson  for  putting 
away  his  jealous  wife  as  rashly  as  he  had  wedded  her,  or 
absolve  Lady  Hamilton's  fanning  of  his  flame,  or  her  atti- 
tude towards  the  woman  she  had  foiled,  and  who  had 
slighted  her.  And  so  surely  as  the  imploring  wraith  of 
Emma  is  indissociable  from  his  image  on  the  column  of 
heroism  and  glory,  so  surely,  even  granting  her  pettier 
nature  and  her  grievance  over  shattered  social  ambitions, 
that  other  wraith  of  the  injured  wife  mutely  and  justly 
turns  her  indignant  back  on  its  base.  She  was  unfor- 
giving, but  so  was  the  revengeful  rival  who  had  supplanted 
her, 

'  Forgiveness  to  the  injured  doth  belong, 
He  never  pardons  who  hath  done  the  wrong.' 

Fair  Rosamund  was  probably  relentless  towards  Queen 
Eleanor  before  the  appearance  of  the  dagger  and  the  bowl. 
There  were,  it  is  true,  many  palliations ;  and  one  un- 
doubted and  curious  fact  of  psychology  seems  to  have  been 
overlooked.  None  can  combine  all  Nelson's  many  private 
letters,  scattered  through  many  collections,  without  realis- 
ing his  intense  desire  for  fatherhood.  His  wife  had  never 
borne  him  children,  while  his  devotion  to  his  drunken  step- 
son had  all  along  been  ill-repaid  both  by  'the  cub'  himself 
and  by  the  mother,  who  alternately  petted  and  persecuted 
her  son.  Lady  Hamilton,  too,  by  nature  motherly,'  yearned 
for  a  child  that  she  might  freely  acknowledge.  Writing  to 
Nelson  so  early  as  the  autumn  of  1798,  in  one  of  our  new 
letters,  she  ends  it  thus:  '  Love  Sir  William  and  myself, 
for  we  love  you  dearly.     He  is  the  best  husband,  I  wish  I 

'  Morrison  MS.  959. 

-  Cf.  ihe  letters  of  1784  in  the  Morrison  MS.  about  that  poor  '  little  Emma,' 
of  whom  she  was  deprived,  and  of  whom  more  hereafter. 


30  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

cou'd  say  father  allso,  but  I  shou'd  be  too  happy  if  I  had 
the  blessing  of  having  children,  so  must  be  content.*^ 

For  some  years  she  had  even  then  been  rather  the  spoiled 
daughter  than  the  wife,  the  nurse  and  chatelaine  more  than 
the  partner  of  her  ageing  husband,  who  had  so  long  prided 
himself  on  perennial  youth.  She  was  sincerely  attached  to 
him  and  he  to  her,  despite  those  tiffs  towards  the  close  of 
his  life,  arising  from  her  marked  attentions  to  the  man 
whom  both  loved  and  tended.  His  last  letter  to  her  pro- 
claims that  to  her  alone  he  remained  attached  beyond  the 
bounds  of  friendship,  while  the  words  of  his  will  praise 
Nelson  as  the  most  loyal  friend  and  gentleman  of  his 
long  experience.  It  is  almost  impossible  to  believe  that 
such  a  practised  worldling  should  have  been  bhnd  to  the 
real  relations  which  matured  so  suddenly.  His  very  fond- 
ness might  have  set  him  guessing,  for  '  who  dotes,'  in 
Shakespeare's  adage,  '  doubts.'  One  might  exclaim  with 
Beaumarchais — 

'  Qui  est-ce  done  que  Ton  trompe?    Tout  le  monde  est  du  secret.' 

The  probability  is  that  with  his  placid  bias  and  love  of 
ease,  he  deliberately  shut  his  ears  to  the  insinuations  of 
Greville  and  others.  Rather  than  risk  '  scenes,'  or  disturb 
the  lives  of  the  tvvo  that  he  loved  best  in  the  world,  he 
hoodwinked  himself  into  a  fool's  paradise.  At  any  rate, 
both  Nelson  and  Emma  (in  whose  arms  he  expired)  were 
with  him  to  the  last.^ 

But  the  retribution  to  Lady  Hamilton  came  in  her 
enforced  attitude  towards  Horatia,  and  Horatia's  towards 
her.  Until  the  alleged  offspring  of  '  Mrs.  Thomson'  could 
safely  be  lodged  at  Merton,  she  had  perforce,  during  their 
joint  visits  to  the  baby  in  Little  Titchfield  Street,  to  stand 
apart  and   aloof,  despite  her  yearning.     Horatia  herself — 

1  Add.  MS.  34,989,  f.  18.  That  she  had  one  child  already  (though  no  more) 
will  be  proved  as  we  proceed.  What  she  means  is  no  child  of  Hamilton  that 
she  could  be  allowed  to  cherish  in  her  home. 

-  The  actual  account  of  the  closing  scene  is  given  by  Nelson  in  a  letter  imme- 
diately after  Hamilton's  death. — Eg.  MS.  2240,  f.  157.  This  letter  has  never 
been  published,  and  will  be  cited  in  its  place.  It  will  be  found  that  his  last 
conversation  with  Greville  before  he  died  concerned  his  desire  that  the 
Government  would  acknowledge  and  reward  her  services. 


LADY  HAMILTON'S  TEMPERAMENT         31 

her  mother's  last  companion — called  her  '  My  Lady,'  and 
was  afterwards  reared  to  believe  her  birth  a  nameless 
mystery,  though  a  mass  of  conclusive  evidence  leaves  no 
shadow  of  doubt  as  to  whose  child  she  was.  Here  surely 
was  some  burden  of  punishment.  Emma  suffered  for  her 
sin. 

Nor  should  we  forget  the  tone  and  standard  of  the  age. 
Two  currents  were  contending.  The  one,  of  a  materialist 
aristocracy  (still  regarded  as  demi-gods  by  the  people), 
championing  the  outward  bienseances.  Such  were  the 
Warwicks,  the  Hamiltons,  the  Pembrokes,  and  the  Port- 
lands. The  other,  of  the  equally  hedonist  sansculottes, 
who  transformed  an  opera-dancer  into  the  statue  of  their 
goddess,  Reason  ;  or  of  such  English  Jacobins  as  Miss  Wil- 
liams, herself  crowned  in  Normandy  as  the  same  presiding 
saint.  Unconscious  hypocrisy  was  confronted  by  conscious 
licence.  Old  barriers  were  openly  upheld  by  those  who 
covertly  sneered  at  them  ;  while  those  who  broke  them 
down  stood  naked  and  not  ashamed.  Everywhere,  too,  as 
authority  and  reverence  tottered,  while  all  boundaries  bade 
fair  to  disappear,  was  quaffed  and  handed  on  from  lip  to 
lip  the  intoxicating  cup  of  emancipation. 

In  the  following  pages  her  good  and  evil  qualities  will 
alike  be  scrutinised.  No  attempt  will  be  made  to  blink 
her  errors,  which  are  reviewed  and  re-examined.  Rut 
she  has  been  constantly  blamed  in  the  wrong  instances 
for  lack  of  a  full  knowledge,  while  praise  for  the  same 
reason  has  often  been  inappropriately  bestowed.  The  sole 
endeavour  of  my  research — the  only  aim  for  which  research 
should  exist — is  truth.  With  a  wide  background,  and  in  a 
full  light,  the  reader  can  here  see  her  as  she  lived,  and  form 
his  own  independent  judgment.  That  she  played  a  hand  in 
the  hard  game  of  history  will  be  amply  manifest.  Was  it 
for  her  own  hand  that  she  chiefly  played,  or  did  she  play, 
and  with  her  own  cards,  for  others  ?  One  fact  is  certain  : 
in  loving  Nelson  when  she  was  most  powerful  and  most 
respected  she  risked  her  all,  and  from  mutual  help  arose 
their  mutual  love.  Throughout  she  will  be  found  urging 
the  interests  of  others  before  her  own,  and  immediately 
after  Nelson's  death   first  advocating  his  family's  advan- 


32  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

tage.  Contrary  to  the  received  version,  she  seems  not  to 
have  addressed  Nelson's  brother  on  her  own  behalf  till  more 
than  a  year  after  her  hero's  death.^ 

Whatever  sentence  the  reader  may  pronounce  on  the 
evidence  to  be  submitted,  he  cannot  fail  to  mark  the 
psychological  problems  of  her  being.  In  any  case,  with  all 
her  blots  and  failings,  Lady  Hamilton  presents  one  of  the 
most  fascinating  studies  in  the  eternal  duel  of  sex.  To  her 
may  well  be  applied  the  line  which  her  future  husband 
quoted  in  his  book  of  1772  -.^ — 

'Tantarum  femina  rerum.'^ 


^  Cf.  fosi,  chap.  XV.,  and  Appendix,  Part  II.  C.  (i)  (a)  and  (2). 
-  Observations  on  Mount  Fesuvms,  Mount  Etna,  etc. 
'  From  Cornelius  Severus'  poem  on  Etna:  — 

'  The  heroine  of  a  thousand  things." 


CHAPTER    II 

THE  CURTAIN   RISES — 1765-1782 

On  the  morning  of  January  10,  1782,  the  punctih'ous  and 
elegant  Honourable  Charles  Francis  Greville,  gloomy  still 
over  the  loss  of  his  Warwick  election,  but  consoled  by  a 
snug,  if  unsafe,  post  in  the  Board  of  Admiralty,^  much 
exercised,  too,  in  his  careful  way,  about  minerals,  animals, 
science,  the  fine  arts,  and  the  flickering  out  of  the  American 
war,  was  even  more  exercised  by  a  missive  from  a  poor 
young  girl  who  had  already  crossed  his  path.  Fronting 
him  in  the  dainty  chamber  of  his  mansion  in  the  new-  and 
fashionable  Portman  Square,  swung  a  pet  monkey,^  and 
hung  the  loaned  'Venus'  by  Correggio,  slightly  retouched 
with  applied  water-colour.'*  This  over-prized  picture  had 
been  for  years  the  cherished  idol  of  his  uncle  and  alter  ego, 
Sir  William  Hamilton,  K.C.B.,^  Fellow  of  the  Antiquarian 
and  the  Royal  Societies,  member  of  the  Dilettanti,  the 
Tuesday,  and  other  clubs,  foster-brother  of  the  now 
George  III.,  and  sometime  both  his  and  his  brother's  equerry ; 
the  busy  man    of  pleasure,  the    renowned    naturalist   and 

'  Cf.  Morrison  MS.  95-97,  September  and  October  1780.  lie  had  formerly 
enjoyed  a  better  post  in    the   Board  of  Trade. — Morrison   MS.  29,  May   11, 

1773- 

*  Portman  Square,  begun  in  1764,  was  not  completed  till  twenty  years  later. 
Greville  had  previously  lived  in  Charles  Street  and  St.  James's  Square,  with 
intervals  of  '  King's  Mews,'  to  which  too  afterwards  he  reverted.  In  the  end  he 
returned  to  Paddington,  and  the  last  surviving  letter  from  Emma  to  him  (during 
her  troubles  in  1S08)  is  addressed  to  the  scene  of  their  earliest  memories. 

^  Morrison  MS.  96. 

*  By  'Henry  Morland,'  'painter  and  picture-dealer,  a  friend  of  mine.' — 
Morrison  MS.  36,  June  28,  1774. 

»  In  1773. 

C 


34  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

virtuoso  of  Portland  vase  celebrity,^  and  already  for  about 
eighteen^  years  His  Britannic  Majesty's  amiably-grumbling 
Ambassador  at  the  Court  of  the  King  of  the  two  Sicilies. 
The  monkey's  health  had  disquieted  Greville  a  year  before, 
but  this  letter  almost  excited  him.  It  was  franked  by  him- 
self on  a  wrapper  in  his  own  neat  handwriting,  bore  the 
Chester  postmark,  and  contrasted  strongly  with  the  tasteful 
tone  of  the  room  and  its  superfine  owner. 

It  ran  as  follows :  '  Yesterday  did  I  receve  your  kind 
letter.  It  put  me  in  some  spirits  for,  believe  me,  I  am 
allmost  distracktid.  I  have  never  hard  from  Sir  H.,^  and 
he  is  not  at  Lechster  now,  I  am  sure.  I  have  wrote  7 
letters,  and  no  anser.  What  shall  I  dow  ?  Good  God 
what  shall  I  dow.  ...  I  can't  come  to  toun  for  want  of 
mony.  I  have  not  a  farthing  to  bless  my  self  with,  and 
I  think  my  friends  looks  cooly  on  me.  I  think  so.  O.  G. 
what  shall  I  dow?  What  shall  I  dow?  O  how  your  letter 
affected  me  when  you  wished  me  happiness.  O.  G.  that 
I  was  in  your  posesion  *  or  in  Sir  H.  what  a  happy  girl 
would  I  have  been  !  Girl  indeed !  What  else  am  I  but 
a  girl  in  distres — in  reall  distres  ?  For  God's  sake,  G,  write 
the  minet  you  get  this,  and  only  tell  me  what  I  am  to 
dow.  Direct  same  whay.  I  am  allmos  mad.  O  for  God's 
sake  tell  me  what  is  to  become  on  me.  O  dear  Grevell, 
write  to  me.  Write  to  me.  G.  adue,  and  believe  [me] 
yours  for  ever  Emly  Hart. 

'  Don't  tel  my  mother  what  distres  I  am  in,  and  dow 
afford  me  some  comfort. 

'  My  age  was  got  out  of  the  Reggister,  and  I  now  send  it 
to  my  dear  Charles.     Once  more  adue,  O  you  dear  friend.'^ 

^  For  his  early  difficulties  in  disposing  of  it,  cf.  Morrison  MS.  6i,  1776.  Sir 
Joshua  Reynolds,  writing  to  Hamilton  in  1769  of  'the  grace  and  genteelness  of 
some  of  the  figures '  in  the  Neapolitan  galleries,  calls  him  *  so  great  a  patron  and 
judge.' — Morrison  MS.  17.  ^  Cf.  Morrison  MS.  90. 

^  Sir  Harry  Fetherstonehaugh,  of  Up  Park,  Sussex,  who  lived  to  correspond 
in  middle  age  with  her  in  terms  of  the  most  deferential  friendship.  His  name 
is  thus  spelt  in  his  letters. 

*  Misprinted  by  Mr.  Jeaffreson  as  'position.' 

^  Morrison  MS.  112.  This  letter  has  been  given  with  its  answer,  though 
with  one  inaccuracy,  by  Mr.  Jeaffreson.  The  enclosed  duplicate  of  the  baptismal 
register  was,  as  we  shall  shortly  see,  inaccurately  copied  by  the  then  curate  of 
Great  Neston,  Cheshire. 


The  Honourahi.k  Ciiaki.ks  I-kancis  Gkk\ili.e. 

Bv    G.     l\OMNKV. 
After  the  Mezzotint  by  H.  Meyer. 


THE  CURTAIN  RISES  35 

Who  was  this  girl  in  '  reall  distres,'  what  her  past?  who 
were  the  friends  who  looked  '  cooly '  on  her,  and  for  what 
reasons?  These  questions  will  shortly  be  answered  so  far 
as  replies  admit  of  real  proof.  But  first  a  brief  space 
must  be  devoted  to  Greville  himself,  since  his  individuality 
is  as  necessary  to  the  coming  plot  as  her  own. 

The  Honourable  Charles  Francis  Greville  was  now  thirty- 
two. 

The  second  son  of  the  Right  Honourable  Francis,  Earl 
of  Brooke  (afterwards  Earl  of  Warwick),  and  of  Elizabeth 
Hamilton,  one  of  Sir  William's  sisters,  he  was  born  at 
Fulham  on  May  12,  1749,  and  baptized  on  June  8  follow- 
ing.^ He  was  born  prematurely  old,  parsimoniously  extra- 
vagant, and  cautiously  careless.  His  cradle  should  have 
been  garlanded  with  official  minutes,  and  draped  with 
collectors'  catalogues.  From  his  earliest  days  he  was  prim, 
methodical,  and  pedantic  beyond  his  years.  The  unlikeli- 
hood of  surviving  his  eldest  brother  had  been  ever  before 
his  eyes,  and  he  was  set  on  the  emoluments  of  a  political 
career,  promising  much  to  one  so  highly  connected.  While 
still  in  his  teens  he  began  amassing  virtu  with  discernment, 
and  specimens  of  mineralogy  on  a  '  philosophical '  system. 
Some  years  before  his  majority  he  had  struck  up  a  brotherly 
affection  with  his  free-hearted  uncle,  nearly  twenty  years 
his  senior,  who  relied  on  a  precocious  judgment,  invaluable 
to  one  compelled  by  long  absences  to  entrust  to  others 
the  management  of  his  wife's  Pembrokeshire  property,^ 
indispensable  also  to  both  in  the  keen  pursuit  of  their 
common  tastes,  the  one  in  Italy,  the  home  of  art,  the  other 
in  England,  the  nursery  of  science.  From  a  very  early  date 
the  student  of  beauty  and  curios,  the  investigator  of  shells, 
marine  monsters,  and  volcanoes,  '  Pliny  the  Elder,'  as  he 
came  to  be  called,  was  always  exchanging  rarities  with  'Pliny 
the  Younger,'  or  comm  ssioning  him  to  buy,  sell,  or  raffle 
Dutch  and  Italian  pictures,  Etruscan  urns,  Greek  torsos, 
and  Roman  vases.  Hamilton  was  a  true  man  of  science, 
and  a  really  great  archaeologist.     When  he  first  came  to 

'  See  the  Register.     Lyson's  Euvirous  of  London,  vol.  ii.  p.  389. 
^  Brought   him   through    marriage   (in    1757)    with    Miss    Barlow,    a   Welsh 
heiress.     His  cousin  married  another  Welsh  heiress.  Miss  Williams  of  Gwint. 


36  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

Naples  in  1764  he  spent  months  in  his  Villa  Angelica,  on 
the  slopes  of  Mount  Vesuvius,  taking  observations  and 
excavating  antiquities.  He  was  far  less  a  trafficker  in 
objects  of  art  and  learning  than  his  nephew.  He  presented 
both  books  and  specimens  of  value  to  the  British  Museum. 
His  aim,  in  his  own  words,  was  that  of  '  employing  his 
leisure  in  use  to  mankind.'^  Not  quite  so,  however,  was 
that  of  Pliny  the  Younger,  who  in  his  turn  bought 
crystals  and  works  of  art  with  equal  zest  of  connoisseur- 
ship.  Greville  was  barely  twenty-one  when  he  went  the 
Italian  tour,  stayed  with  his  uncle  at  Naples,  then  in  the 
full  fever  of  unearthing  buried  chefs-d'ceuvre  at  Hercu- 
laneum  and  Pompeii,  which  were  so  soon  to  experience 
many  fresh  escapes  from  re-destruction  by  earthquakes  and 
eruptions.-  From  Rome,  in  this  year,  the  nephew  indited 
two  of  the  most  self-assured  letters  of  grave  gossip  and 
counsel  that  any  youngster  has  ever  addressed  to  one  nearly 
twice  his  age.  They  are  so  like  himself  that  a  small  part 
of  them  must  be  given  :  '  I  begin  with  a  subject  that  I 
have  resolved  every  time  I  have  wrote  to  mention,  and  now 
particularly  I  am  under  an  obligation  to  remember,  as  for 
the  first  time  my  handkerchief  has  been  knotted  on  the 
occasion.  It  is  to  desire  you  to  enquire  for  two  books 
I  left  in  my  room  at  your  house ;  2  pocket  volumes  of 
Milton's  works.  I  borrowed  them,  and  left  them  with  an 
intention  they  should  be  sent  to  Mr.  Harfrere  to  whom  they 
belong.  .  .  .  The  ink  bottle  has  this  moment  oversett,  but 
you  see  I  am  not  disconcerted,  so  pray  don't  make  observa- 
tions, and   the  letter  is  as  good  as  it  was.     Pray  let  me 

1  Observations  on  Mount  Vesuvius,  etc.  (1772).  The  villa  was  probably  called 
after  the  artist.  Hamilton  constantly  ran  great  danger  in  observing  and  record- 
ing violent  eruptions.  He  was  indefatigable  in  superintending  excavations,  and 
he  mentions  being  present  at  Pompeii  when  a  horse  with  jewelled  trappings  and 
its  rider  were  unearthed.  He  was  a  munificent  patron  alike  of  discoverers, 
travellers,  scientists  and  artists,  including  Flaxman  and  Wedgwood.  He  was 
a  trustee  of  the  British  Museum,  and  a  vice-president  of  the  Society  of  Anti- 
quaries. A  big  book  on  his  Greek  and  Roman  antiquities  was  written  by 
D'llarcauville  (Naples,  1765-1775  ;  Paris,  1787).  Besides  the  book  already 
mentioned,  supplemented  in  1779,  Hamilton  wrote  Cavipi  Phlegrcei  (Naples, 
1776-7),  and  the  fr  mous  work  on  Greek  and  Etruscan  urns,  etc.,  illustrated  hy 
Bartolozzi.     A  Zt/e  worthy  of  him  ought  to  be  written. 

"  1779,  1783,  1794  were  the  worst. 


THE  CURTAIN  RISES  37 

beg  you  to  avoid  every  mention  of  prices,  I  have  done  so 
once  before.  Pray  let  me  send  and  be  favoured  with  the 
acceptance  of  some  baubles.  ...  I  am  in  the  best  of 
humours.  I  received  this  morning  a  line  from  Lord  Exeter 
who  informed  me  of  the  Douglas  cause  being  decided  in 
his  favour.^  ...  I  am  running  about  the  antiquities  from 
9  to  II  with  Byres,  from  11-12  with  Miss  A.,  so  you  see 
I  gain  Horace's  happiness,  07nne  tulit  punctum  qui  viisciiit 
utile  dulci.  .  .  .  Pray  let  me  lay  on  you  a  disagreeable  task, 
choose  me  a  handsome  pattern  for  an  applicee,  have  it 
wrought  for  me  instantaneously,  and  sent  to  Rome.  I 
wish  an  Etrusc  vase  could  be  introduced.  It  must  be 
handsome  and  rich ;  as  to  its  elegance,  anything,  particu- 
larly Etrusc,  conducted  by  your  taste  cannot  fail  to  be 
elegant.  If  a  contrivance  could  be  hit  on  for  making  it 
less  regular  and  straight,  ...  I  should  be  pleased.  Yours 
is  charming,  but  rather  too  much  like  a  lace.  .  .  .  The 
spangles  must  be  caution'd  against  and  well  fastened. 
There  have  been  some  fine  conversations  since  the  Emperor 
has  been  here.  The  Grand  Duke  asked  after  you  of  me. 
.  .  .  The  E.  has  lessened  the  talk  about  the  D.  However 
I  like  the  D.  best :  more  of  engaging  and  gentlemanlike 
deportment,  and  more  of  the  world.  .  .  .  By  the  Bye  if 
you  can  pick  up  any  vases,  of  which  you  have  duplicates, 
lay  them  aside  for  me,  and  don't  buy  them  if  not  well 
conserv'd  and  good  ;  nor  many  of  a  shape,  a  few  elegant 
and  good.     Adieu  my  dear  Hamilton.'- 

Certainly  Greville  proved  the  Horatian  mixer  of  pleasure 
with  profit ;  and  since  he,  like  his  far  franker  uncle,  was 
ever  complaining  of  a  narrow  purse  tantalised  by  the 
temptations  of  virtu,  that  other  trite  Horatian  maxim, 
Viriute  vie  involvo,  would  also  admirably  fit  them. 
Wrapped  in  their  mantles  of  Virtu,  they  both  bewailed 
means  far  too  slender  for  their  tastes.  The  richer  Sir 
William,  indeed,  expending  in  antiquities  what  he  re- 
trenched elsewhere,  seems  in  his  correspondence  all  debt 
and  Correggio ;  while  Greville  removed  to  his  mansion 
under   pretext   of  its  size  being  a  bargain.     P2ach  sought 

'  This  eventually  enabled  'Old  Q.'  to  succeed  to  his  honours. 
2  Morrison  MS.  14,  Rome,  March  1769. 


38  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

to  serve  the  other,  and  Greville  in  his  youth  persistently 
charged  his  uncle  to  be  his  dipute}  As  time  proceeded, 
Sir  William  with  an  ailing  wife  and  a  buried  daughter,^  his 
nephew  ever  on  his  watch-tower  for  an  heiress,^  confided 
to  each  other  their  little  gallantries,  and  peccadilloes  also. 
As  for  Greville,  just  as  in  the  case  of  the  '  applicee,' '  con- 
trivances '  were  soon  '  hit  on  '  for  making  him  'less  regular 
and  straight'  Already,  in  178 1,  this  solemn  frequenter 
of  new  Almack's  had  acquired  the  Reynolds  picture  of 
'  Emily  in  the  character  of  Thais,'  which  had  been  left 
on  Sir  Joshua's  hands.*  His  character  was  that  of  a  free- 
living  formalist,  the  reverse  of  austere,  but  with  all  austerity's 
drawbacks. 

Yet  there  were  some  excellent  points  in  this  queer  com- 
pound of  the  Pharisee  and  the  Publican,  something  between 
a  Charles  and  a  Joseph  Surface.  If  none  was  more  prone 
to  sin  with  self-righteousness,  and  to  excuse  to  himself 
half-shabbiness  as  unselfish  generosity,^  if  none  could  write 
more  glibly  of  a  *  good  heart,'  he  was  not  consciously  a 
hypocrite ;  though  par  excellence  the  man  of  taste  rather 
than  the  man  of  feeling. 

He  displayed  scrupulous  honour  in  all  money  transac- 
tions, much  dignity  and  reticence,  with  grace  of  demeanour 
(if  not  always  of  behaviour);  independence  too  of  mind,  and 
a  public-spirited  industry  that  often  kept  him  sitting  on  im- 
portant committees  six  hours  at  a  stretch.  He  was  a  stead- 
fast friend,  and  the  early  death  of  his  Pylades,  the  brilliant 
Charles  Cathcart,  was  a  real  blow  to  him  and  an  irretrievable 
loss.  He  was  an  ideal  trustee.  He  could  say  with  truth, 
*  I  am  a  good   jobber  for  a  friend,  but   an  awkward  one 

1  Cf.  Morrison  MS.  20,  Greville  from  Vienna  to  Hamilton,  April  1769 

2  '  Little  Checille,'  Morrison  MS.  14.     Possibly  adopted. 

'  Cf.  Morrison  MS.  40,  December  20,  1774,  where  Hamilton  recommends 
him  a  Miss  St.  George  with  income  of  ;iC5000  and  nez  retroussi.  In  May  1778 
he  wanted  to  marry  Lord  Granby's  daughter. — Morrison  MS.  81. 

*  Cf.  Morrison  MS.  102,  April  3,  1781.  I  am  not  satisfied  that  this  was  the 
portrait  of  '  Emily  Pott,'  alias  Coventry.  The  face  is  not  unlike  Lady 
Hamilton's.  In  the  Complete  Works  of  Si}-  Joshua  /Reynolds  (1824),  the 
picture  is  alleged  to  be  the  portrait  of  Miss  Emily  Pott,  or  Bertie,  or  Coventry, 
'  who  went  to  India,  where  she  died.' 

^  In  1773,  when  'halving'  purchases  with  Hamilton,  Greville  had  written: 
'  This  may  be  selfish,  but  I  will  show  you  it  is  not  so.' — Morrison  MS.  29. 


THE  CURTAIN  RISES  39 

for  myself.'^  He  was  worthy  of  his  uncle's  confidence,  and 
to  the  last  superintended  his  affairs  and  those  of  others 
with  integrity  and  tact.  Nor  did  he  neglect  the  welfare 
of  Hamilton's  tenants  at  Milford.  H  was  capable  of 
limited  disinterestedness  as  well  as  of  true  patriotism.  His 
father's  death  and  his  brother's  accession  to  estates  and 
title  in  1773  reduced  his  allowance  afresh,  and  all  his 
resource  was  needed  to  repair  the  deficiency. 

Socially  a  disciple  of  the  old-fashioned  Chesterfield,  and 
affecting  to  flout  the  opinion  of  a  world  that  he  was  far 
from  despising,  politically  he  was  a  trimming  Whig,  but  an 
unbending  supporter  of  all  authority  and  establishment. 
He  throve  on  coalitions,  and  lamented  with  reason  the 
nearing  end  of  that  coalition  ministry  which  was  still 
in  power  when  this  chapter  opened. 

Such  is  an  epitome  of  the  man  who  still  holds  the  soi- 
disant  '  Emily  Hart's '  letter  in  his  hands.  It  is  her  origin 
and  past  that  now  demand  re-investigation.  In  view  of 
her  instinctive  independence  ^  and  her  native  appetite  for 
glory,  the  notion  of  which  grew  with  her  expanding  horizon, 
these  trivial  beginnings  are  not  unimportant,  while  some  of 
her  cousins  played  a  prominent  part  in  the  later  scenes  of 
her  life. 

Emily  (or  '  Emy ')  Lyon  was  born  on  April  26  in  1765, 
the  year  of  her  baptism,  unless,  without  reason,  we  are 
to  assume  her  illegitimacy.  The  Neston  parish  registers 
prove  the  marriage  of  her  parents  to  have  taken  place 
on  June  11,  1764.  The  rumours  and  fictions  about  her 
early  adventures,  seemingly  requiring  a  longer  space  than 
her  extreme  girlhood  affords,  have  impelled  Mr.  Jeaffreson 
and  others  to  antedate  her  birth  by  so  much  as  four  years. 
But  many  references,  both  in  Greville's  letters  and  Hamil- 
ton's, with  other  evidence  outside  them,  entirely  tally  with 

1  Morrison  MS.  123,  Sept.  17S2 — a  letter  of  condolence  on  the  death  of  the 
first  Lady  Hamilton.  There  are  several  instances.  In  one  he  warned  the 
Russian  Ambassador  against  buying  inferior  pictures  for  which  he  had  his 
master's  carte  blanche  ;  and  then  Greville  bought  the  best  cheaply  and  gave 
them  to  him. 

*  In  a  letter  to  Sir  William  Scott,  written  four  months  before  her  death,  and 
excerpted  in  Sotheby's  catalogue  for  July  8,  1905,  occurs  this  sentence: 
.  .  .  Think  what  I  must  feel  who  was  used  to  give  God  only  knows  [how- 
much],  and  now  to  ask.' 


40  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

the  date  that  I  have  assigned.^  She  was  christened  '  Emily ' 
(of  which  '  Emy '  and  not  '  Amy,'  as  has  been  alleged,  is 
the  contraction),  though  from  the  'Emy'  she  may  in 
childhood  have  been  called  '  Amy '  at  times.  The  copy 
of  the  baptismal  register  sent  to  Greville  is  incorrect,  as 
will  be  seen  in  the  note  below.  Her  marriage  register,  it  is 
true,  is  signed  '  Amy  Lyons '  according  to  the  Marylebone 
clerk's  information,  but  this  again  seems  a  natural  mis- 
reading of  her  rapid  and  often  indistinct  handwriting  for 
'  Emy  Lyon.' 2 

Her  father  was  Henry  Lyon,  '  Smith  of  Nesse,'  and  her 
mother  Mary  Kidd  of  Hawarden,  Flintshire.  In  their 
marriage  register  both  sign  by  marks,  although  her  mother 
soon  afterwards  became  'a  scholar.'  Her  father  died  at 
Neston  in  the  year  of  her  birth ;  but  there  is  no  vestige 
of  her  mother's  re-marriage  to  one  '  Doggan '  or  '  Doggin,' 
to  which  has  been  attributed  her  after-name  of  Mrs. 
Cadogan  from  the  present  period  in  London  to  that  when 
she  became  '  La  Signora  Madre  dell'Ambasciatrice,'  and 
the  esteemed  friend  both  of  Hamilton  and  of  Nelson. 
'Emy'  has  always  been  described  as  an  only  child,  but 
she  seems  to  have  had  a  brother  or  half-brother,  '  Charles.' 
Thomas  Kidd,  an  old  salt  and  cousin,  writing  from 
Greenwich  in  1809,  to  thank  for  past  and  beg  for  future 
favours,  observes  :  '  I  have  to  inform  you  that  your  brother 
Charles    is    in    Greenwich     College    and    has    been    here 


^  For  the  whole  subject  cf.  Note  A.  of  the  Appendix. 

2  The  actual  register  of  baptism  in  the  parish  church  of  Neston,  copied  this 

year  (1905)  by  the  Vicar,  Canon  E.  C.  Turner,  is  :— 

'  Emy,  dr.  of  Henry  Lyon,  Smith  of  Ness,  by  Mary  his  wife.  May  12,  1765.' 
The  copy  sent  to  Greville  in  the  above-mentioned  letter  from  '  Emly '  ran  : — 
'Amy{ly)  daughter  of  Henry  Lyon  of  Ness  by  Mary  his  wife,  bap.  the  12th 

of  May  1765.      The   above    is   truly  copied  from  the  G.  Neston  Register  by 

R.  Carter,  Curate.^ 

Evidently  the  '  E'  in  '  Emy'  resembles  an  'A,'  as  it  does  in  the  Marylebone 

Marriage  Register.     The  '  ly  '  is  added  in  another  hand,  and  the  meaning  is  to 

show  its  correspondence  to  her  signature  in  the  letter. 

The  marriage  register  of  her  parents  in  the  Neston  parish  books  is  : — 
'Henry  Lyon  and   Mary  Kidd,  June  ii,  1764,  by  banns,  by  G.  Gardener, 

Curate. 

X  the  mark  of  Henry  Lyon. 
X  the  mark  of  Mary  Kidd.' 


The  Cottagk  at  Hawarden  where  Lady  Hamilton's  grand- 
mother  LIVED,    AND   where   LaDY   HAMILTON   STAYED 
IN    CHILDHOOD. 
From  a  sketch  (after  a  photograph)  by  Florence  Holms. 


THE  CURTAIN  RISES  41 

since  the  6th  inst.';^  but  I  can  find  no  further  trace  of 
this  *  brother,'  nor  is  there  any  record  of  relatives  on  the 
father's  side.  This  Thomas  Kidd  may  well  have  been  the 
son  of  a  William  Kidd,  'labourer,'  who,  as  'widower'  in 
September  1769  in  the  Hawarden  registers,  married  one 
'Mary  Pova."-  And  William  Kidd  is  possibly  Lady 
Hamilton's  cousin  or  uncle,  who  was  at  one  time  a 
publican,  and  who  used  to  complain  that  he  was  '  never 
brought  up  to  work.'  If  this  be  so,  something  of  the 
paternal  strain  seems  to  have  descended  to  the  son,  who, 
in  the  letter  just  mentioned,  excuses  his  remissness  in 
calling,  as  requested,  by  the  insinuating  remark  that 
*  I  declare  my  small  cloaths  are  scandolous,  and  my  hat 
has  the  crown  part  nearly  off' ;  while  he  speaks  pointedly 
of  the  attentions  of  a  'Mr.  Ingram,'  who  in  turn  refers  to 
his  'justifiable  character'  in  'His  Majesty's  service,' 
and  suggests  that,  since  both  the  porter  of  the  west  gate 
and  the  '  roasting  cook '  of  the  college  are  infirm  and  ill, 
there  is  a  choice  of  probable  promotions  awaiting  him. 
In  after  years  it  was  not  only  her  humble  kinsfolk,  whom 
she  never  forsook,  that  were  to  importune  Emma  for 
advancements. 

The  Kidds  were  mostly  sailors  or  labourers.  Lady 
Hamilton's  grandmother,  with  whom  in  girlhood  she  often 
stayed,  and  whom  she  always  cared  for  and  cherished, 
dwelt  in  one  of  some  thatched  cottages,  two  of  which 
still  remain.  That  Mary  Lyon,  jiee  Kidd,  was  a  superior 
woman,  is  shown  by  her  after-acquirements.  Tradition 
associates  her  both  with  dressmaking  and  with  domestic 
service.  If  tradition  again  is  trustworthy,  she  may  have 
been  cook  in  the  household  of  Lord  Halifax,  who  is 
also  reported  to  have  educated  both  her  and  her  child. 
But  Lady  Hamilton  herself,  writing  to  Mr.  Bowen  of 
Portman  Square  (and  of  Merton)^  in  1802  about  Charlotte 
Nelson's  education,  declares  that  her  own  did  not  begin  till 
she  was  seventeen — that  is  to  say,  under  Greville's  auspices, 

*  Morrison  MS.  963,  Nov.  17. 

^  Very  soon  after  his  first  wife's  death,  it  would  appear  from  tlie  registers.    Cf. 
a  baptismal  register  of  one  '  Francis,  d.  of  William  and  Mary  Kidd,  June  19.' 
'  Morrison  MS.  689,  October.     His  tomb  is  visible  in  Merton  churchyard. 


42  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

I  have  seen  none  of  her  mother's  letters  before  1800,  and  it 
is  not  improbable  that  mother  and  daughter  began  their 
education  together.  She  was  always  an  energetic  house- 
keeper and  a  most  resourceful  home-physician.  Her  letters 
to  Emma,  to  George  Rose,  and  others,  are  neither  ill-worded 
nor  ill-spelt.  At  Naples  and  Palermo  we  shall  find  her 
visited  by  the  Queen.  The  King  of  Naples  was  in  the 
December  of  1798  to  call  her  an  'angel'  for  her  services 
during  the  hurricane  attending  the  royal  escape  to  Palermo,^ 
though  he  also,  if  we  may  trust  the  Marchioness  of  Solari, 
had  before  dubbed  her  '  Ruffiana.'  ^  The  Duke  of  Sussex 
highly  esteemed  her.  Nor  can  the  accomplished  Miss 
Cornelia  Knight  have  found  her  intolerable,  for  on  the 
return  of  Nelson,  the  Hamiltons,  and  herself  to  London 
after  the  ill-starred  continental  tour  of  1800,  she  drove 
straight  off  and  stayed  with  Mrs.  '  Cadogan '  at  the  hotel 
in  St.  James's.^  There  is  no  evidence  as  to  how  this  homely 
and  trustworthy  woman  came  by  her  grand  name.  Her 
second  husband,  however,  may  not  be  a  myth  ;  although  the 
Marchioness  of  Solari  mentions  that  '  Codogan '  was  the 
name  by  which  '  Emma's  reputed  mother '  caused  her  to  be 
known  at  Naples  before  her  marriage ;  ^  and  at  any  rate  it 
is  a  singular  coincidence  that  Earl  Nelson's  companion 
when  he  went  to  Calais  to  fetch  Horatia  away,  after  Lady 
Hamilton's  death  in  181 5,  was  to  be  a  Mr.  Henry  Cadogan, 
a  relation  of  the  late  and  well-known  Mr.  Rothery. 

Only  two  sisters  of  Emma's  mother  are  generally 
mentioned.  Both  of  these  seem  also  to  have  risen  above 
their  station.  The  one  married  a  Mr.  John  Moore,^  after- 
wards, it  would  seem,  successful  in  business  at  Liverpool, 
but  at  one  time  addressed  by  Emma  at  the  house  of  a 

^  Morrison  MS.  370. 

-  Venice  under  the  Yoke  of  France  and  Austria,  by  a  Lady  of  Rank  (2  vols., 
1S24).  In  punning  allusion  also,  perhaps,  to  the  rough  but  ready  Cardinal 
Ruffe. 

^  Miss  C.  Knight's  Diaries. 

^  Venice  mtdcr  the  Yoke  of  France  and  Austria,  vol.  ii.  p.  66.  This  is  not 
so,  however.  She  was  known  as  '  Hart ' ;  cf.  Goethe's  Italienische  Reise, 
and  cf.  a  letter  in  which  she  so  signs  herself  at  Naples  in  1787,  excerpted  in 
Sotheby's  catalogue  for  May  17,  1905,  and  another  of  May  25,  1787. 

*  In  the  Hawarden  registers  is  a  baptismal  entry  of  January  15,  1763,  *  Thos., 
son  of  Eph.  and  Cath.  Moore.' 


THE  CURTAIN  RISES  43 

Mr.  Potter  in  Harley  Street.  The  other  was  a  Mrs.  Connor, 
who  had  six  children,  all  of  them  long  supported  by  Lady 
Hamilton  :  one  of  them,  Sarah,  to  be  the  governess  both  at 
Merton  and  Cranwich,  was  well  educated  ;  another,  Cecilia, 
became  an  accomplished  singer,  and  also  a  (though  a  less 
capable)  preceptress.  Ann,  the  eldest,  and  Eliza  both  rose 
above  their  sphere,  though  they  proved  most  ungrateful  ; 
while  Charles,  who  entered  the  Navy  under  Nelson's  pro- 
tection, could  write  an  excellent  letter,  but  unfortunately 
went  mad,  for,  as  Lady  Hamilton  recorded  in  a  very  curious 
statement  regarding  four  of  them,  '  there  was  madness  in 
the  family.'  ^  Ann's  showed  itself  in  eventually  asserting 
that  she  was  Lady  Hamilton's  daughter,  which  she  certainly 
was  not;  indeed,  to  her  must  be  traced  the  ridiculous  fiction 
spread  by  the  chronique  scandaleuse  of  the  time  that  Ann, 
Eliza,  and  Charles  were  Greville's  three  children.  Mary, 
too,  was  to  be  popular,  and  with  all  her  sisters  intimate 
with  the  whole  Nelson  and  Hamilton  family,  as  well  as 
with  Sir  William  Hamilton's  relations.^ 

Lady  Hamilton's  mother  had  also  a  third  sister,  Ann, 
who  married  'Richard  Reynolds,  Whitesmith,'  in  1774,  and 
whose  daughter  Sarah  (often  called  '  Reynalds  ')  also  figures 
as  an  educated  woman,  and  a  beneficiary  of  her  titled 
cousin,  in  the  Morrison  correspondence.  She  may  further 
have  had  another  brother  or  cousin,  William,  an  entry 
regarding  whom  and  his  wife  Mary  finds  place  also  in  the 
Hawarden  parish  books ;  and  there  were  also  the  '  Nicolls,' 
whom,  just  before  her  own  bankruptcy,  Emma  is  found 
continuously  maintaining  with  the  rest  of  her  connections.^ 
And  finally  there  remain  some  traces  of  a  few  better-placed 
family  acquaintances,  a  Mrs.  Ladmore  and  a  Mrs.  Down- 
ward.* 

^  Morrison  MS.  959,  Richmond,  October  16,  1808.  There  are  many  allu- 
sions to  Charles  Connor  both  in  this  collection  and  in  the  Nelson  Letters. 

^  For  these  details  cf.  Morrison  MS.  passim,  and  the  later  chapters  of  this 
volume.  These  Connors  who,  under  that  name,  or  as  *  Connah '  or  '  Conna,' 
find  no  less  than  twenty-eight  mentions  in  the  Hawarden  registers  between  1759 
and  1765,  were  possibly  the  offspring  of  'Charles  and  Mary  Conna  of  Ferry,' 
baptisms  of  whose  children  under  the  names  Mary,  Charles,  and  Eliza  appear  in 
these  records. 

•*  Cf.  post,  chap.  xiv. 

*  Cf.  Morrison  MS.  127,  July  17S4. 


44  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

When  we  remember  the  clever,  lively  letters  that  remain 
of  this  Connor  family,  their  artistic  temperaments,  and  the 
way  in  which  they  were  treated  and  received,  the  fairy-tale 
of  Lady  Hamilton's  conquest  over  circumstance  seems  to 
have  extended  also  to  her  relations. 

Nothing  can  be  proved  of  Emma's  childhood  but  that  it 
was  passed  at  Hawarden  in  extreme  poverty,  that  she  was 
a  madcap,^  and  that  she  blossomed  early  and  fairly  into 
stature  and  ripeness  beyond  her  age.  At  sixteen  (or  per- 
haps thirteen)  she  was  already  a  grown  woman,  which  ex- 
plains the  puzzled  Greville's  inquiry  for  the  register  of  her 
baptism.  The  most  ridiculous  romances  were  spread  during 
her  lifetime  and  after  it.  Hairbreadth  escapes  and  Family 
Herald  love-stories,  regardless  of  facts  or  dates,  adorn  the 
pages  of  a  novel  published  in  the  fifties,  and  professing  to 
be  circumstantial;^  while  Alexandre  Dumas  has  em- 
broidered his  Souvenirs  d'Une  Favorite  with  all  the  wild 
scandals  of  a  teeming  imagination.  The  earliest  certainty 
is  that  at  some  thirteen  years  of  age  she  entered  the  service 
of  Mr.  Thomas  of  Hawarden,  the  father  of  a  London 
physician,  and  brother-in-law  of  the  famous  art  patron, 
Alderman  Boydell  of  London.  Miss  Thomas  was  the  first 
to  sketch  Emma  while  she  was  their  nurse-maid.  The 
drawing  survives  at  Hawarden,  and  the  Thomases  always 
remained  her  friends.  Whether  it  is  possible  that  the 
roving  Romney  may  have  seen  her  there  must  be  left  to 
fancy.  It  is  at  least  a  curious  fact  that  she  came  so  early 
into  indirect  touch  with  art.  The  loose  rumour  ascribing 
her  departure  from  Hawarden  to  the  severity  of  her  first 
master  or  mistress  is  entirely  without  foundation.  A  far 
more  probable  conjecture  is  that  she  left  Hawarden  for 
London  because  her  mother  left  also.  As  is  evident  from 
the  letter  to  Greville,  already  quoted,  as  well  as  from 
Greville's  answer,  which  will  soon  follow,  Mrs.  *  Cadogan ' 
was  already  in  some  London  situation  known  to  and 
approved  of  by  Greville. 

^  Morrison  MS.  126,  June  22,  1784.  'She  {i.e.  little  Emma]  is  as  wild  and 
thoughtless  as  somebody  when  she  was  a  little  girl ;  so  you  may  guess  how 
that  is.' 

-  Nelsoit's  Legacy. 


Jane  Powell. 


THE  CURTAIN  RISES  45 

About  the  end,  then,  of  1779  or  the  beginning  of  1780, 
when  Emma  was  some  fifteen  years  of  age,  she  repaired 
with  her  mother  to  the  capital ;  and  there  seems  little 
doubt  that  she  found  employment  with  Dr.  Budd,  a  surgeon 
of  repute,  at  Chatham  Place,  near  St.  James's  Market.^  A 
comrade  with  her  in  this  service  was  the  talented  and 
refined  woman  afterwards  famed  as  the  actress,  Jane 
Powell,  who  is  not  to  be  confused  with  the  older  Harriet 
Powell,  eventually  Lady  Seaforth.  When  Sir  William  and 
Lady  Hamilton  returned  home  in  1800,  they  attended  a 
performance  at  Drury  Lane,  where  Emma  and  her  old 
fellow-servant  were  the  cynosure  of  an  audience  ignorant 
of  their  former  association.  When  Lady  Hamilton  was  at 
Southend  in  the  late  summer  of  1803  she  again  met  her 
quondam  colleague.  Pettigrew  possessed  and  quoted  a  nice 
letter  from  her  on  this  occasion.-  It  is  assuredly  not 
among  the  least  of  the  many  marvels  attending  Emma's 
progress  that  an  eminent  surgeon  should  have  harboured 
two  such  belles  in  his  area. 

And  now  Apocrypha  is  renewed.  Gossip  has  it  that  she 
served  in  a  shop  ;  that  she  became  parlour-maid  elsewhere, 
and  afterwards  the  risky  '  companion  '  of  a  vicious  '  Lady  of 
Quality.'  The  Prince  Regent,  who  was  years  afterwards 
to  solicit  and  be  repulsed  by  her,  used  to  declare  that  he 
recollected  her  selling  fruit  with  wooden  pattens  on  her 
feet ; ''  but  he  also  used  to  insist,  it  must  be  recollected,  on 
his  own  presence  at  the  battle  of  Waterloo.  It  was  said, 
too,  that  she  had  been  a  model  for  the  Academy  students. 
For  such  canards  there  is  no  certainty,  and  for  many 
rumours  there  is  slight  foundation.     But  there  is  a  shade  of 

'  Pettigrew  had  known  Dr.  Budd,  and  his  tiaditions  in  this  regard  must  be 
respected. 

-  Pettigrew,  vol.  ii.  p.  594.     It  runs  as  follows  :  — 

'Southend.  Dear  Lady  Hamilton, — I  cannot  fnrliear  writing  a  line  to  inform 
your  Ladyship  I  am  at  this  place,  and  to  tell  you  how  much  your  absence  is 
regretted  by  all  ranks  of  people.  Would  to  Heaven  you  were  here  to  enliven 
this  at  present  dull  scene.  I  have  performed  one  night,  and  have  promised  to 
play  six,  hut  unless  the  houses  arc  better,  must  decline  it.  Please  to  remember 
me  most  kindly  to  your  mother  and  every  one  at  Mcrton. — I  am,  dear  Lady 
Hamilton,  yourohlig'd  Tank  Powell.' 

■■•  Memoir  a  of  Madame  Le  Brun. 


46  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

evidence  to  show  that  somewhere  about  1781  she  was  in 
the  service  of  the  manager  of  Drury  Lane  Theatre,  Sheridan's 
father-in-law,  Thomas  Linley  the  elder,  and  that  she 
suddenly  quitted  it  from  grief  at  the  death  of  his  young 
son,  a  naval  lieutenant,^  whom  she  had  nursed.  Angelo  in 
his  Reminiscences  has  drawn  the  pathetic  picture  of  his 
chance  meeting  with  her  in  Rathbone  Place,  a  dejected 
figure  clad  in  deep  mourning ;  he  has  added  an  earlier 
encounter  and  an  allusion  to  her  brief  sojourn  with  the 
'  Abbess '  of  Arlington  Street,  Mrs.  Kelly,  who  may  be 
identical  with  the  '  Lady  of  Quality.'  I  f  so,  destitution  must 
have  caused  her  downfall.  Hitherto  this  girl  of  sixteen, 
so  beautiful  that  passers-by  turned  spellbound  to  look  at 
her,  had  rejected  all  overtures  of  evil.  Writing  to  Romney 
after  her  marriage,  in  a  letter  which  seems  to  imply  that  she 
had  known  him  even  before  her  acquaintance  with  Greville, 
Lady  Hamilton  thus  recalls  her  past :  '  You  have  seen  and 
discoursed  with  me  in  my  poorer  days,  you  have  known 
me  in  my  poverty  and  prosperity,  and  I  had  no  occasion 
to  have  lived  y^;'  years  in  poverty  and  distress  if  I  had  not 
felt  something  of  virtue  in  my  mind.  Oh,  my  dear  friend, 
for  a  time  I  own  through  distress  my  virtue  was  vanquished, 
but  my  sense  of  virtue  was  not  overcome.'  ^  Some  three 
years  earlier,  when  she  had  insisted  on  accompanying  Sir 
William  on  a  shooting  expedition,  her  answer  to  his  remon- 
strances about  hardship  was  that  for  years  she  had  been 
accustomed  to  rough  lodging. 

From  Angelo's  story  it  would  appear  that  her  earliest 
admirer  was  Fetherstonehaugh,  who  will  soon  cross  the 
scene,  and  who  in  her  later  years  was  to  emerge  friendly 
and  even  respectful.  But  the  name  of  her  first  betrayer 
has  been  so  constantly  given  as  that  of  '  Captain,' afterwards 
Rear-Admiral,  John  Willet-Payne,  man  of  fashion,  member 
of  Parliament,  and  eventually  treasurer  of  Greenwich  Hospi- 
tal, that  the  story  cannot  be  wholly  discredited.  Tradition 
has  added  that  she  first  encountered  him  in  a  bold  attempt 
to  rescue  a  cousin  from  being  impressed  into  the  service. 

^  Angelo  (Hamilton's  godson)  gives  the  name  in  his  Reviiniscences  as  Samuel 
Linley.     He  died  in  1781.     Thomas,  the  younger,  died  in  1778. 
2  Morrison  MS.  199,  Caserta,  December  20,  1791. 


THE  CURTAIN  RISES  47 

This  may  or  may  not  be.  The  sole  sidelight,  afforded  by 
an  unnoticed  letter  from  Nelson  of  1801,  which  proves  that 
she  had  confided  much  of  her  past  to  her  hero,  more 
probably  refers  to  Greville :  '  That  other  chap  did  throw 
away  the  most  precious  jewel  that  God  ever  sent  on 
this  earth.'  ^ 

Her  relations  with  the  Captain  can  scarcely  have  lasted 
more  than  about  two  months.  If  she  was  his  Ariadne,  he 
sailed  away  in  haste,  nor  does  he  darken  her  path  again. 
It  was  perhaps  on  his  sudden  departure  that  this  lonely 
girl  fell  in  with  Dr.  Graham,  the  empiric  and  showman. 
How  she  met  him  is  unknown  :  that  he  was  anything  to 
her  but  an  employer  has  never  been  suggested  ;  that  he 
ever  employed  her  at  all  rests  merely  on  a  story,  so 
accredited  by  Pettigrew,  who  had  known  several  of  her 
early  contemporaries,  that  one  can  hardly  doubt  it.  The 
sole  evidence  that  she  ever  '  posed  '  for  him  is  to  be  found 
in  Greville's  reply  to  Emma's  appeal  already  cited  :  in  it 
Greville  speaks  of  the  last  time  you  came  to  '  G.,' which 
Mr.  Jeaffreson  guesses  to  mean  '  Graham.'  It  may,  however, 
at  once  be  noted  that  his  living  advertisement  of  the 
goddess  of  health  and  beauty,  '  Hebe  Vestina,'  did  not 
figure  in  his  museum  of  specifics  until  1782,  when  he  had 
removed  from  the  Adelphi  to  Pall  Mall,  and  had  there 
opened  his  'Temple  of  Hymen'  in  the  eastern  part  of 
Schomberg  House,  the  western  side  of  which  had  been 
leased  to  Gainsborough  by  the  eccentric  artist  and 
adventurer,  Jack  Astley.-  The  strong  probability  is  that 
Emma  was  first  engaged  by  him  as  a  singer  in  those 
miniature  mock-oratorios  and  cantatas,  composed  by  him- 
self, which  played  such  a  part  in  his  miscellany,  and  were 
supposed  to  attune  the  souls  of  the  faithful  ;  while  her  ex- 
pressive beauty  may  have  soon  tempted  him  to  exhibit  her  as 
the  draped  statue  of '  Hygeia,'  or  Goddess  of  Health,  though 
certainly  not  as  his  later  tableau  vivant  of  Hebe  Vestina.'^ 

^  Morrison  MS.  539,  March  6,  'at  night,'  1801. 

'■^  Cf.  a  curious  satire,  //  Couvito  Amoroso,  etc.     London,  1782. 

*  Since  writing  this  passage  I  find  that  Angelo  positively  denies  that  she  ever 
figured  in  Graham's  show,  but  he  does  not  enter  into  dates,  and  his  easy  anecdotes 
are  hardly  historical. 


48  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

Dr.  Graham  was  no  common  impostor.  He  belongs  to 
the  class  of  charlatan  that  unites  pseudo-mysticism  and 
pseudo-piety  to  real  skill — in  short,  a  High  Priest  of  Pom- 
peian  Isis,  He  was  no  mere  conjurer ;  he  effected  genuine 
cures  besides  dealing  in  quack  remedies.  At  this  time  he 
was  about  forty  years  of  age.  He  may  have  qualified  in 
Edinburgh  University;  he  had  certainly  travelled  in  France 
and  America,  and  received  testimonials  from  personages  at 
home  and  abroad.  He  knew  his  classics,  which  he  quoted 
profusely  in  those  curious  '  lectures '  combining  puff  with 
literary,  satirical,  scriptural,  philanthropic,  and  scientific 
allusion.  His  brother  had  married  the  '  historian,'  Mrs. 
Catharine  Macaulay,  who  often  figures  in  his  florid 
catalogues  of  cures.  That  authoress  is  depicted  in  mezzo- 
tints as  a  sickly-looking  lady,  pen  in  hand,  with  a  row 
of  her  volumes  before  her,  trying  apparently  to  draw 
inspiration  from  the  ceiling.  He  was  never  tired  of  assuring 
the  public  that  she  was  own  sister  to  '  Mr.  John  Saw- 
bridge,  M.P.  for  London,'  He  posed  as  a  sort  of  prayerful 
alchemist,  eradicating  and  healing  at  once  the  causes  of 
vice,  and  its  consequences.  His  advertisements  are  a  queer 
union  of  cant  earnestness,  travestied  truth,  sensible  non- 
sense, humour  and  the  lack  of  it,  effrontery  and  belief — 
especially  in  himself.  After  he  had  closed  his  costly  and 
ruinous  London  exhibitions,  he  turned  'Christian  Philo- 
sopher' at  Bath  and  Newcastle,  anticipated  the  modern 
open-air  cure,  '  paraphrased '  the  Lord's  Prayer  for  the 
public,  the  Book  of  Wisdom  for  the  Prince  of  Wales,  and 
hastened  to  lay  on  the  pillow  of  the  suffering  George  III. 
one  of  his  numerous  'prayers.'  His  speciality  in  1780  (and 
throughout  his  career)  was  the  then  derided  but  now 
accepted  electricity^  and  mud-baths.  By  their  means  he 
claimed  to  restore  and  preserve  beauty,  to  prolong  exist- 
ence, to  enable  a  decayed  generation  to  repair  its  losses 
by  a  vigorous,  comely,  and  healthful  progeny.  He  had 
opened  a  pinchbeck  palace  enriched  with  symbolical  paint- 
ings, gilt  statues,  and  coloured  windows,  where  up  to  ten 

1  This  was  also  a  hobby  of  Sir  W.  Hamilton's.  Cf.  Morrison  MS.  60,  where 
in  December  1775  he  exhibits  'electric  experiments'  before  their  Sicilian 
Majesties. 


THE  CURTAIN  RISES  49 

o'clock  nightly  he  advertised  his  wares  to  the  sound  of  sweet 
music,  in  his  '  Temple  of  ^^isculapius '  at  the  Royal  Terrace, 
Adelphi.  His  pamphlets,  sermons,  hymns,  exhortations, 
and  satires,  were  rained  on  the  town.^  In  one  of  these 
pieces  of  fulsome  reclame  he  describes  his  museum  of  elixirs 
as  Emma  may  have  viewed  it  in  1780  or  178 1.  Over  the 
porch  stood  the  inscription  '  Templum  ^sculapio  Sacrum.' 
There  were  three  gorgeously  decorated  rooms  with  galleries 
above,  and  pictures  of  heroes  and  kings,  including  Alfred 
the  Great.  Crystal  glass  pillars  enshrined  the  costly 
electrical  apparatus  for  reviving  youth  and  strength.  The 
third  chamber  was  the  tinsel  'Temple  of  Apollo'  with  its 
magnetic  'celestial  bed,' with  its  gilt  dragons,  overarching 
'  Pavilion,'  and  inscription,  '  Dolorifica  res  est  si  quis  homo 
dives  nullum  habet  domi  suae  successorem.'  '  But  on  the 
right  of  the  Temple,'  he  says,  Ms  strikingly  seen  a  beauti- 
ful figure  of  Fecundity,'  holding  her  cornucopia  and  sur- 
rounded by  reclining  children  ;  and  above  all,  an  'electric' 
'celestial  glory,'  which,  mellowed  by  the  stained  windows, 
shed  a  dim  and  solemn  light.  Strains  of  majestic  melody 
filled  the  air  ;  and  here  also  were  sold  his  '  Nervous  Balsam  ' 
and  '  Electrical  .^ther' ;  while  in  the  mornings  this  reverse 
of  'seraphic'  doctor  punctually  attended  consultations  in 
the  dwelling-rooms  adjoining.^ 

Whether  such  ambrosial  tomfoolery  yielded  Emma 
an  intermittent  livelihood  at  all,  and  whether  before 
she  loved  Willet-Payne  or  after,  remains  doubtful ;  the 
latter  is  more  probable.  The  blatant  novelty-monger 
offered  prizes  for  emblematic  pictures,  and  it  is  possible 
that  Tresham,  or  even  his  friend  Romney,  might  have  been 
pressed  into  his  service.  It  may  well  be,  too,  that  here  the 
young  blood  and  baronet.  Sir  Henry  Fetherstonehaugh, 
became  her  admirer.^  As  we  see  him  in  his  letters  some 
thirty  years  afterwards,  this  worthy  appears  as  a  silly  old 

'  Most  of  these  I  have  read.     For  the  whole  subject  of.  Appendix,  Note  B. 

-  '  A  Sketch  or  short  description  of  Dr.  (iraham's  Medical  Apparatus,  erected 
about  the  beginning  of  the  year  1780  in  his  house  on  the  Royal  Terrace,  Adelphi, 
in  London,  17S0.' 

^  I  Ic  may  also  have  been  the  riotous  '  Sir  Harry '  on  the  grand  tour,  whom 
Hamilton  had  to  extricate  from  scrapes  at  Naples  in  the  spring  of  1777.  Cf. 
Morrison  MS.  81. 


50  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

beau  and  sportsman,  indulging  in  compliments  pompous  as 
his  political  reflections,  and  interlarding  his  correspondence 
with  superfluous  French.  In  his  old  age  he  educated  and 
married  a  most  worthy  peasant  girl,  and  brought  her  sister 
(also  educated  in  France)  to  reside  with  them  at  Up  Park, 
while  from  Lady  Fetherstonehaugh  the  estate  passed  into 
that  sister's  possession.^ 

Up  Park  (like  Willet-Payne)  was  fraught  with  dreams  of 
the  fleet,  for  from  its  lofty  position  on  the  steep  Sussex 
Downs  it  commands  a  prospect  of  Portsmouth  and  the 
Isle  of  Wight.  Here  this  erring  and  struggling  girl  for  a 
very  brief  space  in  1781  became  the  mistress  of  the  mansion 
and  its  roystering  owner,  both  Nimrod  and  Macaroni. 
Here  she  '  witched  the  world  with  noble  horsemanship,'  for 
she  was  always  a  fearless  rider.  Here,  among  rakes,  she 
could  not  rest,  as  she  sighed  for  the  artistic  admiration 
which  her  tableau  vivant  in  the  Adelphi  had  already  aroused 
among  clever  Bohemians,  Here,  perhaps  in  despair,  she 
became  so  reckless  and  capricious,  so  hopeless  of  that  peace 
of  mind  and  happy  innocence-  which,  ten  years  later,  she 
joyfully  assured  Romney  had  been  restored  to  her  by 
marriage,  that  she  was  ejected  and  cast  adrift  at  the  very 
moment  when  she  found  herself  soon  to  become  a  mother. 
That  she  was  '  a  girl  in  reall  distres '  for  the  first  time  (and 
not,  as  has  often  been  presumed,  for  the  second)  will  be 
shown  when  we  come  to  'little  Emma,'  and  it  is  here 
evidenced  by  her  entreaty  that  Greville  would  spare  her 
mother  any  knowledge  of  this  fresh  and  crushing  blow. 

At  Up  Park,  most  probably,  Greville  had  first  met  her 
in  the  autumn  of  1 781,  on  one  of  those  shooting-parties  in 
great  houses  which  he  always  frequented  more  from  fashion 
than  amusement.  She  had  doubtless  contrasted  him 
with  Sir  Harry's  stupid  and  commonplace  acquaintances. 
Greville  always  took  real  interest  in  people  who  interested 
him  at  all,  and  at  least  he  never  acted  below  his  profes- 
sions. He  was  nobly  bred,  considerate,  and  composed  ;  he 
was  good-looking,  prudent,  and  ever  liberal — in  advice.    No 

'  From   information    kindly    given    by    the    veteran    Admiral    Sir    E.    G. 
Fanshawe. 
'  Morrison  MS.  199.     The  letter  is  quoted /<7j/,  chap.  vi. 


THE  CURTAIN  RISES  51 

wonder  that  his  condescension  seemed  ideal  to  this  girl  of 
sixteen,  who  had  lost  yet  coveted  self-respect;  who  had  al- 
ready suffered  from  degrading  experience,  and  yet  had  ever 
'  felt  something  of  virtue '  in  her  '  mind.'    He  had  afterwards 
(as  his  letter  will  show)  befriended  and  scolded  her  head- 
strong sallies,  though  his  warnings  must  have  passed  un- 
heeded.    On  her  retirement  in  disgrace  and  despair  to  her 
loving  grandmother  at  Hawarden,  he  doubtless  gave  her  the 
franked  and  addressed  papers  enabling  her  to  communicate 
with  him  should  need  compel  her.     Just  as  evidently,  she 
had  written  and  been  touched  with  the  kind  tone  of  his 
answer.      It   seems   obvious   also    from    Greville's   coming 
reply  that,  as  was  her  way,  she  would   neither  cajole  Sir 
Harry  into  renewed  favour  nor  be  dependent  on  anything 
but  sincere  kindness.     But  at  last  she  was  trembling  on 
a  precipice  from  the  brink  of  which  she  besought  him  to 
rescue  her. 

To  him  and  to  Fetherstonehaugh  she  was  known  as 
Emily  Hart ;  nor,  in  spite  of  Greville's  advice,  would  she, 
or  did  she,  change  that  name  till  her  wedding.  Whence 
it  was  assumed  is  unknown.  In  the  Harvey  family  there 
lingered  a  tradition  that  '  Emma  Hart'  was  born  at  South- 
well, near  Biggleswade,  and  with  her  mother  had  served 
at  Ickwell  Bury,  where  she  was  first  seen  and  painted  by 
Romney.  But  this  is  wholly  unfounded,  though  Romney 
appears  to  have  painted  portraits  in  that  house,  and  it  is 
curious  that,  about  forty  years  ago,  one  Robert  Hart — still 
living — was  a  butler  in  their  service  and  professed  to  be 
in  some  way  related  to  Lady  Hamilton.^  A  guess  might 
be  hazarded  that  '  Hart '  was  derived  from  the  musician  of 
that  name  who  visited  Hamilton's  house  at  Naples  in  1786 
as  her  old  acquaintance.  Not  one  of  the  parish  registers 
offers  any  solution  through  the  names  of  her  kindred.  The 
'Emily'  became  Emma  through  the  artists  and  the  poets, 
through  Romney  and  Hayley. 

It  is  '  Emly  Hart's'  pleading  and  pathetic  note,  then,  that 

'  Through  Miss  Harvey's  kindness  I  comniunicaled  with  him,  but  wilhout 
success.  If  the  Lord  Halifax  legend  had  the  least  likelihood  it  might  be  fancied 
that  '  llartc,'  Chesterfield's  poet  and  philosopher,  suggested  the  uoin-de-fnish-e. 


52  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

Charles  Greville  still  holds  in  his  fastidious  hands  on  this 
winter  morning.  With  a  glance  at  the  recovered  monkey 
and  the  repaired  Venus,  and  possibly  with  a  pang  at  the 
thought  of  the  plight  to  which  this  '  piece  of  modern  virtu '  ^ 
was  reduced,  he  sits  down  most  deliberately  to  compose  his 
answer.  How  deliberately,  is  shown  by  the  fact  that  of 
this  letter  he  kept  a  '  pressed  copy '  done  in  the  ink  just 
invented  by  James  Watt ;  it  was  a  minute  of  semi-official 
importance.  The  letter  is  long,  and  extracts  will  suffice ;  it 
will  be  gathered  that  he  was  more  prig  than  profligate,  and 
he  had  evidently  formed  the  delightful  design  of  being  her 
mentor: — 

'  My  dear  Emily, — I  do  not  make  apologies  for  Sir  H.'s 
behaviour  to  you,  and  altho'  I  advised  you  to  deserve  his 
esteem  by  your  good  conduct,  I  own  I  never  expected 
better  from  him.  It  was  your  duty  to  deserve  good  treat- 
ment, and  it  gave  me  great  concern  to  see  you  imprudent 
the  first  time  you  came  to  G.,  from  the  country,  as  the  same 
conduct  was  repeated  when  you  was  last  in  town,  I  began 
to  despair  of  your  happiness.  To  prove  to  you  that  I  do 
not  accuse  you  falsely,  I  only  mention  five  guineas  and  half 
a  guinea  for  coach.  But,  my  dear  Emily,  as  you  seem 
quite  miserable  now,  I  do  not  mean  to  give  you  uneasiness, 
but  comfort,  and  tell  you  that  I  will  forget  your  faults  and 
bad  conduct  to  Sir  H.  and  myself,  and  will  not  repent  my 
good  humor  if  I  find  that  you  have  learned  by  experience 
to  value  yourself,  and  endeavor  to  preserve  your  friends 
by  good  conduct  and  affection.  I  will  now  answer  your 
last  letter.  You  tell  me  you  think  your  friends  look  cooly 
on  you,  it  is  therefore  time  to  leave  them  :  but  it  is  necessary 
for  you  to  decide  some  points  before  you  come  to  town. 
You  are  sensible  that  for  the  next  three  months  your  situa- 
tion will  not  admit  of  a  giddy  life,  if  you  wished  it.  .  .  . 
After  you  have  told  me  that  Sir  H.  gave  you  barely  money 
to  get  to  your  friends,  and  has  never  answered  one  letter 
since,  and  neither  provides  for  you  nor  takes  any  notice  of 
you,  it  might  appear  laughing  at  you  to  advise  you  to  make 
Sir  H.  more  kind  and  attentive.     I  do  not  think  a  great 

1  Morrison  MS.  136,  March  10,  1785.  On  April  3rd  of  the  year  1781  he  had 
written  to  his  uncle,  '  I  go  on,  more  bit  by  virLu  than  ever.' 


THE  CURTAIN  RISES  53 

deal  of  time  should  be  lost,  for  I  have  never  seen  a  woman 
clever  enough  to  keep  a  man  who  was  tired  of  her.  But  it 
is  a  great  deal  more  for  me  to  advise  you  never  to  see  him 
again,  and  to  write  only  to  inform  him  of  your  determina- 
tion. You  must,  however,  do  either  the  one  or  the  other.  .  .  . 
You  may  easily  see,  my  dearest  Emily,  why  it  is  absolutely 
necessary  for  this  point  to  be  completely  settled  before  I 
can  move  one  step.  If  you  love  Sir  H.  you  should  not  give 
him  up.  .  .  .  But  besides  this,  my  Emily,  I  would  not  be 
troubled  with  your  connexions  (excepting  your  mother) 
and  with  Sir  H.('s)  friends  for  the  universe.  My  advice 
then  is  to  take  a  steady  resolution.  ...  I  shall  then  be  free 
to  dry  up  the  tears  of  my  lovely  Emily  and  to  give  her 
comfort.  If  you  do  not  forfeit  my  esteem  perhaps  my 
Emily  may  be  happy.  You  know  I  have  been  so  by  avoid- 
ing the  vexation  which  frequently  arises  from  ingratitude 
and  caprice.  Nothing  but  your  letter  and  your  distress 
could  incline  me  to  alter  my  system,  but  remember  I 
never  will  give  up  my  peace,  or  continue  my  connexion 
one  moment  after  my  confidence  is  betray'd.  If  you 
should  come  to  town  and  take  my  advice  .  .  .  You  should 
part  with  your  maid  and  take  another  name.  By  degrees 
I  would  get  you  a  new  set  of  acquaintances,  and  by  keeping 
your  own  secret,  and  no  one  about  you  having  it  in  their 
power  to  betray  you,  I  may  expect  to  see  you  respected 
and  admired.  Thus  far  as  relates  to  yourself.  As  to  the 
child  ...  its  mother  shall  obtain  it  kindness  from  me,  and 
it  shall  never  want.  I  inclose  you  some  money ;  do  not 
throw  it  away.  You  may  send  some  presents  when  you 
arrive  in  town,  but  do  not  be  on  the  road  without  some 
money  to  spare  in  case  you  should  be  fatigued  and  wish  to 
take  your  time.  I  will  send  Sophy  ^  anything  she  wishes 
for.  .  .  .  God  bless  you,  my  dearest  lovely  girl  ;  take  your 
determination  and  let  me  hear  from  you  once  more.  Adieu, 
my  dear  Emily.' - 

'  A  sister  or  a  friend  ?  There  exists  an  engraving  which  is  styled  '  Lady 
Hamilton  and  her  sister.'  They  are  dancing  the  Tarantella.  But  her  com- 
panion is  probably  Mrs.  Griifer,  or  '  Giulia,'  or  one  of  the  innumerable  dependants 
on  Sir  William,  often  mentioned  by  Nelson. 

2  Morrison  MS.  114,  January  10,  1782.  The  letter  has  a  passage  doubting 
the  child's  paternity,  which  was  omitted  because  the  quick  succession  from  Payne 
to  Fetherstonehaugh  would  of  itself  imply  it. 


54  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

And  with  this  salutation  Greville  folds  his  paper  with 
precision  and  addresses  it,  in  the  complacent  belief  that 
it  is  irresistible.  Truly  an  impeccable  shepherd  of  lost 
sheep,  a  prodigious  preacher  to  runagates  continuing  in 
scarceness ;  a  Mr.  Barlow- Rochester  with  a  vengeance ! 
And  yet  real  goodwill  underlies  the  guardedness  of  his 
disrespectable  sermon.  As,  however,  he  sinks  back  in  his 
chair,  and  plumes  himself  on  the  communique,  it  never 
strikes  him  for  an  instant  that  this  wild  and  unfortunate 
girl  is  quite  capable  of  distancing  her  tutor  and  of  swaying 
larger  destinies  than  his.  His  main  and  constant  object 
was  never  to  appear  ridiculous.  So  absurd  a  forecast 
would  have  irretrievably  grotesqued  him  in  his  own  eyes 
and  in  those  of  his  friends.  His  attitude  towards  women 
appears  best  from  his  reflections  nearly  five  years  later, 
which  read  like  a  page  of  La  Rochefoucauld  tied  up 
with  red  tape  :— 

*.  .  .  With  women,  1  observe  they  have  only  resource 
in  Art,  and  there  is  to  them  no  interval  between  plain 
ground  and  the  precipice  ;  and  the  springs  of  action  are 
so  much  in  the  extreme  of  sublime  and  low,  that  no 
absolute  dependence  can  be  given  by  men.  It  is  for  this 
reason  I  always  have  anticipated  cases  to  prepare  their 
mind  to  reasonable  conduct,  and  it  will  always  have  its 
impression,  altho'  they  will  fly  at  the  mere  mention  of 
truth  if  it  either  hurts  their  pride  or  their  intrest,  and 
the  latter  has  much  more  rarely  weight  with  a  young 
woman  than  the  former ;  and  therefore  it  is  like  playing  a 
trout  to  keep  up  pride  to  make  them  despise  meaness,  and 
not  to  retain  the  bombast  which  would  render  the  man  who 
gave  way  to  it  the  air  of  a  dupe  and  a  fool.  It  requires 
much  conduct  to  steer  properly,  but  it  is  to  be  done  when 
a  person  is  handsome,  and  has  a  good  heart ;  but  to  do  it 
zvithout  hurtifig  their  feelings  requires  constant  attention  ;  it 
is  not  in  the  moment  of  irritation  or  passion  that  advice  has 
effect;  it  is  in  the  moment  of  reason  and  good  nature.  It 
reduces  itself  to  simple  subjects ;  and  when  a  woman 
can[not  ?]  see  more  than  one  alternative  of  comfort  or  despair^ 
of  attention  and  desertion^  they  can  take  a  line'  ^ 

1  Morrison  MS.  156,  November  (?)  1786. 


THE  CURTAIN  RISES  55 

Thus  Greville — the  prudent  psychologist  of  womankind 
and  the  nice  moralist  of  the  immoral.  His  metaphor  of 
the  'trout'  must  have  appealed  to  that  keen  fisherman,  his 
'  dear  Hamilton.'  Greville  angled  for  '  disinterested  '  hearts 
with  a  supple  rod.  His  '  system '  was  to  attach  friend- 
ship rather  than  to  rivet  affection  ;  to  '  play '  a  woman's 
heart  in  the  quick  stream  of  credulous  emotion  past  the 
perilous  eddies  of  headlong  impulse  with  the  bait  of  self- 
esteem,  till  it  could  be  safely  landed  in  a  basket,  to  be 
afterwards  transferred  for  the  fish's  own  benefit  to  a  friend. 
If  the  trout  refused  thus  to  be  landed,  it  must  be  dropped 
into  the  depths  of  its  own  froward  will ;  but  the  sportsman 
could  at  least  console  himself  by  the  thought  that,  as 
sportsman,  he  had  done  his  duty  and  observed  the  rules  of 
his  game.  Greville  was  already  contemplating  a  less  expen- 
sive shrine  for  his  minerals  and  old  masters.  Air  fresher 
than  that  of  Portman  Square  ^  might  agree  better  with  the 
monkey,  and  a  light  purse  proverbially  makes  a  heavy  heart. 

He  must  be  left  calculating  his  chances,  while  his 
Dulcinea  books  places  in  the  Chester  coach,  weeps  for 
joy,  and  kisses  her  Don  Quixote's  billet  with  impetuous 
gratitude. 

^  In  September  1784  he  wrote  to  Hamilton,  'I  have  my  house  yet  on  my 
hands.' — Morrison  MS.  I2i.     He  was  not  quit  of  it  till  the  close  of  1784. 


CHAPTER    III 

'THE   FAIR   TEA-MAKER   OF   EDGWARE   ROW' 

March  1782 — Atigust  1784 

A  GIRLISH  voice,  fresh  as  the  spring  morning  on  Padding- 
ton  Green  outside,  with  its  rim  of  tall  elms,  and  clear  as 
the  warbling  of  their  birds,  rings  out  through  the  open 
window  with  its  bright  burden  of  '  Banish  sorrow  until 
to-morrow.'^  The  music-master  has  just  passed  through 
the  little  garden-wicket,  the  benefactor  will  soon  return 
from  town,  and  fond  Emma  will  please  him  by  her 
progress.  Nature  smiles  without  and  within ;  '  Mrs. 
Cadogan '  bustles  over  the  spring-cleaning  below,  and  to- 
morrow the  radiant  housewife  will  take  her  shilling's- 
worth  of  hackney  coach  as  far  as  Romney's  studio  in 
Cavendish  Square.  She  is  very  happy ;  it  is  almost  as 
if  she  were  a  young  bride ;  perchance,  who  knows,  one 
day  she  may  be  Greville's  wife.  In  her  heart  she  is  so 
now  ;  and  yet  at  times  that  hateful  past  will  haunt  her. 
It  shall  be  buried  with  the  winter ;  *  I  will  have  it  so,' 
as  she  was  to  write  but  two  years  later.'^     And  is  it  not 

'  Spring-time,  the  only  pretty  ring  time, 
When  birds  do  sing  hey  ding  a-ding  a-ding'? 

Edgware  Row  a  hundred  and  twenty-three  years  ago 
was  the  reverse  of  what  it  looks  to-day.  Its  site,  now  a 
network  of  slums,  was  then  a  country  prospect.  It 
fronted  the  green  sward   of  a   common,  abutting   on    the 

^  This  was  one  of  the  songs  that  Emma  brought  with  her  to  Naples.     Cf. 
Nelson  Letters,  ii.  p.  139. 

2  Morrison  MS.  128,  July  3,  1784. 
.06 


p 

9 

t 

1 

^ 

^^ 

^9hH 

*•*-  ^ 

tifM 

Bi 

HHHWl 

■iihiiiiiiiiiii 

"'■^  - 

■*^i?!SSS8f 

PaUUINGION    GRKKN    and    Clll'Ri   II 
From  an  olil  fitiitl. 


'THE  FAIR  TEA-MAKER'  57 

inclosure  of  a  quaint  old  church,^  in  a  vault  of  which, 
when  the  crowning  blow  fell,  Lady  Hamilton  was  to  lay 
the  remains  of  her  devoted  mother.  That  church  had 
for  many  years  been  associated  with  artists,  singers,  and 
musicians,  British  and  foreign.  Here  in  March  1733  the 
apprentice  Hogarth  had  wedded  Jane  Thornhill,  his 
master's  daughter.  Here  lay  buried  Matthew  Dubourg, 
the  court  violinist ;  and  Emma  could  still  read  his 
epitaph : — 

'Tho'  sweet  as  Orpheus  thou  couldst  bring 
Soft  pleadings  from  the  trembling  string, 
Unmoved  the  King  of  Terror  stands 
Nor  owns  the  magic  of  thy  hands,' 

Here,  too,  lay  buried  George  Barret,  'an  eminent  painter 
and  worthy  man.'  Here  later  were  to  lie  LoUi,  the 
violinist ;  the  artists  Schiavonetti  and  Sandby ;  NoUekens 
and  Banks  the  sculptors;  Alexander  Geddes  the  scholar; 
Merlin  the  mechanic ;  Caleb  Whiteford  the  wine-merchant 
wit;  and  his  great  patron,  John  Henry  Petty,  Marquis 
of  Lansdowne,  who  descends  to  history  as  the  Earl  of 
Shelburne.  Here  once  resided  the  charitable  Denis  Chirac, 
jeweller  to  Queen  Anne.  Here,  too,  were  voluntary 
schools  and  the  lying-in  hospital.  The  canal,  meander- 
ing as  far  as  Bolingbroke's  Hayes  in  one  direction,  and 
Lady  Sarah  Child's  Norwood  in  the  other,  was  not  finished 
till  1 801,  when  Lady  Hamilton  may  have  witnessed  its 
opening  ceremony. 

Greville,  still  saddled  with  his  town  abode,  at  once  econo- 
mised. The  Edgware  Row  establishment  was  modest  in 
both  senses  of  the  word.  He  brought  reputable  friends  to 
the  house,  and  a  few  neighbouring  ladies  seem  to  have 
called.  The  household  expenses  did  not  exceed  some;^ioo 
a  year.  Emma's  own  yearly  allowance  was  only  about  ^30, 
and  she  lived  well  within  it.  Her  mother  was  a  clever 
manager,  whose  services  the  thrifty  prodigal  appreciated. 
The  existing  household  accounts  in  Emma's  handwriting 
only    start    in    1784,  but    from    them    some    idea    may   be 

'  Replaced  in  17S7  by  the  present  structure. 


58 


EMMA.  LADY  HAMILTON 


formed  of  what  they  were  in  the  two  years  preceding. 
They  belong  to  the  Hamilton  papers  inherited  by  Greville 
in  1803,  and  they  were  evidently  deemed  worthy  of  preser- 
vation both  by  nephew  and  uncle ;  here  is  a  specimen  : — 


Emma 

Hart.    The  Day  Account  Book. 

Oct.  27,  1784. 

Money  paid,  etc. 

27th 

Oct. 

Baker's  bill,  one  week,         .         .     jT^o 

4   II 

)> 

») 

Butter  bill,  one  week. 

0 

5     I 

)) 

J) 

Butcher,     . 

0 

7     8^ 

jj 

)5 

Wood, 

0 

I     0 

28th 

>J 

Pidgeons,    . 

0 

2     0 

29th 

)1 

Mold  candles,     . 

0 

2     3 

>» 

>J 

Gloves, 

0 

I     6 

>> 

)» 

Letters, 

0 

0     4 

)) 

5> 

Coach, 

0 

1      0 

)> 

)) 

Apples, 

0 

0        2h 

)) 

)) 

Poor  ma?i,  . 

0 

0       0^ 

>  J 

)> 

Mangle, 

0 

0     5 

30th 

5) 

Tea,  . 

0 

12     0 

>> 

)) 

Sugar, 

0 

9     9 

>> 

») 

Butcher, 

0 

5     4 

J5 

)) 

Scotch  gaize. 

0 

0     6 

31st 

)> 

Porter, 

0 

0     2 

5> 

>> 

Eggs,  ^        . 

0 

0     4 

I  St  Nov. 

Magazines, 

0 

I     0 

5) 

)) 

Cotton  and  needles, 

0 

0     9 

)> 

n 

Coach, 

0 

I     0 

M 

>> 

Baker's  bill. 

0 

4   II 

J> 

>) 

Butter  bill, 

0 

5     0 

)> 

>> 

Milk, 

0 

2     3 

)> 

M 

Gardener,  . 

0 

2     0 

2nd 

)J 

Butcher, 

0 

2     6 

U 

>> 

I  Sack  of  coals,  . 

0 

3     6 

>» 

>) 

Oysters, 

0 

0     8 

JJ 

>) 

Porter, 

0 

0     2 

>) 

)) 

Eggs, 

0 

0     4 

)) 
3rd 

)) 

Handkerchiefs,   . 
Stockings,  . 
Mrs.  Hackwood, 

0 
0 
4 

1  10 

2  10 
12     61 

>  Cf.  Morrison  MS.,  Appendix  A. 


'THE  FAIR  TEA-MAKER'  59 

The  'Poor  Man  \d!  is  a  pretty  touch,  and  Greville  must 
have  scolded  her  for  it,  as  it  does  not  recur;  'Mrs.  Hack- 
wood  '  was  her  milliner,  and  continued  to  be  so  throughout 
the  coming  Neapolitan  days.  It  is  clear  from  these 
accounts  that  all  was  now  '  retrenchment  and  reform  ';  that 
all  was  not  plenty,  is  equally  apparent.  But  Emma  was 
more  than  satisfied  with  her  lot.  Had  not  her  knight- 
errant  (or  erring)  dropped  from  heaven  ?  From  the  first 
she  regarded  him  as  a  superior  being,  and  by  1784  she 
came  to  love  him  with  intense  tenderness ;  indeed  she 
idealised  him  as  much  as  others  were  afterwards  to  idealise 
her.  All  was  not  yet,  however,  wholly  peace.  Her  char- 
acter was  far  from  being  ideal,  quite  apart  from  the  cir- 
cumstances which,  by  comparison,  she  viewed  as  almost 
conjugal.  Her  petulant  temper  remained  unquelled  long 
after  her  tamer  undertook  to  '  break  it  in,'  and  there  were 
already  occasional 'scenes' against  her  own  interest.  Yet 
how  soon  and  warm-heartedly  she  repented  may  be  gathered 
from  her  letters  two  years  onwards,  when  she  was  sea- 
bathing at  Park  Gate  :  '  So,  my  dearest  Greville,'  pleads 
one  of  them,  '  don't  think  on  my  past  follies,  think  on  my 
good,  little  as  it  has  been.'  And,  before,  'Oh  !  Greville,  when 
I  think  on  your  goodness,  your  tender  kindness,  my  heart 
is  so  full  of  gratitude  that  I  want  words  to  express  it.  But 
I  have  one  happiness  in  vew,  which  I  am  determined  to 
practice,  and  that  is  eveness  of  temper  and  stead[i]ness  of 
mind.  For  endead  I  have  thought  so  much  of  your  amiable 
goodness  when  you  have  been  tried  to  the  utmost,  that  I 
will,  endead  I  will  manege  myself,  and  try  to  be  like 
Greville  [!].  Endead  I  can  never  be  like  him.  But  I  will 
do  all  I  can  towards  it,  and  I  am  sure  you  will  not  desire 
more.  I  think  if  the  time  would  come  over  again,  I  would 
be  differant.  But  it  does  not  matter.  There  is  nothing 
like  bying  expearance.  I  may  be  happyer  for  it  hereafter, 
and  I  will  think  of  the  time  coming  and  not  of  the  past, 
except  to  make  comparrasons,  to  shew  you  what  alterations 
there  is  for  the  best.  .  .  .  O  Greville !  think  on  me  with 
kindness !  Think  on  how  many  happy  days  weeks  and 
years — I  hope — we  may  yett  pass.  .  .  .  And  endead,  did 
you  but  know  how  much  I  love  you,  you  wou'd  freely  for- 


6o  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

give  me  any  passed  quarrels.  For  I  now  suffer  from  them, 
and  one  line  from  you  vvou'd  make  me  happy.  .  .  .  But 
how  am  I  to  make  you  amends  ?  .  .  .  I  will  try,  I  will  do 
my  utmost ;  and  I  can  only  regrett  that  fortune  will  not 
put  it  in  my  power  to  make  a  return  for  all  the  kindness 
and  goodness  you  have  showed  me.'  ^ 

Conscious  of  growing  gifts,  she  had  chafed  by  fits  and 
starts  at  the  seclusion  of  her  home — for  home  it  was  to 
her,  in  her  own  words, '  though  never  so  homely.'  On  one 
occasion  (noted  by  Pettigrew  and  John  Romney  too  sub- 
stantially to  admit  of  its  being  fiction)  ^  Greville  took  her  to 
Ranelagh,  and  was  annoyed  by  her  bursting  into  song 
before  an  applauding  crowd.  His  displeasure  so  affected 
her  that  on  her  return  she  doffed  her  finery,  donned  the 
plainest  attire,  and,  weeping,  entreated  him  to  retain  her 
thus  or  be  quit  of  her.  This  episode  was  the  source  of 
Romney's  picture  '  The  Seamstress.'  ^ 

The  accounts  omit  any  mention  of  amusements,  and  it 
must  have  been  Greville  alone  who  (rarely)  treated  her. 
She  may  have  seen  '  Coxe's  Museum,'  and  the  'balloonists  ' 
Lunardi  and  Sheldon,  the  Italian  at  the  Pantheon,  the 
Briton  in  Foley  Gardens.*  She  may  have  been  present,  too, 
when  in  the  new  '  Marylebone  Gardens  '  Signor  Torre  gave 
one  of  his  firework  displays  of  Mount  Etna  in  eruption.^ 
If  so,  how  odd  must  she  afterwards  have  thought  it,  that 
her  husband  was  to  be  the  leading  authority  on  Italian  and 
Sicilian  volcanoes !  But  what  at  once  amazed  Greville — 
the  paragon  oi  nil  admirari — was  the  transformation  that 
she  seriously  set  herself  to  achieve.  '  She  does  not,'  observed 
this  economist  of  ease  three  years  later,  '  wish  for  much 
society,  but  to  retain  two  or  three  creditable  acquaintances 
in  the  neighbourhood  she  has  avoided  every  appearance  of 

^  Morrison  MS.  126,  June  25,  1784. 

-  They  are  confirmed  by  a  passage  in  one  of  Greville's  letters  immediately  to 
be  quoted,  and  which  I  have  there  italicised. 

"  Pettigrew  (p.  600)  says,  *in  a  plain  cottage  dress.'  John  Romney  in  his 
Life  says  that  she  robed  herself  as  'a  lady's  maid,'  and  told  Romney  of  the 
Ranelagh  incident.  If  the  costume  were  really  a  lady's  maid's,  this  would 
account  for  Romney's  portrait  of  her  in  that  character,  which  may  have  given 
rise  to  the  Ickwell  Bury  tradition. 

*  Morrison  MS.  131.  ^  'Lyson%'s  Environs  of  London,  'Marylebone.' 


'THE  FAIR  TEA-MAKER'  6i 

giddiness,  and  prides  herself  on  the  neatness  of  her  person 
and  the  good  order  of  her  house  ;  these  are  habits/  he 
comments,  'both  comfortable  and  convenient  tome.  She 
has  vanity  and  likes  admiration  ;  but  she  connects  it 
so  much  with  her  desire  of  appearing  prudent,  that  she  is 
more  pleas' d  with  accidental  admiration  than  that  of  crowds 
which  now  distress  her.  In  short,  this  habit,  of  three  or  four 
years'  acquiring,  is  not  a  caprice,  but  is  easily  to  be  con- 
tinued. .  .  .'  ^  '  She  never  has  wished  for  an  improper 
acquaintance,'  he  adds  a  month  later.  '  She  has  dropt 
everyone  she  thought  I  could  except  against,  and  those  of 
her  own  choice  have  been  in  a  line  of  prudence  and  plain- 
ness which,  tho'  I  might  have  wished  for,  I  could  not  have 
proposed  to  confine  her  [to].'  ^ 

Among  the  '  reputable '  acquaintances  were  his  brother 
and  future  executor,  Colonel  the  Honourable  Robert  Fulke- 
Greville,  some  of  his  kinsmen  the  Cathcarts,  a  Colonel 
Hartley  who  was  to  remain  friendly  in  Naples,  the 
Honourable  Heneage  Legge,  whom  we  shall  find  meeting 
her  just  before  her  marriage,  and  oftener  the  artist  Gavin 
Hamilton,  Sir  William's  namesake  and  kinsman,  who  at 
once  put  Emma  on  his  '  list  of  favourites,'  reminding  him, 
as  she  did,  of  a  Roman  beauty  that  he  had  once  known,  but 
superior  to  her,  he  said,  in  the  lines  of  her  beautiful  and 
uncommon  mouth.-^  Her  main  recreation,  besides  her  study 
to  educate  herself,*  were  those  continual  visits  to  Romney, 
which  indeed  assisted  it.  His  Diaries  contain  almost  three 
hundred  records  of 'Mrs.  Hart's'  sittings  during  these  four 
years,  most  of  them  at  an  early  hour,  for  Emma,  except  in 
illness,  was  never  a  late  riser.  One  portrait  of  her,  unmen- 
tioned  in  our  previous  list,  represents  her  reading  the 
Gazette  with  a  startled  expression.  It  may  well  have  been 
painted  from  memory  shortly  after  she  left  England  in 
March  1786,  and  refer  to  the  attempt  by  Margaret  Nicholson 
in  the  August  of  that  year  on  the  life  of  the  King.    '  While,' 

1  Morrison  IMS.  137,  May  5,  1785.  =  Ibid.  138. 

^  Ibid.  139,  Nov.  II,  1785. 

*  '  Her  only  resources,'  writes  John  Romney,  '  were  reading  and  music  at 
home,  and  sitting  for  pictures.'  In  the  Accounts  arc  regular  entries  of 
'  Magazines. ' 


62  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

remarks  the  sententious  John  Romney,  '  she  lived  under 
Greville's  protection,  her  conduct  was  in  every  way  correct, 
except  only  in  the  unfortunate  situation  in  which  she  hap- 
pened to  be  placed  by  the  concurrence  of  peculiar  circum- 
stances such  as  might  perhaps  in  a  certain  degree  be 
admitted  as  an  extenuation.  .  .  .  Here  is  a  young  female 
of  an  artless  and  playful  character,  of  extraordinary 
Elegance  and  symmetry  of  form,  of  a  most  beautiful  coun- 
tenance glowing  with  health  and  animation,  turned  upon 
the  wide  world.  ...  In  all  Mr.  Romney's  intercourse  with 
her  she  was  treated  with  the  utmost  respect,  and  her 
demeanour  fully  entitled  her  to  it.'  He  adds  that  she  '  sat ' 
for  the  '  face '  merely  and  *  a  slight  sketch  of  the  attitude,' 
and  that  in  the  '  Bacchante '  he  painted  her  countenance 
alone  ;  while  Hayley,  in  his  Life  of  the  painter,  speaks  of 
'  the  high  and  constant  admiration  '  with  which  Romney 
contemplated  not  only  the  '  personal  '  but  the  '  mental 
endowments  of  this  lady,  and  the  gratitude  he  felt  for  many 
proofs  of  her  friendship,'  as  expressed  in  his  letters.  '  The 
talents,'  he  continues,  '  which  nature  bestowed  on  the  fair 
Emma,  led  her  to  delight  in  the  two  kindred  arts  of  music 
and  painting ;  in  the  first  she  acquired  great  practical 
ability ;  for  the  second  she  had  exquisite  taste,  and  such 
expressive  powers  as  could  furnish  to  an  historical  painter 
an  inspiring  model  for  the  various  characters  either 
delicate  or  sublime.  .  .  .  Her  features,  like  the  language  of 
Shakespeare,  could  exhibit  all  the  gradations  of  every 
passion  with  a  most  fascinating  truth  and  felicity  of  ex- 
pression. Romney  delighted  in  observing  the  wonderful 
command  she  possessed  over  her  eloquent  features.'  He 
called  her  his  '  inspirer.'  ^  To  Romney,  as  we  have  already 
seen,  she  '  first  opened  her  heart.'  At  Romney's  she  met 
those  literary  and  artistic  lights  that  urged  her  native 
intelligence  into  imitation.  A  sketch  by  Romney  of  his 
studio  displays  her  seated  as  his  model  for  the  'Spinstress' 
by  her  spinning-wheel.  A  figure  entering  and  smiling  is 
Greville ;  of  two  others  seated  at  a  table,  the  one  appeal- 

1  Cf.  Hayley's  letter  to  her  from  Felpham  of  May  17,  1804,  cited  later  in  this 
work,  and  given  by  Pettigrew,  vol.  ii.  p.  596,  which  proves  her  to  have  been  a 
prompter  and  suggester  as  well  as  a  tenderer. 


CJ!    a: 

"I  i>' 

■■^    a"? 


?=;  "^ 


5  5S 


•  -5   w 


-     t*. 


'THE  FAIR  TEA-MAKER'  63 

ing  to  her  would  seem  to  be  Hayley,  to  whom  she  always 
gratefully  confessed  her  obligations. 

William  Hayley,  the  '  Hermit '  of  Eartham,  the  close  ally 
both  of  Romney  and  Cowper,  must  have  been  far  more 
interesting  in  his  conversation  than  his  books,  though  his 
Triumphs  of  Temper  created  a  sensation  now  difficult  to 
understand.  He  was  a  clever,  egotistical  eccentric,  who 
successively  parted  from  two  wives  with  whom  he  yet  con- 
tinued to  correspond  in  affectionate  friendship.  Curiously 
enough,  Hayley's  rhymed  satirical  comedies  ^  are  much  the 
best  of  his  otherwise  stilted  verses.  He  must  have  remem- 
bered Hamilton  and  Greville  when,  in  one  of  them,  he 
makes  '  Mr.  Beril '  account  for  his  ownership  of  a  lovely 
Greek  statue : 

'  I  owe  it  to  chance,  to  acknowledge  the  truth, 
And  a  princely  and  brave  Neapolitan  youth, 
Whom  I  luckily  saved  in  a  villainous  strife 
From  the  dagger  of  jealousy  aimed  at  his  life' : 

and  when  his  '  Bijou  '  ironically  observes  to  '  Varnish ': 

'  I  protest  your  remark  is  ingenious  and  new. 
You  hav^e  gusto  in  morals  as  well  as  virtu'  : 

His  unfamiliar  sonnet  on  Romney's  'Cassandra'  may  be 
here  cited,  since  it  may  have  suggested  to  Greville  his 
estimate  of  Emma — '  piece  of  modern  virtu': 

'  Ye  fond  idolaters  of  ancient  art, 

Who  near  Parthenope  with  curious  toil, 
Forcing  the  rude  sulphureous  rocks  to  part, 

Draw  from  the  greedy  earth  her  buried  spoil 
Of  antique  entablature  ;  and  from  the  toil 

Of  time  restoring  some  fair  form,  acquire 
A  fancied  jewel,  know  'tis  but  a  foil 

To  this  superior  gem  of  richer  fire. 
In  Romney's  tints  behold  the  Trojan  maid. 

See  beauty  blazing  in  prophetic  ire. 
From  palaces  engulphed  could  earth  retire, 

And  show  thy  works,  Apelles,  undecay'd, 
E'en  thy  Campaspe  would  not  dare  to  vie 
With  the  wild  splendour  of  Cassandra's  eye.' 


^  The  Happy  Prescription  (17S4)  and  The  Two  Connoisseur!:  are  brilliant 
vers  lie  sociite.  For  Horace  Walpole's  poor  account  of  his  authorship,  cf.  Letters, 
vol.  viii.  pp.  235,  236,  251. 


64  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

In  a  late  letter  to  Lady  Hamilton  the  poet  assures  her 
that  an  unpublished  ode  was  wholly  inspired  by  her,  and 
there  are  traces  of  her  influence  even  in  his  poor  tragedies. 
But  since  'Serena'  influenced  her  often,  it  may  be  of 
interest  to  single  out  a  few  lines  from  the  Triumphs  of 
Temper  (composed  some  years  before  its  author  first  met 
her)  as  likelier  to  have  arrested  her  attention  than  his  triter 
commonplaces  about '  spleen  '  and  '  cheerfulness ': 

'  Free  from  ambitious  pride  and  envious  care, 
To  love  and  to  be  loved  was  all  her  prayer.' 

'Th'  imperishable  wealth  of  sterling  love.' 

.  .  .  She's  everything  by  starts  and  nothing  long. 

But  in  the  space  of  one  revolving  hour 

Flies  thro  all  states  of  poverty  and  power. 

All  forms  on  whom  her  veering  mind  can  pitch, 

Sultana,  Gipsy,  Goddess,  nymph,  and  witch. 

At  length,  her  soul  with  Shakespeare's  magic  fraught, 

The  wand  of  Ariel  fixed  her  roving  thought.' 

And 

'  But  mild  Serena  scom'd  the  prudish  play 
To  wound  warm  love  with  frivolous  delay  ; 
Nature's  chaste  child^  not  Affectation's  slave, 
The  heart  she  meant  to  give,  she  frankly  gave.^ 

The  August  of  1782  brought  about  an  event  decisive  for 
Emma's  future — the  death  of  the  first  Lady  Hamilton,  the 
Ambassador's  marriage  with  whom  in  1757  had  been  mainly 
one  of  convenience,  though  it  had  proved  one  also  of  com- 
fort and  esteem.^  She  was  a  sweet,  tranquil  soul  of  rapt 
holiness,  what  the  Germans  call  ^  Eine  schdne  Seele,'  and 
she  worshipped  the  very  earth  that  her  light-hearted  husband, 
far  nearer  to  it  than  she  was,  trod  on.  He  had  set  out  as  a 
young  captain  of  foot,  who,  in  his  own  words,  had  '  known 

^  Cf.  his  own  avowal,  Morrison  MS.  95,  where  he  tells  Greville :  *  You  have 
been  acquainted  with  beauty  enough  to  know  that  that  alone  cannot  afford 
lasting  happiness.  A  disagreeable  rich  Devil,  the  Devil  himself  could  not  have 
tempted  me  to  marry,  but  I  have  realy  \_stc'\  found  a  lasting  comfort  in  having 
married  (something  against  my  inclination)  a  virtuous,  good-tempered  woman, 
with  a  little  independent  fortune,  to  which  we  cou'd  fly  shou'd  all  other  depen- 
dencies fail,  and  live  decently  without  being  obliged  to  any  one.' 


'THE  FAIR  TEA-MAKER'  65 

the  pinch  of  poverty' ;  but  during  the  whole  twenty-five  years 
of  their  union  she  had  never  once  reproached  him,  and  had 
dedicated  to  him  all  'that  long  disease'  she  called  'her 
life.'  So  far,  though  intimate  with  the  young  Sicilian 
King  and  friendly  with  the  Queen,  Hamilton  had  weighed 
little  in  diplomacy.  In  a  sprightly  letter  to  the  Earl  of 
Dartmouth  some  six  years  earlier,^  he  observes :  'It  is 
singular  but  certainly  true  that  I  am  become  more  a 
ministre  de  famille  at  this  court  than  ever  were  the  ministers 
of  France,  Spain,  and  Vienna.  Whenever  there  is  a  good 
shooting-party  H.S.  Majesty  is  pleased  to  send  for  me,  and 
for  some  months  past  I  have  had  the  honour  of  dining  with 
him  twice  or  three  times  a  week,  nay  sometimes  I  have 
breakfasted,  dined,  and  supped  ...  in  their  private  party 
without  any  other  minister.'-  He  next  descants  on  his 
exceptional  opportunities  of  helping  the  English  in  Naples. 
He  hits  off  a  certain  Lady  Boyd  among  them  as  '  Like 
Mr.  Wilkes,  but  she  has  [such]  a  way  of  pushing  forward 
that  face  of  hers  and  filling  every  muscle  of  it  with  good 
humour,  that  her  homeliness  is  forgot  in  a  moment ' ;  and 
he  concludes  with  the  usual  complaint  that — unlike  his  pre- 
decessor, Sir  William  Lynch — he  has  not  yet  been  made 
'Privy  Councillor.' 2  So  dissatisfied  was  he  that  in  1774 
he  had  tried  hard  on  one  of  his  periodical  home  visits  to 
exchange  his  ambassadorship  at  Naples  for  one  at  Madrid  ; 
and  at  the  present  time  science,  pictures,  archaeology,  sport 
and  gallantry  occupied  his  constant  leisure — indeed  he  was 
more  of  a  Consul  than  of  an  Ambassador.  General  Acton's 
advent,  however,  as  Minister  of  War  and  Marine  in  1779 
proved  a  passing  stimulus  to  his  dormant  energy.  If  a 
dawdler,  he  was  never  a  trifler ;  and  he  was  uniformly 
courteous  and  kind-hearted.  His  frank  geniality  recom- 
mended him  as  bear-leader  to  the  many  English  visitors 

'  Hist.  MS.  Commission,  Dartmouth  Papers,  vol.  iii.  p.  224.  Caserta,  Jan.  16, 
1776,  and  cf.  p.  238.  The  early  letters  to  (ireville  in  the  Morrison  MS.  concern 
art,  politics,  business,  and  sport. 

-  Cf.  Morrison  MS.  82,  where  he  recounts  on  February  9,  1772,  how  he 
played  '  Bisilis '  with  their  Majesties.  This  letter  contains  his  tirst  mention 
of  Acton  the  Premier,  who  succeeded  to  his  English  baronetcy  in  1791  ;  and  cf. 
zho  ii>id.  92,  1780,  and  lOO,  March  13,  1781. 

•'  He  had  to  wail  till  1791,  the  year  of  his  marriage. 

E 


66  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

who  flocked  annually  to  Naples/  often  stumbled  lightly 
into  scrapes  that  caused  him  infinite  trouble,^  and  prompted 
his  humorous  regret  that  Magna  Charta  contained  no  clause 
forbidding  Britons  to  emigrate.  It  was  not  till  Emma 
dawned  on  his  horizon  that  he  woke  up  in  earnest  to  the 
duties  of  his  office.  His  wife  made  every  effort,  so  far  as 
her  feeble  health  admitted,  to  grace  his  hospitalities.  She 
shared  his  own  taste  for  music,  and  sang  to  the  harpsichord 
before  the  Court  of  Vienna.  The  sole  regret  of  her  unselfish 
piety  was  that  he  remained  a  worldling.  She  studied  to 
spare  him  every  vexation  and  intrusion  ;  and  while  he 
pursued  his  long  rambles,  sporting,  artistic,  or  sentimental, 
she  sat  at  home  praying  for  her  elderly  Pierrot's  eternal 
welfare.  Her  example  dispensed  with  precepts,  and  hoped 
to  win  her  wanderer  back  imperceptibly.  How  little  she 
deserved  Greville's  description  of  her  as  merely  'a  raw- 
boned  Scotchwoman'^  maybe  gleaned  from  some  of  the 
last  jottings  in  her  diary  and  her  last  letters  to  her 
husband : — 

'  How  tedious  are  the  hours  I  pass  in  the  absence  of  the 
beloved  of  my  heart,  and  how  tiresome  is  every  scene  to 
me.  There  is  the  chair  in  which  he  used  to  sit,  I  find  him 
not  there,  and  my  heart  feels  a  pang,  and  my  foolish  eyes 
overflow  with  tears.  The  number  of  years  we  have  been 
married,  instead  of  diminishing  my  love  have  increased  it 
to  that  degree  and  wound  it  up  with  my  existence  in  such 
a  manner  that  it  cannot  alter.  How  strong  are  the  efforts 
I  have  made  to  conquer  my  feelings,  but  in  vain.  .  .  .  No 
one  but  those  who  have  felt  it  can  know  the  miserable 
anxiety  of  an  undivided  love.  When  he  is  present,  every 
object  has  a  different  appearance  ;  when  he  is  absent,  how 
lonely,  how  isolated  I  feel.  ...  I  return  home,  and  there 
the  very  dog  stares  me  in  the  face  and  seems  to  ask 
for  its  beloved  master.  .  .  .  Oh !  blessed  Lord  God  and 
Saviour,  be  Thou  mercifully  pleas'd  to  guard  and  pro- 
tect   him    in    all   dangers    and    in    all    situations.       Have 

^  Cf.  Lord  Bruce's  tribute  as  early  as  1769,  Morrison  MS.  16. 
'  The  Duke  of  Hamilton,  for  instance,  and  '  Sir  Harry  '  in  the  spring  of  1777. 
Morrison  MS.  65. 
'  Mordson  MS.  126,  Emma's  quotation. 


The  Right  Hoxourable  Sir  William  Hamilton",  K. C.B. 

After  a  rare  engraving,  probably  by  Gravclot. 


•THE  FAIR  TEA-MAKER'  e*! 

mercy  upon  us  both,  oh  Lord,  and  turn  our  hearts  to 
Thee.' 

'  A  few  days,  nay  a  few  hours  .  .  .  may  render  me  in- 
capable of  writing  to  you.  .  .  .  But  how  shall  I  express  my 
love  and  tenderness  to  you,  dearest  of  earthly  blessings. 
My  only  attachment  to  this  world  has  been  my  love  to  you, 
and  you  are  my  only  regret  in  leaving  it.  My  heart  has 
followed  your  footsteps  where  ever  you  went,  and  you  have 
been  the  source  of  all  my  joys.  I  would  have  preferred 
beggary  with  you  to  kingdoms  without  you,^  but  all  this 
must  have  an  end — forget  and  forgive  my  faults  and 
remember  me  with  kindness.  I  entreat  you  not  to  suffer 
me  to  be  shut  up  after  I  am  dead  till  it  is  absolutely  neces- 
sary. Remember  the  promise  you  have  made  me  that  your 
bones  should  lie  by  mine  when  God  shall  please  to  call  you, 
and  leave  directions  in  your  will  about  it'  - 

That  promise  was  kept,  and  the  man  of  the  world  sleeps 
by  the  daughter  of  heaven,  re-united  in  the  Pembrokeshire 
vault.  A  probably  adopted  daughter — Cecilia — who  is 
mentioned  in  the  greetings  of  early  correspondents,  had 
died  some  seven  years  before. 

Could  any  Calypso  replace  such  pure  devotion  ?  Yet 
Calypsos  there  had  been  already — among  their  number  the 
divorced  lady  who  became  Margravine  of  Anspach,  the '  sweet 
little  creature  qui  a  Ihonncitr  de  vie  p lair e' \^  a  '  Madame 
Tschudy'''  so  early  as  1769;  a  'Lady  A.,'  contrasted  by 
Greville  in  1785  with  Emma;  and,  perhaps  platonically, 
those  gifted  artists  Diana  Beauclerk,  once  Lady  Boling- 
broke,  and  Mrs.  Darner,  who  was  to  sculpture  one  of  the  two 
busts  of  Nelson  done  from  the  life.'^     In  England  as  well 

'  It  is  strange  that  the  second  Lady  Hamilton,  long  before  she  became  so, 
makes  use  of  a  similar  expression  with  regard  to  Greville.  Lady  Strafford 
of  Queen  Anne's  time  also  employs  this  phrase. 

-  Morrison  MS.  Il6,  118.  The  last,  in  July  17^2,  ibid.  120,  I  have  no  space 
to  quote,  but  it  is  fully  as  affecting. 

'^  Lady  Craven.     Cf.  Morrison  MS.  30,  June  17,  1773. 

*  Cf.  Morrison  MS.  20,  1769. 

^  So  late  as  1809  the  Hon.  Anne  Seymour  Darner  (1748-1828)  wrote  most 
warmly  to  Lady  Hamiltou,  begging  her  influence  to  have  an  engraving  of  this 
bust  included  in  a  Lift  of  Nelson.  In  the  course  of  .1  long  letter  she  says : 
'To  you,  my  dear  Lady  Hamilton,  and  to  my  kind  friend  Sir  William, 
you  know  I  owe  this  favour  [of  "  the  immortal  Hero's  having  sat  to  nic  "],  and 


68  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

as  Naples  flirtation  was  the  disorder  of  the  day.  Yet  about 
Sir  William  there  must  have  been  a  charm  of  demeanour, 
a  calm  of  ease  and  good  nature,  and  a  certain  worldly 
unselfishness  which  could  fasten  such  spiritual  love 
more  surely  than  the  love  profane.  He  was  a  sincere 
worshipper  of  beauty,  both  in  art  and  nature ;  while 
Goethe  himself  respected  his  discriminating  taste.^  He 
was  a  Stoic-Epicurean,  a  'philosopher.'-  His  confession 
of  faith  and  outlook  upon  existence  are  well  outlined 
in  a  letter  to  Emma  of  1792  which  deserves  attention, 
'  My  study  of  antiquities  has  kept  me  in  constant  thought 
of  the  perpetual  fluctuation  of  everything.  The  whole  art 
is,  really,  to  live  all  the  days  of  our  life  ;  and  not,  with 
anxious  care,  disturb  the  sweetest  hour  that  life  affords — 
which  is,  the  present.  Admire  the  Creator,  and  all  His  works 
to  us  incomprehensible ;  and  do  all  the  good  you  can  upon 
earth  ;  and  take  the  chance  of  eternity  without  dismay.'^ 

Absent  since  1778,  he  came  over  at  the  close  of  1782  to 
bury  his  wife.*  It  is  just  possible  that  even  then  he  may 
have  caught  a  flying  glimpse  of  the  girl  whom  he  was  to 
style  two  years  later  *  the  fair  tea-maker  of  Edgware  Row.' 
Greville,  of  course,  was  punctual  in  condolence  :  '  You  have 
no  idea  how  shocked  I  was.  .  .  .  Yet  when  I  consider 
the  long  period  of  her  indisposition  and  the  weakness  of 
her  frame,  I  ought  to  have  been  prepared  to  hear  it.  I  am 
glad  that  her  last  illness  was  not  attended  with  extra- 
ordinary suffering,  and  I  know  you  so  well  that  I  am  sure 
you  will  think  with  affection  and  regret,  as  often  as  the 
blank  which  must  be  felt  after  25  years  society  shall 
call  her  to  your  memory,  and  it  will  not  be  a  small  con- 
solation that  to  the  last  you  shew'd   that    kindness   and 

yoiivi\S\.  not  wonder  at  my  ambition  and  anxiety  that  such  a  circumstance,  which 
I  know  so  Will  how  to  value,  shou'd  be  recorded,  .  .  .  and  that  my  name  should 
thus  be  {if  I  may  so  term  it)  joined  to  the  most  brilliant  name  England  ever  gave 
birth  to.''  Cf.  Messrs.  Sotheby's  catalogue  for  July  8,  1905.  As  Conway's 
daughter  she  was  Horace  Walpole's  favourite.  Cf.  Letters,  vol.  viii.  p.  76. 
The  sole  other  bust  of  him  from  life  is  Flaxman's. 

^  Cf.  the  Italienische  Reise. 

-  Morrison  MS.  370,  January  7,  1799. 

^  Nelson  Letters  (1814),  vol.  ii.  p.  173. 

*  The  accounts  of  the  funeral  expenses  exist  and  were  sold  at  Sotheby's  in 
May  1905.     He  was  an  affectionate  brother  both  to  Frederick  and  Anne. 


'THE  FAIR  TEA-MAKER'  69 

attention  to  her  which  she  deserved.  /  have  often  quoted 
you  ^  for  that  conduct  which  few  have  goodness  of  heart  or 
principle  to  imitate'  He  had  hoped  to  hasten  to  his  dearest 
Hamilton's  side  in  the  crisis  of  affliction,  but  his  brother's 
affairs,  the  troubles  of  trusteeships,  and  the  bequest  by 
Lord  Seaforth  of  a  rare  cameo,  alas  !  intervened,  and  there- 
fore he  could  not  come.-  So  Mount  Vesuvius-Hamilton 
hurried  to  Mahomet-Greville,  and  doubtless,  after  a  little 
virtii  and  more  business,  returned  for  the  autumn  season  at 
Naples  and  his  winter  sport  at  Caserta. 

But  meanwhile  Greville  grew  ruffled  and  out-at-elbows. 
He  was  once  more  member  for  his  family  borough.  He 
needed  larger  emolument,  yet  the  coalition  was  on  the  wane. 
For  a  brief  interval  it  returned,  and  Greville  breathed  again, 
pocketing  a  small  promotion  in  the  general  scramble  for 
office."  In  1783,  however,  the  great  Pitt  entered  on  his  long 
reign,  and  Greville's  heart  sank  once  more.  His  post,  how- 
ever, was  confirmed,  despite  his  conscientious  disapproval  * 
of  reforms  for  England  and  for  Ireland,  and  new  India  bills 
in  the  interval.^  Still,  his  tastes  were  so  various  that  even 
now  he  pondered  if,  after  all,  an  heiress  of  ton  (none  of 
your  parvenues)  were  not  the  only  way  out  ;  and,  pending 
decision,  he  went  on  collecting  crystals,  exchanging  pic- 
tures of  saints,  and  lecturing  Emma  on  the  conveyiances — 
perhaps  the  least  extravagant  and  most  edifying  pastime 
of  all.  Every  August  he  toured  in  Warwickshire  after  his 
own,  and  to  Milford  and  Pembrokeshire  after  his  uncle's 
affairs  (for  Milford  was  being  'developed');  nor  was  he 
the  man  to  begrudge  his  eleve  a  i^^  weeks'  change  in  the 
dull  season  during  his  absence.  In  1784  she  was  to  require 
it  more  than  usual,  for  sea-baths  had  been  ordered,  while 

^  To  Emma? 

-  Morrison  MS.  I2i,  Sept.  24,  1782. 

^  Cf.  Sir  W.  H.'s  allusion  in  Morrison  MS.  122,  April  29,  1783. 

■•  In  March  1785  he  writes  to  Sir  William:  'I  believe  P.  means  to  act  for 
the  best  and  to  remain  as  long  as  he  can,  but  it  does  not  seem  that  he  rests 
entirely  on  the  court,  by  his  declaring  for  a  reform  without  the  general  support 
of  the  administration  and  contrary  to  the  interests  of  the  crown.  .  .  .  The 
India  bill  is  not  to  be  compared  to  the  effect  of  this  measure,  and  I  am  curious 
to  see  the  event.  I  of  course  never  courted  favor  by  the  sacrifice  of  my  decided 
opinion  ;  I  shall  therefore  uniformly  oppose  it.' — Morrison  MS.  135. 

*  Cf.  Greville's  moderate  letter  to  Fox. — Morrison  MS.  123. 


70  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

her  first  thought  was  then  to  be  for  her  '  little  Emma,'^  now 
being  tended  at  Hawarden. 

In  the  early  summer  of  this  very  year  Sir  William 
Hamilton  had  reappeared  as  widower,  and  crossed  the 
threshold  of  Edgware  Row  to  the  flurry,  doubtless,  of 
the  little  handmaidens,  whose  successors,  'Molly  Dring ' 
and  '  Nelly  Gray,'  were  so  regularly  paid  their  scanty 
wages,  as  registered  in  the  surviving  accounts. 

The  courtly  connoisseur  was  enraptured.  Never  had  he 
beheld  anything  more  Greek,  any  one  more  naturally 
accomplished,  more  uncommon.  What  an  old  slyboots 
had  this  young  nephew  been  these  last  two  years,  to  have 
concealed  this  hidden  treasure  while  he  detailed  every- 
thing else  m  his  letters !  The  demure  rogue,  then,  was 
a  suburban  amateur  with  a  vengeance !  The  antiquarian- 
Apollo,  carrying  with  him  a  new  work  on  Etruscan  vases, 
and  a  new  tract  on  volcanic  phenomena,  flattered  himself 
that  here  were  volcanoes  and  vases  indeed.  Here  were 
Melpomene  and  Thalia,  and  Terpsichore  and  Euterpe  and 
Venus,  all  combined  and  breathing.  Did  he  not  boast  the 
secret  of  perpetual  youth?  After  all,  he  was  only  fifty- 
four,  and  he  looked  ten  years  younger  than  his  age.  He 
would  at  least  make  the  solemn  youngster  jealous.  Not 
that  he  was  covetous  ;  his  interest  was  that  of  a  father, 
a  collector,  an  uncle.  The  mere  lack  of  a  ring  debarred 
him  from  being  her  uncle  in  reality.  '  My  uncle,'  she 
should  call  him. 

Greville's  amusement  was  not  quite  unclouded ;  he 
laughed,  but  laughed  uneasily.  To  begin  with,  he  believed 
himself  his  uncle's  heir,  but  as  yet  'twas  '  not  so  nominated 
in  the  bond.'  Sir  William  might  well  re-marry.  There 
was  Lord  Middleton's  second  daughter  in  Portman  Square, 
a  twenty  thousand  pounder,  weighing  on  the  scales,  a  fish 
worthy  of  Greville's  own  rod.  But  the  Court  of  Naples, 
an  alliance  with  a  widower  kinsman  of  the  Hamiltons,  the 
Athols,  the  Abercorns,  and  the  Grahams,  enriched  too  by 
recent  death,  were  solidities  that  might  well  outweigh  his 

^  Born  about  February  1782,  after  her  mother's  invitation  Ity  Grevilie.  My 
reasons  for  disagreeing  with  Mr.  Jeaffreson's  view  as  to  the  identity  of  this 
child  ate  given  in  Note  C.  of  the  Appendix. 


'THE  FAIR  TEA-MAKER'  71 

paltry  pittance  of  six  hundred  a  year.^  And  2/"the  widower 
re-married? — As  for  Emma,  it  was  of  course  absurd  to  con- 
sider her.  She  adored  her  Greville,  and  should  uncle 
William  choose  to  play  light  father  in  this  little  farce,  he 
could  raise  no  objection. 

Emma  herself  felt  flattered  that  one  so  celebrated  and 
learned  should  deign  to  be  just  a  nice  new  friend.  He 
was  so  amiable  and  attentive ;  so  discerning  of  her  gifts  ; 
so  witty  too,  and  full  of  anecdote.  This  was  no  musty 
scholar,  but  a  good-natured  man  of  the  very  wide  world, 
far  wider  than  her  pent-in  corner  of  it.  Indeed,  he  was 
a  'dear.'  And  then  he  laughed  so  heartily  when  she 
mimicked  Greville's  buckram  brother,  or  that  rich  young 
coxcomb  Willoughby,  who  had  wooed  her  in  vain  already  ; 
no  giddy  youths  for  her.  Was  not  her  own  matchless 
Greville  a  man  of  accomplishments,  a  bachelor  of  arts  and 
sciences,  a  master  of  sentences?  The  uncle  was  worthy  of 
the  nephew,  and  so  she  was  '  his  oblidged  humble  servant, 
or  affectionate'  niece  'Emma,' whichever  he 'liked  the  best.'^ 

And  in  her  heart  of  hearts  already  lurked  a  little  scheme. 
Her  child,  the  child  to  whom  Greville  had  been  so  suddenly, 
so  gently  kind,  and  after  which  she  yearned,  was  with  her 
grandmother.  After  she  had  taken  the  tiny  companion  to 
Parkgate,  and  bathed  it  there,  why  should  not  her  divinity 
permit  the  mother  to  bring  it  home  for  good  to  Edgware 
Row?  It  would  form  a  new  and  touching  tie  between 
them.  The  plan  must  not  be  broached  till  she  could  report 
on  'little  Emma's'  progress,  but  surely  then  he  would  not 
have  the  heart  to  deny  her. 

Some  evidence  allows  the  guess  that  she  had  confided 
her  desire  to  Sir  William,  and  that  he  had  favoured  and 
forwarded  her  suit  with  Greville. 

And  so  she  left  the  smoke  and  turmoil,  hopeful  and  trustful. 
Mother  and  child  would  at  length  be  reunited  under  purer 
skies  and   by  the  wide  expanse  of  sea.      All  the  mother 

^  His  income  does  not  seem  to  have  exceeded  this  sum  (till  1794),  .ind  his 
certain  annuity  was  only  £s^°-  —  Morrison  MS.  138. 

*  Cf.  Morrison  MS.  143.  Most  of  the  foregoing  may  be  gathered  from  the 
shortly  subsequent  correspondence.  On  September  5  Hamilton  met  Horace 
Walpole  at  dinner  at  '  Mrs.  Garrick's.'  He  was  'returning  to  the  kingdom  of 
cinders.' — Letters^  vol.  viii.  p.  502. 


72  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

within  her  stirred  and  called  aloud  ;  her  heart  was  ready- 
to  'break'  at  the  summons.  Fatherly  Sir  William  saw 
her  off  as  proxy  for  her  absent  Greville,  whom  he  was  to 
join,  the  happy  man.  '  Tell  Sir  William  everything  you 
can,'  she  wrote  immediately,  '  and  tell  him  I  am  sorry  our 
situation  prevented  me  from  giving  him  a  kiss,  .  .  .  but 
I  will  give  him  one,  and  entreat  it  if  he  will  accept  it.  Ask 
him  how  I  looked,  and  let  him  say  something  kind  to  me 
when  you  write.' — 'Pray,  my  dear  Greville,  do  lett  me 
come  home  as  soon  as  you  can  ;  .  .  .  indeed  I  have  no 
pleasure  or  happiness,  I  wish  I  could  not  think  on  you  ; 
but  if  I  was  the  greatest  lady  in  the  world,  I  should  not  be 
happy  from  you  ;  so  don't  lett  me  stay  long.'^ 

Her  first  Parkgate  letters,  in  the  form  of  diaries,^  speak 
for  themselves.  After  she  had  fetched  away  little  Emma 
'  Hart '  3  from  her  grandmother's  at  Hawarden,  she  stopped  at 
Chester.  She  had  fixed  on  Abergele,  but  it  proved  too 
distant,  fashionable,  and  dear.*  'High  Lake'  (Hoylake) 
was  too  uncomfortable  ;  it  had  '  only  3  houses,'  and  not 
one  of  them  '  fit  for  a  Christian.'  With  her  '  poor  Emma  ' 
she  had  bidden  farewell  to  all  her  friends ;  she  had  taken 
her  from  '  a  good  home ' ;  she  hoped  she  would  prove 
worthy  of  his  'goodness  to  her,  and  to  her  mother.'  Her 
recipe-book  had  been  forgotten  ; — '  parting  with  you  made 
me  so  unhappy.' — '  My  dear  Greville,  don't  be  angry,  but 
I  gave  my  gran  mother  5  guineas,  for  she  had  laid  some 
[money]  out  on  her,  and  I  would  not  take  her  awhay 
shabbily.  But  Emma  shall  pay  you.  .  .  .  My  dear  Greville, 
I  wish  I  was  with  you.     God  bless  you  ! ' 

By  mid-June  she  was  installed  '  in  the  house  of  a 
Laidy,  whose  husband  is  at  sea.  She  and  her  granmother 
live  together,  and  we  board  with  her  at  present.  .  .  .  The 
price  is  high,  but  they  don't  lodge  anybody  without  board- 
ing ;  and  as  it  is  comfortable,  decent,  and  quiet,  I  thought 
it  wou'd  not  ruin  us,  till  I  could  have  your  oppionon,  which 

1  Morrison  MS.  125,  June  15,  1784. 

2  Morrison  MS.  124-128,  June  and  July  1784. 

^  She  is  so  called  in  the  school-bills  which  Greville  forwarded  in  December 
1791  to  Naples.  Morrison  MS.  201.  The  name  of  '  Carew  '  was  assumed  after- 
wards.    Cf.  Appendix,  Part  i.  Note  C. 

*  '  2  guineas  and  a  half  a  week. 


'THE  FAIR  TEA-MAKER'  73 

I  hope  to  have  freely  and  without  restraint,  as,  believe  me, 
you  will  give  it  to  one  who  will  allways  be  happy  to  follow 
it,  lett  it  be  what  it  will  ;  as  I  avi  sure  you  woii'd  not  lead 
me  wrong.  And  though  my  little  temper  may  have  been 
sometimes  high,  believe  me,  I  have  allways  thought  you 
right  in  the  end  when  I  have  come  to  reason.  I  bathe,  and 
find  the  water  very  soult.  Here  is  a  good  many  laidys 
batheing,  but  I  have  no  society  with  them,  as  it  is  best  not. 
So  pray,  my  dearest  Greville,  write  soon,  and  tell  me  what 
to  do,  as  I  will  do  just  what  you  think  proper;  and  tell  me 
what  to  do  with  the  child.  For  she  is  a  great  romp,  and  I 
can  hardly  master  her,  .  .  .  She  is  tall,  [has]  good  eys  and 
brows,  and  as  to  lashes,  she  will  be  passible  ;  but  she  has 
overgrown  all  her  cloaths.  I  am  makeing  and  mending  all 
as  I  can  for  her.  .  .  .  Pray,  my  dear  Greville,  do  lett  me 
come  home,  as  soon  as  you  can  ;  for  I  am  all  most  broken- 
hearted being  from  you.  .  .  .  You  don't  know  how  much  I 
love  you,  and  your  behaiver  to  me,  when  we  parted,  was  so 
kind,  Greville,  I  don't  know  what  to  do.  .  .  .'  And  her  next 
epistle  seems  to  echo  under  circumstances  far  removed  the 
voice  of  the  first  Lady  Hamilton  : — '  How  teadous  does  the 
time  pass  awhay  till  I  hear  from  you.  Endead  I  should  be 
miserable  if  I  did  not  recollect  on  what  happy  terms  we 
parted — parted,  yess,  but  to  meet  again  with  tenfould 
happiness.  .  .  .  Would  you  think  it,  Greville  ?  Emma — the 
wild,  unthinking  Emma,  is  a  grave,  thoughtful  phylosopher. 
'Tis  true,  Greville,  and  I  will  convince  you  I  am,  when  I  see 
you.  But  how  I  am  runing  on.  I  say  nothing  abbout  this 
guidy,  wild  girl  of  mine.  What  shall  we  do  with  her, 
Greville  ?  .  .  .  Wou'd  you  believe,  on  Sattarday  we  had  a 
little  quarel,  .  .  .  and  I  did  slap  her  on  her  hands,  and 
when  she  came  to  kiss  me  and  make  it  up,  I  took  her  on 
my  lap  and  cried.  Pray,  do  you  blame  me  or  not?  Pray 
tell  me.  Oh,  Greville,  you  don't  know  how  I  love  her. 
Endead  I  do.  When  she  comes  and  looks  in  7ny  face  and 
calls  me  ^^  mother^'  endead  I  then  truly  am  a  mother,  for  all 
the  mother's  feelings  rise  at  once,  and  tels  me  I  am  or  ought 
to  be  a  mother,/^?'  she  has  a  wrigJit  to  my  protection  ;  and 
she  shall  have  it  as  long  as  I  can,  and  I  will  do  all  in  my 
power  to  prevent  her  falling  into  the  error  her  poor  miser- 


74  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

able  mother  fell  into.  But  why  do  I  say  miserable  ?  Am 
not  I  happy  abbove  any  of  my  sex,  at  least  in  my  situation  ? 
Does  not  Greville  love  me,  or  at  least  like  me  ?  Does  not 
he  protect  me  ?  Does  not  he  provide  for  me?  Is  not  he  a 
father  to  my  child?  Why  do  I  call  myself  miserable? 
No,  it  was  a  mistake,  and  I  will  be  happy,  chearful  and 
kind,  and  do  all  my  poor  abbility  will  lett  me,  to  return  the 
fatherly  goodness  and  protection  he  has  shewn.  Again, 
my  dear  Greville,  the  recollection  of  past  scenes  brings  tears 
in  my  eyes.  But  the[yj  are  tears  of  happiness.  To  think 
of  your  goodness  is  too  much.  But  once  for  all,  Greville,  I 
will  be  grateful.  Adue.  It  is  near  bathing  time,  and  I 
must  lay  down  my  pen,  and  I  won't  finish  till  I  see  when  the 
post  comes,  whether  there  is  a  letter.  He  comes  in  abbout 
one  o'clock.  I  hope  to  have  a  letter  to-day.  ...  I  am  in 
hopes  I  shall  be  very  well.  .  .  .  But,  Greville,  I  am  oblidged  to 
give  a  shilling  a  day  for  the  bathing  horse  and  whoman,and 
twopence  a  day  for  the  dress.  It  is  a  great  expense,  and 
it  fretts  me  when  I  think  of  it.  .  .  .  At  any  rate  it  is  better 
than  paying  the  docter.  But  wright  your  oppinion  truly, 
and  tell  me  what  to  do.  Emma  is  crying  because  I  won't 
come  and  bathe.  So  Greville,  adue  till  after  I  have  dipt. 
May  God  bless  you,  my  dearest  Greville,  and  believe  me, 
faithfully,  affectionately,  and  truly  yours  only' — '  And  no 
letter  from  my  dear  Greville.  Why,  my  dearest  G.,  what  is 
the  reason  you  don't  wright?  You  promised  to  wright 
before  I  left  Hawarden.  ,  .  .  Give  my  dear  kind  love  and 
compliments  to  Pliney,^  and  tell  him  I  put  you  under  his 
care,  and  he  must  be  answereble  for  you  to  me,  wen  I  see 
him.  .  .  .  Say  everything  you  can  to  him  for  me,  and  tell 
him  I  shall  always  think  on  him  with  gratitude,  and  remem- 
ber him  with  pleasure,  and  shall  allways  regret  loesing 
[h]is  good  comppany.  Tell  him  I  wish  him  every  happi- 
ness this  world  can  afford  him,  and  that  I  will  pray  for  him 
and  bless  him  as  long  as  I  live.  .  .  .  Pray,  my  dear  Greville, 
lett  me  come  home  soon.  I  have  been  3  weeks,  and  if  I 
stay  a  fortnight  longer,  that  will  be  5  weeks,  you  know  ; 
and  then  the  expense  is  above  2  guineas  a  week  with 
washing  .  .  .  and  everything.  .  .'     '  With  what  impatience 

1  Sir  W.  Hamilton. 


'THE  FAIR  TEA-MAKER'  75 

do  I  sett  down  to  wright  till  I  see  the  postman.  But  ?ure  I 
shall  have  a  letter  to-day.  Can  you,  Greville — no,  you  can't 
— have  forgot  your  poor  Emma  allready?  Tho'  I  am  but  a 
few  weeks  absent  from  you,  my  heart  will  not  one  moment 
leave  you.  I  am  allways  thinking  of  you,  and  cou'd  allmost 
fancy  I  hear  you,  see  you  ;  .  .  .  don't  you  remember  how 
you  promised  ?  Don't  you  recollect  what  you  said  at 
parting  ?  how  you  shou'd  be  happy  to  see  me  again  ?  ' 

A  belated  answer  arrived  at  last ;  Emma  was  very  grate- 
ful. But  this  was  not  the  letter  for  which  she  looked.  What 
she  wanted  was  omniscience's  permission  for  '1-ittle  Emma ' 
to  share  their  home,  to  let  her  be  a  mother  indeed.  After  a 
week  two 'scolding' notes  were  his  reply.  '  Little  Emma  ' 
in  Edgware  Row  was  not  on  Greville's  books  at  all.  He 
would  charge  himself  with  her  nurture  elsewhere,  but 
the  child  must  be  surrendered  ;  he  certainly  knew  how  to 
'  play'  his  '  trout.'  Emma  meekly  kissed  her  master's  rod. 
Greville  being  Providence,  resignation  was  wisdom  as  well 
as  duty.     She  was  not  allowed  to  remain  a  mother  : — 

'  I  was  very  happy,  my  dearest  Greville,  to  hear  from  you 
as  your  other  letter  vex'd  me ;  you  scolded  me  so.  But  it 
is  over,  and  I  forgive  you.  .  .  .  You  don't  know,  my  dearest 
Greville,  what  a  pleasure  I  have  to  think  that  my  poor 
Emma  will  be  comfortable  and  happy  .  .  .  and  if  she  does 
but  turn  out  well,  what  a  happyness  it  will  be.  And  I  hope 
she  will  for  your  sake.  I  will  teach  her  to  pray  for  you  as 
long  as  she  lives  ;  and  if  she  is  not  grateful  and  good  it 
won't  be  my  fault.  But  what  you  say  is  very  true :  a  bad 
disposition  may  be  made  good  by  good  example,  and 
Greville  wou'd  not  put  her  anywheer  to  have  a  bad  one.  I 
come  into  your  whay  athinking ;  hollidays  spoils  children. 
It  takes  there  attention  of[f]  from  there  scool,  it  gives  them 
a  bad  habbit.  When  they  have  been  a  month  and  goes 
back  this  does  not  picas  them,  and  that  is  not  wright,  and 
the[y]  do  nothing  but  think  when  the[y]  shall  go  back 
again.  Now  Emma  will  never  expect  what  she  never  had. 
J^ut  I  won't  think.  All  my  happiness  now  is  Greville,  and 
to  think  that  he  loves  me.  ...  I  have  said  all  I  have  to  say 
about  Emma,  yet  only  she  gives  her  duty.  ...  I  have  no 
society  with  an\  body  but  the  mistress  of  the  house,  and  her 


76  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

mother  and  sister.  The  latter  is  a  very  genteel  yong  lady, 
good-nattured,  and  does  everything  to  pleas  me.  But 
still  I  wou'd  rather  be  at  home,  if  you  was  there.  I  follow 
the  old  saying,  home  is  home  though  'tis  ever  so  homely.  .  .  . 
P.S. — .  .  .  I  bathe  Emma,  and  she  is  very  well  and  grows. 
Her  hair  will  grow  very  well  on  her  forehead,  and  I  don't 
think  her  nose  will  be  very  snub.  Her  eys  is  blue  and 
pretty.  But  she  don't  speak  through  her  nose,  but  she 
speaks  countryfied,  but  she  will  forget  it.  We  squable 
sometimes  ;  still  she  is  fond  of  me,  and  endead  I  love  her. 
For  she  is  sensible.  So  much  for  Beauty.  Adue,  I  long  to 
see  you.'  ^ 

Empowered  by  the  Sultan  of  Edgware  Row,  the  two 
Emmas,  to  their  great  but  fleeting  joy,  were  suffered  to 
return  in  the  middle  of  July.  Sir  William  and  his  nephew 
were  still  on  their  provincial  tour,  when  Emma,  who  fell  ill 
again  in  town,  thus  addressed  him  for  the  last  time  before 
his  own  return.     It  shall  be  our  closing  excerpt : — 

'  I  received  your  kind  letter  last  night,  and,  my  dearest 
Greville,  I  want  words  to  express  to  you  how  happy  it  made 
me.  For  I  thought  I  was  like  a  lost  sheep,  and  everybody 
had  forsook  me.  I  was  eight  days  confined  to  my  room 
and  very  ill,  but  am,  thank  God,  very  well  now,  and  a  great 
deal  better  for  your  kind  instructing  letter,  and  I  own  the 
justice  of  your  remarks.  You  shall  have  your  appartment 
to  yourself,  you  shall  read,  wright,  or  sett  still,  just  as  you 
pleas  ;  for  I  shall  think  myself  happy  to  be  under  the  seam 
roof  with  Greville,  and  do  all  I  can  to  make  it  agreable, 
without  disturbing  him  in  any  pursuits  that  he  can  follow, 
to  employ  himself  in  at  home  or  else  whare.  For  your 
absence  has  taught  me  that  I  ought  to  think  myself  happy 
if  I  was  within  a  mile  of  you  ;  so  as  I  cou'd  see  the  place  as 
contained  you  I  shou'd  think  myself  happy  abbove  my 
sphear.     So,  my  dear  G.,  come  home.  .  .  .  You  shall  find 

^  MorrisonMS.  128.  My  contention  is  that  this  child  was  the  only 'little  Emma' 
born  about  March  1782.  For  the  whole  subject,  cf.  Note  C.  of  the  Appendix. 
It  should  be  remembered  with  regard  to  such  expressions  about  her  as  might 
warrant  her  being  older  than  two  and  a  half,  that,  like  her  mother,  and  the 
little  Iloratia  twenty-one  years  later,  she  may  well  have  looked  and  spoken 
above  her  years. 


'THE  FAIR  TEA-MAKER'  77 

me  good,  kind,  gentle,  and  affectionate,  and  everything  you 
wish  me  to  do  I  will  do.  For  I  will  give  myself  a  fair  trial, 
and  follow  your  advice,  for  I  allways  think  it  wright.  .  .  . 
Don't  think,  Greville,  this  is  the  wild  fancy  of  a  moment's 
consideration.  It  is  not.  I  have  thoughroly  considered 
everything  in  my  confinement,  aiid  say  nothing  now  but  what 
I  shall  practice.  ...  I  have  a  deal  to  say  to  you  when  I  see 
you.  Oh,  Greville,  to  think  it  is  9  weeks  since  I  saw  you. 
I  think  I  shall  die  with  the  pleasure  of  seeing  you.  ...  I 
am  all  ways  thinking  of  your  goodness.  .  .  .  Emma  is  very 
well,  and  is  allways  wondering  why  you  don't  come  home. 
She  sends  her  duty  to  you.  .  .  .  Pray,  pray  come  as  soon  as 
you  come  to  town.  Good  by,  God  bless  you  !  Oh,  how  I 
long  to  see  you.'  ^ 

It  should  be  at  once  remarked  that  Greville  conscien- 
tiously performed  his  promise.  He  put  '  little  Emma '  to 
a  good  school,  and  several  traces  of  her  future  survive.- 
Meanwhile,  having  won  his  point,  and  having  also  '  pre- 
pared '  her  mind  for  another  separation,  of  which  she  little 
dreamed,  he  came  back  to  his  bower  of  thankful  worship 
and  submissive  meekness.  He  can  scarcely  have  played 
often  with  the  child,  whose  benefactor  he  was — a  dancing- 
master,  so  to  speak,  of  beneficence,  ever  standing  in  the  first 
position  of  correct  deportment.  In  August  he  bade  fare- 
well to  his  indulgent  uncle,  whom,  indeed,  he  had  'reason'  to 
remember  with  as  much  '  gratitude  and  affection  '  as  Emma 
did.^  Romney  was  commissioned  to  paint  her  as  the  '  Bac- 
chante '  for  the  returning  Ambassador,  who  had  reassured  his 
nephew  about  the  distant  future.  He  had  appointed  him 
his  heir,  and  offered  to  stand  security  if  he  needed  to 
borrow.  He  had  also  joined  Greville's  other  friends  in 
advising  him  to  bow  to  the  inevitable  and  console  his  purse 
with  an  heiress.*  Whether  he  also  had  already  contem- 
plated an  exchange  seems  more  than  doubtful.  Rut  the 
secretive  Greville  had  already  begun  to  harbour  an  idea, 

1  Morrison  MS.  129,  August  10,  17S4. 
^  Cf.  Appendix,  Note  C. 
'  Morrison  MS.  131. 

*  The  'reasonable  plan.'     Cf.  Greville's  letter  cited  at  Ihc  opening  of  the 
next  chapter. 


78  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

soon  turned  into  a  plan,  and  perpetually  justified  as  a  piece 
of  benevolent  unselfishness.  While  the  ship  bears  the  un- 
vvedded  uncle  to  softer  climes  and  laxer  standards,  while 
Greville,  with  a  sigh  of  relief,  pores  over  his  accounts,  we 
may  well  exclaim  of  these  two  knowing  and  obliging 
materialists,  par  nobile  fratrum — a  noble  brace  of  brothers 
indeed ! 


CHAPTER    IV 

'WHAT   GOD,   AND   GKEVILLE,   PLEASES' 

To  March  1786 

' .  .  .  I  REALY  do  not  feel  myself  in  a  situation  to  accept 
favours.'  '  I  depend  on  you  for  some  cristals  in  lavas,  etc., 
from  Sicily.'  These  sentences  from  two  long  epistles  to 
his  uncle  at  the  close  of  1784  are  keynotes  to  Greville's 
tune  of  mind.  With  the  new  year  he  became  rather  more 
explicit : — '  Emma  is  very  grateful  for  your  remembrance. 
Her  picture  shall  be  sent  by  the  first  ship — I  wish  Romney 
yet  to  mend  the  dog.^  She  certainly  is  much  improved 
since  she  has  been  with  me.  She  has  none  of  the  bad 
habits  which  giddiness  and  inexperience  encouraged,  and 
which  bad  choice  of  company  introduced.  ...  I  am  sure 
she  is  attached  to  me,  or  she  would  not  have  refused  the 
offers  which  I  know  have  been  great ;  and  such  is  her  spirit 
that  on  the  least  slight  or  expression  of  my  being  tired  or 
burthened  by  her,  I  am  sure  she  would  not  only  give  up 
the  connexion,  but  would  not  even  accept  a  farthing  for 
future  assistance.' 

Here  let  us  pause  a  moment.  In  the  'honest  bargain' 
shortly  to  be  struck  after  much  obliquity,  Greville's  shabbi- 
ness  consists,  if  we  reflect  on  the  prevailing  tone  of  his  age 
and  set,  not  so  much  in  the  disguised  transfer — a  mean 
trick  in  itself — as  in  the  fact  that,  while  he  had  no  reproach 
to  make  and  was  avowedly  more  attached  to  her  than  ever, 
he  practised  upon  the  very  disinterestedness  and  fondness 
that  he  praised.     Had  he  been  unable  to  rely  on  them  with 

^  In  ihc  lirsl  picluic  of  the  '  Bacchante'     The  second  wao  with  a  ^oat. 

79 


8o  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

absolute  confidence,  so  wary  a  strategist  would  scarcely 
have  ventured  on  the  attempt,  since  his  future  prospects 
largely  depended  on  her  never  disadvantaging  him  with 
Sir  William.  That  she  never  did  so,  even  in  the  first  burst 
of  bitter  disillusion  ;  that  she  always,  and  zealously,  advo- 
cated his  interests,  redounds  to  her  credit  and  proves  her 
magnanimity.^  A  revengeful  woman,  whose  love  and  self- 
love  had  been  wounded  to  the  quick,  might  have  ruined 
him,  as  the  censor  of  Paddington  was  well  aware.  That  he 
continued  to  approve  his  part  in  these  delicate  negotia- 
tions is  shown  by  the  fact  of  preserving  these  letters 
after  they  came  into  his  possession  as  his  uncle's  executor. 
He  never  ceased  to  protest  that  his  motives  in  the  trans- 
action were  for  her  own  ultimate  good.  He  was  not 
callous,  but  he  was  Jesuitical.  Let  him  pursue  his  scattered 
hints  further : — 

'This  is  another  part  of  my  situation.  If  I  was  inde- 
pendent I  should  think  so  little  of  any  other  connexion 
that  I  never  would  marry.  I  have  not  an  idea  of  it  at 
present,  but  if  any  proper  opportunity  offer'd  I  shou'd  be 
much  harassed,  not  know  how  to  manage,  or  how  to  fix 
Emma  to  her  satisfaction  ;  and  to  forego  the  reasonable 
plan  which  you  and  my  friends  advised  is  not  right.  I  am 
not  quite  of  an  age  to  retire  from  bustle,  and  to  retire  into 
distress  and  poverty  is  worse.  I  can  keep  on  here  credit- 
ably this  winter.  The  offer  I  made  of  my  pictures  is  to  get 
rid  of  the  Humberston  engagements  ^  which  I  told  you  of. 
I  have  a  iJ^iooo  ready  and  looo  to  provide.  I  therefore  am 
making  money .^  If  Ross*  will  take  in  payment  from  me  my 
bond  with  your  security,  I  shall  get  free  from  Humberston 
affairs  entirely,  and  be  able  to  give  them  up.  It  is  in- 
different to  me  whether  what  I  value  is  in  your  keeping  or 
mine.     I  will  deposit  with  you  gems  wiiich  you  shall  value 

1  A  typical  instance  of  her  feeling  towards  him  long  after  her  transformation 
is  shown  by  a  subsequent  note  in  this  chapter.  Even  so  late  as  l8o8  (the  year 
before  his  death,  and  five  years  after  his  renewed  hardness  towards  her)  she  is  to 
be  found  consulting  and  confiding  in  him.     Cf.  Appendix,  Part  li.  C.  (5)  (i). 

-  Under  Lord  Warwick's  will. 

3  On  the  same  principle,  it  must  be  presumed,  as  Dickens's  Mr.  Jarndycc, 
junior. 

*  Partner  in  Ross  and  Ogilvic,  who  were  also  Sir  William's  bankets. 


'WHAT  GOD,  AND  GREVILLE,  PLEASES'     8i 

at  above  that  sum.  ...  It  will  be  on  that  condition  I  will 
involve  you,  for  favor  I  take  as  favor,  and  business  as 
business.' 

His  subsequent  communications  dole  out  the  growing 
plot  by  degrees  and  approaches ;  he  works  by  sap  and 
mine.  In  March  1785,  after  discussing  politics  at  large,  he 
doubts  if  his  uncle's  '  heart  or  his  feet '  are  '  the  lightest.' 
He  compliments  him  on  his  energy  in  sport,  flirtation  and 
friendship — 'quests'  not  'incompatible'  in  'a  good  heart.' 
He  moots  his  design  in  the  light  of  Hamilton's  welfare. 
'  He  must  be  a  very  interested  friend  indeed  who  does  not 
sincerely  wish  everything  that  can  give  happiness  to  a 
friend.'  He  is  convinced  that  each  of  them  can  sincerely 
judge  for  the  other.  He  does  not,  of  course,  venture  to 
'  suppose  '  an  '  experiment '  for  the  diplomatist ;  but  he  him- 
self has  made  the  happiest  though  a  '  limited  '  experiment, 
which,  however,  ^from  poverty  .  .  .  cannot  last' ;  his  poverty 
but  not  his  will  consents.  And  then  he  opens  the  scheme. 
*  If  you  did  not  chuse  a  wife,  I  wish  the  tea-maker  of  Edgware 
Rowe  was  yours,  if  I  could  without  banishing  myself  from  a 
visit  to  Naples  [which  he  never  meant  to  make !].  /  do 
not  know  how  to  part  with  what  I  am  not  tired  with.  I  do 
not  know  how  to  go  on,  and  I  give  her  every  7nerit  of  prudence 
and  moderation  and  affection.  She  shall  never  want,  and  if 
I  decide  sooner  than  I  am  forced  to  stop  by  necessity,  it 
will  be  that  I  may  give  her  part  of  my  pittance ;  [here 
peeped  out  the  better  self],  and,  if  I  do  so  it  must  be  by 
sudden  resolution  and  by  putting  it  out  of  her  power  to 
refuse  it  [there,  indeed,  was  the  rub !]  for  I  know  her  dis- 
interestedness to  be  such  that  she  will  rather  encounter  any 
difficulty  than  distress  me.  I  should  not  write  to  you  thus, 
if  I  did  not  think  you  seem'd  as  partial  as  I  am  to  her  [the 
hook  is  now  baited].  She  would  not  hear  at  once  of  any 
change,  and  from  no  one  that  was  not  liked  by  her  [so  the 
end  was  to  justify  the  means].  I  think  I  could  secure  on 
her  near  ;^ioo  a  year  [a  real  self-sacrifice].  It  is  more  than 
in  justice  to  all  I  can  do  [to  whom  but  Greville  ?] ;  but  with 
parting  with  part  of  my  virtu,  I  can  secure  it  to  her  and 
content  myself  with  the  remainder  [no  divorce  observe, 
from  the  minerals].     I  think  you   might  settle  another  on 

F 


82  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

her.  ...  I  am  not  a  dog  in  the  manger.  If  I  could  go  on 
I  would  never  make  this  arrangement  [the  true  term  at 
last !],  but  to  be  reduced  to  a  standstill  and  involve  myself 
in  distress  ['  real  distress ']  further  than  I  could  extricate 
myself,  and  then  to  be  unable  to  provide  for  her  at  all, 
would  make  me  miserable  from  thinking  myself  unjust  to 
her.  And  as  she  is  too  young  and  handsome  to  retire  into 
a  convent  or  the  country  [the  alternative  is  curious],  and  is 
honorable  and  honest  and  can  be  trusted  [for  '  Brutus  is  an 
honourable  man  '],  after  reconciling  myself  to  the  necessity 
I  consider  where  she  could  be  happy.  I  know  you  thought 
me  jealous  of  your  attention  to  her ;  I  can  assure  you  her 
conduct  entitles  her  more  than  ever  to  my  confidence 
[surely  a  handsome  testimonial  from  the  last  situation  !]. 
Judge,  then,  as  you  know  my  satisfaction  in  looking  on  a 
modern  piece  of  virtu,  if  I  do  not  think  you  a  second  self, 
in  thinking  that  by  placing  her  within  your  reach,  I  render 
a  necessity  which  would  otherwise  be  heartbreaking  [if 
heart  there  were  to  break]  tolerable  and  even  comforting.' 

Having  prepared  the  ground,  he  wrote  again  in  the 
following  May,  '  without  affectation  or  disguise.'  He 
protested  that  his  '  delicacy '  prevented  him  writing  on 
the  subject  while  '  Lady  Craven '  was  by  to  be  Sir 
William's  flame,  or  '  Mrs.  D  '[ickenson]  ^  to  play  the 
dragon.  The  *  odds '  in  their  own  two  lives  were  not  '  pro- 
portioned to  the  difference '  of  their  years ;  he  was  very 
'  sensible  '  of  his  uncle's  intentions  towards  him.  At  what 
followed  Sir  William  must  have  smiled. 

The  real  reason  for  all  his  fencing  emerges.  Sir  William's 
joint  security  on  the  pledge  of  half  his  minerals,  the  assur- 
ance that  he  was  made  his  heir,  were  mere  credentials  to  be 
shown  by  Greville  to  a  prospective  father-in-law.  '  Suppose 
a  lady  of  30,000  was  to  marry  me,'  and  so  forth — a  vista  of 
married  fortune.  Even  now  the  name  of  the  lady  thus 
honoured  was  withheld  ;  but  Hamilton  must  have  known 
it  perfectly:  '.  .  .  If  you  dislike  my  frankness,  I  shall  be 
sorry,  for  it  cost  me  a  little  to  throw  myself  so  open,  and 
to  no  one's  friendship  could  I  have  trusted  myself  but  to 

^  Sir  William's  niece  who  was  now  at  Naples,  and  afterwards,  unavailingly, 
resented  Emma's  presence. 


'WHAT  GOD,  AND  GREVILLE,  PLEASES'     83 

yours,  from  which  I  have  ever  been  treated  with  indulgence 
and  preference.' 

A  month  more  and  he  disclosed  a  positive,  if  'distant 
and  imperfect,'  prospect.  Lord  Middleton's  youngest 
daughter  was  the  favoured  lady  —  in  the  '  requisites  of 
beauty  and  disposition,'  '  beyond  the  mark  for  a  younger 
brother.'  The  die  was  cast ;  he  penned  a  formal  proposal 
to  her  father.  It  may  at  once  be  told  that  the  lady  rejected 
him,  and  that  Greville  never  married.  Often  and  often  he 
must  have  wished  his  poor  and  unfashionable  Emma  back 
again,  when  she  was  poor  and  unfashionable  no  longer : 
his  amour  propre  had  been  hurt,  and,  till  he  became  vice- 
chamberlain  in  1794,  to  Lady  Hamilton's  genuine  pleasure,^ 
his  fortunes  drooped. 

Greville's  tentatives  were  now  at  an  end.  At  length  he 
laid  a  plain  outline  before  Sir  William: — 'If  you  could 
form  a  plan  by  which  you  could  have  a  trial,  and  could 
invite  her  and  tell  her  that  I  ought  not  to  leave  England, 
and  that  I  cannot  afford  to  go  on  ;  and  state  it  as  a  kind- 
ness to  me  if  she  would  accept  your  invitation,  she  would 
go  with  pleasure.  She  is  to  be  six  weeks  at  some  bathing 
place ;  and  when  you  could  write  an  answer  to  this,  and 
inclose  a  letter  to  her,  I  could  manage  it ;  and  either 
by  land,  by  the  coach  to  Geneva,  and  from  thence  by 
VetUcrino  forward  her,  or  else  by  sea.  I  must  add  that  1 
could  not  manage  it  so  well  later ;  after  a  month,  and 
absent  from  me,  she  would  consider  the  whole  more  calmly. 
If  there  was  in  the  world  a  person  she  loved  so  well  as 
yourself  after  me,  I  could  not  arrange  with  so  much  sang- 

'  Cf.  her  letter  of  congratulation  (Sept.  i6,  1794),  Morrison  MS.  246,  in 
answer  to  his  letter  of  August  18  announcing  his  good  fortune  and  claiming 
the  approbation  of  such  friends  as  herself,  as  the  best  reward  for  one  who 
plumes  himself  on  friendship  (Ne/son  Letters  (1814),  vol.  i.  p.  265) :  '  I  should 
not  flatter  myself  so  far,'  he  writes,  '  if  I  was  not  very  sincerely  interested 
in  your  happiness  and  ever  affectionately  yours.'  '  I  congratulate  you,'  she 
answers,  '  with  all  my  heart  on  your  appointment.  .  .  .  You  have  well  merited 
it ;  and  all  your  friends  must  be  happy  at  a  change  so  favourable  not  only  for  your 
pecuniary  circumstances,  as  for  the  honner  of  the  situation.  May  you  long 
enjoy  it  with  every  happiness  that  you  deserve  !  I  speak  from  my  heart.  I  don't 
know  a  better,  honester,  or  more  amiable  and  worthy  man  than  yourself;  and 
it  is  a  great  deal  for  me  to  say  this,  for,  whatever  I  think,  I  am  not  apt  to  pay 
compliments.' 


84  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

froid;  and  I  am  sure  I  would  not  let  her  go  to  you,  if  any 
risque  of  the  usual  coquetry  of  the  sex  [were]  likely  to  give 
uneasiness  or  appearance.  .  .  .' 

Sir  William's  '  invitation '  was  to  be  perfectly  innocent. 
She  was  to  understand  that  her  dear  Greville's  interest  de- 
manded a  temporary  separation  ;  that  she  and  her  mother 
would  be  honoured  guests  at  the  Naples  Embassy  ;  that 
she  could  improve  the  delightful  change  of  scene  and 
climate  by  training  her  musical  gifts  under  the  best 
masters,  by  studying  the  arts  in  their  motherland,  by 
learning  languages  amid  a  cosmopolitan  crowd ;  that  by 
October  her  fairy-prince  would  reappear,  and,  like  another 
Orpheus,  bring  back  his  Eurydice.  And  all  this  she  was 
to  be  told,  after  absence,  that  makes  the  heart  grow  fonder, 
had  inured  her  to  separation,  softened  her  heart  to  self- 
sacrifice,  and  reconciled  her  to  his  lightest  bidding — when, 
in  short,  it  would  be  easiest  to  practise  on  devotion.  About 
these  machinations  Emma  was  left  wholly  in  the  dark  ; 
their  windings  took  place  behind  her  back.  Her  all-wise, 
all-powerful  and  tender  Greville  could  never  consult  but  for 
her  good,  while  his  real  unselfishness  towards  the  child 
forbade  any  suspicion  of  his  purpose. 

To  Emma  his  prim  platitudes  were  the  loving  eloquence 
of  Romeo.  And  for  the  last  few  months  he  had  been 
always  preaching  up  to  her  the  spotless  example  of  a 
certain  '  Mrs!  Wells,'  refined  and  accomplished,  who,  in 
Emma's  own  situation,  had  earned  and  kept  both  her  own 
self-respect  and  that  of  more  than  one  successive  admirer  ; 
who  had  learned  the  art  of  retaining  the  lover  as  friend, 
while  she  accepted  his  friend  as  lover.  These  innuendoes 
may  well  have  puzzled  her.  Had  she  not  realised  a  dream 
of  constancy,  and  could  that  pass?  Had  she  not  parted 
with  the  child  she  loved  to  please  the  man  of  her  heart, 
and  fasten  his  faith  to  hers?  Yet  all  the  time  her 
dearest  Greville  could  speak  of  'forwarding'  her,  just  as  if 
she  were  one  of  those  crystals  on  which  he  doted. 

The  fact  was  that,  added  to  his  embarrassments,  his  need 
for  fortune  with  a  wife,  his  wish  at  once  to  oblige  Sir 
William  and  to  preclude  him  from  wedlock,  his  genuine 
desire — which   must   be   granted — to  provide  for  Emma's 


'WHAT  GOD,  AND  GREVTLLE,  PLEASES'     85 

future,  arose  the  feeling  that  Emma  herself  was  now  too 
fond.  It  was  hard  to  resign  her  ;  but,  unless  the  choice  was 
quickly  made,  it  might  become  impossible  ever  to  make  it ; 
and  he  might  be  entangled  into  a  marriage  which  would 
hold  him  up  to  ridicule. 

But  for  once  Greville  was  in  haste.  Sir  William,  always 
leisurely,  took  time  before  he  began  to  broach  a  scheme  of 
life  which  filled  his  nephew  with  alarm.  Greville  had  never 
doubted  that,  should  his  will  prevail  with  Emma  as  well  as 
with  his  uncle,  the  latter  would  sequester  her  in  one  of  his 
villas  near  Naples — some  Italian  Edgware  Row.  His  mind 
recoiled  from  the  awful  thought  that  she  might  ever  dispense 
the  honours  of  the  Embassy.  The  Ambassador,  however, 
could  not  agree.  He  had  discerned  powers  in  this  singular 
woman  passing  Greville's  vision,  and  the  connoisseur  longed 
to  call  them  forth  and  create  a  work  of  art.  He  lived,  too, 
in  a  land  where  the  convetiaiices  were  not  so  rigid  as  in  his 
own.  Did  not  the  bonne  amie  of  a  distinguished  diplomat 
and  Knight  of  Malta  grace  his  Roman  house  and  circle?^ 

Illness  also  made  for  postponement.  When  Greville 
returned  to  town  after  his  summer  outing,  he  found  Emma, 
fresh  from  her  sea-baths,  '  alarmed  and  distress'd  '  over  her 
mother's  '  paralysis.'  '  It  was  not  so  severe  an  attack,'  he 
told  his  uncle  in  November,  '  as  I  understood  it  to  be  when 
I  informed  you  of  it  from  Cornwall.  .  .  .  You  may  suppose 
that  I  did  not  increase  Emma's  uneasiness  by  any  hint  of 
the  subject  of  our  correspondence' ;  'at  any  rate,'  he  sighs, 
'  it  cannot  take  place,  and  she  goes  on  so  well,  .  .  .  and  also 
improv'd  in  looks,  that  I  own  it  is  less  agreable  to  part ; 
yet  I  have  no  other  alternative  but  to  marry,  or  remain  a 
pauper ;  I  shall  persist  in  my  resolution  not  to  lose  an 
opportunity  if  I  can  find  it,  and  do  not  think  that  viy  idea 
of  sending  her  to  Naples  on  such  an  event  arises  from  my 
consulting  my  convenience  only.  I  can  assure  you  she 
would  not  have  a  scarcity  of  offers  ;  she  has  refused  great 

^  Cf.  Ihc  instance  of  Pierre  Camillc  dc  Rohan,  Maltese  Ambassador  in  Rome 
1791).  adduced  hy  Lady  Aralmeshiiry  in  Lady  Minto's  Life  auii  Letters  of  the 
first  Earlof  Minto,  vol.  i.  His  '  friend  '  was  a  '  Chanoinesse.'  This  impeccable 
lady,  however,  refused  to  see  Lady  Hamilton  at  Caserta  before  her  marriage, 
although  she  was  universally  received,  and  by  many  believed  lo  have  been 
already  married. 


^6  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

ones  ;  but  I  am  sure  she  would  prefer  a  foreign  country. 
...  I  know  that  confidence  and  good  usage  will  never  be 
abused  by  her,  and  that  nothing  can  make  her  giddy.  I 
was  only  ten  days  with  her  when  I  was  call'd  away  to  be 
Mayor  of  Warwick  ;  it  was  not  kindly  meant,  but  it  will  turn 
out  well.  I  have  been  at  the  castle  ;  I  have  put  myself  on 
good  terms  with  my  brother,  and  I  think  I  shall  keep  him 
passive,  if  not  interested  for  me  in  the  borough.  .  .  .' 

It  was  not,  therefore,  Emma  only  who  had  grown  '  much 
more  considerate  and  amiable.'  Lord  Warwick  must  be 
enlisted  if  Greville  was  to  '  stand  high  with  both  parties,'  and 
urge  them  into  competition  for  his  services,  as  he  gravely 
proceeded  to  inform  his  uncle. 

December  brought  Sir  William's  offer,  and  with  it 
matured  Greville's  plans  for  the  March  ensuing.  He  would 
visit  Scotland  to  retrench  and  profit  by  the  lectures  of 
Edinburgh  dominies,  while  his  'minerals'  would  remain  his, 
thanks  to  Hamilton's  generosity  ;  Emma,  she  was  assured, 
for  a  while  only,  would  repair  to  Naples  chaperoned  by  her 
mother,  and  the  pleasant  Gavin  Hamilton,  Romeward  bound. 
All  of  them  were  to  be  couriered  so  far  as  Geneva  by  the 
Swiss  Dejean  ;  at  Geneva  Sir  William's  man  Vincenzo — 
still  his  faithful  servant  in  Nelson's  day — would  meet  the 
party.  For  six  months  only  Emma  could  cease  her  own 
course  of  incomparable  lectures  at  Edgware  Row ;  and  a 
brief  absence  alone  reconciled  her  to  severance.  A  charming 
visit  was  to  hasten  a  welcome  re-union. 

'.  .  .  The  absolute  necessity,'  explains  the  casuist  once 
more,  '  of  reducing  every  expence  to  enable  me  to  have 
enough  to  exist  on,  and  to  pay  the  interest  of  my  debt 
without  parting  zvitk  my  collection  of  minerals,  which  is  not 
yet  in  a  state  of  arrangement  which  would  set  it  off  to  its 
greatest  advantage,  occasion'd  my  telling  Emma,'  with 
sudden  artlessness,  '  that  I  should  be  obliged  on  business 
to  absent  myself  for  a  few  months  in  Scotland.  She 
naturally  said  that  such  a  separation  would  be  very  like  a 
total  separation,  for  that  she  should  be  very  miserable 
during  my  absence,  and  that  she  should  neither  profit  by 
my  conversation  nor  improve  in  any  degree,  that  my 
absence  would  be  more  tolerable  if  she  had  you  to  comfort 


I 


'WHAT  GOD,  AND  GREVILLE,  PLEASES'     87 

her,  .  .  .  as  there  was  not  a  person  in  the  world  whom  she 
could  be  happy  with,  if  I  was  dead,  but  yourself,  and  that  she 
certainly  would  profit  of  your  kind  offer,  if  I  should  die  or 
slight  her' — two  equally  improbable  alternatives  in  Emma's 
purview.  '.  .  .  I  told  her  that  /  should  have  no  objection  to 
her  going  to  Naples  for  6  or  8  months,  and  that  if  she 
realy  wish'd  it  I  would  forward  any  letter  she  wrote.  .  .  . 
That  she  would  not  fear  being  troublesome,  as  she  would  be 
perfectly  satisfied  with  the  degree  of  attention  you  should  from 
choice  give  her,  and  that  she  should  be  very  happy  in  learning 
music,  Italian,  etc.,  while  your  avocations  imploy'd  you.  .  .  . 
I  told  her  that  she  would  be  so  happy  that  I  should  be  cut 
out,  and  she  said  tJiat  if  I  did  not  come  for  her,  or  neglected 
her,  she  would  certainly  be  grateful  to  you  ;  but  that  neither 
interest  nor  affection  should  ever  induce  her  to  change,  unless 
my  interest  or  ivish  required  it.' 

It  should  be  noted  that  the  previous  sentences  about 
Emma's  alternatives  are  contradicted  by  those  which  set 
her  down  as  only  to  be  weaned  from  Greville  by  becoming 
a  willing  sacrifice  to  his  'interest.' 

Enclosed  was  Emma's  own  missive.  '  Emboldened' by 
Sir  William's  kindness  when  he  was  in  England,  she  re- 
capitulated the  circumstances.  Greville,  '  whom  you  know 
I  love  tenderly,'  is  obliged  to  go  for  four  or  five  months  in 
the  'sumer'  'to  places  that  I  cannot  with  propriety  attend 
him  to' — here  surely  it  is  Greville  who  dictates?  She  has 
too  great  a  '  regard  for  him  to  hinder  him  from  pursuing 
those  plans  which,'  .she  thinks, '  it  is  right  for  him  to  follow.' 
As  Hamilton  was  so  good  as  to  encourage  her,  she  '  will 
speak  her  mind.'  Firstly,  she  would  be  glad  '  to  be  a  little 
more  improv'd,'  and  Greville  'out  of  kindness'  had  offered 
to  dispense  with  her  for  the  few  months  at  the  close  of 
which  he  would  come  to  '  fetch  '  her  home,  and  stay  a  while 
there  when  he  comes, '  which  I  know  you  will  be  glad  to  see 
him.'  He  therefore  proposed  the  ist  of  March  for  his  own 
departure  northward  and  hers  to  the  south.  She  would  be 
'flattered'  if  Hamilton  will  'allot'  her  an  apartment  in  'his 
house,'  '  and  lett  Greville  occupye  those  appartments  when 
he  comes  ;  you  know  that  must  be ;  but  as  your  house  is 
very  large,  and  you  must,  from  the  nature  of  your  office, 


88  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

have  business  to  transact  and  visiters  to  see,' — here  Greville 
dictates  again — '  I  shall  always  keep  my  own  room  when 
you  are  better  engaged,  and  at  other  times  I  hope  to  have 
the  pleasure  of  your  company  and  conversation,  which  will 
be  more  agreable  to  me  than  anything  in  Italy.  As  I 
have  given  you  an  example  of  sincerity,  I  hope  you  will  be 
equaly  candid  and  sincere  in  a  speedy  answer.  ...  I  shall 
be  perfectly  happy  in  any  arrangements  you  will  make,  as 
I  have  full  confidence  in  your  kindness  and  attention  to 
me.  .  .  .' 

The  must  in  this  letter  leaves  no  doubt  that  the  per- 
manence of  separation  never  crossed  her  mind.  Greville's 
crystals,  however,  required  a  sacrifice,  which  for  him  she 
prided  herself  on  making. 

On  April  26 — her  birthday — she  duly  arrived  at  the 
Palazzo  Sessa.^  But  she  at  once  felt  wretched  away  from 
the  man  she  loved,  and  her  sole  comfort  lay  in  forwarding 
his  interest.  '  It  was  my  birthday,  and  I  was  very  low 
spirited.  Oh  God  !  that  day  that  you  used  to  smile  on 
me  and  stay  at  home,  and  be  kind  to  me — that  that  day  I 
shou'd  be  at  such  a  distance  from  you  !  But  my  comfort  is 
that  I  rely  upon  your  promise,  and  September  or  October 
I  shall  see  you !  But  I  am  quite  unhappy  at  not  hearing 
from  you — no  letter  for  me  yet,  .  .  .  but  I  must  wait  with 
patience.'  'I  dreaded,'  she  continued  later,  'setting  down 
to  write,  for  I  try  to  appear  as  chearful  before  Sir  William 
as  I  could,  and  I  am  sure  to  cry  the  moment  I  think  of 
you.2  For  I  feel  more  and  more  unhappy  at  being  separated 
from  you,  and  if  my  fatal  ruin  depends  on  seeing  you,  I 
will  and  i^nust  at  the  end  of  the  sumer.  For  to  live  without 
you  is  imposible.  I  love  you  to  that  degree  that  at  this 
time  there  is  not  a  hardship  upon  hearth  either  of  poverty, 
cold,  death,  or  even  to  walk  barefooted  to  Scotland  to  see 

'  Then  the  Embassy.  For  this  information  I  am  obliged  to  Mr.  Neville- 
Rolfe,  Consul-General  at  Naples.  It  was  with  difficulty  that  he  identified  the 
site  .n  the  Vico  Capella  Vecchia.     The  Sessa  family  still  owns  the  house. 

^  Sir  William  had  divined  this  probability  the  day  before  she  arrived  : — 
'  However,  I  will  do  as  well  as  I  can  and  hobble  in  and  out  of  this  pleasant 
scrape  as  decently  as  I  can.  You  may  be  assured  I  will  comfort  her  for  the  loss 
of  you  as  well  as  I  am  able,  but  I  know,  from  the  small  specimens  during  your 
absence  from  London,  that  I  shall  have  at  times  many  tears  to  wipe  from  those 
charming  eyes.' — Morrison  MS.  149,  April  25,  1786. 


» 


'WHAT  GOD,  AND  GREVILLE,  PLEASES'     89 

you,  but  what  I  wou'd  undergo.  Therefore  my  dear,  dear 
Greville,  if  you  do  love  me,  for  my  sake,  try  all  you  can  to 
come  hear  as  soon  as  possible.  You  have  a  true  friend  in 
Sir  William,  and  he  will  be  happy  to  see  you,  and  do  all  he 
can  to  make  you  happy ;  and  for  me  I  will  be  everything 
you  can  wish  for.  I  find  it  is  not  either  a  fine  horse,  or  a 
fine  coach,  or  a  pack  of  servants,  or  plays  or  operas,  can 
make  [me]  happy.  It  is  you  that  [h]as  it  in  your  power 
either  to  make  me  very  happy  or  very  miserable.  I  respect 
Sir  William,  I  have  a  great  regard  for  him,  as  the  uncle 
and  friend  of  you,  and  he  loves  me,  Greville.  But  he  can 
never  be  anything  nearer  to  me  than  your  uncle  and  my 
sincere  friend.  He  never  can  be  my  lover.  You  do  not 
know  how  good  Sir  William  is  to  me.  He  is  doing  every- 
thing he  can  to  make  me  happy.  .  .  .'  ^ 

Her  inmost  soul  speaks  in  these  sentences.  They  ring 
true,  and  are  without  question  outpourings  of  the  heart  on 
paper  bedewed  with  tears.  Sir  William  was  indeed  kind. 
He  wanted  to  wean  her  from  one  who  could  thus  have  treated 
her.  He  was  never  out  of  her  sight.  He  gazed  on  her  ; 
he  sighed  ;  he  praised  her  every  movement.  He  gave  her 
presents  and  showed  her  all  that  romantic  antiquity  which 
he  loved,  understood,  and  explained  so  well.  She  had 
gazed  on  Posilippo,  and  was  to  revel  in  the  villino  at  Caserta 
and  the  Posilippo  villa,  which  soon  bore  her  name.  But 
carriage  and  liveries,  '  like  those  of  Mrs.  Darner,'  who  had 
just  left,  a  private  boat,  and  baths  under  summer  skies  in 
summer  seas — all  these  availed  nothing  with  Greville 
absent.  Her  apartment  was  of  four  rooms  fronting  that  en- 
chanted bay.  The  Ambassador's  friends  dined  with  her,  and 
she  sang  for  them  :— '  Yes,  last  night  we  had  a  little  concert. 
But  then  I  was  so  low,  for  I  wanted  you  to  partake  of  our 
amusement.  Sir  Thomas  Rumbold  -  is  here  with  [h]is  son 
who  is  dying  of  a  decline,  .  .  .  and  poor  young  man  !  he 
cannot  walk  from  the  bed  to  the  chair;  and  Lady  Rumbold, 
like  a  tender-hearted  wretch,  is  gone  to  Rome,  to  pass  her 
time  there  with  the  English,  and  [h]as  took  the  coach  and 

^  All  the  foregoing  passages  are  to  be  found  in  tlie  Morrison  MS.  of  17S4- 
1786. 

"^  The  enriched  Nabob  from  Ceylon  whose  wealth  caused  a  parliamentary 
scandal  in  1782.     Cf.  Horace  Walpole's  Letters,^  vol.  viii.  pp.  216,  221. 


90  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

all  the  English  servants  with  her,  and  left  poor  Sir  Thomas, 
with  [h]is  heart  broken,  waiting  on  [h]is  sick  son.  You 
can't  think  what  a  worthy  man  he  is.  He  dined  with  ous, 
and  likes  me  very  much,  and  every  day  [h]as  brought  [h]is 
carriage  or  phaeton  .  .  .  and  carries  me  and  mother  and 
Sir  William  out.'  None  the  less  her  heart  stays  with 
Greville.  She  is  always  helping  him  with  Sir  William, 
whose  good  will  (in  both  senses  of  that  word)  makes  her 
'  very  happy  for  his  sake.  .  .  .  But  Greville,  my  dear 
Greville,  wright  some  comfort  to  me.'  '  Only  remember 
your  promise  of  October.'  ^  This  delusive  October  must 
have  hung  over  Greville's  head  like  a  sword  of  Damocles, 
or  Caesar's  inevitable  Ides  of  March. 

The  sensation  of  Emma's  first  appearance  in  the  kal- 
eidoscope of  Naples,  with  its  King  of  the  Lazzaroni  and 
Queen  of  the  Illuminati,  together  with  the  conjunctures 
of  affairs  and  men  first  witnessed  by  her,  will  find  place  in 
the  next  chapter.  It  was  not  many  months  before  she 
was  to  exclaim  to  Greville,  '  You  do  not  know  what  power 
I  have  hear ' ;  before  Acton,  the  Premier,  was  to  rally  Sir 
William  on  'a  worthy  and  charming  young  lady.'-  But 
now  and  here  the  climax  of  her  emotions,  when  she  first 
fully  realised  Greville's  breach  of  faith  and  his  real  pur- 
pose in  exiling  her,  must  be  reached  without  interruption. 
Even  on  the  first  of  May,  when  his  uncle  told  her  in  reply 
to  her  solicitude  for  Greville's  welfare,  that  she  might 
command  anything  from  one  who  loved  them  both  so 
dearly,  '  I  have  had  a  conversation  this  morning,'  she  wrote, 
'with  Sir  William  that  has  made  me  mad.  He  speaks — no, 
I  do  not  know  what  to  make  of  it.' 

Three  months  went  by,  and  still  no  letter  came,  except 
one  to  tell  her  how  grateful  was  the  nephew  for  the  uncle's 
care  ;^  and  still  Sir  William  looked  and  languished.  The 
truth  began  to  dawn  upon  her,  but  even  now  she  dared  not 
face,  and  would  not  believe  it.  At  the  close  of  July,  when 
Naples  drowses  and  melts  in  dreamy  haze,  she  made  her 

^  Morrison  MS.  150,  April  30,  17S5. 
-  Egerton  MS.  2639,  f.  12,  March  10,  1787. 

^  Alluded  to  in  Greville's  business  note  to  Hamilton.  Morrison  MS.  15., 
May  1786. 


'WHAT  GOD,  AND  GREVILLE,  PLEASES'     91 

last  and  piteous,  though  spirited,  appeal.  '  I  am  now  onely 
writing  to  beg  of  you  for  God's  sake  to  send  me  one  letter, 
if  it  is  onely  a  farewell.  Sure  I  have  deserved  this  for  the 
sake  of  the  love  you  once  had  for  me.  .  .  ,  Don't  despise 
me.  I  have  not  used  you  ill  in  any  one  thing.  I  have 
been  from  you  going  of  six  months,  and  you  have  wrote 
one  letter  to  me,  enstead  of  which  I  have  sent  fourteen  to 
you.  So  pray  let  me  beg  of  you,  my  much  loved  Greville, 
only  one  line  from  your  dear,  dear  hands.  You  don't  know 
how  thankful  I  shall  be  for  it.  For  if  you  knew  the  misery 
I  feel,  oh !  your  heart  wou'd  not  be  intirely  shut  up  against 
me  ;  for  I  love  you  with  the  truest  affection.  Don't  let  any 
body  sett  you  against  me.  Some  of  your  friends — your 
foes  perhaps,  I  don't  know  what  to  stile  them — have  long 
wisht  me  ill.  But,  Greville,  you  never  will  meet  with  any- 
body that  has  a  truer  affection  for  you  than  I  have,  and  I 
onely  wish  it  was  in  my  power  to  shew  you  what  I  cou'd  do 
for  you.  As  soon  as  I  know  your  determination,  I  shall 
take  my  own  measures.  If  I  don't  hear  from  you,  and  that 
you  are  coming  according  to  promise,  I  shall  be  in  England 
at  Cristmass  at  farthest.  Don't  be  unhappy  at  that,  I  will 
see  you  once  more  for  the  last  time.  I  find  life  is  insup- 
portable without  you.  Oh !  my  heart  is  intirely  broke. 
Then  for  God's  sake,  my  ever  dear  Greville,  do  write  to  me 
some  comfort.  I  don't  know  what  to  do.  I  am  now  in 
that  state,  I  am  incapable  of  anything.  I  have  a  language- 
master,  a  singing-master,  musick,  etc.,  but  what  is  it  for? 
If  it  was  to  amuse  you,  I  shou'd  be  happy.  But,  Greville, 
what  will  it  avail  me?  I  am  poor,  helpless,  and  forlorn. 
I  have  lived  with  you  5  years,  and  you  have  sent  me  to  a 
strange  place,  and  no  one  prospect  but  thinking  you  was 
coming  to  me.  Instead  of  which  I  was  told.  .  .  .  No,  I 
respect  him,  but  no,  never.  .  .  .  What  is  to  become  of  me? 
But  excuse  me,  my  heart  is  ful.  I  tel  you  give  me  one 
guiney  a  week  for  everything,  and  live  with  me,  and  I  will 
be  contented.  But  no  more.  I  will  trust  to  Providence,  and 
wherever  you  go,  God  bless  you,  and  preserve  you,  and 
may  you  allways  be  happy !  But  write  to  Sir  William. 
What  [h]as  he  done  to  affront  you  ? '  ^ 

'  Morrison  MS.  152,  July  22,  1786. 


92  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

She  awaited  Greville's  orders.  Sir  William  had  com- 
missioned still  another  portrait  of  her  from  Romney ;  ^ 
'  Angelaca  '  was  about  to  paint  her  ;  she  was  '  so  remarkably 
fair'  that  'everybody'  said  she  'put  on  red  and  white'; 
Lord  Hervey  was  her  slave  ;  a  foreign  prince  was  in  her 
train  each  evening  ;  the  king  was  '  sighing  '  for  her.  It  was 
Greville's  orders  for  which  she  waited.  She  had  just 
visited  Pompeii  and  viewed  the  wrecks  of  love  and  bloom 
and  life  unearthed  by  alien  hands.  Was  here  no  moral  for 
this  distraught  and  heaving  bosom  ?  And  there  that  awful 
mountain  lowered  and  threatened  ruin  every  day.  The 
Maltese  Minister's  house  hard  by  had  been  struck  by 
lightning.  Like  lurid  Nature,  Emma  too  was  roused  to 
fury,  though,  a  microcosm  of  it  also,  she  smiled  between  . 
the  outbursts.     What  could  she  do  but  wait? 

Twelve  days  more;  the  order  comes — 'Oblige  Sir  William! 
Her  passion  blazes  up,  indignant :  ' .  .  .  Nothing  can  express 
my  rage.  Greville,  to  advise  me  ! — you  that  used  to  envy 
my  smiles  !  How  with  cool  indifference  to  advise  me  !  .  .  . 
Oh !  that  is  the  worst  of  all.  But  I  will  not,  no,  I  will 
not  rage.  If  I  was  with  you  I  wou'd  murder  you  and  myself 
boath.  I  will  leave  of[f]  and  try  to  get  more  strength,  for 
I  am  now  very  ill  with  a  cold.  ...  I  won't  look  back  to 
what  I  wrote  .  .  .  Nothing  shall  ever  do  for  me  but  going 
home  to  you.  If  that  is  not  to  be,  I  will  except  of  nothing 
I  will  go  to  London,  their  go  into  every  excess  of  vice  till  I 
dye,  a  miserable,  broken-hearted  wretch,  and  leave  my  fate 
as  a  warning  to  young  whomen  never  to  be  two  good;  for 
now  you  have  made  me  love  you,  you  made  me  good,  you 
have  abbandoned  me  ;  and  some  violent  end  shall  finish  our 
connexion,  if  it  is  to  finish.  But  oh!  Greville,  you  cannot, 
you  must  not  give  me  up.  You  have  not  the  heart  to  do 
it.  You  love  me  I  am  sure  ;  and  I  am  willing  to  do  every- 
thing in  my  power,  and  what  will  you  have  more  ?  And  I 
only  say  this  is  the  last  time  I  will  either  beg  or  pray,  do  as 
you  like.' — '  I  always  knew,  I  had  a  foreboding  since  first  I 
began  to  love  you,  that  I  was  not  destined  to  be  happy ; 
for  their  is  not  a  King  or  Prince  on  hearth  that  cou'd 
make  me  happy  without  you.' — '  Little  Lord  Brooke  is  dead. 
Poor  little  boy,  how  I  envy  him  his  happiness.' 

^  The  second  '  Bacchante,'  lost  in  the  Colossus  in  1799. 


'  WHAT  GOD,  AND  GREVILLE,  PLEASES  '     93 

She  had  been  degraded  in  her  own  eyes,  and  by  the  lover 
whom  she  had  heroised.  Was  this,  then,  the  reward  of 
modesty  regained ;  of  love  returned,  of  strenuous  effort,  of 
hopes  for  her  child,  and  a  home  purified  ?  Her  idol  lay 
prone,  dashed  from  its  pedestal,  with  feet  of  clay.  And  yet 
this  did  not  harden  her.  Though  she  could  not  trust,  she 
still  believed  in  him  as  in  some  higher  power  who  chastens 
those  he  loves.  Her  paroxysms  passed  to  return  again  : — 
' ...  It  is  enough,  I  have  paper  that  Greville  wrote  on. 
He  [h]as  folded  it  up.  He  wet  the  wafer.  How  I  envy 
thee  the  place  of  Emma's  lips,  that  would  give  worlds, 
had  she  them,  to  kiss  those  lips !  .  .  .  I  onely  wish  that  a 
wafer  was  my  onely  rival.  But  I  suhnit  to  what  God  and 
Greville  pleases!  Even  now  she  held  him  to  his  word.  '  I 
have  such  a  headache  with  my  cold,  I  don't  know  what  to 
do.  ...  I  can't  lett  a  week  go  without  telling  you  how 
happy  I  am  at  hearing  from  you.  Pray,  write  as  often  as 
you  can.  If  you  come,  we  shall  all  go  home  together.  .  .  . 
Pray  write  to  me,  and  don't  write  in  the  stile  of  a  freind, 
but  a  lover.  For  I  won't  hear  a  word  of  freind.  Sir 
William  is  ever  freind.  But  we  are  lovers.  I  am  glad  you 
have  sent  me  a  blue  hat  and  gloves.  .  .' 

For  many  years  she  cherished  Greville's  friendship.  She 
wrote  to  him  perpetually  after  the  autumn  of  this  year  saw 
Sir  William  win  her  heart  as  well  as  will  by  his  tenderness, 
and  by  her  thought  of  advancing  the  ingrate  nephew 
himself.  Never  did  she  lose  sight  of  Greville's  interests 
during  those  fourteen  future  years  at  Naples.  She  lived 
to  thank  Greville  for  having  made  Sir  William  known 
to  her,  to  be  proud  of  her  achievements  as  his  eleve. 

But  at  the  same  time  in  these  few  months  a  larger 
horizon  was  already  opening.  She  had  looked  on  a  bigger 
world,  and  ambition  was  awakening  within  her.  She  had 
seen  royalty  and  statesmen,  and  she  began  to  feel  that  she 
might  play  a  larger  part.  Under  Greville's  yoke  she  had 
been  ready  to  pinch  and  slave  ;  with  Sir  William  she  would 
rule.  '  Pray  write,'  she  concludes  one  of  her  Greville 
letters,  '  for  nothing  will  make  me  so  angry,  and  it  is  not  to 
your  intj'est  to  disoblidge  me,  for  you  don't  know,'  she  adds 
with  point,  'the  power  I  have  hear.  .  .  .   If  you  affront  me,' 


94  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

she  prophesies  (not  threatens,  as  has  been  represented), '  / 
will  make  him  marry  me.     God  bless  you  for  ever.'^ 

And  amid  all  her  tumult  of  disillusionment,  of  un- 
certainty, of  bewilderment  in  the  new  influence  she  was 
visibly  wielding  over  new  surroundings,  she  remained  the 
more  mindful  of  those  oldest  friends  who  had  believed  her 
good,  and  enabled  her  to  feel  good  herself.  Sir  William, 
wishful  to  retain  for  her  the  outside  comforts  of  virtue, 
hastened  to  gratify  her  by  inviting  Romney  and  Hayley  to 
Naples.  The  disappointment  caused  by  Romney's  inability 
to  comply  with  a  request  dear  to  him  ^  threw  her  back  on 
herself,  and  made  her  feel  lonelier  than  ever ;  her  mother 
was  her  great  consolation. 

And  what  was  Greville's  attitude  ?  These  Emma-letters 
would  have  been  tumbled  into  his  waste-paper  basket  with 
the  fourteen  others  that  remain,  had  he  not  returned  them 
to  Hamilton  with  the  subjoined  and  private  comment : — 
'  Uoubli  de  rinclus  est  volant,  fixez-le :  si  on  admet  le  ton  de  la 
vertu  sans  la  verite',  on  est  la  dupe,  et  j'e  place  naturellemejtt 
tout  siir  le  pied  vrai,  comme  J'ai  toujours  fait,  et  je  constate 
IVtat  actual  sans  me  reporter  a  vous!  ^  One  must  not  be 
duped  by  the  tone  without  the  truth  of  virtue  !  The  '  self- 
respect,'  then,  instilled  by  him,  was  never  designed  to  raise 
her  straying  soul ;  it  was  a  makeshift  contrived  to  steady 
her  erring  steps — a  mere  bridge  between  goodness  and  its 
opposite,  which  he  would  not  let  her  cross ;  though  neither 
would  he  let  her  throw  herself  over  it  into  the  troubled 
and  muddy  depths  below  :  it  was  a  bridge  built  for  his  own 
retreat.  Greville  recked  of  no  '  truth '  but  hard  '  facts,' 
which  he  looked  unblushingly  in  the  face,  nor  did  his 
essence  harbour  one  flash  or  spark  of  idealism.  And  still 
he  purposed  her  welfare,  as  he  understood  it ;  he  had  sought 
to  kill  three  birds  with  one  stone.  Hamilton,  for  all  his 
faults,  was  never  a  sophist  of  such  compromise.    For  Emma 

1  Morrison  MS.  153,  August  i,  1786.  Some  of  the  sentences  are  quoted  in 
the  order  ol  feeling  ^n<.\  not  of  sequence.  Emma  seldom  wrote  long  letters  in  a 
single  day. 

-  Romney  had  been  very  ill.  In  his  answer  (August  1786)  he  hopes  'in  a 
weke  or  to,  to  be  upon  my  pins  (I  cannot  well  call  them  legs),  as  you  know  at 
best  they  are  very  poor  ones.' — Cf.   Ward  and  Roberts's  Rotnney,  vol.  i.  p.  67. 

'"  Morrison  MS.  154,  October  24,  1786.     The  '/a'  is  Greville's. 


'WHAT  GOD,  AND  GREVILLE,  PLEASES'     95 

he  purposed  a  state  of  life  above  its  semblance,  and  a 
strength  beyond  its  frail  supports ;  already  he  desired 
that  she  would  consent  to  be,  in  all  but  name,  his  wife. 
Greville,  certain  of  her  good  nature,  had  dreaded  per- 
manence ;  Hamilton,  if  all  went  smoothly,  meant  it.  Yet 
Greville  exacted  friendship  without  affection.  His  French 
postscript  was  designed  to  escape  Emma's  comprehension, 
though  a  month  or  so  later  it  could  not  have  succeeded  in 
doing  so.  But  the  letter  itself  contained  some  paragraphs 
which  he  intended  her  to  study : — 

' .  .  .  I  shall  hope  to  manage  to  all  our  satisfaction,  for 
I  so  long  foresaw  that  a  moment  of  separation  must  arrive, 
that  I  never  kept  the  connexion,  but  on  the  footing  of 
perfect  liberty  to  her.  Its  commencement  was  not  of  my 
seeking,  and  hitherto  it  has  contributed  to  her  happiness. 
She  knows  and  reflects  often  on  the  circumstances  which 
she  cannot  forget,  and  in  her  heart  she  cannot  reproach  me 
of  having  acted  otherwise  than  a  kind  and  attentive  friend. 
But  you  have  now  rendered  it  possible  for  her  to  be  respected 
and  comfortable,  rt:;^^  if  she  has  not  talked  herself  out  of  the  true 
vieiv  of  her  situation  she  will  retain  the  protection  and  affectiofi 
of  us  both.  For  after  all,  consider  what  a  charming  creature 
she  would  have  been  if  she  had  been  blessed  with  the 
advantages  of  an  early  education,  and  had  not  been  spoilt  by 
the  indulgence  of  every  caprice.  I  never  was  irritated  by 
her  momentary  passions,  for  it  is  a  good  heart  which  will 
not  part  with  a  friend  in  anger  ;  and  yet  it  is  true  that  when 
her  pride  is  hurt  by  neglect  or  anxiety  for  the  future,  the 
frequent  repition  \sic\  of  her  passion  ballances  the  beauty  of 
the  smiles.  If  a  person  knew  her  and  could  live  for  life  with 
her,  by  an  economy  of  attention,  that  is  by  constantly  renew- 
ing very  little  attentions,  she  would  be  happy  and  good 
\Q.^cc\i^tx'^,for  she  has  not  a  grain  of  avarice  or  self-interest.  .  .  . 
Knowing  all  this,  infinite  have  been  my  pains  to  make  her 
respect  herself,  and  act  fairly,  and  I  had  always  proposed  to 
continue  her  friend,  altJid  the  connexion  ceased.  I  had  pro- 
posed to  make  her  accept  and  manage  your  kind  provision,^ 
and  she  would  easily  have  adopted  that  plan  ;  it  was  acting 

^  Sir  William  offered  to  settle  ;i^ioo annually,  and  Greville  a  like  sum,  on  her. 
Roinney  was  to  have  been  a  trustee. 


96  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

the  part  of  good  woman,  a7id  to  offer  to  put  her  regard  to 
any  test,  and  to  show  that  she  contributed  to  MY  happiness,  by 
accepting  the  provision  ...  it  would  not  have  hurt  her  pride, 
and  would  have  been  a  line  of  heroicks  more  natural,  because 
it  arose  out  of  the  real  situatioft,  than  any  which  by  con- 
versation she  might  persuade  herself  suited  her  to  act.  Do 
not  understand  the  word  "  act "  other  than  I  mean  it.  We 
all  [act]  well  when  we  suit  our  actions  to  the  real  situation, 
and  conduct  them  by  truth  and  good  intention.  We  act 
capriciously  and  inconveniently  to  others  when  our  actions 
are  founded  on  an  imaginary  plan  which  does  not  place  the 
persons  involved  in  the  scene  in  their  real  situations.  .  .  . 
If  Mrs.  Wells  had  quarrell'd  with  Admiral  Keppell,  she 
would  never  have  been  respected  as  she  now  is.  ...  If  she 
will  put  me  on  the  footing  of  a  friend  .  .  .  she  will  write  to 
me  fairly  on  her  plans,  she  will  tell  me  her  thoughts,  and  her 
future  shall  be  my  serious  concern.  .  .  .  She  has  conduct 
and  discernment,  and  I  have  always  said  that  such  a  woman, 
if  she  controul  her  passions,  might  rule  the  roost,  and  chuse 
her  station.' 

Thus  /Eneas-Greville,  of  Dido-Emma,  to  his  trusty 
Achates.  Surely  a  self-revealing  document  of  sense  and 
blindness,  of  truth  and  falsehood,  one,  moreover,  did  space 
allow,  well  worth  longer  excerpts.  He  excused  his  action 
in  his  own  eyes  even  more  elaborately,  over  and  over  again. 
He  would  conscientiously  fulfil  his  duty  to  her  and  hers,  if 
only  she  would  accept  his  view  of  her  own  'duty'  towards  him ; 
his  tone  admitted  of  few  obligations  beyond  mutual  interest. 
He  never  reproached  either  her  or  himself:  he  thought  him- 
self firm,  not  cruel ;  he  remained  her  good  friend  and  well- 
wisher,  her  former  rescuer,  a  father  to  her  child.  'Heroicks' 
were  out  of  place  and  out  of  taste.  He  again  held  up  to 
her  proud  imitation  the  prime  pattern  of '  Mrs.  Wells.'  He 
was  even  willing  that  she  should  return  home,  if  so  she 
chose  ;  but  his  terms  were  irrevocably  fixed,  and  it  was  use- 
less for  her  to  hystericise  against  adamant. 

But  he  did  not  reckon  with  the  latent  possibilities  of  her 
being.  The  sequel  was  to  prove  not  '  what  Greville,'  but 
what  '  God  pleases.' 


CHAPTER    V 

APPRENTICESHIP  AND   MARRIAGE 

1787-1791 

What  was  the  new  prospect  on  which  Emma's  eyes  first 
rested  in  March  1786?  Goethe  has  described  it.  A  fruitful 
land,  a  free,  blue  sea,  the  scented  islands,  and  the  smoking 
mountain.  A  population  of  vegetarian  craftsmen  busy  to 
enjoy  with  hand-to-mouth  labour.  A  people  holding  their 
teeming  soil  under  a  lease  on  sufferance  from  earthquake 
and  volcano.  An  inflammable  mob,  whose  king  lost  six 
thousand  subjects  annually  by  assassination,  and  whose 
brawls  and  battles  of  vendetta  would  last  three  hours  at  a 
time.^  An  upper  class  of  feudal  barons  proud  and  ignorant. 
A  lower  class  of  half-beggars,  at  once  lazy,  brave,  and 
insolent,  who,  if  they  misliked  the  face  of  a  foreign  inquirer, 
would  stare  in  silence  and  turn  away.  A  middle  class  of 
literati  despising  those  above  and  below  them.  A  race  of 
tillers  and  of  fishermen  alternating  between  pious  supersti- 
tion and  reckless  revel,  midway,  as  it  were,  between  God  and 
Satan.^  The  bakers  celebrating  their  patron,  Saint  Joseph  ; 
the  priests  their  childlike '  saint-humorous,'  San  Filippo  Neri  ; 
high  and  low  alike,  their  civic  patrons,  Saints  Anthony  and 
Januarius,  whose  liquefying  blood  each  January  propitiated 
Vesuvius.^      Preaching    Friars,   dreaming    Friars ;    singing, 

'  Cf.  Life  and  Letters  of  the  first  Earl  of  Mittto,  vol.  ii.  p.  364.  In  their 
fight  with  the  '  Sberri,'  Sir  William's  courtyard  gave  them  refuge,  and  there 
Emma's  humanity  had  full  play. 

'-'  Goethe's  own  expression  in  the  Italian  Journey. 

^  On  the  outbreak  of  the  French  Revolution,  the  latter  saint  being  accused  of 
Jacobinism,  his  statue  was  solemnly  tried  in  open  court  and  condemned. 

G 


98  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

sceptical,  enjoying  Abbes.  A  country  luxuriant  not  only 
with  southern  growths,  but  garlanded  even  in  February  by 
banks  of  wild  violets  and  tangles  of  wild  heliotrope  and 
sweet-peas.^  A  spirit  of  Nature,  turning  dread  to  beauty, 
and  beauty  into  dread. 

She  sits,  her  head  leaned  against  her  hand,  and  gazes 
through  the  open  casement  on  a  scene  bathed  in  southern 
sun  and  crystal  air — the  pure  air,  the  large  glow,  the 
light  soil  that  made  Neapolis  the  pride  of  Magna  Graecia. 
Her  room — it  is  Goethe  himself  who  describes  it  - — 
*  furnished  in  the  English  taste,'  is  '  most  delightful ' ;  ^ 
the  'outlook  from  its  corner  window,  unique.'  Below, 
the  bay ;  in  full  view,  Capri  ;  on  the  right,  Posilippo ; 
nearer  the  highroad,  Villa  Reale  the  royal  palace ;  on  the 
left  an  ancient  Jesuit  cloister,  which  the  queen  had  dedi- 
cated to  learning ;  hard  by  on  either  side,  the  twin  strong- 
holds of  Ovo  and  Nuovo,  and  the  busy,  noisy  Molo, 
overhung  by  the  fortress  of  San  Elmo  on  the  frowning 
crag ;  further  on,  the  curving  coast  from  Sorrento  to  Cape 
Minerva.  And  all  this  varied  vista,  from  the  centre  of  a 
densely  thronged  and  clattering  city. 

The  whirlwind  of  passion  sank,  and  gradually  yielded  to 
calm,  as  Greville  had  predicted.  '  Every  woman,'  com- 
mented this  astute  observer,  resenting  the  mention  of  his 
name  at  Naples,  '  either  feels  or  acts  a  part ' ;  and  change 
of  dramatis  personcB  was  necessary,  he  added,  'to  make 
Emma  happy'  and  himself  'free.'*  But  his  careful  pre- 
scription of  the  immaculate  '  Mrs.  Wells '  only  partially 
succeeded.  True,  the  elderly  friend  was  soon  to  become 
the  attached  lover,  and  the  prudential  lover  a  forgiven 
friend ;  but  he  ceased  henceforward  to  be  '  guide '  or 
'  philosopher,'  and  gradually  faded  into  a  minor  actor  in  the 
drama,  though  never  into  a  supernumerary.  She  felt,  as  she 
told  Sir  William,  forlorn  ;  her  trust  had  been  betrayed  and 
rudely  shaken.     What  she  longed   for  was  a  friend,  and 

^  Cf.  Life  and  Letters  of  the  First  Earl  of  Mtnto. 

•  Italienische  Reise.      Works,  vol.  xix.  p.  220.     No  one  has  written  a  better 
account  of  the  Neapolitans  in  the  spring  and  summer  of  17S7. 
-  'AUerliebst.' 
■•  Morrison  MS.  154. 


APPRENTICESHIP  AND  MARRIAGE         99 

she  could  never  simulate  what  she  did  not  feel.^  His 
gentle  respect,  his  chivalry,  contrasting  with  Greville's 
cynical  taskmastership,  his  persuasive  endearments,  eventu- 
ally won  the  day ;  and  by  the  close  of  the  year  Emma's 
heart  assented  to  his  suit.  Her  eyes  had  been  opened." 
To  him  she 'owed  everything.'  He  was  to  her  'every 
kind  name  in  one.'  '  I  believe,'  she  assured  him  this  year, 
'  it  is  right  I  shou'd  be  seperated  from  you  sometimes,  to 
make  me  know  myself,  for  I  don't  know  till  you  are  absent, 
how  dear  you  are  to  me' ;  she  implores  one  little  line  just 
that  she  'may  kiss'  his  'name.'^  Sir  William  at  fifty- 
six  retained  that  art  of  pleasing  which  he  never  lost ;  and 
she  was  always  pleased  to  be  petted  and  shielded.  Even 
before  the  opening  of  1787  she  had  already  mastered  the 
language  and  the  society  of  Naples.  Disobedient  to  his 
nephew,  and  his  niece  Mrs.  Dickenson,  who  remonstrated 
naturally  but  in  vain,  Sir  William  insisted  on  her  'doing 
the  honours,'  which  she  astonished  him  by  managing,  as  he 
thought,  to  perfection.  Every  moment  spared  from  receiv- 
ing or  giving  hospitalities  in  the  Palazzo  Sessa*  was  filled 
by  strenuous  study  at  home,  or  in  the  adjoining  Convent  of 
Santa  Romita.  Her  captivating  charm,  her  quick  tact,  her 
impulsive  friendliness,  her  entertaining  humour,  her  natural 
taste  for  art,  which,  together  with  her  '  kindness  and  intelli- 
gence,' had  already  been  acknowledged  by  Romney  as  a 
source  of  inspiration  ;  -''  her  unique  '  Attitudes,'  her  voice 
which,  under  Galluci's  tuition,  she  was  now  beginning  'to 

^  Cf.  her  very  striking  letter  to  Hamilton,  Morrison  MS.  163  :  '.  .  .  Do  you 
call  me  your  dear  friend?  .  .  .  Oh,  if  I  cou'd  express  myself!  If  I  had  words 
to  thank  you,  that  I  may  not  thus  be  choaked  with  meanings,  for  which  I  can 
find  no  utterance  ! '  etc. 

-  '  But  now  I  have  my  wisdom  teeth.' — Morrison  MS.  157. 

^  Ibid.  164. 

^  So  far  from  this  house  l)cing,  as  has  been  put  forward,  the  present  Embassy, 
it  did  not  even  remain  the  habitation  of  Hamilton's  successors,  Paget,  Elliot, 
and  Bentinck.  Writing  to  Emma  from  Naples  in  1804,  Nelson  says:  '  \'our 
house  has  become  a  hotel.' 

'•'  Cf.  Hayley's  letter  to  her  of  May  17,  1804  (cited  by  I'ettigrew,  vol.  ii.  p. 
596)  :  '  Vou  were  not  only  his  model  but  his  iiispirer,  and  he  truly  and  grate- 
fully said,  hat  he  owed  a  great  part  of  his  felicity  as  a  painter  to  the  angelic 
kindness  and  intelligence  with  which  you  used  to  animate  his  diffident  and 
tremulous  spirits  to  the  grandest  efforts  of  art.' 


lOo  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

command,'  even  her  free  and  easy  manners  when  con- 
trasted with  those  of  the  Neapolitan  noblesse,  all  seemed 
miracles,  broke  down  the  easy  barriers  of  susceptible 
southerners,  and  gained  her  hosts  of  '  sensible  admirers.' 
So  early  as  February  1787  Sir  William  reported  to  his 
nephew :  ' .  .  .  Our  dear  Em.  goes  on  now  quite  as  I  cou'd 
wish,  and  is  universally  beloved' — a  phrase  which  Emma 
herself  repeated  ten  months  later  to  her  first  mentor,  with 
the  proud  consciousness  of  shining  at  a  distance  before 
him.  'She  is  wonderful!,'  added  Hamilton,  'considering 
her  youth  and  beauty,  and  I  flatter  myself  that  E.  and  her 
Mother  are  happy  to  be  with  me,  so  that  I  see  my  every 
wish  fulfilled.'  By  the  August  of  this  year,  when  she  first 
wrote  Italian,  she  saw  'good  company,'  she  delighted  the 
whole  diplomatic  circle ;  Sir  William  was  indissociable ; 
she  used  the  familiar  'we' — ^  our  honsQ  at  Caserta  is  fitted 
up,'  while  Sir  William  followed  suit.^  The  very  servants 
styled  her  '  Eccellenza.'  Her  attached  Ambassador  '  is 
distractedly  in  love ' ;  'he  deserves  it,  and  indeed  I  love 
him  dearly.'  There  was  not  a  grain  in  her  of  inconstancy. 
'  He  is  so  kind,  so  good  and  tender  to  me,'  she  wrote  as 
Emma  Hart,  in  an  unpublished  letter,-  'that  I  love  him 
so  much  that  I  have  not  a  warm  look  left  for  the 
Neapolitans.'  His  evenings,  he  wrote,  were  sweet  with 
song  and  admiring  guests,  while  her  own  society  rendered 
them  a  'comfort.'  Inclination  went  on  steadily  ripening, 
until  it  settled  within  three  years  into  deep  mutual  fond- 
ness. He  fitted  up  for  her  a  new  boudoir  in  the  Naples 
house  with  its  round  mirrors,  as  Miss  Knight  has  recorded,^ 
covering  the  entire  side  of  the  wall  opposite  the  semi- 
circular window,  and  reflecting  the  moonlit  bay  with  its 
glimmering  boats,  the  glass  tanks  with  their  marine 
treasures  of  'sea-oranges'  and  the  like.  Within  a  year 
Hamilton  tells  Greville  that  she  asks  him  'Do  you  love 
me,  aye,  but  as  much  as  your  new  apartment  ? ' — both  here 
and  at  Caserta.  He  did  his  best  to  '  form '  her,  and  in  the 
course  of  time  she  was  able  to  share  his  botanical  studies, 

^^ 
^  Morrison  MS.  174, 

-  May  17,  1804.     From  an  excerpt  in  one  of  Messrs.  Sotheby's  catalogues, 

June  1905.  ^  Miss  Knight's  Diary,  vol.  i.  p.  251. 


__ J 


APPRENTICESHIP  AND  MARRIAGE        loi 

which  they  pursued  not  as  '  pedantlcal  prigs  '  to  air  learning, 
but  with  zeal  and  pleasure  in  the  early  mornings  and  fresh 
air  of  the  'English'  gardens.  Her  aptitude  and  adaptive- 
ness  worked  wonders.  Within  a  year  she  was  able  to  take 
an  intelligent  interest  in  the  preparation  of  the  virtuoso's  new 
volume  on  Etruscan  Urns — a  progress  promptly  reported 
by  him  to  his  old  crony  Sir  Joseph  Banks,  who  greeted  it 
cordially.^  She  aided  his  volcanic  observations;  Sir  William 
laughed,  and  said  she  would  rival  him  with  the  mountain 
now.2  Both  had  already  stayed  with,  and  she  had  en- 
chanted, the  Duke  and  Duchess  of  St.  Maitre  at  Sorrento, 
the  musical  Countess  of  Mahoney  at  Ischia  ;  cries  of  '  Una 
donna  rara^  ' bellissinia  creatura'  were  on  every  mouth. 
The  Duke  of  Gloucester  begged  Hamilton  to  favour  him 
with  her  acquaintance.^  The  Olympian  Goethe  himself 
beheld  and  marvelled.  Her  unpretending  naivete*  won  her 
adherents  at  every  step.  '  All  the  female  nobility,  with 
the  queen  at  their  head,'  were  'distantly  civil'  to  her 
already ;  none  rude  to  Emma  were  allowed  within  the 
precincts.  Meddlers  or  censors  were  sent  roundly  to  the 
right-about,  and  informed  that  she  was  the  sweetest,  the 
best,  the  cleverest  creature  in  the  world.  When  he  returned 
from  his  periodical  ro}al  wild-boar  chases,  it  was  Emma 
again  who  brewed  his  punch  and  petted  him.  Now  and 
again  there  peeps  out  also  that  half  voluptuous  tinge  in  her 
wifeliness  which  never  wholly  deserted  her.  She  had  been 
Greville's  devoted  slave ;  Sir  William  was  already  hers. 
Her  monitor  had  repulsed  her  free  sacrifice  and  urged 
it   for   his    own    advantage    towards    his    uncle ;    but   her 

^  Cf.  Eg.  MS.  2641,  f.  139,  and  cf.  ft".  137,  141,  146.  'I  rejoice  to  hear  that 
she  proceeds  with  diligence  and  success  in  her  improvement.  Her  beauty  will  I 
hope,  last  as  long  as  she  can  wish  ;  but  her  mind,  when  once  stored  with  instruc- 
tion and  amusement,  will  certainly  last  as  long  as  she  stays  this  side  Heaven.' — 
November  1787. 

-  Morrison  MS.  164. 

■'  Morrison  MS.  166.  lust  before  Emma's  arrival  the  Duke  of  Cumberland 
had  also  been  there  with  Lord  Ferrers  and  the  ill-starred  gamestress,  Lady 
Elizabeth  Lutlrell.  Cf.  Ibid.  148.  On  the  Duke  of  Gloucester's  return  home 
King  George's  family  dissensions  were  renewed.  Says  Henry  Swinburne, 
Greville's  friend  and  Hamilton's  at  Naples:  'The  poor  king  will  act  the  part 
of  the  enraged  musician,  but  the  nation  will  pay  the  piper.' — Ibid.  179. 

^  This  point  i.^  .specially  emphasised  afterwards  by  Sir  William. 


102  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

worshipper  had  now  fanned  not  so  much  the  flame, 
perhaps,  as  the  incense  of  her  unfeigned  ^  attachment. 
The  English  dined  with  her  while  Sir  William  was  away 
shooting  with  the  king.  She  trilled  Handel  and  Paisicllo, 
learned  French,  Italian,  music,  dancing,  design,-  and 
history.^  Hamilton  was  himself  musical,  and  used  to  accom- 
pany her  voice — of  which  he  was  a  good  judge — on  the 
viola.  She  laughed  at  the  foibles  and  follies  of  the  court ; 
she  retailed  to  him  the  gossip  of  the  hour.  She  entered 
into  his  routine  and  protected  his  interests  ;  she  prevented 
him  from  being  pestered  or  plundered.*  Only  a  few  years, 
and  she  was  dictating  etiquette  even  to  an  English  nobleman.^ 

It  was  a  triumphal  progress  which  took  the  town  by 
storm  ;  her  beauty  swept  men  off  their  feet.  The  trans- 
formations of  these  eighteen  months,  which  lifted  her 
out  of  her  cramped  nook  at  Paddington  into  a  wide  arena, 
read  like  a  dream,  or  one  of  those  Arabian  fairy-tales 
where  peasants  turn  princes  in  an  hour.  Nor  is  the  least 
surprise,  among  many,  the  thought  that  these  dissolving 
views  present  themselves  as  adventures  of  admired  virtue, 
and  not  as  unsanctioned  escapades.  At  Naples  the  worst 
of  her  past  seemed  buried,  and  she  could  be  born  again. 
Her  accent,  her  vulgarisms  mattered  little  ;  she  spoke  to 
new  friends  in  a  new  language.  The  '  lovely  woman  ' 
who  had  'stooped  to  folly,  and  learned  too  late  that  men 
betray,'  seems  rather  to  have  '  stooped  to  conquer '  by  the 
approved  methods  of  the  same  Goldsmith's  heroine. 

The  scene  of  her  d^but  is  that  of  Opera,  all  moonlight, 

-  Cf.  Morrison  MS.  164,  17S7  (Emma  to  Sir  William):  '.  .  .  My  com- 
forter in  distress.  Then  why  shall  I  not  love  you.  Endead  I  must  and  ought 
whilst  life  is  left  in  me  or  reason  to  think  on  you.  .  .  .  My  heart  and  eyes  fill. 
...  I  owe  everything  to  you,  and  shall  ever  with  grattitude  remember  it.  .  .  .' 
And  cf.  ibid.  172,  1788  :'...!  love  Sir  William,  for  he  renounces  all  for  me.' 

"^  *  Drawing,'  she  says  in  one  of  her  letters,  comes  '  easy  as  A,  B,  C 

*  Cf.  The  Life  and  Letters  of  the  first  Earl  of  Minto,  vol.  ii.  p.  364.  He  calls 
her  (in  1796)  '  the  most  extraordinary  compound  I  ever  beheld.'  '  All  Nature, 
and  yet  all  Art';  'manners  perfectly  unpolished.'  But  'one  wonders  at  the 
application  and  pains  she  has  taken  to  make  herself  what  she  is.'  Displeased 
at  her  manner  and  figure,  he  allows  her  *  considerable  natural  understanding ' 
and  '  excessive  good  humour.' 

^  Cf.  inter  alia  for  the  foregoing  Morrison  MS.  160,  168,  171,  172. 

'•'  Macartney.  For  Horace  Walpole's  mean  opinion  of  him,  cf.  Letters,  vol. 
viii.  p.  131. 


APPRENTICESHIP  AND  MARRIAGE        103 

flutter,  music,  and    masquerade.     Escaping  in  the  cool   of 
the  evening  from  her  chambers,  thronged  by  artists,  wax- 
modellers,  and  intaglio-cutters,  she   attends  Sir  William's 
evening  saunter  in  the  royal  gardens  at  the  fashionable 
hour.     Her  complexion  so  much  resembles  apple-blossom, 
that  beholders  question  it,  although  she  neither  paints  nor 
powders.    Dapper  Prince  Dietrichstein  from  Vienna  ('  Dray- 
drixton '    in   her  parlance   as    in    Acton's)  attends    her    as 
^  cavaliere  servente,'  whispering  to  her   in   broken   English 
that    she    is  a   '  diamond   of  the  first  water.'     Two   more 
princes    and   'two   or   three   nobi.    '    follow   at   her   heels. 
She  wears  a  loose  muslin  gown,  the  sleeves  tied  in  folds 
with  blue  ribbon  and  trimmed  with  lace,  a  blue  sash  and 
the  big  blue  hat  which   Greville  has   sent  her  as  peace- 
offering.     Beyond    them    stand    the    king,   the   queen,    the 
minister  Acton,  and  a  brilliant  retinue.     That  queen,  care- 
worn   but   beautiful,   who    already   'likes    her    much,'    has 
begged  the  Austrian  beau  to  walk  near  her  that  she  may 
get  a  glimpse  of  his  fair  companion,  the  English  girl,  who 
is  a  'modern  antique.'     'But  Greville,' writes  Emma, 'the 
king   [h]as   eyes,  he   [h]as  a  heart,  and   I   have  made  an 
impression  on  it.     But  I  told  the  prince,  Hamilton  is  my 
friend,  and  she  belongs  to  his  nephew,  for  all  our  friends 
know   it.'^     Only   last    Sunday  that   '  Roi   d'Yvetot'   had 
dined  at  Posilippo,  mooring  his  boat  by  the  casements  of 
Hamilton's  country  casino  for  a  nearer  view.     This  garden- 
house  is  already  named  the  'Villa  Emma,'  and  there  for 
Emma  a  new  'music-room'  is  building.     Emma   and   the 
Ambassador  had  been  entertaining  a  'diplomatick  party.' 
They  issue  forth  beneath  the  moon  to  their  private  boat. 
At  once  the  monarch  places  his  *  boat  of  musick '  next  to 
theirs.     His  band  of  'French  Horns'  strikes  up  a  serenade 
for  the  queen  of  hearts.     The  king  removes  his  hat,  sits 
with  it  on  his  knees,  and  'when  going  to  land,'  bows  and 
says,  '  it  was  a  sin  he  could  not  speak  English.'     She  has 
him    in  her    train    every    evening   at    San    Carlo,  villa,  or 
promenade ;  she  is  the  cynosure  of  each  day,  and  the  toast 
of  every  night. 

Or,    again,    she    entertains    informally    at    Sorrento,   all 

•  Morrison  MS.  152,  July  22,  17S6. 


I04  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

orange-blossom  in  February,  after  an  afternoon  of  rambling 
donkey-rides  near  flaming  Vesuvius,  and  visits  to  grandees 
in  villeggiatura.     In  one  room  sits  Sir  William's  orchestra  ; 
in  the  other  she  receives  their  guests.     At  last  her  turn 
comes  round  to  sing ;  she  chooses  *  Luce  Bella,'  ^  in  which 
the  Banti  makes  such  a  furore  at  San  Carlo,  that  famous 
Banti  -  who  had  already  marvelled  at  the  tone  and  com- 
pass of  her  voice,^  when  in  fear  and  trembling  she  had 
been   induced    to   follow   her.     As  she   ceases,  there  is  a 
ten  minutes'  round  of  applause,  a  hubbub  of  '  Bravas'  and 
^ Ancoras!     And  then  she  performs  in  'buffo' — 'that  one' 
(and   Greville  knew  it)  '  with  a  Tambourin,^  in   the  char- 
acter of  a  young  girl  with  a  raire-shew  [raree-show],  the 
pretiest   thing   you    ever   heard.'      He    must   concede   her 
triumph,  the  hard,  unruffled  man  !     She  turns  the  heads  of 
the  Sorrentines  ;  she  leaves  '  some  dying,  some  crying,  and 
some  in  despair.     Mind  you,  this  was  all  nobility,  as  proud 
as  the  devil ' ;  but — and  here  brags  the  people's  daughter — 
'  we  humbled  them  '  ;  '  but  what  astonished  them  was  that 
I  shou'd  speak  such  good   Italian.     For   I   paid  them,  I 
spared  non[e]  of  them,  tho'  I  was  civil  and  oblidging.     One 
asked  me  if  I   left  a  love  at  Naples,  that  I  left  them  so 
soon.     I  pulled  my  lip  at  him,  to  say,  "  I  pray,  do  you  take 
me  for  an   Italian  ?  .  .  .  Look,  sir,  I  am   English.     I  have 
one  Cavaliere  servente,  and  I  have  brought  him  with  me," 
pointing  to  Sir  William.'    Hart,  the  English  musician,  wept 
to  hear  her  sing  an  air  by  Handel,  pronouncing  that  in  her 
the  tragic  and  comic  Muses  were  so  happily  blended  that 
Garrick   would    have   been    enraptured.^     These   were   the 
very  qualities  that  even  thus  early  distinguished  her  self- 

^  Another  of  her  songs  at  this  time  was  '  Per  pieta  da  questa  instante  non 
parlarmi,  O  Dio  d'Amor.' 

^  The  Banti's  will  directed  that  her  larynx  should  be  preserved  in  spirits  ;  and 
it  is  still  in  the  Medical  Museum  of  Bologna. 

'  Long  afterwards,  Lord  Moira  told  Mr.  R.  Payne  Knight  that  he  '  reckoned 
the  having  heard  her  sing  an  epoch  in  his  life,'  and  that  she  gave  him  'ideas 
of  the  power  of  expression  in  music  which  he  should  never  otherwise  have  con- 
ceived.' Cf.  the  letter  quoted  by  Pettigrew,  vol.  ii.  p.  692.  Sir  Brooke 
Boothby  was  equally  enthusiastic. 

^  There  is  a  drawing  of  her  in  this  character  by  William  Lock  the  amateur, 
and  afterwards  Consul  at  Palermo. 

*  Morrison  MS.  163. 


APPRENTICESHIP  AND  MARRIAGE        105 

taught  '  Attitudes,'  by  common  consent  of  all  beholders  a 
marvel  of  artistic  expression  and  refinement.  Goethe,  at 
this  moment  in  Naples,  and  certainly  no  biassed  critic,  was 
an  eye-witness.  He  had  been  introduced  by  his  friends, 
the  German  artists,^  to  the  Maecenas  Ambassador  and  '  his 
Emma.'^     He  thus  records  his  impressions  : — 

'.  .  .  The  Chevalier  Hamilton,  so  long  resident  here  as 
English  Ambassador,  so  long,  too,  connoisseur  and  student 
of  Art  and  Nature,  has  found  their  counterpart  and  acme 
with  exquisite  delight  in  a  lovely  girl — English,  and  some 
twenty  years  of  age.  She  is  exceedingly  beautiful  and  finely 
built.  She  wears  a  Greek  garb^  becoming  her  to  perfection. 
She  then  merely  loosens  her  locks,  takes  a  pair  of  shawls,'' 
and  effects  changes  of  postures,  moods,  gestures,  mien,  and 
appearance  that  make  one  really  feel  as  if  one  were  in  some 
dream.  Here  is  visible  complete,  and  bodied  forth  in  move- 
ments of  surprising  variety,  all  that  so  many  artists  have 
sought  in  vain  to  fix  and  render.  Successively  standing, 
kneeling,  seated,  reclining,  grave,  sad,  sportive,  teasing, 
abandoned,  penitent,  alluring,  threatening,  agonised.  One 
follows  the  other,  and  grows  out  of  it.  She  knows  how  to 
choose  and  shift  the  simple  folds  of  her  single  kerchief  for 
every  expression,  and  to  adjust  it  into  a  hundred  kinds  of 
headgear.  Her  elderly  knight  holds  the  torches  for  her 
performance,  and  is  absorbed  in  his  soul's  desire.  In  her  he 
finds  the  charm,  of  all  antiques,  the  fair  profiles  on  Sicilian 
coins,  the  Apollo  Belvedere  himself  .  .  .  We  have  already 
rejoiced  in  the  spectacle  two  evenings.  Early  to-morrow 
Tischbein  paints  her.'  •'' 

'  Tischbein,  Hackerl,  and  Andreas,  who  were  all  busy  painting  Emma. 
— Morrison  MS.  157,  159,  162. 

"  '  Do  you  call  me  your  dear  friend  ?  Ah  I  what  a  happy  creature  is  your 
Emma — me  that  had  no  friend,  no  protector,  nobody  that  I  cou'd  trust,  and 
now  to  be  the  freind,  llie  Emma  of  Sir  William  Hamilton.' — Morrison  MS. 

165. 

'  Perhaps  the  '  Turkish  dress'  mentioned  by  her  in  a  letter  of  this  period. 

■*  The  'camel'  ones  that  she  had  in  London,  and  often  requested  Greville  to 
forward  to  her  at  Naples.  Sir  William  presented  her  with  one  immediately  on 
her  arrival. 

*  Goethe,  Ifalienische  Rcise,  March  16,  1787,  IVorks,  vol.  xix.  p.  212. 
With  this  appreciation  of  P^mma's  '  Attitudes  '  should  be  joined  both  Romney's, 
cited  towards  the  close  of  this  chapter,   Lady  Malmesbury's  and  Lady  Elliot's 


io6  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

There  are  less  familiar  references  also  in  the  Italian 
Journey.  On  Goethe's  return  from  Sicily  in  May,  the 
author  of  Werther,  occupied  with  the  art,  the  peasant  life, 
and  the  geology  of  the  neighbourhood,  renewed  his 
acquaintance  with  the  pair  and  acknowledges  their  kind- 
nesses. He  dined  with  them  again.  Sir  William  favoured 
him  with  a  view  of  his  excavated  treasures  in  the  odd 
'  vault,'  where  statues  and  sarcophagi,  bronze  candelabra  and 
busts,  lay  disarranged  and  jumbled.  Among  them  Goethe 
noticed  an  upright,  open  chest  '  rimmed  exquisitely  with 
gold,  and  large  enough  to  contain  a  life-size  figure  in  its 
dark,  inner  background.'  Sir  William  explained  how 
Emma,  attired  in  bright  Pompeiian  costume,  had  stood 
motionless  inside  it  with  an  effect  in  the  half-light  even 
more  striking  than  her  grace  as  '  moving  statue.'  Goethe, 
ever  curious,  was  now  keenly  interested  in  studying 
the  superstitions  of  the  Neapolitan  peasantry,  including 
the  realistic  shows  of  manger  and  Magi  with  which 
they  celebrated  Christmas-tide,  In  these,  living  images 
were  intermixed  with  coloured  casts  of  clay.  And  he 
hazards  the  remark — while  deprecating  it  from  the  lips  of 
a  contented  guest — that  perhaps  'Miss  Harte'  was  at  root 
not  more  than  such  a  living  image — a  tableau  vivant.  Per- 
chance, he  muses,  the  main  lack  of  his  'fair  hostess'  is 
' geist'  or  soulfulness  of  mind.  Her  dumb  shows,  he  adds, 
were  naturally  unvoiced,  and  voice  alone  expresses  spirit. 
Even  her  admired  singing  he  then  thought  deficient  in 
'  fulness.' 1  Had  Goethe,  however,  known  her  whole  nature, 
he  would  have  owned  that  if  she  were  ^geistlos'  in  the 
highest  sense,  she  was  never  dull,  and  was  to  prove  the 
reverse    of    soulless ;    while   he,   of  all   men,   would    have 

(1792  and  1796.  Cf.  The  Life  and  Letters  of  the  first  Earl  of  Minto,  vol.  i. 
p.  406  ;  vol.  ii.  p.  364).  The  former  says :  '  The  most  graceful  statues  or  pic- 
tures do  not  give  you  an  idea  of  them.  Her  dancing  the  Tarantella  is  beautiful 
to  a  degree';  and  the  latter  '.  .  ,  singles  out  her  "  refined  taste"  and  "extra- 
ordinary talent."'  And  also  Madame  Le  Brun's  ^/fi^«o/>^,  p.  69.  She  invited 
the  Dues  de  Berri  and  de  Bourbon  to  see  them  in  1803.  She  had  prepared  'a 
very  large  frame  with  a  screen  on  either  side  of  it,'  and  'a  strong  limelight  disposed 
so  that  it  could  not  be  seen.'  '  She  changed  from  grief  to  joy,  and  from  joy  to 
terror  so  rapidly  and  effectively  that  we  were  all  enchanted.'  So  too  even  Mrs.  St. 
George  in  her  Journal.  ^   Worksy  vol.  xx.  pp.  12,  13. 


APPRENTICESHIP  AND  MARRIAGE        107 

admired  not  only  her  enthusiasm  but  her  more  practical 
qualities.  Did  he,  perhaps,  in  after  years  recall  this  mute 
and  lovely  vision  when  her  name,  for  good  or  ill,  had 
entered  history?  At  any  rate,  though  neither  Hamilton 
nor  Emma  has  noticed  him  in  existing  letters,  they  both 
endure  on  Goethe's  pages ;  and  to  have  impressed  Goethe 
was  even  then  no  easy  task.  That  the  creator  of  Iphigenia 
and  Tasso  was  deeply  impressed  is  proved  by  another  and 
better  known  passage,  where  after  praising  Hamilton  as  '  a 
man  of  universal  taste,  who  has  roamed  through  all  the 
realms  of  creation,'  and  has  '  made  a  beautiful  existence 
which  he  enjoys  in  the  evening  of  life,'  he  adds  that  Emma 
is  'a  masterpiece  of  the  Arch- Artist.'^ 

To  resume  our  dissolving  views :  a  priest  begs  her 
picture  on  a  box,  which  he  clasps  to  his  bosom.  A 
countess  weeps  when  she  departs.  The  Russian  empress 
hears  her  fame,  and  orders  her  portrait.  Commodore  Mel- 
ville gives  a  dinner  to  thirty  on  board  his  Dutch  frigate 
in  her  honour,  and  seats  her  at  the  head  as  '  mistress  of 
the  feast'  She  is  robed  '  all  in  virgin  white,'  her  hair  '  in 
ringlets  reaching  almos:  to  her  heels,'  so  long,  that  Sir 
William  says  she  '  look't  and  moved  amongst  it.'  She  has 
soon  learned  by  rote  the  little  ways  of  the  big  world,  and 
whispers  to  him  that  it  is  gala  night  at  San  Carlo,  and 
de  rigiieiir  to  reach  their  box  before  the  royal  party  entered 
their  neighbouring  one.  The  guns  salute ;  the  pinnace 
starts  amid  laughter,  song,  and  roses,  while  off  she  speeds 
to  semi-royal  triumphs — 'as  tho'  I  was  a  queen.'  Serena's 
wholesome  lesson  is  being  half  forgotten. 

Once  more,  Vesuvius  'looks  beautiful,'  with  its  lava- 
streams  descending  far  as  Portici.  She  climbs  the  peak  of 
fire  at  midnight — five  miles  of  flame ;  the  peasants  deem 
the  mountain  '  burst.'  The  climbers  seek  the  shelter  of  the 
Hermit's  cabin — that  strange  Hermit  who  had  thus  retired 
to  .solitude  and  exile  for  love  of  a  princess.'-  Has  she  not 
spirit?  Let  Greville  mark  :  'For  me,  I  was  enraptured.  I 
could  have  staid  all  night  there,  and   I  have  never  been  in 

^    Works^  vol.  xix.  p.  220. 

^  Alexandre  Sauveur,  who  dared  to  love  the  Princess  of  Prussia.  Cf. 
Memoirs  of  CottnUss  Lichtciiau  (Colburn,  1S09),  vol.  i.  p.  69. 


io8  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

charity  with  the  moon  since,  for  it  looked  so  pale  and  sickly. 
And  the  red-hot  lava  served  to  light  up  the  moon,  for  the 
light  of  the  moon  was  nothing  to  the  lava.'  Ascending, 
she  meets  the  Prince-Royal.  His  '  foolish  tuters,'  fearful  of 
their  charge's  safety  and  their  own,  escort  him  only  half 
way,  and  allow  him  but  three  minutes  for  the  sight.  She 
asks  him  how  he  likes  it.  '■Bella,  ma poca  roba^  replies  the 
lad.  Five  hundred  yards  higher  he  could  have  watched 
'  the  noblest,  sublimest  sight  in  the  world.'  But  the  '  poor 
frightened  creatures '  beat  '  a  scared '  retreat :  '  O,  I  shall 
kill  myself  with  laughing ! '  And  is  not  the  plebeian  girl 
schooling  herself  to  be  a  match  for  crass  blue  blood  ? 
'  Their  as  been  a  prince  paying  us  a  visit.  He  is  sixty 
years  of  age,  one  of  the  first  families,  and  as  allways  lived 
at  Naples;  and  when  I  told  him  I  had  been  at  Caprea, 
he  asked  me  if  I  went  there  by  land.  Only  think  what 
ignorance !  I  staired  at  him,  and  asked  him  who  was  his 
tutor,'  coolly  remarks  the  feinme  savante  who  writes  of  *  as  ' 
and  '  stair.' ^ 

She  cannot  tear  her  eyes  away  from  the  volcano's  awful 
pageant.  She  takes  one  of  her  maids — 'a  great  biggot' — 
up  to  her  house-top  and  shows  her  the  conflagration.  The 
contadina  drops  on  her  knees,  calling  on  the  city's  patron 
saints:  '  0  Janaro  [sic]  mio,  O  Antonio  mio!^  Emma  falls 
down  on  hers,  exclaiming,  '  O  Santa  Loola  inia,  Loola  mia  !  ' 
Teresa  rises,  and  with  open  eyes  inquires  whether  '  her 
Excellency'  doubts  the  saints.  'No,'  replies  her  mistress 
in  Italian,  'it  is  quite  the  same  if  you  pray  to  my  own 
"  Loola." '  ' .  .  .  She  look't  at  me,  and  said,  to  be  sure,  I 
read  a  great  many  books  and  must  know  more  than  her. 
But  she  says,  "Does  not  God  favour  you  more  than  ous?" 
Says  I,  no.  "O  God,"  says  she,  "your  eccellenza  is  very 
ungratefull !  He  as  been  so  good  as  to  make  your  face 
the  same  as  he  made  the  face  of  the  Blessed  Virgin's,  and 

^  Emma,  however,  was  not  alone  in  her  censure  of  the  less  instructed  majority 
of  the  countless  Neapolitan  nobility.  The  cultivated  Marchesa  di  Solari  says 
the  same  of  them,  always  excepting  their  musical  instinct:  '  There  is  little  or  no 
difference  between  the  manners  of  the  lazzaroni  and  of  the  ancient  nobility, 
except  such  of  them  as  have  travelled. ' —  Venice  under  the  Yoke  of  France 
and  Austria,  vol.  ii.  p.  85.  Their  profligacy,  too,  seems  to  have  been  quite 
mirthlcbs. 


Lady  Hamilton  dancing  the  Tarantella  at  Naples. 

From  a  rare  engravi^tf;  after  a  draiuing  by  Lock. 


APPRENTICESHIP  AND  MARRIAGE        109 

you  don't  esteem  it  a  favour!"  "  Why,"  says  I,  "did  you 
ever  see  the  Virgin?"  "O  yes,"  says  she,  "you  are  like 
every  picture  that  there  is  of  her,  and  you  know  the  people 
at  Iscea  fel  down  on  their  knees  to  you,  and  beg'd  you  to 
grant  them  favours  in  her  name."  And,  Greville,  it  is  true 
that  they  have  all  got  it  in  their  heads  that  I  am  like  the 
Virgin,  and — do  come  to  beg  favours  of  me.  Last  night 
there  was  two  preists  came  to  my  house,  and  Sir  William 
made  me  put  a  shawl  over  my  head,  and  look  up,  and  the 
preist  burst  into  tears  and  kist  my  feet,  and  said  God  had 
sent  me  a  purpose.'^ 

Emma  is  in  vein  indeed.  How  buoyantly  she  swims  and 
splashes  on  the  rising  tide !  How  exuberantly  the  whole 
breathes  of  I  always  knew  I  could,  if  opportunity  but  walked 
towards  me! '  and  of '  I  will  show  Greville  what  a  pearl  he  has 
cast  away  ! '  Although  she  could  be  diffident  when  matched 
with  genuine  excellence  or  before  those  she  loved,  how  the 
blare  of  her  trumpet  drowns  all  the  still  small  voices !  One 
is  reminded  of  Woollett,  the  celebrated  eighteenth  century 
engraver,  who  was  in  the  habit  of  firing  off  a  small  cannon 
from  the  roof  of  his  house  every  time  he  had  finished  a  suc- 
cessful plate.  What  a  profuse  medley  of  candour  and  con- 
trivance, of  simplicity  and  vanity,  of  commonness  and 
elegance,  of  courtesy  and  challenge,  of  audacity  and  courage, 
of  quick-wittedness  and  ignorance,  of  honest  kindness  and 
honest  irreverence !  She  is  already  a  born  actress  of 
realities,  and  on  no  mimic  stage.  Yet  many  of  her  faults 
she  fully  felt,  and  held  them  curable.  '  Patienza,'  she  sighs, 
and  time  may  mend  them  ;  in  her  own  words  of  this  very 
period,  '  I  am  a  pretty  woman,  and  one  cannot  be  everything 
at  once.' 

But  a  more  delicate  strain  is  audible  when  her  heart  is 
really  touched. 

At  the  convent  whither  she  resorted  for  dail>'  lessons 
during  Sir  William's  absence,  now  transpired  an  idyl  which 
must  be  repeated  just  as  she  describes  it : — 

'  I  had  hardly  time  to  thank  you  for  your  kind  letter  of  this 
morning  as  I  was  buisy  prcpairing  for  to  go  on  my  visit 

*  Morrison  MS.  i68,  August  17S7;  158,  November  1786. 


no  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

to  the  Convent  of  Santa  Romita  ;  and  endead  I  am  glad  I 
went,  tho'  it  was  a  short  visit.  But  to-morrow  I  dine  with 
them  in  full  assembly.  I  am  quite  charmed  with  Beatrice 
Acquaviva,  Such  is  the  name  of  the  charming  whoman  I 
saw  to-day.  Oh  Sir  William,  she  is  a  pretty  whoman. 
She  is  29  years  old.  She  took  the  veil  at  twenty  ;  and 
does  not  repent  to  this  day,  though  if  I  am  a  judge  in 
physiognomy,  her  eyes  does  not  look  like  the  eyes  of  a  nun. 
They  are  allways  laughing,  and  something  in  them  vastly 
alluring,  and  I  wonder  the  men  of  Naples  wou'd  suffer  the 
oneley  pretty  whoman  who  is  realy  pretty  to  be  shut  in  a 
convent.  But  it  is  like  the  mean-spirited  ill  taste  of  the 
Neapolitans,  I  told  her  I  wondered  how  she  wou'd  be  lett 
to  hide  herself  from  the  world,  and  I  daresay  thousands  of 
tears  was  shed  the  day  she  deprived  Naples  of  one  of  its 
greatest  ornaments.  She  answered  with  a  sigh,  that  endead 
numbers  of  tears  was  shed,  and  once  or  twice  her  resolution 
was  allmost  shook,  but  a  pleasing  comfort  she  felt  at  regain- 
ing her  friends  that  she  had  been  brought  up  with,  and 
religious  considerations  strengthened  her  mind,  and  she 
parted  with  the  world  with  pleasure.  And  since  that  time 
one  of  her  sisters  had  followed  her  example,  and  another — 
which  I  saw — was  preparing  to  enter  soon.  But  neither  of 
her  sisters  is  so  beautiful  as  her,  tho'  the[y]  are  booth  very 
agreable.  But  I  think  Beatrice  is  charming,  and  I  realy 
feil  for  her  an  affection.  Her  eyes,  Sir  William,  is  I  don't 
know  how  to  describe  them.  I  stopt  one  hour  with  them  ; 
and  I  had  all  the  good  things  to  eat,  and  I  promise  you 
they  don't  starve  themselves.  But  there  dress  is  very  be- 
coming, and  she  told  me  that  she  was  allow'd  to  wear  rings 
and  mufs  and  any  little  thing  she  liked,  and  endead  she 
display'd  to-day  a  good  deal  of  finery,  for  she  had  4  or  5 
dimond  rings  on  her  fingers,  and  seemed  fond  of  her  muff. 
She  has  excellent  teeth,  and  shows  them,  for  she  is  allways 
laughing.  She  kissed  my  lips,  cheeks,  and  forehead,  and 
every  moment  exclaimed  "Charming,  fine  creature,"  admired 
my  dress,  said  I  looked  like  an  angel,  for  I  was  in  clear 
white  dimity  and  a  blue  sash.'  (This,  surely,  is  scarcely  the 
seraphic  garb  as  the  great  masters  imaged  it.)  '.  .  .  She 
said  she  had  heard   I  was  good  to  the  poor,  generous,  and 


APPRENTICESHIP  AND  MARRIAGE        iii 

noble-minded.  "  Now,"  she  says,  "  it  wou'd  be  worth  wile  to 
live  for  such  a  one  as  you.  Your  good  heart  wou'd  melt  at 
any  trouble  that  befel  me,  and  partake  of  one's  greef  or 
be  equaly  happy  at  one's  good  fortune.  But  I  never  met 
with  a  freind  yet,  or  I  ever  saw  a  person  I  cou'd  love  till 
now,  and  you  shall  have  proofs  of  my  love."  In  short  I  sat 
and  listened  to  her,  and  the  tears  stood  in  my  eyes,  I  don't 
know  why ;  but  I  loved  her  at  that  moment.  I  thought 
what  a  charming  wife  she  wou'd  have  made,  what  a  mother 
of  a  family,  what  a  freind,  and  the  first  good  and  amiable 
whoman  I  have  seen  since  I  came  to  Naples  for  to  be  lost 
to  the  world — how  cruel !  She  give  me  a  sattin  pocketbook 
of  her  own  work,  and  bid  me  think  of  her,  when  I  saw  it, 
and  was  many  miles  far  of[f] ;  and  years  hence  when  she 
peraps  shou'd  be  no  more,  to  look  at  it,  and  think  the 
person  that  give  it  had  not  a  bad  heart.  Did  not  she  speak 
very  pretty?  But  not  one  word  of  religion.  But  I 
shall  be  happy  to-day,  for  I  shall  dine  with  them  all,  and 
come  home  at  night.  There  is  sixty  whomen  and  all 
well-looking,  but  not  like  the  fair  Beatrice.  "  Oh  Emma," 
she  says  to  me,  "  the[y]  brought  here  the  Viene  minister's 
wife,  but  I  did  not  like  the  looks  of  her  at  first.  She  was 
little,  short,  pinch'd  face,  and  I  received  her  cooly.  How 
different  from  you,  and  how  surprised  was  I  in  seeing  you 
tall  in  statu[r]e.  We  may  read  your  heart  in  your  counte- 
nance, your  complexion  ;  in  short,  your  figure  and  features  is 
rare,  for  you  are  like  the  marble  statues  I  saw  when  I  was  in 
the  world."  I  think  she  flattered  me  up,  but  I  was  pleased.'^ 
The  convent  cloisters  bordered  on  those  '  royal  '  or 
'  English '  -  gardens  which  Sir  William  and  she  were  after- 
wards so  much  to  improve  ;  and  here,  if  the  Marchesa  di 
Solari's  memory  can  be  trusted — and  it  constantly  trips 
in  her  Italian  record — happened,  it  would  seem,  about  this 
time,^  another  incident  typical  of  another  side,  more  comic 

1  Morrison  MS.  i6o,  January  lo,  1787.  It  should  here  be  commemorated  that 
one  of  her  first  actions  at  Naples  was  to  procure  a  post  for  Robert  White,  a 
protege  of  Greville.     Ibid.  174. 

"  Morrison  MS.  221. 

^  From  indications  in  her  letter.  Cf.  Morrison  MS.  157,  December  26,  1786 
(Emma  to  Sir  William):  '  If  I  had  the  offer  oi crowns,  1  would  refuse  them  and 
accept  you,  and  I  don't  care  if  all  the  world   knows  it.   .   .  .  Certain  it  is  I 


112  KMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

than  pathetic.  It  sounds  like  some  interlude  by  Beau- 
marchais,  and  recalls  Rosina  or  Figaro.  Intrigue  belongs  to 
Naples.  The  young  Goethe  observed  of  the  Neapolitan 
atmosphere :  '  Naples  is  a  paradise.  Every  one  lives, 
after  his  manner,  intoxicated  with  self-forgetfulness.  It  is 
the  same  with  me.  I  scarcely  recognise  myself,  I  seem  an 
altered  being.  Yesterday  I  thought  "  either  you  were  or 
are  mad." '  ^ 

The  madcap  belle's  stratagem  was  this.  Walking  there 
one  afternoon  under  the  escort  of  her  duenna,  she  was 
accosted  by  a  personage  whom  she  knew  to  be  King 
Ferdinand.  He  solicited  a  private  interview,  and  was 
peremptorily  refused.  He  succeeded,  however,  in  bribing 
her  attendant,  and  followed  her  to  a  remote  nook,  where 
they  would  be  unobserved.  He  pressed  his  promises  with 
fervour,  but  Emma  refused  to  listen  to  a  word,  unless  every- 
thing was  committed  to  paper.  The  monarch  complied, 
and  thereupon  Emma  hastened  to  the  palace  and  urgently 
entreated  an  audience  with  the  Queen.  Sobbing  on  her 
knees,  she  implored  her  to  save  her  from  persecutions  so 
crreat  that  unless  they  were  removed  she  had  resolved  to 
quit  the  world  and  find  shelter  with  the  nuns.  The  Queen, 
touched  by  such  beauty  in  such  distress,  urged  her  to  dis- 
close the  name  of  her  unknown  importuner.  Thereupon 
Emma  handed  her  the  paper,  was  bidden  by  the  Queen  to 
rise,  and  comforted.  So  far  there  seems  ground  for  the 
tale.  The  Marchesa  says  that  Sir  William  'partially'  con- 
firmed it ;  and  this  must  allude  to  the  sequel  which 
represents  Maria  Carolina  as  urging  the  Ambassador  to 
marry  his  Lucretia  without  delay.  Whether  it  is  true  that 
the  tears  of  affliction  were  caused  (as  in  The  Taming  of  the 
Shrew)  by  an  onion,  and  that  Emma  was  '  on  her  marrow- 
bones '  in  the  garden  while  the  Queen  was  perusing  the 
tell-tale  document,  depends  upon  the  number  of  embellish- 

love  you  and  sincerely.'  There  is  another  letter  where  she  says  that  she  keeps 
the  King  at  a  distance.  In  this  very  year  the  prima  donna  Georgina  Brigida 
Banti  was  whisked  off  suddenly  in  a  coach  across  the  frontier  by  the  Queen's 
orders  for  presuming  to  favour  the  amorous  King's  attentions.  Cf.  Jeaffreson's 
Queeti  of  Naples  and  Lord  Nelson,  p.  164,  and  cf.  the  Marchesa  di  Solari's 
Venice  imd^r  the  Yoke  of  France  and  Austria,  vol.  ii.  p.  43. 
1  Goethe,  Italienishe  Reise,  March  16,  1787.      Works,  vol.  xix.  p.  211. 


._.._. 


APPRENTICESHIP  AND  MARRIAGE        113 

ments  such  a  farce  would   probably   receive.      If  true,  it 
hardly  redounds  to  Emma's  credit.^ 

But  from  Emma  we  must  now  part  awhile  to  consider  the 
social  and  political  conditions  of  the  court  of  Naples,  very 
different  now  from  what  they  were  to  become  a  few  years 
later  under  the  new  forces  of  the  French  Revolution,  and, 
afterwards,  of  the  meteoric  Napoleon.  It  is  a  panorama 
which  here  can  only  be  sketched  in  outline.  It  was  to 
prove  the  theatre  of  Emma's  best  activities. 

During  the  entire  eighteenth  century,  from  the  War  of 
Succession  to  the  Treaty  of  Utrecht,  from  the  Treaty  of 
Utrecht  to  that  of  the  Quadruple  Alliance,  from  that  again 
to  those  of  Vienna  and  of  Aix,  the  Bourbons  and  the 
Hapsburgs  had  been  perpetually  wrestling  for  the  rich 
provinces  of  central  and  southern  Italy — a  prize  which 
united  the  secular  appeal  to  Catholic  Europe  with  supremacy 
over  the  Mediterranean.  The  Bourbons,  by  a  strange  chain 
of  coincidence,  had  prevailed  in  Spain,  and  in  1731  'Baby 
Carlos'  solemnly  entered  on  his  Italian  and  Sicilian  heritage, 
long  so  craftily  and  powerfully  compassed  by  his  ambitious 
mother,  Elizabeth  Farnese.  The  Hapsburgs,  however,  never 
relinquished  their  aim,  though  the  weak  and  pompous 
Emperor,  Charles  VI.,  was  reduced  to  spending  his  energies 
on  the  mere  phantom  of  the  '  Pragmatic  Sanction  '  by  which 
he  hoped  to  cement  his  incoherent  Empire  in  the  person  of 
his  masterful  daughter  ;  he  died  hugging,  so  to  speak,  that 
'  Pragmatic  Sanction  '  to  his  heart.  Maria  Theresa  proved 
herself  the  heroine  of  Europe  in  her  proud  struggle  with 
the  Prussian  aggressor  who  for  a  time  forced  her  into  an 
unnatural  and  lukewarm  league  with  the  French  Bourbons, 
themselves  covetous  of  the  Italian  Mediterranean.  Even 
after  the  P>ench  Bourbons  were  quelled,  France,  in  the 
person  of  Napoleon,  succeeded  to  their  ambitions.  Second 
only  to  his  hankering  after  Eastern  Empire,  was  from  the 

^  Cf.  Venice  under  the  Yoke  of  France  and  Austria,  vol  i.  p.  66  ct  seq.  Mr. 
Jeaffreson  regards  the  whole  as  Emma's  impudent  fabrication.  This  can  scarcely 
be  so  in  view  ol  the  other  evidence.  The  King,  some  twelve  years  later,  called 
Emma  '  Une  maitressc  femnie.'  She  was  certainly  also  always  ready  for  a 
practical  joke. 

H 


114  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

first  the  persistent  hankering  after  Naples  and  Sicily  of  the 
would-be  dominator  of  the  sea,  whose  coast  had  been  his 
cradle. 

Maria  Theresa  was  therefore  delighted  when  in  April 
1768^  her  eldest  daughter,  Maria  Charlotte,  better  known 
as  '  Maria  Carolina,'  espoused,^  when  barely  sixteen  years  of 
age,  Ferdinand,  son  of  the  Bourbon  Charles  III.  of  Spain, 
then  only  one  year  her  senior,  and  already  from  his  eighth 
year  King  of  the  two  Sicilies.  Still  more  did  she  rejoice 
when  two  years  later  her  other  daughter,  Marie  Antoinette, 
married  at  the  same  age  the  Due  de  Berri,  then  heir-pre- 
sumptive to  the  French  throne,  which  he  ascended  four 
years  afterwards.  Both  daughters  were  to  fight  man- 
fully with  a  fate  which  worsted  the  one  and  extin- 
guished the  other,  while  the  husbands  of  both  were  true 
Bourbons  in  their  indecision  and  their  love  of  the  table  ; 
for  of  the  Bourbons  it  was  well  said  ^  that  their  chapel  was 
their  kitchen. 

'  King '  Maria  Theresa  educated  all  her  children  to  believe 
in  three  things  :  their  religion,  their  race,  and  their  destiny. 
They  were  never  to  forget  that  they  were  Catholics,  im- 
perialists, and  politicians.  But  she  also  taught  them  to  be 
enlightened  and  benevolent,  provided  that  their  faithful 
subjects  accepted  the  grace  of  these  virtues  unmurmuring 
from  their  hands.  They  were  to  be  monopolists  of  reform. 
They  were  also  to  be  monopolists  of  power ;  nor  was 
husband  or  wife  to  dispute  their  sway.  Indeed,  the  two 
daughters  were  schooled  to  believe  that  control  over  their 
consorts  was  an  absolute  duty,  doubly  important  from  the 
rival  ascendency  wielded  by  the  Queens  of  the  Spanish 
Bourbons,  who  for  three  generations  had  been  mated 
with  imbecile  or  half-imbecile  sovereigns ;  they  had  a 
knack  of  calling  their  husbands  cowards.  And  they  were 
to  be  monopolists  of  religion  even  against  the  Pope  if  he 

^  Not  1767,  as  most  English  books  give  the  date. 

*  Another  daughter  had  been  first  betrothed  to  him,  but  she  died  of  a  chill, 
contracted,  it  was  said,  from  a  midnight  visit  to  the  vaults  of  her  ancestors,  whose 
effigies  Maria  Theresa  insisted  On  showing  her  daughter  on  the  eve  of  her 
nuptials.  When  Maria  Carolina  reached  Caserta  for  her  wedding,  she  embarassed 
her  young  bridegroom  by  kneeling  before  him  and  bowing  her  face  to  the  ground 
in  supplication.'  Cf.  a  most  interesting  memoir,  probably  furnished  by  Lady 
Hamilton,  in  La  Belle  AssembUe  for  May  iJso?.  ^  By  the  Bishop  of  Derry. 


i 


APPRENTICESHIP  AND  MARRIAGE        115 

unduly  interfered.  These  lessons  were  graven  on  the 
hearts  of  all  but  Marie  Antoinette,  who  shared  the  obstinacy 
but  lacked  the  penetration  of  her  sister  and  brothers. 

Maria  Theresa's  son  and  successor,  Joseph  II,  of  Austria, 
showed  to  the  full  this  union  of  bigotry  and  benevolence, 
both  arbitrary  yet  both  popular.  He  and  his  premier, 
Kaunitz,  were  strenuous  in  education  and  reform,  but  also 
strenuous  in  suppressing  the  Jesuits.  His  brothers  were 
the  same.  Archduke  Ferdinand  played  the  benevolent 
despot  in  Bohemia,  while  Leopold,  afterwards  Grand  Duke 
of  the  Tuscan  dominions,  was  even  more  ostentatious  in 
his  high-handed  well-doing.  Never  was  a  dynasty  politer, 
more  cultivated,  more  affable.  But  never  also  was  one 
haughtier,  more  obstinate,  or  more  formal.  All  were 
martyrs  to  etiquette,  but  all  were  also  enthusiastic  free- 
masons, and  Queen  Maria  Carolina's  family  enthusiasm  for 
the  secret  societies  of  '  Illuminati '  sowed  those  misfortunes 
which  were  afterwards  watered  with  blood,  reaped  in  tears, 
and  harvested  by  iron.  In  1790  Leopold,  for  a  space, 
succeeded  to  Joseph ;  and  Maria  Carolina  was  afterwards 
to  see  one  of  her  sixteen  children  wedded  to  Francis,^ 
Leopold's  successor  on  the  Austrian  throne,  another  to  the 
King  of  Sardinia,  a  third,  in  the  midst  of  her  final  calamities, 
united  at  Palermo  to  the  future  Louis  Philippe.  She  thus 
became  mother-in-law  to  an  emperor  of  whom  she  was 
aunt,  as  well  as  to  two  monarchs  ;  while  already  she  had 
been  sister  to  two  successive  emperors. 

Her  husband,  Ferdinand  IV,,  was  a  boor  and  bon  vivant, 
good-natured  on  the  surface,  but  with  a  strong  spice  of 
cruelty  beneath  it ;  suspicious  of  talent,  but  up  to  the  fatal 
sequels  of  the  P'rench  Revolution  the  darling  of  his  people. 
As  the  little  Prince  of  Asturias,  he  had  been  handed  to  the 
tutorship  of  the  old  Duke  of  San  Nicandro,  who  was  re- 
stricted by  the  royal  commands  to  instruction  in  sport,  and  in 
his  own  learning  to  a  bowing  acquaintance  with  his  breviary. 
Inheriting  a  throne,  while  a  child,  by  the  accident  of  his 

*  Francis  il.,  in  August  lSo6,  resigned  his  emperorship  of  Germany,  and 
became  merely  Emperor  of  Austria.  Another  of  Maria  Carolina's  daughters 
was  wedded  to  the  youni;  Archduke  Ferdinand  of  Austria,  while  her  eldest  son 
cvciiiually  espoused  the  Arcluiucheas  Clementine,  so  that  she  achieved  her 
purpose  of  overwhelming  the  Bourbon  with  the  Ilapsburg  strain. 


ii6  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

father's  accession  to  the  Spanish  crown,  he  had  been  reared 
in  Sicily — always  jealous  of  Naples — under  the  tutelage 
of  Prince  Caramanico,  a  minister  of  opera  bouffe,  and  of 
Tenucci,^  a  corrupt  vizier  of  the  old-world  pattern,  who 
preferred  place  to  statesmanship,  and  pocket  to  power. 
The  young  King,  however,  was  by  no  means  so  illiterate 
or  unjust  as  has  often  been  assumed,  and,  if  he  was  'eight 
years  old  when  he  began  to  reign,'  the  rest  of  the  Scripture 
cannot  then,  at  any  rate,  be  justly  applied  to  him.  He 
remained  throughout  his  life  a  kind  of  Italianised  Tony 
Lumpkin,  addicted  to  cards  and  beauty,  devoted  to  arms 
and  sport.  Indeed,  in  many  ways  he  resembled  a  typical 
English  squire  of  the  period,  as  Lord  William  Bentinck 
shrewdly  observed  of  him  some  twenty-five  years  after- 
wards. Music  was  also  his  hobby.  He  sang  often,  but 
scarcely  well  ;  and  Emma,  when  he  first  began  to  practise 
duets  with  her,  humorously  remarked, '  He  sings  like  a  King' 
The  people  that  he  loved,  and  who  adored  him,  were  the 
Neapolitan  Lazzaroni — not  beggars,  as  the  name  implies, 
but  loafing  artisans,  peasants,  and  fishermen,  noisy,  loyal, 
superstitious,  rollicking,  unthrifty,  vigorous,  in  alternate 
spasms  of  short-lived  work  and  easy  pleasure — the  natural 
and  ineradicable  outcome  of  their  sultry  climate,  their 
mongrel  blood,  their  red-hot  soil,  and  their  pagan  past.- 
Motley  was  their  wear.  As  happens  to  all  peculiar  peoples, 
they  could  not  suffer  or  even  fancy  alien  conditions.  When 
the  Grand  Duke  and  Duchess  of  Russia  visited  Naples  in 
1782  during  an  abnormal  spell  of  February  cold,  they  swore 
that  the  northerners  had  brought  the  accursed  weather 
with  them.^  They  had  their  recognised  leaders,  their 
acknowledged  improvisatores,  their  informal  functions  and 
functionaries,  like  a  sort  of  unmigratory  gypsy  tribe.  They 
had  their  own  patois,  their  own  customs,  their  own  songs, 
their  favourite  monks.  Such  was  the  famous  Padre 
Giordano,  the  six-foot  portent  of  a  handsome  priest,  the 
best  preacher,  the  best  singer,  the  best  eater  of  macaroni 
in  the  King's  dominions.     They  had,  too,  their  own  feuds, 

1  Often  misnamed  Tanucci. 

-  This  is  accurate  in  the  main.     With  the  Lazzaioni  proper,  however,  were 
mixed  brigands  from  the  provinces  of  the  Fra  Diavolo  type. 

2  Morrison  MS. 


APPRENTICESHIP  AND  MARRIAGE        117 

in  a  country  where  even  composers  like  Cimarosa  and 
Paisiello  were  always  at  loggerheads  and  made  separate 
factions  of  their  own.  All  that  they  knew  of  England 
before  1793  was  that  their  own  Calabria  furnished  the 
wood  for  its  vaunted  ships.  With  the  Lazzaroni,  Ferdi- 
nand early  became  a  prime  favourite.  He  was  not  only 
their  king,  but  their  jolly  comrade.  He  was  a  Falstafif 
king,  even  in  his  gross  proportions  ;  a  king  of  misrule  in 
his  boisterous  humour.  He  was  a  Policinello  king  whose 
Bourbon  nose  won  him  the  sobriquet  of  '  Nasone  '  from  his 
mountebank  liegemen.  He  was  a  Robin  Hood  king,  who 
early  formed  his  own  freebooting  bodyguard ;  he  was  also 
King  Reynard  the  Fox,  with  intervals  of  trick  and  avarice, 
although,  unlike  that  jungle  -  Mephistopheles,  Ferdinand 
could  never  cajole.  He  was,  in  truth,  both  cramped  and 
spirited — '  a  lobster  crushed  by  his  shell,'  as  Beckford  once 
termed  him  ^ — despite  his  defects  both  real  and  imputed, 
his  want  of  dignity,  his  phlegmatic  exterior  and  his  rude 
antics.  Every  Christmas  saw  him  in  his  box  at  San 
Carlo,  sucking  up  macaroni  sticks  for  their  edification 
from  a  steaming  basin  of  burnished  silver,  while  the  Queen 
discreetly  retired  to  a  back  seat.  Every  Carnival  witnessed 
him  in  fisher's  garb  playing  at  fish-auctioneer  on  the 
quay  which  served  as  market,  bandying  personal  jests, 
indulging  in  rough  horse-play,  and  driving  preposterous 
bargains  to  their  boisterous  delight.  This  picturesque  if 
greasy  court  would  strike  up  the  chorus  in  full  sight  of 
their  macaroni-monarch : — 

'  S'e  levata  la  gabella  alia  farina  ! 
Evviva  Ferdinando  e  Carolina.' 

He  loved  to  play  Haroun  Alraschid — to  do  justice  in  the 
gate — and,  when  hunting,  to  pay  surprise  visits  to  the  cabins 
of  the  peasantry  and  redress  their  wrongs  ;  though  when 
the  fit  was  on  him  he  could  scourge  them  with  scorpions. 
In  his  rambles  on  the  beach  the  despot  would  toss  the 
dirtiest  of  his  rough  adherents  violently  into  the  sea,  and 
if  he  could  not  swim,  would  then  himself  plunge  into  the 
water  and  bring  him  laughing  from  his  first  bath  to  the 
shore.       It    was    one   of  these   sallies    that    suggested    to 

^  Cyrus  Redding's  Fifty  Years'  Recollections^  vol.  ii.  p.  117. 


Ti8  EMMA,  I.ADY  HAMILTON 

Canova  his  marble  Hercules  throv/ing  Lichas  into  the 
sea,  acquired  b}'  the  bankers  Torlonia  before  they  were 
styled  princes  ;  and,  indeed,  the  coarser  side  of  Hercules 
as  Euripides  portrays  him  in  the  Alcestis  bears  some 
resemblance  to  this  uncouth  and  burly  Nimrod. 

While  he  was  at  first  proud  of  his/emme  savante  and  left 
affairs  of  state  until  1779  almost  entirely  in  her  hands  and 
Acton's,  his  jealousy  tended  more  and  more  to  treat  her 
as  a  precieuse  ridicule,  and  he  grew  fond  of  asserting  his 
mastery  by  playing  the  Petruchio,  sometimes  to  brutality. 

For  a  long  time  he  was  pro-Spanish,  while  his  wife 
remained  pro-Austrian,  and  came  to  abominate  Spanish 
policy  more  than  ever  when  in  1778  Charles  IV.  of  Spain 
ascended  the  throne  with  a  caballing  consort  whom  Maria 
Carolina  detested.  Ferdinand  boasted  that  his  people  were 
happy  because  each  could  find  subsistence  at  home,  and  the 
time  was  still  distant  when  to  the  proverb  on  his  name 
of  'Farina'  and  '  Feste,'  'Forca'  was  superadded.  If 
he  pauperised  his  people  with  farinaceous  morsels  and 
festivities,  he  had  never  yet  '  forced '  them.  Nor  was  he 
destitute  of  bluff  wit  and  exceedingly  common  sense. 

In  1785  great  efforts  had  been  made  under  Acton's  fresh 
influence  to  construct  an  imposing  navy,  which  was  paraded 
to  the  world  by  a  royal  progress — from  its  pomp  and 
splendour  called  'the  golden  journey' — to  Leghorn  and 
Tuscany,  en  route  for  Vienna.  During  their  visit  at  the 
Tuscan  Court,  the  pedantic  Leopold  asked  Ferdinand 
what  he  was  'doing'  for  the  people.  'Nothing  at  all, 
which  is  the  best,'  guffawed  the  King  in  answer  ;  '  and  the 
proof  is  that  while  plenty  of  your  folk  go  wheedling  and 
begging  in  my  territory,  I  will  wager  anything  you  like 
that  none  of  mine  are  soliciting  anything  in  yours.' ^ 

The  Queen,  however,  was  an  'illuminata'  by  bent  and 

^  This  anecdote  is  given  by  the  Marchesa  di  Solari  as  happening  during 
Leopold's  earlier  visit  to  Naples.  The  story  as  related  elsewhere  may  be  a  blend 
of  two  passages  at  arms  between  Ferdinand  and  his  precise  brother-in-law. 
Another  and  a  new  instance  of  his  wit  is  given  in  a  conversation  of  Sir  W. 
Hamilton  recorded  (probably  by  Lady  Hamilton)  in  La  Belle  AssembUe  for  May 
1807.  While  his  marriage  was  as  yet  childless,  he  observed  that  three  miracles 
were  distinguishing  his  reign  :  '  I  am  young,  and  have  no  children ' ;  '  The 
Jesuits  are  dissolved,  but  their  money  is  indiscoverable ' ;  and— marvel  of  marvels 
— 'Tenucci,  my  minister,  is  old,  and  will  never  die.' 


APPRENTICESHIP  AND  MARRIAGE        119 

upbringing.  She  was  always  devising  theories  and  execut- 
ing schemes,  and  besides  literature,  botany,  too,  engrossed 
her  attention.^  It  is  a  great  mistake  to  judge  either  her  or 
him  in  the  light  of  after  occurrences,  and  it  is  an  error  as 
misleading  to  judge  even  those  events  by  the  evidence  of 
Jacobin  pamphleteers,  some  of  whom,  and  the  most  violent, 
did  not  hesitate  to  recant.-  It  was  only  long  afterwards  that 
she  became  lampooned,  and  that  the  '  head  of  a  Richelieu 
on  a  pretty  woman  '  was  held  up  to  execration  in  the 
words  of  the  ancient  diatribe  on  Catherine  of  M^dicis  : — 

'  Si  nous  faisons  Tapologie 

De  Caroline  et  J^zabel, 
L'une  fut  reine  en  Italic, 

Et  I'autre  reine  en  Israel. 
Celle-ci  de  malice  extreme, 
L'autre  etait  la  malice  meme.'^ 

Neither  King  nor  Queen,  though  both  have  much  to 
answer  for  at  the  bar  of  history,  were  ever  the  pantomime- 
masks  of  villainy  and  corruption  that  resentment  and 
rumour,  public  and  private,  have  affixed  to  their  names. 

The  Queen's  full  influence  was  not  apparent  until  the 
birth  of  an  heir  in  1777,  when  by  a  clause  of  her  marriage- 
settlement  she  became  entitled  to  sit  in  council.  But  long 
before,  she  had  begun  to  inspire  reforms  very  distasteful  to 
the  feudal  barons  who  at  first  composed  her  court.  She 
endeavoured  to  turn  a  set  of  antiquated  prescriptions  into 
a  freer  constitution,  and  to  cleanse  the  Neapolitan  homes. 
She  limited  the  feudal  system  of  rights — odious  to  the 
people  at  large — to  narrow  areas,  and  this  popular  limita- 
tion proved  long  afterwards  the  main  cause  of  the  nobility's 
share  in  the  middle-class  revolution  of  1799.^  The  marriage 
laws  were  re-cast  much  on  the  basis  of  Lord  Hardwicke's 

'  Cf.  Sir  J.  Banks's  testimony  so  early  as  1787.     Eg.  MS.  2641,  f.  141. 
-  Vincenzo  Coco  especially. 

^  '  Would  casuists  fine  excuses  try 

For  Caroline  and  Jezebel, 
The  one  was  queen  in  Italy, 
The  other,  queen  in  Israel. 
Extremes  of  malice  marked  the  second, 
Malice  iiself  the  first  was  reckoned.' 
Cf.  Crimes  cl  Amours  des  Bourbons  de  Naples,  Paris,  Anon.,  1S61.     A  tissue 
of  inaccuracies. 

*  In  Sicily  the  feudal  sysleni  remained  and  there  was  no  revolution  there. 


I20  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

Act  in  England.  The  administration  of  justice  was  puri- 
fied.^ Besides  locating  the  University  in  the  fine  rooms  of 
the  suppressed  Jesuit  monastery,  to  some  of  which  she 
transferred  the  magnificent  antiques  of  the  Farnese  and 
Palatine  collections,  she  founded  schools  and  new  institu- 
tions for  the  encouragement  of  agriculture  and  architecture. 
Even  the  hostile  historian  Colletta  admits  that  she  drew 
all  the  intellect  of  the  age  to  Naples.  Waste  lands  were 
reclaimed,  colonies  planted  on  uninhabited  islands,  exist- 
ing industries  developed,  and  the  coral  fisheries  on  the 
African  coasts  converted  into  a  chartered  company.  The 
evils  of  tax-gathering  were  obviated  ;  the  ports  of  Brindisi 
and  Baia  restored  ;  highways  were  made  free  of  expense 
for  the  poor ;  tolerance  was  universally  proclaimed ;  the 
Pope's  right  to  nominate  bishops  was  defied ;  nor  was  she 
reconciled  to  Pius  VI.  till  policy  compelled  her  to  kneel 
before  him  in  her  Roman  visit  of  1791.  At  the  period  now 
before  us,  most  of  the  pulpits  favoured  her.  Padre  Rocco, 
the  blunt  reformer  of  abuses,  Padre  Minasi,  the  musical 
archaeologist,  were  loud  in  her  praises.  And  this  despite 
the  fact  that,  though  regular  in  her  devotions  and  the 
reverse  of  a  free-thinker,  she  resolutely  opposed  the 
'  crimping '  system  which  from  time  to  time  reinforced 
the  Neapolitan  convents.^  She  also  bitterly  offended  the 
vested  rights  of  the  lawyers  and  the  army.  An  enthusiast 
for  freemasonry  (and  long  after  her  death  the  Neapolitan 
lodges  toasted  her  memory),'  she  assembled  around  her 
through  these  societies  a  brilliant  throng  of  savants  and 
poets,  while  it  was  her  special  aim  to  elevate  the  intellects 
of  women.  Among  the  circle  of  all  the  talents  around  her 
were  the  great  economist  and  jurist  Filangieri,*  revered  by 
Goethe,  but  dead  within  two  years  after  Emma's  arrival ; 
the  learned  and  ill-starred  Cirillo  and  Pagano,^  who  both 
perished  afterwards  in  the   Revolution ;   Palmieri,   Galanti, 

^  For  these  facts,  cf.  Jeaffreson's  Queen  of  Naples. 

-  Cf.  the  remarkable  correspondence  between  Acton  and  Hamilton  about  the 
case  of  Ann  Saffory,  an  English  girl,  in  17S8.     Eg.  MS.  2639,  f.  18. 

2  Pep^  Memoirs  {1847). 

*  Author  of  The  Science  of  Legislation^  1 777  J  niade  Gentleman  of  the  King's 
Bedchamber.    In  1783  the  Queen  presented  him  with  an  estate  at  La  Cava. 

^  Author  of  /  Saggi  Politici. 


APPRENTICESHIP  AND  MARRIAGE        121 

Galiani,  Delfico,  the  scientists ;  Caravelli,  Caretto,  Fala- 
guerra,  Ardinghelli,  Pignatelli,  all  lights  of  literature ;  and 
Conforti,  the  historian.  But  perhaps  the  most  interesting  of 
all,  and  the  most  typical,  was  Eleonora  de  Fonseca  Pimentel, 
subsequently  muse  and  victim  of  the  outburst  in  1799. 

This  remarkable  poetess,  Portuguese  by  origin,  merits 
and  has  received  a  monograph.^  Up  to  1793,  indeed,  this 
friend  and  disciple  of  Metastasio  was  the  professed  eulogist 
of  the  Queen.     She  styled  her 

'  La  verace  virtute,  e  di  lei  figlio 
II  verace  valor.'  ^ 

She  joined  her  in  denouncing  'Papal  vassalage'  in  Italy. 
When  the  royal  bambino  died  in  1778  she  indited  her 
*  Orfeo  '  as  elegy.  When  the  '  golden  journey' was  accom.- 
plished,  the  Miseno  port  re-opened,  and  the  fleet  re-organ- 
ised, her  '  Proteus  and  Parthenope '  celebrated  the  com- 
mencement of  a  golden  age.  But  what  most  aroused  her 
enthusiasm  was  the  foundation  of  that  singular  experiment 
in  monarchical  socialism — the  ideal  colony  of  San  Leucio  at 
Caserta  between  the  years  1777  and  1779.  This  settlement 
was  the  first-fruits  of  the  Queen's  socialism,  though  its 
occasion  was  the  King's  liking  for  his  hunting-box — built  in 
1773  at  the  neighbouring  Belvedere,  and  on  the  site  of  the 
ancient  vineyard  and  palace  of  the  old  Princes  of  Caserta. 
A  church  was  erected  in  1776  for  a  parish  governed  by  an 
enlightened  code  of  duties  '  negative  and  positive,'  and  even 
then  numbering  no  less  than  seventeen  families.  Some  of 
the  royal  buildings  were  converted  into  schools  ;  even  the 
prayers  and  religious  ordinances  were  regulated,  as  were  all 
observances  of  the  hearth,  and  every  distribution  of  pro- 
perty. Allegiance  was  to  be  paid  first  to  God,  then  to  the 
sovereign,  and  lastly  to  the  ministers.  Under  Ferdinand's 
nominal  authorship  a  book  of  the  aims,  orders,  and  laws  of 
the  colony  was  published,  of  which  a  copy  exists  in  the 
British  Museum.^    On  its  flyleaf  Lady  Hamilton  has  herself 

^  Studii  Storici,  Benedetto  Croce.     Roma,  1897. 
2         'True  virtue,  and  the  birth  of  virtue  true, 

True  courage.' 
'  1051  C.  17. 


122  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

recorded : — '  Given  to  me  by  the  King  of  Naples  at  Belvedere 
or  S.  Leucio  the  i6th  of  May  1793,  when  Sir  William  and  I 
dined  with  his  Majesty  and  the  Duchess  of  Devonshire, 
Lady  Webster,  Lady  Plymouth,  Lady  Bessborough,  Lady 
E.  Foster,  Sir  G.  Webster,  and  Mr.  Pelham.  Emma 
Hamilton.'  These  names  are  in  no  accidental  association. 
The  then  and  the  future  Duchesses  of  Devonshire  headed  a 
galaxy  of  which  Charles  James  Fox  was  chief,  and  to  which 
Sir  William's  devotees,  Lady  '  Di '  Beauclerk  and  the 
Honourable  Mrs.  Damer,  also  belonged. 

Eleonora's  ode  in  its  honour  hymns  the  '  royal  city ' 
where  '  nature's  noble  diadem  '  crowns  'the  spirit  of  ancient 
Hellas.' 

But  for  all    these   undertakings,   even    before   stress   of 
invasion  and  vengeance  for  wrongs  prompted  large  arma- 
ments and  an  English  alliance,  financial  talent  of  a  high 
order  was   needful ;    taxation  had  to   be   broadened,   and 
it  could  not  be  enlarged  without  pressing  heavily  on   the 
professional   classes,  for  the  Lazzaroni  were  always  privi- 
leged as  exempt.    The  necessities  which  led  to  the  shameful 
tampering  with  the  banks  in  1792-93  had  not  yet  arisen; 
but  organising  talent  was  needed,  and  organising  talent  was 
wanting.     Tenucci  proved  as  poor  a  financier  as  once  our 
own  Godolphin  or  Dashwood.    Jealous  of  Carolina's  manifest 
direction,  he  caballed,  and  was  replaced  as  first  minister  in 
1776  by  the  phantom  Sambuca.     Even  then  the  pro-Spanish 
party  among  the  grandees  menaced  the  succession  well-nigh 
as  much  as  the  pro-Jacobins  did  some  five  years  later.    Even 
then  it  was  on  very  few  of  the  numberless  Neapolitan  nobles 
(a  '  golden  book '  of  whom  would  outdo  Venice  and  equal 
Spain)  that  the  perplexed  Queen  could  rely.     Caramanico 
was   a    mere   monument    of  the   past,   and   as    such   con- 
signed to  England  as  ambassador  ;  while  his  young  and 
romantic  son  Joseph  was  reputed  the  Queen's  lover,  and 
forbidden   the   court.      The    coxcomb   and    procrastinator, 
Gallo,  who   afterwards    ratted    to    Napoleon,   was   already 
mismanaging    foreign    affairs.       The   old    and    respectable 
Caracciolo,   father    of    that   rebel    admiral    whom    Nelson 
was  to  execute,  was  for  the  moment  Minister  of  Finance, 
but    approaching    his   end.       That     Admirable    Crichton, 


Sir  John  Acton. 

F70m  the  original  portrait  recently  acquired  by  the  National  Portrait  Gallery 
of  Naples. 


1) 


APPRENTICESHIP  AND  MARRIAGE        123 

Prince  Belmonte,  afterwards  as  'Galatone'  ambassador 
at  the  crucial  post  of  the  Madrid  Embassy,  now  pre- 
ferred the  office  of  Chamberlain  to  any  active  direction 
of  affairs.  Prince  Castelcicala,  twice  ambassador  to  the 
court  of  St.  James's,  and  nearly  as  acceptable  to  the  Queen 
as  Belmonte,  had  not  yet  been  pressed  into  home  concerns, 
nor  had  he  disastrously  earned  his  inquisitorial  spurs  of 
^^793-  Sicigniano,  who  was  to  commit  suicide  when  am- 
bassador in  London  in  the  same  year,  belonged  to  the  same 
category  ;  the  young  and  accomplished  Luigi  di  Medici  had 
not  yet  emerged  into  a  prominence  that  proved  his  doom. 
Prince  Torella  was  a  nonentity ;  the  Rovere  family,  which 
was  to  supply  the  Sidney  or  Bayard  ^  of  the  Revolution, 
was  not  now  of  political  significance.  The  professional 
classes  were  as  yet  excluded  from  government,  and 
creatures  like  the  notorious  Vanni  were  denied  power. 
Amid  the  general  dearth  the  excitable  Queen  was  at  her 
wit's  end  for  a  capable  minister.  During  her  Vienna  and 
Tuscan  visits  of  1778  she  consulted,  as  always,  her  august 
relations  ;  and  the  result  was  their  recommendation  of 
John  Francis  Edward  Acton,  whose  younger  brother  had 
for  some  time  been  serving  in  the  Austrian  army.  In 
consenting  to  the  trial  of  an  unknown  man,  middle-aged 
and  a  foreigner,  the  Queen  hardly  realised  to  what  grave 
issues  her  random  choice  was  leading. 

Acton,  third  cousin  of  Sir  Richard  Acton  of  Aldenham 
Hall,  Shropshire,  to  whose  baronetcy  and  estates  he  most 
unexpectedly  succeeded  in  1791,  was  the  son  of  a  physician, 
Catholic  and  Jacobite,  settled  at  Besancon.  He  was  born 
in  1736,  and  may  have  first  entered  the  French  Navy, 
which  he  quitted  probably  as  a  cadet  in  search  of  advance- 
ment, and  not  because  of  the  vague  discredits  afterwards 
imputed  by  the  Jacobins,  The  British  Navy  he  could 
scarcely  have  contemplated,  because  in  the  days  of  the 
Georges-  Catholicism   and  Jacobitism  were  grave  impedi- 

'  Prince  Etlore  Carafa. 

-  It  was  so  even  in  177S.  The  Bishop  of  Derry,  writing  to  Sir  William 
from  Albano  in  the  June  of  that  year  about  the  prospects  of  the  Count  of 
Albany,  observes  very  much  after  his  manner: — 'England  has  left  them  [the 
Catholic  Jacobites]  no  other  method  but  force  to  recover  their  just  rights.  What 
a   Madness  in   our  Government   not  to  legalise  the  daily  exercise  they  make 


124  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

ments  to  success.  At  the  age  of  thirty-nine  he  entered 
the  naval  service  of  Carolina's  brother,  the  Grand  Duke 
Leopold  of  Tuscany,  and  attracted  Caramanico's  notice 
by  his  bravery  as  Captain  on  a  Spanish  expedition  against 
the  Moors.  Summoned  by  a  stroke  of  luck  to  control 
a  realm  at  once  ambitious  and  sluggish,  he  infused 
English  energy  at  every  step.  A  martinet  by  training  and 
disposition,  shrewd,  worldly,  calculating,  yet  sturdy,  and 
for  Naples,  where  gold  always  reigned,  inflexibly  honest, 
he  was  well  capable  of  defying  and  brow-beating  the  supple 
Neapolitan  nobility  who  detested  his  introduction.  A 
smooth-tongued  adventurer,  though  good  looks  were  not 
on  his  side,  he  speedily  won  the  favour  of  a  Queen  in- 
clined to  make  tools  of  favourites,  and  favourites  of  tools  ; 
but  he  soon  convinced  her  also  that  a  mere  tool  he  could 
never  remain.  He  was  naturally  pro-British,  and  Britain 
was  already  a  Mediterranean  power :  Acton  recommended 
the  country  of  his  origin  to  the  Queen's  notice  in  the  veriest 
trifles.  It  was  not  many  years  before  Maria  Carolina  was 
driving  in  the  English  curricle  which  Hamilton  had  pro- 
vided for  her.^  Little  else  than  a  stroke  of  destiny,  under 
the  conjunctures  of  the  near  future,  brought  the  new 
foreigner  into  close  alliance  with  Sir  William  Hamilton, 
whose  patriotism  in  the  very  year  when  he  was  lolling  with 
Sir  Horace  Mann  at  Portici  had  expressed  itself  in  a 
fervent  wish  to  see  France  '  well  drubbed,'  and  a  fury  at  the 
non-support  of  Rodney  by  Government.^  The  different 
natures  of  the  two  perhaps  cemented  their  friendship. 
Hamilton  for  all  his  natural  indolence  could  rise  to  emer- 
gency ;  Acton,  on  the  contrary,  was  all  compromise  and 
caution — a  sort  of  Robert  Walpole  in  little,  with  'steady' 
for  his  motto.  Hamilton  was  good-tempered  to  a  fault : 
Emma  wrote  of  him  after  her  marriage  that  he  preferred 
'good  temper  to  beauty.'     In  Acton  lay  a  strong  spice  of 

of  their  Religion  ;  as  if  a  man  were  a  less  faithfull  subject  or  a  less  brave  soldier 
for  being  fool  enough  to  believe  that  to  be  Flesh  which  all  the  world  sees  to  be 
only  Bread  ;  or  as  if  doing  that  legally  which  he  now  does  illegally  would  render 
him  a  more  tumultuous  or  a  more  dangerous  cilyzen.' — Morrison  MS.  83. 

1  Cf.  Eg.  MS.  2639,  f.  16. 

2  Morrison  MS.  92,  1780. 


APPRENTICESHIP  AND  MARRIAGE        125 

the  bully,  and  he  could  be  very  unjust  if  his  authority  was 
impugned.^  He  was  a  born  bureaucrat,  and  it  was  his 
love  of  bureaucracy,  as  will  appear,  that  ruined  the  Queen. 

Acton's  only  marriage  occurred  in  his  old  age  with  his 
young  niece,  by  papal  dispensation  in  1805,  as  Fettigrew  has 
recorded.  His  brother  Joseph's  descendants  are  still  at 
Naples.^  But  none  of  his  family  play  any  part  in  the 
drama  before  us.  Starting  as  an  Admiral  of  the  Neapolitan 
Fleet,  he  soon  became  Minister  both  of  Marine  and  War. 
Caracciolo  the  elder's  opportune  transference  to  diplomacy 
in  Paris  and  London,  which  Acton's  future  libellers  accused 
him  of  contriving,  as  afterwards  even  of  causing  his  death, 
installed  him  as  Minister  of  Finance.  He  at  once  advised 
the  institution  of  thirteen  Commissioners  who  could  all  be 
censured  in  event  of  failure;  'divide  et  impera'  was  his 
principle  ;  and  at  first  his  resource  proved  successful.  He 
was  soon  made  also  a  Lieutenant-General ;  while  some 
ten  years  later,  in  his  heyday,  he  was  appointed  Captain- 
General,  and  at  last  a  full-blown  Field-Marshal.  But  long 
before,  he  blossomed  into  power  with  the  Queen,  whose 
anti-Spanish  policy  chimed  with  his  own,  and  whose  ab- 
horrence of  the  pro-Spanish  functionaries  around  her 
required  a  champion  in  council.  This  created  two  camps 
in  the  court,  for  up  to  1796  the  King  was  pro-Spanish  to 
the  core.  But  the  Queen  was  already  predominant,  and 
it  was  soon  bruited  that  the  Latin  ' Jiic,  licec,  hoc'  meant 
Acton,  the  Queen,  and  the  King  thus  derided  as  neuter  ; 
indeed  some  added  that  Acton  was  ' kic,  Jkbc,  hoc'  in  one. 
In  a  brief  space  Acton  had  consolidated  a  powerful  fleet 
— which  in  1793  ^''^  was  able  to  despatch  in  aid  of  the 
English  at  Toulon  ^ — and  a  formidable  army.  The  hVench 
events  of  1789  rendered  him  all  the  more  indispensable 
to  Maria  Carolina,  whose  ears  were  terrified  by  the  first 
rumblings  of  an  earthquake  so  soon  to  engulf  her  sister's 
family.  The  Bastille  was  taken,  the  Assembly  held, 
and   fawning  false-loyalty  loomed    fully  as   dangerous    as 

'  Cf.  the  incident  related  by  the  MarchionessSolariof  ihe  peasant  who  suflcred 
from  Acton's  temper  becaubc  tlie  King  had  left  Acton  unconsultcd  in  an  act  of 
grace,   Venice  under  the  Yoke  of  Frame,  etc.,  vol.  ii.  p.  49. 

"^  For  this  information  I  am  indebted  to  Lord  Aclon.  "  I'ejxj,  p.  12. 


126  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

uproarious  Jacobinism.     In  the  same  year  America  estab- 
lished   her    'Constitution.'      The    American   rebellion  was 
the  parent  of  the   French  Revolution  ;  already,  and  even 
on   ground    so   lately  British,    persecutions  prevailed   that 
made    shrewd    officials,    like    Greville,   dread    the    orgies 
probable    should    this    new    leaven   ferment   in    Latin  and 
Celtic    blood.      Already    the    aunts    of    Louis    XVI.,    the 
two  old  '  demoiselles   de    France,'  were   on    the  verge  of 
abandoning    Paris    for    Rome ;    already   the    charged    air 
tingled     with      Liberty,     Equality,     Fraternity ;      already 
Carolina,  masking  hysterical  restiveness  by  imperious  com- 
posure, was    debating  if  armed    help    were   possible   from 
Austria  as  well  as  from  Naples.     But  the  irritated  barons 
were   unwarlike,  the   King   cared   little,  the   lawyers   still 
depended  on  his  favour,  the  intelligent  middle-class  was 
beginning  to  welcome  the  Gallic  doctrines.     Austria,  too, 
was  by  no  means  ready.     And  yet  in  Carolina's  ears  the 
hour  of  doom  was  already  striking.      She  longed  for  an 
untemporising  deliverer,  a  self-sacrificing  friend,  a  leader  of 
men  and  movements  ;  and  as  she  longed  and  champed  in 
vain,  she  could   only  wait  and  hope  and  prepare.^      Her 
anxiety  was  not  that  of  a  normal  woman.     Calm  in  mind, 
in  love  and  hate  her  ardour  ran  to  extremes.     Though  she 
owned  a  far  better  head  than  her  unhappy  sister,  her  heart, 
outside   her   home  and    in   spite  of  her  passions,  was  far 
colder.      She  was  truly  devoted  to  her  children,  she  was 
fond  of  romping  even  with  the  children  of  strangers  ^ ;  and 
yet  when  her  sons-in-law  grew  lukewarm  in  aiding  her,  she 
could  rage  against  her  daughters.     Jealousy  of  her  ogling 
and  dangling  consort  was  often  a  prime  motive  for  her 
actions  ;  and  yet  she  had  often  h^Qn/emme  galante,  and  was 
ever  bent  on  mystery  and  intrigue.     She  harped  on  duty,  but 
her  notions  of  duty  rested  on  maintaining  the  royal  birth- 
right of  her  house.     Masterful  as  her  mother,  light-living 

1  Cf.  for  the  foregoing  bird's-eye  survey,  besides  the  books  and  MS.  quoted, 
A.  Dumas'  /  Bordom,  Palumibo's  Maria  Carolina,  Sacchinelli's  and  Ilelfert's 
Ruffo,  Cuoco's  Saggi  Storici,  and  JeatTreson's  Queen  of  Naples  and  Lord  Nelson. 

-  Lije  and  Letters  of  the  First  Earl  of  M into,  vol.  ii.  p.  364,  and  cf.  Madame 
Le  Brun's  Memoirs,  p.  72.  She  praises  her  as  a  misunderstood  and  magnani- 
mous woman.     '  She  had  a  tine  character  and  a  good  deal  of  wit.' 


APPRENTICESHIP  AND  MARRIAGE        127 

as  her  eldest  brother,  she  was  neither  hard  nor  frivolous. 
She  could  be  both  ice  and  fire.  Her  strange  temperament 
combined  the  poles  with  the  equator. 

The  year  1789  proved  critical  for  Emma  also.  It 
brought  to  Naples,  among  other  illustrious  visitors,  the 
good  and  gracious  Duchess  of  Argyll,  formerly  Duchess  of 
Hamilton,  who,  as  the  beautiful  Miss  Gunning,  had  years 
before  taken  England,  and  indeed  Europe,  by  storm.  She 
had  come  southward  for  her  health.  Her  first  marriage  had 
related  her  to  Sir  William,  and  no  sooner  had  she  set  eyes 
on  Emma  than  she  not  only  countenanced  her  in  public 
but  conceived  for  her  the  most  admiring  and  intimate 
friendship.  Hitherto  the  English  ladies  had  been  coldly 
civil,  but  under  the  lead  of  the  Duchess  they  now  began 
to  follow  the  Italian  vogue  of  sounding  her  praises.  Emma 
became  the  fashion.  It  was  already  whispered  that  she 
was  secretly  married  to  the  Ambassador,^  and  had  she 
been  his  wife  she  could  scarcely  have  been  more  heartily, 
though  she  would  have  been  more  openly,  accepted.  Her 
request  that  she  might  accompany  Sir  William,  the  King, 
and  Acton  on  one  of  their  long  and  rough  sporting  journeys 
had  been  gladly  granted.  She  had  attended  her  deputy- 
husband  on  his  equally  rough  antiquarian  ramble  through 
Puglia,  made  in  the  spring  of  1789.  'She  is  so  good,'  he 
informed  Greville,  'there  is  no  refusing  her.'-  By  the 
spring  of  1790  not  only  the  Duchess  but  the  whole 
Argyll  family  lavished  kindness^  on  the  extraordinary  girl 
whom  they  must  have  respected.  The  new  Spanish  ambas- 
sador's wife  also  had  become  her  intimate  friend.  Madame 
Le  Brun,  too,  repaired  in  the  wake  of  the  French  troubles  to 
Naples,  and  was  besieged  for  portraits.  Madame  Skavonska, 
the  Russian  ambassador's  handsome  wife,  so  empty-headed 
that  she  squandered  her  time  in  vacancy  on  a  sofa,  was 
her  first  sitter.*  Emma,  brought  by  the  eager  Hamilton, 
was  the  second,  and   during  her  sittings  she   was  accom- 

'  Lord  Elcho,  who  had  been  with  the  Argylls  in  Naples,  bruited  this  abroad 
in  Switzerland  in  1790.     Cf.  Morrison  MS.  190. 

■^  Morrison  MS.  177.  •"'  Ibid.  i8o. 

■*  The  notorious  Prince  pDtcmkin  was  her  lover,  ;>nd  Lord  Bristol  in  one  of 
his  letters  wondered  what  would  become  of  her  un  his  death  ;i  few  years  later. 


128  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

panied  by  the  Prince  of  Monaco  and  the  Duchess  of  Fleury, 
Madame  Le  Brun,  herself  by  no  means  devoid  both  of 
jealousy  and  snobbishness,  raved  of  her  beauty,  but  formed 
no  opinion  of  her  brain,  while  she  found  her  '  supercilious.' ^ 
This  is  curious,  for  by  common  consent  Emma  gave  herself 
no  airs  ;  she  conciliated  all.  But  though  never  a  parvenue 
in  her  affections,  she  could  often  behave  as  such  in  her 
dislikes  ;  and  her  self-assertiveness  could  always  combat 
jealous  or  freezing  condescension.  Her  improvement  both 
in  knowledge  and  behaviour  had  from  other  accounts 
enhanced  her  accomplishments.  No  breath  of  scandal  had 
touched  her ;  she  was  Hamilton's  unwedded  wife,  and 
her  looks  had  kept  even  pace  with  her  forward  path  in 
many  directions  :  she  was  fairer  than  ever  and  far  less 
vain.  The  Queen  herself  already  pointed  to  her  as  an 
example  for  the  court,  to  which,  however,  Emma  could  not 
gain  formal  admittance  until  the  marriage  which  she  had 
predicted  in  1786  had  been  duly  solemnised.  For  that 
desired  climax  everything  now  paved  the  way.  Each 
night  in  the  season  she  received  fifty  of  the  elite  at  the 
Embassy,  till  in  January  1791  her  success  was  crowned  by  a 
concert  and  reception  of  unusual  splendour.^  The  stars 
of  San  Carlo  performed.  The  court  ladies  vied  with  each 
other  in  jewels  and  attire.  The  first  English,  as  well  as  the 
first  Neapolitans,  thronged  every  room  ;  there  were  some 
four  hundred  guests.  Emma  herself  was  conspicuously 
simple.  Amid  the  blaze  of  gems  and  colours  she  shone  in 
white  satin,  set  off  by  the  natural  hues  only  of  her  hair  and 
complexion. 

And  yet  she  was  not  elated.  Her  one  study,  her  single 
aim,  she  wrote  to  Greville,  were  to  render  Sir  William,  on 
whom  she  '  doated,'  happy.  They  had  already  passed  nearly 
five  years  together,  '  with  all  the  domestick  happiness  that 's 
possible.'^ 

Was  there  any  rift  within  the  lute?  If  so,  it  lay  in 
Greville's  attitude.  He  opened  his  eyes  and  sighed  as  he 
read  of  Emma's  virtuous  glory  ;  and  he  opened  them  still 
wider  when  she  assured  him  of  her  '  esteem  '  for  *  having  been 

'  Madame  Lc  Brun's  Memoirs,  p.  68. 

^  Morrison  MS.  189.  ■''  Ibid.  189. 


APPRENTICESHIP  AND  MARRIAGE        129 

the  means  of  bringing'  them  'together.'  That  Sir  William 
should  marry  her  quite  passed  the  bounds  of  his  philosophy  ; 
there  would  be  an  eclat,  and  eclats  he  detested  ;  his  uncle 
would  make  himself  ridiculous.  It  seems  likely,  from  an 
allusion  in  a  letter  from  Hamilton  of  a  full  year  earlier, 
that  the  nephew  had  already  thrown  out  hints  of  suitable  pro- 
vision should  chance  or  necessity  ever  separate  the  couple. 
Sir  William,  however,  had  been  deaf  to  such  suggestions, 
although,  'thinking  aloud,'  he  did  mention  ^^150  a  year  to 
Emma,  and  ^50  to  her  mother,  '  who  is  a  very  worthy 
woman.' ^  Such  contingencies,  however,  could  not  apply 
to  their  present  '  footing,'  for  '  her  conduct  was  such  as  to 
gain  her  universal  esteem.'  The  only  chance  for  such  a 
scheme  hinged  on  her  pertinacity  in  pressing  him  to  marry 
her.  '  I  fear,'  he  continued,  '  that  her  views  are  beyond 
what  I  can  bring  myself  to  execute,  and  that  when  her 
hopes  on  this  point  are  over,  she  will  make  herself  and  me 
unhappy.'  But  he  recoiled  from  the  thought ;  despite  the 
difference  in  their  ages  and  antecedents,  '  hitherto  her  con- 
duct is  irreproachable,  but  her  temper,  as  you  must  know, 
unequal.'  ^ 

And  now  all  these  obstacles  had  melted  in  eighteen 
months  under  the  enchanter's  wand  of  the  charming 
Duchess,  who  may  well  have  urged  him  to  defy  convention 
and  make  Emma  his  wife.  Sir  William's  fears  were  not 
for  Naples,  nor  wholly  for  Greville,  who  might  laugh  if  he 
chose.  They  were  rather  for  the  way  in  which  his  foster- 
brother.  King  George,  and  his  Draco-Queen,  might  receive 
such  news,  and  how  they  might  eventually  manifest  their 
displeasure ;  the  Ambassador,  however  much  and  often  he 
was  wont  to  bewail  his  fate,  had  no  notion  of  retiring  to 
absurd  obscurity.  But  these  objections  also  seem  to  have 
been  equally  dispersed  by  the  fairy  godmother  of  a 
Duchess  who  was  bent  on  raising  Cinderella  to  the  throne ; 
and  although  Queen  Charlotte  eventually  refused  to  receive 
Lady  Hamilton,  yet  Sir  William's  imminent  return  was  in 
fact   signalised   by  the    honour  of  a    privy  councillorship. 

'  The  two  sums  represented  llie  allowance  made  by  Sir  William,  and  never 
increased  even  after  marriage. 
"  Morrison  MS.  187. 

I 


130  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

Long  afterwards,  he  assured  Greville  that  his  treatment 
when  he  was  eventually  replaced,  and  subsequently  when  he 
was  denied  reimbursement  for  his  losses  and  his  services 
(both  to  go  fully  as  unrewarded  as  his  wife's),  was  not 
due  to  the  king  but  to  his  ministers.^  Moreover,  his  two 
old  Eton  School  friends,  Banks  and  the  ubiquitous  Lord 
Bristol,  Bishop  of  Derry,  had  signified  their  approval.  The 
latter  in  his  peregrinations  had  already  worshipped  at 
Emma's  Neapolitan  shrine — a  devotee  at  once  generous 
and  money-grubbing,  cynical  and  ingenuous,  constant  and 
capricious,  who  (in  Lady  Hamilton's  words)  '  dashed  at 
everything,'  and  who  was  so  eccentric  as  to  roam  Caserta 
in  bishop's  garb  and  a  white  hat.  This  original — a  minia- 
ture mixture  of  Peterborough,  Hume,  and,  one  might  add, 
Thackeray's  Charles  Honeyman — had  braced  Hamilton's 
resolution  by  telling  him  it  was  only  '  manly  fortitude '  to 
brave  a  stupid  world  and  secure  Emma's  happiness  and 
his  own,^  Sir  William,  whose  inclination  struggled  with 
Greville's  prudence,  could  not  gainsay  his  friends  who 
echoed  the  wishes  of  his  heart.  And  all  this  must  have 
been  furthered  by  the  Duchess  of  Argyll. 

No  wonder  that  her  sad  death  at  the  close  of  1790,  far 
away  from  the  climate  which  had  proved  powerless  to  save 
her,  desolated  Emma.  '  I  never,'  she  assured  Greville,  who 
already  knew  of  their  home-coming  in  the  spring,  '  I  never 
had  such  a  freind  as  her,  and  that  you  will  know  when 
I  see  you,  and  recount  ...  all  the  acts  of  kindness  she 
shew'd  to  me  :  for  they  where  too  good  and  numerous  to 
describe  in  a  letter.     Think  then  to  a  heart  of  gratitude 


1  From  a  letter  in  the  writer's  possession,  written  by  Greville  immediately 
after  his  uncle's  decease  to  one  of  the  then  Foreign  Secretaries.  This  letter  will 
be  found  in  the  Appendix  (E  (i)).  It  may  at  once  be  said  that  it  contains  a  most 
important  confirmation  of  Emma's  'claims.'  Not  only  does  it  establish  the 
strong  recommendation  of  them  by  Sir  William  on  his  death-bed,  but  the  precise 
Greville  in  an  official  note  declares  that  he  '  knows '  '  that  the  records  of  your 
office  confirm  the  testimony  of  their  Sicilian  Majesties  by  letter  as  well  as  by 
their  Ministers.'  Furthermore,  this  very  letter  is  referred  to  by  Emma  in  one 
of  her  '  Memorials. '  The  ministers  feared  an  embarrassing  political  ^clat,  while 
they  resented  his  expenditure.  Queen  Charlotte,  I  fancy  however,  was  also 
concerned  with  the  neglect  of  Hamilton. 

-  Morrison  MS.  200. 


APPRENTICESHIP  AND  MARRIAGE        131 

and  sensibility  what  it  must  suffer.      Ma  passienza:  io  ho 
molto.'  ^ 

The  marriage  project  was  first  to  visit  Rome,  where  they 
would  meet  the  Queen,  about  to  be  reconciled  to  the  Pope, 
on  her  homeward  journey  from  Vienna.  Then  to  repair 
to  Florence,  where  they  could  take  a  short  leave  both  of 
her  and  the  King  ;  and  thence  to  Venice,  where  they  were 
to  encounter,  besides  many  English,  the  cream  of  the  flying 
French  noblesse,  including  the  Counts  of  Artois  and  Vau- 
dreuil,  the  Polignacs,  and  Calonne.'-  Before  May  was  over 
they  would  be  in  London,  and  there,  if  things  went  smoothly, 
the  wedding  should  take  place.  Emma's  heart  must  have 
throbbed  when  she  reflected  on  the  stray  hazards  that 
might  still  wreck  that  happiness  for  which  she  had  long 
pined,  and  overthrow  the  full  cup  just  as  it  neared  her  lips. 

Greville  was  unaware  of  the  dead  secret,  but  he  implored 
Emma  not  to  live  in  London  as  she  had  done  in  Naples ; 
he  pressed  the  propriety  of  separate  establishments.  Emma 
laughed  him  to  scorn.  The  friend  of  the  late  Duchess  and 
her  friends  could  afford  to  flout  insular  opinion.  But  she 
laughed  too  soon :  had  she  been  wiser  she  might  possibly 
have  propitiated  the  Queen  of  England  by  discretion. 
It  further  happened  that  Greville's  official  friend  and 
Emma's  old  acquaintance,  Hcneage  Legge,  met  and 
spied  on  the  happy  pair  at  Naples,  just  before  he  and 
they  left  for  Rome ;  he  promptly  reported  progress  to 
Greville,  who  had  plainly  asked  for  enlightenment.  The 
unsuspecting  Hamilton  called  on  Legge  immediately  to 
proffer  him  every  friendly  service.  Mrs.  Legge  was  in 
delicate  health,  and  Emma,  too,  kindly  offered  to  act  as 
her  companion,  or  even  nurse.  Legge  was  embarrassed  ; 
his  wife  civilly  declined  Emma's  attentions,  'kindly  in- 
tended,' but  owing  to  Emma's  'former  line  of  life'  impos- 
sible to  accept.  These  proprieties  confirmed  Sir  William's 
determination,  and  aroused  Emma's  ire.  The  one  was 
accustomed  to  observe  that  the  '  reformed  rake '  proverb 

'  Morrison  MS.  189,  January  1791.  Emma's  Italian  orthography  was  still 
as  unequal  as  her  temper.  Her  constant  refrain.  It  recurs  in  letters  even  of 
1S06;  cf.  Appendix,  Part  ll.  C.  (3). 

»  Morrison  MS.  193,  April  22,  1791. 


132  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

applied  fully  as  much  to  a  woman  as  a  man.  The  other 
felt  herself  mortified  and  insulted  just  when  her  virtues 
rang  on  every  lip.  If  the  frail  Lady  Craven,  for  instance, 
were  good  enough  to  touch  the  hem  of  Mrs.  Legge's 
garments,  why  not  Emma,  who  had  rashly  hastened  to  be 
kind  ?  Legge  must  tell  the  rest  himself :  '  Her  influence 
over  him  exceeds  all  belief  .  .  .  The  language  of  both 
parties,  who  always  spoke  in  the  plural  number — we,  us, 
and  ours — stagger'd  me  at  first,  but  soon  made  me  deter- 
mined to  speak  openly  to  him  on  the  subject,  when  he 
assur'd  me,  what  I  confess  I  was  most  happy  to  hear, 
that  he  was  not  married  ;  but  flung  out  some  hints  of  doing 
justice  to  her  good  behaviour,  if  his  public  situation  did 
not  forbid  him  to  consider  himself  an  independent  man. 
.  .  .  She  gives  everybody  to  understand  that  he  is  now 
going  to  England  to  solicit  the  K.'s  consent  to  marry  her. 
...  I  am  confident  she  will  gain  her  point,  against  which 
it  is  the  duty  of  every  friend  to  strengthen  his  mind  as 
much  as  possible  ;  and  she  will  be  satisfied  with  no  argu- 
ment but  the  King's  absolute  refusal  of  his  approbation. 
Her  talents  and  powers  of  amusing  are  very  wonderfull. 
Her  voice  is  very  fine,  but  she  does  not  sing  with  great 
taste,  and  Aprili  [szc]  says  she  has  not  a  good  ear  ;  her 
Attitudes  are  beyond  description  beautifull  and  striking, 
and  I  think  you  will  find  her  figure  much  improved  since 
you  last  saw  her.  T/iey  say  they  shall  be  in  London  by 
the  latter  end  of  May,  that  their  stay  in  England  will  be 
as  short  as  possible,  and  that,  having  settled  his  affairs,  he 
is  determined  never  to  return.  She  is  much  visited  here 
by  ladies  of  the  highest  rank,  and  many  of  the  corps 
diplomatique ;  does  the  honours  of  his  house  with  great 
attention  and  desire  to  please,  but  wants  a  little  refine- 
ment of  manners  in  which  ...  I  wonder  she  has  not  made 
greater  progress.  I  have  all  along  told  her  that  she  could 
never  change  her  situation,  and  that  she  was  a  happier 
woman  as  Mrs.  H.  than  she  wou'd  be  as  Lady  H.,  when 
more  reserved  behaviour  being  necessary,  she  wou'd  be 
depriv'd  of  half  her  amusements.'  ^ 

Sound    sense    enough,   but    most   unlikely   to   convince 

1  Morrison  MS.  190;  Legge  lo  Greville,  Naples,  March  8,  1791. 


APPRENTICESHIP  AND  MARRIAGE        133 

Emma's  self-confidence.  Mrs.  Legge,  too,  and  afterwards 
Queen  Charlotte,  were  justified  in  excommunicating  Emma 
before  her  marriage ;  such  decencies  are  concerns  of  pre- 
cedent, the  etiquette  of  morality.  But  it  is  surely  a  cruel 
and  un-Christian  precedent,  to  set  up  without  exception 
that  a  girl  who  had  raised  and  trained  herself  as  Emma 
had  done  should  be  debarred  from  the  possibility  of  legiti- 
mate retrieval.  Such  standards  savour  far  more  of  the 
world  than  of  Heaven.  And,  at  all  events,  it  must  be 
conceded  that  at  this  period  Emma,  who  had  been  beloved 
not  only  by  the  Duchesses  of  Argyll  and  Devonshire,  but 
by  such  young  ladies  as  Miss  Carr,  could  not  possibly  have 
hurt  or  soiled  the  British  matron.  There  may  well  have 
been  quite  as  much  unamiable  envy  as  injured  innocence 
in  the  blank  refusal  to  let  her  show  that  she  was  a  kind 
and  helpful  woman,  even  though  she  had  not  always  been 
irreproachable. 

London  was  reached  at  last,  and  the  King's  reluctant 
sanction  obtained.  They  were  feted  and  entertained  by 
the  Marquis  of  Abercorn,  by  Beckford  at  Fonthill,  and  by 
the  Duke  of  Oueensberry,  who  gave  a  brilliant  concert  at 
Richmond  in  their  honour,  where  Emma  herself  performed.^ 
But  her  chief  delight  was  her  reunion  with  those  art 
coteries  where  she  had  ever  felt  herself  freest  and  most 
at  home.  One  of  her  first  visits  was  to  Cavendish  Square. 
On  a  June  morning  she  surprised  Romney — an  apparition 
in  'Turkish  dress' — while  he  was  ailing  and  melancholy. 
Neither  his  trip  in  the  previous  year,  nor  the  warm  friend- 
ship of  Hayley,  who  had  now  fitted  up  a  studio  for  him 
at  Eartham,  could  exorcise  the  demon  of  dejection  which 
brooded  over  him.  The  wonderful  girl  whose  career  he 
had  watched  afar,  cheered  him  back  to  his  former  source 
of  inspiration.  His  letters  to  Hayley  of  this  date-  are 
full  of  her.  She  was  eager  that  her  old  friend  should 
recognise  that  she  was  'still  the  same  Emma.'  She  sat 
for   him  constantly,  and   besides   his    many  other   studies 

'  Newspiipers  of  ihe  summer  of  1791. 

'  Ilayley's  Life  of  Kovnicy,  pp.  158-165,  and  cf.  the  calalogue  of  MS. 
letters  in  Add.  MS.  30,895,  f.  59,  which  supplements  the  letters  there  tran- 
scribed. 


134  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

and  portraits  of  her,  he  at  once  made  her  the  model  of 
his  Joan  of  Arc,  the  idea  of  which  his  recent  journey  across 
the  Channel  had  suggested.  Both  this  and  a  '  Magdalen  ' 
were  commissioned  by  the  Prince  of  Wales,  who  seems  to 
have  met  her  at  the  Duke  of  Oueensberry's.  He  painted 
her  as  '  Cassandra,'  he  designed  to  paint  her  as  '  Constance,' 
he  commenced  a  fresh  'Bacchante.'^  He  dined  with  her 
and  "Sir  William,  and  they  both  dined  thrice  with  him,  first 
in  July^  and  afterwards  in  August.  He  broke  his  rule  of 
solitude  in  order  that  '  several  people  of  fashion '  might 
behold  the  performances  of  one  whom  he  declared  'superior 
to  all  womankind.'  She  in  her  turn  begged  him  to  let 
Hayley  set  about  writing  his  life.  All  that  she  did  or 
said  fascinated  him  ;  and  the  fondest  father,  remarks  his 
biographer,  could  not  have  taken  a  keener  pleasure  in  the 
marriage  of  a  favourite  daughter  than  did  Romney  in  her 
imminent  wedding.  Her  acting  and  singing  so  transported 
him,  that  he  was  on  the  point  of  posting  off  near  midnight 
to  fetch  Hayley  from  Eartham.  '  She  performed  both  in 
the  serious  and  comic  to  admiration:  but  her  "Nina"' — 
a  part  two  years  later  the  especial  delight  of  Maria  Carolina 
— 'surpasses  everything  I  ever  saw,  and  I  believe,  as  a 
piece  of  acting,  nothing  ever  surpassed  it.  The  whole 
company  were  in  an  agony  of  sorrow.  Her  acting  is 
simple,  grand,  terrible,  and  pathetic'  It  was  this  power 
of  moving  others  that,  according  to  a  tradition  often  re- 
peated by  the  late  Sir  Francis  Hastings  Doyle,  once  so 
worked  on   Nelson   ten  years  afterwards,  that  he  walked 

up  and  down  the  crowded   room  muttering,  '  D Mrs. 

Siddons  ! '  with  whom  somebody  had  contrasted  her.^  On 
the  occasion  just  mentioned  Gallini,  the  impresario,  offered 
her  ;^2O0O  a  year  and  two  benefits  '  if  she  would  engage 
with  him';  but,  in  Romney's  words,  'Sir  William  said 
pleasantly  that  he  had  engaged  her  for  life.' 

For  a  few  weeks  Romney  fancied  her  attitude  towards 
him  altered;  the  mere  suspicion  disquieted  his  nerves,  but 

1  Possibly  the  picture  now  known  as  'Mirth.'  -  Add.  MS.  30,805,  f.  51. 

*  This  anecdote  originates  perhaps  with  Mrs.  St.  George  [Mrs.  Trench]  in 
her  Journal,  recounting  the  fetes  (and  rumours)  during  the  Nelson- Hamilton 
visit  to  Dresden  in  1801. 


Emma  Lyon,  Lady  IIamii.ion,  as  C^issandk.-l 
By  G.   Komnky. 

Fioni  a  first  state  of  the  Mezzotint  in  ILiyle      Life  of  Roinney. 


APPRENTICESHIP  AND  MARRIAGE        135 

the  cloud  was  soon  dispelled.  Meanwhile  Hayley,  who 
was  to  compose  a  fresh  poem  on  her  just  before  her 
wedding/  indited  the  following: — 

'  Gracious  Cassandra  !  whose  benign  esteem 
To  my  weak  talent  every  aid  supplied, 
Thy  smile  to  me  was  inspiration's  beam, 

Thy  charms  my  model,  and  thy  taste  my  guide. 

But  say  !  what  cruel  clouds  have  darkly  chilled 

Thy  favour,  that  to  me  was  vital  fire? 
O  let  it  shine  again  !  or  worse  than  killed. 

Thy  soul-sunk  artist  feels  his  art  expire.' 

On  her  very  wedding  day  Emma  sat  for  the  last  time  to 
the  great  artist  for  that  noble  portrait  of  her  as  the 
'  Ambassadress/  and  she  and  her  husband  '  took  a  tender 
leave '  ^  of  one  inseverable  from  her  for  ever. 

Hamilton  and  she  were  the  talk  of  the  town.  When  they 
drove  out  or  went  to  parties,  or  entered  the  box  at  Drury 
Lane,  every  eye  was  upon  them,  and  it  was  at  Drury  Lane 
that  the  acting  of  Jane  Powell  brought  together  the  two 
former  mates  in  servitude  as  the  admired  of  all  beholders. 

All  this  must  have  nettled  Greville,  of  whose  feelings  at 
this  time  there  is  no  record.  But  his  opposition  does  not 
seem  to  have  been  serious,  for  Sir  William  and  Emma 
passed  their  time  in  a  round  of  visits  to  the  whole  circle 
of  his  relations,  who  were  mostly^  her  keen  partisans.  Lord 
Abercorn,  indeed,  went  so  far  as  to  protest  that  her  person- 
ality had  'made  it  impossible'  for  him  'to  see  or  hear 
without  making  comparisons';*  and  from  this  time  forward 
Lord  William  Douglas  also  became  Emma's  lifelong 
upholder.  The  summer  of  1791  was  unusually  hot,  and 
from  the  latter  part  of  July  to  mid-August  they  stayed 
with  relatives  in  the  country,  including  Beckford,  when 
Emma  for  the  first  time  beheld  the  Oriental  and  the  Gothic 
glories,  the  mounting  spire,  the  magic  terraces,  the  fairy 
gardens,  and  ail  the  bizarre  splendours,  including  its  owner, 
of  Fonthill  Abbey. 

1  Add.  MS.  30,805,  f.  5.  2  Add.  MS.  30,805,  f.  51. 

•'  Not  so  the  Dowager  Countess  of  Warwick,  or  his  niece  Mrs.  Dickenson, 
formerly  Mary  Hamilton,  whose  famed  vocal  prowess  Emma  was  said  to  have 
eclipsed.  *  Morrison  MS.  198. 


136  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

On  the  whole,  this  deh'cate  experiment  had  succeeded, 
although  Queen  Charlotte's  ban  doubtless  rankled  in 
Emma's  breast.^  The  King  himself  was  more  pained  than 
offended,  and  had  confirmed  Hamilton  in  the  security  of 
his  appointment. 

Nor  was  it  only  grand  folks  or  old  friends  that  Emma 
had  frequented.  It  is  clear  from  allusions  in  shortly  sub- 
sequent letters  that  both  she  and  her  mother  visited  that 
'  poor  little  Emma' who  had  re-awakened  the  longings  of 
motherhood  in  the  old  but  unforgotten  days  of  Parkgate. 

On  September  6th  Sir  William  and  '  Emy,'  or  '  Emily,' 
Lyon  were  duly  wedded  at  Marylebone  Church,  long  asso- 
ciated with  the  Hamilton  family.  The  marriage  was 
solemnised  by  the  Rev.  Doctor  Edward  Barry,  rector  of 
Elsdon,  Northumberland.  The  witnesses  were  Lord 
Abercorn  and  L.  Dutens,^  secretary  to  the  English 
Minister  at  Turin,  with  whom  Emma  long  maintained 
a  faithful  friendship.^  Her  heart  was  overflowing.  She 
felt,  as  she  told  Romney,  so  grateful  to  her  husband,  so 
glad  in  restored  innocence  and  happiness,  that  she  would 
'  never  be  able  to  make '  him  '  amends  for  his  goodness.' 
They  started  homeward  by  way  of  Paris,  where  they  were 
to  see  for  the  first  and  last  time  that  tortured  Queen  who 
was  fast  completing  the  tragedy  of  her  doom.  Hence- 
forward the  name  of  '  Hart'  is  heard  no  more.  Hencefor- 
ward Emma  is  no  longer  obscure,  but,  as  Lady  Hamilton, 
passes  into  history. 

^  The  Queen  would  never  receive  Lady  Hamilton  even  after  the  return  of  the 
Hamiltons  to  England,  and  Nelson  will  be  found  angry  that  Sir  William  would 
go  to  court  alone  ;  cf.  post,  chap.  xii. 

2  Parish  Register,  Marylebone  Church. 

^  Immediately  on  her  return  to  Naples  she  begged  Romney  to  send  him,  as 
token,  a  portrait  of  herself — 'the  little  picture  with  the  black  hat.' — Morrison 
MS.  199. 


>■  *^^r 


•^■^ 


;^" 


^^ 


r 


CHAPTER   VI 

TILL   THE    FIRST   MEETING 

1791-1793 

Lady  Hamilton  returned  to  bask  in  social  favour.  It 
was  not  only  the  Neapolitan  noblesse  and  the  English 
wives  that  courted  and  caressed  her.  Their  young 
daughters  also  vied  with  each  other  in  attentions,  and 
vowed  that  never  was  any  one  so  amiable  and  accomplished 
as  this  eighth  wonder.  Among  these  was  a  Miss  Carr, 
who  not  long  afterwards  married  General  Cheney,  an  Aide- 
de-Camp  to  the  Duke  of  York,  during  the  next  few  years 
more  than  once  a  visitor  at  Naples.  The  writer  possesses 
a  miniature  in  water-colour,  drawn  by  this  young  lady,  of 
the  friend  to  whom  she  long  remained  attached.  Emma 
sits,  clad  all  in  white,  with  an  air  of  sweetness  and 
repose.  At  the  back  of  this  memento  she  has  herself 
recorded  :  'Emma  Hamilton,  Naples,  Feb.  11,  1792.  I  had 
the  happiness  of  my  dear  Miss  Carr's  company  all  day; 
but,  alas,  the  day  was  too  short.' 

There  is  nothing  in  this  likeness  to  betoken  the  purpose 
and  ambition  which  she  was  shortly  to  display  in  the  side- 
scenes  of  history.  Horace  Walpole  had  written,  '  So  Sir 
William  has  married  his  gallery  of  statues.'  Emma  soon 
ceases  to  be  a  statue,  and  becomes  prominent  in  the  labyrinth 
of  Neapolitan  intrigue ;  her  role  as  patriot  begins  to  be  fore- 
shadowed. 

Throughout  these  three  critical  years  of  stress  and  shock 
momentous  issues  were  brewing,  destined  to  bring  into 
sharp  relief  and  typical  collision  the  two  giants  of  France 
and  England,  Napoleon  and  Nelson  ;  while  all  the  time, 
under  fate's  invisible  hand.  Nelson  was  as  surely  tending 

137 


138  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

towards  Naples  and  Emma,  as  Emma  was  being  drawn 
towards  Nelson.  From  the  moment  of  her  return  in  the 
late  autumn  of  1791  she  began,  at  first  under  Hamilton's 
tuition,  to  study  and  understand  the  political  landscape. 

Nowhere  outside  France  did  the  Revolution  bode  omens 
more  sinister  than  at  the  Neapolitan  court.      The  Queen 
clearly  discerned  that  her  French  sister  and  brother-in-law 
trembled  on  the  brink  of  destruction.     She  knew  that  the 
epidemic  of  anarchy  must  endanger  Naples  among  the  first, 
and  might  involve  the  possible  extinction  of  its  dynasty. 
She  was  not  deceived  by  the  many  false  prophets  crying 
peace  where  no  peace  was ;  still  less  by  the  wild  schemes 
for   hairbreadth    escapes   which    sent   visionary    deliverers 
scouring   through    Europe.     Her   one   hope — soon    rudely 
shattered — lay  in  Austria's  power  to  effect  a  coalition  of 
great  powers  and  strong  armies.     She  had  just  quitted  the 
family  council  in  Vienna,  following  on  the  death  of  her 
brother  Joseph  the  Second,  and  the  short-lived  accession  to 
the   throne   of  her   other   brother    Leopold,   the    pedantic 
philanthropist.     Its  object  had  been,  in  Horace  Walpole's 
phrase,  to  '  Austriacise '  the  position  of  the  Italian  Bourbons, 
by  family  inter-marriages  and   a  betrothal.^      Her  efforts 
were  bent  on  a  league  against  France,  and  it  was  for  this 
that  on  her  way  home  she  had  contrived  a  surprise  meeting 
with   the    weak    Pope    Pius   VI.,    penetrated    the   Vatican, 
abjured  her  anti-papal  policy,  and  humiliated  herself  in  the 
dust.     And  yet  Louis  XVI.  besought  her  to  suspend  efforts 
which  might  rescue  him,  and  shrank  from  embittering  his 
false  friends.      Austria,  too,  was  for  seven  years  to  prove  a 
broken  reed.     Spain  was  never  a  whole-hearted  enemy  of 
France,   and   within    three  years  was  to  become  her  ally. 
The  Queen  awoke  to  a  fury  of  indignation  and  hopelessness. 
Her   foes  were  those   of  her  own  household — her   nobles, 
her  husband,  his  Spanish  brother  and  sister, — and  herself 
Hitherto  she  had  been  reckoned  an  enlightened  patroness, 

'  Of  her  daughter  Maria  to  Leopold's  son,  the  Grand  Duke  of  Tuscany,  soon 
to  ascend  the  Austrian  throne  as  Francis  the  Second,  and  to  be  branded  as 
'falso  Italiano,  falso  Tedesco  ' ;  of  her  second  daughter,  Luigia  Amalia,  to  the 
Archduke  Ferdinand  ;  by  the  betrothal  also  of  her  eldest  son,  now  only  thirteen, 
to  the  sickly  Archduchess  Maria  Clementina. 


TILL  THE  FIRST  MEETING  139 

compassing  the  equality  and  fraternity  of  subjects  who  had 
never  required  political  liberty.  She  had  stubbornly  re- 
sisted the  Spanish  Machiavellianism  which  had  manoeuvred 
to  undermine  those  very  freemasonries  which  Maria  Caro- 
lina had  founded  and  forwarded.^  Spain  was,  in  truth, 
the  key  of  the  present  position.  Spain  was  befooling 
Ferdinand  and  spiting  his  wife  at  every  turn.  The  Spanish 
queen  coveted  Naples  for  her  own  offspring,  and  the  two 
queens  abominated  each  other.  She  was  quite  aware 
that  the  pro-Spanish  party,  abetted  by  her  blockhead  of  a 
husband,  covertly  designed  the  transference  of  the  Crown 
of  the  two  Sicilies  to  the  Duke  of  Parma,  while  many  of 
the  Neapolitan  nobles,  affronted  at  the  abolition  of  their 
feudal  rights,  were  in  secret  confederation  with  it.  She 
sprang  from  a  house  glorying  in  its  despotic  monopoly 
of  popular  principles,  yet  it  was  to  such  fatalities  that  these 
very  principles  were  leading.  Stability  and  authority  had 
been  her  aims,  yet  the  ground  was  fast  slipping  from 
beneath  her  feet.  She  was  a  true  scion  of  the  casuist 
Hapsburgs,  who  had  always  considered  pride  as  a  sacred 
duty,  and  who,  if  their  system  were  imperilled,  would  be 
ready  to  defend  it  by  conscientious  crimes.  In  the  refrain 
of  her  own  subsequent  letters,  '  //  faut  /aire  son  devoir 
jusqu'au  tonibemi!  - 

And  added  to  all  this  was  the  shifting  mood  of  her 
consort,  whose  infidelities  she  (like  the  queen  of  our  own 
George  the  Second)  only  condoned  in  order  that  his  good 
humour  might  enable  her  to  rule.  He  had  always  twitted 
her  with  being  an  '  Illuminata,'  he  now  derided  her  as  the 
'Austrian  hen.'^  His  advisers  would  prompt  him  to  rely 
more  than  ever  on  his  Spanish  kindred,  to  slight  the 
Hapsburgs  and  herself.  When  Emma  long  afterwards 
claimed  to  have  '  De-Bourbonised '  the  Neapolitan  court, 
it  was  to  these  conditions  that  she  referred."* 

''■  The  court  of  Madrid  had  gone  so  far  as  to  induce  Gallo,  through  Pallanli, 
to  make  a  raid  on  those  societies  and  to  brave  the  anger  of  their  royal  patroness. 
— Pep^,  p.  17. 

*  To  Lady  Hamilton,  Eg.  MS.  1615,  f.  58. 

*  Venice  under  the  Yoke,  etc.,  vol.  ii.  p.  48.  The  King  said  to  Gallo,  '  Ah  ! 
Gallo,  Gallo,  se  non  fosse  per  quella  Gallina  d'Austria  vi  farei  vedere  chi  sono.' 

*  The  non-perception  of  this  fact  has  led  Mr.  Jeaffreson  astray. 


I40  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

Gallo,  the  foreign  minister,  leaned  towards  and  upon 
Spain.  Even  Acton  hitherto  had  been  content  to  pro- 
pitiate the  King  by  taking  his  cue  from  Madrid.  The 
King  himself  had  regarded  England  merely  as  a  market 
for  dogs  and  horses/  the  Queen  only  as  an  enemy  of 
Spain,  That  the  attitude  of  both  was  shortly  to  be  trans- 
formed was  due  to  Emma's  enthusiasm  as  spokeswoman 
for  her  husband.  Even  in  February  1796  Emma  wrote  to 
Lord  Macartney,  who  had  just  arrived  at  Naples,  'the 
Queen  is  worn  out  with  her  effort  to  persuade  Ferdinand 
to  take  a  decided  attitude  against  the  ply  of  Spain,'  and 
that  *  she  approves  of  all  our  prospects!'^  The  moot  question 
soon  became,  Was  Naples  to  be  Spanish  or  English  1  The 
Austrian  influence,  so  prized  by  an  Austrian  princess,  was 
on  the  wane.  As  England's  advocate  the  light-hearted 
Emma  was  drawn  into  the  political  vortex,  and  assumed 
the  mysterious  solemnity  befitting  her  part. 

In  her  perplexity  it  was  to  Acton  that  Maria  Carolina 
turned.  She  thought  him  a  man  of  iron,  whereas  he  was  really 
one  of  wood  ;  but  he  was  methodical,  pro- Austrian,  and  at 
the  core  pro-English.  Under  the  imminence  of  crisis,  he  and 
Hamilton — still  a  man  of  pleasure,  but  not  its  slave — both 
came  to  perceive  that  unless  the  whole  system  of  Europe 
was  to  be  reversed,  an  Anglo-Sicilian  alliance  was  impera- 
tive. Hamilton,  however,  was  slower  to  discern  the  neces- 
sity which  Emma  realised  by  instinct.  Writing  in  April 
1792,  he  says:  'The  Neapolitans,  provided  they  can 
get  their  bellies  full  at  a  cheap  rate,  will  not,  I  am  sure, 
trouble  their  heads  with  what  passes  in  other  countries,  and 
great  pains  are  taken  to  prevent  any  of  the  democratic 
propaganda,  or  their  writings,  finding  their  way  into  this 
kingdom.'^  Even  in  1795  he  was  to  be  more  concerned  with 
the  success  of  his  treatises  on  Vesuvius  than  with  the 
tangle  of  treaties  fast  growing  out  of  the  situation.*  It 
was  not  till   1796  that  he  took  any  strong  initiative  with 

^  Cf.  Morrison   MS.    105.     Lord  Pembroke  to  Sir  W.   Hamilton,   Oct.    16, 
1791,  where  he  complains  of  the  King's  sporting  agent,  '  Calabria.' 
"  Morrison  MS.  274. 
^  Morrison  MS.  208. 
^  Morrison  MS.  252.    One  of  them  was  being  read  before  the  Royal  Society. 


TILL  THE  FIRST  MEETING  141 

Acton. ^  The  two  Sicilies  indeed  were  now  a  shuttlecock 
between  the  treacheries  of  Spain  and  the  dilatoriness  as 
well  as  venality  of  Austria.- 

But  for  England  the  French  cataclysm  meant  something 
wholly  different  from  its  significance  for  the  Continent. 
Great  Britain  stood  alone  and  aloof  from  other  powers. 
She  was  the  nurse  of  traditional  order  and  traditional  liberty 
conjoined  ;  disorder  and  licence,  although  exploitable  by 
political  factions  under  specious  masks,  never  appealed  to 
the  nation  at  large.  Britain's  upheavals  had  been  settled 
by  happy  compromise  more  than  a  century  before. 
Jacobinism  menaced  her  '  free '  trade,  and  might  strike  even 
at  her  free  institutions.  She  was  a  great  maritime  and  a 
Mediterranean  power  whose  coign  of  vantage  in  Gibraltar 
would  prove  useless  if  Naples  and  Sicily,  Malta  and 
Sardinia^  should  fall  to  France.  Sicily,  indeed,  had  been 
one  of  her  objectives  in  that  great  Utrecht  Treaty  which 
had  transferred  it  to  the  friendly  house  of  Savoy,  while  it 
secured  Gibraltar  and  Port  Mahon  to  Great  Britain.  And 
ever  since,  Spain  had  been  England's  sworn  enemy.  Spain 
was  France's  natural  ally,  nor  would  the  revolutionary 
burst  long  deter  the  Spanish  Bourbons  from  an  anti- 
British  policy.  Spain  had  tricked  Austria  and  braved 
Great  Britain  throughout  the  eighteenth  century,  yet  it  was 
on  Spain  that  Maria  Carolina's  husband  habitually  relied. 
From  England,  too,  throughout  that  century,  had  rained 
those  showers  of  gold  which  had  subsidised  the  enemies  of 
Bourbon    preponderance.      '  Will    England,'   wrote    Acton 

^  Cf.  Eg.  MS.  2639,  f.  333.  He  quotes  Pontano's  inscription  in  the  Chapel 
of  S.  Maria :  '  Audendo,  agendoque  res  publica  crescit,  non  his  consiliis  quae 
timidi  caula  appellant.' 

-  The  writer  has  a  letter  of  October  31,  1795,  ^'^om  the  burrowing  Lord 
Bristol  (then  at  Berlin)  to  Lady  Hamilton,  which  tells  her  *  The  poor  Austrian 
General  [i.e.  Wurmser]  .  .  .  had  no  orders,  no  permission  from  that  execrable 
Council  of  War  at  Vienna,  one  half  of  which  are  publickly  known  to  be  sold  to 
the  National  Convention.  Lord  Longford  and  his  pedantick  friend  Mr.  Knott 
are  just  arrived  from  Vienna — they  assure  me  nothing  can  be  more  notorious  or 
more  publickly  talked  of  than  the  Venality  of  the  Council  of  War.  .  .  Dearest 
Emma,  tell  our  dear  inestimable  Queen  from  me  that  unless  she  has  weight 
enough  to  get  that  infamous  Council  of  War  abolished,  suppressed,  annihilated, 
'tis  impossible  that  a  General  can  either  seize  his  advantage  ox  pursue  it.' 

'  Under  the  then  conditions  of  warfare.  Nelson  always  insisted  that  Sardinia 
was  the  key  to  the  Mediterranean  position. 


142  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

some  years  later  to  Hamilton,  when  Emma,  as  the  Queen's 
'  minister  plenipotentiary,'  ^  had  '  spurred  '  them  on,  '  see 
all  Italy,  and  even  the  two  Sicilies,  in  the  French  hands 
with  indifference?  .  .  .  We  shall  perish  if  such  is  our 
destiny,  but  we  hope  of  selling  dear  our  destruction.'- 

In  England  the  remonstrant  Burke  forsook  the  pseudo- 
Jacobin  Whigs.  It  was  hoped,  and  not  without  reason, 
that  Pitt  as  a  great  statesman  might  foresee  the  situation. 
But  the  difficulty  all  along  in  the  British  cabinet,  and  some- 
times the  obstacle,  was  to  prove  Lord  Grenville,^  cold,  stiff, 
timid,  official  to  a  fault ;  so  hesitating  that  he  twice  coun- 
selled the  two  Sicilies  to  make  the  best  peace  they  could  with 
Buonaparte,  before  whom  he  quailed  ;*  and  so  diplomatic 
that,  even  after  Nelson's  Mediterranean  expedition  had  been 
concerted  between  the  two  courts,  he  begged  Circello,  the 
Neapolitan  Ambassador,  to  pretend  discontent  in  public 
with  what  had  just  been  privately  ratified.^  In  the  same 
year,  defending  the  ministry  against  the  Duke  of  Bedford's 
abortive  motion  for  their  dismissal,  and  praising  the  gallant 
navy  '  which  had  ridden  triumphant  at  the  same  moment  at 
the  mouths  of  Brest  and  Cadiz  and  Texel,'  the  Secretary  for 
Foreign  Affairs  could  only  be  wise  after  the  event.  He  could 
only  defend  the  prolongation  of  war  by  Barere's  threat  of 
'  Delenda  est  Carthago,'  by  Condorcet's  opinion  that  under 
a  peace  we  should  have  been  relieved  of  Jamaica,  Bengal, 
and  our  Indian  possessions ;  by  bemoaning  England's 
vanished  '  power  to  control  the  Continent,'  by  proclaiming 
that  she  was  '  at  her  lowest  ebb,'  and  by  complaining  that 
Austria  had  deserted  the  Alliance.*'  Commenting  on  his 
attitude,  thirteen  years  afterwards,  towards  Emma's  claims, 
Canning,  who  warmly  favoured  them,  dwells  on  the  same 
characteristic  of  'coldest  caution.'''     Such  a  spirit  could  ill 

^  In  June  1798.     Eg.  1618,  I.  7,  '  Je  vous  fais  mon  ministre  plenipotencier.' 

-  Eg.  MS.  2640,  ff.  53- 55. 

^  Cf.  Acton's  letter  August  29,  1793,  Eg.  MS.  2639,  f.  66,  and  ibid.  f.  353, 
where  Acton  says  that  Granville  always  'chicaned.' 

*  Eg.  MS.  2639,  ff.  313,  325,  329.  5  Eg.  MS.  2640,  f.  63. 

''  Cf.  British  I^Iuseum  8132  D. ,  f.  9,  1-16.  Greville,  writing  on  January  10, 
1792,  says  :  '  The  crisis  of  France  is  not  far  distant.  Our  Government  will  not 
dare  involve  us  ;  they  are  in  alarms  about  India.' — Morrison  MS.  201. 

'  Rose's  Diaries,  vol.  i.  p.  263. 


TILL  THE  FIRST  MEETING  143 

deal  with  the  conjuncture.  Mob-despotism  was  now  the 
dread  of  Europe.^  Mob-rule  was  already  rampant  in 
France,  though  the  time  was  still  distant  when  the 
Marchioness  of  Solari  could  declare  that  the  French  had 
robbed  her  of  all  but  the  haunting  memory  of  Parisian 
gutters  swimming  with  blood." 

Acton  acceded  to  the  Queen's  request  with  rigour,  but 
his  weak  point  lay  in  the  fact  that  he  was  a  born  bureaucrat ; 
while  the  sort  of  bureaucracy  that  he  favoured,  one  of  secret 
inquisition,  turned  political  offences  into  heresies,  and 
Jacobins  into  martyrs.  Bureaucracies  may  check,  but  have 
never  stemmed,  revolutions  which  are  calmed — when  they 
can  be  calmed — by  commanding  personality  alone.  A 
bureaucrat  is  never  a  trusted  nor  even  a  single  figure,  for  he 
belongs  to  unpopular  and  unavailing  groups  and  systems 
which  from  their  nature  must  at  best  be  temporary  stop- 
gaps. As  Jacobinism  throve  and  persevered,  the  Lazzaroni, 
who  execrated  it  as  a  foreign  innovation,  cheered  their  care- 
less King,  but  they  came  to  hiss  the  Queen  for  her  counte- 
nance of  bureaucracy,  until  Nelson  entered  the  arena,  and 
Emma  formed,  in  1799,  a  'Queen's  party,'  at  the  very 
moment  when  Maria  Carolina  dared  not  so  much  as  show 
her  face  at  Naples. 

Already  in  the  spring  the  French  events  began  to  affect 
Naples.  Mirabcau  dead,  the  abortive  escape  to  Varennes, 
Louis  XVI.  in  open  and  abject  terror,  Danton  and  Petion 
bribed,  the  National  Convention,  the  cosmopolitan  cries  of 
'  Let  us  sow  the  ideas  of  1789  throughout  the  world.  .  .  .  We 
all  belong  to  our  country  when  it  is  in  danger.  .  .  .  Liberty 
and  equality  constitute  country,'  spread  their  contagion 
broadcast.  They  did  not  yet  inflame  the  Neapolitan  middle 
class  ;  they  never  caught  the  Neapolitan  people  ;  but  their 

^  Nelson's  future  letters  constantly  point  to  this  factor.  Deploring  the  condi- 
tion of  Rome  in  August  1799,  he  observes  to  Sir  James  St.  Clair  Erskine  :  '  In 
Civita  Vecchia  are  about  1000  Regulars  with  the  whole  country  against  them,  but 
such  mobs  are  going  about  plundering  that  they .  .  .  are  sometimes  good  Repub- 
licans, and  sometimes  their  bitterest  enemy.  This  mobbing  sysUm  has  its  desire 
of  getting  also  into  the  Neapolitan  Dominions,  which  would  thus  be  in  nearly  as 
bad  a  stale  as  when  in  possession  of  the  P'rench.'  He  then  adverts  to  '  anarchy 
and  confusion,'  etc.     Cf.  the  excerpt  in  Sotheby's  catalogue  for  July  8,  1905. 

'^  She  adds  that  but  for  her  writing  she  must  have  gone  mad. 


144  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

leaven  had  already  touched  the  offended  nobles  ^  and  the 
ungrateful  students.  From  the  moment  of  Louis'  imprison- 
ment in  the  Temple,  his  sister-in-law  changed  her  tack  and 
resolved  to  go  '  Thorough.'  The  pulpits  were  pressed  into 
an  anti-Jacobin  crusade.  The  administration  of  the  twelve 
city  wards,  hitherto  supervised  by  elected  aldermen,  was 
transferred  without  warning  to  chiefs  of  police  as  judges 
and  inspectors.  Denouncers  and  informers  were  hired, 
although  as  yet  the  brooding  Queen  used  her  spies  for  pre- 
caution alone,  and  not  for  vengeance.  The  republican  seed 
of  the  secret  societies,  sown  by  her  own  hands,  had  borne  a 
crop  of  democracy  ripening  towards  harvest.  Her  academic 
reformers  were  fast  developing  into  open  revolutionaries. 
The  red  cap  was  worn  and  flaunted.  Copies  of  the  French 
Statute  were  seized  in  thousands  as  they  lurked  in  sacks  on 
the  rocks  of  Chiaromonte  ;  two  even  found  their  way  into  the 
Queen's  apartments.  This  conspiracy  she  hoped  to  nip  in 
the  bud.  It  had  not  assumed  its  worst  proportions  ;  nor  as 
yet  had  disloyalty  thrown  off  the  mask,  and  appeared  as  a 
bribed  hireling  of  the  National  Convention.-  The  grisly 
horrors  at  Paris  of  1792,  preluding  only  too  distinctly  the 
crowning  executions  of  1793,  called  also  for  sterner  mea- 
sures. By  July,  Beckford,  an  eye-witness,  remarks  that  even 
Savoy  was  '  bejacobinised,  and  plundering,  ravaging,'  were 
'going  on  swimmingly.'^  The  Queen  bestirred  herself 
abroad.  A  league  was  formed  between  Prussia  and  Austria. 
The  Duke  of  Brunswick  issued  his  manifesto  that  one  finger 
laid  on  Louis  would  be  avenged.  Danton  exclaimed,  '  To 
arms  ! '  France,  generalled  by  Dumouriez,  hero  of  Jemappes, 
and  Kellermann  of  Valmy,  was  invaded.  The  assassination 
of  Gustavus  of  Sweden  followed.  But  the  brief  victory  of 
the  confederate  arms  at  Longwy  soon  yielded  to  the  Valmy 
defeat.     Monarchy  was  on  its  trial. 

Once  more  the  Queen   conferred  with  Acton,  and  their 

*  Colonna,  Riario,  Pignatelli,  etc.,  who  had  then  no  commerce  with  the 
professional  class  that  the  Queen  had  always  exalted,  and  that  the  nobles  were 
beginning  to  envy. 

^  Morrison  MS.  238.  The  writer  has  a  letter  in  which  Acton  emphasises  the 
extreme  jeopardy  of  affairs  in  1793.  Pesched  the  banker,  and  Falco  the 
physician,  plotted  even  in  1794  to  kill  the  King. 

^  Morrison  MS.  212. 


TILL  THE  FIRST  MEETING  145 

deliberations  resulted  in  the  detestable  Star  Chamber  of 
the  '  Camera  Oscura.'  Force  was  to  be  met  by  force,  and 
cabal  by  cabal.  Prince  Castelcicala/  a  far  abler  minister 
than  Acton,^  was  recalled  from  London  to  assist  in  its 
councils;  Ruffo,  not  yet  Cardinal,  became  its  assessor;  while 
the  stripling  Luigi  di  Medici,  under  the  title  of 'Regente  della 
vicaria,'  became  its  head  inquisitor.^  But  mercy  was  still 
shown.  Colletta  himself,  an  historian  certainly  unbiassed 
in  the  Queen's  favour,  admits  that  she  had  no  idea  of 
'  persecution.'  Most  odious  means,  however,  were  taken  to 
crush  a  conspiracy  of  foreign  and  unpopular  origin.  Some 
hundreds  of  the  better  class,  some  thousands  of  the  scum, 
were  banished,  or  confined  in  the  prisons  of  Lampedusa 
and  Tremiti.  Such  is  an  imperfect  outline  of  what  hap- 
pened in  1 791  and  1792.* 

The  interview  of  the  Hamiltons  with  Marie  Antoinette 
on  their  homeward  journey  has  been  already  noticed. 
Nearly  twenty-four  years  afterwards  Lady  Hamilton, 
never  accurate,  and  constitutionally  exaggerative,  declared 
in  her  last  memorial  under  the  pressure  of  sore  distress, 
that  she  then  presented  to  the  Queen  of  Naples  her 
sister's  last  letter.  There  is  little  doubt  that  substantially 
she  told  the  truth.  She  was  the  bearer  of  a  missive,  for 
Marie  Antoinette  neglected  none  of  her  now  rare  chances 
of  communication.  About  the  same  time,  however,  the 
Marchioness  of  Solari  also  repaired  from  Paris  to  Naples 
with  another  communication.  Emma  has  been  roundly 
trounced  for  her  statement  by  such  as  occasionally  survey 
history  with  the  diminishing  end  of  their  telescope.  It  is 
hardly  worth  while  debating  whether  all  credence  should  be 
denied  to  the   bearer  of  an  important  letter  simply  on  the 

'  lie  was  replaced  as  Ambassador  in  England  by  Sicigniano,  after  whose 
suicide  the  Marquis  of  Circello  succeeded.  -  In  Nelson's  opinion. 

'  He  was  himself  to  head  a  fresh  conspiracy  in  1795.  Cf.  Hamilton's  letter 
to  G.  Elliot  at  Vienna  of  January  27  of  that  year.  Eg.  MS.  263S,  f.  147.  This 
shows  how  untrue  la  fable  conveuue  has  been  in  ascribing  Medici's  fall  to  Acton's 
vindictiveness. 

*  In  the  foregoing,  besides  the  MS.  and  authorities  cited,  cf.  General  Pepe's 
Memoirs,  Dumas'  History  of  the  Italian  Bourbons  (from  the  Archives),  Croce's 
references  in  Eleonora  Fouseca  di  Pimcntel,  and  Coco's  Saggio  Storico,  General 
Macdonald's  Souvenirs,  Nardini's  Mimoires. 

K 


146  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

ground  of  priority.  But,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  the  Marchioness 
paid  two  visits  about  this  time  to  Naples,  and  the  month  of 
the  first  may  well  have  preceded  that  of  Lady  Hamilton's 
arrival  there  in  1791.  Moreover,  the  Marchioness's  own 
language  points  to  a  merely  verbal  message  on  the  first 
occasion,^  and  not  to  a  'letter'  at  all. 

Whether  or  no  this  incident  fastened  afresh  the  Queen's 
regard,  certain  it  is  that  Maria  Carolina  gave  the  mot  cFordre 
for  Lady  Hamilton's  acceptability.  Nobody  disputed  her 
position,  least  of  all  the  English.  She  was  at  once  formally 
presented  to  the  Queen.  By  mid-April  of  1792  Sir 
William  Hamilton  could  tell  Horace  Walpole,  just  acced- 
ing to  his  earldom,  that  the  Queen  had  been  very  kind,  and 
treated  his  wife  '  like  any  other  travelling  lady  of  dis- 
tinction.' 'Emma,'  he  adds,  'has  had  a  difficult  part 
to  act,  and  has  succeeded  wonderfully,  having  gained  by 
having  no  pretensions  the  thorough  approbation  of  all  the 
English  ladies.  .  .  .  You  cannot  imagine  how  delighted 
Lady  H.  was  in  having  gained  your  approbation  in  Eng- 
land. .  ,  .  She  goes  on  improving  daily.  .  .  .  She  is  really 
an  extraordinary  being.'- 

Within  a  month  of  her  arrival  in  the  previous  autumn, 
and  in  the  midst  of  successes,  she  sat  down  to  write  to 
Romney.  The  tone  of  this  letter  deserves  close  attention, 
for  no  under-motive  could  colour  a  communication  to  so 
old  and  fatherly  a  comrade :  '  I  have  been  received  with 
open  arms  by  all  the  Neapolitans  of  both  sexes,  by  all  the 
foreigners  of  every  distinction.  I  have  been  presented  to 
the  Queen  of  Naples  by  her  own  desire,  she  [h]as  shewn  me 
all  sorts  of  kind  and  affectionate  attentions ;  in  short,  I  am 
the  happiest  woman  in  the  world.  Sir  William  is  fonder  of 
me  every  day,  and   I  hope   I   [he  ?]  will  have  no  corse  to 

1  Cf.  Venice  under  the  Yoke  of  France  and  of  Austria,  p.  78.  The  Mar- 
chioness states  generally  that  (from  1791-93)  she  was  entrusted  with  '  letters,'  but 
explains  the  term  in  the  same  paragraph  by  averring  that  she  '  was  often  charged 
with  verbal  messages  of  a  nature  too  delicate  to  be  committed  to  paper  in  those 
perilous  times.'  Mr.  Jeaffreson  has  left  this  unnoticed,  and  he  has  assumed  that 
the  Marchesa  paid  her  short  and  secret  visit  of  1791  after  Emma's  return  from 
London.  He  evidently  confuses  this  with  the  later  visit  of  October  1793-  But 
the  Marchioness  was  herself  by  no  means  accurate  in  details. 

-  Morrison  MS.  208,  April  17,  1792. 


TILL  THE  FIRST  MEETING  147 

repent  of  what  he  [h]as  done,  for  I  feel  so  grateful  to  him 
that  I  think  I  shall  never  be  able  to  make  him  amends  for 
his  goodness  to  me.  But  why  do  I  tell  you  this  ?  You 
was  the  first  dear  friend  I  open'd  my  heart  to ;  you  ought 
to  know  me.^  .  .  .  How  gratefull  then  do  I  feel  to  my  dear, 
dear  husband  that  has  restored  peace  to  my  mind,  that  has 
given  me  honors,  rank,  and  what  is  more,  innocence  and 
happiness.  Rejoice  with  me,  my  dear  sir,  my  friend,  my 
more  than  father  ;  believe  me,  I  am  still  that  same  Emma 
you  knew  me.  If  I  could  forget  for  a  moment  what  I  was, 
I  ought  to  suffer.  Command  me  in  anything  I  can  do  for 
you  here ;  believe  me,  I  shall  have  a  real  pleasure.  Come 
to  Naples,  and  I  will  be  your  model,  anything  to  induce 
you  to  come,  that  I  may  have  an  opportunity  to  show  my 
gratitude  to  you.  .  ,  .  We  have  a  many  English  at  Naples, 
Ladys  Malm[e]sbury,  Maiden,  Plymouth,  Carnegie,  and 
Wright,  etc.  They  are  very  kind  and  attentive  to  me  ; 
they  all  make  it  a  point  to  be  remarkably  cevil  to  me. 
Tell  Hayly  I  am  always  reading  his  Triumphs  of  Temper ; 
it  was  that  that  made  me  Lady  H.,for  God  knows  I  had  for 
five  years  enough  to  try  my  temper,  and  I  am  affraid  if  it 
had  not  been  for  the  good  example  Serena  taught  me,  my 
girdle  wou'd  have  burst,  and  if  it  had  I  had  been  undone  ; 
for  Sir  W.  minds  more  temper  than  beauty.  He  therefore 
wishes  Mr.  Hayly  wou'd  come,  that  he  might  thank  him  for 
his  sweet-tempered  wife.  I  swear  to  you,  I  have  never 
once  been  out  of  humour  since  the  6th  of  last  September. 
God  bless  you.'- 

Romney,  whose  friend  Flaxman,  now  in  Rome,  counted 
himself  among  Emma's  devotees,^  replied  in  terms  of  humble 
respect.  He  deprecated  the  liberty  of  sending  a  friend 
with  a  letter  of  introduction,  and  only  wished  that  he  could 
express  his  feelings  on  the  perusal  of  her  '  happyness.' 
'  May  God  grant  it  may  remain  so  to  the  end  of  your 
days.'* 

How  'attentive'  to  her  Lady  Plymouth  and  the  English 

'  Here  follows  the  passage  about  her  '  sense  oi  virtue  '  not  being  overcome  in 
her  earliest  distresses,  quoted  ante  in  chap.  ii.  *  Morrison  MS.  199. 

'  Morrison  MS.  207,  and  cf.  his  interview  and  Hayley's  with  her  and  Nelson 
in  \%02,  poit,  chap.  xii.  ••  Morrison  MS.  210. 


148  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

sisterhood  were  at  this  early  period  is  shown  by  a  letter 
which  changed  hands  during  the  present  year.  It  is  couched 
not  only  in  terms  of  affection,  but  of  trust.  If  the  French 
terror  became  actual  at  Naples,  Lady  Plymouth  would  take 
refuge  with  Lady  Hamilton,  and  'creep  under  the  shadow 
of  her  'wings.'  The  leaders  of  English  society  relished,  as 
always,  a  new  sensation,  and,  away  from  England,  delighted 
to  honour  one  so  different  from  themselves. 

While  all  this  underground  disturbance  proceeded,  the 
outward  aspect  of  court  and  city  was  serenity  itself. 
Ancient  Pompeii  could  not  have  been  more  frivolously 
festive.  Ill  as  they  suited  her  mood,  the  Queen,  from  policy, 
encouraged  these  galas.  They  distracted  the  court  from 
treason,  they  pleased  her  husband  and  people,  and  they 
attracted  a  crowd  of  useful  foreigners,  especially  the  English, 
who,  during  these  two  years,  inundated  Naples  to  their 
Ambassador's  dismay.  The  distinguished  English  visitors 
of  1792  included  the  sickly  young  Prince  Augustus,  after- 
wards Duke  of  Sussex,  whose  delicate  health  and  morganatic 
marriage^  alike  added  to  Hamilton's  anxieties.  But  for  the 
disturbed  state  of  the  Continent,  '  Vathek '  Beckford — to 
whom  Sir  William  was  always  kind — would  have  revisited 
his  kinsman  also.  He  had  not  long  quitted  his  'dear'  and 
queenly  friend  '  Mary  of  Portugal,'  and  was  now  travelling 
through  Savoy  with  a  retinue  worthy  of  Disraeli's  Sidonia 
and  composed  of  half  the  emigres,  musicians,  and  cooks — 
chefs  dorchestre  et  de  cuisine — of  Versailles  ;2  and  Emma's 
old  friend  Gavin  Hamilton  was  also  among  the  throng.^ 

A  correspondence*  between  husband  and  wife  during 
the  January  of  this  year,  and  his  absence  with  the  King  at 
Persano,  is  pleasant  reading,  and  oictures  a  happy  pair. 
The  Ambassador,  who  up  to  now  Lid  found  his  business 
in  sport,  cheerfully  roughing  it  on  bread  and  butter,  going 

^  With  Lady  Augusta  Murray,  to  whom  he  was  a  devoted  husband  in  the 
teeth  of  his  father's  and  brother's  opposition.  Lady  Hamilton  continued  to 
enjoy  his  friendship  long  afterwards.  The  Estes,  Nelson's  and  her  friends  and 
correspondents,  were  related. 

"  Morrison  MS.  212,  213.  ^  Stowe  MS.  I020,  f.  2. 

■*  Nelson  Letters,  vol.  ii.  pp.  137-139. 


TILL  THE  FIRST  MEETING  149 

to  bed  at  nine  and  rising  at  five,  reading,  too,  '  to  digest 
his  dinner,'  is  affectionate  and  playful.  He  was  '  sorry,' 
he  writes  on  leaving,  that  his  '  dear  Em '  must  *  harden ' 
herself  to  such  little  misfortunes  as  a  temporary  parting'; 
but  he  'cannot  blame  her  for  having  a  good  and  tender 
heart'  'Believe  me,  you  are  in  thorough  possession  of 
all  mine,  though  I  will  allow  it  to  be  rather  tough.'  His 
diary  of  the  hour  flows  from  a  light  heart  and  pen.  He 
tells  her  the  gossip:  'Yesterday  the  courier  brought  the 
order  of  St.  Stephano  from  the  Emperor^  for  the  Prince 
Ausberg,^  and  the  King  was  desired  to  invest  him  with  it. 
As  soon  as  the  King  received  it,  he  ran  into  the  Prince's 
room,  whom  he  found  in  his  shirt,  and  without  his  breeches, 
and  in  that  condition  was  he  decorated  with  the  star  and 
ribbon  by  his  majesty,  who  has  wrote  the  whole  circum- 
stance to  the  Emperor.  Leopold  may,  perhaps,  not  like 
the  joking  with  his  first  order.  Such  nonsense  should 
certainly  be  done  with  solemnity  ;  or  it  becomes,  what  it 
really  is,  a  little  tinsel  and  a  few  yards  of  broad  ribbon.' 
His  watchful  wife,  in  her  turn,  acquaints  him  with  London 
cabals  to  dislodge  him  from  office.  '  Our  conduct'  he 
answers  with  indignation,  '  shall  be  such  as  to  be  unattack- 
able.  .  .  .  Twenty-seven  years'  service,  having  spent  all  the 
King's  money,  and  all  my  own,  besides  running  in  debts, 
deserves  something  better  than  a  dismission.  ...  I  would 
not  be  married  to  any  woman  but  yourself  for  all  the 
world.'  And  again,  '  I  never  doubted  your  gaining 
every  soul  you  approach.  .  .  .  Nothing  pleases  me  more 
than  to  hear  you  do  not  neglect  your  singing.  It  would 
be  a  pity,  as  you  are  near  the  point  of  perfection.'  The 
very  etiquette  of  the  Embassy  he  leaves  with  confidence  in 
her  hands.  'You  did  admirably,  my  dear  Em.,  in  not 
inviting  Lady  A.  H.^  to  dine  with  the  prince,  and  still 
better  in  telling  her  honestly  the  reason.  I  have  always 
found  that  going  straight  is  the  best  method,  though  not 

'  Leopold. 

-'  Tie  was  illiterate.  Cf.  Nelson  Letters,  p.  158.  'Having  no  opportunity  of 
making  love  does  nothing  but  talk  of  his  new  flame,  which  is  Lady  A.  Hatton. 
I  put  him  right,  for  he  thought  she  spelt  her  name  with  two  >/•  instead  of  two  //.' 

*  Hatton.     Cf.  the  last  note. 


ISO  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

the  way  of  the  world.^  You  did  also  very  well  in  asking 
Madame  Skamouski,  and  not  taking  upon  you  to  present 
her  [to  the  Queen]  without  leave.  In  short,  consult  your 
own  good  sense,  and  do  not  be  in  a  hurry ;  and  I  am  sure 
you  will  always  act  right.  ...  As  the  Prince  asked  you, 
you  did  right  to  send  for  a  song  of  Douglass's,-  but  in 
general  you  will  do  right  to  sing  only  at  home.'  He  also 
politely  deprecates  his  plebeian  mother-in-law's  attendance 
at  formal  receptions.  But  Emma,  throughout  her  career,  dis- 
dained to  be  parted  for  a  moment.  Unlike  raosX.  paf'venues, 
she  never  blushed  for  the  homely  creature  who  had  stood  by 
her  in  the  day  of  trouble,  and  her  intense  love  for  her 
mother,  even  when  it  stood  most  in  her  way,  ennobles  her 
character. 

The  Neapolitan  revelries  were  sometimes  the  reverse  of 
squeamish :  *  Let  them  all  roll  on  the  carpet,'  he  writes, 
*  provided  you  are  not  of  the  party.  My  trust  is  in  you 
alone.' 

It  should  be  marked  that  from  other  letters  of  this  series 
it  is  evident  that  even  thus  early  Lady  Hamilton  was 
copying  and  translating  despatches.  Sir  William  was 
naturally  torpid,  and  his  enthusiasm  centred  on  the  wife 
who  bestirred  him.  His  efforts  to  keep  eternally  young 
were  already  being  damped  by  the  deaths  of  contemporaries. 
That  of  his  old  intimate.  Lord  Pembroke,  in  1794,^  was  to 
evoke  a  characteristic  comment : — '  It  gave  me  a  little  twist ; 
but  I  have  for  some  time  perceived  that  my  friends,  with 
whom  I  spent  my  younger  days,  have  been  dropping 
around  me.' 

The  close  of  1792  saw  the  first  of  those  serious  illnesses 
through  which  Emma  was  so  often  to  nurse  him.  For 
more  than  a  fortnight  he  lay  in  danger  at  Caserta.  Lady 
Hamilton  was  '  eight  days  without  undressing,  eating,  or 
sleeping.'  The  Queen  and  King  sent  constantly  to  in- 
quire. Although  Naples  was  distant  sixteen  miles.  Ladies 
Plymouth,   Dunmore,   and    Webster,   with    others    of  the 

^  Cf.  Nelson's  'upright  and  straightforward.' 
-  Lord  W.  Douglas,  Sir  W.'s  relation. 

^  The  letter  from  which  this  excerpt  comes  is  wrongly  included  in  this  series 
of  1792.     A  letter  exists  from  him  in  June  1793.     Morrison  MS.  225. 


II 


TILL  THE  FIRST  MEETING  151 

British  contingent,  offered  even  to  stay  with  her.     She  tells 
her  dear  Mr.  Greville  (how  changed  the  appellation !)  of 
her  *  great  obligations,'  and  of  her  grief.     *  Endead  I  was 
almost  distracted  from  such  extreme  happiness  at  once  to 
such  misery.  .  .  ,  What  cou'd  console  me  for  the  loss  of 
such  a  husband,  friend,    and    protector  ?      For    surely  no 
happiness  is  like  ours.     We  live  but  for  one  another.     But 
I  was  too  happy.     I  had  imagined  I  was  never  more  to  be 
unhappy.      All  is  right.      I  now   know  myself  again,  and 
shall  not  easily  fall  into  the  same  error  again.     For  every 
moment  I  feel  what  I  felt  when  I  thought  I  was  loseing 
him   for  ever.'  ^     This  is  the  letter  concerning  her  grand- 
mother to  which  reference  has  already  been  made.     Since 
I  lay  stress  on  the  fact  that  Emma  was  a  typical  daughter 
of  the  people  both  in  scorn   and  affection,  that  she  was 
warm-hearted,  unmercenary,    and    grateful,   and    that   she 
never  lowered  the   natures  of  those  with  whom  she  was 
brought  into  contact,  another  excerpt  may  be  pardoned: — 
*  I   will  trouble   you  with    my  own    affairs  as  you   are  so 
good  as  to  interest  yourself  about  me.     You  must  know  I 
send  my  grandmother  every  Cristmas  twenty  pounds,  and 
so  I  ought.     I  have  200  a  year  for  nonsense,  and  it  wou'd 
be  hard  I  cou'd  not  give  her  twenty  pounds  when  she  has 
so  often  given  me  her  last  shilling.     As  Sir  William  is  ill, 
I  cannot  ask  him  for  the  order;    but  if  you  will  get  the 
twenty  pounds  and   send   it  to  her,   you   will   do  me  the 
greatest  favor  ;  for  if  the  time  passes  without  hearing  from 
me,  she  may  imagine  I   have  forgot  her,  and  I  would  not 
keep  her  poor  old   heart   in  suspense   for  the  world.  .  .  . 
Cou'd  you  not  write  to  her  a  line  from  me  and  send  to  her, 
and  tell  her  by  my  order,  and  she  may  write  to  you  ?     Send 
me  her  answer.     For  I  cannot  divest  myself  of  my  original 
feelings.      It  will  contribute  to  my  happiness,  and    I   am 
sure  you  will  assist  to  make  me  happy.      Tell  her  every 
year  she  shal  have  twenty  pound.     The  fourth  of  November 
last  I  had  a  dress  on  that  cost  twenty-five  pounds,  as  it 
was  Gala  at  Court;  and  believe  me   I  felt  unhappy  all  the 
while  I  had  it  on.     Excuse  the  trouble  I  give  you.' 

'  Morrison  MS.  215;  Caserla,  December  4,  1792. 


152  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

The  end  of  1792  and  the  whole  of  1793  loomed  big  with 
crisis.  The  new  year  opened  with  the  judicial  murder  of 
the  French  King,  it  closed  with  that  of  Marie  Antoinette. 
Her  execution  exasperated  all  Europe  against  France. 
England  declared  war ;  Prussia  retired  from  the  first 
Coalition,  and  the  second  was  formed.  An  Anglo-Sicilian 
understanding  ensued.  Through  the  arrival  of  La  Touche 
Treviile's  squadron  at  Naples,  the  French  sansculottes 
shook  hands  with  the  Italian.  Hood's  capture  of  Toulon, 
Napoleon's  undoing  of  it,  and  Nelson's  advent  in  the 
Agamemnon,  opened  out  a  death-struggle  unfinished  even 
when  the  hero  died. 

To  the  Queen's  promptings  of  temperament  and  habits 
of  principle  were  now  to  be  added  the  goads  of  revenge. 
Jacobinism  for  her  and  her  friends  soon  came  to  mean  the 
devil.  And  with  this  year,  too,  opened  also  Lady  Hamilton's 
intimacy  with  the  Queen,  her  awakening  of  her  listless 
hwsband,  and  her  keen  endeavours  on  behalf  of  the  British 
navy. 

The  worst  hysteria  is  that  of  a  woman  who  is  able  to  con- 
ceal it.  Such  was  now  the  Queen's.  The  overture  to  this 
drama  of  1793  was  her  formal  dismissal  of  Citizen  Mackau,^ 
for  a  few  months  past  the  unwelcome  Jacobin  representa- 
tive of  France  at  the  Neapolitan  court;  at  the  same  time, 
the  Queen's  influence  procured  the  dismissal  of  yet  another 
'citizen'  ambassador  at  Constantinople.^  Treviile's  fleet 
promptly  appeared  to  enforce  reparation.  His  largest 
vessel  dropped  anchor  in  face  of  Castel  Del  Uovo,  and  the 
rest  formed  in  line  of  battle  behind  it.  A  council  was 
called.  The  Anglo-Sicilian  treaty  was  yet  in  abeyance, 
and  with  shame  and  rage  Maria  Carolina  had  to  submit, 
and  receive  the  minister  back  again.  But  this  was  not  all. 
No  sooner  had  Treville  departed  than  a  convenient  storm 
shattered  his  fleet,  and  he  returned  to  refit.      His  sailors 

^  On  his  departure  he  took  with  him  the  family  of  Basseville  his  secretary, 
who  had  been  murdered  under  the  eyes  of  the  Supreme  Pontiff  at  Rome.  Cf. 
Dumas'  /  Borboni.  After  Mackau  returned,  he  was  replaced  for  a  time  by 
the  Comte  de  Michelle,  he  again  by  La  Cheze,  and  he,  in  his  turn,  by  Garat. 
Emma  in  her  'Prince  of  Wales'  memorial  of  1813  confuses  Michelle  with 
Garat. 

^  Semouville. 


TILL  THE  FIRST  MEETING  I53 

hobnobbed  with  the  secret  societies,  and  a  definite  re- 
volution began.  France  had  hoped  for  attack  ;  open 
war  being  refused,  she  renewed  her  designs  by  stealth. 
The  Queen,  incensed  beyond  measure,  redoubled  her 
suspicions  and  her  precautions.  To  the  secret  tribunal 
she  added  a  closed  'Junta,'  and  the  grim  work  of  de- 
portation and  proscription  set  in.  All  Naples,  except 
the  Lazzaroni,  rose.  Despite  the  Neapolitan  neutrality, 
Maria  now  organised  a  second  coalition  against  France, 
which  was  at  first  successful.^  The  French,  too,  were 
beaten  off  Sardinia.  In  August  she  renewed  her  desperate 
attempts  to  save  her  sister  ;2  the  jailor's  wife  was  inter- 
viewed. Archduchess  Christine  contrived  to  send  the 
Marquis  Burlot  and  Rosalia  D'Albert  with  carte  blanche  on 
a  mission  of  rescue.  It  was  too  late :  they  were  arrested. 
But  Toulon  was  betrayed  by  Trogoff  to  Hood,  who  took 
possession  of  it  for  Louis  XVII. 

Meanwhile,  repression  reigned  at  Naples.  Every  French 
servant  was  banished  ;  some  of  the  English  visitors,  among 
them  Mr.  Hodges,  the  present  and  future  pesterer  of  Emma 
by  his  attentions,  were  implicated.^  The  Queen,  mistrust- 
ful of  the  crew  who  had  played  her  false,  turned  to  Emma 
in  her  misfortunes,  for  Lady  Hamilton  was  now  quite  as 
familiar  with  the  royalties  as  her  husband.*  One  of  the 
Neapolitan  duchesses  long  afterwards  insinuated  to  the 
Marchioness  of  Solari  that  Emma's  paramount  influence 
was  due  to  spying  on  them  and  the  libertine  King.^  This 
may  at  first  have  been  so  (though  envy  supplies  a  likelier 
reason),  but  the  real  cause  lies  deeper.  The  Queen's  corre- 
spondence commences  in  the  winter  of  1793,  ^"d  it  is  quite 
clear  that  its  mainspring  was  sympathy. 

'  At  Magonza. 

■■^  She  wrote  to  poor  young  Tonlan,  '  Ama  poco  chi  tcnic  di  morire.' 

'  Lord  riervey's  and  the  Prince  of  Wales's  friend.  Cf.  Eg.  MS.  2639,  ff.  97 
and  123. 

•*  Cf.  Morrison  MS.  220,  March  12,  1793.     Hamilton  to  Grevillc. 

''  Abominable  and  unfounded  rumours,  both  of  her  and  the  Queen,  passed 
current  among  the  French  Jacobins,  who  fastened  the  same  filth  with  as  little 
foundation  on  Marie  Antoinette.  Emma  told  Greville  how  she  despised  and 
ignored  the  lying  scandals  of  Paris  which  Napoleon  afterwards  favoured  from 
policy.  He  used  to  call  Maria  Carolina  '  Fredegonde,'  in  allusion  to  the  cruel 
mistress  of  King  Chilperic  i. 


154  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

'  Par  le  sort  de  la  naissance 

L'un  est  roi,  I'autre  est  berger. 
Le  hasard  fit  leur  distance  ; 

L'esprit  seul  peut  tout  changer.' ' 

The  constraint  of  a  traitorous  and  artificial  court  left  the 
Queen  without  a  confidante,  and  she  welcomed  a  child  of 
nature  whom  she  fancied  she  could  mould  at  will.  The 
more  her  pent-up  hatred  fastened  on  her  courtiers,  the  more 
she  spited  them  by  petting  her  new  favourite.  The  friend- 
ship of  queens  with  the  lowly  appeals  to  vanity  as  well  as 
to  devotion.  It  proved  so  with  both  Sarah  Jennings  and 
even  more  with  the  humbler  Abigail  Masham.  In  still 
greater  degree  did  it  now  so  prove  with  Emma.  It  was 
not  long  before  she  rode  out  regularly  on  a  horse  from  the 
royal  stables,  attended  by  a  royal  equerry,  and  enjoying 
semi-royal  privileges.  Maria's  haughty  ladies-in-waiting, 
the  Marchionesses  of  San  Marco  and  of  San  Clemente,  can 
scarcely  have  been  pleased.  Jealousy  must  have  abounded, 
but  it  found  no  outlet  for  her  downfall.  That  the  Neapolitan 
nobility,  at  any  rate,  believed  in  her  real  services  to  England, 
is  shown  by  the  rumour  among  them  that  she  was  Pitt's 
informer.  Henceforward  dates  the  growth  of  an  English 
party  and  an  Anglo-mania  at  the  Neapolitan  court  which 
was  violently  opposed  alike  by  the  pro-Spanish,  the  pro- 
Jacobin,  and  the  '  down-with-the-foreigner '  parties.  Emma, 
however,  stood  as  yet  only  on  the  threshold  of  her  political 
influence. 

In  the  June  of  that  year,  '  for  political  reasons,'  Lady 
Hamilton  informs  Greville,  *  we  have  lived  eight  months  at 
Caserta,'  formerly  only  their  winter  abode,  but  now  the 
Queen's  regular  residence  during  the  hot  months.  '  Our 
house  has  been  like  an  inn  this  winter.'  (Sir  William 
naturally  sighed  over  the  expense.)  ' .  .  .  We  had  the 
Duchess  of  Ancaster  several  days.  It  is  but  3  days  since 
the  Devonshire  family  has  left ;  and  we  had  fifty  in  our 
family  for  four  days  at  Caserta.     'Tis  true  we  dined  every 

^  It  may  thus  be  paraphrased  : — 

*  Random  lot  of  birth  can  start 
Peasant  one,  another  Queen. 
Chance  has  placed  them  far  apart ; 
Mother-wit  can  change  the  scene.' 


J 


TILL  THE  FIRST  MEETING  155 

day  at  court,  or  at  some  casino  of  the  King  ;  for  you  cannot 
immagine  how  good  our  King  and  Queen  as  been  to  the 
principal  English  who  have  been  here — particularly  to  Lord 
and  Lady  Palmerston,  Cholmondely,  Devonshire,  Lady 
Spencer,  Lady  Bessborough,  Lady  Plymouth,  Sir  George 
and  Lady  Webster.  And  I  have  carried  the  ladies  to  the 
Queen  very  often,  as  she  as  permitted  me  to  go  very 
often  in  private,  which  I  do.  ...  In  the  evenings  I  go  to 
her,  and  we  are  tete-a-tete  2  or  3  hours.  Sometimes  we 
sing.  Yesterday  the  King  and  me  sang  duetts  3  hours.  It 
was  but  bad.  .  .  .  To-day  the  Princess  Royal  of  Sweden 
comes  to  court  to  take  leave  of  their  Majesties,  Sir  William 
and  me  are  invited  to  dinner  with  her.  She  is  an  amiable 
princess,  and  as  lived  very  much  with  us.  The  other 
ministers'  wives  have  not  shewed  her  the  least  attention 
because  she  did  not  pay  them  the  first  visit,  as  she  travels 
under  the  name  of  the  Countess  of  Wasa.  .  .  .  Her  Majesty 
told  me  I  had  done  very  well  in  waiting  on  Her  Royal 
Highness  the  moment  she  arrived.  However,  the  ministers' 
wives  are  very  fond  of  me,  as  the[y]  see  I  have  no  pre- 
tentions ;  nor  do  I  abuse  of  Her  Majesty's  goodness,  and 
she  observed  the  other  night  at  court  at  Naples  [when] 
we  had  a  drawing-room  in  honner  of  the  Empress  having 
brought  a  son,  I  had  been  with  the  Queen  the  night  before 
alone  en  faniille  laughing  and  singing,  etc.  etc.,  but  at  the 
drawing-room  I  kept  my  distance,  and  payd  the  Queen  as 
much  respect  as  tho'  I  had  never  seen  her  before,  which 
pleased  her  very  much.  But  she  shewed  me  great  dis- 
tinction that  night,  and  told  me  several  times  how  she 
admired  my  good  conduct.  I  onely  tell  you  this  to  shew 
and  convince  you  I  shall  never  change,  but  allways  be 
simple  and  natural.  You  may  immagine  how  happy  my 
dear,  dear  Sir  William  is.  .  .  .  Wc  live  more  like  lovers 
than  husband  and  wife,  as  husbands  and  wives  go  nowa- 
days. Lord  deliver  me !  and  the  English  are  as  bad  as  the 
Italians,  some  few  excepted. 

'  I  study  very  hard,  .  .  .  and  I  have  had  all  my  songs 
set  for  the  viola,  so  that  Sir  William  may  accompany  me, 
which  as  pleased  him  very  much,  so  that  we  study 
together.     The  English  garden  is  going  on  very  fast.     The 


156  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

King  and  Queen  go  there  every  day.  Sir  William  and  me 
are  there  every  morning  at  seven  a  clock,  sometimes  dine 
there  and  allvvays  drink  tea  there.  In  short  it  is  Sir 
William's  favourite  child,  and  booth  him  and  me  are  now- 
studying  botany,  but  not  to  make  ourselves  pedantical 
prigs  and  shew  our  learning  like  some  of  our  travelling 
neighbours,  but  for  our  own  pleasure.  Greffer^  is  as  happy 
as  a  prince.  Poor  Flint,  the  messenger,  was  killed  going 
from  hence.  I  am  very  sorry.  He  was  lodged  in  our  house 
and  I  had  a  great  love  for  him.  I  sent  him  to  see  Pompea, 
Portici,  and  all  our  delightful  environs,  and  sent  all  his 
daughters  presents.  Poor  man,  the  Queen  as  expressed 
great  sorrow.  Pray  let  me  know  if  his  family  are  provided 
for  as  I  may  get  something  for  them  perhaps.  .  .  .  Pray 
don't  fail  to  send  the  inclosed.'- 

But  more  than  such  surface-life  was  now  animating 
Emma.  A  peasant's  daughter,  at  length  in  the  ascendant 
over  an  Empress,  was  receiving,  communicating,  intensify- 
ing wider  impressions.  When  her  Queen  denounced,  she 
abominated  the  Jacobins ;  her  tears  were  mingled  with 
Maria's  over  the  family  catastrophes.  She  preached  up  to 
her  the  English  as  the  avengers  of  her  wrongs.  She  rejoiced 
with  her  over  the  Anglo-Sicilian  alliance  concluded  in 
July.  She  longed  for  some  deliverer  who  might  justify 
her  flights  of  eloquence. 

England  had  at  last  joined  the  allies  and  thrown  down  the 
gauntlet  in  earnest.  The  loth^  of  September  1793  brought 
Nelson's  first  entry  both  into  Naples  and  into  the  Am- 
bassador's house. 

He  had  been  despatched  by  Lord  Hood  on  a  special 
mission  to  procure  ten  thousand  troops  from  Turin  and 
Naples    after    that    wonderful    surrender*    of    starved-out 

^  Grafer — a  trusted  agent  of  Hamilton's.  He  afterwards  became  the  manager 
of  Nelson's  Bronte  estates.  His  wife  was  a  scheming  woman  who,  in  later 
years,  gave  much  trouble  both  to  Nelson  and  Lady  Hamilton. 

'-  Probably  relating  to  'little  Emma.'     Morrison  MS.  221;  Caserta,  June  2, 

1793- 

^  This  is  the  date  of  arrival  usually  given,  but  a  letter  from  Acton  respecting 
salutes  of  ceremony,  dated  September  4,  seems  to  point  to  that  of  a  few  days 
earlier.     Cf.  Eg.  MS.  2639,  f.  74. 

*  August  22. 


Jl 


Lord  Nelson. 

Ftoin  an  engraved  medallion 


TILL  THE  FIRST  MEETING  157 

Toulon  : — '  The  strongest  in  Europe,  and  twenty-two  sail 
of  the  line  .  .  .  without  firing  a  shot. '  ^ 

The  previous  year  had  called  forth  two  ruling  strains  in 
his  nature :  the  one  of  irritable  embitterment  at  his  un- 
recognised solicitations  for  a  command ;  the  other  of 
patriotic  exultation  when  Chatham  ^  and  Hood  suddenly 
'smiled'  upon  him,  thanks,  it  would  seem,  to  the  impor- 
tunity of  his  early  admirer  and  lifelong  friend,  the  Duke  of 
Clarence.  For  five  years  he  had  been  eating  out  his  heart 
on  half-pay  in  a  Norfolk  village ;  and  even  when  the  long- 
delayed  command  had  come,  crass  officialism  assigned  him 
only  a  '  sixty-four '  and  the  fate  of  drifting  aimlessly  off 
Guernsey  with  no  enemy  in  sight.  If  proof  be  wanted  of 
Nelson's  inherent  idealism,  it  is  found  in  the  fact  that  in 
these  long  days  of  stillness  and  obscurity  he  was  brooding 
over  the  future  of  his  country,  and  devising  the  means  of 
combating  unarisen  combinations  against  her. 

He  was  now  almost  thirty-five,  and  had  been  married  six 
years  and  a  half  ;-^  his  wife  was  five  years  younger  than  himself 
From  his  earliest  years,  at  once  restrained  and  sensitive, 
companionable  and  lonely,  athirst  for  glory  rather  than 
for  fame,  simple  as  a  child  yet  brave  as  a  lion,  he  had  ex- 
perienced at  intervals  several  passionate  friendships  for 
women.*  As  a  stripling  in  Canada  he  conceived  so  vehement 
an  affection  for  Miss  Molly  Simpson''  that  he  was  with  diffi- 
culty withheld  from  leaving  the  service.  After  a  short 
interval,  Miss  Andrews  in  France  had  rekindled  the  flame. 
His  intensest  feeling  in  the  Leeward  Islands  had  been 
for  Mrs.  Moutray,  his  '  dear,  sweet  friend.'  His  engagement 
to  her  associate,  Frances  Nisbet,  had  been  sudden — some 

^  Nelson  to  his  wife,  nth  September  (the  day  after  his  arrival  at  Naples). 
Laughton's  Letters  and  Despatches,  p.  51.  The  French  always  persisted  in  assert- 
ing the  capitulation  to  have  been  caused  by  TrogofT's  treachery.     Cf.  Dumas. 

-  Second  earl.  First  Lord  of  Admiralty,  1788. 

'  A  copy  of  their  marriage  certificate  is  in  the  British  Museum.  Add.  MS. 
28,333,  f-  I- 

•*  Cf.  his  letter  announcing  his  engagement  to  his  uncle,  Sir  William  Suckling: 
'  You  .   .  .  will  perhaps  smile  and  say  "  This  Horatio  is  ever  in  love.'" 

'•>  Mary  Simpson  was  a  famous  beauty  at  Quebec  in  1782,  when  Nelson  com- 
manded the  sloop  Albemarle.  She  was  the  daughter  of  Sandy  Simpson,  one  of 
Wolfe's  provost  marshals,  and  eventually  married  Colonel  Matthews,  Governor 
of  Chelsea  Hospital.  For  the  whole  episode,  cf.  J.  M .  Le  Moine's  General  Sir  F. 
Haldemand  (1858),  Maple  Leaves  (2  vols.,  1863),  and  Ficturesque  Quebec (\%%2). 


158  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

suspected  from  pique.  The  young  widow  of  the  Nevis 
doctor  attracted  him  less  by  her  heart  than  what  he  called 
her '  mental  accomplishments,  .  .  .  superior  to  most  people's 
of  either  sex.'  These  were,  in  truth,  of  a  second-rate  board- 
ing-school order.  Nelson's  unskilled,  uncritical  mind  and 
his  frank  generosity  always  exaggerated  such  qualities  in 
women,  and  not  least  in  Emma,  more  self-taught  than  him- 
self. His  wife's  virtues  were  sterling,  but  her  power  of 
appreciation  very  limited.  She  was  more  dutiful  than 
gentle,  less  loving  than  jealous ;  her  self-complacent  cold- 
ness was  absolutely  unfitted  to  understand  or  hearten  or 
companion  genius.  She  entirely  lacked  intuition.  Her 
outlook  was  cramped — that  of  the  plain  common-sense 
and  unimaginative  prejudice  which  so  often  distinguishes 
her  class.  She  was  a  nagger,  and  she  nagged  her  son. 
She  was  quite  satisfied  with  her  little  shell  and,  ailing 
as  she  was,  perpetually  grumbled  at  everything  outside 
it.  But  directly  success  attended  her  husband,  she  at 
once  gave  herself  those  social  airs  for  which  that  class 
is  also  distinguished  when  it  rises.  She  became  ridicu- 
lously pretentious,^  It  was  this  feature  that  disgusted 
Nelson's  sisters  in  later  years,  as  appears  from  many  letters 
in  the  Morrison  Collection.  Some  disillusionment  succeeded 
as  time  familiarised  him  with  the  lady  of  his  impulsive 
choice.  She  nursed  him  dutifully  in  1797;  but,  for  her, 
duties  were  tasks.  At  Bath,  a  short  time  before  his  eventful 
voyage  of  1798,  he  was  to  express  his  delight  at  the  charms 
of  the  reigning  toasts ;  but  in  steeling  himself  against 
temptation,  he  got  no  further  than  the  avowal  of  having 
'  everything  that  was  valuable  in  a  wife.'  - 

There  are  two  sorts  of  genius,  or  supreme  will :  the  cold 
and  the  warm.  The  one  commands  its  material  from  sheer 
fibre  of  inflexible  character  and  hard  intellect ;  the  other 

^  Even  to  the  close  of  Nelson's  life.  On  October  18,  1805,  Mrs.  Bolton  tells 
Lady  Hamilton  from  Bath,  '  I  saw  Tom  Tit  [Lady  N.'s  sobriquet]  yesterday  in 
her  carriage  at  the  next  door  come  to  take  Lady  Charlotte  Drummond  out  with 
her.  .  .  .  Had  I  seen  only  her  hands  spreadiuf;  about,  I  should  have  known  her.' 
— Morrison  MS.  846. 

-  There  are  other  letters,  however,  with  much  warmer  expressions,  cf.  National 
Re7new,  January  1901,  '  Lady  Nelson:  a  Vindication,'  and  I  now  think  that,  in 
justice  to  Lady  Nelson,  the  above  criticism  ought  to  be  considerably  softened. 
Her  unconciliatory  narrowness,  however,  seems  certain. 


TILL  THE  FIRST  MEETING  159 

creates  and  enkindles  its  fuel  by  idealism.  The  former  in 
England  is  signally  illustrated  in  differing  spheres  by  Wal- 
pole  and  Wellington ;  the  latter  by  Chatham  and  Nelson. 
Both  of  these  shared  that  keen  faculty  of  vision,  really,  if 
we  reflect,  a  form  of  spiritual  force,  and  allied  to  faith 
which,  in  volume,  whether  for  individuals  or  nations,  is 
irresistible.  This  sword  of  the  spirit  is  far  more  powerful 
than  ethical  force  without  it ;  still  more  so  than  merely 
conventional  morality,  which,  indeed,  for  good  or  for  ill, 
and  in  many  partings  of  the  ways,  it  has  often  by  turns 
made  or  marred.  Both,  too,  were  histrionic — a  word  fre- 
quently misused.  The  world  is  a  stage,  and  of  all  nature 
there  is  a  scenic  aspect.  The  dramatic  should  never  be 
confused  with  the  theatrical,  nor  attitude  with  affectation. 
And  the  visionary  with  a  purpose  is  always  dramatic.  He 
lives  on  dreams  of  forecast,  and  his  forecast  visualises  com- 
binations, scenes  of  development,  characters,  climax.  When 
he  is  nothing  but  a  lonely  muser,  or,  again,  an  orator  destined 
to  bring  other  hands  to  execute  his  ideas,  his  audience  is  the 
future — the  *  choir  invisible.'  But  when  he  himself  acts  the 
chief  part  in  the  dramas  which  he  has  composed,  he  needs 
the  audience  that  he  creates  and  holds.  He  depends  on  a 
sympathy  that  can  interpret  his  best  possibilities  to  himself. 
In  Nelson's  soul  resided  from  boyhood  the  central  idea 
of  England's  greatness.  His  intuitive  force,  his  genius, 
incarnated  that  idea,  and  what  Chatham  dreamed  and 
voiced.  Nelson  did.  He  realised  situations  in  a  flash,  and, 
from  first  to  last,  his  courage  took  the  risk  not  only  of 
action,  but  of  prophecy.^     Indeed,  his  own  motto  may  be  said 

^  A  signal  instance,  recorded  in  the  diary  of  Scott,  his  chaplain,  has  heen 
privately  communicated  to  the  writer.  It  occurred  in  1805  when  Nelson  was 
chasing  the  French  fleet  to  the  West  Indies.  '  Afay  6. — Arrived  in  the  harbour 
of  Gibraltar;  but  because  the  wind  has  just  come  from  the  east  we  have  sailed 
away.  The  fleet  had  been  for  so  long  a  time  baflled  by  contrary  winds  .  .  .  that 
the  favourable  change  .  .  .  was  quite  unexpected  by  them.  So  much  so,  that 
officers  and  men  had  gone  on  shore,  and  the  linen  was  landed  to  be  washed. 
Lord  Nelson,  however,  .  .  .  perceived  an  indication  of  a  probable  change  of 
wind.  Off  went  a  gun  from  the  Victory,  and  up  went  the  Blue  Peter,  whilst  the 
Admiral  paced  the  deck  in  a  hurry,  with  anxious  steps,  and  impatient  of  a 
moment's  delay.  The  officers  said,  "  Here  is  one  of  Nelson's  mad  pranks."  But 
Nelson  was  nevertheless  right.  .  .  .  This  course  Nelson  pursued  solely  on  his 
own  responsibility.  He  said  to  me,  "...  To  be  burnt  in  effigy,  or  Westminster 
Abbey,  is  my  alternative."' 


l6o  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

to  have  been  that  fine  phrase  of  the  other  which  he  quoted 
to  Lady  Hamilton  in  the  first  letter  which  counsellvd  the 
flight  of  the  royal  family  in  1798 — '  The  Boldest  measures  are 
the  Safest!'^  George  Meredith's  badge  of  true  patriotism 
fits  Nelson  beyond  all  men  :  *  To  him  the  honour  of  England 
was  as  a  babe  in  his  arms  ;  he  hugged  it  like  a  mother.'  - 

Nelson,  again,  was  eminently  spontaneous.  There  was 
nothing  set  or  petty  about  him.  He  never  posed  as  '  Sir 
Oracle.'  He  dared  to  disobey  the  formalists.  He  despised 
and  offended  insignificance  in  high  places  ;  the  prigs  and 
pedants,  the  big-wigs  of  Downing  Street,  the  small  and 
self-important  purveyors  of  dead  letter,  the  jealous  Tritons 
of  minnow-like  cliques.  Above  all,  he  abhorred  from  the 
bottom  of  his  honest  heart  the  'candid  friend' — 'willing  to 
wound  and  yet  afraid  to  strike '  ;  but  he  honoured — to 
return  from  Pope's  line  to  Canning's — 'the  erect,  the  manly 
foe.'  Clerical  by  association,  the  son  of  a  most  pious,  the 
brother  of  a  most  worldly  clergyman,  his  bent  was  genuinely 
religious,  as  all  his  letters  with  their  trust  in  God  and  their 
sincere  '  amens'  abundantly  testify.  To  clergymen  he  still 
remains  *  the  great  but  erring  Nelson.'  But  his  God  was  the 
God  of  truth,  and  justice,  and  battles — the  tutelary  God  that 
watches  over  England  ;  and  he  himself  owns  emphatically 
in  one  of  his  letters  that  he  could  never  turn  his  cheek  to 
the  smiter.  He  liked  to  consecrate  his  ambitions,  but  am- 
bition, even  in  childhood,  had  been  his  impulse.  '  Nelson 
will  always  be  first'  had  been  ever  a  ruling  motive. 

And,  man  of  iron  as  he  was  in  action,  out  of  it  he  was 
unconstrained  and  sportive.^  He  loved  to  let  himself  go  ; 
he  delighted  in  fun  and  playful  sallies.     He  formed  a  band 

1  Add.  MS.  34,989,  f.  12  (one  of  our  newly  found  letters):  'And  may  the 
words  of  the  great  Mr.  Pitt,  Earl  of  Chatham,  be  instilled  into  the  Ministry  of 
this  country,  "  The  Boldest  measures  are  (he  Safest."  '     Oct.  3,  1798. 

-  Khoda  Fleming. 

^  It  may  not  be  out  of  place  to  suljjoin  here  the  character  of  Nelson  given  in 
a  letter  to  Lady  Hamilton,  of  July  1803,  by  John  Scott,  his  secretary,  and  then 
with  him  off  Toulon  in  the  Attiphion :  '  In  my  travels  through  the  service 
I  have  met  with  no  character  in  any  degree  equal  to  his  Lordship.  His  pene- 
tration is  quick,  juiigment  clear,  wisdom  great,  and  his  decisions  correct  and 
decided ;  nor  does  he  in  company  appear  to  have  any  weight  on  his  mind,  so 
cheerful  and  pleasant  that  it  is  a  happiness  to  be  about  his  hand.  In  fact,  he  is 
a  great  and  wonderful  character.' — Morrison  MS.  720. 


TILL  THE  FIRST  MEETING  i6i 

of  firm  believers,  and  he  believed  in  them  with  enthusiasm 
— an  enthusiasm  which  accentuated  his  bitterness  whenever 
it  was  damped  or  disappointed.  A  daredevil  himself,  he 
loved  daredevilry  in  others.  In  Emma  as  he  idealised  her, 
he  hailed  a  nature  that  could  respond,  encourage,  brace,  and 
even  inspire,  for  she  was  to  be  transfigured  into  the  creature 
of  his  own  imaginings.  She  was  his  Egeria.  It  was  a 
double  play  of  enthusiastic  zeal  and  idealisation.  She  fired 
him  to  achieve  more  than  ever  she  could  have  imagined. 
He  stirred  her  to  appear  worthier  in  his  eyes.  She  wreathed 
him  with  laurel ;  he  crowned  her  image  with  myrtle.  Many 
to  whom  the  fact  is  repugnant  refuse  to  see  that  this 
idealised  image  of  Emma  in  Nelson's  eyes,  however  often 
and  lamentably  she  fell  short  of  it,  was  an  influence  as  real 
and  potent  as  if  she  had  been  its  counterpart.  Her  nearest 
approach  to  it  may  be  viewed  in  her  letters  of  1798. 

It  is  idle  to  brand  her  as  destitute  of  any  moral  standard  ; 
her  inward  standards  were  no  lower  than  those  of  the 
veneered  '  respectables  '  around  her.  Her  outivard  conduct, 
as  Sir  William's  partner,  had  been  above  suspicion  ;  the  sin 
of  her  girlhood  had  been  long  buried.  And  in  many 
respects  her  fibre  was  stronger  than  that  of  a  society  which 
broadened  its  hypocrisies  some  thirty  years  later,  when 
Byron  sang 

'  You  are  not  a  moral  people,  and  you  know  it, 
Without  the  aid  of  too  sincere  a  poet.' 

The  radical  defect  in  her  grain  was  rather  the  com.plete 
lack  of  anything  like  spiritual  aspiration.  Hers,  too,  were 
the  vanity  that  springs  from  pride,  and  the  want  of  dignity 
bred  of  lawlessness.  She  had  been  a  wild  flower  treated  as 
a  weed,  and  then  transplanted  to  a  hothouse  ;  she  was  a 
spoiled  child  without  being  in  the  least  childlike  ;  she  was 
self-conscious  to  the  core.  But  if  she  was  ambitious  for 
herself,  she  was  fully  as  ambitious  for  those  that  she  loved, 
and  she  admired  all  who  admired  them. 

It  is  idle  to  dwell  on  the  'vulgarity'  of  an  adventuress 
Adventure  was  the  breath  of  Nelson's  nostrils,  and  Emma's 
unrefined  clay  was  animated  by  a  spirit  of  reality  which  he 
loved.     It  is  idle,  again,  to  talk  of  his  'infatuation,'  for  that 

L 


i62  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

word  covers  every  deep  and  lasting  passion  in  idealising 
natures.     It  is  equally  idle,  as  will  be  seen  when  we  come 
to  proofs,  to  say  that  Nelson  was  a  '  dupe '  in  any  portion  of 
his   claims   for   her  '  services '  which   lay  within   his   own 
experience.^    With  regard  to  these  he  was  absolutely  aware 
of  what  had  actually  transpired,  and  if  it  had  not  transpired 
he  himself  was  a  liar,  which  none  have  had  the  temerity  to 
assert.    The  only  sense  in  which  Nelson  could  ever  be  styled 
the  '  dupe '  of  Emma  would  be  that  he  was  utterly  cheated 
in  his  estimate  of  her.     If  she  merely  practised  upon  his 
simplicity,  if  there  was  nothing  genuine  about  her,  and  all 
her  effusiveness  was  a  tinsel  mask  of  hideous  dissimulation  ; 
if  she  was  a  tissue  of  craft  and  cunning,  then  she  was  the 
worst  of  women,  and    he  the    most  unfortunate  of  men. 
Wholly  artless  she  was   not ;   designedly  artful,  she  never 
was.     She  was  an   unconscious  blend  of  Art  and  Nature. 
In  all  her  letters  she  is  always  the  same  receptive  creature 
of  sincere  volitions  and  attitudes;  and  these  letters,  when 
they  describe  actions,  are  most  strikingly  confirmed  by  inde- 
pendent accounts.     They  are  genuine.     Her  spirit  went  out 
to  his  magnetically  ;  each  was  to  hypnotise  the  other.    Had 
she  ever  been  artful   she  would  have  feathered   her  nest. 
Throughout   her  career  it  was   never  common   wealth  or 
prodigal   youth    that   attracted    her,   and    in    her   greatest 
dependence  she  had  never  been  a  parasite.     It  was  talent 
and    kindness    that   she    prized,   and    towards   genius   she 
gravitated.     It   is   not   from   the  bias  either  of  praise  or 
blame   that   her   character    must    be  judged.      It   is  as  a 
human  document  that  she  should  be  read.     The  real  harm 
in  the  future  to  be  worked  by  her  on  Nelson  was  that  of 
the  falsehood,  repugnant  to  them  both,  which,  eight  years 
later,   the  birth  of  Horatia  entailed — an    evil   aggravated 
by  reaction  in   the   nature   of  a   puritan   turned   cavalier, 
and  anxious  to  twist  the  irregularities  of  a  '  Nell  Gwynne 
defender-of-the-faith '  into  consonance  with  the  forms  of  his 
upbringing. 

At  Naples,  Nelson  and  his  men  found  a  royal  welcome  m 
every  sense  of  the  word.     The   King  sailed   out  to  greet 

^  With  regard  to  all  of  them  his  solemn  affirmation  in  his  last  codicil  is  that 
they  had  happened  to  his  '  knowledge.'' 


TILL  THE  FIRST  MEETING  163 

him/  called  on  and  invited  him  thrice  within  four  days.^ 
He  was  hailed  as  the  '  Saviour  of  Italy,'  and  while  he  was 
feted,  his  crew,  who  from  the  home  Government  had  ob- 
tained nothing  but  'honour  and  salt  beef,'^  were  provisioned 
and  petted.  A  gala  at  San  Carlo  was  given  in  their 
honour;  six  thousand  troops  were  offered  without  hesita- 
tion ;  a  squadron  was  despatched.  The  atmosphere  of 
despairing  indecision  was  dispersed  by  his  unresting  alert- 
ness, his  lightning  insight,  his  faith  in  Great  Britain  and 
himself,  and  the  heroic  glow  with  which  he  invested  duty. 

The  phlegmatic  Acton  was  impressed.  His  only  fear  was 
lest  England's  co-operation  with  Naples  should  provoke 
the  interference  of  the  allies,  and  be  impeded  by  it.*  He 
superintended  all  the  arrangements,  for  he  was  eminently  a 
man  of  detail  ;  he  brought  Captain  Sutton^  (who  stayed 
throughout  the  autumn)  to  see  the  King.°  Nelson  he 
mis-styled  '  Admiral,'  and  there  for  the  moment  his 
respect  ended.  But  the  hospitable  Hamilton,  under  the 
sway  of  Emma's  enthusiasm,  was  enraptured.  He  brought 
him  to  lodge  at  the  Embassy  in  the  room  just  prepared  for 
Prince  Augustus,  who  was  returning  from  Rome.  He 
caught  a  spark  of  the  young  Captain's  own  electricity,  he 
mentioned  him  in  despatches,  and  conceived  friendship  at 
first  sight.  Here  was  a  real  man  at  last,  a  central  and 
centralising  genius.  His  wife  shared  and  redoubled  his 
astonishment.  Here  was  a  being  who,  like  herself,  '  loved 
to  surprise  people.'  Here  was  one  who,  indefatigable  in 
detail,  and  almost  sleepless^  in  energy,  took  large  views, 
was  a  statesman  ;is  well  as  a  sailor,  and  showed  the  quali- 
ties of  a  general  besides  ;  one,  too,  who  although  a  stern 
disciplinarian,  could  romp  and  sing  with  his  midshipmen, 

'  Dumas'  Storia  de'  Borboni,  p.  149. 

-  On  September  24  he  tells  his  brother  William  thai  he  '  was  placed  at 
Ferdinand's  right  hand  before  our  Ambassador  and  all  the  Nobles  present.' 

•'  Letter  to  Mrs.  Nelson,  Sept.  7,  1793  (cited  Pettigrew,  vol.  i.  p.  40) :  '  My 
poor  fellows  have  not  had  a  morsel  of  fresh  meat  or  vegetables  for  near  nineteen 
weeks,  and  in  that  time  I  have  only  had  my  foot  twice  on  shore  at  Cadiz." 

*  Eg.  MS.  2639,  f.  74.  He  resented  Lord  Mulgrave's  proposal  of  concert- 
ing plans. 

^  Of  the  Ramilies.     Cf.  Morrison  MS.  227  ;  Eg.  MS.  2639,  f.  iii, 

«  Eg.  MS.  2639,  ff.  83,  87,  91. 

"  He  seldom  slept  more  than  four  or  five  hours. 


i64  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

one  who  made  their  health  and  his  country's  glory  his  chief 
concern.  Moreover,  his  appearance,  small,  slight,  wiry  in 
frame,  and  rugged  of  exterior,  was  nevertheless  prepossess- 
ing and  imposing.  When  he  spoke,  his  face  lit  up  with 
his  soul  ;  nor  had  he  yet  lost  an  eye  and  an  arm.  And  his 
contempt  for  Jacks-in-office,  which  seldom  failed  to  show 
itself,  chimed  with  her  own — with  that  of  a  plebeian  who 
in  after  years  constantly  used  that  Irish  phrase,  adopted  by 
Nelson,  '  I  would  not  give  sixpence  to  call  the  King  my 
uncle.'  Here  was  one  who  might  rescue  her  Queen  and 
shed  lustre  on  Britain  ;  who  might  prove  the  giant-killer 
of  the  Jacobin  ogres. 

What  Emma  thought  of  her  guest  may  be  gathered  from 
two  facts,  one  of  which  is  new.  Though  they  were  not  to 
meet  again  until  1798,^  Nelson  and  both  the  Hamiltons 
were  in  constant  and  most  sympathetic  correspondence  for 
the  next  five  years.  In  1796  Sir  William  recommended 
him  to  the  Government  as  '  that  brave  officer,  Captain 
Nelson  ' ;  *  if  you  don't  deserve  the  epithet,'  he  told  him, '  I 
know  not  who  does.  .  .  .  Lady  Hamilton  and  I  admire 
your  constancy,  and  hope  the  severe  service  you  have 
undergone  will  be  handsomely  rewarded.'-  And  her  first 
letter  of  our  new  series  in  1798,  written  hurriedly  on  June 
17th  while  Nelson,  anchored  off  Capri,  remained  on  the 
Vanguard,  contains  this  sentence :  '  I  will  not  say  how 
glad  I  shall  be  to  see  you.  Indeed  I  cannot  describe  to 
you  my  feelings  on  your  being  so  near  us.'^  A  woman 
could  not  so  express  herself  to  a  man  unseen  for  five  years 
unless  the  twelve  days  or  so  spent  in  his  company  had  pro- 
duced a  deep  effect.  Every  concern  of  his  already  enlisted 
her  eagerness.  His  stepson,  Josiah,  then  a  young  midship- 
man, was  driven  about  by  her  and  caressed.  She  laughingly 
called  him  her  cavaliere  servente.  As  yet  it  was  only 
attraction,  not  love  for  Nelson.  This  very  third  anniversary 
of  her  wedding  day  had  enabled  her  proudly  to  record  that 
her  husband  and  she  were  more  inseparable  than  ever,  and 

^  The  received  version,  of  course,  gives  their  second  encounter  as  after  the 
battle  of  the  Nile.  But  there  is  strong  reason  for  thinking,  as  will  be  seen,  that 
they  met  on  the  17th  of  June  in  that  year. 

2  Nelson  Letters,  vol.  ii.  p.  188.  '  Add.  MS.  34,989,  f.  i. 


TILL  THE  FIRST  MEETING  165 

that  he  had  never  for  one  moment  regretted  the  step  of 
their  union.  But  she  did  fall  in  love  with  the  quickening 
force  that  Nelson  represented.  Infused  by  the  ardour  of 
her  Queen,  proud  of  the  destiny  of  England  as  European 
deliverer,  urged  by  her  native  ambition  to  shine  on  a  bigger 
scale,  she  reflected  every  hue  of  the  crisis  and  its  leaders. 
If  his  hour  struck,  hers  might  strike  also.  He,  she,  and 
Sir  William  had  for  this  short  span  already  realised  what 
the  legend  round  Sir  William's  Order  of  the  Bath  signified.^ 
'  Tria  juncta  in  uno^ — three  persons  linked  together  by  one 
tie  of  differing  affections. 

The  sole  mentions  of  Emma  by  Nelson  at  this  time  are  in 
a  letter  to  his  brother,  and  another  to  his  wife,  already 
noticed. 2  But  that  her  influence  had  already  begun  to  work 
is  proved  by  the  fact  that  he  carefully  preserved  the  whole 
series  of  her  letters  of  the  summer  and  autumn  of  1798, 
which  find  their  place  in  the  Appendix  to  this  volume.  Three 
days  only  after  he  had  started  for  Leghorn,  he  wrote  as 
follows :  '  In  my  hurry  of  sailing  I  find  I  have  brought 
away  a  butter-pan.  Don't  call  me  an  ungrateful  guest  for 
it,  for  I  assure  you  I  have  the  highest  sense  of  your  and 
Lady  Hamilton's  kindness,  and  shall  rejoice  in  the  oppor- 
tunity of  returning  it.  .  .  .  The  sending  off  the  prints  adds 
to  the  kindness  I  have  already  received  from  you  and 
Lady  Hamilton.'^  And  when  at  the  close  of  August  in  the 
next  year  he  stayed  at  Leghorn  once  more,  he  assured 
Sir  William  how  glad  he  would  have  been  to  have  visited 
them  again,  'had  the  state  of  the  Agaftiemnon  permitted  it,' 
but  'her  ship's  crew  are  so  totally  worn  out,  that  we  were 
glad  to  put  into  the  first  port,  .  .  .  therefore  for  the  present 
I  am  deprived  of  that  pleasure.'* 

When  Nelson  was  not  dining  at  court  or  concerting 
operations  with  the  Ministers,  he  was  at  the  Embassy 
or  Caserta,  meeting  the  English  visitors,  who  included 
the   delicate  Charles   Beauclerk,  whom    the   artistic    Lady 

'  She  uses  the  phrase  already  in  our  correspondence  of  September  1798. 

-  '  Lady  Ilaniihon  has  been  wonderfully  good  and  kind  to  Josiah.  She  is  a 
young  woman  of  amiable  manners,  and  who  does  honour  to  the  station  to  which 
she  is  raised.' — Pettigrew,  vol.  i.  p.  42. 

'  Morrison  MS.  226,  Sept.  24,  1793. 

*  Ibid.  245,  Aug.  31,  1794. 


i66  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

Diana  had  commended  to  Emma's  charge.^  All  was  joy, 
excitement,  preparation.  '  I  believe,'  wrote  Nelson,  '  that 
the  world  is  now  convinced  that  no  conquests  of  importance 
can  be  made  without  us.' "  Nelson  had  aroused  Naples 
from  a  long  siesta,  and  henceforward  Emma  sings  '  God 
save  the  King'  and  calls  for  '  Hip,  hip,  hurrah ! '  which  she 
teaches  the  Queen,  at  every  Neapolitan  banquet.  Naples 
is  no  more  a  hunting-ground  for  health  or  pleasure,  but  a 
focus  of  deliverance.  It  is  as  though  in  our  own  days  the 
Riviera  should  suddenly  wake  up  as  a  centre  of  patriotism 
and  a  rallying-ground  for  action.  Within  a  few  years 
Maria  Carolina  could  write  to  Emma  that  she  sighed  for 
the  '  brave,  loyal,  Nelson  '  and  his  party  of  '  magnanimous  ' 
English,  whom  she  loves  and  for  whose  glory  she  has  vowed 
to  act.^  She  is  ever  dilating  on  '  your  great  and  heroic 
nation.'  As  for  Nelson,  she  'cherishes  and  admires  him 
with  the  truest  attachment.' 

On  September  24th  Nelson  purposed  a  slight  mark  of 
gratitude  for  the  hospitality  and  the  substantial  reinforce- 
ments so  liberally  proffered.  The  Agamemnon  was  all  flowers 
and  festivity.  He  had  invited  the  King,  the  Queen,  the 
Hamiltons,  Acton,  and  the  Ministers  to  luncheon.  The  guests 
were  awaiting  the  arrival  of  the  court  under  a  cloudless  sky 
amid  the  flutter  of  gay  bunting  and  all  the  careless  chatter 
of  southern  mirth.  Suddenly  a  despatch  was  handed  to  the 
captain.  He  was  summoned  to  weigh  anchor  and  pursue 
a  French  man-of-war  with  three  vessels  stationed  off  Sar- 
dinia. Not  an  instant  was  lost.  The  guests  dispersed  in 
excitement.  When  Ferdinand  arrived  in  his  barge,  it  was 
to  find  the  company  vanished,  the  decks  cleared,  and  the 
captain  buried  in  work.  Within  two  hours  Nelson  had  set 
sail  for  Leghorn,*  which  he  had  immediately  to  quit  for 
Toulon.  Calvi  and  its  further  triumph  awaited  him  after- 
wards. 

^  Morrison  MS.  223,  July  20,  1793.  With  the  message  that  'if  it  is  possible  she 
should  feel  the  least  spark  of  gratitude  for  the  admiration  of  such  a  poor  animal 
as  I  am,  she  can  fully  repay  me  by  joining  you  in  the  protection  of  my  son.' 

^  Laughton's  Despatches,  p.  43,  Sept.  11,  1792. 

'^  Eg.  MS.  161 5,  f.  83,  December  1796. 

*  Cf.  Jeatfreson,  Queen  of  Naples,  vol.  i.  p.  225  ;  Laughton's  Despatches, 
P-  52- 


TILL  THE  FIRST  MEETING  167 

But  over  the  bright  horizon  was  fast  gathering  a  cloud 
no  bigger  than  a  man's  hand.  By  the  end  of  the  year  the 
Queen  was  again  in  the  depths.  Her  sister  had  been 
executed  with  infamy.  Buonaparte — whom  Nelson  heard 
described  at  Leghorn  as  an  '  ugly,  unshaven  little  officer' — 
had  shot  into  pre-eminence  and  had  worked  his  wonders  ; 
Toulon  was  evacuated.  At  home  fresh  conspiracies  were 
discovered,  this  time  among  the  nobles.  The  best  names 
were  implicated.  The  Dukes  of  Canzano,  Colonna,  and 
Cassano,  the  Counts  of  Ruvo  and  Riario,  Prince  Carac- 
ciolo  the  elder  were  arrested.  The  whole  political  land- 
scape was  overcast.  Next  year  was  to  be  one  of  '  public 
mourning  and  prayer,'  of  plague,  famine,  and  pestilence. 
The  ragged  remnant  of  the  squadron,  forwarded  with  such 
royal  elation  to  Toulon,  returned  in  shame  for  shelter ;  and 
with  it  the  ship  of  Trogoff,  whom  the  French  had  branded 
as  traitor.  Two  hundred  victims  had  been  slaughtered,  four 
hundred  languished  in  French  prisons.  These  fresh 
disasters  were  heightened  and  shadowed  by  the  terrible 
earthquake  of  June  12-16,  when  the  sun  was  blotted  out; 
and  while  the  Archbishop,  grasping  the  gilt  image  of  St. 
Januarius,  groped  his  way  in  solemn  procession  to  the 
cathedral,  the  darkened  sky  bombarded  the  interceding 
city  with  emblematic  bolts  of  relentless  artillery.^ 

^  Dumas'  /  Borboni  di  NapoH. 


CHAPTER     VII 

'  STATESWOMAN  ' 

1794-1797 

'  STATESWOMAN  '  is  Swift's  term  for  Stella.  It  fits  better 
the  Trilby  of  the  political  studio.  The  muse  as  medium 
was  already  being  transferred  from  attitude  to  affairs. 

Since  Nelson's  brief  sojourn  and  its  keen  impress, 
the  Queen,  under  growing  troubles,  leaned  more  and 
more  on  the  English.  The  King's  pro-Spanish  faction  was 
now  defied  ;  even  the  pro-Austrian  group  lost  ground  and 
flagged.  Acton,  save  for  a  brief  interval,  remained  her 
right  hand — hie,  haec,  et  hoc  et  omnia,  as  they  now  styled 
him.  The  Hamiltons'  enthusiasm  for  the  budding  hero 
had  communicated  itself  through  Emma  to  her  royal 
friend,  who  had  hitherto  cared  little  even  for  the  English 
language.  Maria  Carolina  clung  more  closely  to  a  con- 
soler not  only  responsive  and  diverting,  but  unversed 
enough  in  courts  to  be  flattered  by  the  intimacy  and  free 
in  it.  They  were  constantly  together;  by  1795  so  often  as 
every  other  day.^  It  was  '  naturalness  '  and  '  sensibility  ' 
once  more  that  prevailed.  Doubtless,  policy  entered  also 
into  her  motives.  Notes  to  Emma  would  pass  unsuspected 
where  notes  to  Sir  William  might  be  watched.  Verbal 
confidences  to  a  frequenter  of  the  palace  would  never 
excite  the  curiosity  which  Sir  William's  formal  presence 
must  arouse.  But  the  bond  of  policy  was  mutual. 
Hamilton  encouraged  his  wife  to  glean  secret  informa- 
tion for  the  British  Government.  What  the  Queen  did  not 
at  first  realise,  though  afterwards  she  recognised  it  to  the 
full,  was  Lady  Hamilton's  '  native  energy  of  mind '  which 

1  Add.  MS.  34,710  D.     Hamilton  to  Greville  ;  Caserta,  Nov.  17,  1795. 
16S 


J:Z£ia^yy  l^^6^y;^m'^^:my.,■£^^  "~^€ytCiS^ 


,~.^ftcf7rzyyti^,e^  .^:?ti^:'e'f^^^^.^^^'(i<yte^ 


'STATESWOMAN'  169 

Hayley,  comforting  her  after  Nelson's  death,  recalled  as 
one  of  her  earliest  characteristics  ;  ^  and  for  the  work  of  life, 
as  has  been  truly  said,  inborn  vigour  is  apter  than  culti- 
vated refinement. 

Emma  now  definitely  emerges  as  patriot  and  politician. 
Did  she  aspire  thus  early  to  help  her  country?  The  field 
of  controversy  begins  to  open,  and  controversy  is  always 
irksome.  It  is  necessary,  however,  at  this  juncture,  to  con- 
sider this  first  of  Emma's  '  claims '  in  its  context. 

In  her  latest  memorial  for  the  recognition  of  her  'services' 
— her  petition  to  the  Prince  Regent  of  181 3- — she  claimed 
to  have  responded  to  the  then  Sir  John  Jervis's  appeals  for 
help  while  employed  upon  the  reduction  of  Corsica.  In 
this  statement,  which  is  one  of  several,  she  makes  some 
confusion  between  two  names  influential  in  two  successive 
years.  If  such  lapses  as  these  stood  alone,  without  sub- 
stantial evidence  beneath  them,  her  censors  might  have  been 
fairly  justified  in  pressing  them  to  the  utmost.  But  since 
(as  will  be  shown)  there  is  strong  corroboration  of  the 
substance  of  her  services  in  1796,  considerable  proof  of  her 
main  service  in  1798,  with  abundant  new  and  historical 
evidence  for  her  truthfulness  in  the  account  of  the  part 
played  by  her  in  the  royal  escape  just  before  Christmas 
of  the  same  year — they  amount  to  little  more  than  the  im- 
material inaccuracies  which  recur  in  several  of  her  recitals. 
Her  critics,  in  fixing  on  the  memorial  to  the  Prince  Regent 
— framed  in  her  declining  years  and  her  extremest  need — 
have  consistently  ignored  her  other  applications  for  relief, 
and  especially  that  to  King  George  III.  in  which  she  does 
not  specify  this  claim  at  all,  but  only  implies  it  under 
'  many  inferior  services.' 

In  her  '  Prince  Regent '  memorial  she  urges  that  '  In  the 
year  1793,  when  Lord  Hood  had  taken  possession  of 
Toulon,  and  Sir  John  Jervis  was  employ'd  upon  the  reduc- 
tion of  Corsica,  the  latter  kept  writing  to  me  for  everything 
he  wanted  which  I  procured  to  be  promptly  provided  him  ; 

'  Cf.  the  leltcr  transcribed  by  I'etligrcw,  vol.  ii.  p.  557. 

-  For  the  t/ro/?  of  this  cf.  Morrison  MS.  1046.  This  claim  is  omitted  in  the 
draft  of  her  memorial  to  the  King  in  the  same  year.  It  only  contains  her  two 
chief  claims.     Ibid.  1045. 


I70  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

and,  as  his  letters  to  me  prove,  had  considerably  facilitated 
the  reduction  of  that  island.     I  had  by  this  time  induced 
the  King  through  my  influence  with  the  Queen  to  become 
so  zealous  in  the  good  cause,  that  both  would  often  say  I 
had  de-Bourboniz'd  them  and  made  them  English.' 

In  the  same  '  memorial '  she  mentions  a  side-circumstance 
which  can  now  be  fully  substantiated.  She  there  asserts 
that  Sir  William  in  his  '  latter  moments,  in  deputing  Mr. 
Greville  to  deliver  the  Order  of  the  Bath  to  the  King, 
desired  that  he  would  tell  His  Majesty  that  he  died  in  the 
confident  hope  that  his  pension  would  be  continued  to  me 
for  my  zeal  and  service.'  Greville's  letter  of  1803,  which  is 
given  in  the  Appendix,^  more  than  bears  out  her  veracity 
in  this  trifle.  Greville  himself,  the  precisest  of  officials,  and 
just  after  his  uncle's  death  by  no  means  on  the  best  of 
terms  with  Lady  Hamilton,  added  that  he  knew  that  the 
public  '  records  '  confirmed  '  the  testimony  of  their  Sicilian 
Majesties  by  letter  as  well  as  by  their  ministers,  of  circmn- 
stances  peculiarly  distinguished  and  honourable  to  her,  and 
at  the  same  time  of  high  importance  to  the  public  service' 
Hamilton's  own  share  in  the  many  transactions  which  are 
to  follow  passed  equally  disregarded  with  his  widow's.  And 
with  regard  to  the  preliminary  'service'  which  we  must 
now  discuss,  she  repeats  her  asseveration  in  almost  the  last 
letter  that  she  ever  wrote,^  adding  that  in  this  case,  as  in 
the  others,  she  paid  '  often  and  often  out  of  her  own  pocket 
at  Naples.' 

As  has  been  recounted.  Hood  took  Toulon  in  August 
1793-  It  had  to  be  evacuated  on  December  17th  of  that 
year;  and  it  was  Lord  Hood,  not  the  future  Lord  St. 
Vincent,  who  superintended  the  Corsican  operations  from 
the  December  of  1793  to  their  issue  in  Nelson's  heroism  at 
Calvi  in  July  1794.  Sir  John  Jervis,  on  the  other  hand, 
was  in  command  of  the  West  Indian  expedition  of  1794- 
He  does  not,  it  is  true,  figure  as  corresponding  with  the 
Hamiltons  on  naval  affairs  until  1798,  when,  in  an  interest- 
ing correspondence,^  he  thanks  her  for  services  as  'patroness 

^  App.  Partu.  F.  (i),  Greville  to  Lord  Hobart(or  Lord  Pelham),  April  I2,  1803. 
"^  App.  Part  II.  C.  (iO(z),  Lady  Hamilton  to  Sir  William  Scott,  Sept   12,  1814. 
^  Nelson  Letters,  vol.  i.  pp.  217-233. 


'STATESWOMAN'  171 

of  the  navy,'  protests  his  '  unfeigned  affectionate  regard,'  and 
signs  himself  her  '  faithful  and  devoted  knight.'  But  none  the 
less  he  was  (and  this  has  eluded  notice)  in  close  correspon- 
dence with  Acton  throughout  the  early  portion  of  1796.^ 

Such,  then,  in  this  instance,  are  the  material  discrepan- 
cies. In  dwelling  long  afterwards  on  her  first  endeavours 
for  her  country,  she  transposed  the  sequence  of  two  suc- 
cessive years,  while  she  confounded  Lord  Hood  and  the 
future  Lord  St.  Vincent  together.  Little  sagacity,  how- 
ever, is  needed  to  perceive  that  these  very  confusions  point 
to  her  sincerity.  Had  she  been  forging  claims,  imperatively 
raised  in  the  extremities  of  her  fate,  nothing  would  have 
been  easier  than  to  have  verified  these  trifles,  especially  as 
Nelson's  dearest  friends  remained  staunch  to  her  till  the 
close.  Wilful  liars  do  not  concoct  and  elaborate  evidence 
manifestly  against  themselves.  A  reference  to  the  Ap- 
pendix- will  show  that,  for  the  truth  of  this,  the  least 
important  and  most  general  of  her  services,  Acton's  manu- 
script correspondence  of  these  years  with  Hamilton  supplies 
a  new  presumption.  What  England  wanted  during  these  two 
years  from  the  Neapolitan  premier  was  something  outside 
and  beyond  what  her  treaty  with  Sicily  enabled  her,  as  a 
fact,  to  require,  and  it  was  just  these  extras  that  Emma's 
rising  ascendency  with  the  Queen  and  her  own  ambition 
would  prompt  her  to  procure. 

In  the  Appendix  will  also  be  found  a  new  and  pathetic 
letter  addressed  by  her  in  18 13  to  Lord  St.  Vincent,  or  at 
any  rate  to  some  naval  peer,  which  proves  that  what  she 
pressed  on  the  Government  she  urged  also  on  men  cog- 
nisant of  the  facts.^  The  real  pretexts  for  refusal,  as  we 
shall  find  in  their  proper  place,  were  not  scepticism,  but 
royal  disfavour,"^  technical  precedent,  lapse  of  time,  private 

^  Cf.  Eg.  MS.  2639,  fif.  275-277,  283,  285,  294.  -  Note  E. 

'  It  concludes :  '  Forgive  nie  this  intrusion,  but  Nelson  loved  you,  and  I  am 
alone  and  feel  forlorn  in  the  world,  and  his  spirit,  if  it  cou'd  look  down,  would 
bless  you  for  your  kindness  and  attention  to  his  last  wishes  in  the  niomeni  of 
death  and  victory.' 

*  Full  confirmation  is  given  in  chap.  xv.  Here  I  need  only  cilc  Lord 
Holland's  assertion  (Rose's  Diaries,  vol.  i.  p.  219):  '  He  (Nelson)  never  was  a 
favourite  at  St.  James's.  His  amour  with  Lady  H.,  if  amour  it  was,  shocked 
the  King's  morality.' 


172  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

pique,  and  party  interest.  Canning  thought  her  '  richly 
entitled  '  to  compensation.^  Grenville  himself  did  not  deny 
the  performance  of  her  services.  Addington  grounded  his 
refusal  mainly  on  the  multiplicity  of  other  claims  on  the 
Government.^ 

If  such  slips  of  memory  as  Lady  Hamilton's  were  to  be 
held  fatal  to  her  own  case,  similar  ones  should  be  equally 
or  more  so  to  that  of  her  critics.  Mr.  Jeaffreson  implies 
that  Toulon  was  evacuated  in  1794!  His  further  mistake 
as  to  the  meaning  of  Emma's  phrase  '  De-Bourbonised  '  has 
been  noticed,  and  other  misconstructions  by  him  and  others 
will  appear  as  we  proceed.  Even  Miss  Cornelia  Knight,  in 
her  recollections  of  the  events  witnessed  by  her  in  1798, 
trips  equally  in  her  record.^  So  does  Lord  Holland  in  his 
accounts  of  the  victualling  of  the  fleet.^  So  did  Beckford  in 
his  malicious  statements  afterwards.^  These  confusions  are 
common  enough  when  the  memory  has  to  deal  with  crowded 
emergencies  and  excitements. 

The  year  1794  at  Naples  was  one  of  continuous  calamity; 
while  successive  catastrophes  were  heightened  by  the  un- 
doubted tyrannies  of  the  Queen.  France,  by  fomenting 
the  Neapolitan  ferment,  was  deliberately  inveigling  the 
two  Sicilies.  No  quarter  would  Maria  Carolina  give  to 
the  French  assassins  or  to  the  Neapolitan  republicans. 
Hitherto,  in  the  main,  her  old  clemency  had  found  vent, 
and  she  had  striven  to  be  just.  She  still  deemed  justice 
her  motive,  but  she  deceived  herself.  While  the  King 
always  remained  optimist,  her  pessimism  verged  on  mad- 
ness. She  treated  affairs  of  State  just  as  if  they  had 
been  affairs  of  the  heart.  Her  mistrust  both  of  the  con- 
spiring nobles  and  the  thankless  students,  now,  from  changed 
incentives,  in  attempted  combination,  showed  signs  of  yield- 
ing to  a  paroxysm  of  revenge  disguised    by  an    inscrut- 

^  Rose's  Diaries,  vol.  i.  p.  265. 

=  His  letter  of  March  6,  1813  (the  original  of  which  the  writer  possesses),  will 
be  found  in  Pettigrew,  vol.  ii.  p.  631.  ^  Autobiography  (1861). 

*  In  Rose's  Diaries  and  Correspondence,  vol.  i.  p.  217,  he  is  actually  made 
to  say  that  it  happened  in  Palermo,  and  through  Lady  Hamilton,  *  whom  he  had 
not  seen  since  1795.' 

Cf.  Cyrus  Redding's  Fifty  Years''  Recollections,  vol.  iii.  p.  103. 


'STATESWOMAN'  173 

able  face.  Robespierre  was  branded  on  her  brain.  Her 
word  for  every  rebellious  aristocrat  was  '  We  will  not  give 
him  time  to  become  a  Robespierre.'^  The  close  of  the  year 
witnessed  Robespierre's  doom,  and  a  false  lull  brought  with 
it  a  film  of  security.^  Yet  the  signal  baseness  now  con- 
fronting her  would  have  justified  a  moderate  severity. 
Disaffection  was  not  native  but  imported.  The  great  mass 
of  the  people  never  wavered  in  allegiance  to  the  King  of  the 
Lazzaroni,  and  agitation  was  bought  and  manipulated  by 
France.^  The  rest  of  Europe  recognised  the  real  signifi- 
cance of  these  insurrections.  '  God  knows,'  wrote  Nelson 
to  the  Hamiltons  in  1796,  '  I  only  feel  for  the  King  of 
Naples,  as  I  am  confident  the  change  in  his  Government 
would  be  subversive  of  the  interest  of  all  Europe.'*  The 
English  Government,  the  Russian,  even  the  Prussian,  felt 
the  same.  The  Queen,  who  had  really  done  so  much  in  the 
teeth  of  sharp  difficulties  for  the  '  Intellectuels,'  was  beside 
herself.  Jacobinism,  at  first  narrowed  to  a  faction,  after- 
wards, at  the  worst,  diffused  as  a  leaven,  was  by  this  time 
hydra-headed.  Its  disorders  had  spread  to  Sicily,  where 
their  suppression  had  been  signalised  by  the  execution  of 
the  ringleaders  and  the  imprisonment  of  three  hundred.^ 
By  the  spring  of  1795  the  French  had  divulged  their 
determination  of  attacking  the  British  squadron  in  the 
Mediterranean.*^    The  receivers  of  her  most  generous  bounty 

'  Dumas'  Storia  de"  Borboni,  p.  190. 

-  Cf.  Acton's  leUer  to  Hamilton,  Add.  MS.  2639,  f.  197.  The  Jacobins,  he 
says,  are  vowed  to  execration.  '  Their  clubs  are  shut  up  :  many  of  their  infernal 
societies,  together  with  the  Commune  de  Paris,  sont  hors  de  la  loi.' 

^  How  Napoleon  availed  himself  of  it  afterwards,  just  before  he  showed  his 
hand  in  annexing  the  crown,  is  best  shown  by  his  letter  to  Maria  Carolina 
of  January  1805.  I  excerpt  a  short  passage  here: — 'What  must  be  the  hatred 
your  Majesty  bears  to  France  that,  after  the  experience  you  have  had,  neither 
your  conjugal  love  nor  your  parental  .  .  .  induce  you  to  forbear  a  little?  ...  Is 
your  Majesty's  mind,  so  distinguished  among  women,  unable  to  divest  itself  of 
the  prejudices  of  sex  ?  .  .  .  Is  your  love  for  England  so  uncontrolled  that  you 
would  (although  certain  to  be  the  first  victim)  set  the  Continent  in  a  blaze?' 
Cited  by  Pettigrew,  vol.  ii.  p.  453. 

*  Morrison  MS.  288.  Commodore  Nelson  to  Sir  \V.  Hamilton,  Oct.  iS, 
1796. 

°  Cf.  the  excerpt  in  Sotheby's  catalogue  for  May  17,  1905,  out  of  a  letter  from 
Hamilton  to  Sir  J.  C.  Hippisley  of  April  14,  1795. 

*  Cf.  a  letter  from  Acton  (in  the  writer's  possession) : — '  Caserla,  April  28, 
1795. — V^e  are   now  in  a  most  critical  moment  if  the  French  come  to  their 


174  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

bit  the  hand  of  their  benefactress.  Luigi  di  Medici,  the 
young  cavah'er  on  whom  she  had  conferred  absolute  power, 
was  denounced  by  a  mathematical  professor.  As  '  Regente 
della  Vicaria'  he  was  tried  by  the  last  novelty  in  tribunals, 
an  invention  of  Acton.  Besides  other  old  hands  like  the 
inevitable  Prince  Pignatelli,  it  consisted  of  three  principal 
assessors — Guidobaldi,  a  judge  ;  Prince  Castelcicala,  a  prop 
always  trusted  ;  and  lastly  Vanni,  a  man  of  the  people,  a 
*  professional '  whom  the  Queen  had  actually  made  Marquis. 
This  trio  was  nicknamed  '  Cerberus.'  It  was  the  reverse  of 
former  experiments :  for  the  first  time  two  members  of  the 
disaffected  'professionals'  were  admitted  into  the  bureau- 
cracy. Vanni,  a  miniature  Marat,  who  well  merited  his 
subsequent  downfall,  dictated  ;  and  his  dictatorship  stank 
in  the  nostrils  of  all  Italy  as  'the  white  terror  of  Naples.' 
Di  Medici  had  himself  headed  a  fresh  conspiracy — for 
the  King's  murder — which  for  a  long  time  simmered  in 
the  political  caldron.^  He  was  imprisoned  ^  in  the  fortress  of 
Gaeta,  to  reappear,  however,  a  few  years  later  as  a  pardoned 
protege.  Prince  Caramanico,  despatched  after  Sicigniano's 
sad  suicide  to  the  Embassy  in  London,  died  before  starting, 
with  the  usual  suspicion  of  poison.  The  execution  in  the 
'  Mercato  Vecchio '  of  the  cultivated  Tommaso  Amato,  who 
was  deprived  even  of  supreme  unction,  lent  its  first  horror  to 
the  notorious  death-chamber  of  the  '  Capella  della  Vicaria,' 
and  was  soon  followed  by  that  of  sixty  more  Jacobins.  The 
cause  of  'order  and  religion'  was  publicly  pitted  against 
these  damnable  heresies.  Even  communications  with  the 
self-styled  '  Patriots'  were  to  be  punished.  It  was  decreed 
treason  for  more  than  ten  to  assemble,  save  by  licence. 
The  judges,  it  is  true,  were  bidden  to  be  '  conscientious  in 
equity  and  justice,'  but  three    witnesses   sufficed    for   the 

divulged  determination  of  attacking  soon  the  British  squadron  in  a  couple  of 
weeks  longer.'  He  expresses  a  hope  for  'proper  reinforcements';  'then  no 
allarm  [sic]  is  for  Italy  any  longer.' 

1  Cf.  Hamilton  to  Sir  G.  Elliot,  June  27,  1795.     Eg.  MS.  2638,  f.  147. 

2  Our  old  friend,  the  Bishop  of  Derry,  thus  writes  to  Emma  about  this  affair  : 
'  There  is  no  doubt  but  Don  Luizi  is  implicated.  That  very  circumstance 
argues  the  extent  of  the  mischief.  ...  I  have  conversed  with  one  of  his  inti- 
mates— one  "who  is  no  stranger  to  his  dearest  secret."  .  .  .  Sweet  Emma, 
adieu  !  Eveiy  wish  of  my  heart  beats  for  the  dear  Queen.' — Nelson  Letters^ 
vol.  i.  p.  24  s. 


'STATESWOMAN'  175 

death-sentence.  Apart  from  capital  sentences,  the  castles 
and  prisons  were  crammed  with  suspects,  so  much  so  that 
those  of  Brindisi  were  requisitioned.  Massacres  desolated 
Sicily ;  blood  ran  in  the  Neapolitan  streets.  Ferdinand, 
who  had  been  amusing  himself  by  lengthened  law-suits  with 
the  Prince  of  Tarsia  over  a  silk  monopoly,  called  on  the 
clergy  to  expose  the '  French  errors  ' ;  and  at  Naples  devotion 
and  disaster  ever  trod  closely  on  each  other's  heels.  Three 
days  of  solemn  prayer  were  once  more  decreed  in  the 
Metropolitan  Church  of  St.  Januarius.  Both  King  and 
Queen  were  perpetually  seen  in  devout  attendance  at  the 
principal  shrines.  The  pulpits  preached  'death  to  the 
French,'  and  war  against  Jacobinism  was  declared  religious. 
To  be  a  '  patriot '  (an  innocent  fault  in  palmier  days)  was 
now  sacrilege.  A  fresh  eve  of  St.  Bartholomew  was  feared.^ 
In  a  word,  the  methods  of  crushing  rebellion  and  opinion 
were  eminently  southern,  but  they  were  also  a  counterblast 
to  equal  barbarities  in  the  north.  Save  for  the  sansculottes 
and  their  propaganda,  Naples  would  have  escaped  the 
fever  and  remained  a  drowsy  castle  of  contented  indolence. 

While,  as  queen,  Maria  Carolina  cowed  the  city,  as 
woman  she  was  demented  by  Buonaparte's  Italian  victories. 
Naples,  alone  of  all  Italy,  still  defied  him.  The  Neapolitan 
royalties — to  their  honour — sacrificed  fortune  and  jewels 
to  dare  the  new  Alexander.  At  the  same  time,  they  called 
on  both  nobles  and  ecclesiastics  to  emulate  their  public 
spirit,  and  thereby  unconsciously  did  much  to  hasten  the 
'patriot'  insurrection.  One  hundred  and  three  thousand 
ducats  were  demanded  from  the  town,  one  hundred  and 
twenty  thousand  from  the  nobles;  church  property  was 
alienated.  Everything  was  seized  for  the  common  cause. 
The  news  of  Nelson's  heroism  and  the  English  triumph  in 
Corsica  was  received  with  rapture.  And  the  Neapolitan 
troops  on  this  occasion  shamed  the  general  cowardice.  By 
1795  Prince  Moliterno  was  acclaimed  a  national  hero;  the 
courage  of  General  Cuto's  three  regiments  in  the  Tyrol  raised 
the  Neapolitan  name,  while  Mantua  and  Rome  showed  the 
white  feather  and  necessitated  the  onerous  peace  of  Brescia. 

It  may  now  be  guessed  what  agitated  the  Queen's  bosom 

*  Dumas'  Storia  de'  Borlwni,  pp.  167-200. 


176  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

as  day  by  day  she  sat  down  to  pen  her  French  missives 
to  Emma,  and  what  were  the  feeh'ngs  naturally  instilled  in 
Emma  by  Hamilton,  Nelson's  letters,  and  the  Queen.  The 
Jacobin  cause  was  the  prime  pest  of  Europe,  to  be  crushed 
at  all  costs  ;  Napoleon,  an  impudent  upstart  and  usurper  ; 
the  Neapolitan  rebels,  monsters  of  ingratitude  and  treachery. 
All  these  convictions  were  as  binding  as  articles  of  faith. 
Emma's  own  heart  was  tender  to  a  fault.  She  detested 
bloodshed  and  was  to  use  all  her  influence  for  mercy,  as,  to 
do  her  bare  justice,  the  Queen  also  was  often  to  do  after  the 
first  spasm  had  passed.  In  Emma's  eyes  the  Queen  herself, 
so  kind  and  good  at  home,  so  sincere  and  friendly,  was 
'  adorable.'  She  could  do  no  wrong.  The  past  peccadilloes 
of  this  baffling  woman,  contrasting  with  her  present  domes- 
ticity, seemed  to  her,  even  if  she  believed  them,  merely 
a  royal  prerogative.  She  was — as  Emma  assured  Greville 
in  a  letter  congratulating  him  on  his  new  vice-chamberlain- 
ship,  'Everything  one  can  wish — the  best  mother,  wife,  and 
freind  in  the  world.  I  live  constantly  with  her,  and  have 
done  intimately  so  for  2  years,  and  I  never  have  in  all 
that  time  seen  anything  but  goodness  and  sincerity  in  her, 
and  if  ever  you  hear  any  lyes  about  her,  contradict  them, 
and  if  you  shou'd  see  a  cursed  book  written  by  a  vile  French 
dog,  with  her  character  in  it,  don't  believe  one  word.'  Hours 
passed  with  her  were  '  enchantment.'  '  No  person  can  be  so 
charming  as  the  Queen.  If  I  was  her  daughter  she  could 
not  be  kinder  to  me,  and  I  love  her  with  my  whole  soul.'^ 
As  she  grew  more  and  more  influential  on  the  stirring  scene 
she  caught  and  exaggerated  her  royal  friend's  own  effusive- 
ness. '  Oh  that  everyone,'  is  her  indorsement  on  a  letter, 
'  would  esteem  her  as  I  do  from  my  soul.  May  every  good 
attend  her  and  hers.'-  Thus  Ruth,  of  Naomi.  From  such  a 
friend  critical  impartiality  was  no  more  to  be  expected  than 
from  such  enemies  as  the  '  vile,  French  dogs.' 

The  Queen's  correspondence  with  Emma^  opens  earlier 

1  Morrison  MS.  250  ;  Caserta,  December  18,  1794. 
'^  Eg.  MS.  1615,  f.  62,  Oct.  10,  1796. 

2  Most  of  her  letters  of  this  and  the  next  five  years  are  transcribed  from  the 
various  Egerton  MS.  by  R.  Palumbo  in  his  violent  diatribe  Maria  Carolina  and 
Emma  Hamilton,  which  to  some  real  material  adds  all  the  old  false  stories 
about  her  earlier  and  later  life — 'The  lie  revived,  the  tale  so  oft  o'erthrown.' 


'STATESWOMAN'  177 

with  a  touching  note  about  the  fate  of  the  poor  Dauphin ; 
a  sweet  h'ttle  portrait  still  remains  under  its  cover.  This 
innocent  child,  she  wrote,  implores  a  signal  vengeance  for 
the  massacre  of  his  parents  before  the  Eternal  Throne.^  His 
afflictions  'have  renewed  wounds  that  will  never  heal.'  In 
January  1794  a  fete  was  given  by  the  Hamiltons  to  Prince 
Augustus.  It  was  a  golden  occasion  for  fanning  the  English 
fever,  which  by  now  had  spread  throughout  the  loyalist 
ranks.  The  Queen's  letter  of  that  afternoon  begged  the 
hostess  to  tell  her  company  '  God  save  great  George  our 
King,'  rejoiced  over  the  Anglo-Sicilian  alliance,  and  sent 
her  compliments  to  all  the  English  present.  In  the  follow- 
ing June  she  exulted  over  George's  speech  to  Parliament 
renewing  the  war.  She  longed  for  English  news  from 
Toulon.-  Next  year,  at  his  next  fete,  she  was  to  protest 
that  she  loved  the  British  prince  as  a  son.^  She  was  per- 
petually anxious  about  Emma's  health  and  prescribing 
remedies.  As  for  her  own  '  old  health,'  it  was  not  worth 
her  young  friend's  disquietude.*  When  Sir  William  lay  at 
death's  door  she  bade  her  'put  confidence  in  God,  who  never 
forsakes  those  who  trust  in  Him,'  and  count  on  the  'sincere 
friendship'  of  her  'attached  friend.'^  Emma's  performances 
she  applauded  to  the  skies,  especially  that  of  '  Nina,'  which 
had  been  Romney's  favourite. 

In  one  of  her  constant  billets  °  she  tenderly  inquired  after 
^ ce  cher  ainiahlc  hienfaisant  ^veqiie' — the  flippant  but  kindly 
worldling  and  '  Right  Reverend  Father  in  God '  (as  Beck- 
ford  terms  him)  Lord  Bristol,  Bishop  of  Derry.  Of  this 
odd  wit,  erratic  vagrant  and  sentimental  scapegrace,  so 
typical  of  a  century  that  included  both  Horace  Walpole 
and  Laurence  Sterne — a  veritable  Gallio-in-gaiters,  with 
his  whimsical  projects  for  endless  improvements,'^  his 
conuoisseurship,  his   restlessness,  his  real  pluck  and  inde- 

1  Eg.  MS.  1615,  f.  37.  -  Eg.  MS.  161S,  ff.  8,  10 

3  Eg.  MS.  161 5,  f.  69.  *  Eg.  MS.  1615,  f.  48. 

^  Ibid,  to  f.  18.  Emma's  endorsement  runs:  'From  my  dear  Queen, 
April  17,  1795,  when  I  was  in  great  affliction  for  my  much  loved  husband,  who 
is  ill  of  a  bilious  fever.' 

•*  Eg.  MS.  f.  38,  wheie  she  also  praises  Pitt's  patriotic  eloquence  in  his  war- 
like speech — '  his  chef  cCccttvyc.^ 

"  One  of  them  for  draining  the  marshes  of  Romagna. 

M 


178  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

pendence,  we  have  already  caught  glimpses  in  eccentric 
attire  at  Caserta.  One  of  his  queerest  features  was  the 
blended  care  and  carelessness  both  of  money  and  family. 
Attached  to  his  devoted  and  economical  daughter  Louisa, 
he  quarrelled  with  his  son  for  not  marrying  an  heiress. 
His  bitterest  reproach  against  his  old  wife  was  that  she 
disbelieved  'in  the  current  coin  of  the  realm.'  Lady 
Hamilton  thus  at  this  time  described  him  to  Greville : 
'  He  is  very  fond  of  me,  and  very  kind.  He  is  very  enter- 
taining and  dashes  at  everything.  Nor  does  he  mind  King 
and  Queen  when  he  is  inclined  to  shew  his  talents.'^  The 
French  victories  were  soon  to  be  fatal  to  the  esprit  moqueicr, 
and  to  cool  his  volatile  impatience  for  some  eighteen 
months  within  the  clammy  walls  of  a  Milanese  fortress. 
Besides  his  autographs  in  the  Morrison  Collection,  and  two 
now  belonging  to  the  writer,  a  few  letters  from  him  to  Emma 
exist  in  that  surreptitious  edition  of  the  pilfered  Nelson 
Letters  which,  in  1814,  were  to  add  one  more  drop  to  her 
cup  of  bitterness.  They  all  show  that  he  purveyed  in- 
formation, both  serious  and  scandalous,  through  Emma 
to  the  Queen.  They  stamp  the  intriguer,  the  patriot,  and 
the  friend.  The  first  seems  written  among  the  embroilments 
of  1793. 

The  sale  and  purchase  of  antiquities  absorbed  him  like 
Sir  William ;  unlike  the  Ambassador,  he  never  shirked 
labour,  but  rather  meddled  officiously  with  the  departments 
over  which  his  leisurely  friend  had  been  up  to  now  so  dis- 
posed to  loiter.  In  1793  he  is  to  be  found  spying  on  the 
spies  who  misled  '  the  dear,  dear  Queen.'  At  the  opening, 
too,  of  1794,  he  forwards  Venetian  secrets  to  be  communi- 
cated '  a  la  premiere  des  fe mines,  cette  maitresse  femme."^  '  I 
have  been  in  bed,'  he  adds,  '  these  four  weeks  with  what  is 
called  a  flying  gout,  but  were  it  such  it  would  be  gone 
long  ago,  and  it  hovers  round  me  like  a  ghost  round  its 
sepulchre.'  ^  In  1795  again  the  nomad  was  at  Berlin  routing 
out  State-secrets.     The  date  of  the  following  must  be  that 

'  Morrison  MS.  250,  Dec.  18,  1794.     This  is  the  letter  in  which  she  says: 
'  Do  send  me  a  plan  how  I  could  situate  little  Emma,  poor  thing  ;  for  I  wish  it.' 
-  The  very  expression  used  of  Emma  herself  by  the  King  in  1799. 
'  Morrison  MS.  232  ;  Trieste,  January  15,  1794. 


♦STATESWOMAN'  179 

of  the  shameful  Austrian  treaties  in  1797  which  succeeded 
the  galling  peace  of  Brescia. 

'My  ever  dearest  Lady  Hamilton, — I  should  cer- 
tainly have  made  this  Sunday  an  holy  day  to  me,  and  have 
taken  a  Sabbath  day's  journey  to  Caserta,  had  not  poor  Mr. 
Lovel  ^  been  confined  to  his  bed  above  three  days  with  a 
fever.  To-day  it  is  departed;  to-morrow  Dr.  Nudi^  has 
secured  us  from  its  resurrection ;  and  after  to-morrow,  I 
hope,  virtue  will  be  its  own  reward.  .  .  .  All  public  and 
private  accounts  agree  in  the  immediate  prospect  of  a 
general  peace.  It  will  make  a  delicious  foreground  in  the 
picture  of  the  new  year ;  many  of  which  I  wish,  from  the 
top,  bottom,  and  centre  of  my  heart,  to  the  incomparable 
Emma — quella  senza  paragone'"^  The  next  snatch  is  worth 
quoting  for  its  humour  : — '  I  went  down  to  your  opera-box 
two  minutes  after  you  left ;  and  should  have  seen  you  on 
the  morning  of  your  departure — but  was  detained  in  the 
arms  of  Murphy,  as  Lady  Eden  expresses  it,  and  was  too 
late.  You  say  nothing  of  the  adorable  Queen  ;  I  hope 
she  has  not  forgot  me.  ...  I  veritably  deem  her  the  very 
best  edition  of  a  woman  I  ever  saw — I  mean  of  such  as 
are  not  in  folio.  .  .  .  My  duties  obstruct  my  pleasure.  .  .  . 
You  see,  I  am  but  the  second  letter  of  your  alphabet, 
though  you  are  the  first  of  mine.' 

A  last  extract,  penned  a  few  months  after  his  liberation, 
must  complete  this  vignette  : — '  I  know  not,  dearest  Emma, 
whether  friend  Sir  William  has  been  able  to  obtain  my 
passport  or  not ;  but  this  I  know — that  if  they  have  refused 
it,  they  are  damned  fools  for  their  pains  :  for  never  was  a 
Malta  orange  better  worth  squeezing  or  sucking ;  and  if 
they  leave  me  to  die,  without  a  tombstone  over  me  to  tell 
the  contents — tant  pis  pour  eux.  In  the  meantime,  I  will 
frankly  confess  to  you  that  my  health  most  seriously  and 
urgently  requires  the  balmy  air  of  dear  Naples,  and  the 
more  balmy  atmosphere  of  those  I  love,  and  who  love  me  ; 
and   that   I  shall   forego  my  garret  with   more  regret  than 

•  A  clergyman  much  inLcrcbled  in  Vesuvius  and  the  Arts,  who  stayed  with 
him  on  several  occasions. 

-  Hamillon's  doctor,  .in  eminent  physician  and  naturalist. 
"  •  A  nonpareil.' 


i8o  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

most  people  of  my  silly  rank  in  society  forego  a  palace  or  a 
drawing-room,'  He  then  sketched  his  tour  on  horseback  to 
'  that  unexplored  region  Dalmatia  '  ;  he  described  Spalato 
as  '  a  modern  city  built  within  the  precincts  of  an  ancient 
palace.'  Spalato  reminded  him  of  Diocletian,  the  '  wise 
sovereign  who  quitted  the  sceptre  of  an  architect's  rule,'  and 
the  two  together,  of  a  new  project  for  a  'packet-boat  in 
these  perilous  times  between  Spalato  and  Manfredonia.'  ^ 

The  serious  dibjit  of  Emma  as  '  Stateswoman '  (in  the 
sense  of  England's  spokeswoman  at  Naples)  chimes  with 
the  episode  of  the  King  of  Spain's  secret  letters  heralding 
and  announcing  his  rupture  with  the  anti-French  alliance 
during  1795  and  1796.  But  before  dealing  with  that  crisis, 
I  may  be  pardoned  for  glancing  at  one  more  picturesque 
figure  among  Emma's  surroundings — that  of  Wilhelmina, 
Countess  of  Lichtenau. 

She  was  nobly  born  and  bred  ;  but  in  girlhood,  under  a 
broken  promise,  it  would  seem,  of  morganatic  marriage,  had 
become  mistress  and  intellectual  companion  of  Frederick, 
King  of  Prussia — a  tie  countenanced  by  her  mother. 
Political  intrigue  drove  her  from  Berlin  to  Italy,  as  it  after- 
wards involved  her  in  despair  and  ruin.  She  was  cultivated, 
artistic,  sensitive,  and  unhappy.  She  became  the  honoured 
correspondent  of  many  distinguished  statesmen  and  authors. 
Lavater  and  Arthur  Paget  ^  were  her  firm  friends,  as  also 
the  luckless  Alexandre  Sauveur,  already  noticed  in  his 
'  hermitage  '  on  Mount  Vesuvius.  Lord  Bristol,  naturally, 
knelt  at  her  shrine.  In  her  Memoires^  she  frankly 
admits  that  she  (like  Emma)  was  vain ;  but  maintains 
that  all  women  are  so  by  birthright.  Lovel,  the  parson 
friend  of  the  Bishop  of  Derry,  used  to  sign  himself  her 
'brother  by  adoption,'  and  address  her  as  'a  very  dear 
sister  '  ;  Paget  corresponded  with  her  as  '  dear  Wilhelmina.' 
Throughout  1795  she  was  at  Naples,  where  her  cicisbeo  was 
the  handsome  Chevalier  de  Saxe,  afterwards  killed  in  a  duel 
with  the  Russian  M.  Saboff.  A  letter  from  him  towards 
the  close  of  this   year  of  Neapolitan  enthusiasm  for  the 

1  Nelson  LetUrs,  vol.  i.  pp.  253-261.  -  Hanoverian  Ambassador. 

^  In  two  volumes,  Colburn,  1809.  Volume  two  contains  many  letters  from 
friends,  including  Lady  Hamilton  and  Lord  Bristol. 


'STATESWOMAN'  i8i 

English,  when  the  Elh'ots  among  others  were  praising  and 
applauding  Emma  to  the  skies,^  describes  the  great  ball 
given  by  Lady  Plymouth  in  celebration  of  Prince  Augustus's 
birthday.  The  supper  was  one  of  enthusiasm  and  *  God 
save  the  King.'  'They  drank,'  he  chronicles,  '«  rAnglaise: 
the  toasts  were  noisy,  and  the  healths  of  others  were  so 
flattered  as  to  derange  our  own.'  Sir  William  was  constantly 
begging  of  her  to  forward  the  sale  of  his  collections  at  the 
Russian  capital ;  nor  was  tea,  now  fashionable  at  court,  the 
least  agent  for  English  interests.  Emma  herself  had  become 
the  '  fair  tea-maker '  of  the  Chiaja  instead  of,  as  once,  of 
Edgware  Row,  and  Mrs.  Cadogan  too  held  her  own  tea- 
parties.  Emma  often  corresponded  with  the  beautiful 
Countess  ;  one  of  her  letters  is  transcribed  in  Note  D.  of  the 
Appendix,  as  an  evidence  of  what  kind  of  French  she  had 
learned  to  write  by  a  period  when  she  had  mastered  not  only 
Neapolitan/<7/^zj-  but  Spanish  and  Italian.-  At  the  troublous 
outset  of  1796  Wilhelmina  quitted  Italy  never  to  return. 

These  characters  are  scarcely  edifying.  The  scoffing 
Bishop,  the  frail  Countess,  however,  were  a  typical  outcome 
of  sincere  reaction  against  hollow  and  hypocritical  observ- 
ance. There  was  nothing  diabolical  about  them.  The 
virtues  that  they  professed,  they  practised  ;  their  faults, 
those  of  free  thinkers  and  free  livers,  do  not  differentiate 
them  from  their  contemporaries.  It  is  surely  remarkable 
that  these,  and  such  as  these,  paved  the  way  for  Nelson's 
vindication  of  Great  Britain  in  the  Mediterranean,  far  more 
than  the  train  of  decent  frivolity  and  formal  virtue  that  did 
nothing  without  distinction.  High  Bohemia  has  always 
wielded  some  power  in  the  world.  Far  more  was  it  a  force 
when  the  French  Revolution  threatened  the  very  founda- 
tions of  society,  and  opened  up  avenues  to  every  sort  of 
adventure  and  adventurer. 

]']mma  has  already  been  found  twice  acquainting  Greville 

*  Hamiltonwiit.es  that  Lady  Elliot  had  quite  'a  passion  for  Emma.' — Add. 
MS.  34,710  D.  She  herself  has  recorded  her  praises  of  Emma's  talent,  and 
Lady  Malmesbury  has  dune  the  same.  Cf.  Letters  and  Diaries  of  the  First  Earl 
of  Miftto,  vol.  i.  p.  406,  vol.  ii.  p.  365.  Sir  Gilbert,  however,  while  he  noticed 
her  talent  and  '  good  humour,'  decried  her  manners. 

"  Amoncj  the  autographs  sold  at  Sotheby's  in  the  May  of  1905  was  an  Italian  one 
of  Lady  Hamilton.  In  another,  sold  in  July,  she  mentions  herself,  shortly  before 
her  death,  as  instructing  Iloratia  in  Spanish  and  in  the  after-acquired  German. 


i82  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

of  her  new  mitier  as  politician.  Her  present  circum- 
stances and  influence  over  the  Queen  may  be  gauged  in- 
dependently by  a  letter  from  her  husband  to  his  nephew 
from  Caserta  of  November,  which  has  only  recently  passed 
into  the  national  collection  : — ^ 

'.  .  .  Here  we  are  as  usual  for  the  winter  hunting  and 
shooting  season,  and  Emma  is  not  at  all  displeased  to  retire 
with  me  at  times  from  the  great  world,  altho'  no  one  is 
better  received  when  she  chuses  to  go  into  it.  The  Queen 
of  Naples  seems  to  have  great  pleasure  in  her  society.  She 
sends  for  her  generally  three  or  four  times  a  week.  ...  In 
fact,  all  goes  well  chez  7ions.  [He  is  taking  more  exercise.] 
.  .  .  I  have  not  neglected  of  my  duty^  and  flatter  myself  that 
I  must  be  approved  of  at  home  for  some  real  services  which 
my  particular  situation  at  this  court  has  enabled  me  to 
render  to  our  Ministry.  I  have  at  least  the  satisfaction  of 
feeling  that  I  have  done  all  in  my  power,  althd  at  the  expense 
of  my  own  health  and  fortune.'  This  last  sentence  points  to 
the  political  situation,  and  Emma's  assistance  in  the  episode 
of  the  King  of  Spain's  letters  ;  for  not  one,  but  a  whole 
series  were  involved. 

These  letters,  from  1795  to  1796,  were  the  secret  channels 
by  which  Ferdinand  was  made  aware  first  of  his  brother's 
intention  to  desert  the  Alliance,  and,  in  the  next  year,  to 
join  the  enemy. 

In  touching  the  effects  and  causes  of  an  event  so  critical, 
Emma's  pretensions  to  a  part  in  its  discovery  must  be  dis- 
cussed also.  Their  consideration,  interrupting  the  sequence 
of  our  narrative,  will  not  affect  its  movement.  It  is  no  dry 
recital,  for  it  concerns  events  and  character. 

From  1795  to  the  opening  of  1797  the  league  against 
Napoleon,  as  thrones  and  principalities  one  by  one  tottered 
before  him,  was  faced  by  rising  republics  and  defect- 
ing allies.  In  vain  were  Wurmser  and  the  Neapolitan 
troops  to  rally  the  Romagna.  In  vain  did  Nelson  recount 
to  the  Hamiltons  Hood's  and  Hotham's  successes  along 
the  Italian  coast.  Acton's  own  letters  of  this  period  are 
full  of  complaints  against  Austria  and  Tuscany.^  Prussia 
estranged  herself  from  the  banded  powers.     England  her- 

1  Add.  MS.  34,710  D.,  Nov,  17,  1795.  -  Cf.  Add.  MS.  2,639,225. 


'  STATESWOMAN '  183 

self  was,  for  a  moment,  ready  to  throw  up  the  sponge.  In 
1795,  so  great  was  the  popular  fear  of  conflict,  that  prints  in 
every  London  shop  window  represented  the  blessings  of 
peace  and  the  horrors  of  war.  Even  in  the  October  of  1796 
Nelson  told  the  Hamiltons,  with  a  wrathful  sigh,  '  We  have 
a  narrow-minded  party  to  work  against,  but  I  feel  above  it'  ^ 
And  writing  from  Bastia  in  December  1796,  he  was  again 
indignant  at  the  orders  for  the  evacuation  of  the  Mediter- 
ranean, which  plunged  the  Queen  in  despair.  'Till  this 
time,'  commented  the  true  patriot,  '  it  has  been  usual  for  the 
allies  of  England  to  fall  from  her,  but  till  now  she  never 
was  known  to  desert  her  friends  whilst  she  had  the  power 
of  supporting  them.'  - 

The  home  explosion  had  been  arrested  ;  Neapolitan  dis- 
content had  been  appeased  ;  but  the  frauds  of  the  Scots 
contractor,  Mackinnon,^  added  knavery  to  increasing  fiscal 
embarrassments.  And  Naples  was  soon  to  become  involved 
in  a  mesh  of  degrading  treaties.  The  Peace  of  Brescia,  enforc- 
ing her  neutrality  and  mulcting  her  of  eight  million  francs, 
sounded  the  first  note  of  Austrian  retreat.  It  culminated 
by  1797  in  the  shameful  treaties  of  Campoformio  and  Tolen- 
tino,*  which  eventually  bound  Austria  to  cry  off.  By  the 
close  of  1796  the  distraught  Queen  raved  ^  over  a  separate 
and  clandestine®  compact  exacted  by  France — the  most 
galling  condition  of  which  excluded  more  than  four  vessels 
of  the  allies  at  o?te  time''  from  any  Neapolitan  or  Sicilian 
port — a    proviso    critical    in    1798.      By    1797    Naples  was 

1  Morrison  MS.  28S. 

^  Il/id,  290.  Three  years  later  Nelson  could  exclaim  with  pride  that  no  other 
power  had  been  '  faithful  to  its  engagements.'  Cf.  excerpt  from  a  letter  of 
fuly  19,  1799,  addressed  from  Naples  to  Sir  J.  St.  Clair  Erskinc  (Sotheby's 
catalogue  for  July  S,  1905). 

^  He  had  a  lengthy  lawsuit  against  a  competitor  and  compatriot,  the  banker 
Macaulay.  After  being  imprisoned,  he  returned  to  England  and  traduced  Lady 
Hamilton.  Writing  in  April  1 798,  Sir  William  says  he  is  capable  of  any  villainy. 
Eg.  MS.  2640,  f.  59. 

■*  The  last  happened  in  February,  ine  first  in  October  1797.  For  their  terms 
cf.  the  note  towards  the  close  of  this  chapter,  ^  Cf.  Eg.  MS.  1615,  f.  75. 

^  Cf.  Lady  Hamilton's  own  transcription  of  it,  Morrison  MS.  289,  Oct.  28, 
1796. 

"  This  portion  of  the  clause — on  which  Acton  always  laid  stress — has  much  to 
do  with  Emma's  'services'  of  1798,  and  is  often  lost  sight  of  in  the  historical 
accounts. 


i84  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

forced  to  acknowledge  the  French  Cisalpine  Republic,  and 
France  had  gained  the  natural  frontiers  of  the  Alps  and 
the  Rhine.  Buonaparte  returned  to  Paris  covered  with 
glory.  In  a  single  campaign  he  had  defeated  five  armies, 
and  won  eighteen  pitched  battles,  and  sixty-seven  smaller 
combats.  He  had  made  one  hundred  and  fifty  thousand 
prisoners.  He  had  freed  eighteen  states.  He  had  rifled 
Italy  of  her  statues,  pictures,  and  manuscripts.  For  his 
adopted  country's  arsenals  he  had  pillaged  eleven  hundred 
and  eighty  pieces  of  artillery,  and  fifty-one  muniments  for 
her  harbours  ;  while  no  less  than  two  hundred  million  francs 
were  secured  for  her  treasuries. 

But  a  worse  defection  than  Prussia's  or  Austria's  was  that 
of  Spain,  which  fell  like  a  bomb  on  the  coalition  against 
France,  and  which,  as  Emma  alleged,  first  brought  her  on  the 
political  stage  to  the  knowledge  of  the  English  Ministry. 

Her  claim,  and  Nelson's  for  her,  differing  in  dates,  since 
there  were  several  transactions,  was  that  her  friendship 
with  the  Queen  obtained  the  loan  of  a  secret  document 
addressed  by  the  Spanish  monarch  to  the  King  of  Naples, 
and  forewarning  him  of  his  intention  to  ally  himself  with 
France,  a  copy  of  which  she  got  forwarded  to  London. 

This  service  has  been  roundly  denied  both  by  Mr.  Jeaffre- 
son  and  Professor  Laughton.  Only  the  main  results  of  in- 
vestigation can  be  here  narrated  ;  some  supplement  will 
be  found  in  Note  F.  of  the  Appendix.  Whatever  its  sub- 
sequent embroidery,  Emma's  contention,  certified  by  Nelson, 
nor  ever  denied  by  the  truthful  Hamilton,  is  favoured  by 
existing  evidence  ;  and  it  is  amusing  to  notice  at  the  outset, 
that  one  of  the  subsidiary  cavils  of  her  judges — namely, 
that  no  ciphered  despatch  would  ever  have  been  so  entrusted 
to  her — falls  at  once  to  the  ground,  since  there  exists  such 
a  document  in  her  own  handwriting  among  the  Morrison 
autographs  ;  ^  while  in  the  Queen's  correspondence  occurs 
more  than  one  mention  of  a  cipher  transmitted  to  her.  But, 
indeed,  neither  in  her  memorial  of  1813  to  the  Prince  of 

^  Morrison  MS.  259.  Transcript  (in  Italian)  in  Lady  Hamilton's  hand- 
writing of  a  letter  (in  cipher)  to  the  Foreign  Minister  of  Naples.  Dated  Aran- 
juez,  March  31,  1796.  The  Queen  sent  her  many  such,  among  them  the 
Austrian  ciphers  of  July  1798,  v.  post,  chap.  viii. 


I 


'STATESWOMAN'  185 

Wales,  nor  in  that  other  to  the  King,  nor  in  Nelson's  last 
codicil,  is  a  '  ciphered  letter '  mentioned.  The  first  document 
styles  it  only  a  '  private  letter.'  The  last  two  agree  in 
calling  it  the  King  of  Spain's  letter  'expressive  of  or 
'acquainting  him  with  '  his  '  intention  of  declaring  war  against 
England.'  The  critics  need  not  surely  have  been  at  such 
pains  to  identify  the  document  meant  with  the  celebrated 
cipher  of  Galatone,  which  the  Queen  handed  to  Emma  in 
the  spring  of  1795.  All  the  evidence  fits  the  likelihood  of 
the  document  for  which  she  claimed  being  one  that  was 
forwarded  home  in  September  1796,  the  year  specified  by 
Nelson's  last  codicil,  by  his  conversation  at  Dresden  in 
1800,  and  on  many  other  occasions. 

Roughly  speaking,  the  facts  are  these. 

From  the  opening  of  the  year  1795  to  the  autumn  of 
1796  the  Neapolitan  Ambassador  at  Madrid  (in  1795 
'  Galatone,'  Prince  Belmonte)  was  in  constant  communica- 
tion, both  open  and  secret,  with  the  King,  Queen,  and  Gallo, 
then  foreign  minister ;  and  in  such  cases  official  letters, 
which  are  naturally  guarded,  should  be  carefully  dis- 
tinguished from  private  information  surreptitiously  con- 
veyed. From  the  moment  that  the  French  Directory 
replaced  the  Reign  of  Terror  in  Thermidor  1794,  and 
represented  itself  under  the  dazzling  triumphs  of  Napoleon 
as  a  stable,  if  spicier,  Government,  Spain  had  been  steadily 
smoothing  the  way  for  wriggling  out  of  the  Anti-Gallic 
Coalition,  the  more  so  as  she  longed  to  try  conclu- 
sions with  Great  Britain  in  partnership  with  France,  whom 
she  had  hitherto  been  bound  to  attack.  For  this  pur- 
pose— as  all  Acton's  manuscript  letters  attest — she  sought 
to  bully  Naples,  first  out  of  the  Anti-Gallic  league,  and 
subsequently,  in  1797,  out  of  enforced  neutrality.  She  still 
considered  her  navy  powerful,  although  throughout  1795 
Nelson  derided  it  as  worse  than  useless.  Her  Florentine 
envoy  wrote  insolently  in  the  autumn  of  1795  that  it  was 
of  no  consequence  that  the  English  flag  was  flaunted  in 
Mediterranean  waters  ;  the  real  Spanish  objective  ought  to 
be  Cuba,  Porto   Rico,  St.  Domingo.^      Tradition,   national 

^  Cf.  Sir  W.  Hamilton's  letter  to  Lord  Granville  of  October  17,  1795,  cited 
from  the  P.R.O.  by  Professor  Laughton  in  his  Nelson's  Last  Codicil,  Colburn's 
United  Set-vice  Magazine,  April  1S89.     This  policy  was  exemplified  in  1805. 


i86  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

pride,  and  inclination  all  united  in  her  effort  gradually  and 
insidiously  to  prepare  a  breach  with  the  allied  powers  and 
a  rapprochement  with  France, 

During  these  long  negotiations  both  Acton  and  Hamilton 
were  kept  in  designed  ignorance  by  the  King,  who,  under 
his  inherited  bias  for  Spanish  influence,  rejoiced  to  think 
that  he  was  now  at  last  his  own  minister,  emancipated  from 
and  outwitting  his  thwarted  Queen.  Maria  Carolina,  how- 
ever, had  provided  her  own  channels  of  information  also. 
All  that  she  could  ferret  out  was  carefully  communicated  to 
Lady  Hamilton,  and  forwarded,  under  strict  pledges  not  to 
compromise  by  naming  her,  to  Lord  Grenville  in  London.^ 

There  are  two  distinct  sets  of  the  correspondence  between 
Hamilton  and  Acton  and  Acton  and  Hamilton— that  of 
spring  and  early  summer  1795  relative  to  the  Spanish 
peace  with  France  achieved  in  July,  the  project  for  which, 
however,  had  leaked  out  long  before ;  and  that  of  late 
summer  and  autumn  1796,  regarding  Spain's  much  more 
secret  and  momentous  decision  to  strike  a  definite  alliance, 
offensive  as  well  as  defensive,  with  the  enemy  of  Europe.^ 

It  was  in  connection  with  the  latter  that  Nelson's  last 
codicil  claimed  Emma's  assistance  in  divulging  it  to  the 
ministers,  while  he  regretted  the  opportunities  missed  by 
their  failure  to  improve  the  occasion.  Lady  Hamilton's 
last  memorial  assigns  no  specific  date,  though  her  brief 
narrative  there  confuses  (as  usual)  the  peace  and  the  alliance 
together.  The  evidence  points  to  a  probability  of  her 
having  been  twice  instrumental  in  procuring  documents 
weighty  for  both  these  emergencies ;  but  her  main  exertion, 
as  Nelson  was  aware,  was  bound  up  with  the  last.  Professor 
Laughton's  acumen  bears  upon  the  letters  of  1795  :  my 
reasons  for  disagreeing  with  him  about  these  also  will  be 
found  in  the  Appendix,^  to  which  the  student  is  referred. 
Both  he  and  Mr.  Jeaffreson  fasten  upon  her  statement  in  the 
'  Prince  Regent '  memorial  alone,*  and  have  not  considered 

'  Egerton  MS.  1617,  fif.  22,  29. 

-  The  Franco-Spanish  Treaty  was  clandestinely  signed  August  19,  1796, 
ratified  September  12.     On  October  11  Spain  declared  war  against  England. 

•*  Note  F. 

*  These  are  its  words  : — '  By  unceasing  application  of  that  influence' — i.e. 
with  the  Queen — 'and  no  less  watchfulness  to  turn  it  to  my  country's  good,  it 


'STATESWOMAN'  187 

her  undecorated  and  simple  account  tallying  with  Nelson's 
in  her  memorial  to  the  King.  I  beg  the  reader's  patient 
attention  to  the  wording  of  both  of  these,  below  cited. 

It  is  clear  from  the  first  that  Emma  in  treating  of  two 
years  mixes  up  the  documents  which  she  admittedly 
obtained  from  the  Queen  and  delivered  to  Hamilton  for 
tansmission  both  in  April  and  June  1795,  with  one  of  the 
many  that  she  obtained  in  1796.  No  single  'letter'  could 
have  comprised  both  the  rupture  with  the  alliance  and  the 
compact  with  France,  belonging  respectively  to  two  succes- 
sive years.  The  attendant  scenes  of  the  abstracted  letter, 
the  precautions,  the  heavy  payment,  the  special  messenger, 
her  husband's  illness,  do  not  figure  either  in  the  King  of 
England's  memorial  or  Nelson's  codicil.  The  minor  events 
of  1795,  in  their  present  bearing,  are  reserved  for  the 
Appendix. 

My  point  now  and  here  is  that  Emma's  chief  aid  in 
unravelling  a  long  and  tangled  skein  of  maturing  crisis 
was  rendered  about  September  1796.  Its  history  will 
resume  our  thread  ;  and,  since  the  next  chapter's  evidence 

happened  that  I  discovered  a  courier  had  brought  the  King  of  Naples  a  private 
letter  from  the  Kiiij^  of  Spain.  I  prevailed  on  the  Queen  to  lake  it  from  his 
pocket  unseen.  We  found  it  to  contain  the  King  of  Spain's  intention  to  with- 
draw from  the  Coalition,  and  join  the  French  against  England.  My  husband 
at  that  time  lay  dangerously  ill.  I  prevailed  on  the  Queen  to  allow  my  taking 
a  copy,  with  which  I  immediately  dispatched  a  messenger  to  Lord  Grenville, 
taking  all  the  necessary  precautions  ;  for  his  safe  arrival  then  became  very 
difficult,  and  altogether  cost  me  about  ^^400  paid  out  of  my  privy  purse.'— Cf. 
Morrison  MS.  1046,  where  the  date  conjectured  'March  1813'  tallies  with  her 
letter  in  the  Rose  diaries  inclosing  it. 

Her  memorial  to  the  King  (ignored  or  unknown  by  the  critics)  contains  a 
simpler  statement.  '  That  it  was  the  good  fortune  of  your  Majesty's  memorialist 
to  acquire  the  confidential  friendship  of  that  great  and  august  Princess,  the  Queen 
of  Naples,  your  Majesty's  most  faithful  and  ardently  attached  Ally,  at  a  period 
of  peculiar  peril,  and  when  her  august  Consort  ,  .  .  was  unhappily  constrained 
to  profess  a  neutrality,  but  little  in  accordance  with  the  feelings  of  his  own 
excellent  heart.  By  which  means  your  Majesty's  memorialist,  among  many 
inferior  services,  had  an  opportunity  of  obtaining^  and  actually  did  obtain,  thr 
King  0/  Spain's  letter  to  the  King  of  Naples  expressive  of  his  intention  to  declare 
war  against  England.  This  important  document,  your  Majesty's  memorialist 
delivered  to  her  husband.  Sir  William  Hamilton,  who  immediately  transmitted 
it  to  your  Majestv's  Ministers'  This  assertion  tallies  with  Nelson's.  There  is 
no  proof  of  the  dale  of  this  paper,  which  in  the  Morrison  MS.  (1045)  is  guessed 
to  be  identical  with  that  of  the  '  Prince  Regent  '  memorial  above  transcribed. 


i88  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

is  to  favour  not  only  her  crowning  service  with  regard  to 
the  Mediterranean  fleet,  but  the  substantial  accuracy  of  her 
two  statements  of  it,^  it  is  worth  while  in  this  matter  also  to 
inquire  somewhat  closely  whether  Emma  was  a  liar,  and 
Nelson  a  dupe. 

The  Acton  manuscripts  throughout  1796  cast  consider- 
able light  on  the  numerous  letters  from  the  Spanish  court 
of  that  year,  culminating  in  the  crucial  announcement  of 
the  Spanish  King  to  his  brother  of  Naples  towards  the  close 
of  August. 

Acton  vied  with  Hamilton  as  to  who  should  be  first  in 
the  field  to  acquaint  the  British  ministers;'^  and  indeed  to 
Acton's /^;/^/^^/z/ (like  our  own  Harley's  under  Queen  Anne) 
for  engrossing  business  and  favour  Nelson  afterwards 
referred  in  a  letter  to  Lady  Hamilton,  where  he  declares 
that  he  will  no  longer  '  get  everything  done'  through  Acton, 
as  was  his  'old  way.'  Both  Acton  and  Wyndham,  Eng- 
land's envoy  at  Leghorn,  were,  it  is  true,  early  if  vaguely 
aware  of  Spain's  tentatives  with  France ;  ^  but  neither  they 
nor  the  English  Ambassador  at  Madrid  had  discovered  the 
precise  terms  of  a  coming  alliance,  vital  to  Europe.  It 
would  press  the  more  on  Naples,  in  view  of  that  undignified 
and  stringent  accommodation  with  the  French  Directory, 
into  which  the  Franco-Hispanian  conspiracy,  after  a  brief 
armistice,  was  fast  driving  her  reluctant  councils.  For  months 
Prince  Belmonte  (transferred  from  Madrid  to  Paris)  had 
been  dangling  his  heels  as  negotiator  in  the  French  capital, 
subjected  to  insolent  demands  and  mortifying  delays  and 
chicanes.*  From  the  spring  of  1796  onwards  a  series  of 
'threatening  letters'  had  been  received  by  Ferdinand  from 
Charles ;  and  all  the  time  the  pro-Spanish  party,  designing 

^  It  will  be  seen  that  one  of  her  statements  has  passed  unknown,  and  that  the 
meaning  of  the  other  has  been  curiously  distorted.  A  kind  statement  was  inserted 
by  Emma  in  Nelson's  Letter-Book. 

-  Cf.  especially  Egerton  MS.  2639,  ff.  303-315. 

3  Cf.  ibid.  ff.  303,  304  et  seq.  '  Spanish  troops  to  be  put  into  Leghorn ' 
(Acton  to  Hamilton,  Aug.  21,  1796). — 'But  the  odd  and  open  threatenings  of 
the  King  of  Spain  to  his  brother  do  not  leave  any  room  to  hope  for  a  separation 
from  the  French,  or  change  in  that  Court  of  their  strange  and  most  shamefull 
system.' — (The  same  to  the  same,  Aug.  18,  1796.) 

••  Egerton  MS.  2629,  f.  313  (Acton  to  Hamilton,  Sept.  22,  1796),  and  cf. 
il/id.  ff.  325-329. 


'STATESWOMAN'  189 

a  dethronement  of  the  Neapolitan  Bourbons,  kept  even  pace 
with  Maria  Carolina's  hatred  of  a  sister-in-law  caballing 
for  her  son.^  Ferdinand  himself  still  clung  to  the  Spanish 
raft ;  Charles  of  Spain  was  his  brother,  and  blood  is  thicker 
than  water.  While  England  grew  more  and  more  faint- 
hearted, and  Grenville  forwarded  despatch  after  despatch 
advising  Naples  to  give  up  the  game  and  make  the  best 
terms  available  with  the  Directory ;  -  while  Napoleon's 
victories  swelled  the  republicanisation  of  Italy,  the  Spanish 
plot  also  for  sapping  Great  Britain's  Mediterranean  power,^ 
and  overthrowing  the  dynasty  of  the  two  Sicilies,  increased 
in  strength.  Yet  the  King  of  Naples  still  temporised.  For 
a  space  even  Acton  veered ;  he  listened  to  Gallo  and  the 
King,  the  more  readily  because  his  own  post  was  endan- 
gered in  1795,  when  there  had  been  actual  rumours  of  his 
replacement  by  Gallo.*  In  1796  he  saw  no  way  out  but  the 
sorry  compromise  with  France,  which  he  half  desired,  and 
the  enforced  neutrality  which  disgusted  Naples  in  December. 
Milan  had  fallen.  Piedmont  had  been  Buonaparte's  latest 
democratic  experiment.  The  Austrians,  led  by  Wurmser, 
were  failing  in  combat,  as  their  court  by  the  first  month  of 
the  next  year  was  to  fail  in  faith.  Naples  was  fast  being 
isolated  both  from  Italy  and  Britain  ;  small  wonder  then 
that  through  Acton's  earlier  letters  of  1796  there  peers  a 
sour  smile  of  cynical  desperation.  But  directly  he  realised 
the  full  force  of  the  Franco-Hispanian  complot,  and  the 
stress  of  reverses  to  the  allied  arms,  he  changed  his  ply. 
He  avowed  himself  ready  '  to  break  the  peace  ' ;  he  rejoined 
and  rejoiced  the  Queen  ;  he  again  looked  to  England.  As 
Grenville  waxed  colder,  the  more  warmly  did  Acton  com- 
pete with  Hamilton  in  egging  on  the  British  Government 
by  disclosing  the  hard  facts  detected.  Hamilton,  however, 
forestalled  him.     He,  Emma,  and  the  Queen  had  throughout 

'  Acton  speaks  al  this  dale  of  there  being  'no  bounds  tu  female  resent- 
ment. ' 

-  Cf.  (t:.^.)  Egerton  MS.  2639,  f.  329.  Acton  complains  daily  more  of 
Grenville's  attitude. 

^  Hamilton's  own  words  in  his  despatch  of  Sept.  21,  1796— 'To  exclude 
Great  Britain  from  all  the  ports  in  the  Mediterranean.' 

*  Cf.  P.R.O.  documents,  F.O.  Records,  Sicily  (i795).  4i-  Cited  by 
Professor  Laughlon. 


190  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

been  in  frequent  confabulation/  while  the  Hamiltons  were 
also  in  close  correspondence  with  Nelson.  But  it  was 
Emma,  not  her  husband,  that  was  daily  closeted  with 
Carolina,  whose  letters  to  the  ambassadress  prove  how  well 
she  was  informed  of  Spain's  machinations.'^  So  early  as 
June  1793  we  have  seen  Emma  already  politicising.  In 
April  1795  she  reports  once  more  to  Greville  :  '  Against  my 
will,  owing  to  my  situation  here,  I  am  got  into  politics,  and 
I  wish  to  have  news  for  my  dear,  much  loved  Queen  whom 
I  adore.' 2  She  had  already  transcribed  a  ciphered  com- 
munication from  Spain  as  to  King  Charles's  probable 
defection  from  the  alliance.*  She  now  definitely  advances 
towards  the  political  footlights. 

The  preceding  year  had  settled  the  habit  by  which  the 
Queen  conveyed  secret  documents  to  the  friend  who  as 
regularly  copied  or  translated  them  for  her  husband.^  So 
far  the  chief  of  these  had  been  the  '  Chiffre  de  Galatone ' 
transmitted  to  England  at  the  close  of  April  1795.'^  All 
of  them,  however,  principally  related  to  the  Spanish  peace 
with  France  then  brewing  in  Madrid,  of  which  the  British 
Government  had  gained  other  advices  from  their  represen- 
tative at  the  Spanish  court.  That  even  this,  however,  was 
not  quite  a  secret  de  Polichinelle,  is  shown  by  the  scarcity  of 

J  He  already  offered  Hamilton  the  use  of  his  own  courier.  Eg.  MS.  2639,  ff, 
303  and  304  et  seq. 

'^  Spain  she  regarded  as  a  pawn  of  France.  Cf.  her  letter  at  the  opening  of 
1796,  where  she  tells  Emma  that  Spain  is  so  weak  that  if  France  ordered  her  to 
knife  her  brother,  she  would  doit.     Egerton  MS.  1615,  f.  48. 

'^  Morrison  MS.  263.  4  //.^-^  259. 

■^  On  April  21,  1795,  fo>^  example,  the  Queen  sends  three  papers  'confiden- 
tially,' 'which  may  be  useful  to  your  husband.'  Cf.  Eg.  MS.  1615,  ff.  20-22 
containing  another  example.  It  is  needless  to  multiply  instances.  One  citation 
only  will  illustrate  Emma's  initiative.  In  Hamilton's  despatch  of  April  30, 
1795,  he  says,  'However,  Lady  Hamilton  having  had  the  honour  of  seeing  the 
Queen  yesterday  morning,  H.M.  was  pleased  to  promise  me  one,  etc'  In 
another  of  the  following  year  he  speaks  of  documents  being  '  communicated  '  to 
him  'as  usual.' 

^  Cf.  Emma's  transcript  of  this  ciphered  despatch,  March  31,  1795,  tof^ether 
with  the  Queen's  note  forwarding  it  to  her,  Eg,  MS.  1615,  f.  22,  and  Emma's 
reference  to  the  courier  and  her  having  'got  into  politicks,'  April  19.  Morrison 
MS.  259,  263.  On  June  9  she  copied  another  despatch  from  Galatone  (Prince 
Belmonte),  ibid.  265.  Much  earlier  in  the  year  the  Queen  communicated 
hidden  information  about  Spain  and  rumours  about  Hood  having  got  out  of 
Toulon,  Eg.  MS.  1617,  f.  3. 


'STATESWOMAN'  191 

references  to  it  in  the  Acton  correspondence  with  Hamilton 
of  these  very  dates.  Nor  is  it  any  answer  to  Emma's 
activities,  even  in  this  and  less  material  years,  that  she 
voiced  the  Queen's  urgent  interest,  because  it  is  abundantly 
manifest  that  the  Queen,  in  her  need,  did  for  Emma  what 
she  would  never  have  done  for  Hamilton  apart,  while  in  re- 
turn Emma  doubtless  communicated  also  Nelson's  Mediter- 
ranean information  to  Maria  Carolina.  She  had  suddenly 
become  a  safe  and  trusted  go-between,  and  none  other  at 
this  juncture  could  have  performed  her  office.  The  supine 
Sir  William  had  at  last  been  pricked  into  action.  He  had 
now  every  incentive  to  earn  the  King  of  England's  gratitude. 
In  a  private  missive  to  Lord  Grenville  of  April  30,  1795, 
alluding  to  the  communication  of  this  very  '  cipher  of 
Galatone,'  he  himself  asserts,  '  Your  Lordship  will  have 
seen  by  my  despatch  of  21st  April  the  unbounded  con- 
fidence which  the  Queen  of  Naples  has  placed  in  me  and 
my  wife' ^  Emma  could  now  advantage  not  only  herself 
and  her  country,  but  her  royal  friend  and  her  own  husband 
—  Triajuncta  in  uno. 

But  the  position  in  the  late  summer  of  1796  was  far 
more  serious  both  for  Naples  and  England  than  it  had  ever 
been  before.  Acton  had  been  dallying.  During  the  interval 
Ferdinand  had  been  literally  pelted  with  letters  from 
Charles,  menacing,  cajoling,  persuading  him.  Already  in 
August  Hamilton  had  communicated  secrets  respecting  the 
movements  of  the  French  and  Spanish  squadrons.-  Every 
one  knew  that  Spanish  retirement  from  the  European 
Coalition  was  soon  to  be  succeeded  by  some  sort  of  league; 
but  nobody,  either  at  Naples  or  in  England,  could  ascer- 
tain its  exact  conditions  revealed  to  Ferdinand  alone.  If 
it  was  to  be  (as  it  was)  an  alliance  of  offence,  the  issues 
must  prove  momentous  for  Great  Britain.  All  was  kept 
a  profound  secret. 

About  mid-September   1796   Charles   the   Fourth's  final 

^  Cited  by  Professor  Laughton  in  his  Nchon^s  Last  Codicil  (ColburnV  United 
Service  Magazine,  April  1S89)  from  P.R.O.  and  F.O.  Records,  Spain  (1795), 
38S. 

-  Cf.  the  excerpt  in  Sotheby's  catalogue  of  his  autograph  document  sold  in 
May  of  this  ycu  (1905).     It  bears  dale  August  16,  1796. 


192  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

epistle  reached  the  hands  of  his  Neapolitan  brother.^  The 
murder  was  out.  The  compact  between  the  two  courts 
was  fixed  as  one  of  war  to  the  knife  against  the  allied  powers, 
among  whom  England  was  wavering  and  Austria  on  the 
verge  of  concluding  a  scandalous  peace.  Ferdinand,  who 
alone  knew  what  was  impending,  must  have  chuckled 
as  he  thought  how  he  had  worsted  his  masterful  spouse. 
If  Emma  could  only  clear  up  the  mystery  and  the  un- 
certainty, England  might  be  forearmed  against  the  veiled 
sequel  of  that  long  train  of  hidden  pourparlers  which  she 
had  been  able  to  discover  and  announce  during  the  previous 
year  ;  and  in  such  a  case  she  counted  with  assurance  on 
her  country's  gratitude  towards  her  and  her  husband. 

How  the  Queen  or  Emma,  or  both,  obtained  the  loan  of 
this  document,  whether  out  of  the  King's  pocket,  as  Emma 
avers  in  her  Prince  Regent's  memorial,  and  Pettigrew,  with 
embellishments,  in  \\\sLife  of  Nelson;  or  whether,  according 
to  the  posthumous  Memoirs  of  Lady  Haniiltori,  through  a 
bribed  page,  does  not  concern  us.  Such  strokes  of  the 
theatre  are,  at  any  rate,  quite  consistent  with  the  atmosphere 
of  the  court.  The  sole  question  is :  Did  she  manage  to 
receive  and  transmit  it  ? 

Professor  Laughton,  in  trying  to  identify  Emma's  claim 
with  the  occasion  of  Galatone's  'ciphered  letter'  of  the 
spring  of  1795,  has  ignored  somewhat  the  precise  applica- 
bility both  of  her  own  wording  and  Nelson's.  The  letter 
to  which  I  apply  her  pretensions,  was  in  Spanish — a  '  private 
letter,'  as  they  describe  it,  and  not  a  '  letter  in  cipher '  like 
the  one  received  from  Galatone  in  the  year  preceding. 
Moreover,  it  will  be  found  on  reference  to  the  Appendix  - 
that  what  Emma  seems  really  to  have  distinguished  herself 
by  procuring  in  1795,  was  not  so  much  the  '  letter  in  cipher  ' 
as  the  clue  for  deciphering  it. 

Is  there  any  distinct  circumstance  in  her  favour  to 
counterweigh  the  hypotheses  against  her?    One  such  exists 

'  This  was  not  the  letter  cited  by  Mr.  Jeaffreson  in  his  Queen  of  Naples  and 
Lord  Nelson  (vol.  ii.  p.  206),  for  this  only  states  that  since  P'rance  has  at  last 
got  a  moderate  Government  and  the  Jacobins  are  utterly  ruined,  he  will  bcghi 
negotiations.  The  real  document  is  a  later  one,  as  Mr.  Jeaffreson  admits  on  the 
next  page. 

2  Note  F. 


'STATESWOMAN'  193 

of  some  weight.     It  relates  to  her  statement  that  a  private 
messenger  was  despatched  with  the  document  to  London. 

Sir  William  Hamilton  forwarded  the  critical  news  in  a 
'secret'  despatch  to  Lord  Grenville.  It  is  dated  September 
21,  1796;^  and  the  bearer  of  it,  as  will  be  seen,  started 
on  the  23rd.  It  should  be  observed  that  this  lengthy  epistle 
is  exceptional  in  only  transmitting  the  purport  of  the  letter, 
and  not,  as  habitually  before  and  afterwards,  either  copies 
of  hazardous  documents,  or,  in  earlier  cases,  the  originals 
themselves.- 

On  this  very  September  21st  the  Queen  of  Naples  wrote 
to  thank  Emma  for  putting  at  her  service  the  unexpected 
medium  of  'the  poor  Count  of  Munster's  courier,'  available 
through  his  employer's  decease,  though  the  usual  couriers 
were  also  at  hand.  She  says  that  she  will  profit  by  the 
opportunity,  and  that  Emma  shall  receive  her  'packet' 
to-morrow.3  Acton,  once  more  addressing  Hamilton  on 
September  22,  and  before  this  special  courier  had  started, 
begged  him  to  include  both  his  and  the  Queen's  despatches 
to  Circello,  Ambassador  at  St.  James's,  '  by  the  courier  which 
\sic\  goes  to-morrow  for  London.'* 

On  this  identical  September  21,  1796,  once  again  Lady 
Hamilton  herself  sat  down  for  a  hurried  chat  with  Greville. 
'  We  have  not  time,'  she  says,  '  to  write  to  you,  as  we  have 
been  3  days  and  nights  writing  to  send  by  this  courrier 
letters  of  consequence  for  our  Government.  They  ought  to 
be  gratefull  to  Sir  William  and  myself  in  particular,  as  my 
situation  in  this  Court  is  very  extraordinary ,  and  what  no 
person  [h]as  yet  arrived  at.'^ 

*  Cited  from  the  P.  R.O.  by  Professor  Laughton. 

"  He  had  consistently  so  done  heretofore.  On  April  28,  1795,  for  example, 
Emma  specially  endorses  the  fact  of  her  husband  sending  the  original  of  the 
Queen's  letter  to  England.  Eg.  MS.  161 5,  f.  22.  On  October  3  following, 
divulging  the  secret  articles  of  the  Gallo-IIispanian  treaty,  he  encloses  Acton's 
original  letter  (cf.  Professor  Laughton's  article).  Emma's  own  copy  of  the 
succeeding  secret  articles  between  France  and  Naples  remains  too  in  her  hand- 
writing. Morrison  MS.  289.  The  original  must  have  been  forwarded.  In  the 
present  case  such  a  document  must  have  been  of  necessity  only  lent  to  be  copied 
and  returned  without  delay  ;  nor  could  the  Queen  have  ever  allowed  her  name 
to  transpire.     It  was  her  husband's  secret,  and  probably  purloined. 

3  Eg.  MS.  1615,  f.  50.  ^  Eg.  MS.  2639,  f.  313  et  seq. 

"  Morrison  MS.  287. 

N 


194  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

The  coincidence  of  these  combined  statements  of  two 
successive  days  suggests  the  'poor  Count  of  Munster's' 
courier  as  the  possible  bearer  both  of  official  despatches 
and  of  Emma's  private  copy  of  the  King  of  Spain's  most 
crucial  declaration.^ 

There  are  two  alternatives  with  regard  to  Hamilton's 
exceptional  omission  to  forward  some  copy  at  least  of  such 
a  document,  and  both  are  in  Emma's  favour.  Either  he 
feared  to  do  so,  in  which  case  Emma  could  truthfully 
describe  her  husband's  detailed  resume  oi  the  information 
procured  at  her  instance  as  the  'King  of  Spain's  letter'; 
or — as  the  whole  course  of  their  custom  confirms — she 
copied  it  verbatim  and  forwarded  her  copy  by  special 
messenger,  after  hastily  restoring  the  original  through  the 
Queen  to  the  unsuspecting  King.  In  no  case  could  it  have 
been  suffered  to  remain  long  out  of  his  possession. 

Professor  Laughton,  pinning  Lady  Hamilton's  claim  to 
the  less  grave  issues  of  1795,  and  not,  as  I  hope  to  have 
made  clear,  to  their  critical  upshot  on  which  the  case  is 
here  rested,  has  urged  with  some  force  that  no  such 
document  has  yet  been  found  in  the  British  archives.  But 
I  am  convinced  that  he  will  be  the  first  to  admit  that 
many  important  documents  are  mentioned  in  the  secret 
despatches  of  Hamilton  alone,  which  have  not  as  yet  come  to 
public  light,  if,  indeed,  they  have  not  been  destroyed  ;  more- 
over, copies,  and  even  originals,  of  official  records,  relating 
to  the  period  and  the  persons,  have  appeared  in  the  auction- 
rooms  during  recent  years,  and  must  have  been  parted  with 
by  their  recipients.  The  King  of  Spain's  letter  itself,  how- 
ever, exists  elsewhere,  and  is  familiar.  Hamilton's  risum^ 
of  its  contents  in  his  despatch  is  so  faithful  and  circum- 
stantial as  to  warrant  the  certainty  that  he  had  seen  it. 
The  Queen  could  not  have  lent  it  for  long,  and  by 
established  habit  must  have  done  so  through  Emma.  If 
it  was  copied,  Emma,  by  the  same  custom,  must  have  been 
its  copyist. 

'  This  is  by  no  means  the  sole  occasion  of  a  special  messenger  being  employed 
in  despatches  to  Lord  Grenville.  In  one  of  1795  Hamilton  says  his  own  servant 
will  take  it  as  far  as  Rome  {P.R.O.,  F.O.  Records  (Spain)  388,  cited  by 
Professor  Laughton).  In  another,  that  a  'person'  is  conveying  it.  But  none 
of  these  are  so  exceptional  as  the  chance  courier  in  question. 


'STATESWOMAN'  195 

Mr.  Jeaffreson  has  further  dwelt  on  the  unlikelihood  of 
such  a  sum^  as  Emma  names  being  spent  on  retaining  the 
messenger  out  of  her  private  purse,  when  her  allowance 
was  limited  to  ;^200  a  year.  But  this  allowance  was  only 
nominal.  Had  he  scrutinised  the  Morrison  Collection,  he 
would  have  seen  that  for  some  time  she  had  been  authorised 
by  her  husband  to  overdraw  her  account  in  view  of  increas- 
ing requirements.^  Minutiae,  too,  about  Sir  William's  state 
of  health  in  September  1796  to  refute  her  allegation  of  his 
ill-health,  at  the  time  when  she  transmitted  the  contents  of 
the  letter  to  England,  seem  to  me  out  of  place.  He  was 
constantly  in  bed  and  out  of  it  within  a  few  days  from  the 
opening  of  1795  to  the  close  of  1796.  Everything,  it  must 
be  conceded,  remains  inconclusive.  But  the  critic's  whole 
argument  is  also  a  balance  of  probabilities.  All  rests  on 
circumstantial  evidence  merely,  and  Professor  Laughton 
himself  seems  to  have  drawn  mistaken  inferences  from  the 
documents  of  1795.^ 

It  is  possible,  of  course,  that  this  claim  also  may  have 
confused  some  of  the  events  of  the  two  years,  especially 
Hamilton's  illness  ;  or,  on  the  other  hand,  even  that  this 
crucial  letter  of  1796  might  have  been  forwarded  by  her 
during  the  next  month,  when  she  is  still  to  be  found  tran- 
scribing documents,  and  endorsing  effusive  gratitude  on  one 
of  the  Queen's  letters."*  But  that  her  story,  stripped  of 
accidentals,  is  a  myth,  I  cannot  bring  myself  to  believe. 
Even  Lord  Grenville,  thirteen  years  afterwards,  rejected 
her  claims  on  grounds  far  other  than  their  fabrication.^ 
That  during  her  future  she  proved  often  and  otherwise 
blameworthy,  that  her  distant  past  had  been  soiled,  are 
scarcely  reasons  for  discrediting  the  substance  of  her  story 
in  the  teeth  of  inferences  as  telling  as  have  been  marshalled 
against    it ;    nor    should    Greville's    repeated    acknowledg- 

'  Hamilton  in  the  succeeding  November  paid  eighty  ducats  himself  to  a  special 
messenger  conveying  despatches  to  Bastia.  Cf.  Sotheby's  catalogue  of  May  17, 
1905,  giving  an  excerpt  from  a  document  to  that  effect. 

-  Morrison  MS.  250;  Cascrta,  December  iS,  1794.  'lie  told  me  I  might, 
for  I  have  so  many  occasions  to  spend  my  money  that  my  2  hundred  pounds  will 
scarcely  do  for  me.' 

=»  Cf.  Appendix,  Note  V.  *  Eg.  MS.  1615,  f.  62. 

'  Cf.  especially  Canning's  letter  to  Rose,  July  5,  1809.  Rose's  Diaries, 
vol.  i.  p.  263,  and  ^osi,  chap.  xv. 


196  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

ments  of  her  natural  candour  be  forgotten.  To  every 
motive  for  political  exertion  had  now  been  added  immense 
opportunity.  There  is  ample  reason  why  she  should  have 
used  it  for  her  country's  advantage.  She  was  no  dabbler. 
She  had  wished  to  play  a  big  part,  and  she  was  playing  it. 
She  had  every  qualification  for  acquitting  herself  well  in  the 
arena  where  she  longed  to  shine,  and  promptitude  alone 
could  ensure  success. 

Gloom  deepened  with  the  opening  of  the  year  1797,  but 
it  riveted  the  Neapolitan  House  faster  to  England.  The 
many  French  immigrants  exulted.  The  pro-Spanish  party 
and  all  the  Anglophobes  became  confident.  Austria  had 
ignobly  desisted,^  and  her  ministers  were  rewarded  by 
diamonds  from  the  Pope.^  Great  Britain — hesitating  though 
she  seemed — remained  the  sole  champion  against  Buona- 
parte. Lord  St.  Vincent's  name  and  Nelson's  rang 
throughout  Europe  on  the  '  glorious  Valentine's  day,'  and 
Emma  infused  fresh  hope  in  the  downcast  Queen.  She 
delighted  to  vaunt  England's  sinew  and  backbone.  She 
prevented  Hamilton  from  relaxing  his  efforts,  and  kept  him 
at  his  post  of  honour.  She  was  already  ambitious  for 
Nelson.  Maria  Carolina  at  last  divined  that  Buonaparte's 
objective  was  the  Mediterranean,  But  Nelson  had  divined 
the  aims  of  France  earlier,  when  he  wrote  in  October  1796, 
*  We  are  all  preparing  to  leave  the  Mediterranean,  a  measure 
which  I  cannot  approve.  They  at  home  do  not  know  what 
this  fleet  is  capable  of  performing ;  anything  and  every- 
thing.'^ But  Downing  Street,  in  the  person  of  the  narrow- 
sighted  Lord  Grenville,  still  closed  its  eyes,  shut  its  ears, 
and  hardened  its  heart.  At  Rome  the  French  republicans 
organised  an  uprising,  and  were  driven  for  shelter  into 
Joseph    Buonaparte's    Palazzo    Corsini.       He   himself  was 

1  By  the  Peace  of  Campoformio  Austria  ceded  the  Low  Countries  to  P'rance  ; 
Milan,  Mantua,  Modena  to  the  Cisalpine  Republic.  Venice  was  for  the 
moment  left  to  the  Emperor,  but  France  regained  the  Ionian  Islands.  The 
Peace  of  Tolentino  turned  the  Romagna  into  a  Republic. 

'•^  Dumas,  p.  204. 

2  Prof.  Laughton's  Nelson  Letters  and  Despatchts,  p.  109.  The  Neapolitan 
peace  with  France,  however,  disgusted  him,  and  made  him  think  it  time  to  be 
ofi.—3id.  p.  112. 


'STATESWOMAN'  197 

threatened,  and  Duphot  was  killed,  by  the  Papal  guard. 
Eugene  Beauharnais  made  a  sortie  of  vengeance.  Napoleon 
utilised  the  manoeuvre  to  despatch  General  Berthier  against 
the  Pope's  dominions.  By  the  February  of  the  ensuing 
year  the  Castle  of  St.  Angelo  was  taken.  On  Ascension 
Day  the  Pope  himself,  in  the  Forum,  heard  the  shouts  of 
'  Viva  la  Republica  ;  abasso  il  Papa  ! '  He  did  what  other 
weak  pontiffs  have  done  before  and  since.  He  protested 
his  '  divine  right,'  took  his  stand  on  it — and  fled.  Ousted 
from  Siena  by  earthquake,  he  retired  to  the  Florentine 
Certosa,  where  his  rooms  fronting  that  beautiful  prospect 
may  still  be  viewed.  Hounded  out  once  more,  he  was 
harried  from  pillar  to  post — from  Tortona  to  Turin,  from 
Briangon  to  Valence — in  the  citadel  of  which,  old  and  dis- 
tressed, he  breathed  his  last. 

At  home  Maria  Carolina  now  reversed  her  policy  of  the 
knout.  Vanni,^  the  brutal  Inquisitor  of  State,  was  deposed 
and  banished,  the  diplomatic  Castelcicala  was  given  a  free 
hand.  All  the  captives  were  released.  The  Lazzaroni 
cheered  till  they  were  hoarse  over  the  magnanimity  of  their 
rulers. 

And  Acton,  relieved  from  the  burdens  of  bureaucracy,  at 
last  pressed  Great  Britain  for  a  Mediterranean  squadron. 
He  and  the  Queen  had  both  determined  that  their  forced 
neutrality  should  be  of  short  duration. 

If  we  would  appreciate  Emma's  influence  for  England  at 
Naples,  the  tone  of  his  correspondence  at  this  date  should 
be  compared  with  his  indifference  during  the  earlier  portion 
of  the  preceding  year.  The  Mediterranean  expedition 
which  Nelson  was  to  lead  to  such  decisive  triumph  was  far 
more  the  fruit  of  Neapolitan  importunities  than  of  English 
foresight. 

Buonaparte  had  boasted  that  he  would  republicanise  the 
two  Sicilies  also.  No  sooner  was  Acton  apprised  of 
the  fact  than  he  immediately  invited  Sir  Gilbert  Elliot, 
who    happened    to   be    visiting    Naples,  to   meet  him  and 

*  His  barbarities  to  victims  were  summed  up  in  the  Latin  sentence,  'Torqucri 
acriter  adhibitis  qualuor  funiculis.'  An  adventurous  Colonel  Pisa,  who  was  to 
fight  against  Cardinal  Ruffo  in  1799,  and  would  have  been  then  executed  but 
for  royal  intervention,  was  his  relative. — Cyrus  Kedding's  Raollcctions,  vol.  ii. 
P-  341- 


198  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

the  Hamiltons.^  He  again  murmured  against  Lord 
Grenville's  'chicane.'  He  assured  Sir  Gilbert  that  his 
country  had  strained  'every  sinew'  'to  move  and  engage 
seventeen  million  Italians  to  defend  themselves,  their 
property,  and  their  honour ' ;  all  had  been  vain  for  lack 
of  extraneous  assistance ;  even  their  fleet  had  laboured 
to  no  purpose  ;  in  his  quaint  English,  their  '  head-shipman 
had  lost  his  head,  if  ever  he  had  any.'^  The  case  was  now 
desperate.  All  hinged  on  a  sufficient  Mediterranean 
squadron.  'Any  English  man-of-war,  to  the  number  of 
four  at  a  time,'  could  still  be  provisioned  in  Sicilian  or 
Neapolitan  ports.  Their  compelled  compact  with  France 
allowed  no  more.  And  at  a  moment  when  the  French 
were  disquieting  Naples  by  insurgent  fugitives  from  the 
Romagna  and  elsewhere,^  Napoleon's  smooth  speeches  were, 
said  Acton,  mere  dissimulation.  A  'change  of  masters' 
might  soon  ensue.*  By  the  April  of  1798  Acton  was  still 
more  explicit  in  his  correspondence  with  Hamilton.  A 
fresh  incursion  was  now  definitely  menaced.  Naples  was 
being  blackmailed.  The  Parisian  Directors  offered  her 
immunity,  but  only  if  she  would  pay  them  an  exorbitant 
sum ;  otherwise  she  must  be  absorbed  in  the  constellation 
of  republics,  while  her  monarch  must  join  the  debris  of 
falling  stars.  Viennese  support  was  little  more  than  a 
forlorn  hope  for  ravaged  Italy.  In  the  King's  name  he 
implored  Hamilton  to  forward  an  English  privateer  to 
announce  their  desperate  plight  and  urgent  necessities 
to  Lord  St.  Vincent.  — '  Their  Majesties  observe  the 
critical  moment  for  all  Europe,  and  the  threatens  {^sic\  of  an 
invasion  even  in  England.  They  are  perfectly  convinced 
of  the  generous  and  extensive  exertions  of  the  British 
nation  at  this  moment,  but  a  diversion  in  these  points 
might  operate  advantage  for  the  common  war.  Will  Eng- 
land see  all  Italy,  and  even  the  two  Sicilies,  in  the  French 
hands  with  indifference?'  The  half-hearted  Emperor 
had  at  last  consented   to  think  of  assisting  his  relations, 

1  Eg.  MS.  2639,  f.  369. 

-  Hamilton  smiles  at  Acton's  English. — Eg.  MS.  2640,  f.  45. 
■*  Among  these  was  Micheroux,  who  was  to  play  such  a  fatal  part  in  the 
Jacobin  capitulation  of  1799.  ^  Eg.  MS.  2640,  ff,  i,  il,  15. 


'STATESWOMAN'  199 

though  only  should  Naples  be  assailed  ;  this  perhaps  might 
'hurry  England.'  Seventeen  ships  of  the  line  would  soon 
be  ready ;  there  were  seventy  in  Genoa,  thirty  at  Civita 
Vecchia.  These  could  carry  '  perhaps  8000  men.'  But  the 
French  at  Toulon  could  convey  18,000.  'With  the  English 
expedition  we  shall  be  saved.  This  is  my  communication 
from  their  Majesties.'^ 

Hamilton's  replies  were  bitterly  cautious.  '  We  cannot, 
however,'  he  observed,  'avoid  to  expose  that  His  Sicilian 
Majesty  confides  too  much  in  His  Britannic  Majesty's 
Ministry's  help.'- 

And  all  this  time  Emma  is  never  from  Maria  Carolina's 
side ;  writing  to  her,  urging,  praising,  heartening,  caressing 
the  English.  The  Queen  is  all  gratitude  to  her  humble 
friend,  whose  enthusiasm  is  an  asset  of  her  hopes: — '  Vous 
en  etes  le  maitre  de  mon  coeur,  ma  chere  miledy,'  she 
writes  in  her  bad  and  disjointed  French  ;  '  ni  pour  mes 
amis,  comme  vous,  ni  pour  mes  opinions  [je]  ne  change 
jamais.'  She  is  'impatient  for  news  of  the  English 
squadron.'^  But  she  is  still  a  wretched  woman,  disquieted 
by  doubts  and  worn  with  care,  as  she  may  be  viewed  in  the 
portraits  of  this  period.  She  had  deemed  herself  a  pattern 
of  duty,  but  had  now  woke  up  to  the  consciousness 
of  being  execrated  by  her  victims  ;  while  the  loyal 
Lazzaroni,  always  her  mislikers,  visited  each  national 
calamity  on  her  head.  Gallo,  Acton,  Belmonte,  Castel- 
cicala,  Di  Medici — all  had  been  tried,  and  except  Acton, 
who  himself  had  wavered,  all  had  been  found  wanting.  It 
is  the  Nemesis  of  despots,  even  if  enlightened,  to  rely  suc- 
cessively on  false  supports,  to  fly  by  turns  from  betrayed 
trust  to  treachery  once  more  trusted.  Emma  at  all  events 
would  not  fail  her,  and  never  did.  'You  may  read,'  says 
Thackeray, '  Pompeii  in  some  folks'  faces.'  Such  a  Pompeii- 
countenance  must  have  been  the  Queen's. 

The  English  squadron  was  at  last  a  fact.     On  March  29, 

1  Eg.  MS.  2640,  ff.  45,  46,  48.  "  Eg.  MS.  2640,  i.  57,  April  9. 

^  Eg.  MS.  1615,  ff.  89,  69.  Acton  knew  of  it  on  May  19,  '  S.ilurday  morn- 
ing.' Grcnville  had  enjoined  strict  secrecy.  Eg.  MS.  2640,  f.  63.  On  June  lO 
he  wrote,  '  With  the  good  Admiral  Nelson  at  the  head  of  them,  we  must  hope 
the  desired  and  long  expected  success.' 


200  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

1798,  Nelson  hoisted  his  flag  as  Rear- Admiral  of  the  Blue 
on  board  the  Vanguard.  On  April  10  he  sailed  on  one  of 
the  most  eventful  voyages  in  history. 

And  meanwhile  Maria  Carolina,  with  Emma  under  her 
wing,  might  be  seen  pacing  the  palace  garden,  and  eagerly 
scanning  the  horizon  from  sunny  Caserta  for  a  glimpse  of 
one  white  sail. 

Sister  Anne  stands  and  waits  on  her  watch-tower, 
feverish  for  Selim's  arrival,  while  anguished  Fatima  peers 
into  Bluebeard's  cupboard,  horror-stricken  at  its  gruesome 
medley  of  dismembered  sovereigns — martyrs  or  tyrants — 
which  you  please. 


Lady  Hamilton  as  Eui-HROsyxE. 

From  a  Mezzotint  hy  Hury  after  the  original  picture  by  C.  Romney. 


CHAPTER    VIII 

TRIUMPH 
1798 

Nelson  was  in  chase  of  Buonaparte's  fleet. 

Napoleon's  Egyptian  expedition  was,  perhaps,  the  great- 
est wonder  in  a  course  rife  with  them.  He  was  not  yet 
thirty  ;  he  had  been  victorious  by  land,  and  had  dictated 
terms  at  the  gates  of  Vienna.  In  Italy,  like  Tarquin,  he 
had  knocked  off  the  tallest  heads  first.  Debt  and  jeal- 
ousy hampered  him  at  home.  It  was  the  gambler's  first 
throw,  that  rarest  audacity.  For  years  his  far-sightedness 
had  fastened  on  the  Mediterranean  ;  and  now  that  Spain 
was  friends  with  France,  he  divined  the  moment  for  crush- 
ing Britain.  But  even  then  his  schemes  were  far  vaster 
than  his  contemporaries  could  comprehend.  His  plan  was 
to  obtain  Eastern  Empire,  to  reduce  Syria,  and,  after 
recasting  sheikhdoms  in  the  dominion  of  the  Pharaohs, 
possibly  after  subduing  India,  to  dash  back  and  conquer 
England.  Italy  was  honeycombed  with  his  republics.  To 
Egypt  P'rance  should  be  suzerain,  a  democracy  with 
vassals  ;  as  for  Great  Britain,  if  she  kept  her  King,  it  must 
be  on  worse  terms  than  even  Louis  the  Bourbon  had  once 
dared  to  prescribe  to  the  Stuarts.  This,  too,  was  the  first  and 
only  time  when  he,  an  unskilled  mariner,  was  for  a  space 
in  chief  naval  command.  Most  characteristic  was  it  also  of 
him — the  encyclopaedist  in  action — to  have  remembered 
science  in  this  enterprise  against  science's  home  of  origin. 
That  vast  Armada  of  ships  and  frigates,  that  huge  U Orient, 
whose  very  name  was  augury,  those  forty  thousand  men  in 
transports,  did  not  suffice.  An  array  of  savants,  with  all 
their  apparatus,  swelling  the  muster  on  board  their  vessel 

201 


202  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

to  no  less  than  two  thousand,^  accompanied  the  new  man 
who  was  to  make  all  things  new.  It  was  nigh  a  month 
after  Nelson  started  when  Napoleon  sailed.  Sudden  as  a 
flash  of  lightning,  yet  impenetrable  as  the  cloud  from  which 
it  darts,  he  veiled  his  movements  and  doubled  in  his  course. 
It  was  on  Saturday,  June  i6,  that  Hamilton  first  sighted 
Nelson's  approach.  The  van  of  the  small  squadron  of  four- 
teen sail  was  visible  as  it  neared  Ischia  from  the  westward 
and  made  for  Capri.^  He  at  once  took  up  his  pen  to  send 
him  the  latest  tidings  of  the  armament  which,  eluding  his 
pursuit,  had  now  passed  the  Sicilian  seaboard.^  The  glad 
news  of  Nelson's  arrival  spread  like  wildfire.  The  French 
residents  mocked  and  scowled.  The  people  cheered.  The 
solemn  ministers  smiled.  The  royal  family,  in  the  depths 
of    dejection,*    plucked    up    heart  ;    the     Queen    was    in 

^  Morrison  MS.  317.  Much  light  is  cast  on  these  savants,  and  on  the  whole 
Egyptian  expedition,  by  Buonaparte's  and  his  officers'  letters,  intercepted  by 
Nelson,  and  published  in  translation  by  'J.  Wright'  in  1798.  The  expedition 
itself  was  undertaken,  despite  treasuries  drained  already  by  the  Italian  campaign, 
and  the  rapacity  of  its  now  dominant  pioneers,  who  lavished  the  State's  last  gold 
en  route  for  Cairo,  in  bribing  Malta.  All  Buonaparte's  officers  were  bitterly 
disappointed,  and  murmured  against  their  commander  for  betraying  them,  going 
back  on  his  original  pretext  of  pacification,  and  leaving  them  unpaid.  The 
savants  were  to  discover  'the  real  Egypt.'  On  July  6  Buonaparte  wrote  to  the 
Directory,  'This  country  is  anything  but  what  travellers  .  .  .  represent  it  to  be.' 
The  Directory  '  did  not  set  much  store  by  their  savants  ;  they  exported  several 
head  of  them  to  Cayenne.'  It  was  hoped  that  the  plunder  of  Malta  would 
reimburse  some  of  the  expense.  The  Directory  s  main  object  was  to  get  rid  of 
their  Italian  army.  "  Eg.  MS.  264O,  f.  69. 

3  His  letters  both  to  Nelson  and  Lord  St.  Vincent  (Morrison  MS.  317,  318) 
were  partly  founded  on  Acton's  communication  of  '  Sunday,  June  10'  (Eg.  MS. 
2640,  f.  67),  announcing  that  part  of  the  French  fleet  was  '  between  Marittimo 
and  the  Favignana,'  after  being  at  Trapani,  and  was  heading  for  Malta. 
Buonaparte's  interference  there  changed  the  whole  situation  and  precipitated  the 
probability  of  an  open  breach  between  Naples  and  France. 

••  This  has  been  made  clear,  I  hope,  in  my  previous  chronicle.  But,  since  it 
has  been  doubted,  I  subjoin  a  few  references  to  Acton's  correspondence  alone 
(though  the  Queen's  of  this  period  is  also  most  despairing),  to  show  that 
Nelson's  expression  on  June  17th  of  '  this  suffering  family'  was  a  commonplace 
at  the  time.  Cf.  Eg.  MS.  2640,  ff.  53-56.  '  We  shall  perish  if  such  is  our 
destiny,'  etc.,  f.  67.  f.  71: — 'Our  critical  circumstances' — isolated  on  the 
Continent—'  our  hopes  and,  indeed,  all  our  expectations  of  help  and  assistance 
lay  [j/c]  on  the  British  squadron,'  etc.  f.  72:  'Our  consolation.'  f.  75: 
'Nelson's  passage  through  Messina  Straits,' 'a  prodigious  consolation.'  'We 
are  undoubtedly  undone,'  etc.  On  sighting  the  fleet,  the  Queen  styled  Nelson 
'  Conservateur.'— Eg.   MS.   1615,  f.  95.     And  on  June  20,  as  I    shall  shortly 


TRIUMPH  203 

ecstasy.'  But  Gallo  and  the  anti-English  group  were  sus- 
picious and  perplexed.  They  and  the  King  still  waited  on 
Austria.     On  Spain  they  could  no  longer  fawn. 

Nelson's  instructions  were  to  water  and  provide  his 
fleet  in  any  Mediterranean  port,  except  in  Sardinia,^  if 
necessary  by  arms.  It  was  not  that  for  the  moment  he 
needed  refreshment  for  those  scanty  frigates,  the  want  of 
which,  he  wrote  afterwards,  would  be  found  graven  on  his 
heart.  But  he  had  a  long  and  intricate  enterprise  before 
him.  He  was  hunting  a  fox  that  would  profit  by  every 
bend  and  crevice,  so  to  speak,  of  the  country.  He  could 
not  track  him  without  the  certainty  that,  apart  from  the 
delays  that  force  must  entail,  all  his  requirements,  perhaps 
for  two  months,  would  be  granted  on  mere  demand.  Even 
so  early  as  June  12  he  had  requested  definite  answers  from 
Hamilton  as  to  what  precise  aid  he  could  count  upon^  from 
a  pseudo-neutral  power  trifling  over  diplomatic  pedantries 
with  the  slippery  chancelleries  of  Vienna;  while  on  that 
same  day  Hamilton  had  forwarded  to  Eden  at  Vienna  a 
despatch  from  Grenville  emphasising  the  '  necessity ^  as  it 
was  now  regarded  at  home,  for  ensuring  the  '  free  and 
unlimited^  admission  of  British  ships  into  Sicilian  harbours, 
and  '  every  species  of  provisions  and  supplies  usually 
afforded  by  an  ally.'*  Hamilton  had  tried  in  vain  to 
surmount  an  obstacle  important  alike  to  France,  to  the 
King,  and  to  Austria.  Nelson  also  knew  too  well  the 
barrier  set  against  compliance  by  the  terms  of  the  fatal 
Franco-Neapolitan  pact  of  1796.  Not  more  than  four 
frigates  at  once  might  be  received  into  any  harbour  of 
Ferdinand's  coasts.  He  knew  that  the  Queen  and  her 
friends  were  in  the  slough  of  despond.     He  knew  too — for 

notice,  Hamilton  adds  a  most  significant  and  outspoken  statement  to  a  memo- 
randum for  his  despatch,  cf.  post,  p.  212.  But  apart  from  these  sidelights, 
the  fact  might  certainly  have  been  discerned  from  Lord  St.  Vincent's  letter  to 
ICmma  of  May  22,  1798  :  'The  picture  you  draw  of  the  lovely  Queen  of  Naples 
and  the  Royal  Family  would  rouse  the  indignation  of  the  most  unfeeling  of  the 
creation.  ...  I  am  bound — by  my  oath  of  chivalry — to  protect  all  who  are 
persecuted  and  distressed.'     Cited  by  Pettigrew,  vol.  ii.  p.  117. 

'  Cf.  her  impatience  evidenced  in  her  letter  just  before.     Eg.  MS  .  1615,  f.  99. 

-  Laughtnn's  Letters  atid  Despatches,  p.  136.     Pettigrew,  vol.  ii.  p.  119. 

'  Laughlon's  Letters  ant  Despatches,  p.  137. 

*  Clarke  and  M 'Arthur,  vol.  ii.  p.  263. 


204  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

the  Hamiltons  had  been  in  continual  correspondence — that 
Austria  was  once  more  shilly-shallying.  While  Naples  was 
longing  to  break  her  neutrality,  Austria,  for  the  moment 
satisfied  with  shame,  was  now  secretly  negotiating,  with  all  the 
long  and  tedious  array  of  etiquette,  preliminaries  to  a  half- 
hearted arrangement.  Even  in  deliberation  she  would,  as 
we  have  seen,  only  succour  Naples  if  Naples  were  attacked. 
Against  this  Napoleon  had  guarded :  so  far  as  concerned 
him  and  the  present,  Naples  should  be  left  in  perilous  peace. 
He  was  content  with  the  seeds  of  revolution  that  he  had 
stealthily  sown.  Even  as  he  passed  Trapani  on  his  way  to 
Malta,  which  already  by  the  loth  of  June  he  had  invested, 
and  whose  plunder  he  had  promised  to  his  troops,  he 
pacified  the  Sicilians  with  unlimited  reassurances  of  good- 
will.^ And  Nelson  knew  well  also  that  Maria  Carolina  and 
Emma  chafed  under  the  fetters  of  diplomacy  and  of  treaty 
that  shackled  action.  If  only  he  could  obtain  some  royal 
mandate  for  his  purpose,  either  through  them — for  the 
Queen  had  rights  in  Council — or  from  Acton,  rather  than 
the  King  still  swayed  by  Gallo,  he  felt  convinced  of  success. 
Otherwise,  should  emergencies  arise  within  the  next  few 
weeks,  as  arise  they  must,  he  would  perforce  hark  back  to 
Gibraltar ;  ^  and  in  such  a  water-hunt  of  views  and  checks 
as  he  now  contemplated,  delay  might  spell  failure,  and 
failure  his  country's  ruin. 

At  about  six  o'clock  by  Neapolitan  time,^  on  a  lovely 
June  morning,*  Captains  Troubridge  and  Hardy  ^  landed 
from  the  Mutine^  which,  together  with  the  Monarchy  on 
which  was  Captain  T.  Carrol,^  lay  anchored  in  the  bay, 
leaving  Nelson   in  the    Vanguard  with  his  fleet  off  Capri. 

1  Cf.  Eg.  MS.  2640,  ff.  67,  71. 

"^  Even  so  late  as  August  15,  when  Acton  knew  that  Nelson  had  been  pro- 
visioned for  seven  or  eight  weeks  '  only,'  he  still  contemplated  this  contingency. 
Cf.  Eg.  MS.  2640,  f.  89. 

^  It  is  curious  that  the  critics  who  quibble  over  the  discrepancy  between  the 
earlier  time  alleged  by  Lady  Hamilton  fifteen  years  later  in  her  '  Prince 
Regent's'  memorial,  and  that  given  by  the  ship's  log-book  (allowing  for  the 
difference  of  log-British  and  London  time),  should  never  have  thought  of  the 
difference  in  Neapolitan  time.     In  the  '  King's '  memorial  no  time  is  specified. 

^  Sunday,  June  17.    The  day  of  the  week  is  mentioned  in  several  of  the  letters. 

^  Troubridge,  though  sent  earlier  from  Civita  Vecchia  on  the  Culloden,  landed 
together  with  Hardy.     Cf.  Morrison  MS.  318. 

«  Cf.  Add.  MS.  34,989,  f.  I. 


TRIUMPH  205 

Troubridge,  charged  with  important  requests  by  Nelson, 
at  once  proceeded  to  the  Embassy. 

Our  interrupting  critics  have  stubbornly  disputed  step  by 
step  Lady  Hamilton's  after  allegations  ;  and  even  these,  as 
will  be  shown,  they  seem  to  have  misread  ;  nor  have  they 
noted  her  simpler  account  in  her  '  King's  Memorial,'  still 
less  Nelson's  repeated  assurances  about  her  *  exclusive 
interposition '  to  Rose,  Pitt's  favourable  consideration. 
Canning's  own  acknowledgment,  the  neutrality  at  any  rate 
of  Grenville,  and  a  statement  by  Lord  Melville,  afterwards 
to  be  mentioned.^ 

Emma  and  her  husband  were  awakened  by  their  early 
visitors,  who  included  Hardy  and,  perhaps,  Bowen.  / 
Hamilton  arose  hurriedly,  and  took  the  officers  off  tr 
Acton's  neighbouring  house.^  Some  kind  of  council  was 
held,  probably  at  the  palace.^  In  that  case  Gallo,  as  foreign 
minister,  may  well  have  been  present.*  Troubridge,  as 
Nelson's  mouthpiece,  stated  his  requirements.  Gallo,  we 
know,  was  hesitating  and  hostile.  The  whole  arrangement 
with  the  court  of  Vienna  now  lagging  under  his  procrastina- 
tion, would  be  spoiled  if  Naples  were  prematurely  to  break 
with  France,  and  an  open  breach  must  be  certain  if  succour 
for  the  whole  of  Nelson's  fleet  were  afforded  at  the  Sicilian 
ports  in  contravention  of  the  burdensome  engagement  with 
the  French  Directory  ;  while  it  would  further  be  implied 
that  the  British  fleet  was  at  the  Neapolitan  service.  Re- 
course to  the  King  would  not  only  be  dangerous,  but 
probably  futile;  the  more  so,  since  the  French  minister  at 
Naples  was  now  citizen  Garat,  a  pedant,  pamphleteer,  and 
lecturer  of  the  straitest  sect  among  busybodying  theorists. 
Such  a  man,  Gallo  would  urge,  must  be  the  loudest  in  umbrage 

'  Cf.  post,  chap.  XV.  ;  Rose's  Diaries,  vol.  i.  p.  261  et  seq.  ;  Morrison  M.S. 
804. 

*  Hardy,  and  perhaps  Bowen  (then  staying  with  the  Ambassador),  seem  to 
have  been  present  at  the  council,  as  well  as  Troubridge.  Cf.  Acton's  letter  to 
Hamilton  of  June  22,  Eg.  MS.  2640,  f.  73,  where  he  speaks  of  the  Sunday 
'  council'  as  including  the  '  British  officers.'' 

^  Ibid.,  'The  council  held  at  the  palace.' 

*  On  June  20,  it  was  Gallo  who  answered  the  French  minister's  complaints. 
Cf.  ibid. 

*  On  this  very  day  Nelson  told  Ilaniilton,  '  Troubridge  will  say  everything 
I  could  put  in  a  ream  of  paper.'  Morrison  MS.  319.  Cf.  also  Eg.  MS.  2640, 
f.  71,  and  2635,  f.  2S7. 


206  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

at  even  the  appearance  of  pro-British  zeal.^  Acton  could 
have  rebutted  these  objections  by  observing  that  the  '  order' 
need  not  be  signed  by  Ferdinand,  but  merely  informally  by 
himself  'in  the  King's  name';  as,  in  fact,  a  sort  of  roving 
*  credential '  ;  -  that  it  could  be  so  worded  as  to  imply  no 
breach  of  treaty  but  only  the  refreshment  of  four  ships  at  a 
time  ;  that  the  governors  of  the  ports  might  be  separately 
instructed  to  offer  a  show  of  resistance  if  more  were  demanded 
of  them ;  ^  that  Garat  need  never  know  what  had  transpired 
till  the  moment  came  when  Austria  had  signed  her  pact 
with  Naples,  and  France  might  be  dared  in  the  face  of  day  ; 
Troubridge's  reception  could  be  (and  was)  represented  as 
no  more  than  a  common  civility  which  Acton  paid  not  only 
to  English  visitors,  but  even  to  French  officers.*  All  must 
be  'under  the  rose,'^  and  thus  far  only  could  Nelson  be 
obliged.  To  Nelson's  further  requisition  for  frigates  a  polite 
non  possumus  could  be  the  only  answer.  Pending  these 
delicate  Austrian  negotiations,  and  until  an  open  rupture 
with  France  was  possible  with  safety,  Naples  was  in  urgent 
need  of  a  permanent  fleet  in  the  Mediterranean,®  and  this, 
quid  pro  quo,  Nelson  naturally  would  not  bind  himself  to 
concede,  though,  so  far  as  his  instructions  and  the  situation 
warranted,  he  was  ready,  even  eager,  to  do  so.'' 

This  half-formal  but  scarcely  effectual  'order'  was  obtained. 

There  exists  an  original  draft  of  Hamilton's  official  x&Q\t2\ 

'  Three  days  later  Nelson  complained  that  Garat  was  still  allowed  to  inform 
the  French  of  his  plans,  etc.     Morrison  MS.  321. 

-  Hamilton's  own  words  of  it  to  Nelson.  '  The  letter  Captain  Troubridge  and 
I  got  from  General  Acton  I  look  upon  as  a  sort  oi credential,^  etc.  Morrison 
MS.  322.     Hamilton  to  Nelson,  June  26,  1796. 

^  Cf.  Morrison  MS.  318  (Hamilton  to  Lord  St.  Vincent)  :  'Meantime  every 
fOMc^a/f^  assistance  will  be  given  to  the  British  fleet,  on  which  the  very  existence 
of  this  monarchy  depends  at  this  moment.' — Cf.  ibid.  327  (a  copy).  The  original 
should  precede,  Eg.  MS.  2640,  f.  83,  which,  referring  to  the  just-concluded  defen- 
sive alliance  with  Austria  opening  the  ports  to  the  British  squadron,  continues  : 
'  Our  demands  for  the  respective  garrisons  are  but  an  excuse  to  give  in  case  of  a 
rupture,  to  show  that  we  are,  in  a  kind,  forced  to  admit  them  above  the  fixed 
number.'  Cf.  also  Acton's  words  to  Hamilton,  so  late  as  August  2,  about  his 
'just  apprehensions'  as  to  Vienna,  and  Hamilton's  indorsement  regarding 
'seeming  resistance,'  Eg.  MS.  2640,  f.  83,  and  Hamilton's  words  as  to  'throwing 
off  the  mask,'  c\ie.A  post,  p.  216,  note  5. 

*  Cf.  Eg.  MS.  2640,  f.  73,  where,  on  June  22,  Acton  tells  Hamilton  how,  on 
June  20,  Gallo  '  desabused  '  Garat,  when  perhaps  a  second  council  was  held. 

*  Nelson's  expression  in  a  later  letter. 

"  Eg.  MS.  2640,  ff.  71,  75.  '   Morrison  MS.  320. 


TRIUMPH  207 

of  what  passed  to  Lord  Grenville.  One  of  its  interlinea- 
tions Ms  perhaps  significant.  He  first  omitted,  and  after- 
wards added  that  the  order  was  in  Acton's  handwriting  as  well 
as  in  the  King's  name.  Nelson  had  wanted  a  quick  royal 
mandate.  He  received  a  ministerial  order  involving  further 
instructions  2  and  diplomatic  delays.  Moreover,  five  days 
after  Troubridge's  visit,  Acton  thanked  Hamilton  for  his 
'delicate  and  kind  part'  'under  all  the  circumstances.' ^  It 
was  not  such  a  plain-sailing  affair  as  it  seemed. 

'We  did  more  business  in  half  an  hour,'  wrote  Hamilton 
in  a  final  despatch  to  the  same  minister, '  than  we  should 
have  done  in  a  week  in  the  usual  official  way.  Captain 
Troubridge  went  straight  to  the  point.  ...  I  prevailed 
upon  General  Acton  to  write  himself  an  order  in  the  name 
of  His  Sicilian  Majesty,  directed  to  the  governors  of  every 
port  in  Sicily,  to  supply  the  King's  ships  with  all  sorts  of 
provisions,  and  in  case  of  an  action  to  permit  the  British 
seamen,  sick  or  wounded,  to  be  landed  and  taken  proper 
care  of  in  their  ports.'  *  The  draft,  however,  contains  a 
telling  supplement.  '  He  expressed  only  a  wish  to  get 
sight  of  Buonaparte  and  his  army,  "  for,"  said  he,  "  By  God, 
we  shall  lick  thein^' '  ^  Before  Nelson's  officers  departed, 
they  received  also  from  Hamilton's  hands  Gallo's  fatuous 
replies  to  their  Admiral's  questions  of  five  days  before.^ 

Troubridge  was  perforce  '  satisfied,' ^  but  within  an  hour 

'  Eg.  MS.  2635,  f.  287.  -  Eg.  MS.  f.  76.  -  Eg.  MS.  2640,  f.  73. 

■•  Sir  William's  desp.itch  lo  Lord  Grenville,  June  18,  1798.  Cited  from  the 
P.  R.O.  by  Professor  Laughton  in  Colburn's  United  Service  Magazine,  May 
1889.  5  Eg.  MS.  2635,  f.  289. 

^  This  new  fact  appears  from  yet  another  draft  of  Hamilton's  despatch  sold 
at  Sotheby's,  July  8,  1905,  but  it  is  also  mentioned  elsewhere. 

'  The  word  'satisfied'  occurs  both  in  Hamilton's  official  letter  to  Lord  St. 
Vincent  of  June  17  (Morrison  MS.  318),  and  in  Acton's  to  Hamilton  of  June  18 
(Eg.  MS.  2640,  f.  71) ;  the  words  in  the  former  are  'perfectly  satisfied.'  The 
preceding  account  is  the  purport  of  the  light  cast  on  what  Hamilton  describes 
in  his  official  letters  by  the  Morrison  MS.  and  Acton's  letters  to  him  of  the 
day  following  and  the  22nd.  Eg.  MS.  2640,  ff.  71,  72,  73,  75.  In  the  first  he 
acknowledges  a  communication  from  Hamilton  of  the  night  previous.  They  tend 
to  show  : 

(i)  That  Anglo-Neapolitan  co-operation  had  been  demanded  at  the  palace. 

(2)  That  even  Acton  could  not  gain  the  grant  of  this,  until  the  secret 
negotiations  with  Austria  were  concluded. 

(3)  That  Acton  considered  Buonaparte's  design  on  Malta  was  a  direct  menace 
lo  Naples — (in  this  view  Nelson   then   agreed.     Cf.  Morrison  MS.  319);  and 


2o8  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

he  was  joyful.^  Something  else,  something  informal,  some- 
thing surprising  had  happened.  The  King  was  probably 
asleep.  Emma  had  rushed  to  the  Queen,  for  they  both 
knew  how  little  such  a  conclave  would  probably  achieve ; 
and  Gallo's  attitude  might  well  deter  Acton  from  straight- 
forward compliance.  Nelson  might  fancy  this  council's 
'order'  a  quick  passport  to  his  desires.  But  they  knew 
its  formal  flourishes  to  be  most  misleading.  In  the  result, 
indeed,  it  proved  of  itself  disappointing  enough.^  Emma's 
own  after-story  is  that  she  besought  Maria  Carolina,  with 
tears  and  on  bended  knees,  to  exercise  her  prerogative  and 
supplement  the  mandate  by  the  promise  of  direct  instruc- 
tions. From  after  events  and  from  inveterate  habit  the 
dramatic  scene  is  probable.  As  Pettigrew  shows,  in  1849 
Hamilton  wrote  forthwith  to  Nelson,  'You  will  receive 
from  Emma  herself  what  will  do  the  business  and  procure 
all  your  wants.' ^  One  can  see  this  impulsive  woman  clap- 
ping her  hands  for  joy,  and  singing  aloud  with  exultation. 
Within  two  hours  Troubridge  and  Hardy  had  rowed  back 
to  the  Mutine  and  rejoined  their  Admiral. 

Within  a  few  hours  at  any  rate  Emma,  throbbing  with 
excitement,  penned  two  hasty  notes  to  Nelson  himself, 
both  included  in  her  newly  found  correspondence  of  this 
year.  Each — and  they  are  brief — must  be  repeated  here, 
for  the  second  of  them   disposes  of  the  version,  hitherto 

{4)  That  the  Malta  affair  must  inevitably  now  lead  to  an  open  rupture  with 
France. 

With  regard  to  point  (2),  Acton's  most  important  letter  to  Hamilton  of 
June  25  (Eg.  MS.  2640,  f.  75)  and  of  August  I  following  (Morrison  MS.  327) 
should  also  be  compared.  This  letter  was  forwarded  by  him  to  Nelson  (ibid. 
328).  The  first  contains  this  sentence  :  '  But  you  know  the  restriction.  If  even 
we  should  joyn  immediately,  we  are  not  assured  of  a  permanent  fleet  .  .  .  but 
on  two  conditions  or  events  which  are  not  in  our  power  to  procure,'  etc.,  and  he 
tlien  mentions  the  Austrian  Treaty. 

^  The  expression  in  Hamilton's  draft  of  his  despatch  is  '  in  high  good  humour.^ 

^  Cf.  especially  ff.  83,  87,  which  show  that  so  late  as  August  2  and  7  Acton 
still  thought  that  Nelson's  fleet  wanted  victualling. 

^  Cf.  Pettigrew,  vol.  ii.  p.  612.  Seeing  that  the  suspected  and  Emma-prompted 
Harrison  omits  this  altogether,  and  also  that  Pettigrew  further  on  correctly 
alludes  to  the  letter  that  I  have  discovered,  and  shall  shortly  mention  as  the  one 
to  which  Nelson's  hitherto  disputed  letter  of  June  17  was  the  immediate  answer, 
I  incline  to  believe  that  Pettigrew  had  seen  the  manuscript.  As  will  appear, 
there  are  several  of  Emma's  disputed  assertions  as  to  words  used  which  can  be 
now  substantiated. 


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TRIUMPH  209 

accepted,  that  Nelson  never  received  that  from  the  Queen 
which  his  famous  letter  to  Lady  Hamilton  represents  him 
as  'kissing';  while  the  first  suggests  a  likelihood  that  this 
thrilling  day  did  not  close  before  Emma  had  managed 
to  see  Nelson  himself  at  Capri.^  Both  these  letters  are 
scrawled  in  evident  haste. 

[lythjime  1798.] 
'  My  dear  Admiral, — I  write  in  a  hurry  as  Captain  T. 
Carrol  ^  stays  on  Monarch.  God  bless  you,  and  send  you 
victorious,  and  that  I  may  see  you  bring  back  Buonaparte 
with  you.  Fray  send  Captain  Hardy  out  to  us,  for  I  shall 
have  a  fever  with  anxiety.  The  Queen  desires  me  to  say 
everything  that 's  kind,  and  bids  me  say  with  her  whole 
heart  and  soul  she  wishes  you  victory.  God  bless  you,  my 
dear  Sir.  I  will  not  say  how  glad  I  shall  be  to  see  you. 
Indeed  I  cannot  describe  to  you  my  feelings  on  your  being 
so  near  us. — Ever,  Ever,  dear  Sir,  Your  affte.  and  gratefuU 

Emma  Hamilton.' ^ 

But  now  comes  a  decisive  epistle,  the  missing  link,  bear- 
ing in  mind  Nelson's  disputed  answer  to  it,  which  the 
critics  have  racked  their  brains  to  transfer  to  the  following 
May — a  date,  by  the  by,  historically  most  inapplicable.* 
Theory,  however,  must  here  yield  to  this  piece  of  reality  on 
a  scrap  of  notepaper. 

The  letter,  written  very  hurriedly,  is  on  similar  paper 
and  evidently  of  the  same  date  as  its  predecessor  : — 

'  Dear  Sir, — I  send  you  a  letter  I  have  received  this 
moment  from  the  Queen.  Kiss  it,  and  send  it  back  by 
Bowen,  as  I  am  bound  not  to  give  any  of  her  letters. — Ever 
your  Emma.'^ 

^  In  her  letter  (o  Nelson  of  September  8  of  this  year  she  beseeches  him  to 
'rejoin  them.'  Cf.  Add.  MS.  34,989,  fT.  3-6,  and  see  the  letter  itself  in  the 
Appendix. 

-  According  to  Byrne,  Carrol  was  on  the  Syren  in  1797-1799. 

3  Add.  MS.  34,989,  f.  I.  Addressed  'Admiral  Sir  Horatio  Nelson,'  indorsed 
'  Lady  Hamilton,  17th  June  1798.'  The  indorsement  leaves  no  doubt  as  to  the  date. 

■*  On  'May'  (as  the  letter  is  misdated  without  question)  17,  1798,  the 
Neapolitan  royalties  were  'suffering.'  On  May  17,  1799,  they  were  almost 
assured  of  Nelson's  fleet  as  their  avengers  at  Naples,  nor  wasa  'battle'  imminent. 

^  Add.  MS.  34,989,  f.  3.  Two  more  in  this  series  are  so  signed.  Cf. />osi, 
App.,  pp.  495,  500;  and  Hamilton,  in  June  1680,  speaks  of  her  to  Nelson; 
cf.  Morrison  MS.  317. 

O 


210  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

Captain  Bowen  of  the  Transfer  had  brought  Hamilton 
despatches  from  Lord  St.  Vincent  just  a  week  before,  and 
was  his  guest  until  the  2nd  of  August  subsequent.^ 

The  fact  that  Emma  begs  for  the  letter's  return  indicates 
that  it  was  one  of  importance,  and  might  compromise  the 
Queen,  After  the  battle  of  the  Nile  Emma  sent  Nelson 
two  of  the  Queen's  ordinary  letters  about  him,  as  a  token 
of  gratitude,  and  without  any  request  for  their  redelivery.- 

This  missive  from  the  Queen  seems  to  have  been  one 
promising  Nelson  some  further  document  of  direct  in- 
structions to  the  governors  of  ports  in  event  of  future 
urgency.  As  will  appear  in  the  course  of  our  chronicle, 
all  the  probabilities  point  to  such  a  letter  being  in  Nelson's 
possession  afterwards  at  Syracuse  on  July  19-23,  as  a 
potent  alternative  if  Acton's  orders  missed  fire,  and  also 
as  a  pledge  of  instant  commands  to  the  governors,  should 
its  own  efficacy  prove  unavailing. 

After-evidence  points  further  to  the  probability  of  the 
King's  entire  ignorance  of  a  transaction  behind  his  back, 
and  in  the  teeth  of  his  prejudices.  If  the  fleet  was  watered, 
he  was  to  remain  hoodwinked,  and  to  imagine  that  Acton's 
guarded  '  order '  in  his  name  had  proved  efficacious. 

The  immediate  reply  and  pendant  to  this  cheering  com- 

'  Bowen  acted  as  Lord  St.  Vincent's  intermediary  with  Hamilton.  This 
appears  from  Eg.  MS.  2640,  f.  67,  where  Acton,  on  June  10,  1798  (Sunday), 
thanks  Hamilton  for  '  Bowen's  news,' and  from  Morrison  MS.  317,  where  on 
June  16,  1798,  Hamilton  writes  to  Nelson  that  he  hopes  the  despatches  sent  by 
Lord  St.  Vincent  by  Bowen  will  reach  him  (which  they  did  not,  as  Nelson 
arrived  off  Naples  sooner  than  was  anticipated) ;  and  cf.  ibid.  32S,  which 
mentions  Bowen's  departure  August  2,  1798.  On  this  very  June  17  Hamilton 
tells  Lord  St.  Vincent,  *  I  look  on  my  having  detained  Captain  Bowen  so  long 
as  a  fortunate  circumstance,  as  I  am  by  it  enabled  to  give  intelligence,'  etc., 
cf.  ibid.  318.  Bowen  must  not  be  confused  with  his  better-known  brother,  who 
died  in  the  attack  of  Teneriffe  in  1797,  and  whose  '  bag  of  doubloons '  Nelson 
forwarded  home.  He  was  the  Bowen  shortly  to  be  promoted  at  Hamilton's 
request  by  Lord  St.  Vincent,  and  for  whose  preferment  Earl  Nelson  was  to  press 
the  Admiralty  in  vain  after  Nelson's  death.  He  recommended  him  for  the 
Ocean,  cf.  Add.  MS.  34,992,  f.  112.  In  1801  Nelson  specially  requested  Emma 
to  tell  him  that  he  was  wanted  for  the  Boulogne  Flotilla  (Pettigrew,  vol.  ii. 
p.  151).  In  later  days  he  often  visited  Merton,  and  he  stayed  with  the  Boltons 
just  before  he  died.     Cf.  post,  chap.  xv. 

'■*  Cf.  Add.  MS.  34,989,  f.  3,  September  8,  1798.  The  letter  will  be  found 
in  the  first  new  series  given  in  the  Appendix  to  this  volume. 


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ADMIRAL    nelson's    IMMEDIATE    REPLY    TO    LADY    HAMILTON'S 
LETTER    OK  JINE    I7TH,     1 798. 


TRIUMPH  211 

munication  was  Nelson's  familiar  and  much-debated  letter 
written  an  hour  before  he  weighed  anchor  : — 

*  My  dear  Lady  Hamilton, — /  have  kissed  the  Queen's 
letter.  Pray  say  I  hope  for  the  honor  of  kissing  her  hand 
when  no  fears  will  intervene,  assure  her  Majesty  that  no 
person  has  her  felicity  more  than  myself  at  heart  and  that  the 
sufferings  of  her  family  will  be  a  Tower  of  Strength  on  the 
day  of  Battle,  fear  not  the  event,  God  is  with  us,  God  Bless 
you  and  Sir  William,  pray  say  I  cannot  stay  to  answer  his 
letter.— Ever  Yours  faithfully,  Horatio  Nelson.'  ^ 

On  this  (still  visible  in  the  British  Museum)  ^  Emma's 
after-indorsement  runs, '  This  letter  I  received  after  I  had 
sent  the  Queen's  letter  for  receiving  our  ships  into  their 
ports,  for  the  Queen  had  decided  to  act  in  opposition  to  the 
King,  who  would  not  then  break  with  France,  and  our 
Fleet  must  have  gone  down  to  Gibraltar  to  have  watered, 
and  the  battle  of  the  Nile  would  not  have  been  fought,  for 
the  French  fleet  would  have  got  back  to  Toulon.'  She  is 
reviewing  the  whole  length  of  the  transaction,  the  critical 
issues  at  Syracuse  of  next  month  on  Nelson's  first  return 
from  Egypt,  the  ultimate  victory.  She  does  the  same  in 
other  parts  of  her  two  long  memorials.  The  critics  have 
twisted  her  statements  into  post-dating  Nelson's  momentous 
visit  to  the  time  when  he  returned  from  pursuit  for  supplies 
to  Sicily  and  resailed  equipped  to  Aboukir  Bay.^  Emma's 
statement  of  the  historical  situation  at  this  date  in  Naples 

^  This  letter  is  misdated  in  the  hurry  (as  was  sometimes  the  way  with 
Nelson),  I7lh  May,  6  I'.M.  It  is  admitted,  of  course,  that  on  that  day  he 
w.as  ofTCape  Sicie,  so  that  if  applicable  to  1798,  it  must  be  a  slip  of  the  pen  for 
June  17.  With  regard  to  'my  dear,'  etc.,  cf.  Morrison  MS.  317,  where  on  the 
preceding  day  Hamilton  mentions  her  .as  'Emma'  to  his  'dear  Nelson'  and 
'  brave  friend,'  and  says  she  wishes  him  victory  'heart  and  soul.' 

-  Eg.  MS.  1614,  f.  I. 

^  In  her  '  Addington '  memorial  of  1803  [Nelson  Letters,  vol.  ii.  p.  131)  she 
puts  the  matter  quite  clearly: — 'The  lleet  itself,  I  can  truly  say,  could  not  have 
got  into  Sicily,  but  for  what  I  was  happily  able  to  do  with  the  Queen  of  Naples, 
and  through  her  secret  instructions  so  obtained.' 

The  material  wording  of  the  familiar  'Prince  Regent's'  memorial  runs  :  '  It  was 
at  this  awful  period  in  June  1798,  about  three  days  after  the  French  fleet  passed 
by  for  Malta  {this  is  tnie],  Sir  William  and  myself  were  awaken'd  at  si.\-  o'clock 
in  the  morning  by  Captain  Trowbridge  with  a  letter  from  Sir  Horatio  Nelson, 
tiien  with  his  llccl  off  the  bay  near  to  Caprea,  requesting  that  the  .Ambassador 
would  procure  him  permission  to  enter  with  his  fleet  into  Naples  or  any  of  the 


212  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

is  verified  up  to  the  hilt  by  Acton's  correspondence  with 
Hamilton. 

A  note  has  already  refuted  the  assertion  that  at  this 
moment  the  royal  family  were  not  in  distress.  To  the 
ample  manuscript  authorities  there  included,  may  be  here 
added  the  postscript  to  the  draft  for  Hamilton's  known 
despatch  of  June  17.  'This  Court,'  it  runs,  'as  you  may 
perceive,  is  in  great  distress.'^  The  word  employed  cor- 
responds to  Nelson's  '  sufferings.' 

I  hope  now  to  have  proved  that  this  long-questioned 
Nelson  letter  was,  undoubtedly,  the  instant  answer  to 
Emma's  own  communication,  for  the  first  time  here  brought 
to  light.     The  twin  letters  are  at  length  reunited,  and  at 

Sicilian  ports,  to  provision,  water,  etc.,  as  otherwise  he  must  run  for  Gibraltar, 
bein"  in  urgent  want  [i.e.  if  he  should  be  in  urgent  wapiti,  and  that,  conse- 
quently, he  would  be  obliged  to  give  over  all  further  pursuit  of  the  French  fleet, 
which  he  missed  at  Egypt  [i.e.  which  in  the  event  he  actually  did  miss\,  on 
account  of  their  having  put  in  to  Malta.' 

That  this  is  Emma's  real  meaning  is  shown  by  the  opening  sentence  in  which 
she  is  quite  aware  that  Buonaparte  was  en  route  for  Malta  when  that  happened 
which  she  describes. 

The  wording  of  her  King's  memorial  (here  again  ignored),  which  seems 
never  to  have  been  presented,  is  more  clearly  expressed  and  more  ex- 
plicit:— 'That  Your  Majesty's  Memorialist  on  a  subsequent  occasion,  by 
means  of  the  same  confidential  communication  with  that  great  and  good 
woman,  the  Queen  of  Naples,  had  the  unspeakable  felicity  of  procuring  a 
secret  order  for  victualling  and  watering,  at  the  port  of  Syracuse,  the  fleet 
of  Your  Most  Gracious  Majesty  under  the  command  of  Admiral  Nelson  ;  by 
which  means  that  heroic  man,  the  pride  and  glory  of  his  King  and  country, 
was  enabled  to  proceed  the  second  time  to  Egypt  {observe  that  she  distinctly 
says  the  June  arder  enabled  him  to  get  his  wants  supplied  afterwardsl  with  a 
promptitude  and  celerity  which  certainly  hastened  the  glorious  battle  of  the 
Nile,  and  occasioned  his  good  and  grateful  heart  to  admit  your  humble 
Memorialist  as  well  as  the  Queen  of  Naples  to  a  participation  in  that  important 
victory.'     Her  words  speak  for  themselves  to  every  unprejudiced  mind. 

The  wording  of  Nelson's  codicil  is  : — 

'  Secondly,  the  British  fleet  under  my  command  could  never  have  returned  a 
second  time  to  Egypt  had  not  Lady  Hamilton's  influence  with  the  Queen  of 
Naples  caused  letters  to  be  wrote  to  the  Governor  of  Syracuse,  that  he  was 
to  encourage  the  fleet  to  be  supplied  with  every  thing,  should  they  put  into  any 
port  in  Sicily.  We  put  into  Syracuse,  and  received  every  supply ;  went  to 
Egypt  and  destroyed  the  French  fleet.  Could  I  have  rewarded  these  services, 
I  would  not  now  call  upon  my  country.' 

This  supplies  the  nature  of  the  '  Queen's  letter ' — probably  a  promise  to  supply 
letters  in  case  of  the  need  which  happened  in  July.  Surely  Nelson  was  well 
aware  of  the  worth  of  Emma's  assistance. 

'  Eg.  MS.  2635,  f.  267. 


TRIUMPH  213 

least  a  nev/  complexion  is  placed  on  the  received  account. 
Emma  in  this  crucial  instance  speaks  bare  truth.  The 
critics,  in  this  respect  anyhow,  have  erred.  From  them  she 
now  claims,  not  generosity,  but  justice.  I  cannot  but  feel 
sure  that  the  most  eminent  of  her  living  detractors  will  now 
make  her  his  tardy  amends,  and  will  honour  Nelson,  whose 
love  for  Emma  has  been  begrudged  as  debasement,  by 
admitting  that  what  he  claimed  in  his  last  codicil  for  the 
woman  of  his  heart  was  neither  '  infatuation  '  nor  falsehood, 
and  that  without  her  it  might  hardly  have  happened. 

Scarcely  had  Nelson  put  to  sea  when  he  at  once  re- 
sumed communication  with  the  Hamiltons.  He  wishes  the 
Neapolitans  to  depend  upon  him.  If  only  supplies  are 
forthcoming  when  his  need  presses,  his  fleet  shall  be  their 
mainstay.  He  laments  his  lack  of  frigates,  but  '  thank  God,' 
he  adds,  '  I  am  not  apt  to  feel  difficulties.'  He  confides  to 
Lady  Hamilton  his  hope  to  be  'presented'  to  her  'crowned 
with  laurels  or  cypress.'^  He  presses  them  to  exert  them- 
selves in  procuring  for  him  masts  and  stores.  He  depre- 
cates the  diplomatic  quibbles  about  '  co-operation,'  while 
lagging  Austria  manceuvres,  and  after  he  himself  has  come 
in  crisis  to  their  assistance.  He  points  out  the  peril  from 
Napoleon  at  Malta,  he  repeats,  '  Malta  is  the  direct  road  to 
Sicily."'     The  two  Sicilies  are  the  key  of  the  position. 

And,  indeed,  the  catastrophe  of  Malta  formed  the  dirge 
of  all  this  latter  end  of  June.  The  Queen  was  distracted  at 
the  royal  and  ministerial  delays  and  punctilios.  La  Valette 
was  in  French  hands  '  without  a  shot,'  the  Maltese  knights — 
ces  coquins  de  Franqais — were  dastards,  and  she  could  not  pity 
them.  She  sent  her 'dear,  faithful'  Emma  the  Austrian  ciphers 
to  copy  under  vows  of  secrecy  :  Emma  will  see  how  little  sin- 
cerity exists  in  Vienna.  Emma  is  indispensable.  Emma  has 
infused  her  whole  being  with  Nelson.  The  Queen  bade  her 
shout  and  sing  once  more  before  the  assembled  throng,  'Hip, 
hip,  hip! '  '  God  save  the  King  ! '  and  '  God  save  Nelson  ! '  in 
Mi.ss  Cornelia  Knight's  additional  stanza  to  the  National 

'  Moirison  MS.  320.  These  words  poinl,  I  think,  to  their  havini;  iK^en  used 
by  her.  Henceforward  Nelson  constantly  uses  poetical  phrases  in  his  letters, 
quoting  also  often  from  Shakespeare,  though  without  any  marks  of  quotation. 

-  Morrison  MS.  \2\. 


214  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

Anthem.  She  harped  on  Malta,  '  an  irreparable  loss,'  and 
'  gallant  Nelson,  with  his  British  fleet,'  which  she  strained  her 
mind's  eye  to  follow  past  Cape  Passaro.^  And  above  all,  she 
publicly  recognised  Emma's  initiative.  She  reminded  her 
that  the  British  deliverers  should  have  all  they  wanted,  and 
she  appointed  her  as  deputy  to  receive  the  Maltese  petitioners 
for  aid." 

Nor  was  Hamilton  behindhand.  He  furnished  Nelson 
with  continual  advices.  He  informed  him  how  Napoleon 
had  quitted  ^  Malta  garrisoned  ;  how  Garat  had  insolently 
demanded  supplies,  and  had  been  peremptorily  refused. 
How  the  struggle  was  fast  shaping  itself  into  Anglo-Sicily 
against  France  and  Spain.  He  sent  him  Captain  Hope 
with  Irish  intelligence.  He  looked  hourly  for  news  of  the 
French  Armada's  overthrow.* 

Lady  Hamilton  also  continued  her  correspondence.  She 
thanks  him  for  his  letter  through  Captain  Bowen,  which  she 
has  translated  for  the  Queen,  who  '  prays  for '  his  '  honour  and 
safety — victory,  she  is  sure,  you  will  have';  she 'sees  and 
feels  '  all  Nelson's  grounds  for  complaint, — so  does  Emma, 
who  calls  Garat  '  an  impudent,  insolent  dog.'  '  I  see 
plainly,'  she  adds  with  emphasis, '  The  Court  of  Naples  must 
declare  luar,  if  they  mean  to  save  their  country.  But  alas  ! 
their  First  Minister  [with  sarcasm]  Gallo  is  a  frivolous, 
ignorant,  self-conceited  coxcomb,  that  thinks  of  nothing  but 
his  fine  embroidered  coat,  ring  and  snuff-box  ;  and  half 
Naples  thinks  him  half  a  Frenchman ;  and  God  knows,  if 
one  may  judge  of  what  he  did  in  making  the  peace  for  the 
Emperor,  he  must  either  be  very  ignorant,  or  not  attached 
to  his  masters  or  the  Cause  Commune.  The  Queen  and 
Acton  cannot  bear  him,  and  consequently  he  cannot  have 
much  power  ;  but  still  a  First  Minister,  although  he  may  be 
a  minister  of  smoke,  yet  he  has  always  something,  at  least 
enough  to  do  mischief.  The  Jacobins  have  all  been  lately 
declared  innocent,  after  suffering  four  years'  imprisonment  ; 
and  I  know,  they  all  deserved  to  be  hanged  long  ago ;  and 
since  Garat  has  been  here,  and  through  his  insolent  letters 
to  Gallo,  these  pretty  gentlemen,  that  had  planned  the  death 

1  Eg.  MS.  1615,  ff.  95,  100,  102,  103,  107.  '^  Ibid.  f.  105. 

'•  June  19.  *  Morrison  MS.  323. |[] 


TRIUMPH  215 

of  their  Majesties,  are  to  be  let  out  in  society  again.  In 
short,  I  am  afraid,  all  is  lost  here  ;  and  I  am  grieved  to  the 
heart  for  our  dear,  charming  Queen,  who  deserves  a  better 
fate.  ...  I  hope  you  will  not  quit  the  Mediterranean  without 
taking  us.  .  .  .  But  yet,  I  trust  in  God  and  you,  that  we 
shall  destroy  those  monsters  before  we  go  from  hence. 
God  bless  you,  my  dear,  dear  sir.'  ^ 

And  meanwhile  Nelson,  in  hot  pursuit,  scoured  the 
Mediterranean — Malta,  Candia,  Alexandria,  Syria — in  vain. 
The  commander  of  both  fleet  and  army,  with  genius,  youth, 
and  Corsican  strategy  to  back  him,  still  baffled  the  daring 
'  sea-wolf,'  as  he  always  called  him.  Nelson  lived  *  in  hopes,' 
he  never  rested.  But  '  the  Devil's  children  have  the  Devil's 
luck,'  as  he  and  Hamilton  both  assured  each  other. 

The  19th  2  of  July  saw  him  back  at  Syracuse  in  recoil 
for  his  last  spring,  and  in  the  very  need  against  which 
his  foresight  had  forearmed  him.  He  lacked  both  stores 
and  water.  He  seemed  as  far  from  his  goal  as  when  he 
started. 

Let  him  speak  for  himself.  Writing  from  Syracuse  and  in 
retrospect,  he  told  Hamilton :'...!  stretched  over  to  the 
coast  of  Caramania  ;  where  not  speaking  a  vessel  who  could 
give  me  information,  I  became  distressed  for  the  kingdom 
of  the  two  Sicilies  ;  and  having  gone  a  round  of  six 
hundred  leagues,  at  this  season  of  the  year  (with  a  single 
ship,  with  an  expedition  incredible),  here  I  am,  as  ignorant 
of  the  situation  of  the  enemy  as  I  was  twenty-seven  days 
ago !  '^ 

Now  was  the  time  for  the  Queen's  '  open  sesame/  if  both 
Acton's  'order'  and  her  own  'letter'  of  promise  failed  to 
operate  with  expedition.  That  such  a  letter  was  in  Nelson's 
pocket  will  be  inferred  from  the  subsequent  narrative. 

While  Nelson  ncars  the  Syracusan  harbour  bar,  once 
more  the  modern  critics  intercept  our  view,  and  must  for  a 
moment  delay  our  story.  They  will  not  do  so  long,  because 
one  of  the  documents  on  which  their  controversy  relies  will 

'  'June  30,  179S.'  Nchon  Letters,  vol.  i.  p.  iSi.  This  letter  has  escaped 
attention. 

-  As  regards  a  few  of  his  ships  only.     He  came  into  port  on  the  20th. 
'  July  20,  1798.     Nelson  Lrtters,  vol.  ii.  p.  232  ;  Nicholas  ill.,  46. 


216  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

enable  us  to  resume  our  thread.  But  three  preliminaries 
must  first  be  mentioned. 

It  is  most  important  to  distinguish  between  the  official 
and  the  private  letters  of  Nelson  and  Hamilton — the  former 
meant  to  be  shown  to  others,  the  latter  written  for  the 
recipient  alone ;  and,  more  especially,  between  these  two 
distinct  classes  of  correspondence,  and  those  other  half- 
private  letters  intended  for  Hamilton  to  show  Acton  in  con- 
fidence, and  yet  hinting  or  suggesting  more  than  the  General 
was  meant  to  gather  from  them. 

It  has  also  escaped  notice  that  for  some  time  past  a 
private  correspondence  had  regularly  passed  between  Nel- 
son and  the  Hamiltons.^  This  is  clear  from  a  letter  (soon  to 
be  quoted)  of  July  22  from  Nelson  to  Lady  Hamilton  in  the 
Morrison  Collection,  where  he  inquires  after  her  plans  for 
*  coming  down  the  Mediterranean  '  with  her  husband  to  help 
him.^  Thirdly,  so  late  as  the  first  week  in  August,  after 
Nelson's  battle  had  been  won,  Acton  was  still  ignorant 
that  his  ships  had  been  adequately  provisioned,  and  was 
arranging  further  measures  for  the  purpose  ;  aware  on 
August  15  of  the  provisions,  he  planned  more.^ 

Let  us  glance  at  a  little  farce  enacted  with  exquisite 
gravity  by  the  Governor  of  Syracuse. 

It  emerges  from  a  document*  addressed  by  him  to  Sir 
William  Hamilton.  A  key  to  this  is  supplied  by  the  fact 
that  General  Acton,  days  after  handing  the  informal  'order,' 
had  expressly  cautioned  Hamilton  that,  pending  the  as  yet 
unsigned  articles  with  Austria,  all  the  governors  of  all  Sicilian 
ports  had  been  specially  directed  to  make  an  '  ostensible  opposi- 
tion' lest  the  French  might  be  incensed  into  attack  by  any 
open  breach  of  the  stipulated  Neapolitan  neutrality.^   Above 

^  Cf.  Nelson  Letters,  vol.  ii.  p.  235.  ' .  .  .  Your  letters  for  me  are  re- 
turned to  Naples.  WTiat  a  situation  am  I  placed  in  !  .  .  .'  These  letters  are 
non-extant.  They  were  probably  on  Nelson's  side,  through  the  medium  of 
Captain  Hope,  mentioned  in  Hamilton's  official  letter  to  Nelson  of  June  30th. 
—Morrison  MS.  323.      ^  Morrison  MS.  325.      ^  Cf.  Eg.  MS.  2640,  ff.  83,  87,  89. 

■*  Now  in  the  P.R.O.     It  is  dated  July  22,  1798. 

^  Cf.  Eg.  MS.  2640,  f.  83  (Acton  to  Hamilton,  August  2,  1789,  with  Hamil- 
ton's indorsement),  Morrison  MS.  327  (General  Acton  to  Hamilton),  August  i, 
1798.  The  substance  of  this  necessity  was  again  repeated  officially  by  Hamilton 
to  Grenville  in  a  dry  despatch  recounting  the  occurrences.    Hamilton  to  Grenville, 


TRIUMPH  217 

all,  it  should  be  noted  that  this  Governor's  letter  to  the 
English  Ambassador  at  Naples  seems  to  distinguish  between 
a  royal  despatch  signed  by  Acton,  and  a  royal  letter  m  Nelson's 
possession.  And  it  must  be  repeated  that  Sicily — well 
disposed  towards  Great  Britain — was  throughout  jealous  of 
Naples,  and  proud  of  its  individual  independence. 

The  whole  scene  rises  vividly  before  us.  On  the  morning 
of  Thursday  the  19th  'several  ships'  were  seen  sailing  in 
slow  procession  from  the  east.  Gradually  fourteen  emerged 
from 'the  distance.'  As  they  became  more  distinct  in  the 
freshening  east  wind,  the  Governor  ordered  the  castle  flag 
to  be  hoisted,  and  the  British  flag  was  instantly  flown  in 
reply. 

The  Governor  next  sent  out  his  boat  with  the  'Captain 
of  the  Port '  and  the  '  Adjutant  of  the  Town,'  civilians 
charged  with  compliments  and  offers.  Nelson,  however, 
regardless  of  these  ceremonies,  profited  by  the  wind  to 
steer  '  straight  into  the  harbour.'  The  pompous  Governor, 
shocked  at  such  haste,  forwarded  a  second  boat  with  two 
military  functionaries  to  repeat  his  compliments,  and 
to  acquaint  the  Admiral  with  what  he  had  known  and 
resented  for  weeks — the  impediment  of '  not  more  than  four 
ships  of  war  at  a  time.'  But  Nelson  had  anticipated  these 
formal  courtesies.  His  own  boat  promptly  met  the  Gover- 
nor's with  '  a  royal  letter '  purporting  to  contain  royal 
instructions  for  the  admission  of  the  zvJiole  squadron.  This 
I  take  to  have  been  the  Queen's  private  letter,  forwarded  in 
pursuance  of  her  promise  to  Emma,  and  holding  the 
Governor  harmless  in  disobeying  the  strict  letter  of  the  law. 
While,  therefore,  in  pursuance  of  certainty,  the  entire 
squadron  advanced  to  cross  the  bar,  the  British  '  Under- 
Admiral  '  ^  proceeded  in  the  Governor's  boat,  and  was 
received  by  him  at  Government  House.  There  he  delivered 
a  further  and  a  separate  missive,  'a  royal  despatch^  written 

August  4,  1798.  Cited  from  P.R.O.  (Sicily,  14)  by  Professor  Laughton,  in 
Colhurn's  United  Sei-vice  Magazine^  May  1889.  Moreover,  Hamilton's  phrase, 
'  The  whole  mystery  was,  they  could  not  throw  off  the  mask,"  occurs  in  his  draft 
for  this  despatch,  sold  at  Sotheby's  on  July  8,  1905. 

^  He  means  Troubricige,  whom  Nelson  in  a  letter  of  this  year  declares  to  have 
been  instrumental  in  getting  the  fleet  watered.  Cf.  Laughton's  Despatches, 
p.  170. 


2i8  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

in  the  King's  name,  and  signed  by  Acton — in  fact,  the 
irregular  'order'  obtained  on  that  memorable  morning  of 
June  17,  and  by  no  means  expressly  empowering  the  recep- 
tion of  the  whole  fleet.^  The  Governor,  conforming  to  the 
prescribed  comedy,  feigned  hesitation  ;  thereupon  a  letter 
from  Nelson  himself  was  shown — 'difficult  to  read,'  and 
justifying  the  entire  squadron's  entrance.  Hereupon  the 
Governor,  'struck  '  by  what  he  must  have  known,  and  also 
by  other  reflections  [the  Queen's  private  order],  reminds  one 
of  the  old  song, 'and  saying  he  would  ne'er  consent,  con- 
sented.' He  affected  to  raise  '  friendly  protests,'  while  he 
enforced  the  King's  directions  to  save  appearances  by  spread- 
ing the  ships  over  different  regions  and  at  various  distances. 
He  even  hinted  in  confidence  the  'propriety'  of  quitting  the 
port  as  soon  as  possible,  and  of  landing  none  but  unarmed 
sailors,  and  even  these  under  a  promise  to  return  so  soon 
as  the  city  gates  were  closed  at  sunset.  On  the  following 
afternoon  Nelson  with  his  '  staff'  paid  their  respects.  The 
Governor  grasped  him  warmly  by  the  hand,  but  still  main- 
tained his  outward  'show  of  resistance.'  There  were,  he 
said,  royal  orders,  under  present  circumstances,  forbidding 
him  to  return  the  call  on  shipboard.  And  the  last  sentence 
of  his  record  perhaps  best  illustrates  the  whole  comedy  by 
solemnly  informing  Hamilton  that  the  recital  was  only 
addressed  to  him  for  the  official  purpose  of  being  shown  to 
his  Sicilian  Majesty.  Ferdinand  was  to  be  kept  in  the 
dark.  He  was  ignorant  of  all  that  the  Queen  had  dared 
through  Emma's  request.  He  was  to  believe  that  the 
stretch  of  international  civility  had  been  empowered  by 
Acton's  document  alone,  the  document  signed  in  his 
name. 

So  much  for  outward  semblance.     Nelson's  inner  feelings 
at  this  most  critical  juncture  supplement  the  story. 

^  The  Governor  himself  describes  it  as  merely  enjoining  him  to  '  welcome  and 
assist'  the  British  squadron,  not  in  its  entirety,  though  'going  beyond  what  is 
usual,  and  mentioning  many  novel  and  unexpected  possibilities  by  reason  of  his 
Majesty's  goodwill  and  friendship  towards  the  English  nation.'  His  meaning  is 
evident  from  a  further  sentence  "•'...  And  altho'  in  the  royal  despatch  it  was 
not  distinctly  stalad  nor  openly  implied  that  the  entire  squadron  was  to  be 
admitted,  still,  etc'  Time,  however,  was  all-important.  The  style  of  the 
description  of  the  order's  purports,  it  should  also  be  noted,  is  thoroughly  Acton's. 


TRIUMPH  219 

We  have  reached  July  the  2ist.i  The  fleet  was  not 
completely  stocked  and  watered  till  the  23rd,  Before 
that  date  the  whole  town  rejoiced  and  fraternised  with 
the  British  sailors:  of  sympathy  at  least  there  was  no  con- 
cealment, and — a  real  Sicilian  trait — all  the  countryfolk 
immediately  raised  the  price  of  their  provisions. 

On  July  the  22nd  Nelson  forwarded  two  private  letters, 
one  to  Sir  William,  the  other  to  Lady  Hamilton. 

They  are  both  indignant  and  irritable  at  delay  aggra- 
vated by  intense  disappointment.  It  was  not  only  that 
he  was  still  without  news  of  the  French.  He  had  counted 
on  the  instant  virtue  of  Acton's  order,  without  the 
need  of  recourse  to  a  secret  charm.  For  Hamilton  had 
been  told  only  three  weeks  before  by  the  General  that, 
in  pursuance  of  it,  'every  proper  order'  for  the  British 
squadron  'had  been  already  given  in  Sicily,'  and  *  in 
the  way  mentioned  here  with  the  brave  Captain  Trou- 
bridge.'^  Nelson  had  therefore  good  reason  to  hope  for 
prepared  co-operation.  He  had  been  met  by  farcical 
routine ;  and  red-tape,  even  when  most  expected, 
always  repelled  and  ruffled  him.  Nor  so  far  had  the 
Queen's  letter  of  indemnity  to  the  Governors  been  followed 
by  the  actual  'open  sesame'  which  she  had  promised  as 
a  last  resort.  For  disappointment  concerning  Acton's  order 
he  was  prepared,  but  not  for  the  failure  of  his  hidden 
talisman.  So  far  the  charm  had  not  worked  ;  a  fresh  letter 
from  the  Queen  might  still  be  required. 

'  I  have  heard  so  much  said,'  runs  Nelson's  first  out- 
burst— which  he  entrusted  to  the  Governor  himself  for 
transit — '  about  the  King  of  Naples'  orders  only  to  admit 
three  or  four  of  the  ships  .  .  .  that   I  am  astonished.     I 

^  It  has  been  represented  that  already  on  the  20th  Nelson  was  watering  his 
*  ships  of  the  line,*  compared  with  which  he  wrote  to  Hamilton  he  '  regarded  not 
all  the  riches  of  the  world.'  His  ij^^/a/ despatch  to  Lord  St.  Vincent  of  this 
day,  however,  says  :  '  We  are  watering  and  getting  such  refreshment  as  the  place 
affords.'  This  I  take  as  implying  that  the  process  was  very  slow,  for  he 
immediately  adds  '  and  shall  get  to  sea  by  the  25th  '  (cf.  Laughton's  Despatches, 
p.  144).  In  the  event  he  got  to  sea  t-ivo  days  earlier.  He  could  not,  of  course, 
mention  the  Queen's  name.  0\\  July  20,  Nelson  tells  Hamilton,  'In  about  six- 
days  I  shall  sail  from  hence.'     Cf.  Nelson  Lettcis,  ii.  p.  234. 

'^  Eg.  MS.  2640,  f.  76,  a  letter  hitherto  unpublished.  On  August  2,  Acton, 
again  protesti  ng  to  Hamilton  that  the  obstacle  was  the  Austrian  treaty,  adds, 
'The  Governor  had  his  .secret  orders.'     Eg.  MS.  2640,  f.  8j. 


220  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

understood  that  private  orders  at  least  would  have  been 
given  for  our  free  admission.  .  .  .  Our  treatment  is 
scandalous  for  a  great  nation  to  put  up  with  :  and  the 
King's  flag  is  insulted  at  every  friendly  port  we  look  at.'^ 

The  second — to  Lady  Hamilton — is  almost  cool  in  iron- 
ical displeasure,  a  coolness  betokening  how  unexpectedly  his 
cherished  hopes  had  been  belied  : — 

'  My  dear  Madam,— I  am  so  hurt  at  the  treatment  we 
received  from  the  power  we  came  to  assist  and  fight  for, 
that  I  am  hardly  in  a  situation  to  write  a  letter  to  an 
elegant  body :  ^  therefore  you  must  on  this  occasion  forgive 
my  want  of  those  attentions  which  I  am  ever  anxious  to 
shew  you.  /  wish  to  know  yo7ir  and  Sir  William^ s  plans 
for  coming  down  the  Mediterranean^  for  if  we  are  to  be 
kicked  at  every  port  of  the  Sicilian  dominions,  the  sooner 
we  are  gone,  the  better.  Good  God !  how  sensibly  I  feel 
our  treatment,  I  have  only  to  pray  that  I  may  find  the 
French  and  throw  all  my  vengeance  on  them.'* 

The  omission  in  these  lines  of  any  specific  mention  either 
of  the  Queen  or  her  letter,  so  far  from  being  singular,  is 
exactly  what  was  to  be  expected.  She  always  stipulated 
in  such  matters  that  her  name  should  never  be  breathed, 
nor  her  position  jeopardised  with  the  King,  and  in  this 
instance  Acton  also  had  to  be  kept  in  the  dark.^  It  will  be 
remembered  also  that  Emma's  letter  inclosing  the  Queen's 
promise  to  Nelson  expressly  stated  that  she  was  'bound 
not  to  give  any  of  her  letters,'  and,  indeed,  claimed  its 
instant  return. 

But  meanwhile,  on  this  very  22nd  of  July,  a  sudden 
change  came  over  Nelson's  tone ;  still  more  so,  on  the 
following  day  before  he  weighed  anchor.  Melancholy 
and  annoyance  gave  way  to  delight.     Something  must  have 

^  Nelson  Letters,  vol.  i.  p.  238.     Nicolas,  iii.  47.     Harrison,  vol.  ii.  p.  255. 

-  The  word  in  other  transcripts  is  usually  given  '  Lady,'  but  this  comes  from 
the  original m  the  Morrison  MS.,  325. 

"  It  is  patent,  as  before  noticed,  that  such  a  plan  must  have  been  privately 
mooted — probably  in  case  of  the  Queen's  missive  failing;  to  operate  at  once. 

■*  These  two  letters  were  forwarded  by  Sir  William  Hamilton  to  Lord  Grenville. 
Cf.  Sir  W.  H.'s  indorsement  on  copies  of  them  sold  at  Sotheby's  in  May  of  this 
year  (1905),  v.  the  catalogue.     One  of  them  is  in  Morrison  MS.  326. 

'  Both  his  earlier  and  his  later  communications  show  a  complete  ignorance 
even  of  the  Queen's  letter  of  June  17.  For  his  later  communications,  cf. 
Morrison  MS.  327. 


TRIUMPH  221 

intervened  to  alter  the  face  of  affairs,  something  with  which 
Nelson's  temper  accorded,  and  that  something  was  certainly 
not  any  sight  of  the  French  fleet.^    Delay  had  been  removed. 

Shortly  after  these  two  epistles  to  the  Hamiltons  Nelson 
further  penned  his  short  but  memorable  '  Arethusa' letter 
to  them.  Both  Sir  Harris  Nicolas,  and  Professor  Laughton 
following  him,  have  denied  the  authenticity  of  this  letter 
on  the  internal  evidence  of  its  style.  They  say  that  Nelson 
could  never  have  used  such  a  classical  or  poetical  phrase  as 
'  surely  watering  by  the  fountain  of  Arethusa.'  But  in  the 
first  place  it  is  not,  in  Syracuse,  poetical  or  classical,  as  every 
traveller  is  aware.  Each  Syracusan  street-boy  to  this  day 
calls  the  spring  by  the  sea,  with  its  rim  of  Egyptian  cotton- 
plants,  '  the  fountain  of  Arethusa.'  And  in  the  second,  if 
it  were,  it  would  be  in  accordance  with  many  of  Nelson's 
phrases  caught  from  the  Hamiltons.  Professor  Laughton  has, 
I  believe,  gone  so  far  as  even  to  doubt  that  Hamilton  about 
this  period  could  address  his  friend  as  'My  dear  Nelson. "- 
He  is  mistaken.  Writing  to  Nelson  a  month  previously,  Sir 
William  ends  with  '  All  our  present  dependance  is  in  you, 
nty  dear  Nelson,  and  I  am  convinced  that  what  is  in  the 
power  of  mortal  man,  you  will  do.'-' 

The  'Arethusa'  letter  springs,  it  is  true,  from  the  sus- 
pected source  of  the  Life  of  Nelson  by  the  hireling 
Harrison  —  that  same  Harrison  who,  perhaps,  was  one 
of  those  to  embitter  the  darkening  days  and  fortunes  of 
Lady  Hamilton,  his  benefactress.  But  it  is  sanctioned  by 
Pcttigrew,  who,  as  a  collector  par  excellence  of  Nelson 
autographs,  was,  on  questions  of  style,  an  expert  of 
tried  judgment;  and  it  will  be  noticed  with  interest  that 
'the  laurel  or  cypress'  passage  (itself  both  poetical  and 
classical)  forms  a  feature  also  of  his  indisputable  '  private ' 
letter   to   Hamilton  *   already   noticed,   and    following    im- 

'  This  chantje  was  noticed,  without  the  fuller  lights  now  thrown  on  it,  by  liie 
Edinburgh  Reviewer  of  October  l886. 

'■^  He  takes  the  '  My  dear  Sir '  of  their  official  correspondence  as  conclusive. 

'  Morrison  MS.  322,  June  26,  1798.  Cf.  also  ante,  p.  211  note  i.  Cf.  also 
Morrison  MS.  328  (August  i),  '  My  dear  friend.' 

*  Morrison  MS.  320.  It  is  dated  '  Vanguard  at  sea,  June  iS,  1798.'  It 
concludes  :  '  Pray  present  my  best  respects  to  Lady  Hamilton.  Tell  her  I  hope 
to  be  presented  to  her  crowned  with  laurel  or  cypress.  But  God  is  good, 
and  to  Him  do  I  commit  myself  and  our  cause.'  This  is  another  instance 
of  the  way  in  which  Nelson's  letters  explain  each  other. 


222  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

mediately  on    his  authentic  answer   to    Lady   Hamilton's 
newly  found  note  of  June  17  : — 

'My  dear  Friends, — Thanks  to  your  exertions,  we 
have  victualled  and  watered :  and  surely  watering  at  the 
Fountain  of  Arethusa  we  must  have  victory.  We  shall 
sail  with  the  first  breeze,  and  be  assured  I  will  return  either 
crowned  with  laurel,  or  covered  with  cypress.' ^ 

The  *  first  breeze '  did  not  rise  until  the  day  following ; 
and  even  if  the  '  Arethusa'  letter  were  a  fabrication,  which  I 
can  see  no  valid  reason  for  supposing,^  we  are  able  to 
dispense  with  its  witness  to  Nelson's  sudden  relief  of  mood. 
He  was  now  enabled  to  start  a  full  two  days  earlier 
than  he  had  hoped,^  and  on  the  23rd,  before  departing, 
he  wrote  yet  again  to  his  dear  friends  in  joyful  gratitude, 
and  in  phrases  implying  that  the  long-deferred  'private 
orders'  had  arrived,  though  the  evidently  guarded  wording 
provides,  as  so  often,  against  its  being  shown  to  General 
Acton.*     This  letter  has  never  been  doubted.^ 

'The  fleet  is  unmoored,  and  the  moment  the  wind  comes 
off  the  land  shall  go  out  of  this  delightful  harbour,  where 
our  present  wants  have  been  amply  supplied,  and  where 
every  attention  has  been  paid  to  us ;  but  I  have  been 
tormented  by  no  private  orders  being  given  to  the  Governor 
for  our  admission.  I  have  only  to  hope  that  I  shall  still 
find  the  French  fleet,  and  be  able  to  get  at  them.  .  .  .  No 
frigates  ! '  Even  a  fortnight  later  Acton  still  excuses  him- 
self to  Hamilton.^ 

Assuredly  throughout  these  quick  transitions  the  under- 
tone of  Emma  and  the  Queen  is  audible.  Nelson  knew 
what  had  really  happened  ;  his  commentators  are  left  to 
guess  the  truth  from  disputed  shreds  of  correspondence. 

Refitted  and  reheartened,  Nelson,  who,  as  ever,  had  long 

^  Pettigrew,  vol.  ii.  p.  127.  Harrison,  vol.  ii.  p.  256.  He  terms  it  ^  s.  secret 
epistle.' 

-  It  should  be  marked  that  the  mention  of  the  breeze  tallies  with  that  in  the 
letter  next  cited.  ''*  Cf.  ante,  p.  219,  note  I. 

*  That  Acton  was  kept  in  ignorance  is  likely  from  the  fact  that  his  own  corre- 
spondence with  Hamilton  dwells  mainly  on  Nelson's  letters  of  anger  and  ex- 
postulation, and,  even  when  at  last  he  knows  of  his  satisfied  departure,  plans 
additional  aid. 

^  It  has  been  quoted  incessantly,  and  it  appears  both  in  the  Nelson  Letters, 
vol.  ii.  p.  238,  and  in  Morrison  MS.  326.  «  Cf.  Eg.  MS.  2640,  ff.  83,  87. 


TRIUMPH  223 

been  rehearsing  his  plans  to  his  officers,  hastened  with  his 
fleet  to  Aboukir  Bay.  There  is  no  need  to  recount  that 
memorable  struggle  of  the  ist  of  August,  which  lasted 
over  twenty-four  hours  ^ — the  daring  strategy  of  a  master- 
pilot,  the  giant  U Orient  blazing  with  colours  already  struck, 
and  exploded  under  a  sullen  sky  torn  with  livid  lightning, 
the  terrific  thunderstorm  interrupting  the  death-throes  of 
the  battle,  the  complete  triumph  of  an  encounter  which  de- 
livered England  from  France,  and  nerved  a  revived  Europe 
against  her.  Villeneuve  had  been  outwitted  ;  Brueys  was 
dead  ;  so  was  Ducheyla.  Even  Napoleon's  papers  had  been 
captured.  Nelson  stands  out  after  the  turmoil,  once  more 
battered,  once  again  far  more  zealous  for  the  fame  of  his 
officers  than  his  own,  yet  furious  at  the  escape  of  the  only 
two  French  frigates  that  avoided  practical  annihilation. 
Never  was  there  a  supreme  naval  encounter  that  exercised 
such  a  moral  effect,  and  so  defeated  both  the  foe  and  antici- 
pation. He  was  acclaimed  the  'saviour'  both  of  Britain 
and  the  Continent. 

And  his  trust  in  the  Hamiltons,  his  unshakable  belief  in 
Emma,  were  at  once  evinced  by  his  giving  them  the  earliest 
intelligence  of  what  set  all  Europe  tingling.  Emma's  ears 
and  her  husband's  were  the  very  first  to  hear  it.- 

The  French  had  vaunted  that  Buonaparte  would  erase 
Britain  from  the  map.  In  their  desperation  they  still 
vowed  to  burn  her  fleet.^  Their  insolence  on  Garat's  lips 
had  resounded  in  the  streets  and  on  the  very  house-tops  of 
Naples.  It  was  not  long  before  that  same  Garat  was  to 
be  curtly  dismissed,  before  not  a  '  French  dog'  dared  'show 
his  face,'  before  at  the  opera  '  not  a  French  cockade  was  to 
be  seen';*  before  the  Queen,  half-mad  for  joy,  addressed  an 
English  letter  to  the  British  sailors,  doubtless  with  her 
Emma's  aid,  sent  them  casks  of  wine  incognita^  and  presented 

'  Accounts  are  given  by  French  eye-witnesses  in  the  volume  of  intercepted 
Letters  from  Egypt,  cited  in  a  previous  note.  Tallien  writes  that  he  and 
others  viewed  it  'placed  on  an  eminence  which  overloolvcd  the  sea,'  p.  l8l. 

-  Cf.  Add.  MS.  34,989,  f.  4.  It  was  through  Captains  Hoslc  and  L'apel. 
Nelson  letters,  vol.  ii.  p.  240. 

^  Cf.  the  Queen  of  Naples'  letter  to  Emma,  cited  by  Pettigrew,  vol.  i. 
P-  159. 

■•  Cf.  Captain  Iloste's  contemporary  account  in  Pettigrew,  vol.  i.  p.  151. 
Hamilton  had  urged  Garat's  dismissal  in  June.     Cf.  Morrison  MS.  322. 


224  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

Hoste  with  a  diamond  ring,^  before  Britain  and  Naples  had 
struck  up  a  close  alliance  against  the  common  foe. 

The  world  was  a  changed  world  from  that  of  a  week 
before.  History  had  been  made  and  was  making.  On 
Nelson's  life,  to  quote  Lord  St.  Vincent's  words,  hung  the 
fate  of  the  remaining  Governments  in  Europe,  'whose 
system  has  not  been  deranged  by  these  devils.' ^  But  for 
him  Britain  might  have  been  France,  and  the  Mediterranean 
a  French  lake.  To  the  end  of  time  the  Nile  would  rank 
with  Marathon,  with  Actium,  with  Blenheim.  Nelson  had 
entered  the  Pantheon  of  fame,  he  had  embodied  his  country, 
he  was  Great  Britain.  He  belonged  to  Time  no  longer. 
Emma's  heart  leaped,  as  she  flew  exulting  with  the  first 
breath  of  victory  to  the  Queen.  So  early  as  September  the 
3rd  she  had  heard  the  triumph  of  which  ministers  and 
potentates  were  ignorant ;  she,  the  poor  Cheshire  girl,  the 
*  Lancashire  Witch,'  whose  dawn  of  life  had  been  smirched 
and  sullied ;  she,  the  elcve  of  lecturing  and  hectoring 
Greville,  the  wife  of  an  ambassador  whose  lethargy  she  had 
stirred  to  purpose  ;  she,  the  admired  of  artists,  the  Queen's 
comrade.  Was  anything  impossible  to  youth  and  beauty, 
and  energy  and  charm  ?  It  had  proved  the  same  of  old 
with  those  classical  freed  women — Epicharis,  staunch  amid 
false  knights  and  senators ;  and  Panthea,  perhaps  Emma's 
own  prototype,  whose  giftedness  and  '  chiselled '  beauty 
Lucian  has  extolled.  Had  she  not  from  the  first  fed 
her  inordinate  fancy  with  grandiose  reveries  of  achieve- 
ment? Had  she  not  burst  her  leading-strings?  More  than 
all,  had  not  Nelson,  already  in  August,  asked  her  to  welcome 
'the  remains  of  Horatio'?^  And  now,  in  this  universal 
moment,  she  had  both  part  and  lot.  Was  it  wonderful 
that,  throbbing  in  every  vein,  she  swooned*  to  the  ground 

*  For  these  and  ensuing  touches,  cf.  the  new  series  of  Emma's  letters  of 
1798  to  Nelson,  transcribed  in  the  Appendix. 

'•^  Nelson  Letters ,  vol.  i.  p.  219. 

^  Pettigrew,  vol.  i.  p.  140.  The  letter  recommended  Captain  Capel,  the 
bearer  of  his  despatches,  and  Captain  Hoste,  '  who  to  the  gentlest  manners 
joins  undaunted  courage.'  He  says:  'You  and  Sir  William  have  spoiled 
me.  ...  I  trust  my  mutilations  will  not  cause  me  to  be  less  welcome.  They 
are  the  marks  of  honour. ' 

*  Her  own  account  in  these  letters  is  borne  out  by  Nelson's  letter  to  his  wife 


TRIUMPH  225 

and  bruised  her  side  with  Nelson's  letter  in  her  hand  ? 
We  have  only  to  read  the  series  of  her  correspondence 
at  this  date  with  Nelson,  to  realise  her  intoxication  of 
rapture. 

But  there  was  more  than  this.  It  often  happens  that 
when  glowing  and  inflammable  natures,  such  as  hers  and 
Nelson's,  have  dreamed  united  visions,  the  mere  fulfilment 
links  them  irrevocably  together.  Mutual  hope  and  mutual 
faith  refuse  to  be  sundered.  The  hero  creates  his  heroine, 
the  heroine  worships  her  maker,  who  has  transformed  her 
in  her  own  eyes  as  well  as  his.  It  is  the  old  romance  of 
Pygmalion  and  Galatea.  He  places  her  on  a  pedestal  and 
in  a  shrine.  Henceforth  for  Nelson,  however  misguided  in 
outward  'fact,'  Emma  stands  out  adorable  as  Britannia. 
*  She  and  the  French  fleet '  are  his  all  in  all.^  His  ecstasies 
in  her  honour  spring  from  his  firm  conviction  that  but  for 
her  that  mighty  blow  might  never  have  been  struck,  nor 
Buonaparte  crushed.  Emma,  for  him,  is  England.  He 
returns  to  her  crowned  not  with  '  cypress,'  but  laurels  ever 
green.  And  she  has  plucked  some  of  them  for  his  wreath. 
He  acknowledges  that  his  was  the  first  approach.  As  he 
wrote  to  her  not  three  years  later  in  a  passage  now  first 
brought  to  light,  '  I  want  not  to  conquer  any  heart,  if  that 
which  I  have  conquered  is  happy  in  its  lot :  I  am  confident. 
for  the  Conqueror  is  beco^ne  the  Conquered!  ^ 

And  once  more,  with  regard  to  Emma  herself.  She  had 
never  yet  been  free  in  her  affections.  Her  devotion  to 
Greville,  her  attachment  to  her  husband,  had  grown  up  out 
of  loyal  gratitude,  not  from  spontaneous  choice,  and  the 
contrast  first  presented  itself  to  her,  not  as  an  untutored 
girl,  but  as  a  skilled  woman  of  the  world.  Sir  William 
was  now  sixty-eight,  Nelson  just  on  forty — ^ I'cige  critique', 
as  the  French  term  it.  She  firmly  believed  that  she  had 
helped  his  heroism  to  triumph  ;  he  as  firmly,  that  his  battle 

on  his  arrival  on  the  22nd.  '  II  was  imprudently  told  Lady  Hamilton,'  he  says, 
'in  a  moment,  and  the  effect  was  like  a  shot;  she  fell  apparently  dead,  and  is 
not  yet  perfectly  recovered  from  severe  bruises.'  Cited  by  I'ettigrew,  vol.  i. 
p.  150. 

'  In  one  of  his  later  letters  he  says  he  wanted  to  '  hug  them  both.' 
■■^  Add.  MS.  34,274  G.  (Nelson  to  Lady  Hamilton),  '.9.    George  o^  Rostock, 
May  24,  1801,'  a  new  and  unpublished  letter. 

P 


226  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

had  been  half  won  through  her  aid.  Both  were  susceptible.^ 
Both  despised  the  crowd  from  which  in  character  and  cir- 
cumstances they  stood  apart.  Emma's  morality  had  been 
largely  one  of  discretion.  Nelson's  was  one  of  religion.  If 
Nelson  came  to  persuade  himself  that  she  was  born  to  be 
his  wife  in  the  sight  of  God — and  all  his  after  expressions 
to  her  prove  it — it  would  not  be  strange  if  such  a  woman, 
still  beautiful,  in  a  sybarite  atmosphere  where  she  was  held 
up  as  a  paragon,  should  throw  discretion  to  the  winds  of 
chance.  It  was  after  some  such  manner  that  these  problems 
of  heart  and  temperament  were  already  shaping  them- 
selves. 

Consult  the  first  among  those  jubilant  letters,  a  few 
excerpts  from  which  have  been  quoted  in  the  second 
chapter.  They  eclipse  the  very  transports  of  the  Queen, 
'  mad  with  joy,'  and  hysterically  embracing  all  around  her, 
whose  own  letter^  of  that  memorable  Monday  evening  fully 
bears  out  Emma's  account  in  these  outpourings.  She  would 
rather  have  been  a  '  powder-monkey  in  that  great  Victory 
than  an  Emperor  out  of  it.'  Iler  self-elation  is  all  for 
Nelson.  Posterity  ought  to  worship  the  deliverer  in  every 
form  and  under  every  title.  His  statue  should  be  '  of 
pure  gold.'  Her  song  is  '  See  the  Conquering  Hero 
Comes,'  her  strain  is  '  Rule  Britannia.'  Her  gifts  of 
voice  and  rhapsody  are  dedicated  to  these.  For  these 
she  hymns  the  general  joy,  while  the  illuminations  of  her 
windows   reflect  the  glow  of  her  bosom.      Nelson,  Britain 

*  Lord  St.  Vincent,  writing  to  her  in  the  following  October,  says  :  '  Pray  do 
not  let  your  fascinating  Neapolitan  dames  approach  too  near  him,  for  he  is 
made  of  flesh  and  blood,  and  cannot  resist  their  temptations.' — Nelson  Letters^ 
vol.  i.  p.  219. 

'^  Ibid.  Maria  Carolina  says  that  she  lives  again  in  her  eternal  gratitude  to 
Nelson  and  to  Emma.  If  ever  Nelson's  portrait  be  painted,  it  must  be  for  her 
room.  He  is  their  hero  and  that  of  his  '  great,  brave,  magnanimous  nation. ' 
She  embraces  her  children,  Emma,  all  that  belongs  to  her.  She  longs  to  see 
Nelson  again  and  surround  him  with  her  family.  Emma's  endorsement  is : 
'  Reed.  Monday  evening,  Sept.  3,  1798,  the  happy  day  we  reed,  the  joyful! 
news  of  the  great  Victory  over  the  infernal  French  by  the  brave,  gallant 
Nelson.'  And  cf.  her  letter  to  Circello,  Ambassador  in  London,  cited  by 
Harrison,  vol.  i.  p.  324,  in  which  she  repeats  the  domestic  scene,  and  avows 
that  such  is  the  'prodigy'  of  the  triumph,  that  she  almost  'questions  its  reality.' 
That  scene  is  also  reproduced  ■J'crhatii/i  from  our  new  letters  by  Nelson  him- 
self in  communications  to  his  wife. 


TRIUMPH  227 

in  excelsis,  down  with  the  execrable  Jacobins,  a  fig  for 
foreign  dictation  —  these  are  her  refrains.  Even  her 
'shawl  is  in  blue  with  gold  anchors  all  over' ;  her  'earrings 
all  Nelson  anchors ' ;  she  wears  a  bandeau  round  her  fore- 
head with  the  words  'Nelson  and  Victory.' ^  Her  'head 
will  not  permit'  her  to  tell  'half  of  the  rejoicing.'  'The 
Neapolitans  are  mad,  and  if  he  was  here  now  he  would  be 
killed  with  kindness.'  How  can  she  '  begin '  to  her  '  dear, 
dear  Sir.'  Since  the  Monday  when  the  tidings  had  been 
specially  conveyed  to  her,^  she  has  been  '  delirious  with  joy ' 
and  has  '  a  fever  caused  by  agitation  and  pleasure.'  She  fell 
fainting  and  hurt  herself  at  the  news.  '  God,  what  a 
Victory !  Never,  never  has  there  been  anything  half  so 
glorious,  so  complete.'  She  would  '  feel  it  a  glory  to  die  in 
such  a  cause.'  '  No,  I  would  not  like  to  die  till  I  see  and 
embrace  the  Victor  of  the  Nile.'  The  care  of  the  navy  now 
engrosses  her.  There  is  nothing  she  will  not  do  for  any 
fellow-worker  with  the  prince  of  men.  Captain  Hoste,  her 
guest  from  September  i,  never  forgot  her  tender  kindness.^ 
She  begged  and  procured  from  Lord  St.  Vincent  Captain 
Bowen's  promotion  to  the  command  of  UAquilon.  Directly 
Nelson  had  cut  short  his  brief  stay  of  convalescence  almost 
before  the  plaudits  had  died  away,  she  sat  down  to 
write  to  the  hero's  wife,*  as  she  was  to  do  again  later  in 
December.  She  tells  her  how  Nelson  is  adored  by  King 
and  Queen  and  people,  '  as  if  he  had  been  their  brother'; 
how  delighted  they  are  with  the  stepson.  She  sends  her 
Miss  Knight's  'ode.'  She  enumerates  with  pride  the  royal 
presents  ;  the  sultan's  aigrette  and  pelisse,  which  she 
'tastes'  and  'touches.'^  She  resents  the  inadequacy  of  his 
Government's  acknowledgment — '  Hang  them,  /say  ! ' 

Both  she  and  Hamilton  were  soon,  in  Nelson's  words  to 
his  wife,"  'seriously  ill,  first  from  anxiety  and  then  from  joy.' 

^  Cf.  Captain  Hoste's  accounl  in  the  letter  cited  by  I'ettigrew,  vol.  i.  p.  151. 
'  This   date   is   further  verified    by  her   endorsement    on    the  Queen's  long 
letter  of  rejoicing.     Eg.  MS.  1615,  f.  iii. 

••  Cf.  his  letter  cited  Pettigrew,  vol.  i.  p.  150,  and  ante,  p.  224. 

*  This  is  the  letter  reported  by  Pettigrew  as   missing   (vol.   i.    p.    150)  but 
now  found.     Add.  MS.  34,989,  f.  8. 

*  This  Nelson  was  to  bcqucalJi  to  her  by  a  codicil  of  March   1801.     Cf.  Mor- 
rison MS.  548.  ''  Cf.  Pettigrew,  vol.  i.  p.  150. 


228  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

But  now  she  is  'preparing  his  apartments  against  he 
comes.'  On  September  22  the  Vanguard  anchored  in  the 
bay,  and  he  came. 

The  King  and  Queen  had  prepared  a  gorgeous  ovation.  It 
was  midsummer  weather,  and  a  cloudless  sky.  No  sooner  was 
Nelson's  small  contingent  descried  off  the  rock  of  Tiberius 
at  Capri,  than  the  royal  yacht,  commanded  by  Caracciolo, 
draped  with  emblems  and  covered  with  spangled  awnings, 
advanced  three  leagues  out  to  meet  him.  On  deck  the 
music  of  Paisiello  and  of  Cimarosa — at  last  pardoned  for 
composing  a  republican  ode — resounded  over  the  glassy 
waters,  while  a  whole  'serenata'  of  smaller  craft  followed 
in  its  wake  and  swelled  the  chorus.  All  the  flower  of  the 
court,  including  the  Hamiltons,  was  on  board,  where  stood 
the  King  and  the  melancholy  bride  of  the  heir-apparent, 
Princess  Clementina.  The  Queen,  herself  unwell,  stayed  at 
home  and  sent  her  grateful  homage  through  Emma.^  As 
the  procession  started  from  the  quay,  citizen  Garat,  foiled 
and  sullen,  mewed  in  his  palace  with  drawn  blinds,  caught 
from  afar  the  strains  of  triumph,  and  vowed  revenge.^ 

As  the  cortege  neared  the  Vanguard,  both  the  Hamiltons, 
worn  with  fatigue  and  excitement,^  and  the  royal  party, 
greeted  him.  The  picture  of  their  meeting  is  familiar.  It 
has  been  painted  in  Nelson's  own  words  to  his  wife : — 
'  Alongside  came  my  honoured  friends  :  the  scene  in  the 
boat  was  terribly  affecting.  Up  flew  her  Ladyship,  and 
exclaiming,  "  O  God  !  Is  it  possible  ?  "  she  fell  into  my  arm 
more  dead  than  alive.  Tears,  however,  soon  set  matters 
to  rights ;  when  alongside  came  the  King.  The  scene 
was  in  its  way  as  interesting.  He  took  me  by  the  hand, 
calling  me  his  "  Deliverer  and  Preserver,"  with  every  other 
expression  of  kindness.  In  short,  all  Naples  calls  me 
''Nostra  Liberatore!'  My  greeting  from  the  lower  classes 
was  truly  affecting.  I  hope  some  day  to  have  the  pleasure 
of  introducing  you  to  Lady  Hamilton  ;  she  is  one  of  the 

'  Eg.  MS.  161S,  f.  113. 

'■^  Dumas'  Storia  de'  Borboni,  vol.  ii.  p.  228  ;  Pettigrew,  vol.  i.  p.  149. 

^  Sir  William  once  more  became  ill  and  went  to  Castellamarc  to  recruit ; 
and  Lady  Hamilton,  who  would  not  give  in,  was  also  unwell.  Cf.  Eg.  MS. 
1615,  ff.  45.  47- 


TRIUMPH  229 

very  best  women  in  this  world,  she  is  an  honour  to  her  sex. 
Her  kindness,  with  Sir  WiHiam's  to  me,  is  more  than  I  can 
express.  I  am  in  their  house,  and  I  may  now  tell  you  it 
required  all  the  kindness  of  my  friends  to  set  me  up.  Lady 
Hamilton  intends  writing  to  you.^     God  bless  you  ! '  - 

Little  did  Nelson  yet  reck  of  the  ironies  of  the  future. 
In  this  very  letter  he  uses  the  warmest  expressions  about 
his  wife  that  had  as  yet  appeared  in  any  of  his  letters.^ 
Had  he  pursued  his  first  intention  of  proceeding  from 
Egypt  to  Syracuse,  how  much,  besides  Naples,  might  have 
been  avoided !  Was  he  even  now  face  to  face  with  a 
passionate  conflict? 

During  the  twenty-three  days*  that  Nelson  remained 
ashore,  much  happened  besides  rejoicing,  and  much  had  to 
be  done.  Not  only  did  Nelson's  wound  (like  his  battered 
ships)  require  instant  attention,  but,  as  constantly  happened 
with  him,  the  protracted  strain  of  nervous  effort  was  fol- 
lowed by  a  severe  fever.  Lady  Hamilton  and  her  mother 
tended  him  ;  a  brief  visit  with  the  Hamiltons  to  Castella- 
mare,  where  Troubridge  was  refitting  the  maimed  vessels, 
and  a  diet  of  '  asses'  milk  '  did  much  to  mend  his  general 
health.^      Nor  was  it   to    him   alone   that    Emma,  herself 

'  She  did  twice  before  Ocluber  3,  both  on  the  Queen's  behalf  and  her  own. 
Add.  MS.  34,989,  f.  8  (transcribed  in  the  Appendix).  She  wrote  again  im- 
mediately on  their  return  to  England  (see  post,  chap.  .\i.),  and  yet  Lady 
Nelson  recorded  that  she  had  received  but  a  single  letter  from  Emma. 

-  Cited  by  Pettigrew,  vol.  i.  p.  150. 

^  Speaking  of  how  the  Hamiltons'  friendship  had  touched  him,  he  asks: 
'  What  must  it  be  to  my  dearest  wife,  my  friend,  my  everything  which  is 
most  dear  to  me  in  this  world?'  She  had  nursed  him  after  the  loss  of  his 
arm  at  Teneriffe.  Immediately  after  the  Nile  battle  he  wrote  to  her  of  his 
pride  in  being  his  father's  son  and  her  husband. 

••  Nelson  left  for  Malta  on  October  16.  The  ()ueen's  letter  to  Emma  of 
October  15  (given  by  Pettigrew,  vol.  i.  p.  160)  must  be  misdated.  On  October 
16  Nelson  himself  wrote  a  parting  note  to  Emma  dated  '  Naples,  October  16, 
1798.' 

'  Cf.  Add.  MS.  34,989,  f.  8;  Eg.  MS.  1615,  ff.  63,  117;  Pettigrew,  vol.  i. 
p.  187  ;  Laughton's  Despatches,  p.  167. — (The  Queen's  inquiries  after  Nelson's 
health.) 

P.  167. — (Nelson's  letter  to  Lord  St.  Vincent  of  September  20,  in  which  he 
says  of  his  fever,  'For  eighteen  hours  my  life  was  thought  to  be  past  hope.') 

P.  173. — (Letter  to  Duckworth,  December  6,  1798.  *  My  health,  at  the 
best  indifferent,  has  not  mended  lately.') 


230  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

ailing,  ministered.  Sir  William  was  exhausted.  The 
Queen  was  ill  and  miserable  under  the  troubles  gathering 
both  at  Malta  and  in  the  council-chamber ;  Captain  Ball 
also  needed  her  care,  which  he  requited  with  an  enthusiastic 
letter  of  thanks  to  'the  best  friend  and  patroness  of  the 
British  Navy' ;  Troubridge,  too,  was  far  from  well  at  Cas- 
tellamare ;  many  were  in  hospital.  But  Lady  Hamilton 
owned  the  strength  of  highly-strung  natures — the  strength 
of  spurts  ;  and  she  found  time  and  energy  for  all  her  tasks. 

These  good  offices  are  here  mentioned,  and  many  more 
remain  for  mention  subsequently,  because,  in  the  future, 
after  the  fatal  dividing  line  of  her  triumphal  progress  to 
Vienna  with  the  Queen,  her  husband,  and  Nelson,  they  were 
forgotten.  She  was  to  estrange  some  of  her  old  admirers, 
who  inveighed  against  her  behind  her  back  not  only  as  ill- 
bred,  but  as  artful.  Beckford,  for  instance,  who  had  hitherto 
praised  her  highly,  became  spiteful  in  defamation  on  her 
second  visit  to  Fonthill  in  i8oi;^  Miss  Knight,  her  firm 
ally  at  this  moment,  became  her  declared  enemy.  Trou- 
bridge (the  baker's  son,  beloved  and  promoted  by  Nelson), 
who  throughout  had  supported  her,  grew  obstinate  in 
antagonism  both  to  her  and  him  ;  while  the  seemly  Elliots 
were  shocked  at  her  loudness  and  scorn  of  convenances. 
Even  the  Queen's  ardour  cooled  ;  and  the  English  official 
world  began  to  look  askance  at  the  trio,  and  to  make  merry 
over  Samson  and  Delilah. 

Nelson's  birthday-  gave  full  scope  for  a  colossal  demon- 
stration at  the  English  Embassy.  Emma's  huge  assembly, 
where  royalty  and  all  the  cream  of  society  presided,  was 
hardly  an  enjoyment  for  the  worn  conqueror.  A  '  rostral 
column  '  of  the  classical  pattern,  with  inscriptions  celebrat- 
ing his  achievements,  had  been  erected  in  the  gay  garden 

Pettigrew,  vol.  i.  p.  151. — (Nelson's  letter  to  Lord  St.  Vincent  of  Sep- 
tember 30.) 

P.  163.— (Lord  St.  Vincent's  letter  of  thanks  to  Lady  Hamilton  for  her  care 
of  Nelson's  reviving  health.) 

I  quote  these  authorities,  and  could  quote  more,  because  Nelson's  critical 
state  of  health  has  been  doubted. 

'  Cf.  Cyrus  Redding's  Fifty  Years  of  My  Lije.  Lord  Ronald  Gower's  most 
interesting  article  on  some  rare  portraits  of  her  in  the  Anglo-Saxon  Review  of 
September  igcx),  also  touches  on  this  point. 

*  September  29. 


TRIUMPH  231 

festooned  with  lamps,  and  alive  with  music.  The  artistic 
Miss  Cornelia  Knight  (with  her  mother,  a  refugee  from 
the  terrors  of  war  at  Rome)  added  one  more  ode  to 
the  foreign  thousands,  and  made  a  sketch  of  the  scene.^ 
The  festivity  was  chequered  by  Josiah  Nisbet,  Nelson's 
scapegrace  but  petted  stepson,  who  brawled  with  him  in 
his  cups,  until  Troubridge  parted  them,  and  ended  the 
indecent  scuffle.  That  this  arose  from  his  habits,  and  not 
of  design,  is  shown  by  Emma's  affectionate  references  to 
him  in  her  letter  ^  to  his  mother  only  four  days  afterwards, 
which  will  be  found  in  the  Appendix.-^ 

Nelson  was  dispirited,  and  disgusted  not  only  with  the 
'  fiddlers '  and  loose  dames  of  the  court,  but  with  its 
finicking /£///  maitre,  Gallo,  the  foreign  minister,  all  airs  and 
pouncet ;  so  afraid  lest  the  wind  should  step  between  him 
and  his  gentility,  that,  solemn  over  trifles,  he  persist- 
ently dallied  with  the  grave  issues  now  at  stake.  The 
halting  Acton  himself  proved  energetic  mainly  in  profes- 
sions,* though  by  the  end  of  October  Emma  had  won  him 
also  to  their  side.''  Not  only  had  the  '  Grand  Knights '  of 
Malta,  Honipesch  the  master,  and  Wittig,  shown  the 
white  feather  at  Valetta,  and  left  the  French  practically 
masters  of  the  field,  but  in  the  Romagna  and  in  Tuscany 
the  enemy  was  daily  gaining  ground.  Moreover,  while  the 
Queen  was  reassured  as  to  the  goodwill  of  the  middle  class 
and  the  Lazzaroni,  she  now  realised,  as  may  be  gathered 
from  her  letters,  that  the  various  factions  of  the  nobles  were 
— from  separate  motives — a  nest  of  perfidy.  Her  husband 
trounced  her  as  the  cause  of  his  woes,  and  despite  his 
enthusiasm  for  the  '  hero,'  he  remained  in  the  Anglophobe 
party's  clutches.  The  delaying  Gallo  was  averse  to  open 
hostilities  until  Austria  had  engaged  in  offensive  alliance, 

1  Emma  was  never  jealous  of  her  talent.  Sending  one  of  Cornelia's  odes  in 
October  to  Nelson,  she  says,  '  It  is  very  well  written,  but  Miss  K.  is  very 
clever  in  everything  she  undertakes.' — Add.  MS.  34)989,  f.  8. 

2  Add.  MS.  34,989,  f.  8  ;  and  of.  in  the  November  following  the  reference 
in  ff.  30-31. 

-  The  best  account  of  this  festivity  is  by  the  Neapolitan  Michel  Torcia, 
whose  manuscript  was  sold  at  Sotheby's  on  May  17,  1905. 

*  Nelson  to  Hamilton,  Oct.  27,  179S.     Cf.  Laughton's  Z)«>/a/tA<'J,  p.  171. 

*  Add.  MS.  34,989,  ff.  18-24.     'Am  trcs  bien  with  Acton,'  etc. 


232  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

for  the  compact  (which  had  been  signed  in  July)^  only 
promised  Austrian  aid  in  the  event  of  Naples  itself  being 
attacked.  Russia  had  declared,  the  Porte  was  on  the  verge 
of  declaring,  war  against  the  French  Republic.  The  pre- 
ceding May  had  seen  yet  another  treaty  between  both  these 
powers  and  Naples,  binding  the  latter  to  furnish  twelve 
ships  and  four  hundred  men  for  the  coalition.  Yet  the 
Emperor,  son-in-law  to  the  Neapolitan  Bourbons,  still 
waited,  and  on  him  the  King  of  Naples  waited  also,  much 
more  concerned  with  the  impending  birth  of  a  grandchild 
who  might  inherit  the  throne,  than  with  the  portents  of 
affairs.  His  disposition  shunned  reality,  notwithstanding 
the  fact,  however,  that  he  had  sanctioned  the  summons  of 
General  Mack  from  Vienna  to  command  his  forces.  And, 
added  to  all  these  manifold  preoccupations,  Lady  Spencer, 
who  had  acclaimed  Nelson's  triumph  with  '  Hurrah,  hurrah, 
hurrah,'  the  wife  of  the  first  Lord  of  the  British  Admiralty, 
was  now  at  Naples,  and  constantly  with  the  Hamiltons  and 
Nelson. 

From  late  September  to  early  October  Nelson  and  Emma 
were  in  frequent  conference.  The  French  had  been  attempt- 
ing in  Ireland  what  they  had  succeeded  in  doing  at 
Naples  :  their  complots  with  rebellion  threatened  all  that 
was  established. 

He  divined  the  situation  in  its  European  bearings  at  a 
glance.  She  knew  every  twist  and  turn  of  the  Neapolitan 
road,  with  all  its  buffoons,  adventurers,  and  highwaymen  ; 
the  tact  of  quick  experience  was  hers.  He,  the  masculine 
genius,  created.  She.  the  feminine,  was  receptive,  interpre- 
tative. And,  whatever  may  be  urged  or  moralised,  the 
human  fact  remains  that  she  was  a  woman  after  his  own 
heart,  and  he  a  man  after  hers.  He  was  the  first  unselfish 
man  who  had  as  yet  been  closely  drawn  towards  her. 
However  unlike  in  upbringing,  in  environment,  in  stand- 
ing— above  all,  in  things  of  the  spirit,  in  passionate  energy, 
in  courage,  in  romance,  in  '  sensibility  '  ^  and  enthusiasm  they 
were  affinities. 

^  July  l6.    Hamilton's  letter  announcing  it  to  Eden  as  'old  ties  restored  '  may 
be  found  in  Egerton  MS.  2638,  f.  149. 

"  Cf.  the  striking  passage  quoted  attte^  p.  4  note  i. 


TRIUMPH  233 

The  result  of  these  consultations  is  shown  by  the  long 
draft  of  a  letter  outlining  a  policy,^  which  Nelson  drew 
up  as  a  lever  for  Emma  herself  to  force  the  court  into 
decision,  and  which  formed  the  basis  of  a  shorter  letter  that 
has  been  published.^  He  emphasised  'the  anxiety  which 
you  and  Sir  William  have  always  had  for  the  happiness  and 
welfare  of  their  Sicilian  Majesties.'  He  pointed  out  that 
the  mass  of  the  Neapolitans  were  loyally  eager  to  try 
conclusions  with  France ;  that  Naples  was  her  natural 
'  plunder,'  but  that  the  ministers  were  '  lulled  into  a  false 
security,'  and  a  prey  '  to  the  worst  of  all  policies,  that  of 
procrastination.'  He  dwelt  on  Garat's  insolence,  and 
the  readiness  of  the  Neapolitan  army  to  march  into  the 
Romagna  '  ready  to  receive  them.'  He  hoped  that  Mack's 
imminent  arrival  would  brace  ministers  into  resolution.  He 
welcomed  with  admiring  respect  a  '  dignified '  letter  from 
the  Queen,  according  with  his  own  favourite  quotation 
from  Chatham,  '  the  boldest  measures  are  the  safest.'  He 
presented  his  manifesto  as  a  '  preparitive '  {sic),  and  as  '  the 
unalterable  opinion  of  a  British  Admiral  anxious  to  approve 
himself  a  faithful  servant  to  his  sovereign  by  doing  every- 
thing in  his  power  for  the  happiness  and  dignity  of  their 
Sicilian  Majesties.'  To  Sir  William  he  would  write  separ- 
ately.^ He  recognised  the  signs  of  revolution,  and  already 
he  sounded  the  note  of  warning.  He  recommended  that 
their  'persons  and  property'  should  be  ready  in  case  of 
need  for  embarkation  at  the  shortest  notice.  If  '  the  present 
ruinous  system  of  procrastination  '  persevered,  it  would  be 
his  '  duty '  to  provide  for  the  safety  not  only  of  the  Hamil- 
tons,  but  of '  the  amiable  Queen  of  these  kingdoms  and  her 
family.' 

The  address  of  this  paper  to  Emma,  the  emphasis  of  the 
Queen's  letter,  the  promise  of  a  separate  one  to  Hamilton, 
show  that  the  document  was  intended  for  the  Queen's  eye 

^  Cf.  Appendix,  Part  11.  A  ;  Add.  MS.  34,989,  f.  12,  Lord  Nelson  to 
Lady  ILiniilton,  October  3  (much  corrected  and  interlined),  with  which  should 
be  compared  Nelson's  letters  to  Hamilton  '  off  Malta,  Oct.  27,' and  to  Eden, 
(at  Vienna),  Dec.  10.     Cf.  'L'^w^hion's  Despatches,  pp.  171,  173. 

'  Laughton's  Despatches,  p.  167. 

•"  The  last  three  sentences,  as  well  as  the  first  of  all,  do  not  find  place  in  the 
*  letter'  to  Lady  Hamilton  printed  by  Professor  Laughton. 


234  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

alone,  and  point  to  the  suggestion  of  it  by  Emma  herself. 
We  shall  see  that  while  Sir  William  was  pushing  affairs 
with  the  English  Government,  Emma,  during  Nelson's 
absence  in  the  Adriatic  and  the  Mediterranean,  was  practi- 
cally to  be  Ambassador  at  Naples. 

Next  day  Nelson  ordered  Ball  to  Malta  with  the  ex- 
pressed objects  not  only  of  intercepting  French  com- 
munications with  Egypt,  of  the  island's  blockade,  and  of 
co-operation  with  the  Turkish  and  Russian  fleets  in  the 
Archipelago,  but  specially  of  protecting  the  Sicilian  and 
Neapolitan  coasts.^  So  annoyed  was  he  at  the  King's 
inaction,  that  he  even  told  Lord  Spencer  that  '  Naples  sees 
this  squadron  no  more,  except  the  King,  who  is  losing  "  the 
glorious  moments,"  should  call  for  help."-  By  mid-October 
Nelson  himself  had  set  out  first  for  Malta,  and,  after  a  brief 
interval  of  return,  for  the  deliverance  of  Leghorn.  Before 
the  month's  close  the  King  and  General  Mack  had  started 
on  their  ill-starred  campaign  ;  before  the  year's  end  a 
definitive  Anglo-Sicilian  alliance  had  been  signed,  and 
Grenville's  former  attitude  reversed. 

The  very  day  of  Nelson's  departure  drew  from  him  the 
tribute  to  Lady  Hamilton  which  was  in  Pettigrew's  posses- 
sion, and  a  facsimile  of  which  accompanied  the  first  volume 
of  his  Memoirs  of  Lord  Nelson} 

'  I  honour  and  respect  you,'  it  ran,  '  and  my  dear  friend 
Sir  William  Hamilton,  and  believe  me  ever  your  faithful 
and  affectionate  Nelson'  —  the  first  letter,  as  'his  true 
friend '  Emma  recorded  on  it,  written  to  her  *  after  his 
dignity  to  the  peerage.'  ^ 

The  girl  who,  after  the  bartering  Greville  trampled  upon 
her  affections,  had  been  gained  into  grateful  attachment  by 
Hamilton,  with  the  covert  resolve  of  becoming  his  wife  and 
winning  her  spurs  in  the  political  tournament,  had  at  length 
carved  a  career.  Greville's  neglect  of  her  self-sacrifice  had 
not  hardened  her,  but  her  tender  care  of  Sir  William  was 
fast  assuming  a  new  complexion.     She  had  twice  saved  his 

'   Laughton's  Despatches,  p.  169. 
^  Ibid.  p.  169,  October  9.  '  p.  1 68. 

•■  The  patent  of  Barony  (considered  very  inadequate  in  view  of  Jervis's  pre- 
vious earldom)  was  not  officially  granted  till  November  17. 


TRIUMPH  235 

life ;  she  had  perpetually  urged  his  activities ;  she  still 
watched  over  him.  But,  under  her  standards  of  instinct 
and  experience,  she  was  half  gravitating  towards  the  per- 
suasion that  they  might  warrant  her  in  taking  her  fate 
into  her  own  hands.  She  hated  '  half  measures  ' ;  neck  or 
nothing,  she  would  realise  herself.  Her  chief  cravings 
remained  as  yet  unsatisfied.  Womanlike,  she  had  yearned 
for  true  sympathy.  Here  was  one  willing  and  eager  to 
listen.  She  had  long  been  in  love  with  glory.  Here  was  a 
hero  who  personified  it.  She  had  sighed  for  adventures  in 
the  grand  style.  Here  was  opportunity.  She  wavered  on 
the  verge  of  a  new  temptation.  She  felt  as  though  her 
wandering  soul  had  at  last  found  its  way.  Yet,  in  reality, 
she  still  groped  in  a  maze  of  contending  emotions,  nor 
would  she  stop  to  inquire  by  what  clue  her  quick  steps 
were  hurrying  her :  the  moment  was  all  in  all.  She  still 
identified  her  intense  friendship  with  her  husband's.  Dis- 
loyalty still  revolted  her  in  its  masked  approaches ;  and  yet 
she  struggled,  half-consciously,  with  a  '  faith  unfaithful '  that 
was  to  keep  her  '  falsely  true.' 

Omitting  further  historical  detail,  we  may  turn  at  once  to 
the  part  played  by  Emma  with  the  Queen  at  Caserta  as  her 
hero's  vice-gerent  during  his  nine  weeks'  absence.  Her 
heart  was  with  the  ships,  and  she  pined  to  quit  the  villeggia- 
tura  for  Naples.^ 

It  was,  in  her  own  words,  with  Nelson's  '  spirit '  that 
Emma  inflamed  the  Queen,  from  whom  she  was  now  in- 
separable. The  King  still  looked  to  Austria,  and  thought 
of  little  else  but  his  daughter-in-law's  coming  confinement. 
The  Queen,  who  had  hesitated,  at  last  caught  the  prompt- 
ness of  Nelson's  policy.  General  Mack  had  arrived,  but  a 
thousand  official  obstacles  impeded  his  preparations.  '  He 
does  not  go  to  visit  the  frontiers,'  wrote  Emma  to  Nelson,^ 
•but  is  now  working  night  and  day,  and  then  goes  for  good, 
and  I  tell  her  Majesty,  for  God's  sake,  for  the  country's 
sake,  and  for  your  own  sake,  send  him  off  as  soon  as 
possible,  no  time  to  be  lost,  and   I    believe  he   goes  after 

'  Cf.  Add.  MS.  34,989,  f.  14.  -  October  20. 


236  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

to-morrow.'     The  suppression  of  the    Irish    rebellion    had 

removed   yet  another  spoke  from    the    Republican  wheel. 

'  I  translate  from  our  papers,'  said  Emma, '  to  inspire  her  or 

them,  I  should  say,  with  some  of  your  spirit  and   energy. 

How  delighted  we  both  were  to  speak  of  you.     She  loves, 

respects,  and  admires  you.     For  myself,  I  will  leave  you  to 

guess    my    feelings.      Poor    dear   Troubridge   stayed    that 

night  with  us  to  comfort  us.     What  a  good  dear  soul  he 

is.  .  .  .  He   is  to  come  down  soon,  and  I  am    to   present 

him.     She  sees  she  could  not  feel  happy  if  she  had  not  an 

English  ship  here  to  send  off.  .  .  .  How  we  abused  Gallo 

yesterday.     How  she  hates  him.     He  won't  reign  long — so 

much   the    better.  .  .  .  You    are  wanted  at  Caseria.      All 

their  noddles  are  not  worth  yours.'     There  were  affectionate 

mentions  of  Tyson  and    Hardy,  with   the   hope   that   the 

*  Italian  spoil-stomach  sauce  of  a  dirty  Neapolitan'  might 

not  hurt  the  invalid,  but  that   perhaps   Nelson's  steward 

provided  him  'with  John  Bull's    Roast  and    Boil.'^     Then 

followed  her  enthusiasm  over   Nelson's   honours,  and   her 

wrath  at  the  stint  of  home  recognition,  which  have  been 

echoed    already.      In    the    same    long    letter,   containing, 

as  was  her  wont,  the  diary  of  a  week,   she  resumes  her 

political    story.      She   and    her    Queen  had   been   ecstatic 

over   the    Sultan's    lavish    acknowledgments   of    Nelson's 

victory. 

'  The  Queen  says  that,  after  the  English  she  loves  the 
Turks,  and  she  has  reason,  for,  as  to  Vienna,  the  ministers 
deserve  to  be  hanged,  and  if  Naples  is  saved,  no  thanks  to 
the  Emperor.  For  he  is  kindly  leaving  his  father  in  the 
lurch.  We  have  been  two  days  desperate  on  account  of  the 
weak  and  cool  acting  of  the  Cabinet  of  Vienna.  Thugut^ 
must  be  gained  ;  but  the  Emperor — oh,  but  he  is  a  poor 
sop,  a  machine  in  the  hands  of  his  corrupted  ministers. 
The  Queen  is  in  a  rage.  .  .  .  Sunday  last,  two  couriers, 
one  from  London,  one  from  Vienna ;  the  first  with  the 
lovely  news  of  a  fleet  to  remain  in  the  Mediterranean,  and 
a  treaty  made  of  the  most  flattering  kind  for  Naples.  In 
short,  everything  amicable  .  .  .  and  most  truly  honourable. 

'  Add.  MS.  34,989,1.  14. 

"^  The  negotiator  of  the  Campoformio  Treaty  in  1797. 


TRIUMPH  237 

T'other  from  their  dear  son  and  daughter,^  cold,  un- 
friendly, mistrustful,  Frenchified  ;  and  saying  plainly,  help 
yourselves.  How  the  dear  Maria  Carolina  cried  for  joy  at 
the  one  and  rage  at  the  other.  But  Mack  is  gone  to  the 
army  to  prepare  all  to  march  immediately.'^  And  here, 
too,  is  the  place  of  that  dramatic  outburst,  cited  in  the 
Prelude,  where  Emma  extended  her  left  arm,  like  Nelson, 
and  'painted  the  drooping  situation,'  stimulating  the 
Queen's  decision  in  face  of  those  hampering  obstacles  on 
the  part  of  Gallo  and  the  King,  which  proved  so  uncon- 
scionable a  time  in  dying.  '  In  short,  there  was  a  council, 
and  it  was  decided  to  march  out  and  help  themselves ;  and, 
sure,  their  poor  fool  of  a  son  will  not,  cannot  but  come  out. 
He  must  bring  150,000  men  in  the  Venetian  State.  The 
French  could  be  shut  in  between  the  two  armies,  Italy 
cleared,  and  peace  restored.  I  saw  a  person  from  Milan 
yesterday,  who  says  that  a  small  army  would  do,  for  the 
Milanese  have  had  enough  of  liberty.'  She  depicts  the 
horrid  state  of  that  capital,  the  starvation  side  by  side  with 
the  rampant  licentiousness  of  the  Jacobins  'putting  Virtue 
out  of  countenance  by  their  .  .  .  libertinage.  .  .  .  So,  you 
see,  a  little  would  do.  Now  is  tJie  tnoment,  and,  indeed, 
everything  is  going  on  as  we  could  wish.'  Emma  has  been 
hitherto  and  often  painted  as  the  Queen's  mouthpiece. 
She  was  really  Nelson's,  and  her  intuition  had  grasped  his 
mastership  of  the  political  prospect.  Was  she  not  right  in 
declaring  that  she  had  '  spurred  them  on  '  ?  The  Queen  had 
been  actually  heartened  into  resolving  on  a  regency,  a  new 
fact  which  reveals  the  political  divergences  between  the  royal 
pair  at  this  period.  '  The  King  is  to  go  in  a  few  days,  never 
to  return.  The  regency  ^  is  to  be  in  the  name  of  the  Prince 
Royal,  but  the  Queen  will  direct  all.  Her  head  is  worth  a 
thousand.  I  have  a  pain  in  my  head,  .  .  .  and  must  go 
take  an  airing.  .  .  .  May  you  live  long,  long,  long  for  the 
sake  of  your  country,  your  King,  your  family,  all  Europe, 

'  i.e.  the  Austrian  Emperor  and  Empress — the  Neapolitan  Princess. 

»  Add.  MS.  34,989,  ff.  18-24. 

*  At  first  the  Queen  had  meant  to  be  Reyent  herself.  Add.  MS.  34,989,  f.  4. 
This  '  regency '  the  Queen  by  October  24  planned  to  be  perpetual,  and  the 
King  was  '  not  to  return.' — Cf.  ibid.  f.  24.  Lady  Hamilton  to  Lady  Nelson, 
October  2,  1798.     See  Appendix. 


238  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

Asia,  Africa,  and  America  [Emma  is  on  her  stilts  once 
more],  and  for  the  scourge  of  France,  but  particularly  for 
the  happiness  of  Sir  William  and  self,  who  love  you,  admire 
you,  and  glory  in  your  friendship.'  Sir  William's  new 
name  for  Nelson  was  now  '  the  friend  of  our  hearts.'  And 
these  hearts  were  certainly  stamped  with  his  image : — 
'  Your  statue  ought  to  be  made  of  pure  gold  and  placed  in 
the  middle  of  London.  Never,  never  was  there  such  a 
battle,  and  if  you  are  not  regarded  as  you  ought  and  I  wish, 
I  will  renounce  my  country  and  become  either  a  Mameluke 
or  a  Turk.  The  Queen  yesterday  said  to  me,  the  more  I 
think  on  it,  the  greater  I  find  it,  and  I  feel  such  gratitude 
to  the  warrior,  .  .  .  my  respect  is  such,  that  I  could  fall  at 
his  honoured  feet  and  kiss  them.  You  that  know  us  both, 
and  how  alike  we  are  in  many  things,  that  is,  I  as  Emma 
Hamilton,  she  as  Queen  of  Naples,  imagine  us  both  speak- 
ing of  you.  ...  I  would  not  be  a  lukewarm  friend  for  the 
world.  I  .  .  .  cannot  make  friends  with  all,  but  the  few 
friends  I  have,  I  would  die  for  them.  ...  I  told  her  Majesty 
we  only  wanted  Lady  Nelson  to  be  the  female  Tria  juncta 
in  uno,  for  we  all  love  you,  and  yet  all  three  differently,  and 
yet  all  equally,  if  you  can  make  that  out.'  .  .  .  And  Lady 
Nelson,  accordingly,  she  congratulated  twice,  both  on  the 
Queen's  behalf  and  her  own.^ 

Nelson  returned  for  a  fortnight  in  the  earlier  days  of 
November,  more  than  ever  dissatisfied  with  the  Neapolitan 
succours  and  the  Portuguese  co-operation  at  Malta.  There, 
with  strong  significance  in  view  of  next  year's  crisis  at 
Naples,  he  had  notified  the  French,  who  rejected  his  over- 
tures, that  he  would  certainly  disregard  any  capitulation 
into  which  the  Maltese  General  might  afterwards  be  forced 
to  enter.2     j^g  learned  the  decision  for  definite  war,  and 

1  Cf.  Add.  MS.  34,989,  f.  8.     The  letter  will  be  found  in  the  Appendix. 

''■  Cf.  Nelson's  manifesto  to  the  French  commander  at  Malta,  October  1798 
[excerpted  in  Sotheby's  catalogue  for  July  8,  1905] :— '  My  objects  are  to  assist 
the  people  of  Malta  in  forcing  you  to  abandon  the  island.  ...  If  my  offers  are 
rejected,  or  the  French  ships  \i.e.  the  Guillaume  Tell,  Diana,z.ndjustice']make 
their  escape,  notwithstanding  my  vigilance,  I  declare  I  will  not  enter  or  join  in 
any  capitulation  act.'  '  Nor  will  I  ever  permit  any  which  may  be  like  the 
present,  >?iuch  less  will  I  intercede  for  ike  lives  or  forgivemss  of  those  who  have 
betrayed  their  country.  I  beg  leave  lu  assure  you  that  this  is  the  determination 
o(  a  British  Admiral.' 


TRIUMPH  239 

the  King's  reluctant  consent  at  length  to  accompany 
the  army  to  Rome.  No  sooner  had  Garat  been  dismissed, 
than  the  French  declared  war  also.  Force,  then,  must  repel 
force,  for  the  Ligurian  Republic  meant  nothing  but  France 
in  Italy.  Throughout,  moreover.  Nelson's  guiding  aim  was 
the  destruction  of  Jacobinism,  which,  indeed,  he  regarded 
as  anti-Christ.  He  collected  his  forces  and  set  out  for 
Leghorn,^  which  soon  surrendered  (although  Buonaparte's 
brother  Louis  escaped  the  blockade),^  landing  once  more 
at  Naples  in  the  first  week  of  December.  At  first  Mack 
and  the  Neapolitan  troops  prevailed,  and  Prince  Moli- 
terno's  valour  covered  the  cowardice  of  his  troops.  The 
King  entered  Rome ;  the  Queen's  mercurial  hopes  ran 
high.  But  her  exultation  was  short-lived.  Before  the 
end  of  the  first  week  in  December  Carolina  wrote  to  her 
confidante  that  she  now  pitied  the  King  intensely,  and 
'  would  be  with  him.'  '  God  only  knows  what  evils  are 
in  reserve.  I  am  deeply  affected  by  it,  and  expect  every 
day  something  more  terrible.  The  good  only  will  be  the 
victims.  .  .  .  Mack  is  in  despair,  and  has  reason  to  be 
so.'  ^  The  French  Berthier  proved  an  abler,  though  not 
a  braver,*  general  than  the  Austrian,  but  Mack  had  raw 
and  wretched  levies  under  his  command  i^  his  officers 
were  bribed  and  their  men  deserted.  Rome  was  re- 
taken ;  a  retreat  became  unavoidable,  and  by  the  second 
week  in  December  that  retreat  had  already  become  a  rout. 
From  the  close  of  November  onwards  the  Queen  grew  more 
and  more  despondent,  though  Duckworth's  naval  success 
at  Minorca,  the  promise  by  the  Czar  Paul  of  his  fleet,  and 
the  retirement  of  the  Republicans  from  Frosinone  had 
cheered  her.  She  was  very  ill,  and  fresh  home  conspiracies 
were  in  course  of  discovery.^ 

'  November  22. 

•^  Cf.  the  Queen's  despairing  letter  to  Emma,  Eg.  MS.  161S,  f.  28. 

•*  Cf.  her  letter  cited  by  Pettigrew,  vol.  i.  p.  171. 

*  The  Queen  says  of  him  after  his  disaster  :  '  Uont  U  courage,  radivite,  sur- 
passe  toute  id^e.'' — Helfcrt's  Fabitzio  Riiffo,  p.  383.  Nelson,  however,  damned 
his  incompetence.     Cf.  J\Icmoirs  and  Letters  of  Sir  IV.  Hoste,  vol.  i.  p.  113. 

*  Acton,  writing  to  Hamilton  on  December  15,  1798,  says  they  were 
'moUifyed  people  since  ages — no  caractcr' — curiou.sly  phrased  and  spelled. 
Eg.  MS.  2640,  f.  153.  «  Cf.  Eg.  MS.  1619,  fir.  5,  7. 


240  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

Emma  still  lingered  in  her  neighbourhood  at  Caserta. 
Beseeching  Nelson  not  to  go  ashore  at  Leghorn,  and 
rejoicing  at  the  unfounded  rumour  that  his  '  dear,  vener- 
able father'  had  been  made  a  bishop,  she  informed  him 
that  the  King  had  at  length  issued  a  clear  manifesto.  The 
army  had  marched,  the  Queen  had  just  gone  to  pray  for 
them  in  the  cathedral.  She  announced  the  King's  trium- 
phal entry  into  Rome  from  Frascati ;  she  hoped  the  best 
from  the  battle  of  Velletri,  fought  even  as  she  writes. 
'  Everybody  here,'  she  assured  Nelson,  '  prays  for  you. 
Even  the  Neapolitans  say  mass  for  you,  but  Sir  William 
and  I  are  so  anxious  that  we  neither  eat,  drink,  nor  sleep  ; 
and  till  you  are  safely  landed  and  come  back  we  shall  feel 
mad.'  The  secret  of  Nelson's  movements  and  preparations 
she  will  never  betray,  nor  would  red-hot  torture  wrest  it 
from  her.  '  We  send  you  one  of  your  midshipmen,  left  here 
by  accident ;  .  .  .  pray  don't  punish  him.  Oh  !  I  had  forgot 
I  would  never  ask  favours,  but  you  are  so  good  I  cannot 
help  it.'  And  then  follows  a  tell-tale  passage  :  '  We  have 
got  Josiah.  How  glad  I  was  to  see  him.  Lady  Knight, 
Miss  Knight,  Carrol,  and  Josiah  dined  to-day  with  us,  but 
alas !  your  place  at  table  was  occupied  by  Lady  K.  I 
could  have  cried,  I  felt  so  low-spirited.'  ^ 

Is  it  a  wonder  that  Nelson  was  moved?  One  can  hear 
how  her  confidence  impressed  him.  Shortly  after  his 
return  he  frankly  avowed,  '  My  situation  in  this  country  has 
had,  doubtless,  one  rose,  but  it  has  been  plucked  from  a 
bed  of  thorns.'  ^  This,  then,  was  no  waxen  camellia,  but  a 
rose  whose  fresh  scent  contrasted  with  the  hot  atmosphere 
of  the  court  and  the  prickles  of  perpetual  vexation. 

The  reader  must  judge  whether  such  efforts  and  appeals, 
this  developing  energy  and  tenderness,  were  the  manoeuvres 
of  craft.  It  is  patent  from  the  correspondence  that  Emma's 
interjectional  letters,  which  think  aloud,  answer  epistles 
trom  Nelson  of  even  tenor.  A  comparison,  moreover,  with 
her  girlish  epistles^  to  Greville  shows  a  sameness  of  quality 
that  will  stand  the  same  test.    She  remains  'the  same  Emma.' 

1  Add.  MS.  34,989,  ff.  28,  30-31,  November  24,  25. 

"^  To  Duckworth,  December  6,  1798.     Laughton's  Despatches,  p.  173. 

^  One  of  them  exists.     Cf.  Nelson  Letters,  vol.  i.  p.  2. 


TRIUMPH  241 

Nelson  rejoined  the  Hamiltons  at  a  critical  moment.  His 
wise  forecast  that  unless  Ferdinand  and  Maria  coveted  the 
fate  of  Louis  XVI.  and  Marie  Antoinette,  flight  alone  could 
save  them,  was  fast  being  justified.  The  nobles,  jealous 
of  English  influence,  were  now  thoroughly  disaffected. 
Gathering  reverses  incensed  a  populace  that  was  only  too 
likely  to  be  frenzied  should  their  King  prefer  escape  Sicily- 
ward  to  trust  in  their  tried  loyalty.  As  yet  Naples  had 
been  free  from  the  French,  but  the  likelihood  of  invasion 
grew  daily ;  and  even  in  June  Neapolitan  neutrality  had 
been  known  to  be  merely  nominal.  The  proud  Queen,  as 
we  shall  find  when  the  dreaded  moment  arrived,  would 
rather  have  welcomed  death  than  retreat.  But  Acton,  at 
present  in  Rome,^  had  slowly  come  to  concur  with  the  trio 
of  the  Embassy. 

The  melodrama  of  the  actual  escape,  on  which  new 
manuscripts  cast  fresh  lights,  must  be  reserved  for  a 
separate  chapter.  '  The  devil  take  most  Kings  and  Queens, 
I  say,  for  they  are  shabbier  than  their  subjects ! '  had  been 
Sir  Joseph  Banks's  exclamation  to  Sir  William  Hamilton  in 
1795.-  At  this  present  end  of  1798  the  devil  (or  Buonaparte) 
proved  especially  busy  in  this  particular  branch  of  his 
business. 

^  With  the   King.     Cf.    Eg.   MS.    2640,   f.    151,   where  he  writes  thence  to 
Hamilton,  congratulating  him  on  Nelson's  return  from  Leghorn. 
-  Eg.  MS.  2641,  f.  157. 


CHAPTER    IX 

FLIGHT 

December  1798 — Ja7iuary  1799 

It  is  clear  all  along  that  Emma  chafed  against  vegetation. 
Tameness  and  sameness  wearied  her,  and  she  longed  for 
historical  adventures.  She  had  now  lit  on  a  thrilling 
one  indeed.  To  aid  in  planning,  preparing,  deciding  and 
executing  a  royal  escape  in  the  midst  of  revolution,  on 
the  brink  of  invasion,  and  at  the  risk  of  life,  was  a  task  the 
romance  and  the  danger  of  which  allured  her  dramatic 
fancy.  That  it  did  not  repeat  the  blunders  of  Varennes 
was  largely  owing  to  Nelson's  foresight  and  her  own  inde- 
fatigable energy.  And  omens — for  they  each  believed  in 
them — must  have  appeared  to  both.  Before  the  battle  of 
the  Nile  a  white  bird  had  perched  in  his  cabin.  He  and 
Emma  marked  the  same  white  bird  when  the  King  was 
restored  in  the  following  July  ;  and  Nelson  always  declared 
that  he  saw  it  again  before  Copenhagen,  though  it  was 
missed  at  Trafalgar.  It  was  his  herald  of  victory.  Nor 
under  the  auspices  of  triumph  was  death  also  ever  absent 
from  the  thoughts  of  the  man,  who  accepted,  as  a  welcome 
present  from  a  favoured  Captain,  the  coffin  made  from  a 
mast  of  the  ruined  U Orient. 

For  flight  Emma  had  not  influenced  her  friend  :  it  was 
Nelson's  project.  '  If  things  take  an  unfortunate  turn  here,' 
she  had  written  to  Nelson  two  months  before,  '  and  the 
Queen  dies  at  her  post,  I  will  remain  with  her.  If  she  goes, 
ffollow  her.'  1 

The  second  week  of  December  proved  to  the  Queen  that 

1  Add.   MS.   34,989,  f-   24,  Lady  H.  to   Nelson,  October   28,   1798.      See 
Appendix. 
242 


FLIGHT  243 

events  were  inexorable,  and  her  selfish  son-in-law  cold  and 
unmoved  :  he  shifted  with  the  political  barometer.  She 
had  despatched  her  courier,  Rosenheim,  to  Vienna,  but  he 
only  returned  with  ill  tidings.  Vienna  would  'give  no 
orders.'  In  vain  she  supplicated  her  daughter,  '  may  your 
dear  husband  be  our  saviour.'  The  Emperor  flatly  refused 
his  aid.  His  subjects  now  desired  peace,  and  the  Neapoli- 
tans must  '  help  themselves.'  If  Naples  were  assailed,  the 
Austrian  treaty,  it  is  true,  would  entitle  reinforcements  from 
Vienna.  But  even  so,  the  poorness  of  their  troops,  and  the 
grudging  inclination  of  their  ruler,  left  the  issue  but  little 
mended.  The  Queen  was  in  despair.  The  French  excuse 
for  war  had  been  the  alleged  breach  of  their  treaty  by  the 
watering  of  the  British  fleet.  A  threatening  army  of 
invaders  was  already  known  to  be  on  its  way ;  yet  still  she 
hoped  against  hope,  and  hesitated  over  the  final  plunge. 
She  despatched  Gallo  to  Vienna  to  beseech  her  son-in-law 
once  more.  She  cursed  the  treaty  of  Campoformio,  to  which 
she  attributed  the  whole  sad  sequel  of  disaster.  She  vowed 
that  her  own  kinsfolk  were  leagued  together  in  spite  against 
'the  daughter 'and  the  grandchildren  'of  the  great  Maria 
Theresa.'  When  the  news  fell  like  a  thunderbolt  that 
Mack's  case  was  desperate,  the  French  troops  in  occupation 
of  Castel  St.  Angelo,  and  her  husband  about  to  scurry  out 
of  Rome,^  those  children  could  only  *  weep  and  pray.'  The 
fact  that  the  Jacobins — the  '  right-minded,'  as  they  already 
styled  themselves — welcomed  each  crowning  blow  as  a  help 
to  their  cause,  heightened  the  humiliation. ^  The  Queen, 
slighted  and  indignant,  betook  herself  to  Nelson  and 
to  Emma.^  They  both  pressed  anew  the  urgent  necessity 
of  flight ;  but  at  first  she  disdained  it.  It  was  a  '  fresh  blow 
to  her  soul  and  spirit '  ;^  her  original  plan  had  been  to  send 
off  only  her  children.''  Its  bare  possibility  was  difficult  to 
realise  ;  and,  after  her  husband's  ashamed  return,  the  popular 
ferment  seemed  to  bar  its  very  execution.  She  dreaded  a 
repetition  of  Varennes.     In  the  midst  of  brawl  and  tumult 

'  December  11.  *  Pepe,  Memoirs,  p.  30. 

■^  Cf.  for  the  foregoing  P'g.   MS.    1623,  f.    I,  and  the  Queen's  letters  to  her 
(laughter,  given  in  \\c\itx\.^s  Fabrizio  Ruff'o  (1815),  pp.  372,  379,  3X3. 
♦  Helfert,  p.  3S4.  "  Cf.  Add.  MS.  34.9S9»  f-  M- 


244  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

the  King  returned,  and,  faltering,  showed  himself  on  his 
balcony.  Lusty  shouts  of 'You  will  not  go!  We  will  deal 
with  the  Jacobins  ! '  burst  from  the  surging  crowd.  A  spy 
was  knifed  in  the  open  streets,  and  the  false  nobles  cast  the 
blame  on  the  Queen.  She  should  be  held  blood-guilty.  In 
bitter  agony  ^  she  apprised  her  daughter  that  death  was 
preferable  to  such  dishonour.  She  would  die  every  inch  a 
Queen.  '  I  have  renounced  this  world,'  wrote  Maria 
Theresa's  true  offspring,  '  I  have  renounced  my  reputation 
as  wife  and  mother.  I  am  preparing  to  die,  and  making 
ready  for  an  eternity  for  which  I  long.  This  is  all  that  is 
left  to  me.'  Even  when  she  had  been  brought  to  the  last 
gasp  of  obeying  her  kind  friends  and  her  hard  fate,  her 
letters  to  Vienna  sound  the  tone  of  one  stepping  to  the 
scaffold.  While  the  furious  mob  growled  and  groaned  out- 
side, her  last  requests  to  her  daughter  were  for  her  husband 
and  children.  On  the  very  edge  of  her  secret  start,  the 
advices  that  General  Burchardt  ^  had  marched  his  thousand 
men,  if  not  with  flying  colours,  at  least  in  fighting  trim,  so 
far  as  Isoletta,  may  have  once  more  made  her  rue  her  forced 
surrender. 

But  meanwhile  the  Hamiltons,  Nelson,  and  Acton  were 
in  determined  and  close  consultation,  with  Emma  for 
Nelson's  interpreter.  The  establishment  of  the  Ligurian 
Republic  had  for  some  time  boded  the  certainty  of  Buona- 
parte's designs  against  the  two  Sicilies.  The  General  had 
at  first  written  to  Sir  William  with  some  sang-froid  of  the 
'troublesome  and  dangerous  circumstances'  of  the  'crisis,'^ 
but  within  a  few  days  he  was  a  zealous  co-operator.  Nel- 
son, above  all  men,  would  never  have  counselled  a  base 
desertion.  But  he  knew  the  real  circumstances,  the  general 
perfidy,  the  Austrian  weakness,  both  playing  into  the  hands 
of  the  French.     Already,  to  his  knowledge,*  the  aggressor's 

'  On  December  17  she  writes  to  Emma,  'Tout  cela  me  fait  vivre  en  agonie.' 
Eg.  MS.  i6i5,f.  122,  andcf.  the  transcript,  Eg.  MS.  1620,  f.  52.  On  December 
19  she  calls  herself  '  stupefied  by  this  stroke,'  and  says  that  she  '  weeps  without 
ceasing.'  Its  suddenness,  she  adds,  overwhelms  her,  and  will  go  down  with  her 
to  the  grave.     Jbid.  f.  126.     The  spy's  name  was  Ferrari. 

^  By  Acton  and  the  Queen  styled  '  Bourkard.' — Laughton's  Despatches,  p.  175. 

3  Eg.  MS.  2640,  f.  152. 

••  Morrison  MS.  364,  Nelson  to  Hamilton,  December  14,  1798. 


FLIGHT  245 

footfall  was  audible,  and,  after  General  Mack's  fiasco,  no 
resources  were  left  at  home.  His  firm  resolve  was  to  await 
the  moment  when  he  might  deal  a  fresh  death-blow  to 
Buonaparte,  and  meanwhile  to  seize  the  first  opportunity 
for  crushing  the  Neapolitan  Jacobins  and  reinstating  the 
Neapolitan  King.  For  him  the  cause  symbolised  not 
despotism  against  freedom,  not  the  progress  from  law  to 
liberty,  but  discipline  and  patriotism  against  licence  and 
anarchy.  He  had  summoned  ships  to  protect  the  Vanguard: 
the  Culloden  with  Troubridge  from  the  north  and  west 
coasts  of  Italy,  the  Goliath  from  off  Malta,  the  Alcmene  under 
Captain  Hope  from  Egypt.^  He  had  already  provided  for 
the  protection  of  the  principal  ports.-  He  had  foreseen 
that  '  within  six  months  the  Neapolitan  Republic  would  be 
armed,  organised,  and  called  forth,'  that  malingering 
Austria  was  herself/;/  extremis? 

They  urged  the  Queen  to  prepare  for  the  worst;  and  from 
December  17  onwards,  while  their  measures  were  being 
concerted,  Emma  superintended  the  gradual  transport  from 
the  palace  of  valuables  both  private  and  public.  The  pro- 
cess occupied  her  night  and  day  for  nearly  a  week,  and 
required  the  strictest  secrecy  and  caution.  Some  she 
fetched,  some  she  received,  all  she  stowed. 

Our  critics,  biassed,  may  be,  by  anxiety  to  impugn  Emma's 
latest  memorial,  make  much  of  evidence  in  a  few  isolated 
letters,*  indicating  that  the  Queen  forwarded  some  of  her 
effects  by  trusted  messengers,  and  omitting  that  Emma 
caused  any  herself  to  be  carried  from  the  palace  to  the 
Embassy,  The  point  is  immaterial,  but  even  here  criticism 
has  erred  perhaps  from  some  lack  of  full  investigation. 
The  very  bulk  of  the  many  chests  and  boxes  to  be  removed 
was  to  cause  a  dangerous  delay  in  the  eventual  voyage. 
They  were  conveyed  in  different  ways,  some  on  shipboard 
(among  them  the  public  treasure),  others,  including  jewels 
and  linen,  by  the  hands  of  the  servant  Saverio  ;  others  again 
to  be  transported  by  Emma  herself     The  Queen,  in  one  of 

'   Laughlon's  Despatches,  p.  175.  -  Ibid.  p.  362.  '  Ibid.  p.  173. 

*  Especially  that  concerning  the  'jewels  of  a  whole  wretched  family.' — Eg, 
MS.  1616,  f.  92.  This  Pottigrew  mistakenly  transfers  to  the  following  year, 
vol,  i,  p,  375. 


246  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

her  almost  hourly  notes,  expressly  hoped  that  she  was  not 

*  indiscreet  in  sending  these,'  thereby  suggesting  that  various 
means  of  conveyance  had  been  used  for  some  of  the  rest. 
In  another,  too,  she  excused  herself  for  her  'abuse  oi your 
kindnesses  and  that  of  our  brave  Admiral.'  Nelson's  official 
account  to  Lord  St.  Vincent  stated  that  *  Lady  Hamilton  ' 
from  December  14  to  21  'received  the  jewels,  etc.'^ 
Emma's  own  recital  to  Greville,  less  than  a  fortnight  after 
the  terrors  of  the  journey  were  past,  included  as  the  least  of 
her  long  fatigues  that '  for  six  nights  before  the  embarkation  ' 
she  '  sat  up  '  at  her  own  house  '  receiving  all  the  jewels, 
money  and  effects  of  the  royal  family,  and  from  thence 
conveying  them  on  board  the  Vanguard^  living  in  fear  of 
being  torn  to  pieces  by  the  tumultuous  mob,  who  suspected 
our  departure,'  but  '  Sir  William  and  I  being  beloved  in  the 
Country  saved  us.'  Sir  William  himself  informed  Greville 
that  '  Emma  has  had  a  very  principal  part  in  this  delicate 
business,  as  she  is,  and  has  been  for  several  years  the  real 
and  only  confidential  friend  of  the  Queen  of  Naples.'^ 

In  the  pathos  of  the  Queen's  letters  to  Emma  resides  their 
true  interest.  Maria  Carolina's  anguish  increased  as  the 
plot  for  her  preservation  thickened  ;  she  clung  piteously  to 
the  strong  arms  of  Emma  and  Nelson,  who  really  managed 
the  whole  business.^  Sobs  and  tears,  paroxysms  of  scorn 
and  sighs  of  rage  more  and  more  pervade  them,  as  one  by 
one  the  strongholds  of  her  country  yield  or  are  captured. 
She  is  'the  most  unfortunate  of  Queens,  mothers,  women, 
but  Emma's  sincerest  friend.'*  It  is  to  her  alone  that  she 
'  habitually  opens  her  heart' ^  Emma's  indorsements  may 
serve  as  an  index  : — '  My  adorable,  unfortunate  Queen.  God 
bless  and  protect  her  and  her  august  family.'  '  Dear,  dear 
Queen' — '  Unfortunate  Queen.'  More  than  a  month  earlier 
she  had  protested  to  Nelson  her  readiness,  if  need  be,  to 
accompany  her  to  the  block.^  One  of  these  billets  tristes  of 
the  Queen  to  her  friend  encloses  a  little  blue-printed  pic- 

'  Cf.  Laughton's  Despatches,  p.  175. 

'■^  Morrison   MS.  369,   Hamilton   to   Greville,  January  6,   1799;   370,  Lady 
Hamilton  to  the  same,  January  7,  1799. 

^  '  It  was,'  wrote  Nelson  officially  to  Lord  St.  Vincent,  on  Decemloer  28, 

*  carried  on  with  the  greatest  address  by  Lady  H.  and  the  Queen.' — Laughton's 
Despatches,  p.  175 

*  Eg.  MS.  1615,  f.  129.  s  /^j^  ^5J5^  f  g_  b  /^j,/.  34,989.  f-  24- 


FLIGHT  247 

ture.  It  is  an  elegiac.  A  wreathed  Amorino  pipes  mourn- 
fully beside  a  cypress-shadowed  tomb,  behind  which  two 
Cupids  are  carelessly  dancing :  on  the  tomb  is  inscribed 
'  Embarque  je  vous  en  prie.  M.  C.'^ — Emma's  melancholy 
refrain  to  the  would-be  martyr. 

Prince  Belmonte,  now  chamberlain,  acted  as  the  King's 
agent  and  Caracciolo's,  in  effecting  a  scheme  full  of  diffi- 
culty, owing  to  the  great  number  of  the  refugees,  the 
ridiculous  etiquette  of  precedences,  insisted  on  even  at 
such  an  hour,  the  vast  quantity  of  their  united  baggage, 
the  avowed  designs  of  the  French  Directory,  the  covert 
conspiracies  of  false  courtiers  in  which  the  War  Minister 
himself  was  implicated,  the  fierceness  of  popular  tumult 
and  the  Jacobin  spies  who  kept  a  sharp  lookout  on  Nelson, 
but  were  '  foiled  by  Emma's  adroitness.' ^ 

The  plan  originally  concerted  was  as  follows.  The  escape 
was  to  happen  on  the  night  of  the  21st,  After  the  last 
instalments  of  treasure  and  detachments  of  foreigners  had 
been  safely  and  ceremoniously  deposited  on  board  their 
several  vessels.  Count  Thurn  (an  Austrian  Admiral  of  the 
Neapolitan  navy)  would  attend  outside  the  secret  passage^ 
leading  from  the  royal  rooms  to  the  '  Molesiglio,'  or  little 
quay,  to  receive  Nelson  or  his  nominees.  Caracciolo,  as 
head  of  Marine,  had  begged  hard  to  convoy  the  royal  party 
and  float  the  royal  standard  on  his  flag-ship,  but  had  been 
dryly  denied  ;  *  and  this,  perhaps,  was  the  first  prick  to 
that  treacherous  revenge  which  six  months  later  he  was  to 
expiate  by  his  life. 

But  on  a  sudden,  at  the  eleventh  hour,  the  whole  was 
put  ofi"till  the  next  evening.  The  chests  in  which  some  of 
the  treasure  had  been  bestowed  on  the  Alcmene  were  rotten  ; 
at  least  this  was  one  of  the  pretexts  which  Nelson,  who 
had  already  signed  orders  for  safe  conduct  and  for  an 
emissary  to   conduct  the   royalties,^  evidently   mistrusted. 

^  For  the  preceding  cf.  F2g.  MS.  1615,  ft".  122,  124,  126,  129,  131  ;  Eg. 
MS.  1616,  f.  92. 

■■^  Cf.  Nelson's  own  statement  to  Lord  St.   Vincent,  LauglUon's  Despatches, 

p.  175- 

'  'Thurn  shall  open  the  little  rooms  at  the  Molesillo.' — Eg.  MS.  2640,  f.  159. 
Cf.  also/^^/,  p.  252.  *  Pepe,  Memoirs,  p.  32. 

^  Commodore  Campbell,  lie  was  to  '  proceed  with  two  anned  boats'  to  the 
small  quay  abutting  on  the  palace.     The  safe-conduct  was  for  Lady  Knight, 


248  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

On  this  eventful  day  at  least  six  communications  passed 
between  Hamilton  and  Acton  (if  the  inclosures  from  the 
palace  are  included),  and  Nelson,  prompt  and  impatient, 
was  acutely  irritated.  In  vain  Acton  expressed  his 
acquiescence.  He  was  '  in  hopes  that  three  or  four  hours 
will  not  exasperate  more  than  at  present  our  position.' 
Nelson  remained  polite,  but  suspicious.^  The  fact  was  that 
both  King  and  Queen  waited  on  Providence  at  the  last 
gasp.  The  former  dreaded  to  desert  his  people  at  the 
moment  of  defeat ;  the  latter  feared  a  step  which,  if  futile, 
might  irreparably  alienate  her  husband,  and  must  render 
her  execrable  to  the  faithful  Lazzaroni. 

By  means  of  the  old  manuscripts  the  scene  rises  vividly 
before  us.  Within  the  precincts  of  the  palace,  flurry,  dissen- 
sion, wavering  perplexity,  confusion,  a  spectral  misery.^ 
In  its  purlieus,  treason.  Outside,  a  seditious  loyalty  with- 
holding the  King  from  the  Queen.  In  the  council-chamber, 
Belmonte,  serene  and  punctilious  ;  Gallo,  dainty  in  danger  ; 
Caracciolo,  jealous  and  sullen  ;  Acton,  slow,  doubtful,  and 
stolid.  At  the  English  Embassy  alone  reigned  vigilance, 
resolve,  and  resourcefulness.  Every  English  merchant  (and 
there  were  many  both  here  and  at  Leghorn)  looked  to  Nelson 
and  Hamilton  and  Emma.  Among  phantoms  these  were 
realities.  On  them  alone  counted  those  poor  '  old  demoi- 
selles of  France'  who  had  sought  asylum  in  the  Neapolitan 
palace.  On  them  alone  hung  the  destinies  of  a  dynasty 
threatened  at  home,  forsaken  abroad,  and  faced  with  the 
certainty  of  invasion.  They  stood  for  the  British  fleet,  and 
the  British  fleet  for  the  salvation  of  Europe. 
The  ominous  morning  dawned  of  the  21st. 
All  that  day  General  Acton  pelted  Nelson  and  Hamilton 
with  contradictory  announcements,  of  which  no  fewer  than 
eight  remain.  At  first  he  agrees  that  the  moment  has  come 
when  '  no  time  should  be  lost,'  but  the  inevitable  proviso 

who  was  put  in  charge  of  Commodore  Stone.  *  Do  not  be  alarmed,  there  is  in 
truth  no  cause  for  it.' 

1  For  the  preceding,  inter  alia,  cf.  Eg.  MS.  2640,  ff.  151,  153,  157,  159,  l6l  ; 
Eg.  MS.  1623,  ff.  4,  5,  7  ;  Morrison  MS.  365,  366. 

"^  On  December  21,  Acton  wrote  in  his  quaint  English,  '  Every  head  in  the 
palace  is  in  a  strange  state  oi  accension.' — Eg.  MS.  1623,  f.  5. 


FLIGHT  249 

follows — '  If  the  wind  does  not  blow  too  hard.'  He  next 
writes  that,  in  such  a  case,  all  had  best  be  deferred  afresh. 
The  Alcmene,  too,  with  the  bullion  on  board — as  much  as 
two  million  and  a  half  sterling — was  off  Posilippo,  and 
its  signals  might  alarm  the  angry  crowds,  clamouring  for 
their  King  at  Santa  Lucia,  and  on  the  Chiaja.  Another 
billet  promises  the  '  King's  desire '  as  soon  forthcoming.^ 
In  another,  once  more,  grave  consideration  is  devoted  to 
the  usual  retiring  hour  of  the  young  princes,  and  to  the 
'  feeding-time  '  of  the  King's  grandchild,  the  babe  in  arms  of 
the  heir-apparent  and  Princess  Clementina,  which  had  been 
so  anxiously  awaited  in  October  ;  *  a  sucking  child,'  says 
Acton  in  a  crowning  instance  of  unconscious  humour, 
'  makes  a  most  dreadful  spectacle  to  the  eyes  of  the 
servant  women  and  in  the  rest  of  the  family.'^  Nelson, 
pressing  for  expedition,  was  beside  himself  over  the 
precious  moments  thus  being  squandered.  What  Acton 
remarks  in  one  of  these  letters,  once  more  in  his  peculiar 
English,  applies  also  to  his  own  communications,  '  Heavings 
from  every  side  .  .  .  contradictions  from  every  corner.' 

Nelson,  however,  would  brook  no  more  trifling.  Every- 
thing must  be  settled  by  seven  o'clock.  Count  Thurn  must 
be  at  the  appointed  refidesvous,  the  Molesiglio.^  His  pass- 
word, unless  some  unexpected  force  intervened,  was  to  be 
the  English,  ^  All  goes  right  and  weir  \  otherwise,  ^  All  is 
wrongs  you  may  go  back.' 

One  can  imagine  the  unfortunate  Count  rehearsing  his 
provoking  part  that  afternoon  with  an  Austrian  accent : 
'  A I  goes  raight ' — '  Al  ees  vrong.' 

Acton  and  Caracciolo  drew  up  the  order  of  embarkation. 
By  half- past  eight  the  royal  contingent,  convoyed  by 
Nelson  and  his  friends  through  the  secret  passage  to  the 
little  quay,  were  to  have  been  rowed  on  board  the 
Vanguard.  It  comprised  besides  the  King,  Queen,  the 
Hereditary  Prince  with  his  wife  and  infant  (whose  '  zafatta,' 

'  And  this  in  spile  of  Nelson's  receipt  from  him  of  a  note  on  the  19th  con- 
firming  the    King's   approval    of  Nelson's  plans.     Cf.   Laughton's  Despatches, 

P-  175- 

-  Eg.  MS.  2640,  f.  163. 

^  At  a  landing-stage  called  Vittoria  (^  La  ricloire').     Cf.  Eg.  MS.  1623,  f.  7. 


250  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

or  nurse,  was  no  less  a  personage  than  the  Duchess  of 
Gravina),  the  little  Prince  Albert,  to  whom  Emma  was 
devoted  (with  his  '  zafatta  '  also),  Prince  Leopold,  the  three 
remaining  princesses,  Acton,  Princes  Castelcicala  and 
Belmonte,  Thurn,  and  the  court  physician  Vincenzo  Ruzzi. 
The  second  embarkation  was  to  follow  two  hours  later  with 
a  great  retinue,  including,  it  is  interesting  for  Mendelssohn- 
admirers  to  notice,  the  name  of  '  Bartoldi.'  The  rest  were 
to  proceed  in  three  several  detachments,  amounting  to 
nearly  four  hundred  souls,  noble  and  otherwise,  among 
whom  some  of  Acton's  family  are  specified.  The  two  royal 
spinsters  of  France  were  to  be  conducted  with  every  pre- 
caution by  land  to  Portici,  whence  they  might  find  their 
way  over  the  border.  All  friendly  Ambassadors  were  to  be 
notified.  Such  was  the  routine.^  It  should  be  especially 
noticed  that  from  these  exact  lists,  detailing  the  names  of 
every  passenger,  the  Hamiltons  are  absent.  They  were 
under  Nelson's  care,  and  of  his  party  —  a  point  most 
material  to  the  future  narrative  substantiating  Lady 
Hamilton's  own  subsequent  story.  And  it  must  further 
be  emphasised  that  these  Acton  letters,  as  well  as  a 
reference  in  one  of  the  Queen's,  conclusively  establish  the 
plan  of  the  secret  passage  as  an  historical  fact,  instead  of  as 
any  figment  or  after-inlay  of  Emma's  imagination. 

As  night  drew  on  Maria  Carolina  sat  down  to  indite  two 
letters,  the  one  to  her  daughter  at  Vienna,  the  other  to 
Emma,  who  would  rejoin  her  so  soon  in  this  crisis  of  her 
fate.  She  wrote  them  amid  horrors  and  in  wretchedness. 
The  army  could  no  more  be  trusted.  Even  the  navy  was 
in  revolt.  Orders  had  been  given  that,  after  the  royal 
departure,  the  remaining  ships  were  to  be  burned  lest  they 
should  fall  into  French  or  revolutionary  hands.  As  she 
wrote,  the  tidings  came  that  the  miserable  Vanni — the 
creature  of  her  inquisition — had  shot  himself  dead,  and  she 
loads  herself  with  reproaches.  Massacre  continued  ;  the 
very  French  emigres  were  not  spared  by  the  Italian 
Jacobins.  Everywhere  tumult,  disgrace,  bloodshed.  The 
crowd,  calmed  for  a  moment,  still  howled  at  intervals  for 

^  Eg.   MS.    1623,  ff.  8-1 1.     Most  of  these  particulars,  but  signed  in  Carac- 
ciolo's  iiand,  are  also  given  by  Peltigrew,  vol.  i.  pp.  181-1S6. 


I 


FLIGHT  251 

their  King,  whose  departure  they  now  suspected.  The 
'  cruel  determination  '  had  been  foisted  on  her.  '  Once  on 
board,'  the  Queen  tells  the  Empress, '  God  help  us,  .  .  .  saved, 
but  ruined  and  dishonoured.'  To  Lady  Hamilton  she 
repeats  the  same  distracted  burden.  Discipline  has 
vanished.  '  Unbridled  '  licence  grows  hourly.  Their  '  con- 
cert with  their  liberator'  is  their  mainstay.  Her  last 
thoughts  are  for  the  safety  of  friends  and  dependants, 
whom  she  confides  by  name  to  Emma's  charge.  To  it  also 
she  commends  herself  and  hers.  It  will  seem  ages  till  they 
meet  again.  '  Eternal  gratitude '  is  her  offering  to  her 
friend,  and  the  friend  o(  their  rescuer.' 

The  sky  was  clouded.  There  was  a  lull  in  the  strong 
wind  off  the  shore,  but  a  heavy  ground-swell  prevailed  as 
the  appointed  hour  approached.-  The  royal  party  anxiously 
waited  in  their  apartments — the  Queen's  room  with  its  dark 
exit,  so  familiar  to  the  romantic  Emma,^ — for  the  signal 
which  should  summon  them  through  the  tunnel  to  the 
water-side.  On  the  Molesiglio,  and  at  his  station  near  the 
Arsenal,  stood  Thurn,  muffled  and  ill  at  ease.  It  was  the 
night  of  a  reception  given  in  Nelson's  honour  by  Kelim 
Effendi,  the  bearer  from  the  Sultan  of  his  '  plume  of  triumph.' 

The  exact  sequence  of  what  now  occurred  is  difficult,  but 
possible,  to  collect  from  the  three  contemporary  and,  at 
first  sight,  conflicting  documents  that  survive.  There  is  the 
Queen's  own  brief  recital  to  her  daughter."*  There  is 
Nelson's  dry  official  despatch  to  Lord  St.  Vincent,  accentu- 
ating, however,  Emma's  conspicuous  services.^  There  are 
Emma's  own  hurried  lines"  to  Greville,  thirteen  days  after 
that  awful  voyage,  which,  for  three  days  and  nights, 
deprived  her  of  sleep  and  strained  every  faculty  of  mind 
and  body. 

'  For  the  foregoing  of.  Eg.  MS.  2640,  ff.  159,  161,  163,  165  ;  Eg.  MS.  1623, 
ff.  5,  7,  8,  10  ;  Eg.  MS.  1615,  f.  131  ;  Helfert's  Fabrizio  Ruffo,  pp.  386-387. 

-  7.30  by  Neapolitan  time,  as  arranged  by  Acton.  According  to  Nelson's 
official  account  to  Lord  St.  Vincent,  it  was  8.30— :.«.  by  English  log  time.  It 
must  therefore  have  been  altered  again. 

'  '  The  dark  staircase  that  goes  into  the  Queen's  room.' — Morrison  MS.  370, 
Lady  Hamilton  to  Greville,  January  7,  1799. 

^  llelfert,  p.  387.  '••  Laughton's  Z><f.f/a/<r//^-r,  p.  177, 

'  Morrison  MS.  370. 


252  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

Let  us  try  to  ascertain  the  truth  by  collation.  Nelson's 
account  is  brief  and  doubtless  accurate  : — 

'On  the  2ist,  at  8.30  P.M.,  three  barges  with  myself  and 
Captain  Hope  landed  at  a  corner  of  the  Arsenal.  I  went 
into  the  palace  and  brought  out  the  whole  royal  family,  put 
them  into  the  boats,  and  at  9.30  [i.e.  by  English  time]  they 
were  all  safely  on  board.' 

It  is  an  official  statement,  which  naturally  omits  the 
mysteries  of  the  secret  corridor,  the  Count  in  waiting,  the 
password  which  Acton  in  his  letters,  confirming  Emma's 
after  account,  had  arranged  with  Nelson.^ 

The  Queen's  short  notice  to  the  Empress  of  Austria 
(hitherto  unmarked)  makes  no  mention  of  Emma's  name — 
the  Queen  never  does  in  any  of  her  letters  to  her  daughter 
— but  further  corroborates  the  melodrama  of  the  secret 
staircase  winding  down  to  the  little  quay  : — 

'  We  descended — all  our  family,  ten  in  number,^  with  the 
utmost  secrecy,  in  the  dark,  without  our  ladies-in-waiting 
or  other  attendants.     Nelson  was  our  guide.' 

Now  let  us  listen  carefully  to  Emma's  own  graphic 
narrative.  The  hours  named  in  it  do  not  tally  with 
Nelson's,  and  after  the  long  strain  of  the  tragic  occurrences, 
culminating  in  the  death  of  the  little  Prince  Albert,  she 
may  well  have  been  confused.  They  are  really  irrelevant. 
The  point  is  the  real  sequence  and  substance  of  events, 
which,  more  or  less,  must  have  stayed  in  her  immediate 
remembrance.  It  will  be  found  that  her  vivid  words  bear  a 
construction  different  from  that  which  might  appear  at  the 
first  blush,  and  it  should  be  borne  in  mind  that  no  possible 
motive  for  distorting  the  facts  can  be  alleged  in  this  friendly 
communication  to  her  old  friend  : — 

'On  the  2ist  at  ten  at  night,  Lord  Nelson,  Sir  Wm., 
Mother  and  self  went  out  to  pay  a  visit,  sent  all  our 
servants  away,  and  ordered  them  in  2  hours  to  come  with 
the  coach,  and  ordered  supper  at  home.  When  they  were 
gone,  we  sett  off,  walked  to  our  boat,  and  after  two  hours 
got  to  the  Vanguard.  Lord  N.  then  went  with  armed  boats 
to  a  secret  passage  adjoining  to  the  pallace,  got  up  the  dark 

'  Cf.  especially  Egerton  MS.  2640,  f.  159. 

'  The  original  number  designed  had  been  twelve. — Egerton  MS.  1616,  f.  92. 


FLIGHT  253 

staircase  that  goes  into  the  Queen's  room,  and  with  a  dark 
lantern,  cutlasses,  pistols,  etc.,  brought  off  every  soul,  ten  in 
number,  to  the  Vanguard  'dX.  twelve  o'clock.     If  we  had  re- 
mained to  the  next  day,  we  shou'd  have  all  been  imprisoned.' 
Reading  this  account  loosely,  it  might  be  imagined  that 
Emma  transposed   the  true  order ;    that   Nelson,    stealing 
with  the  Hamiltons  away  from  the  reception,  first  brought 
them    on    board,   and    afterwards    returned    for    the   royal 
fugitives.     But  the  reverse  of  this  admits  of  proof  from  her 
own  statement.     She,  with  her  family  and  Nelson,  quitted 
the  party  at  (as  she  here  puts  it)  ten.     It  took  them  two 
hours  to  reach  the  Vanguard.     Nelson  saved  the  royalties, 
who  were  not  on  board  till  '  twelve!     It  is  obvious,  there- 
fore, that  (whatever  the  precise  hour)  the  Hamiltons  and 
Mrs.    Cadogan    arrived    on    the    Vanguard  at  the   selfsame 
moment  as  the  King,  the  Queen,  their  children,  and  grand- 
child.    The  misimpression  arises  from  the  phrasing  '  Lord 
Nelson    then  went  with    armed  boats,'  etc.,   following   the 
previous  statement  of  their  being  at  their  destination  'after 
two  hours.'     But  this  '  then!  as  so  often  in  Emma's  thinking- 
aloud  letters,  is  an  enclitic  merely  carrying  on   disjointed 
sentences.     It  is  no  mark  of  time  at  all,  but  simply  refers 
to  what  happened  after  they  hastened  from  the  entertain- 
ment, having  ordered  everything  as  if  they  intended  to  re- 
main until  its  close.     Otherwise  they  must  have  'got  to' 
the  Vanguard  long  before  the  King  and  Queen,  which,  by 
her  own  recollection  in  this  letter,  they  do  not.     It  will  be 
noted  from  Nelson's  recital   that  the    Vanguard  could   be 
reached  in  an  hour. 

What  happened,  then,  seems  to  be  this.  After  their 
hurried  exit,  the  Hamiltons  accompanied  Nelson  on  foot. 
The  Acton  correspondence  shows  that,  as  has  appeared 
from  the  pre-arrangements,  the  Hamiltons  must  have  been 
of  Nelson's  private  and  unspecified  party.  Together  they 
went  to  their  boat  where,  before  their  start,  they  awaited 
the  separate  escape  of  the  royalties.  Eventually  the  two 
contingents  stepped  on  to  the  deck  of  the  Vanguard  ^t  the 
same  moment  and  together.  But,  in  the  interval,  something 
must  have  necessitated  and  occupied  their  attendance. 
What  was  it } 


254  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

Here  Emma's  own  account  in  her  '  Prince  Regent's 
Memorial,'  more  than  fourteen  years  afterwards,  perhaps 
comes  to  our  aid.  It  has  been  discredited  even  as  regards 
the  'secret  passage'  incident  which  Acton's  letters  now 
reveal  as  an  absolute  fact.     This  is  what  Emma  says : — 

'  To  shew  the  caution  and  secrecy  that  was  necessarily 
used  in  thus  getting  away,  I  had  on  the  night  of  our 
embarkation  to  attend  the  party  given  by  the  Kilim 
Effendi,  who  was  sent  by  the  grand  seignior  to  Naples  to 
present  Nelson  with  the  Shahlerih  or  Plume  of  Triumph. 
I  had  to  steal  from  the  party,  leaving  our  carriages  and 
equipages  waiting  at  his  house,  and  in  about  fifteen  minutes 
to  be  at  my  post,  where  it  was  my  task  to  conduct  the 
Royal  Family  through  the  subterranean  passage  to  Nelson's 
boats,  by  that  moment  waiting  for  us  on  the  shore.  The 
season  for  this  voyage  was  extremely  hazardous,  and  our 
miraculous  preservation  is  recorded  by  the  Admiral  upon 
our  arrival  at  Palermo,'  ^ 

I  venture,  therefore,  to  suggest  the  following  probability. 
Count  Thurn  is  keeping  watch,  in  accordance  with  the  pre- 
concerted plan.  Captain  Hope  and  Nelson  arrive  at  about 
7.30  by  Neapolitan  time  at  the  Molesiglio.  Leaving  Captain 
Hope  in  charge.  Nelson  hurries  to  the  reception,  as  if 
nothing  were  in  process,  and,  as  designed,  meets  the 
Hamiltons  and  Mrs,  Cadogan,  Within  a  quarter  of  an 
hour  they  all  sally  forth,  walk  to  the  shore,  and  proceed  in 
Sir  William's  private  boat  to  the  rendezvous.  Emma, 
quitting  her  mother  and  husband,  hastens  by  the  palace 
postern  to  the  side  of  her  '  adored  Queen.'  The  signal  for 
the  flight  has  already  been  made  by  Count  Thurn,  Emma 
accompanies  the  royal  family  to  the  winding  and  under- 
ground staircase,  up  which  Nelson  climbs  with  pistols  and 
lanterns  to  conduct  them.  They  all  emerge  from  the  inner 
to  the  outer  darkness.  The  royal  family  are  bestowed  by 
Hope  and  Nelson  in  their  barges.  The  Hamiltons  re-enter 
their  own  private  boat.  In  another  hour  they  again  meet 
on  board  the  Vanguard. 

^  Morrison  MS.  1046.  In  the  'King's  Memorial'  ihe  whole  episode  of  the 
flight  is  omitted,  although  Nelson  in  his  despatches  emphasises  Emma's  great 
services  on  and  before  the  voyage. 


FLIGHT  255 

Emma's  temperament  alike  and  circumstances  forbid  us 
to  suppose  that,  at  such  an  hour,  she  would  allow  herself  to 
stay  apart  from  the  Queen.  She  lived,  and  had  for  weeks 
been  living,  on  tension.  The  melodrama  of  the  moment, 
the  danger,  the  descent  down  the  cavernous  passage,  the 
lanterns,  pistols,  and  cutlasses,  the  armed  boats,  the  safe 
conduct  of  her  hero,  would  all  appeal  to  her.  It  was  an 
experience  unlikely  to  be  repeated,  and  one  that  she  would 
be  most  unlikely  to  forgo.  Affection  and  excitement 
would  both  unite  in  prompting  her  to  persuade  Nelson  into 
permitting  her  to  assist  in  this  thrilling  scene.  And  it 
would  be  equally  unlikely  that  either  she  or  Nelson  would 
report  this  episode  to  England.  In  any  case,  the  incident 
was  one  more  of  personal  adventure  than  of  necessary  help. 
What  Nelson  does  single  out  for  the  highest  commenda- 
tion in  his  despatches,  what  was  published  both  at  home^ 
and  abroad,  and  universally  acknowledged,  what  Lord 
St.  Vincent  praised  with  gratitude,-  was  her  signal  service 
before  the  voyage  and  under  that  awful  storm  which  arose 
during  it,  in  which,  by  every  authentic  account,  she  enacted 
the  true  heroine,  exerting  her  energies  for  every  one  except 
herself,  caring  for  and  comforting  all,  till  she  was  called  their 
'guardian  angel.'  'What  a  scene,'  wrote  Sir  John  Macpherson 
to  Hamilton,  'you,  your  Sicilian  King,  his  Queen,  Lady 
Hamilton,  and  our  noble  Nelson  have  lately  gone  through  ! 
.  .  .  Lady  Hamilton  has  shown,  with  honour  to  you  and 
herself,  the  merit  of  your  predilection  and  selection  of  so 
good  a  heart  and  so  fine  a  mind.  She  is  admired  here  from 
the  court  to  the  cottage.  The  King  and  Prince  of  Wales 
often  speak  of  her.'  ^ 

It  was    not   till    seven    o'clock    on    the    morning  of  the 

^  Cf.  Lady  Betty  Foster's  tribute  in  her  letter  to  Lady  Hamilton  of  February 
8,  1799,  Morrison  MS.  375  :  '  Forgive  me  if  I  cannot  help  availing  myself  of  the 
same  opportunity  to  express  to  you  the  universal  tribute  of  praise  andadwiratioti 
which  is  paid  to  the  very  great  courage  and  feeling  \\\\\c\\  you  have  shown  on 
the  late  melancholy  occasion.' 

*  In  his  letter  of  January  17,  1799,  from  Rosia  House,  Gibraltar,  he  speaks  of 
her  '  magnanimous  conduct.'  'The  page  of  history  will  be  greatly  enriched  by 
the  introduction  of  this  scene  in  it.'     Cited  by  Pettigrew,  vol.  i.  p.  1S7. 

2  Cf.  the  excerpt  in  Sotheby's  catalogue  for  May  17,  1905.  Macpherson 's 
letter  is  dated  '  London,  24th  August  1799.' 


356  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

23rd  that  the  Vanguard  could  weigh  anchor.  Fresh  con- 
signments of  things  left  behind  were  awaited.  It  was  still 
hoped  that  riot  might  be  pacified  and  disaffection  subdued. 
Prince  Francesco  Pignatelli  had  been  commissioned  to 
reign  at  Naples  during  the  King's  absence,  and  was  nomi- 
nated Deputy-Captain-GeneraP — of  anarchy.  During  this 
interval  of  suspense,  a  deputation  of  the  magistrates  came 
on  board  and  implored  the  King  to  remain  among  his 
people.  He  was  inflexible,  and  every  effort  to  move  him 
proved  unavailing.^  On  the  one  hand,  the  Lazzaroni, 
incensed  against  the  Jacobins  despoiling  them  of  their 
King ;  on  the  other,  the  French  Ambassador,  smarting 
under  his  formal  dismissal  procured  by  Emma's  influence, 
were  each  precipitating  an  upheaval  itself,  engineered  by 
French  arms  and  agitators  and  used  by  traitorous  nobles, 
whom  both  mob  and  bourgeoisie  had  grown  to  detest. 
While  Maria  Carolina's  name  was  now  execrated  at  Naples 
by  loyalist  and  disloyalist  alike,  her  misfortunes  called 
forth  sympathy  from  England,  alarmed  by  the  French 
excesses,  and  regarding  the  Jacobin  mercilessness  as  fasten- 
ing on  faith,  allegiance,  and  freedom. 

Not  a  murmur  escaped  the  lips  of  the  pig-headed  King 
or  the  hysterical  Queen,  though  inwardly  both  repined. 
From  the  Vanguard,  ere  it  set  sail,  Maria  Carolina  wrote 
yet  another  and  sadder  letter  to  her  daughter.  Her*  one 
consolation '  was  that  all  faithful  to  their  house  had  been 
saved.^ 

After  two  days'  anxious  inaction  the  Vanguard  and 
Sanjiite,  with  about  twenty  sail  of  vessels,  at  last  left  the 
bay  in  disturbed  weather  and  under  a  lowering  sky. 
Among  the  last  visitors  was  General  Mack,  at  the  end 
of  his  hopes,  his  wits,  and  his  health  :  '  my  heart  bled  for 
him,'  wrote  Nelson,  '  worn  to  a  shadow.''*  The  next  morn- 
ing witnessed  the  worst  storm  in  Nelson's  long  recollection. 

And  here  Emma  approved  herself  worthy  of  her  hero's 
ideal.  A  splendid  sailor,  intrepid  and  energetic,  she  owned 
a  physique  which,  like  her  muscular  arms,  she  perhaps 
inherited  from  her  blacksmith  father.     So  quick  had  proved 

1  '  Vicario-Capitan-Generale.'  -  Pepe,  Memoirs,  p,  32. 

-  Helfert,  p.  387.  ^  L,z\xghion's  Despatches,  p.  179. 


Lady  IIamii.ton  as  S/iKHNA  in  thk  Boat  of  Apathy. 

from  the  oil  sketch  for  the  picture  by  G.  Roinney. 


FLIGHT  257 

the  eventual  decision  to  fly,  such  had  been  the  precautions 
against  attracting  notice  by  any  show  of  preparation,  so 
many  public  provisions  had  been  hurried,  that  the  private 
had  been  perforce  neglected.  Nelson  himself  thus  paints  her 
conduct  on  this 'trying  occasion.'  '  They  necessarily  came 
on  board  without  a  bed.  .  .  .  Lady  Hamilton  provided  her 
own  beds,  linen,  etc.,  and  became  their  slave  ;  for  except 
one  man,  no  person  belonging  to  royalty  assisted  the  royal 
family,  nor  did  her  Ladyship  enter  a  bed  the  whole  time 
they  were  on  board.' ^  Emma's  Palermo  letter  to  Greville, 
which  is  very  characteristic,  will  best  resume  the  narrative: — 
'  We  arrived  on  Christmas  day  at  night,  after  having  been 
near  lost,  a  tempest  that  Lord  Nelson  had  never  seen  for 
thirty  years  he  has  been  at  sea,  the  like  ;  all  our  sails  torn 
to  pieces,  and  all  the  men  ready  with  their  axes  to  cut 
away  the  masts.  And  poor  I  to  attend  and  keep  up  the 
spirits  of  the  Queen,  the  Princess  Royall,  three  young 
princesses,  a  baby  six  weeks  old,  and  2  young  princes 
Leopold  and  Albert ;  the  last,  six  years  old,  my  favourite, 
taken  with  convulsion  in  the  midst  of  the  storm,  and,  at 
seven  in  the  evening  of  Christmas  day,  expired  [szc]  in  my 
arms,^  not  a  soul  to  help  me,  as  the  few  women  her  Majesty 
brought  on  board  ^  were  incapable  of  helping  her  or  the 
poor  royal  children.  The  King  and  Prince  were  below  in 
the  ward  room  with  Castelcicala,  Belmonte,  Gravina,  Acton, 
and  Sir  William,  my  mother  there  assisting  them,  all  their 
attendants  being  so  frighten'd,  and  on  their  knees  praying. 
The  King  says  my  mother  is  an  angel.  I  have  been  for 
12  nights  without  once  closing  my  eyes.  .  .  .  The  gallant 
Mack  is  now  at  Capua,  fighting  it  out  to  the  last,  and, 
I  believe,  coming  with  the  remains  of  his  vile  army  into 
Calabria  to  protect  Sicily,  but  thank  God  we  have  got  our 
brave  Lord  Nelson.  The  King  and  Queen  and  the  Sicilians 
adore,  next  to  worship  him,  and  so  they  ought  ;    for  we 

1  Laughton's  Despatches,  p.  177. 

"^  All  this  is  fully  borne  out  by  Nelson's  despatch.  Other  contemporary 
accounts  give  details  of  the  poor  little  fellow's  illness.  For  a  few  hours  he 
rallied  ;  he  never  complained,  but  he  refused  all  nourishment. 

^  It  should  be  noted  that  these,  specified  in  Acton's  and  Caracciolo's  lists,  were 
not,  from  the  Queen's  account  to  the  Empress,  with  the  Queen  when  the  royal 
party  issued  from  the  palace  passage. 

R 


258  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

shou'd  not  have  had  this  Island  but  for  his  glorious  victory. 
He  is  called  here  Nostro  Liberatore,  nostra  Salvatore.  We 
have  left  everything  at  Naples  but  the  vases  and  best 
pictures.^  3  houses  ^  elegantly  furnished,  all  our  horses 
and  our  6  or  7  carriages,  I  think  is  enough  for  the  vile 
French.  For  we  cou'd  not  get  our  things  off,  not  to  betray 
the  royal  family.  And,  as  we  were  in  council,  we  were 
sworn  to  secrecy.  So  we  are  the  worst  off.  All  the  other 
ministers  have  saved  all  by  staying  some  days  after  us. 
Nothing  can  equal  the  manner  we  have  been  received  here ; 
but  dear,  dear  Naples,  we  now  dare  not  show  our  love  for 
that  place ;  for  this  country  is  je[a]lous  of  the  other.  We 
cannot  at  present  proffit  of  our  leave  of  absence,  for  we 
cannot  leave  the  royal  family  in  their  distress.  Sir  William, 
however,  says  that  in  the  Spring  we  shall  leave  this,  as 
Lord  St.  Vincent  has  ordered  a  ship  to  carry  us  down  to 
Gibraltar.  God  only  knows  what  yet  is  to  become  of  us. 
We  are  worn  out.  I  am  with  anxiety  and  fatigue.  Sir 
William  [h]as  had  3  days  a  bilious  attack,  but  is  now  well. 
.  .  .  The  Queen,  whom  I  love  better  than  any  person  in 
the  world,  is  very  unwell.  We  weep  together,  and  now  that 
is  our  onely  comfort.  Sir  William  and  the  King  are 
philosophers  ;  nothing  affects  them,  thank  God,  and  we  are 
scolded  even  for  shewing  proper  sensibility.  God  bless 
you,  my  dear  Sir.     Excuse  this  scrawl,'^ 

At  three  in  the  afternoon  of  that  sad  Christmas  Day,  the 
royal  standard  was  hoisted  at  the  head  of  the  Vanguard 
in  face  of  Palermo.  The  tempest-tossed  Queen,  prostrate 
with  grief  at  the  death  of  her  little  son,  refused  to  go  on 
shore.  The  King  entered  his  barge  and  was  received  with 
loyal  acclamations.  The  Vanguard  did  not  anchor  till  two 
o'clock  of  the  following  morning.  To  spare  the  feelings 
of  the  bereaved  Queen,  Nelson  accompanied  her  and  the 
Princesses  privately  to  the  land.  Even  then  she  was  sur- 
rounded by  half-enemies.  Admiral  Caracciolo  disguised 
his  Jacobin  sympathies  and  was  already  sailing  under  false 
colours.     The  Neapolitan  Captain  Bausan,  whose  skill  con- 

^  Afterwards  forwarded  to  England,  and  in  part  lost  by  the  Colossus. 
2  The  Embassy,  Villa  Emma  at  Posilippo,  and  the  Villino  at  Caserta. 
^  Morrison  MS.  370;  January  7,  1799. 


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FLIGHT  259 

tributed  to  the  safety  of  the  ships,  and  who  was  again  to 
pilot  the  King  next  year  into  port,  became,  in  that  very 
year,  himself  a  suspect  and  an  exile.^ 

Among  the  furniture  abandoned  at  the  English  Embassy 
were  a  beautiful  table  and  cabinet  which  the  grateful  Nelson 
had  ordered  from  England  as  mementos  for  Emma,  and 
whose  classical  designs  of  muses  and  hovering  cupids  are 
said  to  have  been  painted  by  Angelica  Kaufifmann.  These 
still  exist,  and  are  in  the  present  possession  of  Mr.  Sander- 
son, the  eminent  Edinburgh  collector,  to  whose  kindness 
the  writer  is  indebted  for  a  photograph.  It  was  these,  per- 
haps, that  Nelson  sought  to  recover  for  Emma  in  1804, 
but  without  success.- 

The  Queen  secluded  herself  in  the  old  palace  of  Colli. 
Save  Emma  and  her  own  circle,  she  would  receive  nobody. 
She  was  overwhelmed  with  the  double  weight  of  her 
misfortunes.  Her  throat,  head,  and  chest  were  affected  ; 
the  physicians  were  summoned,  but  her  malady  lay  beyond 
their  cure.  Not  only  had  she  been  sorely  bereaved,  dis- 
graced by  defeats,  and  stung  by  treacheries,  but  her  husband 
now  began  to  make  her  a  scapegoat.  This,  forsooth,  was  the 
fruit  of  her  Anglo-mania — a  revolted  kingdom,  a  maddened 
though  adoring  populace,  an  advancing  and  arrogant  enemy. 
Every  day  the  Queen  frequented  the  churches  for  prayer 
and  the  convents  for  meditation.  Each  evening  she  poured 
out  her  heart  to  the  helpful  friend  of  her  choice,  whose 
sympathy  lightened  a  load  else  insupportable.^ 

With  some  difficulty  the  Hamiltons,  whose  permanent 
guest  Nelson  now  first  became,  found  a  suitable  abode  not 
too  distant  from  the  palace,  and,  as  they  hoped,  nealthier 
in  situation  than  most  of  a  then  malarious  city.  But  they 
all  suffered  from  the  bad  air,  the  more  so  in  the  reaction  of 
the  change  from  their  Neapolitan  home.  On  Emma  now 
devolved  half  the  duties  of  the  transferred  Embassy.  Sir 
William  waxed  peevish  and  querulous.  He  bemoaned  the 
wreck  of  the  Colossus,  which  had  carried  his  art  treasures 

1  Pepp,  p.  33. 

'^  Through  Falconet  the  banker.     Nelson  Letters,  vol.  ii.  p.  19. 
'•'  Cf.  especially  Eg.  MS.  1615,  f.  134;  and  see  the  note  cited  by  Pettigrew, 
vol.  i.  pp.  187,  188. 


CHAPTER    X 

TRIUMPH   ONCE    MORE 

To  August  1799 

'  Conspiracies  are  for  aristocrats,  not  for  nations,'  is  a 
pregnant  apophthegm  of  Disraeli.  Viewed  at  its  full 
length  and  from  its  inner  side,  the  great  Jacobin  outburst 
at  Naples  was  more  of  a  conspiracy  than  a  revolution,  or 
even  an  insurrection. 

To  appreciate  Nelson's  part,  and  Emma's  help,  in  the 
much-criticised  suppression  of  the  Neapolitan  Jacobins 
during  June,  it  behoves  us  to  track,  however  briefly,  the 
course  of  that  most  interesting  and  singular  movement. 
This  is  not  the  occasion  for  a  minute  inquiry ;  but  four 
preliminary  considerations  must  be  kept  in  mind.  In  the 
first  place,  this  revolt  differs  from  all  others  in  that  it  was 
one  of  the  noblesse  and  bourgeoisie  against  the  whole  mass 
of  the  people.  In  the  second,  its  chief  leaders,  both  men 
and  women  (and  it  is  doubly  engrossing  from  the  fact  that 
women  played  a  great  part  in  it),  confessedly  took  their 
lives  into  their  hands.  They  were  quite  ready  to  annihilate 
the  objects  of  their  loathing,  and,  therefore,  they  had  small 
right  to  complain  when  opportunity  transferred  to  them- 
selves the  doom  that  they  had  planned  for  others.  They 
proved  fully  as  much  tyrants  and  tormentors  as  their 
sovereign  ;  and  the  whole  conflict  was  really  one  between 
two  absolutisms,  democratic  and  bureaucratic — a  struggle 
between  extreme  systems  exhibiting  equal  symptoms  of 
the  same  evil.  The  '  Civic  Guard,'  to  be  erected  by  the 
'  Deputies,'  persecuted  just  as  Maria  Carolina's  secret  police 
had  persecuted  before.  Acton's  exactions  were  to  be  out- 
done by  the  French  Commissary  Faypoult's  pillage,  and 

262 


TRIUMPH  ONCE  MORE  263 

the  French  General  Championnet's  '  indemnities.'  As  for 
brutality,  it  was  tripled  by  the  new  reign  of  terror,  and 
when  Championnet  compassed  the  conciliation  of  the  brave 
populace,  he  contrived  even  to  '  brutalise  miracles.'^  Again, 
the  Neapolitan  Jacobins  were  not  only  oppressors  of  all 
authority,  but  traitors  to  the  people  as  well  as  to  the  King  ; 
while  at  last  they  openly  confederated  with  the  invaders  of 
their  fatherland  and  of  Europe.  It  was  thus  that  the  force  and 
guile  of  Napoleon  trafficked  in  the  reveries  of  Rousseau. 

It  is  true,  nevertheless,  that  many  of  them  were  inspired 
by  noble  motives  and  proved  conscientious  victims.  Such 
as  these  lend  colour  to  the  redeeming  aspect  of  the  move- 
ment as  a  real  step  in  the  progress  of  law  to  liberty.  Some 
were  lofty  idealists,  while  others,  however,  dreamed  of 
realising  theories  impossible  even  in  Cloud-Cuckoo-land.^ 
Savants  and  ignoramuses,  philanthropists  and  cosmopoli- 
tans abounded.  But  the  majority  were  actuated  by  very 
personal  motives,  and  inspired  by  overweening  ambitions. 
None  of  them,  not  the  noblest,  were  originative.  All  were 
under  the  spell  of  France  ;  the  worst,  under  that  of  French 
gold  ;  the  best,  under  that  of  French  sentiment.  And, 
before  the  close,  there  were  very  few  even  among  the  least 
practical  who  did  not  rue  the  day  when  they  invited  self- 
interest  masquerading  as  friendship,  and  opened  their  gates 
and  their  hearts  to  the  busybodying  emissaries  of  the 
Directory.  The  very  name  of  Faypoult  soon  became  more 
odious  than  the  fact  of  Ferdinand. 

Once  more,  just  as  the  contemporary  Jacobins  con- 
founded licence  with  freedom,  and  ascribed  to  paper  consti- 
tutions the  virtues  of  native  patriotism,  so  the  more  modern 
Italians  have  always,  and  naturally,  viewed  in  the  blood 
of  these  martyrs  the  seed  of  United  Italy.  It  is  a  legend 
ineradicable  from   history ;   and,  after  the   same    manner, 

'  Dumas,  /  Borboni  di  Napoli,  vol.  ii.  pp.  362-368  ;  Souvenirs  dtt  Giniral 
Macdonald,  p.  72;  Croce,  Studii  Storici,  p.  91  ;  Nardiiii  Mcinoires,  p.  128, 
and  cL post y  p.  267.  The  phrase  quoted  of  Championnet  is  used  by  \'ictor  Hugo 
in  Les  Misirabks,  where  he  remarks  that  this  General  sprang  from  the  gutter. 

-  One  of  them — a  tailor — propounded  a  scheme  of  garden  socialism.  The 
city  was  to  be  erased.  Nobody  was  to  work.  All  were  to  be  supported  by 
a  Stale  without  trade  or  exchequer ;  and  life  was  to  be  one  long,  open-air 
conversazione. 


264  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

William  Tell  is  made  by  Schiller  the  prophet  of  United 
Germany.  Yet,  in  the  main,  a  legend  it  remains.  The 
'  Parthenopean  Republic'  was  a  venture  purely  local,  un- 
illumined  by  any  vision  of  broadened  or  strengthened 
nationality.  What  was  not  French  in  its  fantasies,  was 
derived  from  the  models  of  ancient  Rome.^  Nothing  was 
farther  from  the  aspirations  of  the  Neapolitan  Jacobins 
from  December  1798  up  to  June  1799,  than  the  ideal  of  one 
confederated  commonwealth.  Like  the  Ligurian  Republic, 
the  Neapolitan  was  the  creature  of  France.-  Through 
France  it  rose ;  through  France  it  fell.  And  it  is  not  a 
little  curious  that,  some  sixty  years  later,  it  was  to  the 
third  Napoleon  once  more  that  many  in  Italy  looked  up 
for  regeneration. 

'  II  merto  oppresso, — il  nazional  mendico, 
Carco  d'onor  e  gloria  ogni  straniero' 

had  been  Eleonora  de  Fonseca  Pimentel's  lament  to  the 
King  in  1792.  By  the  revival  alone  of  national  institutions, 
expressing  national  character,  could  a  natural  elasticity  be 
restored.  A  theoretic  and  anti-national  uprising  actually 
deprived  Naples  of  those  enlightened  schemes  by  which 
in  her  prime  Maria  Carolina  had  sought  to  renovate  her 
people.  She  had  cut  the  claws  of  the  enraged  nobles  by 
abolishing  their  feudal  prerogatives.  She  had  sought  to 
improve  the  superstitious  Lazzaroni  by  projects  of  industry 
and  education.  She  had  exalted  the  applauding  students 
into  an  aristocracy  of  talent.  But  it  was  as  puppets 
dancing  on  her  own  wires  that  she  had  benefited  them  all. 
And  the  result  showed  that  their  real  resentment  was 
against  any  dependence  whatever  and  any  pauperisation. 
Whether  by  democracy  or  by  bureaucracy,  they  refused  to 
be  transformed.  From  the  feudal  baron  to  the  pagan  beggar, 
each  class  wished  to  keep  its  distinctive  flavour,  and  to 
live  by  its  instincts.  The  *  intellectuals' — a  small  remnant 
— were  the  sole  cosmopolitans.     They  tried  to  transfigure 

^  As  may  be  seen  in  their  newspaper  the  Monitore,  edited  by  Eleonora 
Pimentel.     Cf.  B.  Croce,  Studii  Storici  siilla  Revoluzione,  p.  60. 

2  Cf.  A.  Franchetti,  Revista  Storia  di  Resurgimento  Italiano^  Vll.,  Vlii,: — 
'  La  Relazione  diplomatica  fra  la  Corte  di  Napoli  e  la  Francia.' 


TRIUMPH  ONCE  MORE  265 

Naples  into  Utopia,  and  for  that  purpose  invited  a  foe  that 
forsook  them.  Denationah'sm  (or  a-nationalism)  failed  ; 
Naples  remained  Naples  still.  But  the  miserable  alterna- 
tive proved  the  grinding  sway  of  an  avenging  tyrant, 
bereft  by  rebellion  of  his  old  jollity,  and  untempered  by 
the  earlier  intellectualism  of  his  now  fanatical  wife. 

The  Revolution  presents  the  spectacle  of  characteristic 
class-instincts  in  orgy.  It  was  a  protest  far  more  against 
Acton's  bureaucratic  routine,  than  against  monarchy.  Its 
eruptions  were  those  of  its  physical  surroundings.  It  was 
a  Vesuvius,  with  all  its  attendants  of  whirlwind,  earth- 
quake, and  waterspout.  The  light  of  heaven  was  blotted 
out  from  the  firmament,  molten  lava  seared  the  whole  social 
landscape,  and  the  deeps  of  unbridled  instinct  shook  in 
the  tornado. 

Prince  Pignatelli  proved  himself  little  but  driftwood 
on  the  deluge.  After  conceding  the  Jacobin  demands, 
he  proceeded  to  gratify  the  Lazzaroni's.  He  ended  by 
evading  both,  and  failing  even  in  his  attempted  barter  of 
his  country  to  Championnet.  He  opened  with  the  usual 
paper-constitution.  A  'civic  guard'  was  formed,  the  military 
and  civil  functions  were  divided,  a  chamber  of  'deputies'^ 
was  constituted.  Nominally,  the  elective  system  had  been 
restored.  But  the  first  act  of  the  new  body  was  to  abolish 
their  viceroy's  own  provisions.  They  decreed  that  hence- 
forward royal  power  should  devolve  on  two  authorities  alone 
— a  chamber  of  nobles,  and  themselves,  the  'Patriots';  the 
really  popular  element  was  thus  excluded,  and  the  real 
power  became  vested  in  a  '  Venetian  Oligarchy.'  Pignatelli 
was  rendered  a  cipher,  and  the  Lazzaroni,  who,  strange  to 
relate,  proved  themselves  the  sole  realities  in  a  limbo  of 
phantoms,  were  furious  at  their  own  incapacitation.  Pigna- 
telli at  once  burned  one  hundred  and  twenty  bombardier 
boats — a  work  of  needless  destruction  completed  by  Com- 
modore Campbell,  to  Nelson's  disgust,  some  few  months 
later ;  Count  Thurn — our  watchman  of  a  fortnight  ago — 
blew  up  two  vessels  and  three  frigates.  Amid  this  flare 
and  detonation  were  born  the  calamity  and  carnage  that 
1  The  'Sedile'  or  'Eletti.' 


266  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

succeeded.  Alarm  was  the  prelude  to  violence,  and  violence 
to  panic.  Before  long,  the  wretched  Pignatelli  made 
abortive  advances  to  the  French,  and  fled  to  Sicily,  where 
he  was  imprisoned,  but  soon  released.  Save  for  the 
Lazzaroni,  Naples  was  without  authority  or  governance, 
and  lay  exposed  a  helpless  prey  to  the  common  enemy. 

Two  striking  scenes  happened  within  three  weeks,  and 
in  that  short  but  crowded  period  formed  the  denouements 
of  two  separate  acts  in  the  drama.  Both  of  them  passed 
under  the  patronage  of  St.  Januarius,  whose  sanction,  as 
declared  by  the  Archbishop  Zurlo,  was  always  law  to 
the  Lazzaroni.  They  may  serve  as  landmarks  before  a 
miniature  of  what  led  to  them  is  attempted.  And  it  may 
be  at  once  said  that  the  recital,  based  on  many  Italian 
authorities,^  accords  with  that  of  a  contemporary  who  cannot 
be  accused  of  partiality  to  the  Lazzaroni.  The  future  General 
Pepe  was  then  a  stripling  of  revolutionary  enthusiasm,  and 
one  of  the  first  recruits  in  the  new  and  transitory  'civic  guard.' 

On  the  night  of  January  15  a  strange  sight  might  have 
been  viewed  in  the  cathedral.  The  proud  and  brave  Prince 
Moliterno,  among  the  few  distinguished  in  the  late  humiliat- 
ing campaign,  and  just  chosen  by  the  Lazzaroni  as  their 
chief,  wended  his  way,  barefooted,  with  bowed  head  and  in 
penitential  tatters,  towards  the  glimmering  altar,  and  on 
his  knees  besought  leave  of  the  venerable  archbishop  to 
harangue  the  people.  In  that  procession  of  St.  Januarius 
this  grandee  was  the  humblest  and  perhaps  the  saddest. 
The  French  general  was  already  encamped  before  Capua. 
Moliterno  rallied  the  Lazzaroni  and  assured  them  that  he 
would  lead  them  victorious  against  the  foe.  Four  days  after- 
wards they  were  betrayed  to  the  patriots. 

Only  a  week  later,^  and  yet  another  and  even  stranger 

1  Cf.  inter  alia  Colletta's  chronicle,  Vincenzo  Coco's  and  Nardini's  con- 
temporary accounts,  with  other  Neapolitan  narratives  ;  Sacchinelli's  Saggio, 
Helfert's  Fabrizio  Ruffo,  Dumas'  /  Borboni  di  Napoli,  and  Benedetto  Croce's 
Eleanora  Fonseca  di  Pitnentel.  The  less  valuable  treatises  on  the  Queen  and 
Lady  Hamilton,  both  by  R.  Palumbo  and  by  A.  Amabile,  should  also  be  consulted, 
if  only  for  comparison. 

"  The  date  is  given  by  Pepe  as  January  24  ;  but  it  is  clear  from  Croce's 
excellent  note  embodying  the  contemporary  authorities  (Siudii  Storici,  I799» 
p.  89)  that  the  event  occurred  on  January  22. 


TRIUMPH  ONCE  MORE  267 

tableau  happened  in  the  same  spot,  for  St.  Januarius  haunts 
the  Neapolitan  Revolution.  A  second  solemn  procession 
was  formed,  but  by  this  time  Championnet  and  his  French 
troops  had  advanced  to  Naples.  During  the  morning  he 
had  addressed  the  assembled  people  in  the  stately  hall  of 
San  Lorenzo.  His  speech  had  been  a  string  of  fairweather 
promises,  not  one  of  which  was  kept.  In  the  evening  he 
steps  cathedralward  on  one  side  of  the  archbishop,  the  clever 
general  Macdonald  and  the  mocking  French  commissary 
Abrial,  on  the  other.  The  prelate  holds  aloft  the  sacred  relics 
and  the  miraculous  ewer.  Priests,  nobles, '  patriots,"  and  a 
vast  throng  of  Lazzaroni  march  in  his  wake.  Suddenly  a 
halt  is  called.  The  fate  of  Naples  trembles  in  the  balance. 
All  depends  on  whether  the  blood  of  the  saint  shall 
announce  by  its  liquefaction  to  his  believers  that  Heaven 
favours  the  French  Republic.  Archbishop  Zurlo  raises  the 
crystal  basin.  The  saint's  blood  is  obdurate,  and  still 
monarchical.  Macdonald  holds  a  concealed  but  significant 
pistol.  Championnet  whispers,  '  Your  miracle  or  your  life  ! ' 
The  terrorised  ecclesiastic  announces  the  prodigy  to  the 
crowd.  St.  Januarius,  then,  is  a  democrat.  The  Laz- 
zaroni shout  in  their  thousands,  'Long  live  St.  Januarius! 
long  live  his  republic ! '  The  trick  is  palmed  off  success- 
fully on  the  credulous  populace,  and  Championnet  with 
Macdonald  returns  chuckling  to  St.  Elmo.^  But  miracle  or 
no  miracle,  the  end  of  this  coarse  jugglery  was  civil  war. 

The  two  intervals  must  now  be  briefly  supplied. 

On  January  2  Pignatelli,  under  the  sinister  counsel  of  one 
Piazza,'-^  had  already  negotiated  secretly  with  the  enemy, 
by  this  time  in  possession  of  the  chief  provincial  fortresses, 
as  the  'patriots'  were  of  the  Neapolitan.  The  Lazzaroni, 
however,  were  staunch  and  unbribable,  so  that  the  French 
commissaries  despatched  next  day  by  General  Championnet 
were  forced  to  return  to  Capua.  The  whole  first  episode  is 
the  triumph  of  the  Lazzaroni.  Reinforcements,  under  General 
Naselli,  reached  them  from  Palermo,  and  they  attacked  the 

1  Cf.  the  many  authorities  cited  by  Henedetto  Croce  in  his  Sludii  Stoici, 
pp.  91-93. 

2  Cf.  Ferdinand's  instructions  to  Ruffo  as  to  discriminating  between  the 
classes  of  Jacobin  ofTenders,  cited  by  Dumas,  I  Borboni  di  Napoli,  vol.  v.  p. 
239. — '  Piazza,  who  robbed  Pignatelli  ol  his  vicariate.' 


268  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

quailing  'civic  guard,'  composed  mainly  of  '  intellectuals ' 
and  professionals.  They  seized  the  '  patriots' '  arms,  the 
troops  and  the  castles  surrendered  to  them  ;  they  opened 
the  prisons  and  the  galleys.  They  dismayed  the  'patriots,' 
while  the  town  shuddered  under  the  licence  of  their 
patrols.  On  the  whole,  however,  their  moderation  at  first 
was  extraordinary.  Pepe,  himself  their  captive,  bears  it 
especial  witness  in  recounting  how  they  disdained  the 
money  offered  by  his  relations  and  released  him  unharmed. 
The  Lazzaroni  adored  Prince  Moliterno  and  his  colleague 
in  leadership,  the  Duke  of  Roccomana.^  They  would  gladly 
have  died  for  these,  as  for  the  Duke  of  della  Torre  and 
Clemente  Filomarino,  their  associate.  But  when  they  dis- 
covered that  the  leading  magnates  were  already  treating 
with  the  national  foe  and  conspiring  to  yield  General 
Championnet  and  his  French  troops  admittance,  their  wrath 
knew  no  bounds.  It  was  fanned  by  the  priests,  who  voci- 
ferated against  the  Neapolitan  foes  of  Naples  from  their 
pulpits.  Even  Moliterno  and  Roccomana  were  now  sus- 
pected by  their  mob-followers  of  Jacobinism.  In  an  access 
of  mad  resentment  the  Lazzaroni  fired  the  Duke  della 
Torre's  palace,  piled  and  burned  its  treasures,  and  dragged 
forth  both  him  and  the  luckless  Clemente  Filomarino,  to  be 
roasted  alive  on  the  pyre.  These  atrocities  culminated  in 
the  first  scene  that  has  just  been  described. 

The  Lazzaroni's  suspicions  were  well  founded.  On 
January  19,  their  hitherto  trusted  Roccomana  himself 
betrayed  them.  By  complot  with  the  '  patriots '  he  entered 
the  fort  of  St.  Elmo,  and  won  over  its  commandant  to  his 
stratagem.  The  Lazzaroni  garrison  were  sent  out  of  their 
quarters,  ostensibly  to  buy  provisions  for  the  approaching 
siege.  On  their  return  they  were  suddenly  disarmed.  The 
tricolor  standard  was  hoisted  as  a  signal  to  Championnet, 
encamped  with  his  legions  in  the  '  Largo  della  Pigna.' 
By  Pepe's  own  confession,  the  Lazzaroni,  deserted  and 
defrauded,  evinced  a  'marvellous  intrepidity.'  Against 
desperate  odds  they  stood  their  ground.  Only  a  fortnight 
before,  they  had  seen  of  what  poor  stuff  the  '  civic  guard ' 

'  One  of  the  Caracciolos.     His  brother,  Nicolo  Caracciolo,  was  Lazzaroni- 
Commandant  of  St.  Elmo. 


TRIUMPH  ONCE  MORE  269 

had  been  made.  But  sturdier  '  patriots  '  than  weak-kneed 
students  now  garrisoned  St.  Elmo.  Overwhelming  numbers 
soon  closed  the  conflict. 

Meanwhile  Championnet  had  waved  his  flag  of  truce  in 
response  to  the  three-coloured  ensign,  and  while  the  Laz- 
zaroni  hung  back  tricked  and  abashed,  he  entered  the  city. 
He  at  once  made  '  an  affectionate  discourse.'  Everybody 
was  promised  everything:  he  had  come  for  all  their  goods. 
The  'patriots'  loved  the  people,  and  to  himself  both  they 
and  the  Lazzaroni  were  brothers  more  in  hearts  than  in 
arms.  He  was  there  to  emancipate  them  all ;  a  golden  age 
was  at  hand.     His  army  was  not  French  but  Neapolitan. 

The  Lazzaroni,  gullible  and  volatile,  believed  him  and 
cheered  ;  mob  fury  was  allayed.  'God  save  San  Gennaro!' 
burst  from  every  lip.  '  God  save  San  Gennaro  ! '  reiterated 
Championnet  and  Macdonald.  Refore  a  day  had  passed 
they  should  see  a  sign  from  their  saint.  And  then  followed 
the  solemn  juggle  of  our  second  act.  Relics  were  very 
helpful  to  the  Directory,  and  for  a  moment  those  who  had 
panted  to  exterminate  the  French  welcomed  them  as 
brothers  under  the  celestial  portent.  The  '  Parthenopean 
Republic  '  was  proclaimed.  The  poets  burst  into  song,  the 
pamphleteers  into  doctrine,  the  journalists  into  execration 
of  monarchy  and  eulogies  of  Reason  and  the  Millennium. 
The  printing-presses  could  hardly  cope  with  the  demand, 
and  their  muse — the  tenth  muse  '  Ephemera ' — was  the  fair 
Eleonora  Fonseca  di  Pimentel,^  who  had  been  allowed  to  re- 
publicanise  unmolested,  and  was  now  editress  of  the  new  and 
ebullient  Monitore.  Its  amenities  did  not  compliment  the 
self-exiled  court  at  Palermo.  Of  Nelson  and  the  Hamiltons 
as  yet  there  was  no  abuse.  But  Ferdinand  was  called  a 
'debased  despot,'  a  'caitiff"  fugitive,'  a  'dense  imbecile,' and 
a  'stupid  tyrant,'  while,  so  far,  Carolina  fared  better  as  'that 
Amazon,  his  wife.'  It  was  not  long  before  the  middle-class 
phase  of  the  movement  retaliated  on  the  notables  even 
more  violently  than  on  the  sovereign.  '  Duke'  was  derived 
from  coachman  ('  a  ducendo '),  'Count'  from  lackey  ('a  comi- 
tando') ;  epithets  were  actually  changing  the  nature  of  things. 

'  Even  in  December  of  the  previous  year  the  Portuguese  ambassador  at  Naples 
had  reported  her  as  'impudent.' 


270  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

But  Championnet's  deeds  were  to  refute  his  words.  A 
few  days  of  paper  systems  ^  were  the  parenthesis  between 
a  spurious  peace  and  a  civil  war. 

A  bad  harvest  served  Championnet  as  excuse  for  dis- 
persing the  Lazzaroni  to  their  homesteads  ;  a  bare  treasury 
soon  caused  him  to  levy  toll,  A  general  insurrection  ensued 
in  the  provinces,  repressed  by  a  fresh  '  National  Guard ' 
wearing  the  cockade  and  commanded  by  the  once  loyalist 
Count  Ruvo.  The  cloven  hoof  of  French  '  emancipa- 
tion '  soon  discovered  itself.  The  Directory  acquainted 
Championnet  that,  since  'right  of  conquest'  had  prevailed, 
the  vanquished  must  pay  for  the  luxury  of  defeat.  Com- 
missary-General Faypoult  was  already  on  his  road  from 
Paris  as  collector  of  taxes  by  special  appointment.  His 
orders  were  to  expropriate  even  the  palaces  and  museums, 
to  loot  the  very  treasures  of  Pompeii.  The  General  himself 
kicked  at  such  exactions.  He  protested — and  was  recalled 
to  Paris.  General  Macdonald,  who,  as  creature  of  the 
Directory,  had  perhaps  anticipated  his  own  advantage, 
promptly  stepped  into  his  shoes.  The  Directory  forwarded 
more  '  commissaries,'  with  orders  from  the  *  patriotic 
associations '  to  pillage  the  provinces  and  to  '  dictate  Re- 
publican laws.'  The  French  troops  dared  not  linger  too 
long  at  Naples,  and  eventually  their  whole  garrison  only 
amounted  to  two  thousand  five  hundred.-  But  their  brief 
sojourn  was  long  enough  to  denude  the  city.  They  were 
billeted  in  Sir  William's  houses,  among  the  rest,  and  did 
infinite  damage  to  his  treasures.  Emma — his  '  Grecian,'  as 
her  husband  delighted  to  call  her — rued  the  vandalism 
which  now  terrorised  the  town. 

The  lack  of  the  Parthenopean  Republic  was  an  organised 
army  with  a  capable  leader.  Calabria  and  Apulia  were  at 
this  very  moment  overrun  by  Corsican  adventurers,  one  of 
whom  assumed  the  title  of  Prince  Francis,  and  pretended 
that  he  was  the  lawful  heir  to  the  throne. 

1  'Committees  of  authorities'  were  constituted — 'interior,'  'exterior,'  and 
'central.'  Departments  of  Justice,  Police,  Fixiance,  and  Legislature  were  set 
up  in  a  twinkling. 

-  Morrison  MS.  381,  Sir  W.  Hamilton  to  C.  Greville,  Palermo,  April  8, 
1799.  The  'civic  Jacobins  'amounted  to  20,000.  The  Lazzaroni  were  still 
undivided  in  loyalty. 


TRIUMPH  ONCE  MORE  271 

It  was  at  this  juncture  that  the  King  designated  Cardinal 
Ruffo  his  Vicar-General  in  place  of  Pignatelli,  the  absconder, 
and  invested  him  with  supreme  military  command,  although, 
at  the  same  time,  he  emphatically  bound  him  not  to  exceed 
a  suppression  of  the  rising,  without  previous  consultation 
with  his  master  ;  nor  was  he  on  any  account  at  any  time 
to  treat  with  the  rebels.^ 

It  should  be  particularly  noted  at  this  his  first  intro- 
duction on  to  our  scene,  that  neither  Lady  Hamilton  nor 
Nelson  ever  believed  in  his  straightforwardness  ;2  and  his 
duplicity  in  June  was  amply  to  justify  their  discernment. 

This  singular  priest-militant,  whose  rugged  hardihood 
concealed  astute  subtlety,^  and  who  was  at  once  Legate  and 
Lazzarone,  landed  on  the  Calabrian  coast  to  proclaim  '  a 
holy  cause.'  He  was  the  royal  Robin  Hood,  while  his 
Friar  Tuck  was  the  Sicilian  brigand,  Fra  Diavolo.  His 
cardinalate  alienated  from  the  '  patriot'  cause  many  of  the 
priests,  who  by  this  time  had  joined  hands  with  the  in- 
surgents ;  for  they  could  never  forget  how  the  Queen  had 
once  withstood  the  Pope.  The  raising  of  his  standard,  and 
the  co-operation  of  the  Russian  and  Turkish  frigates  from 
Corfu,  soon  forced  the  French  into  an  active  provincial  cam- 
paign. The  Bourbonites  had  secured  the  fastness  of  Andia. 
The  French  stormed  and  took  it.  Their  maltreatment  of 
young  girls  had  rendered  them  abominable  even  in  the  eyes 
of  their  better  '  patriot '  allies,  one  of  whom  on  this 
occasion,  Prince  Carafa,  heading  the  'Neapolitan  legion,' 
chivalrously  rescued  a  girl  victim  from  their  brutality.  A 
long  sequel  of  sickening  butcheries  on  both  sides  followed. 

1  Between  April  and  June  Ruffo  received  constant  and  binding  instructions 
from  both  the  King  and  the  Queen.  He  was  to  use  great  discrimination  ;  he 
was  to  '  stamp  out  the  noxious  herbs  which  are  poisoning  the  others.'  He  was 
on  no  account  to  treat  with  the  rebels,  and  he  was  to  remember  the  Lazzaroni's 
proverb,  '  Sticks  and  cakes  make  good  children.'  Cf.  the  documents  quoted  by 
Gutteridge  in  his  excellent  Nelson  and  the  Neapolitan  Jacobins,  App.  pp.  40-45,  and 
especially  the  Queen's  letter  to  Ruffo  of  May  23  {Neapolitan  Archives,  v.  266  ; 
Dumas,  v.  168) :  '  The  King  must,  as  a  Christian  and  the  father  of  his  people, 
pardon  his  infamous,  wicked  and  ungrateful  subjects,  on  whom  he  h.is  bestowed 
so  many  benefits,  but  he  must  not  enter  into  a  bargain  or  armistice,'  etc. 

2  Cf.  Add.  MS.  34,912,  ff.  3,  4. 

^  Nelson  called  him  'a  swelled-up,  well-fed  priest.'  Fabrizio  Ruffo  was  born 
in  1744,  and  lived  till  1827.     His  cardinalate  dated  only  from  1794. 


272  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

The  French  and  the  '  patriots  '  shot  down  even  old  women. 
Rufifo  and  his  savage  bandits  gave  no  quarter;  yet  they 
were  welcomed  as  deliverers  from  rapine  and  murder.  One 
by  one  the  hill-strongholds,  that  France  had  taken,  were 
seized  by  Rufifo  for  the  King.  By  June  the  Republic  had 
become  limited  afresh  to  Naples,  and  'patriot'  Naples 
itself  smarted  under  the  greedy  despotism  of  'commissary' 
Abrial,  who  now  reigned  in  Macdonald's  shoes,  and 
chastised  them  with  scorpions  where  the  others  had  chas- 
tised them  with  whips. 

The  Royalist  counter-stroke,  with  Ruffo  for  instrument 
and  a  new  'extraordinary'  tribunal  as  executive,^  was  long 
kept  a  profound  secret  by  the  council,  but  it  was  divulged 
to  the  Jacobins  through  a  remarkable  woman — Luisa 
Molines  Sanfelice.  She  and  her  cousin-husband  had  long 
before  been  implicated  in  treason,  banished,  and  at  length 
pardoned.  They  were  now  living  under  the  royal  aegis  in 
retirement  ;  but  an  unhappy  passion  for  an  Italianised 
Englishman,  Baccher  (Baker),  involved  the  wife  once  more 
in  sedition.  To  him  she  betrayed  the  King's  commission, 
and  he  in  his  turn  handed  the  secret  on  to  Vincenzo  Coco, 
the  Jacobin  historian  and  renegade  who  afterwards  attached 
himself  to  the  Bourbons.  '  Cherchez  lafenime,'  indeed,  is  an 
adage  exemplified  throughout  a  rebellion  abounding  in  'the 
rage  of  the  vulture,  the  love  of  the  turtle ' — 

'  Oh  wild  as  the  accents  of  lovers'  farewell. 
Are  the  hearts  which  they  bear,  and  the  tales  which  they  tell.' 

In  September  1800  this  Luisa,  well  surnamed  'the 
hapless,'  was  to  be  respited  by  the  Queen's  compassion  on 
the  eve  of  her  death-sentence.  The  King,  however,  in 
defiance  both  of  his  wife  and  of  the  amnesty  which  he  had 
then  solemnly  proclaimed,  refused  to  commute  the  sentence. 

Except  for  Ruffo's  commission,  we  have  been  too  long 
absent  from  Palermo. 

Nelson's  first  thoughts  were  for  Egypt,  and  Malta,^  the 

1  'A  few  selected  and  safe  public  servants 'to  try  'the  most  guilty.'  Cf 
Gulteridge,  pp.  I33-35- 

2  Cf.  his  letters  on  this  question  to  Acton  quoted  by  Gutteridge  in  his  Nelson 
and  the  Neapolitan  Jacobins  (App.  Nos.  vi.,  X.,  xn.,  xxi.,  xxiv.),  from  the 


TRIUMPH  ONCE  MORE  273 

Neapolitan  succours  for  which  continued  most  unsatisfactory. 
Now,  as  a  few  months  later,  his  endeavour  was  '  so  to 
divide '  his  *  forces,  that  a/i'  might '  have  security.'  ^  To  Ball, 
with  characteristic  generosity,  he  entrusted  the  Maltese 
opportunities  of  distinction.  He  was  still  uneasy  and  un- 
well ;  and  he  was  deeply  dispirited,  after  his  recent 
strain,  at  the  home-slight  offered  him  by  the  appoint- 
ment of  Sidney  Smith  to  a  superior  command,  with 
Lord  Grenville's  orders  for  his  obedience,  though  on  this 
point  Lord  Spencer  soon  reassured  him.  His  stepson's 
ill-behaviour,  though  he  excused  it  to  his  wife,  proved  a  fresh 
source  of  annoyance.  His  Fanny,  too,  began  to  wonder  at 
his  neglect  of  home  affairs.  '  If  I  have  the  happiness,'  he 
answered,  '  of  seeing  their  Sicilian  Majesties  safe  on  the 
throne  again,  it  is  probable  I  shall  still  be  home  in  the 
summer.  Good  Sir  William,  Lady  Hamilton  and  myself 
are  the  mainsprings  of  the  machine  which  manages  what  is 
going  on  in  this  country.  We  are  all  bound  to  England, 
when  we  can  quit  our  posts  with  propriety.'  -  The  '  we ' 
and  the  '  all '  must  have  set  her  wondering  the  more. 

The  freedom  of  Palermo,  among  other  honours,  was 
conferred  on  him  in  March,  but  the  unfolding  tragedy  of 
Naples  added  to  his  general  discouragement.  He  was 
preoccupied  in  many  directions.  The  establishment  of 
(in  his  own  phrase)  '  the  Vesuvian  Republic,'  Pignatelli's 
armistice  with  the  French,  '  in  which  the  name  of  the  King 
was  not  mentioned,'  the  surrender  of  Leghorn  to  the  French, 
boding  a  Tuscan  revolution,  incensed  him  as  much  as  it 
did  the  royal  family.^     Sicily,  he  thought,  would  soon  be 

Stale  Archives  of  Naples.  Nelson  deprecated  the  interference  of  Russia.  His 
opinion  that,  under  the  then  conditions,  Malta  was  chiefly  important  because 
the  French  must  never  have  it,  and  that  Sardinia  was  a  far  better  strategical 
station  for  Britain,  is  familiar.  While  vigilant  over  Malta,  and  attending  to 
Minorca,  his  chief  care  was  to  prevent  the  French  fleet  from  reaching  any  port 
in  the  dominion  of  the  two  Sicilies.  Cf.  the  new  letter  to  Sir  James  Si.  Clair 
Erskine,  of  July  23,  1799,  excerpted  in  the  Appendix,  Part  ll.  E.  (i). 

'  Cf.  the  new  and  important  letter  to  Sir  James  St.  Clair  Erskine  of  August 
2,  1799,  excerpted  in  Sotheby's  catalogue  for  July  8,  1905,  and  given  in  the 
Appendix,  Part  11.  E.  (2).  -  Laughlon's  Despatches,  pp.  180-81. 

'  Cf.  the  Queen's  letter  to  Emma  of  January  19,  beginning,  '  I  am  more  dead 
than  alive,'  ciled  by  Pcttigicw,  vol.  i.  p.  201  ;  and  Add.  MS.  34,710,  f.  16, 
Nelson  to  their  excellencies  Sir  W.  S.  and  J.  Smith,  Palermo,  .\pril  1799. 

S 


274  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

endangered.  The  French  successes  at  Capua,  their  in- 
stallation at  Naples,  so  affected  him,  that  he  offered  to 
vindicate  the  royal  honour  himself.^  '  I  am  ready,'  he 
wrote  in  mid-March,  '  to  assist  in  the  enterprise.  I  only 
wish  to  die  in  the  cause.'  '  Jacobinism/  he  repeated,  was 
'  terrorism.'  -  The  agreeable  surprise  of  General  Sir  Charles 
Stuart's  arrival  in  Sicily  with  a  thousand  troops,  that 
secured  Messina  against  invasion,  relieved  and  elated  both 
him  and  the  court.  He  even  believed — for  his  wishes  ever 
fathered  his  thoughts — that  these  might  expel  the  French 
from  Naples. 

France,  indeed,  was  on  his  nerves  and  brain.  So  soon 
as  he  learned  that  the  hero  of  Acre  had  given  passports 
freeing  the  remnant  of  the  French  fleet  off  Syria  and 
Egypt,  he  was  beside  himself:  at  any  moment  a  new 
squadron  might  effect  a  junction  with  the  Spanish  frigates 
and  bear  down  on  the  two  Sicilies.  By  the  close  of 
March  he  had  already  despatched  the  truculent  and  some- 
times ferocious  Troubridge  to  Procida  for  the  blockade  of 
Naples.  Much  was  hoped,  too,  from  the  co-operation  of 
the  Russian  and  Turkish  fleets.  It  was  quite  possible, 
even  now,  that  Britain  might  restore  the  Neapolitan 
monarch  to  his  people.^  And  in  the  meantime,  with  eyes 
alert  to  ensure  preparedness  in  every  direction,  he  mediated 
with  the  Bey  of  Tunis  and  freed  Mohammedan  slaves. 

Nor  below  this  tide  of  varying  emotions  is  an  under- 
current lacking  of  inward  conflict.  In  his  own  heart  a 
miniature  revolution  was  also  in  process.  The  spell  of 
Lady  Hamilton  was  over  him,  and  he  struggled  against  the 
devious  promptings  of  his  heart.  To  protect  Naples  and 
Sicily  against  France  had  been  the  declared  policy  of  his 
Government ;  to  exterminate  French  predominance  was 
his  own  chief  ambition  ;  he  chafed  against  the  survival  of 
a  single  ship.  *I  knowl  he  was  soon  to  write,  'it  is  His 
Majesty's  pleasure  that  I  should  pay  such  attention  to  the 
safety  of  His  Sicilian  Majesty  and  his  kingdom  that  nothing 
shall  induce    me    to   risk    those    objects    of    my    special 

^  Pettigrew,  vol.  i.  pp.  220-23. 

^  Cf.  Gutteridge,  App.  Nos.  xvii.,  xxi.,  March  12  and  May  8. 

'  Morrison  MS.  384,  April  28,  1799. 


TRIUMPH  ONCE  MORE  275 

care.'^  Every  public  motive  riveted  him  to  the  spot  where  fas- 
cination lured  and  tempted.  It  is  a  mistake  to  imagine  that 
Emma  held  him  from  duty  ;  all  his  duties  were  performed, 
and  to  her  last  moment  she  protested  to  those  most  in  his 
confidence,  and  best  able  to  refute  her  if  she  erred,  that  her 
influence  never  tried  to  detain  him.-  It  was  duty"  that 
actuated  him — duty,  it  is  true,  that  jumped  with  inclination, 
and  fatally  fastened  him  to  her  side.  Such  was  his  health, 
that  he  had  desired  to  quit  the  Mediterranean  altogether.* 
Away  from  the  Mediterranean  coasts,  he  could  have  steeled 
himself  at  any  rate  to  absence,  if  not  to  forgetfulness.  In  the 
very  centre  of  the  seaboard  that  embodied  the  true  interests 
of  his  country,  and  to  which  his  instructions  tied  him,  he 
was  in  hourly  neighbourhood  of  his  idol.  She  interpreted,^ 
translated,  cheered,  and  companioned  him.  She  contrasted 
with  the  soullessness  of  his  wife.  She  was  often  his  as  well 
as  her  husband's  amanuensis.^  She  drank  in  every  word  of 
patriotic  fervour,  and  redoubled  it.  Her  courage  spoke  to 
his ;  so  did  her  compassion  and  energy.  Together  they 
received  the  Maltese  deputies.  Together  they  listened,  in 
disguise,^  to  the  talk  of  Sicilian  taverns.     Together  they 

1  Cf.  his  letter  to  Sir  James  Erskine  of  July  23,  1799,  otherwise  excerpted  in 
Appendix,  Part  11.  E.  (2). 

-  Cf.  her  remarkable  new  letter  to  Dr.  Scott  of  September  7,  1S06,  tran- 
scribed in  the  Appendix,  Part  11.  C.  (3)  b. 

^  How  little  Nelson  at  this  time  was  neglecting  his  duties  is  shown  by  his 
despatches  to  Lord  St.  Vincent  of  May  12.  Cf.  Laughton,  p.  192.  'My 
reason,'  he  wrote  on  May  25,  '  for  remaining  in  Sicily,  is  the  covering  of  the 
blockade  of  Naples,  and  the  certainty  of  preserving  Sicily  in  case  of  an  attack. 
I  intend  to  continue  the  Malta  blockade  unless  Ball  has  not  surrendered  it,'  or 
'the  poor  islanders  themselves.' — Laughton's  Despatches,  p.  195. 

^  Cf.  Hamilton's  letter  to  Grevillc  of  January  25,  1800,  Morrison  MS.  444. 
'  Without  me  Lord  Nelson  would  not  stay  here,  and  without  Lord  Nelson  Their 
Sicilian  Majesties  would  think  themselves  undone.' 

^  Cf.  Morrison  MS.  3S4,  Hamilton  to  Greville,  Palermo,  April  28,  1799. 
'  Lord  Nelson,  for  want  of  language  and  experiences  of  this  court  and  country, 
without  Emma  and  me  would  be  at  the  greatest  loss  every  moment.' 

•  Cf.  Morrison  MS.  376,  February  9,  1799,  Nelson  to  Ball,  where  Emma 
herself  adds  the  postscript,  '  I  have  only  time  to  say,  my  dear  friend,  that  Sir 
William  and  I  shall  be  most  happy  to  sec  you.  Make  haist.  Do,  or  else  enirc 
nous.  Fate  will  carry  me  down.  I  cannot  enter  now  into  the  false  politics  of 
this  country.     A  ora,  ever  yours.' 

'  It  was  said  that  she  dressed  up  as  a  midshipman  for  these  expeditions,  and 
I  am  told  that  a  portrait  of  her  in  this  attire  exists. 


276  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

also  went  on  errands  of  mercy.^  From  the  Queen  she 
carried  him  perpetual  information  and  praise.  Through 
her  and  her  husband  he  was  able  to  work  on  Acton.  Every 
British  officer  that  landed  with  advices  or  despatches,  every 
friendly  though  foreign  crew,  was  welcomed  at  the  table 
over  which  Emma  presided.  No  veriest  trifle  that  could 
assist  them  ever  escaped  her.  Indeed,  her  lavish  hospi- 
tality- and  the  noisy  heartiness  of  the  coming  and  going 
guests  oppressed  the  Ambassador,  who  sighed  on  the  eve 
of  superannuation  for  home  and  quiet,  for  the  excitements 
of  Christie's,  and  the  fisherman's  tranquil  diplomacy.  It 
was  not  the  toils  of  the  huntress  that  ensnared  Nelson.  It 
was  Britain  that  demanded  his  vigilance  and  enchained  him 
here;  while  for  him,  more  and  more,  Britain's  'guardian 
angel '  was  becoming  Emma. 

Imploring  Sir  Alexander  Ball  in  February  to  return 
from  Malta,  she  had  avowed  a  foreboding  that '  Fate '  might 
'  carry  '  her  '  down.'  ^ 

A  great  shock  had  been  followed  by  a  great  fear.  The 
main  body  of  the  French  army  had  gone,  but  the  Neapol- 
itan rebellion,  if  the  French  fleet  managed  to  reach  and 
rally  it,  might  still  engulf  them  all.  Gallo  was  again 
playing  the  King  off  against  the  Queen.  Who  knew 
what  might  happen  in  this  conspiracy  of  gods  and  men  ? 
And  when  she  presaged  some  fatality,  may  she  not  also 
have  pondered  whither  she  herself  was  now  drifting? 
The  doom  of  Paolo  and  Francesca  may  well  have  been 
within  the  range  of  her  Italian  reading.  To  the  com- 
plexity of  her  feelings  I  shall  revert  when  I  come  to  the 
events  of  a  month  afterwards.  Only  two  years  later  she 
and  Nelson  were  thus  to  poeticise  the  affection  that  was 
now  ripening : — 

^  Cf.  especially  the  case  of  the  poor  old  blind  septuagenarian  implicated  in 
conspiracy,  but  pardoned  through  Emma's  influence  :  see  Nelson's  letter  to 
Acton,  given  by  Gutteridge  among  his  documents,  No.  xiv. ;  and  a  further 
instance,  where  Nelson  says  'our  hearts  bleed,'  cf.  ibid.  xill. 

-  Cf.  Lord  St.  Vincent's  letter  of  thanks  to  her  regarding  Lock's  aristocratic 
wife  and  others,  and  Lady  Betty  Foster's,  Pettigrew,  vol.  i.  p.  205 ;  from 
Captains  Ball  and  Dixon,  and  Commodore  Coffin,  together  with  others,  ibid. 
pp.  209,  210. 

•*  Morrison  MS.  376,  alrcaviy  cited  on  the  preceding  page. 


TRIUMPH  ONCE  MORE  277 

Lord  Nelson  to  his  Guardian  Angel. 

'  From  my  best  cable  tho'  I  'm  forced  to  part, 
I  leave  my  anchor  in  my  Angel's  heart. 
Love,  like  a  pilot,  shall  the  pledge  defend, 
And  for  a  prong  his  happiest  quiver  lend.' 

Answer  of  Lord  Nelson's  Guardian  Angel 

'  Go  where  you  list,  each  thought  of  Emma's  soul 
Shall  follow  you  from  Indus  to  the  Pole  : 
East,  West,  North,  South,  our  minds  shall  never  part  ; 
Your  Angel's  loadstone  shall  be  Nelson's  heart. 

Fare7uell!  and  o'er  the  wide,  wide  sea 

Bright  glory's  course  pursue, 
And  adverse  winds  to  love  and  me 

Prove  fair  to  fame  and  you. 
And  when  the  dreaded  hour  of  battle's  nigh, 
Your  Angel's  heart,  which  trembles  at  a  sigh. 
By  your  superior  danger  bolder  grown, 
Shall  dauntless  place  itself  before  your  own. 
Happy,  thrice  happy,  should  her  fond  heart  prove — 
A  shield  to  Valour,  Constancy,  and  Love! ' 

But  a  fresh  influence  was  also,  may  be,  about  to  steal  into 
her  being.  To  the  pinch  of  adversity  and  her  misgivings 
for  the  Queen  she  loved,  was  now  being  added  the  stress  of 
a  passion  half  realised  but  hard  to  resist.  She  would  not 
have  been  the  emotional  woman  that  she  was,  if  in  some 
shape,  however  dimly,  religion  as  consoler  had  not  whis- 
pered in  the  recesses  of  her  heart.  Hitherto  among  her 
immediate  surroundings  only  Nelson  could  have  been 
called  really  religious.  He  was  a  strong  Protestant.  But 
as  she  beheld  the  Queen  comforted  by  an  older  ritual 
and  a  communion  less  severe,  it  may  have  crossed  her 
mind  that  the  ceremonies  which  she  had  mocked  as  supersti- 
tions held  in  them  some  rare  power  of  healing.  Southern 
religion  thrives  on  its  adopted  and  hybrid  forms,  as  to 
this  day  is  attested  by  Sicilian  peasants  hugging  the  image 
of  their  swarthy  saint  ;  Sicilian  reapers  chanting  their 
weird  litany  to  the  sinking  sun  ;  Sicilian  farmers  meting 
out  their  harvested  grain    by  their  image  of  the  rosaried 

*  A  facsimile  of  these  verses  of  April  1801  is  given  l)y  I'eltigrew,  vol.  ii.  p.  17. 


278  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

Madonna.  There  was  at  this  time  at  Palermo  an  Abb6 
Campbell,  who  had  followed  the  fugitives  thitherward.^ 
Twelve  years  before,  he  had  been  chaplain  to  the  Neapolitan 
Embassy  in  London,  and  is  said  to  have  been  the  priest 
who  secretly  united  the  future  George  IV.  to  Mrs.  Fitzher- 
bert.  He  was  a  genial  soul,  in  the  world  but  not  wholly  of 
it,  musical  and  romantic.  He  remained  constant  to  Emma 
throughout  her  chequered  fortunes,  and  in  future  years  he 
often  crosses  her  path  again  and  Nelson's.^  One  may 
guess  that  through  him  first  arose  those  promptings  that 
eventually  made  Emma  a  proselyte  to  the  faith  that, 
perhaps  above  others,  openly  welcomes  the  strayed  and 
the  fallen. 

Troubridge  girded  to  his  work  as  Jacobin-killer  in  grim 
earnest.  The  Governor  of  Procida,^  its  peasants  and 
Ischia's,  were  loyal  to  the  core.  The  English  sailor  was 
acclaimed  by  the  people  as  a  deliverer  from  a  faction  ;  and 
he  was  not  over-squeamish  in  his  task  of  quelling  what 
Lord  Bristol  termed  to  Hamilton  '  that  gang  of  thieves, 
pickpockets,  highwaymen,  cut-throats  and  cut-purses  called 
the  French  Republic.''*  '  Oh  ! '  wrote  Troubridge  to  Nelson, 
'  how  I  long  to  have  a  dash  at  the  thieves.'  And  again, 
'  The  villainy  we  must  combat  is  great  indeed.  I  have  just 
flogged  a  rascal  for  loading  bread  with  sand.  The  loaf  was 
hung  round  his  neck  in  sight  of  the  people.'  The  *  trials  ' 
of  rebels  he  admits  to  be  '  curious,'  as  the  culprits  were  fre- 
quently '  not  present.'  He  actually  apologised  to  Nelson, 
on  the  score  of  hot  weather,  for  not  sending  him  a  Jacobin's 
head  ;  with  charming  pleasantry  he  calls  the  donor  '  a  jolly 
fellow.'  The  '  rascally  nobles,  tired  of  standing  as  common 
sentinels,'  confessed  that  sheer  discomfort  had  loyalised 
them.**  Even  here  Lady  Hamilton's  energy  was  conspicuous. 
Through  Nelson  she  communicated  constant  advice  con- 
cerning the  measures  to  be  taken  and  the  characters  of  the 

^  Cf.  Emma's  letter  to  Greville  of  February  1800,  Nelson  Letters ^  vol.  i.  p.  200. 

-  Cf.  several  later  letters  in  the  Morrison  MS.,  one  of  them  not  long  before 
the  close.  Nelson  also  mentions  him  to  Emma  when  he  was  once  more  at 
Naples  in  1803-4. 

^  Don  Michel  de  Curtis.  "•  Morrison  MS.  383. 

*  Cf.  Troubridge's  despatch  to  Nelson  of  April  25,  1799. 


TRIUMPH  ONCE  MORE  279 

inhabitants.^  She  had  actually  and  with  difficulty  forwarded 
the  King's  instructions  to  Pignatelli.  The  bearer,  Trou- 
bridge's  servant,  was  loaded  by  this  pardoned  turncoat  with 
irons,  and  Troubridge  naturally  exclaimed  that  when  the 
King's  turn  came  there  would  be  heavy  scores  to  settle.^  He 
was  'mad'  at  the  infamous  conduct  of  the  officers  despatched 
to  him  by  the  King.  They  were  doubtless  sympathisers 
with  the  rebels,  and  they  were  court-martialled  accordingly.^ 
But  the  most  important  statement  of  his  despatches  to 
Nelson  relates  to  Caracciolo,  who  had  been  obsequious  and 
fawning  at  Palermo,  and  had  therefore  been  trusted  to  return 
home  as  a  reorganiser  of  the  navy.  '  I  am  now  satisfied,' 
declares  Troubridge,  'that  he  is  a  Jacobin.  He  came  in  the 
gunboat  to  Castellamare  himself  and  spirited  up  the  Jacobins.' 
By  April  12  Troubridge  had  reduced  the  Neapolitan  islands. 

Prospects  at  last  looked  brighter.  Ruffo  had  nearly  sub- 
dued the  provinces,  and  the  Austrians  at  length,*  in  formal 
alliance  with  Naples,  Russia,  and  the  Porte,  had  rejoiced  the 
Queen  by  their  victory  at  Padua.  It  was  commemorated 
by  a  salute  from  the  British  fleet.  The  Bishop  of  Derry — 
now  at  Augsburg — communicated  the  news  to  Emma  in 
an  amusing  letter,  which  opens  with  her  own  favourite 
'Hip,  hip,  hip,  huzza,  huzza,  huzza  !'^  Ball  was  now 
pushing  forward  the  Maltese  operations,  while  Duckworth 
had  been  active  near  the  Balearic  islands.  On  every 
point  of  the  Mediterranean  compass  Nelson  kept  his  watch- 
ful eye.  But  for  him  the  Mediterranean  was  mainly  a 
theatre  for  the  as  yet  invisible  French  frigates.  The  spectre 
of  that  squadron  haunted  him  by  night  and  day ;  he  han- 
kered after  the  moment  when  he  could  re-attack  it.  It  was 
for  him  what  Godoiphin  was  for  Charles  the  Second — never 
in  and  never  out  of  the  way. 

Early  in  May,  Espoir,  a  private  messenger,  brought 
Nelson  the  glad  tidings  that  on  April  28  the  French  fleet 
had  at  length  quitted  Brest,     He  at  once  concerted  plans 

'  Laughton's  Despatches^  p.  193.  Cf.  the  letters  cited  by  Pettigrew,  vol.  i. 
pp.  210-15. 

^  Laughton's  Despatches,  p.  194. 

'  Nelson  agreed.     He  called  the  Admiral  Vauch  'that  hog.'     Cf.  Gutteridge. 

■•  May  19.  ^  Pettigrew,  vol.  i.  p.  215. 


28o  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

with  Lord  St.  Vincent,  Troubridge,  and  Duckworth.  It  was 
said  to  consist  at  most  of  nineteen  ships  and  ten  frigates  or 
sloops.  Its  destination  was  unknown.  By  May  its  junction 
with  the  ships  of  Spain  had  been  notified.^ 

Nelson  made  sure  that  the  two  Sicilies  were  intended,  and 
that  France  still  hoped  by  one  decisive  stroke  to  end  at  once 
monarchy  and  independence.  He  pressed  Lord  St.  Vincent 
on  no  account  to  remove  him  from  the  impending  action, 
wherever  it  might  take  place.  He  feared  that  St.  Vincent's 
failing  health,  which  necessitated  his  resignation,  might 
help  the  French  to  elude  the  commander's  vigilance.  In 
the  end,  elude  it  they  did. 

He  resolved  to  cruise  off  Maritimo  as  the  likeliest 
point  of  sight,  and  on  May  12  he  was  on  board  the  Va7i- 
guard.  But  contrary  winds  intervened,  and  kept  him 
waiting  for  Duckworth's  vessels  till  the  20th,  to  his  keen 
vexation.  His  absence  heightened  the  attachment  with 
which  he  had  inspired  the  Hamiltons.  '  I  can  assure  you," 
wrote  Hamilton  amid  the  festivities  that  even  at  such  a 
moment  celebrated  the  birth  of  a  son  to  the  Imperial  House 
of  Austria, '  I  can  assure  you  that  neither  Emma  nor  I  knew 
how  much  we  loved  you  until  this  separation,  and  we  are 
convinced  your  Lordship  feels  the  same  as  we  do.'^  And  on 
other  occasions  Sir  William  writes  to  Nelson  most  intimately 
and  admiringly,  dating  one  of  his  letters  '  near  winding-up- 
watch  hour.'  ^  Two  of  his  three  remaining  letters  to  Emma, 
before  he  started,  open  a  little  window  both  on  to  the 
interior  of  the  Hamiltons'  manage  and  of  his  own  heart.  On 
the  1 2th  he  writes  : — 

'  My  dear  Lady  Hamilton, — Nobody  writes  so  well. 
Accept  my  sincere  thanks  for  your  kind  letter.  Pray,  say 
not  you  write  ill  ;  for  if  you  do,  I  will  say  what  your  good- 
ness sometimes  told   me — "You  lie!"^     I    can  read  and 

^  Laughton's  Despatches^  p.  192. 

2  Hamilton  to  Acton,  May  27,  1799,  transcribed  in  Rose's  Diaries  and 
Correspondence,  vol.  i.  p.  224. 

^  Cf.  Nelson  Letters,  vol.  ii.  pp.  192-96. 

*  With  this  token  of  their  present  intimacy  should  be  compared  another,  though 
slightly  later,  stray  expression  on  the  lips,  this  time,  of  Nelson,  to  be  found  in 
the  Nelson  Letters,  vol.  i.  p.  19 — '  Lady  Hamilton  put  the  candlestick  on  my 
writing-table.' 


TRIUMPH  ONCE  MORE  281 

perfectly  understand  every  word  you  write.  We  drank  your 
and  Sir  William's  health.  Troubridge,  Louis,  Hallowell 
and  the  new  Portuguese  captain  dined  here.  I  shall  soon 
be  at  Palermo,  for  this  business  must  very  soon  be  settled. 
.  .  .  I  am  pleased  with  little  Mary  :  ^  kiss  her  for  me.  I 
thank  all  the  house  for  their  regard.  God  bless  you  all !  I 
shall  send  on  shore  if  fine  to-morrow  ;  for  the  feluccas  are 
going  to  leave  us,  and  I  am  sea-sick.  I  have  got  the  piece 
of  wood  for  the  tea-chest :  it  shall  soon  be  sent.  Pray,  pre- 
sent my  humble  duty  and  gratitude  to  the  Queen.' 

On  the  19th — 

*  To  tell  you  how  dreary  and  uncomfortable  the  Vanguard 
appears,  is  only  telling  you  what  it  is  to  go  from  the  plea- 
santest  society  to  a  solitary  cell,  or  from  the  dearest  friends 
to  no  friends.  I  am  now  perfectly  the  great  man — not  a 
creature  near  me.  From  my  heart  I  wish  myself  the  little 
man  again  !  You  and  good  Sir  William  have  spoiled  me 
for  any  place  but  with  you.  I  love  Mrs.  Cadogan.  You 
cannot  conceive  what  I  feel  when  I  call  you  all  to  my 
remembrance,  even  to  Mira,^  do  not  forget  your  faithful  and 
affectionate,  Nelson.'^ 

Indeed,  all  these  days  he  was  in  constant  correspondence 
with  the  Hamiltons.'*  On  May  25,  so  great  was  his  admira- 
tion for  them,  that  he  drew  up  his  first  codicil— a  precursor 
of  many  to  come — in  their  favour.  To  Emma  he  bequeathed 
'the  nearly  round  box'  set  with  diamonds,  the  gift  of  the 
Sultan's  mother ;  to  her  husband  fifty  guineas  for  a 
memorial  ring.^  For  his  risks  were  now  great ;  he  carried 
his  life  in  his  hands.  The  French  contingent  should  still  be 
found  :  his  efforts  were  bent  on  more  ships,  that  success 
might  be  assured  when  the  clash  of  arms  must  recur. 

Up  to  May  28,  when  he  again  landed  at  Palermo,  he  was 
.still  without  sight,  without  result,  though  not  wholly  without 
effect.  He  resolved  to  withdraw  some  ships  from  Malta 
and  concentrate  his  whole  forces.  On  June  8,  as  Rear- 
Admiral  of  the  Red,  he  had  shifted  from  the  Vanguard  to  the 

^   Probably  one  of  Grafer's  daughters ;  another  was  Emma's  namesake.     Sir 
William  and  Emma  harboured  a  tribe  of  dependants  in  their  house. 

-  A  servant,  ^  Nelson  Letters,  vol.  i.  pp.  7-10. 

*  Cf.  Morrison  MS.  3S6-395.  ^  Ibid.  391. 


282  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

Foudroyant.  By  June  12  he  heard  of  Lord  St.  Vincent's  in- 
tention to  return  home,  and  his  replacement  by  Lord  Keith, 
with  genuine  distress.  '  If  you  are  sick/  he  wrote  to  him, 
'  I  will  fag  for  you,  and  our  dear  Lady  Hamilton  will  nurse 
you  with  the  most  affectionate  attention.  Good  Sir  William 
will  make  you  laugh  with  his  wit  and  inexhaustible 
pleasantry.  .  .  .  Come  then  to  your  sincere  friends.'^ 

Still  not  a  glimpse  of  the  French  fleet.  But  large  issues 
were  pending.  The  very  day  before  the  date  of  this  invita- 
tion to  his  commander,  the  Queen  herself  addressed  to  him 
a  pleading  letter.  The  state  of  Naples,  the  uncertainty  as 
to  the  enemy's  movements,  had  decided  her  on  a  definite 
plan.  An  expedition,  forestalling  the  arrival  of  the  Gallic 
squadron,  might  strike  a  bloodless  blow.  The  bloodshed 
even  of  her  enemies  was  far,  she  urged,  from  her  thoughts. 
The  heir-apparent,  as  representative  of  his  family,  would 
accompany  him  and  chafe  the  embers  of  Neapolitan  loyalty 
into  a  blaze.  'Other  duties'  obliged  her  to  remain  at 
Palermo.  He  would  earn  the  '  sincere  and  profound  grati- 
tude' of  his  'devoted  friend.'-  At  the  same  time — and 
this  is  the  key  to  after  events — Ferdinand  himself  con- 
ferred on  him  the  fullest  powers.  In  every  sense  of  the 
word  he  was  to  be  his  plenipotentiary.^  Already  a  month 
before,  Nelson  had  despatched  Foote  with  a  commission  to 
reduce  the  mainland,  as  Troubridge  had  reduced  the  islands. 
Foote,  Thurn,  and  Governor  Curtis  had  already  issued  their 
proclamation  of  a  Neapolitan  blockade,  and  had  bidden 
the  insurgents  take  advantage  of  clemency  while  there  was 
yet  time.*  Had  they  only  complied,  a  chapter  of  misery 
would  have  been  avoided  ;  but,  divided  as  they  were,  they 
still  trusted  to  the  invisible  French  fleet.  Short  shrift  was  to 
be  granted  to  rebels  and  traitors.  Only  the  misguided  and 
the  innocent  were  to  be  spared.  Already  Foote  reported 
that  thirteen  Jacobins  had  been  hung.  The  Queen  poured 
out  her  renewed  hopes  and  prayers  to  Lady  Hamilton. 
Emma  was  all  devotion  and  excitement,  yet  misgivings 

1  Cited  Pettigrew,  vol.  ii.  p.  227. 

-  Cited  ibid.,  p.  229,  and  cf.  Eg.  MS.  1616,  f.  23. 

*  Nicolas'  Despatches,  iii.  pp.  491  et  seq.     Gutteridge,  p.  62. 

*  Add.  MS.  34,911,  f.  267. 


TRIUMPH  ONCE  MORE  283 

blent  with  her  hopes.  Who  could  foretell  the  issues? 
After  all,  the  moment  must  decide.  And  who  could 
foresee  her  own  part  in  this  great  struggle  ?  Out  of 
a  narrow  room  she  had  been  lifted  into  the  spheres. 
Even  as  she  pondered,  Greville — Greville  of  the  suburban 
'retreat' — was  writing  to  her  husband  that  the  eyes  of 
Europe  were  now  fixed  on  Italy.  He  had  already  been 
trumpeting  her  own  achievements  to  the  Prince  of  Wales  : 
'  Many  and  all'  admired  her  much;  she  had  been  '  instru- 
mental in  good.'  '  Tell  Lady  Hamilton,'  was  his  message, 
'  with  my  kindest  remembrances,  that  all  her  friends  love 
her  more  than  ever,  and  those  who  did  not  know  her 
admire  her.'^  Greville,  then,  had  at  length  learned  to 
know  her  worth.  His  *  crystals'  would  hardly  have  weighed 
in  the  scale  if,  thirteen  years  ago,  his  appraisement  had 
been  one  of  insight. 

Nelson  responded  to  the  Queen  with  all  his  heart.  His 
zeal  quickened  with  uncertainty.  Lady  Hamilton  was  the 
Queen's  friend,  and  Lady  Hamilton's  friends  were  his. 
Maria  Carolina  was  *  a  great  woman,'  and  greatness  was 
his  affinity.  He  thought  in  dominants — the  predominance 
of  his  country  ;  and  Naples  loyalised  would  signify  France 
quelled.  Ruffo  was  fast  advancing  from  the  provinces 
against  the  forsworn  city.  The  Neapolitan  Jacobins  were 
on  tenterhooks  for  even  an  inkling  of  the  French  squadron, 
their  deliverer.  What  Nelson  dreaded  was  that  the  Franco- 
Hispanian  force  might  be  joined  by  ships  from  Toulon.  In 
that  event  he  would  be  fighting  against  heavy  odds  ;  and 
his  '  principle,'  as  he  afterwards  assured  Lord  Spencer,  '  was 
to  assist  in  driving  the  French  to  the  devil,  and  in  restoring 
peace  and  happiness  to  mankind.'^ 

And  still  of  that  veiled  flotilla  not  a  token. 

It  was  reported  as  bearing  on  the  Italian  coast.  Nelson 
had  been  eager  to  set  off  within  about  a  week  of  the 
Queen's  appeal.  That  appeal  decided  him  to  wait  one 
week  longer.  Maria  Carolina  was  impatient  for  'a  second 
Aboukir  Bay,'"'  and  for  such  a  stroke  reinforcements  were 

^  Morrison  MS.  396,  Greville  to  Hamilton,  June  S,  1799- 
■^  Cited  by  Harrison,  vol.  ii.  p.  135. 
^  Eg.  MS.  1616,  f.  29,  June  18,  1799. 


284  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

needed.  On  June  12  he  and  Sir  William  were  still  concert- 
ing their  plans. ^  The  Queen  now  used  the  Hamiltons  for  her 
purposes  and  urged  them  to  fasten  her  champion's  resolve 
by  accompanying  him.  Emma  was  ill,  worn  with  inward 
struggle  and  suspense ;  her  patroness  was  perpetually  and 
anxiously  inquiring  after  her  health,  Sir  William  was  almost 
prostrate  with  indisposition.  In  his  language,  Emma  'had 
phantoms  in  her  fertile  brain  that  oppressed  her  .  .  .  too 
much  Sensibility' ;  in  Nelson's  she  was  '  fretting  '  her  'guts 
to  fiddle-strings.'-  Emma  shrank  from  the  turbid  scenes 
that  she  would  be  called  upon  to  interpret  and  to  en- 
counter ;  she  also  dimly  dreaded  the  results  of  constant 
association  with  her  hero.  But  her  knowledge  of  men, 
circumstances,  and  language  would  be  indispensable  on  this 
fateful  errand,  and  already  on  June  12  she  thus,  as  Queen's 
advocate,  besought  Nelson  : — 

'  Thursday  evening,  June  12. 

'  I  have  been  with  the  Queen  this  evening.  She  is  very 
miserable,  and  says,  that  although  the  people  of  Naples  are 
for  them  in  general,  yet  things  will  not  be  brought  to  that 
state  of  quietness  and  subordination  till  the  Fleet  of  Lord 
Nelson  appears  off  Naples.  She  therefore  begs,  intreats, 
and  conjures  you,  my  dear  Lord,  if  it  is  possible,  to  arrange 
matters  so  as  to  be  able  to  go  to  Naples.  Sir  William  is 
writing  for  General  Acton's  answer.  For  God's  sake  con- 
sider it,  and  do !  We  will  go  with  you,  if  you  will  come 
and  fetch  us, 

'  Sir  William  is  ill  ;  I  am  ill  :  it  will  do  us  good.  God 
bless  you  !     Ever,  ever,  yours  sincerely.'^ 

The  Queen's  insistence,  Emma's  mediation,  permeate 
every  line.  Just  after  this  manner,  some  thirteen  years 
earlier,  the  mimic  Muse  had  echoed  Greville  in  her  answer 
to  the  invitation  that  first  lured  her  to  Naples. 

^  Cf.  a  letter  of  June  12  from  the  Queen  to  Emma,  cited  by  Pettigrew,  vol.  i. 
p.  231. 

-  Cf.  Gutteridge,  pp.  102,  103.  — These  letters  are  a  few  days  later,  but  refer 
to  this  week.  On  June  11  the  Queen  wrote  to  Emma  that  she  hoped  for  a 
second  English  Mediterranean  squadron  to  blockade  Naples  '  on  all  sides,'  and 
bring  the  insurgents  without  bloodshed \.o  their  'duty.' — Eg.  MS.  i6l6,  f.  23. 

^  Nelson  Letters.,  vol.  i.  p.  185. 


TRIUMPH  ONCE  MORE  285 

Her  heart  was  heavy  with  forebodings.  She  would  have 
much  to  do  and  perhaps  to  suffer.  She  was  charged  with 
a  triple  task  :  to  rehabilitate  the  Queen,  to  single  out  the 
traitors  from  the  true  amongst  the  notables,  to  assist  Nelson 
in  his  'campaign.'^  She  knew  that  the  risk  would  be 
great  and  the  nervous  strain  severe.  Privately,  as  well  as 
publicly,  she  feared  the  uncertain  upshot.  Her  phases  of 
mind  and  mood  and  memory  all  joined  in  bodying  forth 
the  future.  For  thirteen  years  not  a  breath  of  scandal  had 
sullied  her  name.  She  had  long,  indeed,  been  held  up  as 
a  pattern  of  conjugal  virtue.  Yet  Josiah  Nisbet,  the  boy 
whom  both  she  and  his  stepfather  had  generously  helped 
and  forgiven,  far  more  and  oftener  indeed  than  his  own 
mother,  was  already  tattling  to  that  mother  of  the  Calypso 
who  was  detaining  Ulysses.  Hitherto  she  could  honestly 
acquit  herself  of  the  imputation.  So  much  that  was 
glorious  had  happened  in  so  few  months,  that  her  tender 
friendship  had  been  absorbed  by  memories  and  reveries 
of  glory.  And  for  her,  glory  meant  honour.  This  is  the 
clue  to  her  nature.  To  honour  she  fancied  that  she,  like 
Nelson,  was  dedicating  existence.  And  now,  even  while 
she  justified  to  herself  the  chances  in  relation  to  her  own 
husband  by  the  thought  of  a  past  debt  amply  repaid,  she 
paused  on  the  threshold  of  the  irreparable,  as  the  pale  face  of 
Nelson's  unknown  wife  rose  up  before  her.  She  had  been 
only  stiff  and  condescending  to  Emma's  warm-hearted 
advances  immediately  after  the  battle  of  the  Nile.-  Was 
this  cold  partner  jealous  then,  and  spiteful  without  an  overt 
cause?  Let  her  covert  suspicions  dare  their  worst ;  Emma 
would  brave  them  out.  And  another  and  nobler  feeling 
mixed  with  her  agitations.  She  was  quitting  her  much- 
loved  mother,  by  whom  she  had  always  stood  loyally,  even 
when  most  to  her  disadvantage  ;  by  whom  she  was  always 
to  stand  ;  whom,  if  that  French  navy  fell  in  with  them,  she 
might  possibly  never  see  again.     '  My  mother,'  she  wrote 

1  Cf.  Morrison  MS.  411,  417,  Emma's  letters  to  Grevillc  of  July  19  and 
August  5  respectively. 

'^  By  Nelson's  request  she  had  forwarded  a  cap  to  Lady  Hamilton  in  a  note 
of  liare  civility.  Her  handwriting,  it  may  he  added,  is  remarkahly  like  Lady 
By  run's. 


286  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

when  all  was  over,  '  is  at  Palermo,  longing  to  see  her 
Emma.  You  can't  think  how  she  is  loved  and  respected 
by  all.  She  has  adopted  a  mode  of  living  that  is  charming. 
She  has  good  apartments  in  our  house,  always  lives  with 
us,  dines,  etc.  etc.  Only  when  she  does  not  like  it  (for  ex- 
ample at  great  dinners)  she  herself  refuses,  and  has  always 
a  friend  to  dine  with  her ;  and  the  Signora  Madre  dell' 
Ambasciatrice  is  known  all  over  Palermo,  the  same  as  she 
was  at  Naples.  The  Queen  has  been  very  kind  to  her  in 
my  absence,  and  went  to  see  her,  and  told  her  she  ought  to 
be  proud  of  her  glorious  and  energick  daughter,  that  has 
done  so  much  in  these  last  suffering  months.'^  Other 
chords  in  her  being  might  be  snapped  asunder  and  replaced, 
but  at  least  this  pure  note  of  daughterly  devotion  would 
never  fail. 

And  if  Emma  was  at  once  happy  and  tormented,  so  now 
was  Nelson.  He  was  racked  alike  by  hopes  and  fears. 
His  love  for  her  was  gradually  vanquishing  his  allegiance 
to  his  wife,  and  his  heart  was  fast  triumphing  over  his 
conscience.  He  had  not  yet  persuaded  himself  that  his 
love  accorded  with  the  scheme  divine,  that  his  formal 
marriage  was  no  longer  consecrated,  and  that  to  profane 
it  was  not  to  profane  a  sacrament.  It  was  barely  a  year 
since  Captain  Hallowell  had  presented  him  with  the  coffin 
framed  out  of  his  Egyptian  spoils — a  ineme7ito  mori  indeed. 
Everyone  remembers  the  strain  of  dejection  about  this  date 
in  his  home  letters,  which  have  been  constantly  cited  from 
Southey."  'There  is,'  he  wrote,  'no  true  happiness  in  this  life, 
and  in  my  present  state  I  could  quit  it  with  a  smile.'  He 
protested  the  same  to  his  old  friend  Davison,  adding  that 
his  sole  wish  was  to  'sink  with  honour  into  the  grave.'  On 
the  one  side  beckoned  the  French  enemy  and  Emma,  on 
the  other  the  offended  Fanny,  his  pious  father,  and  the 
call  of  God. 

While,  however,  both  the  cause  of  his  heart  and  the  voice 


1  Morrison  MS.  417,  Lady  Hamilton  to  Greville,  August  5,  1799.  Mrs. 
Cadogan  had  now  her  own  secretary.  Cf.  Tyson's  letter  to  Lady  H.  of  March 
23,  1800,  transcribed  by  Pettigrew,  vol.  i.  p.  319. 

'  Life  of  Nelson,  p.  197  (edition  1901). 


TRIUMPH  ONCE  MORE  287 

that  it  loved  were  thus  pleading  with  its  doubts  and 
anxieties,  vexation  also  spurred  him  into  irretrievable 
decision.  Lord  Keith's  interfering  summons  to  Minorca 
had  reached  him.^  These  orders  he  resented  and  dis- 
obeyed, as  he  had  so  often  disobeyed  unwarrantable  orders 
before.  Minorca  was  a  bagatelle  compared  with  the  big 
issues  now  at  stake,  and  Minorca,  moreover,  was  by  this 
time  comparatively  safe.  '  I  will  take  care,'  he  was  soon  to 
write, '  that  no  superior  fleet  shall  annoy  it,  but  many  other 
countries  are  entrusted  to  my  care.'  ^  Jacobinism,  the  French 
fleet — these  were  the  dangers  for  Britain  and  for  Europe. 
His  reply  was  that  the  '  best  defence'  was  to  'place  himself 
alongside  the  French.'  He  appealed  from  Lord  St. 
Vincent's  meddlesome  successor  to  Lord  St.  Vincent.  *  I 
cannot  think  myself  justified  in  exposing  the  world — 1 
may  almost  say — to  be  plundered  by  these  miscreants  .  .  . 
I  trust  your  lordship  will  not  think  me  wrong  ...  for 
agonised  indeed  was  the  mind  of  your  lordship's  faithful 
and  affectionate  servant'  These  were  no  sophistries,  and 
'wrong'  St.  Vincent  certainly  never  held  him.  It  was  not 
long  before  he  learned  that  Lord  Keith  himself  had  sailed 
in  search  of  the  fleet  which  that  blunderer  never  found. 
Nelson  still  believed  Naples  to  be  that  fleet's  objective, 
and  in  this  conviction  many  private  advices  supported  him. 
But  more  than  all,  his  resolve  to  vindicate  royalty  against 
Jacobinism  was  strengthened  by  the  fact  that  at  this  very 
moment  his  own,  and  Emma's,  grave  suspicions  concerning 
Cardinal  Ruffb's  pretended  loyalty  were  being  strikingly 
confirmed  by  new  and  startling  rumours ;  while  at  the 
same  time  another  Austrian  success  at  Spezzia  had  fortified 


^  Lord  Keith's  letter  is  dated  June  6,  Nelson's  reply  June  i6. 

2  Cf.  the  excerpt  in  Sotheby's  catalogue  of  July  8,  1905,  from  Nelson's 
letter  to  Erskine  so  late  as  August  2  of  1799.  But  even  on  July  23  he  had 
written  to  the  same  correspondent  that  as  Admiral  Duckworth  was  sailing  that 
day  for  Minorca,  he  trusted  that  the  island  would  be  'perfectly  safe,' and  that 
nothing  in  his  power  '  should  be  wanting  to  give  you  naval  security,  as  far  as 
other  very  important  objects  will  allow.'  On  July  19  he  had  actually  sent  part 
of  his  own  squadron  to  Lord  Keith.  '  If  the  Dons  should  gel  over  to  your 
island,  I  am  sure  you  will  give  a  good  account  of  them,  for  they  are  a  miserable 
set  of  soldiers,'  he  assured  Erskine.  Cf.  two  other  excerpts  of  the  above  dates 
in  the  same  catalogue. 


288  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

afresh  the  cause  of  loyalty.  He  discerned  the  moment  for 
reclaiming  the  hotbed  of  Jacobinism.  His  mind  was  fixed. 
He  would  go. 

On  June  13,  then,  he  embarked  the  young  Crown  Prince 
in  the  Foudroyant  and  hastened  off  once  again,  while  the 
Hamiltons  apparently  remained  behind.  The  King  had 
forbidden  the  Queen  to  revisit  the  scene  of  disgrace,  and 
reserved  his  own  appearance  for  the  necessity  which  Ruffo's 
double-dealing,  that  he  still  half-discredited,  might  entail.^ 
But  on  learning  definite  news  near  Maritimo  that  the  French 
fleet  in  full  force  had  at  length  got  out  of  Toulon,  and  was  now 
actually  bound  for  the  south  coast.  Nelson  at  once  tacked, 
and  once  more  returned  to  Palermo  to  gain  time  for  Ball's 
and  Duckworth's  further  reinforcements.  He  arrived  the 
next  day,  and,  to  the  Queen's  infinite  surprise,  landed  her 
son,  who  was  at  once  taken  by  her  to  his  father  at  Colli.- 
Though  Nelson  still  feared  for  Sicily,^  he  had  hoped  to 
have  re-departed  immediately,  but  calms  and  obstacles 
intervened.  Now  that  he  was  certain  of  his  mission,  he 
welcomed  the  company  and  invaluable  aid  of  the  Hamil- 
tons, whose  entreaties  had  overborne  his  consideration  for 
their  health  and  safety.  Yet  even  now  he  would  not  receive 
them  until  he  had  made  a  fourth  cruise  of  hurried  survey  and 
final  preparation  to  the  islands  of  Maritimo  and  Ustica.  He 
started,  therefore,  on  June  16,  but  five  mornings  afterwards 
he  again  heard  from  Hamilton  the  momentous  certainty  that 
Ruffo  had  dared  to  conclude  a  definite  armistice  with  the 
Neapolitan  rebels;*  while  he  also  learned  that  the  Jacobins 
were  bragging  that  his  return  to  Palermo  was  due  to  fear  of 
the  French  fleet.^  The  perfidy  of  the  Cardinal  and  the  insol- 
ence of  the  rebels  allowed  not  a  moment  to  be  lost.    Forth- 

^  Eg.  MS.  1616,  f.  27. — In  this  note  the  Queen  inquires  most  affectionately 
about  her  health.     '  Take  care  of  your  dear  self,'  etc. 

"  Cf.  the  Queen's  letter  to  Lady  H.,  Eg.  MS.  1616,  f.  27. 

^  The  Queen,  writing  to  Ruffo  on  June  14,  observes,  '  The  squadron  was 
superb,  beautiful,  imposing.'  She  ascribes  its  unexpected  and  disappointing 
return  to  Nelson's  necessity  for  guarding  Sicily  also,  since  '  the  French  fleet  had 
left  Toulon  and  was  heading  south  of  Italy.' 

^  Cf.  Hamilton's  letter  to  Nelson,  Add.  MS.  34,912,  ff.  3,  4  :  'Your  Lord- 
ship sees  that  what  we  suspected  of  Cardinal  Ruffo  has  proved  true,'  etc. — 
Hamilton  to  Nelson,  June  17,  1799. 

^  Nelson  to  Duckworth,  June  21. — Laughton,  p.  197. 


TRIUMPH  ONCE  MORE  289 

with  he  left  his  squadron  once  more  and  reached  Palermo 
in  the  afternoon,  A  council  was  immediately  held.  Ruffo, 
who,  despite  the  despatches  heralding  Nelson's  voyage, 
had  probably  counted  on  his  many  false  starts,  received  his 
last  peremptory  warning;^  the  Hamiltons,  in  the  full  flush 
of  excitement,  were  conveyed  on  board  the  Foiidroyant ; 
Nelson,  still  longing  for  that  unconscionable  fleet  and 
reinvested  by  the  King  with  unlimited  powers,-  started 
at  once  to  cancel  the  infamous  compact.  That  same  even- 
ing he  had  rejoined  his  command  off  Ustica.  By  noon  on 
the  22nd  the  united  squadron  weighed  anchor  for  Naples^ 
— 'stealing  on,'  wrote  Hamilton  to  Acton,  'with  light 
winds,'  and  'business  will  be  done.''* 

These  dates  and  details  have  been  minutely  followed,  as 
tending  to  establish  that  what  really  decided  Nelson's 
movements  was  the  dearest  wish  of  his  heart — the  honour 
and  interest  of  Great  Britain.  After  suppressing  the 
enemies  of  all  authority  and  order,  he  still  hoped  to  fall  in 
with  the  long-hunted  French  fleet,  and  to  deal  a  death-blow 
to  the  universal  enemy.^  All  along,  his  convictions  and 
motives  must  be  taken  into  account  before  the  tribunal  of 
history.  It  would  never  have  been  insinuated  that  he 
was  a  renegade  to  duty  in  making  Palermo  the  base  of  his 
many  operations,  and  the  Neapolitan  dynasty  the  touch- 
stone of  his  country's  cause,  if  Lady  Hamilton  had  not  been 
in  Sicily ;  in  Sicily  he  neither  tarried  nor  dallied.  To 
estimate  his  conduct,  one  should  inquire  if  his  policy 
could  have  been  called  dereliction  supposing  her  to  have 
been  eliminated  from  its  scene.  And  what  applies  to  him 
in  these  matters  henceforward  applies  to  Emma,  whose 
whole  soul  is  fast  becoming  coloured  by  his.     For  a  space 

*  Cf.  the  King's  letter  to  Ruffo  of  June  21. — Dumas,  v.  p.  256. 

^  Several  original  documents  concerning  these  are  cited  by  Mr.  Gulteridge, 
pp.  82-88.  I  will  quote  a  single  sentence  only.  The  King,  writing  on  June  27 
to  Ruffo,  says  with  angry  significance,  '  You  will  have  conformed  to  Lord  Nelson. 
Otherwise  that  would  be  equivalent  to  declaring  yourself  a  rebel.' — Eg.  MS. 
2640,  f  278. 

•*  Gutteridge,  Nos.  xxxix-lix. 

*  'Off  Ustica  12  o'clock.'  Affari  Esteri,  iii.  624;  cited  by  Gutteridge, 
No.  Ixxv. 

^  On  June  25  he  had  concerted  a  dchnilc  line  of  battle  with  Duckworth. 
Cf.  Laughton's  Despatches,  p.  199. 

T 


290  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

she  must  now  act  a  minor,  though  by  no  means,  as  will  soon 
appear,  a  supernumerary  part,  as  his  colleague  in  the  real 
tragedy  that  now  opens  before  us. 

Thus  at  last  he,  with  the  Hamiltons,  set  sail  on  an  errand 
which  has  constantly  been  described  as  tarnishing  his  fame. 

Mr.  Gutteridge's  scholarlike  and  impartial  review  of  all 
the  intricate  facts  and  documents  ^  has  proved  that  Nelson 
neither  exceeded  his  powers  nor  violated  his  conscience. 
In  championing  the  royal  house  of  Naples  he  was  as 
entirely  consistent  with  the  declared  policy  of  his  country 
as  with  his  own  convictions.  His  error,  if  any,  was  one  of 
judgment.  In  rebellions  clemency  is  often  the  best  policy, 
and  proscription  is  always  the  worst.  Happy  indeed  would 
it  have  been  for  Naples,  and  for  Nelson,  if  during  the  next 
two  months  the  King  had  not  intervened  as  director,  in- 
quisitor, and  hangman,  if  the  Queen's  wishes  and  Emma's 
had  prevailed. 

Before  the  Fotidroj/ant  proceeds  further,  let  us  glance  at 
the  intervening  events  in  Naples, 

In  that  citadel  of  turbulence  much  had  again  happened, 
and  was  happening  to  the  court's  knowledge,  ere  Nelson 
weighed  anchor  at  Palermo,  Before  May  even,  the  suc- 
cessful blockade  of  Corfu  by  the  Russians  and  Turks  had 
largely  cleared  Ruffo's  conquering  course.  The  Austrians 
and  Russians  had  prepared  to  drive  the  French  from  Upper 
Italy,  In  May,  General  Macdonald  had  already  beaten  a 
skilful  retreat  to  the  Po,  leaving  only  a  small  detachment 
behind  him  to  garrison  the  Neapolitan  and  Capuan  castles, 
Benvenuto  had  welcomed  the  loyalists.  By  early  June  the 
Cardinal,  close  to  the  city,  had  succeeded  in  intercepting  all 
communications  by  land.  Schipani,  a  royalist  officer  of  dis- 
tinction, had  disembarked  his  troops  at  Torre  Annunziata. 
The  Republican  fleet,  commanded  by  the  treacherous 
Admiral  Caracciolo,  had  sneaked  off  and  avoided  a  meet- 
ing ;    while  that   same   double-dyed   traitor^ — despatched 

^  Nelson  and  the  Neapolitan  Jacobins,  published  by  the  Navy  Records  Society, 
1904. 

'^  So  early  as  April  29  Nelson  had  told  Lord  Spencer,  in  a  despatch,  that  the 
fishermen  had  cried  out  to  Caracciolo :  '  We  believe  you  are  loyal  and  sent  by 
the  King.  But,  much  as  we  love  you,  if  wc  find  you  disloyal,  you  shall  be 
among  the  first  to  fall.' — Cf.  Laughton,  p.  191. 


TRIUMPH  ONCE  MORE  291 

not  three  months  ago  on  a  loyal  mission  by  the  monarch 
whom  he  had  flattered — had  even  fired  on  his  old  flagship, 
the  Minerva} 

By  the  13th  of  June — amid  the  solemn  rites  of  the 
Lazzaroni's  other  patron,  St.  Antonio — Ruffo,  with  his  mis- 
cellaneous forty  thousand,  gave  battle  on  the  side  of  Ponte 
Delia  Maddalena,  and  won.  Duke  Roccomana,  the  people's 
old  favourite,  was  now  one  of  his  generals,  and  the  popu- 
lace, tired  of  bloodshed  and  the  '  patriots,' rejoiced  at  the 
hope  of  a  royal  restoration.  The  young  Pepe,  a  boy- 
prisoner,  has  left  an  account  of  the  terrible  scenes  that  he 
witnessed.  He  saw  the  wretched  captives,  stripped  and 
streaming  with  blood,  being  dragged  along  to  confinement 
in  the  public  granary  by  the  bridge.  He  heard  the  Lazza- 
roni,  'who  used  to  look  so  honest,  and  to  melt  as  their 
mountebanks  recited  the  woes  of  "  Rinaldo,"  shrieking  and 
howling.'  He  watched  the  clergy  whipping  the  rabble 
with  their  words,  till  they  threw  stones  at  the  miserable 
prisoners.  Some  of  them  Ruffo  had  to  protect  from  brutal 
assaults.  These  were  thrown  into  hospitals,  all  filth  and 
disorder ;  while  others  feigned  insanity  to  gain  even  this 
doubtful  privilege.  He  beheld  Vincenzo  Ruvo,  the  '  Cato ' 
of  the  '  patriots,'  and  Jerocades,  their  '  Father,'  bruised  and 
bound ;  and  he  marked,  huddled  and  draggled  among  their 
comrades,  the  *  four  poets,'  feebly  striving  to  animate  their 
starved  spirits  by  snatches  of  broken  song.  He  learned 
that  the  Castellamare  garrison  had  also  succumbed,  but, 
above  all,  that  Ruffo  and  Micheroux,  the  shifty  '  commis- 
sioner'  of  his  Russian  allies,  were  at  last  willing  to  grant 
a  demand  expressed  by  some  of  the  '  patriots  '  for  a  '  truce  ' 
so  as  to  end  this  pandemonium,-  and  to  arrange  some 
terms  of  'capitulation'  for  the  castles  still  in  'patriot' 
occupation.  Terms  of  any  kind  the  Lazzaroni,  on  their 
side,  vehemently  resisted,  and  they  even  accused  Ruffo  of 
caballing  to  place  his  own  brother  on  the  throne.^  Nelson's 
own  views  of  such  unsanctioned  capitulation  had  already 

'  Cf.  Laughton,  p.  201,  Nelson's  own  statement. 

'  Pepe,  Memoirs^  pp.  65-icX). 

"  Cf.  Hamilton  to  Acton,  June  21,  Eg.  MS.  2640,  f.  263.  Krancescn  Ruffo, 
inspector  of  forces  and  finance.  He  was  arrested  after  liic  reduction  of  Naples, 
but  was,  however,  reinstated  in  favour  and  office  as  Minister  of  War. 


292  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

been  strikingly  exemplified  by  his  manifesto  at  Malta  in 
the  previous  October — a  point  to  which  special  attention 
should  be  drawn.  Capitulation  the  French  still  stoutly 
rejected.  Mejean,  commandant  of  the  French  garrison  in 
St.  Elmo,  still  defended  the  dominating  fortress,  from 
which  RufFo  would  now  have  to  dislodge  him  at  the  risk 
of  the  town's  destruction.^  Their  single  hope  was  for  a 
glimpse  of  the  French  fleet,  which  was  as  much  the  object 
of  their  yearning  as  Nelson's.  Counting  on  this,  in  their 
sore  straits  they  had  refused  every  conciliatory  overture. 
Counting  on  this  again,  Mejean's  aim  was  to  gain  time  by  the 
threat  that  he  would  fire  on  the  town  unless  Ruffo  forbore 
to  attack  him.  When  on  June  24  the  first  sight  of  Nelson's 
ships  was  descried  in  the  distance,  the  '  patriots '  cheered 
to  the  echo.  They  deemed  it  was  St.  Louis  to  the  rescue. 
To  their  dismay  it  proved  St.  George. 

Micheroux's  name,  Ruffo's  truce,  and  Nelson's  arrival  must 
recall  us  to  what  Captain  Foote  of  the  Seahorse  had  been 
doing  in  the  interval.  He  seems  to  have  been  a  rather 
stupid,  though  a  most  honourable  seaman.  His  powers 
had  been  strictly  limited.  He,  like  Troubridge,  was  a 
suppressor  of  rebellion.  He  was  to  co-operate  with  the 
Russians  in  the  Neapolitan  blockade.  He  must  have 
known  almost  as  well  as  Ruffo — who  had  now  for  the 
fourth  time  been  warned  by  his  sovereign — that  since  the 
insurgents  had  rejected  initial  offers,  no  armistice  was  to 
be  entered  into  whatever."  In  the  event,  Ruffo  and  the 
Russians  duped  him. 

Already,  on  June  13  and  14,  Foote  had  been  assisting 
Ruffo  and  his  generals  in  a  series  of  battles  on  the  coast, 
all   of  which    had    proved    decisive   discomfitures   for   the 

*  In  a  despatch  to  Lord  Grenville  of  August  4,  Hamilton  recorded  that 
Ruffo  told  him  that  but  for  the  'treaty,'  Naples  would  have  been  'a  heap 
of  stones.' 

-  The  Queen  had  written  to  him  on  June  14  that  'there  must  be  no  treaty.' 
With  the  French  commissioners  he  might  treat,  but  never  with  'rebel  vassals.' 
'  The  King  will  pardon  them  out  of  kindness,  and  reduce  their  punishment,  but 
he  will  never  capitulate  or  enter  into  capitulations  with  guilty  rebels,  and  would 
not  stoop  to  bargain  with  such  low,  contemptible  scoundrels.' — Gutteridge,  p.  87. 
Cf.  also  the  Queen's  letter  to  Lady  Hamilton,  cited  by  Pettigrew,  vol.  i.  p.  233 ; 
Hamilton's  letter  to  Acton  (Gutteridge,  p.  214),  and  Acton's  letters  to  Hamilton 
(Eg.  MS.  2640,  f.  267),  and  Nelson's  to  Duckworth  (Gutteridge,  p.  216). 


TRIUMPH  ONCE  MORE  293 

rebels.  Throughout,  Ruffo  kept  informing  Foote  of  his 
fears  lest  the  Franco- Hispanian  fleet  should  be  on  them 
like  a  thief  in  the  night.  He  dreaded  the  consequences, 
and  it  would  be  far  wiser,  he  assured  him,  to  gain  time 
by  some  armistice.  The  Cardinal  also  dreaded  the  results 
of  the  mob-violence  displayed  in  those  awful  scenes  on 
the  Ponte  Maddalena.  '  The  duty,'  he  informed  Acton 
on  June  21,  just  before  the  capitulations  were  signed, 
'  of  controlling  a  score  of  uneducated  and  subordinate 
chiefs,  all  intent  on  plunder,  murder,  and  violence,  is  so 
terrible  and  complicated,  that  it  is  absolutely  beyond 
my  powers.  ...  If  the  surrender  of  the  two  castles  is 
obtained,  I  hope  to  restore  complete  quiet.' ^  He  used  the 
imminence  of  the  P'rench  fleet  (which  never  appeared)  as  a 
bogey  to  frighten  his  coadjutors,  and  the  imminence  of  his 
own  attack  on  St.  Elmo  as  a  lever  for  persuading  the 
French  commandant  into  assent.  All  along,  by  his  own 
self-extenuation,"^  his  excuse  for  contravening  his  strict 
injunctions  was  fear,  and  fear  alone.  His  position  in  the 
hour  of  victory  was  one  of  pure  panic.  Two  days  before  the 
unauthorised  capitulations  were  declared,  Foote  had  off"ered 
an  asylum  on  board  the  Seahorse  to  the  garrison  of  the  Del 
Uovo  Castle,  then  about  to  be  stormed.  The  '  patriots'  had 
answered  with  an  indignant  negative  :  '  We  want  the  indi- 
visible Republic  ;  for  the  Republic  we  will  die  ! — Eloignez- 
vous,  citoyens,  vite,  vite,vite !'  On  June  18  Ruffo  himself 
acquainted  Foote  that  St.  Elmo  must  be  assailed.  '  Capitu- 
lation,' he  added,  'was  out  of  the  question.'  He  had 
previously  told  him  that  the  French  would  never  sur- 
render to  an  ecclesiastic.  And  yet,  on  the  very  next  day, 
this  reynard  concocted  the  '  capitulations,'  both  with  the 
P>ench  M^jean  at  St.  Elmo  and  with  the  Neapolitan 
'  patriots'  of  the  lower  castles,  whose  discretion,  with  equal 
suddenness,  had  turned  the  better  part  of  their  valour. 
The  separate  arrangement  with  the  P'rench  he  delegated^ 

'  Cf.  Gutteridge,  p.  152. 

'^  Cf.  Sacchinelli,  Afeiiion'e  storiche  snlla  vita  del  Cardbiak  F.  l\u[To,  pp.  251 
ct  seq, 

•*  Cf.  the  documciUs  cited  fri)m  llic  archives  by  CiuUeridge,  pp.  146  et  seq. 
On  June  21  Ruffo  wrote  to  ^Vcton  that  the  lower  castles  were  '  on  the  point  of 
surrendering  to  (he  Russians  and  Chevalier  Micheroux'  (No.  IxL). 


294  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

to    Micheroux,  commissioner  for  the  Russians,   himself  a 
thorough-paced  adventurer. 

Into  the  tortuous  though  interesting  windings  of  these 
negotiations,  now  with  Mejean,  now  with  the  '  patriot ' 
leaders,  concerning  the  ultimate  'capitulation,'  I  cannot 
here  enter.  They  were  as  various  as  they  were  numerous,^ 
and  the  clue  to  them  is  perhaps  found  in  a  desire  to  include 
both  the  French  garrison  and  the  'patriots'  under  identical 
terms.  Mejean  had  no  particular  wish  either  to  be  shelled 
or  himself  to  open  fire  on  the  town  ;  and  he  awaited  the 
French  squadron  with  confidence.  If  the  'patriots'  could, 
in  the  meantime,  secure  the  honourable  terms  to  which  a 
surrendering  enemy  was  entitled,  they  would  be  more  than 
satisfied.  Moreover,  one  of  the  Cardinal's  relatives,  and 
Micheroux's  own  brother,  together  with  many  dignitaries, 
had  taken  refuge  in  the  lower  castles  of  Uovo  and  Nuovo — 
a  fact  which  supplied  still  another  motive ;  among  these 
was  Caracciolo  himself,  who,  however,  fled  immediately,  and 
was  never  included  in  the  eventual  terms  of  capitulation.- 
Trickery  signalised  every  step  of  these  diplomacies.  Col- 
lusion was  attended  by  excuse,  and  excuse  begat  fresh 
collusion.  Mejean  seemed  quite  ready  to  sacrifice  the 
'  patriots.'  The  '  patriots '  had  little  thought  for  Mejean. 
Ruffo,  as  '  Mr.  Facing-both-ways,'  wheedled  and  chicaned 
them  both,  in  his  eagerness  for  delay  and  his  miscalculated 
terror  over  the  Franco  -  Hispanian  squadron's  approach. 
The  evasions  both  of  the  rebel  and  the  loyalist  chiefs 
rivalled  the  excesses  of  the  Lazzaroni  rabble.  On  the  21st 
the  various  foreign  representatives  had  signed,  and,  after 
much  hesitation,  Mejean  ;  by  the  23rd  Captain  Foote  also, 
who  depended  entirely  on  the  representations  of  Ruffo, 
while  Micheroux,  signed  last,  and  under  protest. 

The  document  itself  was  most  peculiar,  considering  the 
conditions  of  hostile  and  insurgent  garrisons  in  the  face  of 
a  successful  conqueror.      It  was,  in  fact,  a  double  agree- 

^  Cf.  Foote's  'Statement.' — Gutteridge,  pp.  243  et  seg. 

•^  On  June  21  the  Queen  wrote  to  Ruffo :  '  I  deeply  regret  the  flight  of 
Caracciolo,  believing  that  such  a  pirate  on  the  high  seas  may  be  dangerous,' 
etc. — Gutteridge,  No.  Ixviii.  This  most  important  fact  appears  from  Hamilton's 
despatch  to  Lord  Granville  of  August  4,  to  which  reference  has  already  been 
made  in  a  note. 


TRIUMPH  ONCE  MORE  295 

ment — both  an  'armistice'  and  a  capitulation.  It  should 
be  remembered  that  it  applied  not  only  to  the  Neapolitan 
castles,  but  also  to  the  fortress  of  Gaeta,  while  Capua  had 
already  set  the  precedent  by  formulating  its  own  terms  of 
surrender.  And  thus,  on  RufTo's  part,  it  was  a  breach  of 
faith  with  the  Austrian  Court,  as  well  as  with  his  own. 
One  must  feel  for  the  '  patriots  '  in  the  mass,  since  the  fraud 
was  the  fraud  of  a  few,  and  was  practised  on  many  of 
themselves.  One  must  condemn  the  violence  of  the  mob, 
for  it  was  j^eneral  and  indiscriminate.  But  both  the 
duplicity  and  the  brutality  were  the  outcome  of  the  two 
despotisms  which  had  so  long  been  pitted  against  each 
other.  In  the  main  one  might  perhaps  apply  to  both  sides 
Gibbon's  sentence  about  another  conflict — '  What  does  it 
matter  whether  dog  eats  hog,  or  hog  eats  dog  ? '  Nor 
should  it  be  forgotten  that,  as  already  noticed,  Ferdinand 
himself  had  no  objection  to  treat  with  the  French,  if  only 
they  would  hand  over  St.  Elmo  to  the  loyalists.  What 
he  had  strictly  and  constantly  forbidden  was  any  sort 
of  capitulation  for  the  rebels.  And  lastly  it  should  be 
emphasised  that,  since  on  a  previous  occasion  the  rebels 
had  broken  a  concluded  truce,  they  might  well  repeat  that 
perfidy.  It  was  only  '  straits'  that  now  constrained  them 
to  make  one  at  all.  Mutual  jealousies  and  mutual  hopes 
restrained  or  urged  them  by  turns  in  thus  making  common 
cause  with  the  French  garrison.^ 

Roughly  speaking,  the  respective  terms,  both  of  the 
armistice  and  of  the  capitulations  to  which  it  was  an  express 
prelude,  were  these : 

The  armistice  provided  for  a  truce  of  twenty-one  days, 
after  the  expiry  of  which,  both  the  French  and  the  'patriot' 
garrisons,  if  luirelicved,  were  to  be  conveyed  away  at  the 
King's  expense'^  to  Toulon,  or  places  of  safety.  The  words 
italicised  are  most  material.  No  wonder  that  Foote  found 
them  '  very  favourable  to  the  Republicans,'  though  he  based 
his  consent  on  the  express  grounds  that  Ruffo  was  Viceroy, 
and  that  St.  Elmo  could  not  '  with  propriety  be  attacked  ' 

'  Acton  to  Hamilton,  June  23,  Eg.  MS.  2640,  f.  265.  On  June  26  they 
broke  the  armistice  again.     Cf.  Diario  Napoletano. 

*  Cf.  RufTo's  letter  of  June  20  lo  Foote,  transcribed  liy  Gutteridge,  No.  lix. 


296  EMMA.  LADY  HAMILTON 

till  the  uncertainty  as  to  the  Toulonese  fleet  was  disposed 
of.i 

Nelson,  however,  took  a  much  stronger  view  of  this 
transaction.  All  armistices  were  reciprocal;  if  ett/ier  party 
were  'relieved'  or  succoured  within  a  given  time,  a  status 
quo  must  result.  This  armistice,  however,  provided,  and 
on  the  most  monstrous  conditions,  for  the  interruption  of 
hostilities  pending  the  mere  chance  of  the  enemy  being 
relieved.  If  the  French  fleet  had  appeared  instead  of  his, 
no  one  could  suppose  that  the  rebels  would  keep  their  word. 
If,  on  the  other  hand,  the  King's  army  were,  as  it  was  now 
being,  '  relieved  '  by  the  British  squadron,  the  truce  was  ipso 
facto  determined.  The  very  presence  of  Nelson's  ships, 
therefore,  annulled  this  armistice.- 

So  much  for  the  truce.     Now  for  the  capitulations. 

On  the  delivery  of  the  forts,  the  troops,  both  French  and 
Neapolitan,  were  to  remain  until  polaccas  were  furnished 
for  their  safe-conduct.  They  were  then  all  to  march  out 
with  the  honours  of  war.  Should  they  prefer  it,  they  were 
granted  the  option  of  remaining  '  unmolested '  at  Naples 
instead  of  proceeding  by  sea.  These  terms  were  to  comprise 
all  prisoners  of  war.  All  hostages  were  to  be  freed,  but  the 
royalists  must  allow  Micheroux's  brother,  the  Bishop  of 
Avellino,  and  the  Archbishop  of  Salerno,  to  remain  in 
St,  Elmo  and  in  Mejean's  hands,  as  securities  for  the  due 
performance  of  the  compact.  Every  condition  was  subject 
to  the  French  Mejean's  approval.  '  They  demand,'  wrote 
the  raging  Queen,  in  her  indignant  comments,^  not  '  the 
approval  of  their  sovereign,  but  the  approval  of  a  small 
number  of  Frenchmen.  .  .  .  What  an  absurdity  to  give 
hostages  as  though  we  were  the  conquered  ! '  * 

This  luckless  treaty  it  was,  and  this  alone,  that  provoked 
the  horrors  of  royal  vengeance,  for  it  converted  the  rebels 
of  Naples  into  a  foreign  enemy.  By  insisting  on  amnesty 
as  a  right,  by  leaguing  with  the  common  foe,  by  rejecting 

'  Cf.  Ruffo's  letter,  transcribed  by  Gutteridge,  No.  l.\. 

^  Laughton's  Z'^j'/iz/ir/^^i-,  pp.  197,  198.  ^  Add.  MS.  30,999,  f.  84. 

*  Cf.  besides  the  evidence  aheady  adduced,  the  Queen's  letter  to  Ruffo  of 
June  21  [Arckivio  Storico,  vol.  v.  p.  575,  Gutteridge,  No.  Ixviii. ). — 'I  am  truly 
grieved  that  the  obstinate  Patriots  have  refused  to  surrender  after  proclamations 
offering  clemency,'  etc. 


TRIUMPH  ONCE  MORE  297 

more  than  one  previous  offer  of  clemency,^  by  demanding 
their  very  utmost,  they  forfeited  the  least  right  to  a 
grace  which,  however,  it  would  have  been  far  better  in 
equity  to  have  accorded.  Ruffo,  by  owning  himself  unable 
to  govern,  by  his  helplessness  to  stem  the  riotous  anarchy 
of  vanquishers  maddened  by  the  suspicion  of  a  second 
betrayal  to  the  French,  by  his  oblique  manoeuvres,  by  his 
open  breaches  of  royal  trust,  endangered  not  only  himself 
but  the  countrymen  whom  he  had  so  bravely  led,  and  whom 
even  now  he  professed  to  benefit. 

Such  was  the  state  of  affairs  when  Nelson,  rounding  the 
Posilippo  point  with  his  forty  ships,  sailed  into  the  bay, 
drew  up  his  fleet  facing  the  harbour,-  and  eyed  the  white 
flags  flying  from  the  castle  towers.  The  Foudroyant  was 
hailed  as  an  ark  after  the  deluge.  The  quay  was  thronged 
with  cheering  loyalists.  Ruffo,  however,  looking  out  from 
the  royal  villa,  seemed  ill  at  ease.  The  Russians,  too,  were 
by  no  means  pleased,  as  they  had  reckoned  on  reaping  the 
sole  credit  of  a  clever  pacification.  The  poor  'patriots' 
skulked  and  trembled  in  their  fortresses.  By  night  the 
whole  city  was  all  joy  and  illuminations,  for  Naples  during 
the  last  few  years  had  proved  a  kaleidoscope  of  massacre 
and  merry-making.  Not  a  minute  was  wasted  by  Nelson. 
With  the  help  of  Hamilton  and  Emma,  as  advisers  and 
translators,  he  drafted  his  opinion  ^  of  these  '  nefarious  trans- 
actions,' and  forthwith  despatched  it  to  Ruffo.  The  Queen 
had  already  counselled  the  Admiral  to  demand  a  '  voluntary 
surrender'  before  having  recourse  to  arms.*  This  he  at 
once  proposed  in  a  memorandum  to  Ruffo,  calling  first  on 
the  French  to  surrender  within  twenty-four  hours,  when 
they  should  be  safely  conducted  to  France;  but  'as  for 
the  rebels  and  traitors,  no  power  on  earth  shall  stand 
between  the  King  and  them.'  The  Hamiltons  read  and 
explained  it  to  the  Cardinal,  who  as  promptly  rejected  it. 

1  Gutteridge,  p.  165. 

■■^  'An  attractive  and  magnificent  spectacle,'  says  the  contemporary  Diario 
Napolctaiio,  cited  by  Gutteridge,  pp.  iSi  f/  se(/. 

^  Laughlon's  Despatches,  pp.  197  ei  seq.  ;  Diario  Napolctano,  cited  by 
Gutteridge. 

•*  Gutteridge  (as  alcove),  No.  Iwiii.,  and  llelfert,  p.  578;  the  Queen  to  tbe 
Empress  (same  date). 


298  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

Nelson  immediately  notified  his  annulment  of  the  armistice 
(as  self-stultifying),  of  the  capitulations  (as  preposterous), 
and  of  both  as  wholly  unauthorised  and  unbinding.  The 
supple  Cardinal  had  not  only  exceeded  his  commission,  he 
had  violated  his  directions  and  broken  his  word.  Early 
next  morning  Rufifo,  all  'compliments'  and  confusion, 
visited  the  Foudroyant  to  confer  with  Nelson.  During 
the  whole  of  this  interview  the  Hamiltons  were  present, 
Emma  acting  as  interpretress.  The  Cardinal  insisted  on 
theoretic  distinctions  between  the  armistice  and  capitula- 
tions. Nelson  flatly  repudiated  such  subtleties.  Whatever 
name  labelled  these  iniquitous  arrangements,  they  were 
rank  treason,  he  said,  and  must  be  cancelled.  An 
Admiral,  he  added,  was  no  match  in  such  matters  for  a 
Cardinal.^ 

All  that  day  of  June  25,  letters,  conferences,  intrigues, 
bluff  of  every  description,  passed  on  all  sides  except 
Nelson's.  From  Palermo,  Acton,  confused  by  incomplete 
tidings,  wrote  no  less  than  four  letters.  The  foreign 
signatories  entered  a  formal  protest  against  the  capi- 
tulations. Mejean  threatened  to  bombard  the  town  from 
St.  Elmo  ;  and  he  told  Micheroux  that  if  hostilities  re- 
commenced, he  would  not  be  answerable  for  consequences. 
Massa,  the  '  patriot  '-commander,  remonstrated  both  with 
Ruffo  and  Mejean,  adding  that  he  would  not  be  intimidated  ; 
at  the  same  time  he  requested  Mejean's  support  should  the 
people  issue  from  the  castles.  The  whole  of  Naples  lay 
between  two  fires,  that  of  the  French  and  that  of  the 
English.  By  late  evening  Ruffo  himself  besought  Nelson 
for  troops,  in  case  Mejean  should  execute  (as  he  did) 
his  threat  of  a  cannonade.^  And  yet  by  that  night  the 
two  smaller  castles  held  by  the  patriots  had  uncondition- 
ally^ surrendered.  The  royal  colours  streamed  from  their 
turrets.      The    Deputies   ('  Eletti '),   to    whom    the    Queen 

'  Nelson  to  Keith,  June  27,  1799;  transcribed  by  (hilteridge  from  the 
P.R.O.,  p.  264. 

'•^  Cf.  Gutteridge,  pp.  218-229  ;  Add.  MS.  34,944,  f.  248 ;  Eg.  MS.  2640, 
ff.  269,  271,  287  ;  Sacchinelli,  passim.  The  garrisons  had  already  been 
counselled  to  retire  ;  Add.  MS.  24,912,  f.  151. 

"  This  will  be  established  in  the  succeeding  pages. 


TRIUMPH  ONCE  MORE  299 

always  ascribed  the  root  of  the  mischief,^  had  scurried  off.- 
Feux  de  joie  blazed  in  all  the  streets,  and  from  every 
window,  side  by  side,  waved  the  British  and  Neapolitan 
flags. 

In  the  meantime  neither  had  Emma's  energy  been 
dormant  ;  she  did  more  than  copy,  and  interpret,  and 
translate  the  patois.  She  was  a  woman  of  action.  Her 
enthusiasm  spread  among  the  common  people,  who  adored 
her.  She  conjured  with  the  Queen's  name: — 'I  had 
privily  seen  all  the  Loyal  party,  and  having  the  head 
of  the  Lazzaronys  an  old  friend,  he  came  in  the  night  of 
our  arrival,  and  told  me  he  had  90  thousand  Lazeronis  \sic\ 
ready,  at  the  holding  up  of  his  finger,  but  only  twenty 
with  arms.  Lord  Nelson,  to  whom  I  enterpreted,  got  a 
large  supply  of  arms  for  the  rest,  and  they  were  deposited 
with  this  man.  In  the  mean  time  the  Calabreas  \sic\ 
were  comiting  murders ;  the  bombs  we  sent  .  .  .  were  re- 
turned, and  the  city  in  confusion.  I  sent  for  this  Pali, 
the  head  of  tJu  Lazeroni,  and  told  him,  in  great  confidence, 
that  the  King  wou'd  be  soon  at  Naples,  and  that  all  that 
we  required  of  him  was  to  keep  the  city  quiet  for  ten  days 
from  that  moment.  We  gave  him  only  one  hundred  of 
our  marine  troops.  He  with  these  brave  men  kept  all  the 
town  in  order  .  .  .  and  he  is  to  Jiave  promotion.  I  have 
thro'  him  made  "the  Queen's  party,"  and  the  people  have 
prayed  for  her  to  come  back,  and  she  is  now  very  popular. 
I  send  her  every  night  a  messenger  to  Palermo,  with  all 
the  news  and  letters,  and  she  gives  me  the  orders  the  same 
[way].  I  have  given  audiences  to  those  of  her  party,  and 
settled  matters  between  the  nobility  and  Her  Majesty. 
She  is  not  to  see  on  her  arrival  any  of  her  former  evil 
counsellors,  nor  the  women  of  fashion,  alltho'  Ladys  of  the 
Bedchamber,  formerly  her  friends  and  companions,  who 
did  her  dishonour  by  their  desolute  \sic\  life,  yi//,  all  is 
changed.  She  has  been  very  tinfortiinate ;  but  she  is  a 
good  woman,  and  has  sense  enough  to  profit  by  her  past 
unhappiness,  and  will  make  for  the  future  avicndc  honorable 

'  Cf.  the  Queen's  letter  to  Latly  Hamilton,  June  25,  transcriljeil  by  Peltigrew, 
vol.  i.  p.  233  ;  Gutteridge,  p.  210. 

"  Diario  Napoktano,  cited  by  Gutteridge,  p.  184. 


300  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

for  the  past.  In  short,  if  I  can  judge,  it  may  turn  out 
fortunate  that  the  Neapolitans  have  had  a  dose  of 
Republicanism.  .  .  .  P.S. — It  wou'd  be  a  charity  to  send  me 
some  things  ;  for  in  saving  all  for  my  dear  and  royal  friend, 
I  lost  my  little  all.     Never  mind.'^ 

Bravo !  Emma,  rash  organiser  and  populariser  of  the 
Queen's  party,  bold  equipper  and  encourager  of  Pali  the 
Lazzaroni,  who,  when  the  King  at  last  came  to  his  own 
again,  brought  all  his  ninety  thousand  men  to  welcome  him 
at  sea.  We  shall  hearken  to  Emma  again  ere  long.  For 
the  present,  the  recital  of  sterner  events  must  be  resumed. 

The  plot,  then,  to  place  Naples  at  the  mercy  of  the 
French  had  been  foiled.  The  question  that  was  to 
convulse  the  city  on  the  following  day  was.  On  what  terms 
had  the  castles  surrendered  ? 

It  is  most  important  in  tracing  the  difficulties  of  the 
next  few  days,  to  distinguish  between  the  two  separate 
cases  of  the  armistice  with  the  French  in  St.  Elmo  and  the 
capitulations  with  the  '  patriots '  in  the  two  lower  castles. 
Some  of  the  rebels  were  already  contriving  to  escape; 
many  of  them  soon  succeeded  in  doing  so  with  such  boats 
as  lay  to  hand.  Would  Nelson  be  likely  to  reconsider  any 
of  the  now  cancelled  clauses  of  the  patriots'  capitulation  ? 
And  would  he  forbear  from  attacking  St.  Elmo  itself 
notwithstanding  his  non-recognition  of  the  armistice? 
In  exacting  the  unconditional  surrender  of  the  rebels 
he  had  never  wavered,^  despite  the  shifty  shilly-shally- 
ings  of  Ruffo.  But  it  will  be  found  that,  for  the  sake 
of  the  town's  quietude,  and  pending  some  authoritative 
declaration  of  the  King's  pleasure  (possibly  recalling 
Ruffo  ^),  he  did  now  temporarily  desist  from  a  siege.     This 

^  Morrison  MS.  411.     To  Greville,  Fotidroyant,  July  19,  1799. 

^  On  June  25  he  wrote  to  Duckworth  that  he  '  differed  wholly  from  the 
Cardinal.'  'I  say  the  rebels  shan't  go  to  Toulon.'  He  wants  'to  save'  the 
houses  of  Naples  even  before  the  'sovereign's  honour.'  On  the  same  day  his 
proclamation  will  not  allow  the  rebels  to  'quit  or  embark.'  They  must 
'  surrender  to  the  royal  mercy.'  Cf.  Desp.  in.,  pp.  3S6,  388;  Gutteridge,  pp. 
91,  92.  On  June  26  he  recorded  his  opinion  that  the  capitulation  entered  into 
with  the  rebels  cannot  be  executed  without  the  King's  approval. 

^  Cf.  generally,  Hamilton  to  Grenville,  July  14,  1799  ;  P.R.O.,  Sic.  Papers, 
P-  399  ;  Gutteridge,  p.  309.  Then  so  late  as  June  24  the  royalties  were  not 
convinced  that  Ruftb's  misfeasance  was  designed.     Cf.  the  Queen's  letter  to 


TRIUMPH  ONCE  MORE  301 

distinction  between  two  different  sets  of  conditions  is  most 
material,  since  those  who  have  not  investigated  the  docu- 
ments have  assumed  and  often  asserted  that  on  June  26 
Nelson  went  back  on  his  plighted  promise.  What  seems, 
however,  to  have  happened  is,  that  both  the  time-serving 
Ruffo  and  the  wily  Micheroux  so  twisted  these  two  separate 
cases  together  as  to  persuade  the  '  patriots '  that  the 
surrender  of  their  castles  on  the  verge  of  a  renewed  armistice 
with  the  French  revived  the  original  terms  of  their  old 
capitulations.^ 

From  a  mass  of  complicated  documents  the  situation 
can  be  clearly  discerned.  Mcjean's  one  thought  was  for 
his  own  garrison.  Capua  still  held  out,  and  till  it  fell 
he  disdained  to  surrender.  His  threats  to  bombard  the 
town  embarrassed  Nelson  alike  and  Ruffo ;  and,  indeed, 
they  were  more  than  threats,  for  an  intermittent  fire  from 
St.  Elmo  nightly  terrified  Naples.-  He  was  a  bully,  and  he 
thought  he  could  intimidate  Nelson  into  compliance.  The 
'  patriots  '  in  the  castles  Uovo  and  Nuovo,  however,  only 
wanted  to  hold  Nelson  to  their  own  separate  capitulations 
and  thus  ensure  their  own  escape.'  They  sought  to  induce 
Mejean  to  hang  the  royalist  '  hostages  '  in  St.  Elmo,  unless 
the  capitulatory  clauses  were  carried  out.  They  feared  that 
Nelson  might  (as  for  a  space  he  did)  restrict  the  armistice 
to  St.  Elmo  alone.  The  conduct  of  both  French  and 
'  patriots  '  during  these  hours  of  suspense  was  purely  selfish  : 
both  tried  to  save  their  own  skins.  Mejean  himself,  even 
while  he  defied  Nelson,  was  not  above  the  possibility  of 
a  bribe.  And,  amid  all  these  meannesses,  Micheroux  and 
Ruffo  were  the  meanest  of  all.     There  seems  little  doubt 

L;uly  Ilamillon,  Eg.  MS.  l6l6,  f.  34.  On  June  25,  however,  she  wrote  about 
Ruffo,  complaining  that  he  said  next  to  nothing  about  the  treaty,  and  declaring 
that  Naples  must  be  treated  as  if  a  rebel  Irish  town.  Cited  Pettigrew,  vol.  i. 
p.  233.  On  the  same  day  the  King  commends  '  his  capital  to  the  brave  and 
loyal  Lord  Nelson,'  and  adds  that  Ruffo  and  Pignatelli  are  surrounded  by 
scoundrels.  Eg.  MS.  2640,  f.  269.  Nelson  himself  afterwards  excused  Ruffo 
to  the  King.     Cf.  his  letter  cited  by  Gutteridge,  p.  287. 

'  In  the  succeeding  passages  I  venture  to  supplement  and  further  elucidate 
Mr.  Guttcridge's  inferences. 

-  Cf.  Hamilton  to  Acton,  cited  by  Gutteridge,  p.  249. 

■'  St.  Elmo  and  the  two  other  casllcs  arranged  their  capitulations  apart  from 
each  other.     Cf.  Gutteridge,  p.  171. 


302  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

that  they  took  advantage  of  this  tangle  to  mislead  General 
Massa  and  his  patriots  into  a  belief  that  Nelson  had 
accepted  their  surrender  on  the  terms  of  the  repudiated 
capitulation.^  If  they  were  convinced  that  their  escape, 
as  well  as  their  surrender,  was  unconditional,  that  they  were 
entitled  to  safe  conduct  and  the  honours  of  war,  then  the 
whole  odium  of  consequences  would  be  cast  on  the  shoulders 
of  the  British  Admiral,  while  their  misleaders  would  be 
held  harmless. 

Early  on  June  26  Hamilton  informed  Ruffo  that  Nelson 
had  '  resolved  to  do  nothing  that  might  break  the  armistice  ' ; 
and  this  Nelson  confirmed  with  his  own  hand.^ 

If  I  have  made  myself  clear,  it  will  be  patent  that  this  of 
itself  involved  no  change  of  front  whatever  towards  the 
rebels'^  with  regard  to  whom  he  awaited  the  further  royal 
instructions.  Above  all,  Nelson  desired  that  Mejean  should 
not  put  in  force  his  menace  of  firing  on  the  wretched  town, 
and  so  he  was  ready  to  give  him  time — and  rope.  That  this 
was  his  real  meaning  is  proved  by  the  succeeding  sentences 
in  Nelson's  letter  of  confirmation  to  Ruffo.  He  would 
land,  he  proceeds,  twelve  hundred  men  '  under  the  present 
armistice!  These  troops  were  to  carry  out  the  uncon- 
ditional surrender  of  the  two  smaller  castles,  formally  made 
on  the  night  preceding.  Troubridge  and  Ball  were  de- 
spatched for  the  purpose  ;  and,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  they  took 
over  the  fortresses  and  occupied  them  on  this  very  morn- 
ing.* Troubridge  and  Ball  made  short  work  of  the  Jacobin 
insignia.  They  hewed  down  the  Tree  of  Liberty  and  the 
red-capped  giants.  Rejoicing  pervaded  the  town.  The 
Cardinal  himself  came   on  board  the   Foudroyant  full    of 

^  For  the  preceding,  cf.  Sacchinelli,  p.  255  et  seij,;  Gutteridge,  pp.  230-248; 
Add.  MS.  34.944,  ff-  50>  245,  247  ;  34,950,  f.  75  ;  34,963,  f.  104. 

■■^  Sacchinelli,  p.  255 ;  Add.  MS.  34,944,  f.  250 ;  34,963,  f.  104.  (The  date 
is  wrongly  given  in  Nelson's  letter-book  as  June  28.) 

■^  As  is  well  known,  Sacchinelli  appended  a  facsimile  of  an  order  by  Trou- 
bridge to  the  effect  that  Nelson  would  not  'oppose  the  execution  of  the  capitula- 
tion of  the  two  castles.'  This  is  not  in  Troubndge's  handwriting.  It  should  be 
compared  with  Troubridge's  real  declaration  given  in  my  text. 

*  In  this  way  may  be  reconciled  with  the  facts  Minichini's  statement  in  his 
'  Verbale  '  that  Commandant  Aurora  '  took  over  the  castles  Uovo  and  Nuovo  on 
the  night  preceding '  (Sacchinelli,  p.  257).  They  were  then  surrendered,  but  the 
royalist  officer  only  held  them  till  the  arrival  of  Nelson's  emissaries. 

\ 


TRIUMPH  ONCE  MORE  303 

smiles  and  congratulations.  Emma  shared  them.  She 
had  been  slaving  at  this  complex  correspondence/  and 
RufFo,  safe  as  he  now  felt  from  the  King's  certain  anger, 
expressed  his  gratitude  to  her  and  her  husband.-  Though 
Nelson  was  bound  by  no  conditions  whatever,  he  did  un- 
doubtedly declare,  at  the  same  time,  through  Troubridge 
to  Rufifo,  that  he  would  not  '  oppose  the  embarkation  of 
the  rebels,  and  of  the  people  composing  the  garrisons  of 
the  castles  Uovo  and  Nuovo.'^  A  small  quota  of  polaccas 
awaited  the  refugees  ;  some,  we  have  seen,  were  already 
embarking.  For  the  present,  Nelson  pledged  his  word  that 
he  would  not  molest  them.  But  he  promised  no  more. 
That  very  day  Acton  was  informing  Hamilton  that  the 
King  had  decided  to  come  in  person,  and  that  the  Cardinal 
was  probably  at  the  end  of  his  tether  ;*  while  on  the  next 
he  wrote  rejoicing  that  the  'shameful  capitulation'  had 
been  rescinded ;  Ruffo,  if  he  '  wobbled,'  would  be  deposed, 
and  a  direct  communication  from  the  King  must  by  this 
time  have  reached  Nelson.^  It  had  reached  him.  Nelson 
at  once  ordered  the  Seahorse  off  to  Palermo  for  the  King's 
service,  and  he  7iow  distinctly  warned  the  rebels  that  they 
'must  submit  to  the  King's  clemency'  under  'pain  of 
death.' c 

It  was  this  letter  that  decided  the  doom  of  the  miserable 
patriots  who,  under  these  circumstances,  had  been  caught 
in  a  death-trap.  Had  the  King's  directions  been  deferred, 
Nelson  would  have  stayed  his  hand.  As  it  was,  the  rebels, 
instead  of  seeing  the  capitulations  executed,  were  executed 
themselves.  Years  afterwards  Nelson  affirmed  in  a  docu- 
ment dictated  to  Lady  Hamilton  :  '  I  put  aside  the  dis- 
honourable treaty,  and  sent  the  rebels  notice  of  it.  There- 
fore, when  the  rebels  surrendered,  they  came  out  of  the 
castles   as   they  ought,  without   any  honours  of  war,  and 

1  She  was  also  in  daily  correspondence  with  the  Queen.  Cf.  Eg.  MS. 
2640,  f.  274. 

-  Hamilton  to  Acton,  June  27,  1799.  Affari  Esteri,  iii.  f.  64.  Cited  by 
Gutteridge,  p.  249. 

*  Cf.  Gutteridge,  p.  234.  ^  Eg.  MS.  2640,  f.  273.  ■*  Ibid.  f.  274. 

*  Hamilton  to  RufTo,  June  28,  1799;  Rose,  vol.  i.  p.  238;  Gutteridge,  p. 
268.  The  same  to  the  same  on  the  same  date.  Afl.  Est.  iii.  624 :  Gutteridge, 
p.  269. 


304  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

trusting  to  the  judgment  of  their  sovereign.'^  And  the  British 
Government  in  October  1799  fully  endorsed  Nelson's  policy.^ 

The  King's  good  nature  had  hitherto  been  proverbial ; 
it  was  the  Queen  and  Acton  who  had  hitherto  shared  the 
odium  of  repression.  But  Ferdinand  was  now  at  length  his 
own  master,  and  his  latent  cruelty  emerged  the  more  savage 
because  it  had  been  long  in  abeyance,  and  he  had  now 
heavy  scores  to  settle  with  fawning  courtiers  and  spurious 
loyalists.  No  quarter  was  to  be  given  to  these  false 
prophets ;  not  a  man  of  them  was  to  escape.  In  the  en- 
suing hecatomb  of  slaughter  the  Queen,  and  even  more 
Emma,  stand  out  as  compassionate  intercessors  :  ^  it  is  the 
King  who  is  inexorable. 

In  Hamilton's  missive  to  Acton  of  the  following  day — 
June  27 — occurred  a  significant  sentence  : — 

'  Captain  Troubridge  is  gone  to  execute  the  business, 
and  the  rebels  on  board  the  feluccas  cannot  stir  without  a 
passport  from  Lord  Nelson.' 

The  heartrending  scenes  that  ensued  may  be  gathered 
from  a  pile  of  correspondence  between  Hamilton  and 
Acton,  Nelson  and  Ruffo  (as  well  as  from  their  despatches 
to  their  home  Governments),  the  Queen  and  Lady  Hamil- 
ton. The  letters  are  too  numerous  for  citation  here,  but 
most  of  them  may  be  found  transcribed  in  Mr.  Gutteridge's 
masterly  volume. 

That  very  night  thirteen  chained  rebels  were  brought  on 
board.  The  next  day,  the  passengers  awaiting  deliverance 
in  twelve  polaccas  found  themselves  bondsmen  in  Nelson's 

^  Morrison  MS.  702,  addressed  to  Mr.  Alexander  Stephens,  February  10, 
1803.  This  whole  statement  in  refutation  of  the  Jacobin  Miss  W^illiams's  'false 
representations '  is  familiar.  It  should  be  added  that  the  people  shouted  against 
the  Cardinal  and  in  Nelson's  favour.  Cf.  letter  transcribed  by  Gutteridge, 
p.  271. 

^  Lord  Spencer  wrote  :  '  I  can  only  repeat  that  the  intentions  and  motives  by 
which  all  your  measures  have  been  governed,  have  been  as  pure  and  good  as 
their  success  has  been  complete.' — Eg.  MS.  2240,  f.  25. 

^  Even  of  the  worst,  Caracciolo,  the  Queen  writes  to  Emma  on  July  2  of 
'  le  malheureux  et  forceni  Caracciolo. '  '  I  know  well,'  she  adds,  *  how  much  your 
excellent  heart  must  have  suffered,  and  this  increases  my  gratitude.' — Eg.  MS. 
2651,  f.  77.  A  few  days  later,  hearing  of  the  arrest  of  Belmonte's  brother,  which 
she  deplores,  she  implores  Emma  not  to  be  led  away  by  her  '  benevolent  heart,' 
and  to  think  only  on  the  miseries  caused  by  rascals. — /did.  1616,  f.  42.  It  was 
to  Emma  that  the  unfortunate  turned.     Cf.  Morrison  MS.  401,  403,  409. 


TRIUMPH  ONCE  MORE  305 

ships.  Nelson  certainly  did  not  underdo  his  part  of  aveng- 
ing angel — the  part  of  what  the  Queen  styled  his  '  heroic 
firmness.'  He  was  St.  Michael  against  the  seven  devils  of 
Jacobinism,  and  the  whole  iron  vials  of  retribution  were 
poured  forth.  He  represented  a  King  who  had  wronged 
before  in  his  turn  he  had  been  wronged,  and  who  had 
hoarded  his  injuries. 

While  the  crowd  on  the  quays  vociferated  with  joy,  it 
was  not  long  before  the  dungeons  of  the  fleet  re-echoed  to 
the  groans  and  curses  of  ensnared  and  intercepted  patriots 
Emma  shuddered  as  she  kept  to  her  cabin  and  tried  to 
write  to  her  Queen. 

The  thirteenth  of  the  thirteen  confined  in  the  Foudroyant 
on  that  27th  of  June,  was  Caracciolo.  He  had  not  been 
included  in  any  amnesty.  On  the  cession  of  the  castles,  he 
had  fled  to  the  mountains,  but  had  been  dragged  from  his 
lair  by  a  dastardly  spy.  Pale,  ashamed,  and  trembling 
unwashen  and  unkempt,  he  stood  silent  before  the  stern 
Nelson  and  Troubridge.  Who  could  recognise  in  this 
quailing  figure  the  proud  son  of  a  proud  father,  the  feudal 
Prince  who  had  learned  seamanship  in  England,  the 
courtier  who  had  been  loaded  with  honours,  the  admiral 
who  had  kissed  the  royal  hands  only  three  months  ago, 
when  he  parted  with  loyal  protestations  of -devotion  ? 

He  had  fired  on  his  own  flagship. 

That  was  the  sole  thought  in  the  breasts  of  the  grim 
sailors  who  confronted  him. 

Such  a  catastrophe  inspires  horror,  but  of  all  the  victims 
that  were  soon  to  glut  the  scaffold,  the  least  worthy  of 
commiseration  is  Caracciolo.  Many  had  been  forced  by 
the  French  into  tempting  posts  on  the  provisional  admini- 
stration. Such,  for  example,  was  the  errant  but  charming 
Domenico  Cirillo,  for  whom  Emma  was  to  plead  so 
warmly.  Others,  again,  had  been  heroic.  Such  was 
Eleonora  de  Pimentel. 

But  Caracciolo,  though  he  set  up  the  plea  of  duress,  had 
purposely  left  Sicily.^  He  was  powerful,  he  was  trusted, 
and  he  had  proved  a  Judas.  He  has  figured  as  an  old  man 
bowed  with  years  and  care.     He  was  still  in  the  prime  of 

'  Cf.  tlie  Diario  Napolctano  for  Saturday,  June  29,  c'tcd  by  Gutteridge. 

U 


306  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

life.^  He  has  been  pictured  as  a  veteran  Casabianca.  He 
was  really  a  rat  who  left  what  he  supposed  was  a  sinking 
ship.  The  sole  real  extenuation  that  I  can  find  is  that  his 
estates  had  been  ravaged,  and  that  his  hapless  family  was 
large.  But  every  one's  property  had  been  plundered  by  the 
French,  and  not  every  one  had  turned  traitor.  And  yet 
despair  should  always  command  pity,  and  the  despair  of 
treachery,  perhaps,  most  of  all,  for  it  is  the  torment  of  a  lost 
soul.  Had  Caracciolo  lived  under  Nero,  he  might  have 
died  by  himself  opening  a  vein,  like  Vestinus.  But,  on  the 
other  hand,  the  great  evil  of  unconstitutional  monarchy 
lies  in  its  proneness  to  visit  crime  with  crime ;  as  Tacitus 
has  put  it :  '  Scelera  sceleribus  tuenda.' 

The  imagination  of  cherishing  Italy  and  of  free  England 
has  long  enshrined  him  as  the  type  of  Liberty  sacrificed  in 
cold  blood  to  Despotism,  as  innocent  and  murdered. 

In  England  this  myth  mainly  originated  in  the  generous 
eloquence  of  Charles  James  Fox,^  who  loved  freedom,  it  is 
true,  but  loved  politics  more;  that  Fox,  be  it  remembered, 
who,  when  in  power,  once  politely  told  his  Catholic  sup- 
porters, in  opposition,  to  go  to  the  devil.  More  than  sixty 
years  later,  the  attitude  of  a  section  towards  the  case  of 
Governor  Eyre  and  the  negroes  presents  a  close  analogy 
to  the  attitude  of  the  same  section  towards  the  case  of 
Nelson  and  Caracciolo. 

Caracciolo  had  fired  on  his  own  flagship.  From  the 
yard-arm  of  that  flagship  he  must  hang.  So  thought  his 
captors  ;  so,  perchance,  thought  Caracciolo  as  his  ashy  lips 
refused  the  relief  of  words.  Nelson  had  himself  requested 
Ruffo  to  deliver  Caracciolo  into  his  hands  instead  of  send- 
ing him  to  be  tried  at  Procida.^  He  was  not  rhadamanthine, 
but  he  was  an  English  Admiral ;  and  the  English  had 
killed  even  Admiral  Byng,  whose  crime — if  crime  it  was — 
was  a  trifle  compared  with  Caracciolo's.  '  To  encourage 
the  others,'  said  Voltaire ;  '  as  an  example,'  said  Nelson. 

^  Forty-eight, 

*  Nelson's  own  indignant  refutation  of  Fox's  indictment  in  the  House  of 
Commons  during  February  1800,  may  be  read  in  his  letter  to  Davison  of 
May  9.     Cf.  Laughton's  Despatches,  p.  239. 

2  Sacchinelli  has  a  story,  destitute  of  any  evidence,  that  the  King  was  for 
mercy,  but  that  Nelson  overbore  him. 


TRIUMPH  ONCE  MORE  307 

The  next  day  Caracciolo  was  'tried.'  Emma  never 
beheld  him.  The  process  was  short  and  sharp.  He  was 
condemned.  The  shivering  Emma  shut  herself  up  and 
brooded  over  the  results  of  her  ambition.  Caracciolo  was 
guilty  before  trial,  but  this  summary  trial  was  a  farce.  It 
would  have  been  far  juster  —  though  the  issue  was  un- 
doubted^— if  Caracciolo  had  passed  the  ordeal  of  impartial 
judges.  His  Neapolitan  inquisitors  refused  him  the  death 
of  a  gentleman,  or  even  a  day's  reprieve  for  his  poor  soul's 
comfort.  In  vain  Emma  is  said  to  have  supplicated  Nelson 
for  these  fitting  mercies.  Naturally  humane,  he  was  here 
relentless.  He  was  neither  lawyer  nor  priest.  He  had  not 
been  his  judge.  Caracciolo's  own  peers  had  pronounced 
him  guilty  of  death,  and  Nelson  sentenced  him.' 

Caracciolo's  flagship  was  the  Minerva,  commanded  by 
our  old  friend  Count  Thurn,  the  sentinel  of  last  December. 

On  June  the  28th,  at  five  of  the  afternoon,  the 
scarecrow    of   sedition    swung,    lashed    to    the    Minervas 

gallows. 

'  So  perish  all  who  do  the  like  again.' 

The  bay  was  alive  with  hundreds  of  boats  crowded  with 
thousands  of  loyalists.  For  two  full  hours  ^  he  dangled  in 
sight  of  a  gloating  mob,  before  the  rope  was  cut,  and  its 
grisly  burden  dropped  into  the  sea.  As  the  big  southern 
sun  dipped  suddenly  below  the  waves  which  had  once 
witnessed  the  revel  by  which  Nero  had  enticed  his  own 
mother  to  destruction,  one  by  one  the  little  lights  of  boats 
and  quays  began  to  glimmer,  the  scent  of  flowers  was 
wafted,  the  bells  of  church  towers  tolled  over  the  ghostly 
waters.  The  shore  was  thronged  with  eager  spectators, 
gesticulating,  applauding,  pointing  at  the  mast  where 
Caracciolo  had  expiated  his  treason. 

M^jean  had  himself  broken  the  truce  by  assailing  the 
city  with  his   fusillade.      Nelson  now  attacked  St.  Elmo, 

'  He  admitted  being  'one  of  those  who  went  out  to  stop  his  Majesty's  troops 
by  sea.' — Sacchinelli,  p.  264. 

-  Count  Thurn,  in  his  report,  terms  it  Nelson's  sentence. 

■'  This  appears  from  several  accounts.  A  draft  despatch  of  Hamilton  to  (Iren- 
ville  gives  the  time  as  from  five  to  sunset.  The  orifjinal  intention  had  been 
thai  he  should  swing  from  daylireak  till  sunset. 


3o8  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

while  Troubridge,  with  his  troops,  invested  it  by  land      Its 
fall  was  timed  to  greet  the  King's  arrival. 

The  Seahorse  brought  him,  together  with  Acton  and 
Castelcicala,  on  the  night  of  the  9th  to  the  channel  of 
Procida,  where  they  awaited  Nelson.  Next  morning  they 
stepped  together  on  to  the  deck  of  the  Foudroyant.  As 
the  Admiral  and  his  guests  sailed  into  the  gulf  before  the 
last  shot  had  reduced  the  stronghold  on  the  hill,  the  sea 
bristled  with  the  barques,  the  two  banks  of  the  Chiaja  with 
the  dense  array,  of  his  welcomers.  At  ten  o'clock  he 
anchored.  The  boom  of  cannon,  the  noise  of  batteries,  the 
'shouts  of  Generals'  acclaimed  the  restoration  of  the  King 
amid  the  salutes  of  victory.^  The  King  had  at  last  come 
to  his  own  again.  But,  as  Emma  wrote,  '  II  est  bon  d'etre 
chez  le  roi,  il  est  mieux  d'etre  chez  soi.'^  She  had  toiled 
like  a  Trojan.  '  Our  dear  Lady,'  wrote  Nelson  a  week 
later  to  her  mother,  '  La  Signora  Madre,'  '  has  her  time 
so  much  taken  up  with  excuses  from  rebels,  Jacobins,  and 
fools,  that  she  is  every  day  most  heartily  tired.  ...  I  hope 
we  shall  very  soon  return  to  see  you.  Till  then,  recollect 
that  we  are  restoring  happiness  to  the  Kingdom  of  Naples 
and  doing  good  to  millions.'^  'The  King,' wrote  Emma 
gravely,  pouring  out,  two  days  afterwards,  her  triumphs  to 
Greville,  who  must  have  opened  wide  his  eyes  as  he  read, 
*  has  bought  his  experience  most  dearly,  but  at  last  he 
knows  his  friends  from  his  enemies,  and  also  knows  the 
defects  of  his  former  government,  and  is  determined  to 
remedy  them ;  .  .  .  his  misfortunes  have  made  him  steady, 
and  [to]  look  into  himself.  The  Queen  is  not  yet  come. 
She  sent  me  as  her  Deputy  ;  for  I  am  very  popular,  speak 
the  Neapolitan  language,  and  [am]  considered,  with  Sir 
William,  the  friend  of  the  people.  The  Queen  is  waiting 
at  Palermo,  and  she  has  determined,  as  there  has  been  a 
great  outcry  against  her,  not  to  risk  coming  with  the  King  ; 
for  if  he  had  not  succeeded  [on]  his  arrival,  and  not  been 
well  received,  she  wou'd  not  bear  the  blame  or  be  in  the 
way.'  'But' — and  here  we  catch  the  true  beat  of  Emma's 
heart — '  But  what  a  glory  to  our  good  King,  to  our  Country, 
that  we — our  brave  fleet,  our  great  Nelson — have  had  the 

*  Sacchinelli,  p.  268.  '■^  Morrison  MS.  417. 

3  Morrison  MS.  408,  July  17,  1799. 


'i 

J 


TRIUMPH  ONCE  MORE  309 

happiness  of  restoring  the  King  to  his  throne,  to  the 
Neapolitans  their  much-loved  King,  and  been  the  instru- 
ment of  giving  a  future  good  and  just  government  to  the 
Neapolitans !  ,  .  .  The  guilty  are  punished  and  the  faithful 
rewarded.  I  have  not  been  on  shore  but  once.  The  King 
gave  us  leave  to  go  as  far  as  St.  Elmo's,  to  see  the  effect 
of  the  bombs!  I  saw  at  a  distance  our  despoiled  house  in 
town,  and  Villa  Emma,  that  have  been  plundered.  Sir 
William's  new  apartment — a  bomb  burst  in  it!  It  made 
me  so  low-spirited,  I  don't  desire  to  go  again. 

'  We  shall,  as  soon  as  the  Government  is  fixed,  return  to 
Palermo,  and  bring  back  the  royal  family ;  for  I  foresee 
not  any  permanent  government  till  that  event  takes  place. 
Nor  wou'd  it  be  politick,  after  all  the  hospitality  the  King 
and  Queen  received  at  Palermo,  to  carry  them  off  in  a 
hurry.  So  you  see  there  is  great  management  required. 
I  am  quite  worn  out.  For  I  am  interpreter  to  Lord  Nelson, 
the  King  and  Queen  ;  and  altogether  feil  quite  shattered  ; 
but  as  things  go  well,  that  keeps  me  up.  We  dine  now 
every  day  with  the  King  at  12  o'clock.  Dinner  is  over  by 
one.  His  Majesty  goes  to  sleep,  and  we  sit  down  to  write 
in  this  heat ;  and  on  board  you  may  guess  what  we  suffer. 
My  mother  is  at  Palermo,  but  I  have  an  English  lady^  with 
me,  who  is  of  use  to  me,  in  writing,  and  helping  to  keep 
papers  and  things  in  order.  We  have  given  the  King  all 
the  upper  cabbin,  all  but  one  room  that  we  write  in  and 
receive  the  ladies  who  come  to  the  King.  Sir  William  and 
I  have  an  apartment  below  in  the  ward-room,  and  as  to 
Lord  Nelson,  he  is  here  and  there  and  everywhere.  I  never 
saw  such  zeal  and  activity  in  any  one  as  in  this  wonderful 
man.  My  dearest  Sir  William,  thank  God,  is  well  and  of 
the  greatest  use  now  to  the  King.  We  hope  Capua  will 
fall  in  a  few  days,  and  then  we  will  be  able  to  return  to 
Palermo.  On  Sunday  last  we  had  prayers  on  board.  The 
King  assisted,  and  was  much  pleased  with  the  order, 
decency,  and  good  behaviour  of  the  men,  the  officers,  etc' 

The  self-consciousness,  the  strenuousness,  the  devotion, 
the  enthusiasm,  the  egotism,  and  yet  the  sympathy — all 
the  old  elements  are  here.  She  had  thirsted  for  the  blood 
and  thunder  of  her  girlhood's  romances ;   she  now  beheld 

'   Miss  Cornelia  Kniglu. 


310  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

blood  and  thunder  in  reality.  The  '  much-loved  '  King  had 
a  summary  way  of  finishing  off  his  enemies,  and  bribery  as 
well  as  butchery  reigned  in  Naples.  The  Morrison  Collec- 
tion is  full  of  appeals  to  Lady  Hamilton's  kind  heart. 
Many  of  them  are  tragic.  One  welcomes  a  snatch  of 
humour.  A  certain  Englishman,  Matthew  Wade,  was  a 
great  figure  in  Naples.  He  it  was  who  advised  the 
garrisons  to  surrender.  Troubles,  in  these  troublous  times, 
had  fallen  on  his  household,  and  I  cannot  refrain  from 
subjoining  a  passage  in  a  letter  of  his  about  them  to 
Emma. 

'  I  beg  leave  to  remind  your  Ladyship  that  the  Gover- 
nour's  finances  is  become  very  low,  and  I  suppose  in  a 
short  time  I  will  lose  my  credit,  as  my  house  was  plundered 
when  I  was  in  prison,  under  a  protest  of  finding  papers  and 
being  a  Royalist ;  and  after,  by  the  Calabrace  [sic]  before 
my  return  here,  for  being  a  Jacobine.  The  last  was  a  dirty 
business,  as  they  robbed  my  mother-in-law  of  her  shift. 
She  said  six,  tho'  I  never  knew  her  and  her  daughter  to 
have  but  three,  as  I  well  remember  they  usually  disputed 
who  was  to  put  on  the  clean  shift  of  a  Sunday  morning. 
However,  I  was  obliged  to  buy  six  shifts  in  order  to  live 
quiet.  Pray  assure  her  Majesty  and  General  Acton  that  I 
can't  hold  out  much  longer.  Besides,  my  family  is  in- 
creased. I  have  got  a  cat  and  a  horse  which  has  been 
robbed  from  me  by  the  Jacobines.  I  met  him  with  a 
prince,  and  took  emediately  possession  of  him  as  my  real 
proprity.  ...  I  am  told  a  conspiracy  has  been  discovered 
and  a  sum  of  money  found,  in  order  to  let  seventeen  of  the 
principal  Jacobines  escape,  now  confined  (and  they  are 
marked  for  execution)  in  the  Castell-Nuovo  ;  they  say  the 
Governor  (from  whom  they  have  taken  the  command)  is 
deeply  conserned  in  the  business.  I  am  sorry  for  him,  tho' 
I  have  no  acquaintance  with  the  man,  but  I  am  told  he  is 
a  brave  man  and  a  soldier.  But  there  is  something  in  the 
air  of  the  climate  that  softens  the  nerve  so  much,  that  I 
never  knew  a  man — nay,  nor  a  woman  of  the  country — 
that  cou'd  resist  the  temptation  of  gold.'^  Thus  Matthew 
Wade,  humourist  and  philosopher. 

'  Morrison  MS.  419,  August  xo,  1799. 


Jiai, 


TRIUMPH  ONCE  MORE  311 

The  Vicariate  of  Naples  was  now  reposed  in  the  Duke 
of  Salandra,  who  had  always  been  loyal.  Nelson  appointed 
Troubridge  Commodore  of  the  Naples  squadron,  and  pre- 
sented him  with  the  broad,  red  pennant.  Nelson  himself 
was  soon  to  be  elevated  for  a  time  to  the  chief  Mediter- 
ranean command.  The  ist  of  August  was  celebrated  with 
as  much  rejoicing  as  the  situation  allowed.  Nelson  relates 
to  his  wife,  not  in  'vanity 'but  in  'gratitude,'  the  King's 
toast,  the  royal  salute  from  the  Sicilian  ships  of  war,  the 
vessel  turned  into  a  Roman  galley  in  the  midst  of  which, 
among  the  '  fixed  lamps,'  stood  a  repetition  of  last  year's 
'rostral  column,' the  illuminations,  the  magnificent  orchestra, 
the  proud  cantata — Nelson  came,  the  invincible  Nelson,  and 
they  were  preserved  and  again  made  happy.^  Indeed, 
Leghorn  and  Capua  had  both  surrendered,  as  well  as 
Naples.  By  the  9th  of  August  the  Foudroyant  with  its 
jubilant  inmates  had  returned  to  Palermo. 

Emma  had  again  triumphed.  But  at  what  a  cost  to  her 
peace  of  mind!  A  royal  reign  of  terror  had  unnerved  her. 
She  was  never  to  see  '  dear,  dear  Naples '  again.  Her 
husband  leaned  upon  her  daily  more  and  more  ;  and  yet 
the  active  association  of  nearly  two  months,  which  seemed 
like  two  years,  had  brought  her  and  Nelson  closer  than 
ever  together  as  affinities.  All  along  it  was  the  force  and 
vigour  of  her  character  far  more  than  her  charms  and 
accomplishments  that  appealed  to  him,  and  her  unflagging 
strength  of  spirit  had  never  displayed  itself  to  greater 
advantage  than  during  these  trials  of  the  last  few  months. 
She  tended  faster  and  faster  towards  some  irrevocable  step, 
the  very  shadow  of  which  perturbed  while  it  allured  her. 
A  note  of  discord  jars  on  the  whole  tune  of  her  triumph. 

On  one  of  the  short  sea  expeditions,  so  rumour  goes, 
that  time  had  allowed  them  to  join  in  making,  a  phantom 
had  startled  them.  Out  of  the  depths  the  livid  body  of 
Caracciolo,  long  immersed  but  still  buoyant,  had  risen  from 
nothingness  and  fixed  them  with  its  sightless  gaze.^ 

'  Nelson  to  his  wife,  August  4,  1799,  transcribed  by  Pettigrew,  vol.  i, 
p.  289. 

-  This  episode  has  been  treated  by  leniniore  Cooper  in  his  fack  0'  Lantern. 


CHAPTER    XI 

HOMEWARD   BOUND 

To  December  1800 

There  is  an  almost  imperceptible  turning-point  in  career, 
as  in  age,  when  the  slope  of  the  hill  verges  downwards. 
Emma  had  now  reached  her  summit.  Henceforward,  in 
gradual  curves,  her  path  descends. 

The  royal  fete  champetre  at  Palermo  in  Nelson's  honour 
eclipsed  each  previous  pageant.  No  splendour  seemed 
adequate  to  the  national  gratitude.  The  Temple  of  Fame 
in  the  palace  gardens,  its  exquisitely  modelled  group  of 
Nelson  led  by  Sir  William  to  receive  his  wreath  from  the 
hands  of  Emma  as  Victory ;  ^  the  royal  reception  and  em- 
brace of  the  trio  at  its  portals,  and  the  laurel-wreaths  with 
which  Ferdinand  crowned  them  ;  the  Egyptian  pyramids 
with  their  heroic  inscriptions ;  the  Turkish  Admiral  and  his 
suite  in  their  gorgeous  trappings,  grave  and  contemptuous 
of  the  homage  paid  to  the  fair  sex  ;  the  young  Prince 
Leopold  in  his  midshipman's  uniform,  who,  mounting  the 
steps  at  the  pedestal  of  Nelson's  statue,  crowned  it  with  a 
diamond  laurel-wreath  to  the  strains  of  '  See  the  Conquering 
Hero' ;  the  whole  court  blazing  with  jewels  emblematic  of 
the  allied  conquests  ;  the  mimic  battle  of  the  Nile  in  fire- 
works ;  the  new  cantata  of  the  '  Happy  Concord,'  and  the 
whole  Opera  band,  with  the  younger  Senesino  at  their 
head,  bursting  at  the  close  into  'Rule  Britannia'  and  'God 
save  the  King' ;  the  weather-beaten  Nelson  himself  moved 
to  tears — all  these  formed  picturesque  features  of  a  memor- 

^  On  her  robe  were  embroidered  the  names  of  the  heroes  of  the  Nile.     The 
group  was  in  wax. 


HOMEWARD  BOUND  313 

able  night.  Lieutenant  Parsons,  an  eye-witness,  thus  alludes 
to  it  and  the  tutelary  goddess  both  of  the  royal  house  and 
its  two  defenders,  by  sword  and  pen : — 

'  A  fairy  scene  .  .  .  presided  over  by  the  Genius  of  Taste, 
whose  attitudes  were  never  equalled,  and  with  a  suavity  of 
manner  and  a  generous  openness  of  mind  and  heart,  where 
selfishness,  with  its  unamiable  concomitants,  pride,  envy, 
and  jealousy,  would  never  dwell — I  mean  Emma,  Lady 
Hamilton.  .  .  .  The  scene  [of  the  young  Prince  crowning 
Nelson]  was  deeply  affecting,  and  many  a  countenance 
that  had  looked  with  unconcern  on  the  battle  .  .  .  now 
turned  aside,  ashamed  of  their  .  .  .  weakness.'^  Vzva 
Nelson  !     Viva  Miledi  !     Viva  Hamilton  !  rent  the  air.^ 

Emma  divided  the  honours  with  Nelson.  A  torrent  of 
stanzas  gushed  from  the  Sicilian  improvisatori  ;^  even 
surgeons  burst  into  song.^ 

But  there  were  more  substantial  favours.  Nelson  re- 
ceived not  only  a  magnificent  sword  of  honour  and  caskets 
of  remembrance,  together  with,  a  few  months  later,  the 
newly  founded  order  of  merit,  but,  partly  by  means  of 
Emma's  advocacy,  the  title  and  estates  of  the  Duchy  of 
Bronte.  These,  however,  through  the  mismanagement  first 
of  Grafer  and  afterwards  of  Gibbs,  yielded  a  poor  and  most 
precarious  revenue  for  him,  and,  as  will  be  shown  hereafter, 
a  fluctuating   one   for    Emma,   whose   annuity  was   to   be 

'  Pettigrew,  vol.  i.  p.  292.  -  Eg.  MS.  1623,  f.  27. 

^  Cf.  Eg.  MS.  1623,  f.  72,  some  of  which  may  be  thus  rendered  :  — 

'  See  Lady  Hamilton,  Britannia's  pride, 

Our  glory,  worthiest  of  her  empire  here. 
Nature  has  dowered  with  all  gifts  sincere, 
A  store  that  never  Flattery  can  divide. 

Honour  and  Beauty  in  communion  stand, 

Shrined  in  a  bosom  candid,  tried,  and  true  ; 
Its  inmost  depths  reveal  a  world  to  view, 

And  age  to  age  its  wonderment  shall  hand. 

Ah  !  spare  ye  Fates,  nor,  cruel,  cut  the  twine 

That  holds  to  life  the  Nestor  of  her  days. 

Long  may  he  bide  to  prove  our  meed  of  praise  ; 
Oft  may  his  light  reflect  and  double  thine  ! ' 

The  'Nestor'  is,  of  course,  Hamilton,  who  must  have  often  winced  good- 
naturedly  in  always  taking  the  back  seat.  *  Cf.  ibid.  f.  75. 


314  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

charged  upon  it.  The  title  *  Bronte,'  with  its  Greek  deriva- 
tion of  thunder,  so  curiously  according  with  the  name  of 
his  vessel,  caused  Nelson  afterwards  to  be  continually  styled 
by  Emma  and  his  sisters  '  Jove '  the  thunderer.^  Presents 
poured  in  upon  him  :  the  Crescent  from  the  Grand  Signior, 
the  sword  and  cane  from  Zante,  commemorating  the  de- 
liverance of  Greece,  the  grants  from  English  companies. 
Nor  was  Emma  without  royal  recognition.  A  queenly 
trousseau  awaited  her  on  her  arrival,  and  she  received  regal 
jewels,  valued,  it  was  said,  at  six  thousand  pounds,  but 
which  she  sold  two  years  afterwards,  to  Nelson's  admira- 
tion, for  her  husband's  benefit.  '  Nestor,'  indeed,  was  be- 
coming more  and  more  involved  in  debt,  and  about  this 
period  he  borrowed  over  two  thousand  pounds  from  Nelson.- 
He  was  not  only  worried,  but  worn.  He  took  offence  at 
trifles,  and  had  quarrelled  even  with  Acton.^ 

Nelson  did  not  dally,  though  Downing  Street  pained  him 
by  its  insinuations.  From  all  these  festivities  his  alertness 
at  once  returned  to  vigilance  and  service.  Not  a  fortnight 
passed  before — occupied  as  he  was  with  every  sort  of  multi- 
farious correspondence — he  sent  Duckworth  to  protect  the 
British  trade,  on  the  maintenance  of  which  he  laid  infinite 
stress,  at  Lisbon  and  Oporto,  to  watch  Cadiz,  and  to  keep 
the  Straits  open.  He  minutely  directed  Ball's  operations 
at  Malta,  still  hampered  by  every  vexatious  delay  on  the 
Italian  side,  and  by  the  follies  of  Nizza,  the  Portuguese 
Admiral.  Early  in  September  he  charged  Troubridge 
and  Louis  with  their  mission  to  Civita  Vecchia,  which 
within   a  month  freed  Rome  from  the  French.*     Directly 

^  At  first,  out  of  compliment  to  the  King,  he  signed  his  letters  '  Bronte  and 
Nelson,'  but  he  soon  recurred  to  '  Nelson  and  Bronte.' 

^  There  are  several  pointed  allusions  to  this  debt  both  in  the  Nelson 
Letters  and  in  the  accounts  of  the  Merton  expenses  subjoined  to  the  Morrison 
Autographs.  In  all,  the  eventual  debt  amounted  to  some  ;i^3770.  About  this 
time  its  amount  was  ^^2276.  Cf.  Morrison  MS.  537  and  538,  where  Nelson 
mentions  part  of  it  in  one  of  his  many  codicils.  In  a  letter  of  1801  Nelson 
asked  Emma  if  he  should  bequeath  to  her  Sir  William's  debt  to  him.  It  seems 
never  to  have  been  repaid.     Ibid.  507.     And  cf.  also  Pettigrew,  vol.  ii.  p.  621. 

■"  There  are  many  letters  between  him  and  Acton  of  this  period  about  a  sup- 
posed insult.  Hamilton  opens  his  with  '  Have  you,  or  have  you  not,'  etc.  For 
this  episode  cf.  Eg.  MS.  24,640,  fif.  386-390. 

■*  Acton  in  his  letter  of  congratulation  speaks  about  '  dimostrations  from  the 
King  and  Queen.'     Add.  MS.  34,915. 


HOMEWARD  BOUND  315 

he  received  this  most  cheering  inteHigence,  he  him- 
self started  in  the  Foudroyant  for  Port  Mahon,  with  the 
one  object  of  concentrating  every  available  force  by 
land  and  sea  on  the  complete  reduction  of  Malta,  which 
remained  ever  in  his  '  thoughts,  sleeping  or  waking.'  He 
did  not  land  at  Palermo  till  October,  when  he  was  able 
to  announce  to  Sidney  Smith  (uniformly  and  magnanimously 
helped,  praised,  and  counselled  by  him  throughout)  that 
Buonaparte  had  passed  Corsica  in  a  bombard  steering  for 
France.  No  crusader  ever  returned  with  more  humility — 
contrast  his  going  in  IJOrietit!  ^  All  the  same  this  was 
ill  news,  and  Nelson  was  furious  also  at  not  receiving  troops 
from  Minorca,  and  at  the  frauds  of  the  victualling  depart- 
ment.^ He  kept  a  sharp  lookout  on  the  Barbary  States 
and  pirates.  He  deplored  the  inactivity  of  the  Russian 
squadron  at  La  Valetta,  and  he  resented  the  Austrian 
demand  for  their  presence  elsewhere ;  his  representations 
caused  a  '  cool  reception  '  to  the  Archduke's  suite  when  they 
visited  Palermo.^  By  Christmas  he  cursed  the  stupidity 
which  had  allowed  Napoleon,  hasting  back  for  his  strokes 
at  Paris,  to  elude  the  allies.^  But  above  all,  both  he  and 
Emma  strained  every  nerve  to  extort  grain  for  starving 
Malta  from  the  King  and  Queen  of  Naples  chicaning  with 
Acton  to  retain  every  bushel  for  their  own  necessities. 
Until,  after  'infamous'  delays  and  falsified  promises,  the 
dole  was  granted  which  saved  thirty  thousand  of  the 
Maltese  loyalists  from  death,^  he  'cursed  the  day'  he  'ever 
served  the  King  of  Naples.'  '  Such,'  he  wrote  to  Trou- 
bridge,  '  is  the  fever  of  my  brain  this  minute,  that  I  assure 
you,  on  my  honour,  if  the  Palermo  traitors  were  here,   I 

'  Laughton's  Z>i;j/a.V^<:j-,  p.  218.    Oct.  24.    Nelson  landed  at  Palermo  Oct.  22. 

-  These,  of  course,  were  Lock's  misfeasances.  Besides  the  familiar  sources 
for  this  long  affair,  of.  Add.  MS.  34,915,  f.  in. 

^  Cf.  Add.  MS.  34,915,  f.  112.  In  this  letter  Emma's  first  cavaliere  ser- 
vente.  Count  Dietrichslein,  reappears.  Emma  had  called  him  '  Draydrixton  ' 
in  1786.     Acton  here  calls  him  '  Dietrixsteen.' 

■*  Mr.  Compton — one  with  whom  Emma's  kindness  in  the  trying  ilays  of  the 
revolution  always  remained — wrote  of  Napoleon  to  her  :  '  He  is  at  Marseilles, 
and  I  think  his  political  abilities,  his  skill  in  corrupting  Generals,  etc.,  are  more 
to  be  dreaded  than  even  his  military  talents.' — Morrison  MS.,  November  i,  1799. 

*  On  these  matters  fresh  light  is  thrown  by  a  new  letter  from  Ball  of  Decern 
ber  I,  1799.     Add.  MS.  34,915,  ff  3,  105. 


3i6  EMMA.  LADY  HAMILTON 

would  shoot  them  first  and  myself  afterwards.'  ^  Troubridge 
was  equally  emphatic.^  The  Maltese  deputies  lodged 
under  Emma's  roof.  She  was  their  '  Ambassadress.'  It 
was  not  long-  before  Emma's  services  in  this  matter  were 
publicly  recognised  by  the  Czar,  as  Grand  Master  of  the 
Maltese  Knights.  When  he  bestowed  the  Grand  Cross  on 
Nelson  and  on  Ball,  he  also  bestowed  it  on  Lady  Hamilton, 
with  a  special  request  to  the  King  of  England  for  his 
licence  to  wear  it  there,  the  only  occasion,  as  she  was  ever 
proud  to  relate,  that  it  had  ever  been  conferred  upon  an 
Englishwoman.^  This  order  she  wore  next  year  at  Vienna, 
and  it  still  figures  in  a  portrait  of  her  taken  there,  as  well 
as  in  a  drawing  of  her  in  1803  by  Sir  Thomas  Lawrence. 
She  was  styled  '  Dame  Chevaliere  of  the  Order  of  St.  John 
of  Jerusalem,'  and  from  this  time  forward  Ball  always 
addressed  her  as  'sister.'* 

But  the   Maltese  embroilments  were  by  no  means  the 
sole  annoyances  that  distracted  Nelson's  sensitive  nature. 

^  Laughton's  Despatches,  p.  230. 

■■^  Cf.  Add.  MS.  34,915.  f-  60,  Troubridge  to  Nelson;  and  cf.  further  his 
letters  cited  by  Pettigrew,  vol.  i.  pp.  339,  343. 

^  Cf.  Nelson  Letters,  vol.  i.  p.  271.  The  vexed  question  of  whether  she  spent 
as  much  as  ;^5000  on  this  matter  scarcely  repays  investigation.  The  fact  remains 
that  her  services  were  sufficient  for  imperial  recognition,  and  that  the  King  of 
England  allowed  her  to  wear  the  order  on  her  return.  Her  own  account  in  a 
letter  to  Greville,  hitherto  uncited,  is  this :  '  I  have  rendered  some  service  to 
the  poor  Maltese.  I  got  them  ten  thousand  pounds,  and  sent  corn  when  they 
were  in  distress. '—^e/jow  Letters,  vol.  i.  p.  277.  Her  Prince  Regent's 
Memorial  alleges  details  :  '  I  received  the  deputies,  open'd  their  dispatches,  and 
without  hesitation  I  went  down  to  the  port  to  try  what  could  be  done.  I  found 
lying  there  several  vessels  loaded  with  corn  for  Ragusa.  I  immediately  pur- 
chased the  cargoes :  .  .  .  this  service  Sir  Alexander  Ball  in  his  letters  to  me, 
as  well  as  to  Lord  Nelson,  plainly  states  to  be  the  means  whereby  he  was 
enabled  to  preserve  that  important  island.  I  had  to  borrow  a  considerable  sum 
on  this  occasion,  which  I  since  repaid,  and  -with  my  own  private  money  this 
expended  was  nothing  short  of  ;^sooo.'— Morrison  MS.  1046.  The  passage  to 
which  she  refers  may  be  Ball's  letter  to  Macaulay  of  March  22,  1800  (Petti- 
grew, vol.  i.  p.  341).  Ball  writes:  'I  am  convinced  that  but  for  their  \i.e.  the 
Hamiltons,  his  last  mention  being  of  Emma]  influence  with  their  Sicilian 
Majesties,  the  poor  Maltese  would  have  been  starved.'  I  think  she  would 
hardly  invoke  and  quote  a  letter  from  a  living  witness,  if  the  substance  of  this 
claim  were  not  the  fact.  Hamilton  was  ill  and  languid  in  the  extreme  at  this 
time,  and  she  could  have  borrowed  the  sum  from  many.  Yet  the  critics  have 
assumed  that  she,  like  '  the  several  vessels,'  was  '/j/z^^  there.' 

*  Cf.  his  letter  of  congratulation,  Morrison  MS.  462,  February  27,  1800. 


HOMEWARD  BOUND  317 

He  was  stung  to  the  quick  by  the  Admiralty's  complaints 
and  suspicions.  'As  a  junior  Flag  officer/  .  .  .  without 
secretaries,^  etc.,'  he  wrote  home,  '  I  have  been  thrown  into 
a  more  extensive  correspondence  than  ever  perhaps  fell  to 
the  lot  of  any  Admiral,  and  into  a  political  situation,  I  own, 
out  of  my  sphere.  ...  It  is  a  fact  that  I  have  never  but 
three  times  put  my  feet  on  the  ground  since  December  1798, 
and  except  to  the  court,  that  till  after  8  o'clock  at  night 
I  never  relax  from  my  business.'  '  Do  not,'  he  breaks  out 
to  Lord  Spencer, '  let  the  Admiralty  write  harshly  to  me — 
my  generous  soul  cannot  bear  it,  being  conscious  that  it 
is  entirely  unmerited ' ;  and,  once  more,  to  Commissioner 
Inglefield,  'You  must  make  allowances  for  a  worn-out, 
blind,  left-handed  man.'^ 

Nor  was  he  least  tormented  by  the  growing  passion  of 
his  heart.  His  utterances  are  despondent.  The  East  India 
Company  had  voted  ten  thousand  pounds  in  token  of  their 
gratitude.  Two  thousand  pounds  of  it  he  bestowed  on  his 
relations  ;  the  whole  was  placed  at  his  wife's  disposal.*  '  I 
that  never  yet  had  any  money  to  think  about,  should  be 
surprised  if  I  troubled  my  head  about  it,'  he  told  his  old 
intimate  and  business  manager,  Davison  (the  rich  con- 
tractor of  St.  James's  Square),  whom,  after  the  Nile  battle,^ 
he  had  appointed  agent  for  his  scanty  prize-money.  '  In 
my  state  of  health,  of  what  consequence  is  all  the  wealth 
of  this  world?  I  took  for  granted  that  the  East  India 
Company  would  pay  their  noble  gift  to  Lady  Nelson  ;  and 
whether  she  lays  it  out  in  house  or  land,  is,  I  assure  you, 
a  matter  of  perfect  indifference  to  me.  .  .  ,  Oh  !  my  dear 
friend,  if  I  have  a  morsel  of  bread  and  cheese  in  comfort  it 
is  all  I  ask  of  kind  Heaven,  until  I  reach  the  estate  of  six 
foot  by  two  which  I  am  fast  approaching.'^'  It  was  not 
long  before  Maltese  successes  had  quite  restored  his  spirits, 
and  Ball  could  write  to  say  how  happy  it  made  him  to  think 
that  '  His  Grace  '  could  enjoy  exercise  in  company  with  the 

^  He  did  not  long  so  remain,  for  he  was  appointed  to  the  chief  command  of 
the  Mediterranean  by  Lord  Keith  almost  immediately. 

-  Tyson,  however,  as  well  as  Emma,  was  acting  informally  in  that  capacity. 
Cf.  Add.  MS.  34,915,  f.  III.  ^  All  cited  by  Pettigrew,  vol.  i.  p.  298. 

*  Cf.  Eg.  MS.  2640,  f.  3.  *  Cf.  Eg.  MS.  2640,  ft".  4  and  5. 

"  Eg.  MS.  2240,  f.  II  ;  and  (partially)  Laughton's  Despatches,  p.  214. 


3i8  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

Hamiltons.^  All  this  is  characteristic  of  a  tense  organisation 
by  turns  on  the  rack  and  on  the  rebound,  yet  with  an  evenness 
of  patriotism  and  purpose  immovable  beneath  its  elasticity. 

Emma's  fever  of  enthusiasm  showed  no  abatement.  She 
immediately  gave  Nelson  the  pine-appled  teapot  which  has 
this  year  been  generously  presented  with  other  relics  to 
the  Greenwich  Painted  Chamber.  His  letters  to  her 
breathed  an  affectionate  respect.  '  May  God  almighty  bless 
you,'  one  of  them  closes,  '  and  all  my  friends  about  you, 
and  believe  me  amongst  the  most  faithful  and  affectionate  of 
your  friends.'  -  Was  she  not  the  '  Victory '  who  had  crowned 
him  with  honour?  He  reposed  such  confidence  in  the 
Hamiltons  that  during  his  absences  he  empowered  them  to 
open  all  his  letters. 

But  already  there  appeared  a  seamier  side  to  Emma's 
heroic  gloss.  The  unreinstated  Queen  still  ailed  in  health 
and  spirits.  She  had  set  her  heart  on  accompanying 
the  King  to  Naples  in  his  projected  visit  this  November, 
yet  he  had  flatly  refused.  She  seems  to  have  turned  from 
the  pious  devotions  which  after  her  darling  boy's  death  had 
engrossed  her  to  the  delirium  of  play.  The  King  loved  his 
quiet  rubber,^  but  he  was  no  gambler.  The  Queen  gambled 
furiously — all  her  moods  were  extreme  ;  she  was  a  medley 
of  passions.  She  had  been  Emma's  lucky  star,  but  all 
along  her  evil  genius.  Emma  for  the  first  time  was  bitten 
by  the  mania.  Sir  William's  fortunes  were  crippled  ;  she 
might  sometimes  be  seen  nightly  with  piles  of  gold  beside 
her  on  the  green  baize.  Troubridge  bluntly  remonstrated. 
His  remonstrance,  however,  he  added,  did  not  arise  from 
any  '  impertinent  interference,  but  from  a  wish  to  warn 
you  of  the  ideas  that  are  going  about,'  and  to  'the  con- 
struction put  on  things  which  may  appear  to  your  Ladyship 
innocent,  and  I  make  no  doubt  done  with  the  best  inten- 
tion. Still,  your  enemies  will,  and  do,  give  things  a  different 
colouring.'*  To  his  delight,  she  promised  him  to  play  no 
more.  For  a  while  that  promise  lasted,  but  I  fear  for  a 
while  only.     Women  of  Emma's  buoyancy  and  volatile  salt 

1  Add.  MS.  3495,  f-  55-  -  Morrison  MS.  392. 

2  Lord  William  Bentinck  dwells  on  this  feature  in  his  account  of  his  residence 
as  Ambassador  at  Palermo  in  1806.  ■•  Morrison  MS.  441. 


HOMEWARD  BOUND  319 

are  not  easily  weaned  from  the  false  flutter  of  such  a  game. 
All  along  her  vein  had  been  one  of  thrill  under  uncertainty, 
and  her  whole  course  a  cast  for  high  stakes.  '  I  wish  not 
to  trust  to  Dame  Fortune  too  long,'  wrote  Nelson  to  her 
in  probable  allusion  ;  '  she  is  a  fickle  dame,  and  I  am  no 
courtier.'  And  reports — many  of  them  untrue  and  all 
exaggerated — were  beginning  to  filter  into  England  and 
affront  the  regularities  of  red-tape.  Nelson  was  depicted  as 
Rinaldo  in  Armida's  bower.  It  was  rumoured  that,  while  on 
shore,  he  assisted,  heavy-eyed,  at  these  revels  till  the  small 
hours  of  the  morning,  though  his  father  at  the  time  was  lying 
seriously  unwell, — as  a  matter  of  fact  he  seldom  touched  a 
card.^  That  Sir  William  and  he  had  nearly  settled  differences 
by  duel — a  preposterous  invention.  That  she  played  with 
Nelson's  money  to  the  tune  of  ^500  a  night — a  canard 
easily  refuted  by  his  banking  account.  That  the  royal 
presents  to  her  had  amounted  to  a  value  five  times  greater 
than  it  really  was.  That  the  singers  whom  Emma  was 
constantly  befriending  and  recommending  were  a  byword 
for  their  scandalous  behaviour.  It  never  crossed  her  mind 
that  anybody  wished  her  ill.  Both  the  Hamiltons  and 
Nelson  had  been  living  in  an  isolated  fool's  paradise  of 
popularity,  remote  from  the  canons  or  the  realities  of 
England.  They  hugged  the  illusion  of  home  popularity. 
Unpopularity,  whether  deserved  or  due  to  envy  or  ill-nature, 
usually  comes  as  a  shock  and  a  surprise  to  those  who  have 
provoked  it  far  less  than  Lady  Hamilton.  She  had  long 
passed  the  patronage  of  that  English  society  which  only 
condones  in  a  parvenue  what  it  can  patronise.  It  now 
resented  her  intrusion,  while  it  resented  more,  and  with 
better  reason,  her  perpetual  association  with  Nelson. 
Indeed,  the  Admiralty  were  beginning  to  pry  into  her  and 
Nelson's  correspondence,-  while  the  Government  had  now 
decided  to  recall  Hamilton.  '  You  may  not  know,'  Trou- 
bridge  had  told  her,  'that  you  have  many  enemies.  I 
therefore  risk  your  displeasure  by  telling  you.     I  am  much 

'  The  apocryphal  yJ/i?w^«>5  of  Lady  HamiUo7t  (i%i^)  give  an  imaginary  con- 
versation between  Troubridge  and  Nelson,  rebuking  him  for  his  high  play  at 
Palermo. 

■■*  Cf.  inter  alia  Morrison  MS.  452;  Pettigrew,  vol.  i.  p.  299. 


320  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

gratified  you  have  taken  it,  as  /  meant  it — purely  good. 
You  tell  me  I  must  write  you  all  my  wants.  The  Queen 
is  the  only  person  who  pushes  things ;  you  must  excuse  tne ; 
I  trust  nothing  there,'  he  continues  with  personal  soreness, 
'nor  do  I,  or  ever  shall  ask  from  the  court  of  Naples  any- 
thing but  for  their  service,  and  the  just  demands  I  have  on 
them.'  His  motives  leak  out  in  the  concluding  sentences 
about  Lord  Keith  :  '.  .  .  I  should  have  been  a  very  rich 
man  if  I  had  served  George  III.  instead  of  the  King  of 
Naples.  .  .  .  The  new  Admiral,  I  suppose,  will  send  us 
home — the  new  hands  will  serve  them  better,  as  they  will 
soon  be  all  from  the  north,  full  of  liberality  and  generosity, 
as  all  Scots  are  with  some  exceptions'  Emma's  own  account  ^ 
deserves  to  be  cited  also.  It  occurs  in  a  letter  to  Greville, 
hitherto  unnoticed,  is  perfectly  truthful,  and  seeks  to  pro- 
tect not  herself,  but  her  husband  and  Nelson:  —  'We 
are  more  united  and  comfortable  than  ever,  in  spite  of  the 
infamous  Jacobin  papers  jealous  of  Lord  Nelson's  glory  and 
Sir  William's  and  mine.  But  we  do  not  mind  them.  Lord 
N.  is  a  truly  vertuous  and  great  man  ;  and  because  we  have 
been  fagging,  and  ruining  our  health,  and  sacrificing  every 
comfort  in  the  cause  of  loyalty,  our  private  characters  are  to 
be  stabbed  in  the  dark.  First  it  was  said  Sir  W.  and  Lord  N. 
fought ;  then  that  we  played  and  lost.  First  Sir  W.  and 
Lord  N.  live  like  brothers  ;  next  Lord  N.  never  plays  :  and 
this  I  give  you  my  word  of  honour.  So  I  beg  you  will 
contradict  any  of  these  vile  reports.  Not  that  Sir  W.  and 
Lord  N.  mind  it  ;  and  I  get  scolded  by  the  Queen  and  all 
of  them  for  having  suffered  one  day's  uneasiness.' 

Yet  she  was  by  no  means  the  slave  of  her  new  excite- 
ment. She  tried  to  heal  old  wounds,  she  corresponded 
with  diplomatists  ;  2  she  could   not  relinquish  her  part  of 

1  Nelson  Letters,  vol.  i.  p.  269,  Lady  Hamilton  to  Greville,  F'ebruary  29, 
1800.  For  Troubridge's  letters,  Morrison  MS.  441,  January  4,  iSoo  ;  Pettigrew, 
vol.  i.  p.  339  (where  it  is  misdated).  It  will  be  found  later  on  that  Troubridge, 
who  owed  all  to  Nelson,  received  a  regular  pension  from  the  King.  For  the 
preceding  generally,  cf.  ibid.  pp.  296  et  seq.,  323  (the  Queen's  letters  to  Emma  of 
October),  and  p.  iT^et  seq.  (those  of  the  early  part  of  the  next  year);  p.  312 
(Nelson's  letter),  Morrison  MS.  420-437  passifu  ;  Minto  Life  and  Letters, 
vol.  ii.  p.  138  (Lady  Minto  to  Lady  Malmesbury). 

'  The  future  Lord  Minto  wrote  her  long  epistles  from  Vienna  about  affairs 


J 


HOMEWARD  BOUND  321 

female  politician,  the  less  so  as  Hamilton  had  now  settled 
to  return  home  on  the  first  opportunity,  and  the  Queen  was 
desolated  at  the  mere  thought  of  separation.^  The  Duchess 
of  Sorrentino  besought  her  good  offices  from  Vienna,  and 
in  urging  her  suit  Emma  abused  the  King  so  roundly,  that 
in  his  umbrage  he  turned  violently  both  on  her  and  the 
Queen.  A  heated  scene  ensued — so  heated,  indeed,  that 
the  monarch  demanded  Emma's  death  and  threatened  to 
throw  her  out  of  the  window  for  her  contempt  of  court.^ 

Nelson's  acting  chief  command  expired  on  January  6, 
1800.  Ill,  and  with  a  fresh  murmur  of  '  unkindness,'  he 
put  himself  under  Lord  Keith's  directions  at  Leghorn.^ 
The  blockade  of  Malta,  which  had  lasted  over  a  year,  the 
as  yet  uncaptured  remnant  of  the  French  squadron  from 
the  Nile,  the  resolve  that  the  French  army  should  not  be 
suffered  to  quit  Egypt — these  were  the  objects,  now  shared 
with  Emma,  of  his  thoughts  and  of  his  dreams.  He  deter- 
mined to  run  the  risk  of  independent  action.*  To  Malta 
he  proceeded  instantly,  and  he  was  transported  with  joy 
when  he  captured  Le  Genereux^  though  he  had  yet  to  wait 
for  the  eventual  surrender  of  the  single  remaining  frigate 
to  his  officers.  '  I  feel  anxious,'  he  wrote  in  February  to 
Emma,  during  his  constant  correspondence  with  the 
Hamiltons,  '  to  get  up  with  these  ships,  and  shall  be 
unhappy  not  to  take  them  myself,  for  first  my  greatest 
happiness  is  to  serve  my  gracious  King  and  Country,  and 
I  am  envious  only  of  glory  ;  for  if  it  be  a  sin  to  covet  glory, 
I  am  the  most  offending  soul  alive.  But  here  I  am  in  a 
heavy  sea  and  thick  fog ! — Oh  God  !  the  wind  subsided — 

Austrian  and  domestic :  in  one  of  them  lie  says,  '  God  bless  you,  my  dearest 
Lady  Hamilton  '  (it  is  wonderful  how  much  '  God-blessing '  pervades  the  period), 
'  lay  mc  at  the  proper  feet.' — Morrison  MS.  436,  November  2,  1799. 

'  Morrison  MS.  424,  484.  In  the  first  Hamilton  tells  Greville  'the  Queen 
is  really  so  fond  of  Emma  that  the  parting  will  be  a  serious  business.'  In  the 
second,  '  Emma  is  in  despair  at  the  thought  of  parting  from  the  Queen.'  Emma 
herself  says,  '.  .  .  I  am  miserable  to  leave  my  dearest  friend.  She  cannot  be 
consoled.' — Nelson  Letters,  vol.  i.  p.  272. 

-  Cf.  the  Duchess's  letter  and  the  Queen's  transcribed  by  Pettigrew,  vol.  i. 
pp.  300,  377.  He  became  excellent  friends,  however,  with  her  afterwards,  and 
sent  pleasant  messages  to  her  so  late  as  1S04. 

••  January  20.  *  Cf.  Laughton's  Despatches,  p.  234. 

X 


322  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

but  I  trust  to  Providence  I  shall  have  them.  Eighteenth, 
in  the  evening,  I  have  got  her — Le  Gencreiix — thank  God  ! 
twelve  out  of  thirteen,  only  the  Guillaume  Telle  remaining  ; 
I  am  after  the  others.  I  have  not  suffered  the  French 
Admiral  to  contaminate  the  Foiidroyant  by  setting  his  foot 
in  her.'^  By  the  end  of  March  the  end  of  the  Maltese 
blockade  was  in  sight,  and  Nelson  was  back  again  in 
Palermo.^  His  health  was  so  '  precarious,'  that  he  '  dropped 
with  a  pain  in  his  heart,'  and  was  'always  in  a  fever.' 
Troubridge  was  deputed  to  finish  the  Maltese  operations. 
When  Nelson  heard  of  the  capture  of  the  Guillaume  Telle 
through  Long  and  Blackwood,  his  cup  of  thankfulness  ran 
over,  and  his  despatch  to  Nepean  is  a  Nunc  dimittis!^ 

'Pray  let  me  know,'  wrote  Ball  from  Malta  in  March, 
'  what  Sir  William  Hamilton  is  determined  on  ;  he  is  the 
most  amiable  and  accomplished  man  I  know,  and  his  heart 
is  certainly  one  of  the  best  in  the  world.  I  wish  he  and 
her  Ladyship  would  pay  me  a  visit ;  they  are  an  irreparable 
loss  to  me.  ...  I  long  to  know  Lord  Nelson's  determina- 
tion.' Ball  had  not  long  to  wait.  Nelson  was  anxious  to 
settle  affairs  finally  for  Great  Britain  at  Malta,* — a  settle- 
ment that  eventually  transferred  it  to  Britain  and  greatly 
exasperated  Maria  Carolina.  Sir  William  had  now  been 
definitely  superseded  by  his  unwelcome  successor,  Paget, 
although  he  was  allowed  to  indulge  the  hope  of  a  future 
return.^  He  resolved  to  sail  on  the  Foudroyant,  accom- 
panied by  his  friends  and  the  indispensable  poetess.  Miss 
Knight.  On  April  23  they  proceeded  from  Palermo  to 
Syracuse — the  scene  of  Emma's  triumph  by  the  waters  of 
Arethusa.  Her  birthday  was  celebrated  on  board  by  toasts 
and  songs.  On  May  3  they  again  set  sail  and  anchored 
in  St.  Paul's  Bay  before  the  next  evening. 

Hitherto   only   rumour   had    been    busy   with    Nelson's 

^  Morrison  MS.  456,  Nelson  to  Lady  Hamilton,  February  i8,  1800.  This 
was  the  passage  a  copy  of  which  Sir  William,  in  admiration,  forwarded  to  Lord 
Grenville.  All  this  time,  too,  Tyson  was  continually  communicating  with 
Emma.     Lord  Keith  irritated  Nelson  afresh  by  claiming  some  of  the  credit. 

'•^  On  March  16, 

^  Laughton's  Despatches,  p.  237,  and  cf.  liis  letter  to  Lady  H.  of  March  4  ; 
Pettigrew,  vol.  i.  p.  338. 

*  La  Valetta  did  not  actually  surrender  to  the  blockade  till  the  end  of  August. 

*  Cf.  Morrison  ^LS.  444. 


HOMEWARD  BOUND  323 

philanderings.  Lord  St.  Vincent  persisted  to  the  last  in 
saying  that  he  and  Emma  were  only  a  simpering  edition  of 
Romeo  and  Juliet — 'just  a  silly  pair  of  sentimental  fools.' 
And  at  this  time  Sir  William  seems  to  have  thought  the 
same ;  it  was  all  Emma's  '  Sensibility,'  all  Nelson's  loyal 
devotion.  He  was  the  idol  of  them  both.  But  this  voyage 
southward  under  the  large  Sicilian  stars  marks  the  climax 
of  that  fence  of  passion,  the  first  approaches,  the  feints, 
parries,  and  thrusts  of  which  I  have  sought  to  depict.  The 
'  three  joined  in  one,'  as  they  called  themselves,  had  long  been 
unsevered.  From  the  date  of  the  Malta  visit,  as  events  prove, 
the  liaison  between  the  two  of  the  trio  ceases  to  be  one  of 
hearts  merely.  The  Mediterranean  has  been  the  cradle  of 
religion,  of  commerce,  and  of  empire.  On  the  Mediterranean 
Nelson  had  won  his  spurs  and  ventured  his  greatest  exploit ; 
on  it  had  happened  the  rise  of  Emma's  passion  and  his  own, 
and  it  was  now  to  be  the  theatre  of  their  fall.^ 

It  has  been  well  said  that  apologies  only  try  to  excuse 
what  they  fail  to  explain,  and  any  apology  for  the  bond  which 
ever  afterwards  united  them  would  be  idle.  Yet  a  few 
reflections  should  be  borne  seriously  in  mind.  The  firm  tie 
that  bound  them,  they  themselves  felt  eternally  binding  ; 
no  passing  whim  had  fastened  it,  nor  any  madness  of  a 
moment.  They  had  plighted  a  real  troth  which  neither  of 
them  ever  either  broke  or  repented.  Both  found  and  lost 
themselves  in  each  other.  Their  love  was  no  sacrifice  to 
lower  instincts  ;  it  was  a  true  link  of  hearts.  Nelson  would 
have  adored  Emma  had  she  not  been  so  beautiful.'-  She 
worshipped  him  the  more  for  never  basking  in  court  or 
official  sunshine.  And  their  passion  was  lasting  as  well  as 
deep.  Not  even  calumny  has  whispered  that  Emma  was 
ever  unfaithful  even  to  Nelson's  memory ;  and  Nelson  held 
their  union,  though  unconsecrated,  as  wholly  sacred  and 
unalterable.  If  the  light  of  their  torch  was  not  from  heaven, 
at  least  its  intensity  was  undimmed. 

Their  worst  wrong,  however,  was  to  the  defied  and  wounded 

'  From  a  passage,  however,  in  a  letter  from  Nelson  of  February  17,  iSoi,  it 
would  seem  to  have  happened  earlier.  Cf.  Morrison  MS.  516:  '  Ah  !  my  dear 
friend,  I  did  rcmemlicr  well  the  I2th  February,  and  also  the  two  months  after- 
wards.    I  never  shall  forget  them,  and  never  be  sony  for  the  consequences.' 

-  Cf.  the  pass-igc  f|uoted  post,  in  chap.  xii. 


324  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

wife.  Cold  letters  had  already  reached  Nelson,  and  rankling 
words  may  already  have  been  exchanged  ;  Lady  Nelson's 
jealousy  was  justified,  although  as  yet  Nelson  never  medi- 
tated repudiation.  Emma  had  no  scruple  in  hardening 
his  heart  and  her  own  towards  one  whom  she  had  offended 
unseen  and  unprovoked ;  she  would  suffer  none  to  dispute 
her  dominion.  Under  her  spell,  Nelson  perverted  the  whole 
scale  of  duty  and  of  circumstance.  In  his  enchanted  eyes 
wedlock  became  sacrilege,  and  passion  a  sacrament;  his 
insulted  Fanny  seemed  the  insulter  ;  his  Emma's  dishonour, 
honour.  The  woman  who  had  failed  to  nerve  or  share  his 
genius,  turned  into  an  unworthy  persecutress  and  ter- 
magant ;  she  who  had  succeeded,  into  the  pattern  of 
womankind.  The  mistress  of  his  home  was  confronted  by 
the  mistress  of  his  heart,  Vesta  by  Venus ;  nor  did  he  for 
one  moment  doubt  which  was  the  interloper.  Unregener- 
ateness  appeared  grace  to  his  warped  vision.  Nothing  but 
sincerity  can  extenuate,  nothing  but  sheer  human  nature 
can  explain  these  deplorable  transposals.  The  reality  for 
him  of  this  marriage  of  the  spirit  without  the  letter,  blinded 
both  of  them  to  all  other  realities  outside  it.  Emma's  few 
surviving  letters  to  him  are  those  of  an  idolising  wife.  One 
unfamiliar  sentence  from  one  of  his,  written  within  a  year  of 
this  period,  speaks  volumes  :  '  I  worship,  nay,  adore  you, 
and  if  you  was  single,  and  I  found  you  under  a  hedge,  I 
would  instantly  marry  you.'  ^ 

But  the  part  of  Sir  William  in  this  strange  alliance 
formed,  perhaps,  its  strangest  element.  Throughout,  even 
after  Greville  and  the  caricatures  in  the  shop  windows 
must  have  opened  his  eyes,  he  deliberately  shut  them.  He 
never  ceased  his  attachment  to  Emma  or  abated  his  chival- 
rous fealty  to  Nelson.  Those  feelings,  incredible  as  it 
may  sound,  were  genuinely  reciprocated  by  both  of  them. 
He  seems  almost  to  have  more  than  accepted  that  veil 
of  mystification  with  which  the  next  year  was  to  shroud 
their  intimacy.  Indeed,  it  was  Emma's  care  for  Nelson's 
career,  and  Nelson's  for  her  good  name,  that  constrained 
the  fiction.  That  a  woman  should  join  a  daughter's  devo- 
tion to  an  old  husband  with  a  wife's  devotion  to  the  lover 

^   Morrison  MS.  539,  Nelson  to  Lady  H.,  March  6,  1800. 


//«/'/ 


/    '.r 


HOMEWARD  BOUND  325 

of  her  choice,  is  a  phenomenon  in  female  psychology. 
Swift  towards  Stella  and  Vanessa,  Goethe  towards  Mina 
and  Bettina,  are  not  the  only  men  who  have  cherished  a 
dual  constancy  ;  but,  as  a  rule,  the  woman  inconstant  to  one 
will  prove  inconstant  to  many  others. 

Miss  Knight  noticed  how  low-spirited  Emma  seemed 
on  the  return  passage  to  Palermo.^  Indeed,  the  familiar 
stanzas  of  her  composing,  '  Come,  cheer  up,  fair  Emma ' " — 
a  line  often  repeated  in  Nelson's  later  letters  —  were 
prompted  by  this  unaccountable  melancholy.^  Such  dispirit- 
ment  could  not  betoken  the  mood  of  an  adventuress  in- 
triguing to  secure  a  successor  to  the  fading  Hamilton. 
Yet  such  was  Sir  Gilbert  Elliot's  assertion  two  years  later.* 
It  is  curious  that  the  imputers  of  craft  always  deny  her  a 
spark  of  cleverness,  and  they  must  certainly  have  thought 
Nelson  much  stupider  than  themselves.  Worldlings  do 
not  always  know  the  world,  still  less  the  world  of  such  a 
complex  heart  as  Emma's.     Her  feelings  may  perhaps  be 

'  Cf.  Miss  Ellis  Cornelia  Knight's  Autobiography  (iS6i). 
*  They  are  not  very  good  : — 

'  Come,  cheer  up,  fair  Emma,  forget  all  thy  grief, 
For  thy  shipmates  are  brave  and  a  hero  's  their  chief. 
Look  round  on  these  trophies,  the  pride  of  the  Main, 
They  were  snatched  by  their  valour  from  Gallia  and  Spain. 
Chorus  :  Hearts  of  Oak,  etc. 

Behold  yonder  fragment,  'tis  sacred  to  fame, 
'Mid  the  waves  of  old  Nile  it  was  saved  from  the  flame  : 
The  flame  that  destroyed  all  the  glories  of  France 
When  Providence  vanquished  the  friends  of  blind  chance. 

Chorus:  Hearts  of  Oak,  etc' 
The  last  verse  runs  : — 

'  Then  cheer  up,  fair  Emma,  remember  thou  'rt  free, 
And  ploughing  Britannia's  old  empire — the  sea  : 
How  many  in  Albion  each  sorrow  would  check, 
Could  they  kiss  l)ut  one  plank  of  this  conquering  deck. 

Chorus :  Hearts  of  Oak,  etc' 

^  Nelson,  writing  to  I-ady  Hamilton  in  the  following  year  (only  three  days 
before  Horatia's  birth),  says  :  '  When  I  consider  that  this  day  nine  months  was 
your  birthday,  and  that  although  we  had  a  gale  of  wind,  yet  I  was  happy  and 
sang  "Come,  cheer  up,  fair  Emma,"  etc.,  even  the  thoughts  compared  with  this 
day  make  me  melancholy.' — Morrison  MS.  503,  January  26,  1801. 

■•  Cf.  Minto  Life  and  Letters,  vol.  iii.  p.  242.  '  She  looks  ultimately  to  the 
chance  of  marriage,'  etc.  Lady  Nelson  at  this  time  was  exceedingly  unlikely  to 
shuffle  oft' the  coil. 


326  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

best  imaged  by  her  little  poem  sent  to  Nelson  at  the  open- 
ing of  his  last  year  on  earth. 

'  I  think  I  have  not  lost  my  heart, 
Since  I  with  truth  can  swear, 
At  every  moment  of  my  life, 
I  feel  my  Nelson  there. 

If  from  thine  Emma's  breast  her  heart 

Were  stolen  or  thrown  away, 
Where,  where  should  she  my  Nelson's  love 

Record,  each  happy  day  ? 

If  from  thine  Emma's  breast  her  heart 

Were  stolen  or  flown  away, 
Where,  where  should  she  engrave,  my  Love, 

Each  tender  word  you  say  ? 

Where,  where  should  Emma  treasure  up 

Her  Nelson's  smiles  and  sighs. 
Where  mark  with  joy  each  secret  look 

Of  love  from  Nelson's  eyes  ? 

Then  do  not  rob  me  of  my  heart, 

Unless  you  first  forsake  it ; 
And  then  so  wretched  it  would  be, 

Despair  alone  will  take  it.' ' 

In  these  lines,  surely,  there  is  a  ring  of  'les  lartnes  dmis 
la  voix.' 

In  sixteen  days  the  Maltese  episode  was  over,  but 
Palermo  was  not  reached  for  eleven  days  more.  Nelson 
had  pleaded  complete  exhaustion  as  his  reason  for  being 
unable  to  continue  at  present  in  his  subordinate  command. 
Lord  Spencer  sent  him  a  dry  and  suspicious  answer. 
Nelson  desired  to  recruit  his  health  at  home.  He  bemoaned 
the  supineness  of  those  who  might  have  prevented  the  fresh 
invasion  of  Italy.  Already  he  had  bidden  his  friend  Davison 
to  announce  his  impending  return  to  Lady  Nelson:  '  I  fancy,' 
the  mutual  friend  wrote  to  her,  'that  your  anxious  mind 
will  be  relieved  by  receiving  all  that  you  hold  sacred  and 
valuable.'^  She  'alternated  between  a  menace  and  a  sigh.' 
But  she  was  not  to  behold  him  so  soon  as  had  been 
expected,  or  to  test  the  truth  of  what    had  been   darkly 

^  Nelson  Letters,  vol.  ii.  p.  127. 

2  Morrison  MS.  490,  Davison  to  Lady  Nelson,  May  9,  iSoo. 


J 


HOMEWARD  BOUND  327 

hinted.  The  Hamiltons  were  to  be  his  companions,  and 
the  Queen  had  for  the  last  three  months  been  preparing  a 
plan  for  their  joint  convenience.  Now  wholly  bereft  of  her 
power  over  and  the  affection  of  her  husband,^  vainly  exert- 
ing herself  to  induce  Lord  Grenville  to  retain  Hamilton  at 
his  post,  dreading  that  England  would  withdraw  her  fleet, 
suspicious,  too,  that  Britain  might  rob  the  Sicilies  of  Malta, 
she  resolved,  in  her  isolation,  to  visit  her  relatives  at  Vienna, 
after  a  private  and  political  visit  to  Leghorn.  The  three 
princesses  and  Prince  Leopold  were  to  go  with  her,  and 
Prince  Castelcicala,  bound  on  a  special  mission  to  the  Court 
of  St.  James,  was  to  head  the  train  of  a  numerous  suite. 
The  French  were  now  once  more  beginning  to  defeat  the 
Austrians,  and  she  longed  to  set  off  before  it  might  be  too 
late.  What  so  natural  as  that  the  Tria  juncta  in  uno  should 
accompany  her  till  the  inevitable  wrench  of  parting? 

One  of  her  letters  to  Emma  three  months  previously 
reveals  at  once  the  state  of  her  own  perplexed  and  perplex- 
ing mind,  her  reliance  on  Emma's  counsel,  and  the  cause  of 
Castelcicala's  mission.  So  much  depends  on  the  point  of 
view.  Throughout,  hers  had  been  utterly  alien  to  the 
average  Englishwoman's : — 

'  My  dear  Lady, — I  have  been  compelled  by  a  painful 
affair  to  delay  my  reply,  and  I  write  this,  my  dear  friend,  in 
great  pain.  .  ,  .  Do  you  remember  that  on  Tuesday  evening 
I  asked  you  if  you  had  received  any  letter ;  you  told  me 
no :  my  eyes  filling  with  tears,  I  was  obliged  to  leave  you 
I  wrote  that  I  was  dreadfully  depressed.  ...  I  send  you 
the  substance  of  my  letter  from  Circello.^  The  official 
one  seems  to  contain  no  more,  but  as  this  fatal  packet  from 
Paget  ^  appears  to  hinge  upon  our  not  being  left  here  with- 
out a  minister  during  your  husband's  absence,  I  think  it 
may  yet  be  remedied.  I  am  in  despair.  I  am  excessively 
angry  with  Circello  for  not  having  more  strongly  opposed 
it,  and  if  you,  my  good,  honest,  true   friends,  quit  us,  let 

'  Ferdinand  was  now  trimming  once  more  under  the  rumours  afloat  of  a 
restoration  of  monarchy  in  France.     Cf.  Morrison  MS.  444. 

-  Ambassador  in  London. 

••  Sir  William's  so-called  temporary  successor.  He  was  a  stop-gap  for  Elliot, 
who  in  his  turn  was  replaced  by  Amherst,  and  he  by  Bentinck. 


328  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

them  leave  Keith  in  the  Mediterranean.  We  begin  by 
losing  you,  our  good  friends,  then  our  hero  Nelson,  and 
finally,  the  friendship  and  alliance  of  England  ;  for  a  young 
man  [Circello]  liable  to  misbehave  himself  through  the 
temptations  of  wrong-headed  men  who  will  induce  him  to 
abuse  his  power,  will  not  be  tolerated,  and  troubles  will 
arise  from  it.  I  grieve  to  cause  you  uneasiness  ;  my  own  is 
concealed,  but  bitterly  felt.  I  send  you,  my  good  friend, 
the  original  from  Circello.  Do  not  let  Campbell  see  it,  or 
know  that  you  have  seen  it,  and  return  it  to-morrow  morn- 
ing. .  .  .  Suggest  to  me  what  should  be  done  to  prevent 
this  misfortune  .  .  .  both  for  the  State  and  for  my  feelings. 
.  .  .  I  will  do  whatever  you  counsel  me.  .  .  .  Do  not  afflict 
yourself  Tell  the  Chevalier  I  have  never  felt  till  now  how 
much  I  am  attached  to  him,  how  much  I  owe  him.  My 
eyes  swim  with  tears,  and  I  must  finish  by  begging  you  to 
suggest  to  me  what  to  do,  and  believe  that  all  my  life  happy 
or  wretched,  wherever  it  may  be,  I  shall  be  always  your  sin- 
cere, attached,  tender,  grateful,  devoted,  sorrowful  friend.'  ^ 

None  the  less,  the  anniversary  of  King  George's  birthday 
was  celebrated  with  undiminished  fervour  at  Palermo. 
Every  member  of  the  royal  family  addressed  separate 
letters  of  compliment  to  Lady  Hamilton.  Their  Anglo- 
mania still  prevailed. 

Among  these  valedictions  is  a  letter  of  less  formal  in- 
terest. Lady  Betty  Foster  had  commended  a  protegee — 
Miss  Ashburner — to  Emma's  protection.  She  had  married 
a  Neapolitan,  and,  as  Eliza  Perconte,  was  now  governess  to 
one  of  the  princesses.  '  With  me,'  she  says,  'the  old  Eng- 
lish proverb,  "out  of  sight,  out  of  mind,"  will  never  find  a 
place.'  ^  Emma  had  conciliated  all  but  the  Jacobins.  Her 
unceremonious  kindness  had  endeared  her  to  many  loving 
friends  among  the  lowest  as  well  as  the  highest.  The  sailors 
and  the  common  people  would  have  died  for  her.  Her 
absence  made  a  real  void.  Lord  Bristol  was  now  once  more 
at  Naples — it  is  a  pity  that  the  farewell  of  one  so  unaccount- 
able is  missing.  Prince  Belmonte's,  however,  is  not,  though  it 
was  addressed  from  Petersburg  to  Vienna.   '  I  am  so  indebted 

^  Transcribed  by  Pettigrew,  vol.  i.  p.  375.     I  have  ventured  to  revise  some 
of  the  translation.  -  Morrison  MS.  492. 


HOMEWARD  BOUND  329 

to  you,'  he  writes  in  English, '  and  you  deserve  so  much  to 
be  loved,  that  my  gratitude  and  sincere  friendship  will  last 
till  my  tomb.     God  bless  you  in  your  long  travels.'^ 

Farewell  was  now  said  not  only  to  Palermo,  but  to  Italy. 
Nevermore  did  Emma  behold  '  the  land  of  the  cypress  and 
myrtle,'  the  land  of  her  hero's  laurels,  of  her  husband's 
adoption,  of  her  own  zenith.  It  often  hereafter  haunted  her 
dreams. 

She,  with  her  husband,  mother,  and  Miss  Knight,  accom- 
panied the  Queen  and  Nelson  to  Leghorn.  They  sailed  on 
June  10,  and  anchored  five  days  later,  though  Nelson's 
usual  tempest  prevented  a  landing  for  two  days  more.  This 
marks  the  last  of  the  Fondroyant  for  the  chief  actors  in  the 
memorable  scenes  of  this  and  the  previous  year.  It  had 
proved  a  ship  of  history  and  of  romance.  Nelson  had 
pressed  the  Government  to  put  it  at  the  Queen's  disposal 
as  far  as  Trieste,  but  it  was  promptly  requisitioned  for 
repairs:  Mrs.  Grundy,  in  the  person  of  Queen  Charlotte,  had 
intervened.  Bitterly  disappointed,  its  barge's  crew  at  once 
petitioned  to  be  allowed  to  serve  in  any  ship  which 
their  great  Admiral  might  still  choose  for  his  homeward 
journey.  The  news  that  on  July  1 1  Nelson  had  struck  his 
flag  spread  consternation  at  Palermo. 

For  three  weeks  more  they  all  tarried  at  Leghorn. 
Nelson  and  his  party  met  with  a  royal  welcome,  and  were 
conducted  in  state  to  the  Cathedral  with  the  Queen.  All 
received  splendid  memorials  from  Maria  Carolina.  Emma's 
was  a  diamond  necklace  with  ciphers  of  the  royal  children's 
names  intertwined  with  locks  of  their  hair.  The  Queen,  in 
presenting  it,  assured  her  that  it  was  she  who  had  been  their 
means  of  safety.  Nor  were  they  safe  at  present.  The 
French  army  was  gradually  advancing  towards  Lucca  in 
their  immediate  neighbourhood.  Nelson  sent  a  line  of 
assurance  to  Acton  that  till  safety  was  secured  and  plans 
were  settled,  he  would  not  desert  the  Queen.  Emma  was 
still  paramount ;  nor  was  it  long  before,  and  for  the  last 
time,  she  displayed  that  ready  presence  of  mind,  and  power 
of  popularity  with  crowds  that  had  often  astonished  Maria 
Carolina,  and  contributed  so  much  to  Nelson's  admiration. 
'  Morrison  MS.  496. 


330  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

She  had  armed  the  Lazzaroni  at  Naples,  she  harangued  and 
pacified  the  insurgents  at  Leghorn.^ 

On  July  17  they  started  together  for  Vienna  by  way  of 
Florence,  Ancona,  and  Trieste. 

This  journey,  with  its  after  stages  of  fresh  pomp  and 
pageant  at  Prague,  at  Dresden,  and  at  Hamburg,  was  the 
most  ill-advised  step  that  Nelson  and  the  Hamiltons  could 
have  taken.  Had  they  proceeded,  according  to  their 
original  plan,  by  sea,  they  would  never  have  so  irritated 
the  motherland  which,  after  long  absence,  they  were  all 
revisiting.  They  were,  indeed,  quite  ignorant  of  the  preju- 
dices which  they  would  be  called  upon  to  combat.  They 
deemed  themselves  children  of  the  world  by  virtue  of  their 
association  with  great  events,  great  persons,  and  a  great 
career ;  but  of  our  island-world  they  had  grown  curiously 
forgetful.  Well,  indeed,  would  it  have  been  for  them  if  they 
had  remembered.  They  had  lived  in  a  hot-house ;  they 
were  going  into  the  fog.-  They  had  long  been  closely 
isolated  in  an  inner,  as  well  as  an  outer,  world  of  their  own. 
Every  one,  except  the  detestable  Jacobins,  had  hymned  their 
praises.  Nelson's  supreme  renown  had  coloured  every  word 
and  every  action.  For  them  the  Neapolitan  and  Sicilian 
court  stood  for  every  court  elsewhere.  As  it  had  been  with 
the  allies  of  Britain,  so  would  it  prove  in  Britain  itself. 
They  hugged  their  illusions.  They  were  aware,  of  course, 
of  whispers  and  comments  and  suspicions,  but  these  they 
derided  as  the  makeshifts  of  envious  busybodies.*^  Even 
now  Sir  William  gave  out  that  he  would  shortly  return,  a 
more  youthful  Ambassador  than  ever,  though  he  was  even 

^  The  scene  is  given  by  Pettigrew  as  well  as  Harrison. 

^  Fogs,  both  mental  and  physical,  are  the  expressions  of  Lord  St.  Vincent  in 
his  letter  to  Nelson  of  December  15,  1800,  and  of  Beckford  to  Emma  in  one  of 
November  24.  Cf.  Pettigrew,  vol.  i.  pp.  401,  403.  Within  a  month  of  his 
arrival  Nelson  wrote,  'This  place  of  London  but  ill  suits  my  disposition.' 

^  Sir  Gilbert  Elliot,  writing  from  Vienna  in  March  1803,  and  hoping  that 
Nelson,  who  was  worn  to  a  shadow,  would  take  Malta  before  returning  home, 
says :  '  He  does  not  seem  at  all  conscious  of  the  sort  of  discredit  he  has  fallen 
into,  or  the  cause  of  it,  for  he  writes  still  not  wisely  about  Lady  Hamilton  and 
all  that.  But  it  is  hard  to  condemn  and  use  ill  a  hero,  as  he  is  in  his  own 
element,  for  being  foolish  about  a  woman  who  has  art  enough  to  make  fools  of 
many  wiser  than  an  Admiral.  .  .  .  Sir  William  sends  home  to  Lord  Grenville 
the  Emperor  of  Russia's   letter  .  .   .  [about  the   Maltese   decoration    for   the 


I 


HOMEWARD  BOUND  331 

more  worn  out  than  Nelson.  He  and  Emma  were  under 
the  wing  of  the  greatest  hero  on  earth,  who  had  only  to 
sound  the  trumpet  of  his  fame  for  the  ramparts  of  official 
Jericho  to  fall.  Emma  herself  was  in  her  most  aggressive 
mood  ;  '  Nature  '  certainly  now  outweighed  *  Sensibility  '  : 
she  would  be  an  Ishmaelite  in  face  of  icy  English  officialism 
discrediting  each  of  her  words  and  suspecting  her  every  step. 
She  was  at  length  conscious  of  what,  in  its  very  concealment, 
was  about  to  rivet  her  for  ever  to  her  lover.  She  would 
brave  it  out  with  nerves  of  iron  and  front  of  brass,  for  that 
which  other  women  were  incapable  of  enduring,  her  strength 
and  courage  could  achieve.  At  Vienna  the  Empress  loaded 
Maria  Carolina's  intimate  with  attentions  ;  with  the  Ester- 
hazys  she  was  the  observed  of  all  observers.  The  bitter 
parting  with  her  Queen  but  nerved  her  to  greater  and  louder 
demonstrations.  When  hushed  diplomacy  sneered  and 
sniggered  in  pointedly  remote  corners,  she  raised  her  fine 
voice  higher  than  ever  to  teach  John  Bull  on  the  Continent 
a  lesson  of  robustness.  At  the  mere  hint  that  English 
influence  was  hoping  to  dissuade  the  Saxon  Elector  from 
receiving  one  who  was  the  friend  of  a  Queen  and  an 
Empress,  she  protested,  with  a  laugh,  that  she  would  knock 
him  down.  In  the  Saxon  capital  she  braced  herself  to 
perform  her  Attitudes  to  perfection  ;  nobody  should  guess 
her  real  condition.  She  was  ill  at  ease,  and  to  mask  it  she 
was  all  retaliation  and  defiance.  The  finical  got  upon  her 
nerves,  and  she  on  theirs. 

And,  added  to  this,  the  tour  itself  combined  the  features 
of  a  royal  progress  and  of  a  travelling  show.  At  Vienna 
no  attentions  sufficed  to  prove  the  gratitude  to  Nelson,  ay, 
and  to  Emma,  of  the  Austrian  house.  Lady  Elliot  herself, 
an  old  ally,  but  the  wife  of  an  Ambassador  who  soon  made  up 
his  mind  never  to  'countenance'  her,  stood  her  sponsor  at 
the  drawing-room.    The  Bathyanis  vied  with  the  Esterhazys. 

Maltese  service].  All  this  is  against  them,  but  they  do  not  seem  conscious.' — 
Minto  Life  and  Letters,  vol.  ii.  p.  114.  On  p.  139  he  inveighs  against  them  for 
trying  to  get  the  Foiidroyant  put  at  the  disposal  of  the  Queen  of  Naples.  '  In 
his  own  element ' !  As  if  Sir  Gilbert  could  have  sat  down  to  write  in  safety 
unless  Nelson  had  worsted  Napoleon  !  It  never  seems  to  have  crossed  this 
prosaic  busybody's  mind  that  Emma  could  fall  in  love  as  well  as  Nelson  ;  or  that 
the  Czar  might  possibly  know  his  own  business. 


332  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

Emma  was  constantly  with  Maria  Carolina  at  Schonbrunn 
as  the  tearful  hour  of  separation  approached.  The  Queen's 
parting  letter/  which  begins  '  My  dear  Lady  and  tender 
friend,'  contains  one  notable  passage  :  '  May  I  soon  have 
the  consolation  of  seeing  you  again  at  Naples.  I  repeat 
what  I  have  already  said,  that  at  all  times  and  places,  and 
under  all  circumstances,  Emma,  dear  Emma,  shall  be  my 
friend  and  sister,  and  this  sentiment  will  remain  unchanged. 
Receive  my  thanks  once  more  for  all  you  have  done,  and 
for  the  sincere  friendship  you  have  shown  me.  Let  me 
hear  from  you  ;  I  will  manage  to  let  you  hear  from  me.' 
We  shall  see  how  Maria  Carolina  kept  her  word.  It  was 
said  that  Emma  refused  from  her  the  offer  of  a  large  annuity. 
It  has,  of  course,  been  denied  that  Emma  was  ever  endued 
with  the  grace  of  refusal.  But,  quite  apart  from  the  natural 
pride  of  independence,  which  characterised  her  from  her 
girlhood  to  her  grave,  it  is  certain  that  neither  Hamilton 
nor  Nelson  would  ever  have  permitted  her  to  be  the  pen- 
sioner of  a  foreign  court. 

Banquets  and  functions  abounded,  and  they  were  not 
restricted  to  the  court.  Banker  Arnstein — '  the  Goldsmid,' 
as  Lady  Hamilton  afterwards  called  him, '  of  Germany ' — 
showered  his  splendours  upon  them.  There  were  endless 
concerts,  operas,  entertainments,  excursions,  visits  of  cere- 
mony and  of  pleasure,  shooting  parties,  water  parties,  and, 
it  must  be  owned,  parties  of  cards.  One  of  their  fellow- 
guests  at  St.  Veit,  a  castle  of  the  Esterhazys',  has  recorded 
his  hostile  impressions.  He  was  the  young  Lord  Fitzharris, 
a  patrician  of  the  genus  Greville,  and  he  may  have  lost  his 
money  in  this  encounter,  and,  possibly,  his  temper. 

'  Sunday,  grand  fireworks.  Monday  (the  jour  de  fete),  a 
very  good  ball.  And  yesterday,  the  chasse.  Nelson  and 
the  Hamiltons  were  there.  We  never  sat  down  to  supper 
or  dinner  less  than  sixty  or  seventy  persons,  in  a  fine  hall 
superbly  illuminated  ;  in  short,  the  whole  in  a  most  princely 
style.  Nelson's  health  was  drunk  with  a  flourish  of  trum- 
pets and  firing  of  cannon.  Lady  Hamilton  is,  without 
exception,  the  most  coarse,  ill-mannered,  disagreeable 
woman  we  met  with.      The  Princess  with   great  kindness 

'  Transcribed  by  Pettigrew,  vol.  i.  p.  399. 


HOMEWARD  BOUND  333 

had  got  a  number  of  musicians,  and  the  famous  Haydn, 
who  is  in  their  service,  to  play,  knowing  Lady  H.  was  fond 
of  music.  Instead  of  attending  to  them,  she  sat  down  to 
the  faro  table,  played  Nelson's  cards  for  him,  and  won 
between  £s^o  and  ^400.^  .  .  .'  -  Haydn,  it  must  be  thought, 
was  hardly  a  suitable  accompaniment  to  cards. 

When,  after  Dresden  with  its  fussy  state  and  solemnity, 
they  embarked  on  the  Elbe  for  Hamburg,  a  stock  pas- 
sage in  the  diaries  of  a  charming  woman  relates  how  that 
other  Elliot,  who  was  minister  here  (there  was  always 
an  Elliot),  was  pained  to  the  quick  of  his  refinement 
by  the  noise  of  Emma  and  her  party  ;  how  undignified 
Nelson's  excitability  appeared  to  him;^  how  Sir  William 
'  bobbed  '  on  '  his  backbone,'  with  his  ribbon  flying,  round 
the  ballroom,  to  prove  his  septuagenarian  nimbleness  ;  how 
he  and  his  friends  withdrew  shuddering  at  the  shock  of 
these  breaches  of  taste  ;  how  relieved  they  were  when  bated 
breath  was  restored,  and  they  were  quit  of  these  oddities 
and  vulgarities  ;  how,  when  the  Nelsonians  at  last  got  on 
board,  they  looked  like  a  troupe  of  strolling  players ;  how 
Mrs.  Cadogan  immediately  began  to  cook  the  Irish  stew  for 
which  her  daughter  clamoured,  while  Emma  herself  roundly 
abused  the  French  maid  for  neglecting  her  luggage.  Most 
of  this  is  probably  true,^  but  here  again  the  point  of  view 

1  Was  il  from  Fitzharris  ? 

-  iMters  of  the  First  Earl  of  Malmcsbury,  vol.  ii.  pp.  222  et  seq.  This  is  a 
hitherto  uncited  passage. 

^  It  is  here  insinuated  that  he  got  drunk.  His  nephew,  Mr.  Matchani,  who 
remembered  Nelson  and  Lady  Hamilton  together  at  Merton,  lived  to  refute  this 
slander  in  a  telling  pamphlet.  Nelson,  he  said,  was  most  moderate  in  his  pota- 
tions, and  always,  when  he  met  him  as  a  lad,  a  quiet  gentlhnan  in  a  black  suit. 
In  that  black  suit,  too,  Mr.  John  Ilorsely  tells  in  his  Recollections  that  his  father 
remembered  him  often  going  to  the  Moorfields  Church  to  hear  the  singing 
Charity  girls. 

*  The  Elliots  good  taste  did  not  prevent  them  from  discussing  with  I.ady 
Hamilton  her  chances  of  reception  by  Queen  Charlotte.  iNIrs.  St.  George  was 
perhaps  biassed  by  the  Elliots  (who,  however,  invited  the  whole  party  more 
than  once  to  dinner)  in  the  long  account  given  in  her  fou>nal.  She  resented 
Emma's  'friendship  at  first  sight,'  and  her  enthusiasm  over  her  accompaniments 
when  she  sang,  though  she  praises  her  grace  and  her  voice  ;  she  even  accused 
her  of  '  avarice  '  without  any  foundation,  and  she  abuses  the  coarseness  of  her 
maid.  She  is  also  inconsistent  in  her  account  of  Hamilton  ;  and  Mrs.  Cadogan 
was  '  what  one  would  expect.'     Cf.  p.  75  et  seq. 


334  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

needs  adjusting.  Fastidiousness  is  as  movable,  and  some- 
times as  unbearable,  a  term  as  vulgarity,  and  no  doubt  the 
stiff  Elliot  would  have  been  equally  troubled  at  a  violent 
sneeze,  at  any  undue  emphasis  whatever,  or  infringement  of 
etiquette.  He  had,  it  must  be  owned,  good  reason  for  being 
shocked  at  Emma's  want  of  manners.  But  over-nicety  has 
its  own  pitfalls  also.  There  have  been  people  who  eat 
dry  toast  with  a  knife  and  fork.  There  are  others  who  shiver 
at  the  stir  of  any  unconventional  footfall  on  the  pile  carpets 
of  '  culture.'  At  any  rate,  nobody  but  Elliot  ever  reproached 
Sir  William,  a  paragon  of '  taste,'  with  violating  the  sem- 
blances of  decorum.  However  we  may  regret  Emma's 
unpolished  'coarseness,'  at  least  this  is  true:  blatant  and 
self-assertive  or  not,  she  had  certainly  carried  her  own  life 
and  the  lives  of  others  in  her  hand.  She  had  shown  grit. 
The  daughter  of  the  servants'  hall  had  braved  crises  without 
blenching.  The  son  of  the  Foreign  Office  had  never  worked 
but  with  words,  nor  ever  sacrificed  himself  except  to  the 
covnue  ilfaut. 

But  if  Emma,  at  bay,  thus  misbehaved,  whither  were  her 
inmost  thoughts  wandering? 

She  was  thinking  of  how  she  could  carry  matters  through, 
of  what  would  become  of  her  poor  Sir  William.  She  was 
thinking  of  Greville's  reception,  of  Romney  and  Hayley  and 
Flaxman,  and  her  old  friends.  And  of  those  new  friends 
which  Nelson  had  promised  and  described  to  her  ;  of  his 
pious  and  revered  father,  whose  heart  must  be  broken  if 
ever  he  guessed  the  truth ;  of  his  favourite  brother  Maurice, 
whose  poor,  blind  '  wife,'  ^  beloved  and  befriended  by  Nelson 
till  she  died,  was  no  more  his  wedded  partner  than  she  was 
Nelson's  ;  of  his  eldest  brother — the  pompous  and  bishopric- 
hunting  '  Reverend,'  a  schemer  and  a  gourmand,-  who  added 
the  sentimental  selfishness  of  Harold  Skimpole  to  the  mock 
humility  of  Mr.  Pecksniff  ;  of  that  brother's  cheery,  bustling 
little  wife  ;  of  their  pet  daughter  Charlotte,  whom  the 
father  always  styled  his  '  jewel ' ;  of  the  son  already  destined 
for  the  navy,  and  long  afterwards  designated  by  Nelson  to 

J  Mrs.  Ford,  called  «  Mrs.  Nelson.' 

■■*  In  one  of  his  afler  letters  Nelson  begs  Emma  to  give  him  excellent  fare — 
'these  big- wigs  love  a  good  dinner.' 


HOMEWARD  BOUND  335 

marry  Horatia ;  of  his  two  plain-speaking,  plain-living 
sisters — sickly  Mrs.  Matcham  with  her  brood  of  eight,  and 
a  husband  always  absent,  ever  changing  plans  and  abodes  ; 
of  Mrs,  Bolton,  more  prosperous  and  more  ambitious,  with 
the  two  rather  quarrelsome  daughters  for  whom  she  coveted 
an  entry  into  the  world  of  '  deportment '  and  fashion  ;  of 
Davison,  the  hero's  fickle  factotum,  whom  Nelson  had 
already  requested  to  find  inexpensive  lodgings  in  London.^ 
Beckford,  the  magnificent,  had  put  his  house  in  Gros- 
venor  Square  at  the  disposal  of  the  Hamiltons.  It  was  an 
offer  of  self-interest,  for  he  was  already  manoeuvring  to 
rehabilitate  himself  by  bribing  his  embarrassed  kinsman 
into  procuring  him  a  peerage,  and  the  astute  Greville  sus- 
pected his  generosity  from  the  first.-  Indeed  he  wrote  to 
Sir  Joseph  Banks  that  he  had  warned  his  uncle  of  '  con- 
sequences,' and  that  he  '  hoped  to  put  him  out  of  the  line 
of  ridicule,'  even  if  he  could  not  'help  him  to  the  comfort 
and  credit  to  which  his  character  and  good  qualities  entitle 
him.'^ 

At  Vienna  Emma  had  found  Nelson  yet  another  factotum 
in  the  person  of  the  interpreter  Oliver,  who  during  the  next 
five  years  was  so  often  to  be  the  depositary  of  their  secret 
correspondence. 

From  Dresden  the  Nelsonians  repaired  to  Altona,  from 
Altona  to  Hamburg.  Their  sojourn  there  was  the  most 
interesting  of  all,  though  it  only  lasted  ten  days,"*  before  the 
three  embarked  in  the  SL  George  packet-boat  for  London. 
There  Emma,  who  had  met  the  young  poet  Goethe,  now  met, 
and  was  appreciated  by,  the  aged  poet  Klopstock.  There 
Nelson  met,  and  afterwards  munificently  befriended,  the  un- 
fortunate General  Dumouriez.  There  the  Lutheran  pastor 
hastened  many  miles  to  implore  the  signature  of  the  great 
man  for  the  flyleaf  of  his  Bible.  Hamburg  was  enrap- 
tured over  Emma's  '  Attitudes '  and  her  personality,  which 

1  Eg.  MS.  2240,  t.  32.  -  Cf.  Morrison  MS.  497. 

*  Cf.  excerpt  in  Sotheby'.^  catalogue  for  May  17,  1905,  Greville  to  Banks, 
September  24,  1800.  Greville  had  been  much  cuncerncd  at  the  Tria  juncta 
in  lino  coming  together  from  Vienna  vie)  Hamburg,  '  with  what  they  call  the 
small  reserve  of  their  establishment '  to  London.  Cf.  ibid.,  Greville  to  Banks 
September  1,  1800.  ^  October  12-21. 


336  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

called  forth  interesting  books  by  two  well-known  authors.^ 
It  was  the  more  enraptured  when  the  whole  party  witnessed 
a  performance  at  the  '  German  Theatre.'  Both  Emma  and 
Nelson  exhibited  their  usual  generosity  towards  the  *  poor 
devils'  who  applied  to  them.  Another  and  a  different 
experience  may  be  also  mentioned  as  indicating  how  really 
artless  they  were.  A  wine  merchant  of  the  city  hastened 
to  beg  the  hero's  acceptance  of  his  offering — six  bottles  of 
the  rarest  hock,  dating  from  the  vintage  of  1625.  Emma 
was  warmly  grateful,  and  urged  Nelson  to  receive  the 
present.  Nelson  took  it  with  the  thankful  compliment 
that  he  would  drink  a  bottle  of  it  after  each  future 
victory,  in  'honour  of  the  donor.' ^  This  'respectable' 
wine  merchant  cannot  have  been  so  simple  a  bene- 
factor as  he  appeared.  Hock  one  hundred  and  eighty 
years  old  must  have  been  quite  undrinkable,  and  only  fit 
for  a  museum. 

And  Nelson  was  wondering  whether  and  how  his  wife 
would  greet  his  arrival.  When,  on  November  6,  they 
reached  Yarmouth,  after  such  a  storm  that  only  he  could 
force  the  pilot  to  land,  that  wife  was  absent  from  his 
enthusiastic  welcomers.  Amid  the  music,  the  bunting,  the 
deputations  that  seized  his  one  hand,  the  offended  Fanny 
was  missing.  The  carriage  was  dragged  by  the  cheerers  to 
the  Wrestlers'  Inn,  before  which  the  troops  paraded.  The 
whole  party  marched  in  state  churchward  to  a  service  of 
thanksgiving  ;  the  town  was  illuminated,  his  departure  was 
escorted  by  cavalry;  but  the  wife,  no  longer  of  his  bosom, 
stayed  in  London  with  the  dear  old  rector,  who  had  hurried 
up  to  greet  him  from  Burnham-Thorpe.  The  two  days  before 
the  capital  huzza'd  him,  his  route  was  one  triumphal  proces- 
sion. His  own  Ipswich  rivalled  Yarmouth,  and  Colchester, 
Ipswich.  But  as  the  acclamations  of  the  countryside  rang 
in  their  ears,  a  single  thought  must  have  possessed  the 
minds  of  Nelson  and  of  Emma — the  thought  of  Fanny. 
Nelson   entered    London  in   full   uniform,  with    the   three 

'  One  by  Meyer  ;  another,  Skizzen  zu  einejii  Gemcilde  aus  Hamburg,  1801-3, 
by  F.  H.  Nestler.  This  information,  and  more  from  the  contemporary  news- 
papers, I  owe  to  the  kindness  of  INIr.  Max  Freund. 

-  Harrison,  vol.  ii.  p.  263. 


HOMEWARD  BOUND  337 

stars  and  the  two  golden  medals  on  his  breast.^  It  was 
Sunday — a  day  which  witnessed  many  of  the  crises  in  his 
career.  They  all  drove  together  to  Nerot's  Hotel  in  King 
Street,-  where  Greville  had  already  called  to  welcome  his 
uncle,  ailing  and  anxious  about  his  pension.  While  Lady 
Hamilton  disguised  her  tremor.Nelson  was  left  alone  with  his 
proud  father  and  the  indignant  wife,  who  had  believed,  and 
brooded  over,  every  whisper  against  him — even  the  mali- 
cious slanders  of  the  Jacobins.  Joy  could  not  be  expected 
of  her,  but  a  word  of  pride  in  the  achievements  that  had 
immortalised  him,  and  won  her  the  very  title  which  she 
immoderately  prized,  she  might  surely  have  shown.  Not  a 
soft  answer  escaped  her  pinched  lips.  That  night  must  have 
been  one  of  hot  entreaty  on  the  one  side,  and  cold  recrimi- 
nation on  the  other.  Her  mind  was  thoroughly  poisoned 
against  him.  He  at  once  presented  himself  at  the 
Admiralty,  just  as  Hamilton,  under  Greville's  tutelage, 
at  once  repaired  to  my  Lord  Grenville  in  Cleveland  Row. 
Together  the  three  attended  the  Lord  Mayor's  banquet  the 
following  night,  when  the  sword  of  honour  was  presented, 
after  the  citizens  of  London,  like  those  of  Yarmouth,  had 
unhorsed  the  car  of  triumph  and  themselves  drawn  it  along 
the  streets  lined  with  applauding  crowds,  to  the  Mansion 
House.  There  also  Lady  Nelson  was  absent.  Whether 
business  or  ovation  detained  him,  the  spectre  abode  in  its 
cupboard.  For  a  time  their  open  breach  was  patched  up, 
but  nevertheless  the  distance  between  them  widened. 
Nelson  was  to  aggravate  it  by  harping  on  Emma's  virtues 
and  graces  till  Fanny  sickened  at  her  very  name.  Nor 
could  Emma's  early  and  friendly  approaches,  in  which  Sir 
William  joined,  have  been  expected  to  bridge  it  over.^ 

'  Medals  were  struck  to  commemorate  his  return.  On  one  side  is  the 
medallion ;  on  the  reverse  Britannia  crowning  his  vessel  with  laurels.  The 
legend  round  runs :  '  Hail,  virtuous  hero  !  Thy  victories  we  acknowledge,  and 
thy  God.'     And  underneath,  '  Return  to  England,  November  5,  1800.' 

-  This  is  evident  from  Greville's  letter  to  Hamilton  of  November  9,  1800, 
Morrison  MS.  497.  It  has  usually  I)een  assumed  that  the  Hamiltons  drove 
straight  to  the  house  in  Grosvenor  Square  which  Beckford  had  lent  them. 

•'  Cf.  a  remarkable  letter  from  Lady  Hamilton  to  Lady  Nelson,  sold  at 
Sotheby's  in  the  May  of  this  year  (1905).  It  l)ears  no  date,  but  must  refer  to  a 
time  shortly  after  their  return.     The  following  is  the  excerpt  in  the  catalogue  : 

Y 


338  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

Emma  soon  resumed  her  post  as  his  amanuensis,  his 
companion,  his  almoner,^  his  vade  ineami.  Nelson  again 
accompanied  the  Hamiltons  on  their  speedy  visit  to  Font- 
hill,  whose  bizarre  master  desired  to  compound  for  a 
peerage  with  Sir  William.  PrM.'ts  exist  of  the  postchaise 
with  postilions,  flambeaux  in  hand,  driving  the  Nelsonians 
into  the  Gothic  archway  of  that  fantastic  demesne.  Nelson 
may  well  have  thought,  '  Que  diable  allait-il  faire  dans 
cette  galere ! '  Beckford  had  addressed  his  invitation  to 
Emma  in  terms  of  extravagant  flattery,  to  his  '  Madonna 
della  Gloria.' 2  He  singled  out,  too,  her  performance  as 
Cleopatra  for  critical  and  special  admiration.  Yet  so 
insincere  was  he,  that  some  forty  years  afterwards  he  not 
only  belittled  her  beauty  to  Cyrus  Redding,  but  claimed 
the  entire  brunt  of  service  to  Britain  for  Hamilton,  while 
his  ignorance  of  facts  is  shown  by  the  egregious  errors  in 
his  account.^ 

Nelson  and  Emma  were  always  in  evidence  together. 
He  ordered  his  wife  to  appear  in  public  with  himself  and 
the  Hamiltons  at  the  theatre.  Emma's  sudden  faintness, 
and  Lady  Nelson's  withdrawal  from  their  box  with  her, 
gave  the  wife  the  first  inkling  of  a  secret  worse  even 
than  she  had  suspected.  A  violent  scene  is  said  to  have 
occurred  between  the  two  women,  and  Lady  Hamilton  used 
to  assert  that  Nelson  wandered  about  all  night  in  his 
misery,  and  presented  himself  early  next  morning  to 
implore  the  comfort  and  the  companionship  of  his  friends. 

— '  I  would  have  done  myself  the  honour  of  calling  on  you  and  Lord  Nelson  this 
day,  but  I  am  not  well  nor  in  spirits.  Sir  William  and  myself  feel  the  loss  of 
our  good  friend,  the  good  Lord  Nelson.  Permit  me  in  the  morning  to  have 
the  pleasure  of  seeing  you,  and  hoping,  my  dear  Lady  Nelson,  the  continuance 
of  your  friendship,  which  will  be  in  Sir  William  and  myself  for  ever  lasting  to 
you  and  your  family.'  And  she  closes  by  Sir  William's  proffer  of  any  service 
possible. 

^  Cf.  the  very  curious  application  from  the  '  Kent  Road '  to  Emma  of  F.  A. 
Fitz-Murray,  'natural  son  of  the  late  Prince  of  Wales.' — Morrison  MS.  498, 
November  17,  1800.     He  calls  Nelson  '  the  Cresar  of  the  age.' 

"^  '  In  our  addresses  to  superior  beings  it  is  quite  in  vain  to  flatter  or  dissemble. 
.  .  .  You  must  shine  steadily.  .  .  .  That  light  alone  which  beams  from  your 
image,  ever  before  my  fancy,  like  a  vision  of  the  Madonna  della  Gloria,  keeps 
my  eyes  sufficiently  open  to  subscribe  myself  with  tolerable  distinctness.' — 
Beckford  to  Emma.     Cf.  Pettigrew,  vol.  i.  p.  405 

^  Cf.  Cyrus  Redding's  Fifty  Years  of  My  Life,  vol.  iii.  p.  103. 


HOMEWARD  BOUND  339 

Emma  and  Nelson  continued  all  injured  innocence.  The 
circumstances  of  Horatia's  birth  in  the  January  following 
were  to  be  carefully  veiled  even  from  Horatia  herself;  nor 
were  they  ever  proved  till  some  fifty  years  afterwards,  and 
even  then  generally  disbelieved.  Henceforward  Nelson 
and  his  wife  were  strangers;  further  efforts  at  reconciliation 
failed.^  By  the  March  of  1801  he  had  provided  for  and 
repudiated  her.  '  I  have  done,'  he  was  to  write,  '  all  in  my 
power  for  you,  and  if  I  died,  you  will  find  I  have  done  the 
same.  Therefore,  my  only  wish  is  to  be  left  to  myself,  and 
wishing  you  every  happiness,  believe  that  I  am  your  affec- 
tionate Nelson  and  Bronte.'^  On  this  'letter  of  dismissal ' 
she  endorsed  her  '  astonishment.'  That  astonishment  must 
surely  have  been  feigned. 

Without  question,  sympathy  is  her  due.  Without  ques- 
tion she  had  been  grievously  wronged.  But  her  bearing, 
both  before  she  had  reason  to  be  convinced  of  the  fact  and 
afterwards,  was  such  perhaps  as  to  decrease  her  deserts. 
She  seems  to  have  been  more  aggrieved  than  heart-stricken. 
From  this  time  forth  she  withdrew  completely  from  every 
member  of  his  family  except  Maurice"  and  the  good  old 
father.  At  Bath,  or  in  London,  she  sulked  and  hugged  her 
grievance,  her  virtue,  her  money,  and  her  rank.  She  pro- 
ceeded— naturally — to  babble  of  the  woman  who  had  injured 
her,  and  the  husband  of  whom  she  had  been  despoiled. 
Nelson's  brother  and  sisters,  who  accepted  Emma,  always 
entitled  her  '  Tom  Tit,'  nor  would  they  concede  a  grain  of 
true  love  to  her  disposition.  That  she  was  not  the  helpmeet 
for  a  hero  was  not  her  fault ;  it  was  her  drawback  and  mis- 
fortune. She  failed  in  the  temperament  that  understands 
temperament,  and  the  spirit  that  answers  and  applauds. 
Her  piety  never  sought  to  win  back  the  wanderer.  She 
incensed  him  by  desiring  even  now  to  rent  Shelburne  House.* 

'  Through  his  brother  Maurice.  -  Add.  MS.  28,833,  f.  3. 

•'  It  isonlyjust  torecordherstatemcnlofhis  'altachmenl'  to  her,  and  his  surprise 
that  his  brother  seemed  to  have  forgoUen  himself.     Cf.  Add.  MS.  28,333,  f-  3- 

■•  Cf.  a  very  interesting  letter  sold  in  the  Sholto  Hare  collection  from  Nelson 
to  Lady  II.,  of  January  24,  1801.  Sec  Sotheby's  catalogue  of  August  1904.  It 
has  also  been  reprinted  in  an  interesting  article  which  appeared  in  the  A7;/f  (the 
author  of  which  kindly  forwarded  it  to  me)  of  October  22,  1904.  '  If  she  was  to 
take  Shelburne  House,'  he  writes,  *  I  am  not,  thank  God,  forced  to  live  in  it.' 


340  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

She  caused  him  to  feel  '  an  outcast  on  shore.'  ^  While  she 
could  have  avenged  her  cause  by  suing  for  a  divorce,  she 
preferred  to  avenge  herself  on  the  culprits  by  their  punish- 
ment in  being  barred  from  wedlock.  After  Nelson's  death 
she  litigated  with  his  successor.^ 

This  was  Emma's  doing,  and  Nelson's.  They  were  both 
pitiless,  while  the  other  was  implacable.  Emma  could  be 
far  tenderer  than  gentle.  She  was  never  a  gentlewoman, 
nor  was  over-delicacy  her  foible.  Her  '  Sensibility '  did  not 
extend  to  her  discarded  rival,  whose  very  wardrobe  she 
could  handle,  at  Nelson's  bidding,  and  return.  She  rode 
rough-shod  over  poor  Lady  Nelson's  discomfiture.  '  Tom  Tit,' 
she  told  Mrs.  William  Nelson  in  the  next  February,  'does 
not  come  to  town.  She  offered  to  go  down,  but  was  refused. 
She  only  wanted  to  go  to  do  mischief  to  all  the  great 
Jove's  relations.  'Tis  now  shown,  all  her  ill  treatment  and 
bad  heart.    Jove  has  found  it  out.'^ 

It  is  a  sorry,  but  hardly  a  sordid  spectacle.  Rather  it 
is,  in  a  sense,  volcanic.^  Here  is  no  barter,  no  balance  of 
interests  or  convenience.  It  is  a  passionate  convulsion, 
which  uprooted  the  wife.  I  can  but  vary  the  apophthegm 
already  quoted  :  '  Apologies  only  try  to  explain  what  they 
cannot  undo.' 

^  Add.  MS.  34,274,  f.  G.  In  the  following  August  he  wrote :  '  Whatever 
Sir  Thomas  Troubridge  may  say,  I  have  no  real  friends  out  of  your  house.' — Cf. 
extract  in  Sotheby's  catalogue  of  August  1904. 

•^  Add.  MS.  34,992,  ff.  152,  153,  155- 

^  Add.  MS.  34,989,  ff.  38-40,  one  of  the  new  letters  transcribed  in  the 
Appendix,  Part  11.  B. 

■•  On  January  25  following  Nelson  wrote  to  her  :  '  Where  friendship  is  of  so 
strong  a  cast  as  ours,  it  is  no  easy  matter  to  shake  it.  Mine  is  as  fixed  as 
Mount  Etna,  and  as  warm  in  the  inside  as  that  mountain.' — Petiigrew,  vol.  i. 
p.  416. 


i  Y\l 


G^^^t^?^?9Z' 


a: 


I 


CHAPTER    XII 

FROM  PICCADILLY  TO  *  PARADISE  '  MERTON 
1801 

It  was  not  long  before  the  Hamiltons  were  installed  in  a 
new  abode,  No.  23  Piccadilly,  one  of  the  smaller  houses 
fronting  the  Green  Park.  Sir  William  had  been  querulous 
over  the  loss  of  so  many  treasures  in  the  Colossus — 
among  them  the  second  version  of  Romney's  '  Bacchante,' 
which  has  never  to  this  day  reappeared.  Most  of  their 
furniture  had  been  rifled  by  French  Jacobins.  Emma 
promptly  sold  enough  of  her  jewels  to  buy  furniture  for 
the  new  mansion,  and  these  purchases  were  afterwards 
legally  assigned  to  her  by  her  husband.^ 

Among  the  first  visitors  to  their  new  home  were  Hayley 
and  Flaxman,  whom  Emma  had  eagerly  invited.  A  letter 
from  the  latter  to  the  former  commemorates  an  interesting 
little  scene.  As  they  entered.  Nelson  was  just  leaving  the 
room.  '  Pray  stop  a  little,  my  Lord,'  exclaimed  Sir  William  ; 
'  I  desire  you  to  shake  hands  with  Mr.  Flaxman,  for  he  is  a 
man  as  extraordinary,  in  his  way,  as  you  are  in  yours. 
Believe  me,  he  is  the  sculptor  who  ought  to  make  your 
monument.'  'Is  he?'  replied  Nelson,  seizing  his  hand 
with  alacrity;  'then  I  heartily  wish  he  may."'  And 
eventually  he  did. 

This  year  was  to  link  her  and  Nelson  for  ever.     It  was 

'  The  deed  was  in  Irust  to  Davison  on  February  4,  1801.  Morrison  MS. 
506.     Tile  original  assignment  was  sold  at  Sotheby's  in  July  1905. 

-  Cf.  the  two  letters  from  Lady  Hamilton  to  Flaxman  (promising  to  call  on  his 
wife),  and  from  Flaxman  to  Hayley  (recalling  the  incident),  of  1800  and  1805 
respectively,  sold  in  -May  1905  at  Sotheby's,  and  excerpted  from  the  catalogue 
in  the  Appendix,  Part  11.  C.  (i  l)  and  {12).  Flaxman  also  executed  a  bust  which 
Nelson's  famil\  ilcclared  to  be  the  sole  speaking  likeness  of  the  hero. 

341 


342  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

the  year  of  Horatia's  birth,  of  the  Copenhagen  victory,  of 
the  preliminaries  to  the  acquirement  of  Merton. 


'Sooner  shall  Britain's  sons  resign 
The  empire  of  the  sea  ; 
Than  Henry  shall  renounce  his  faith 
And  plighted  vows  to  thee  ! 

And  waves  on  waves  shall  cease  to  roll, 

And  tides  forget  to  flow, 
Ere  thy  true  Henry's  constant  love 

Or  ebb  or  change  shall  know.'  ^ — 

'  I  want  but  one  true  heart ;  there  can  be  but  one  love, 
although  many  real  well-wishers,'  is  his  prose  version  in  a 
hitherto  unpublished  letter.- 

These  were  the  refrains  of  all  this  year,  and,  indeed,  of  the 
little  span  allotted  to  Nelson  before  he  was  no  more  seen, 

Emma  had  an  ordeal  to  pass  through  with  a  light  step 
and  a  bright  face.  She  had  forfeited  the  comfort  of  that 
sense  of  innocence  which  she  had  welcomed  ten  years 
before.  She  awaited  Nelson's  child,  and  none  but  her 
mother  and  Nelson  were  to  know  it.  She  was  to  seem  as 
if  nothing  chequered  her  dance  of  gaiety.  Old  friends 
flocked  around  her.  Greville  was  a  constant  caller,  curious 
about  her,  vigilant  over  his  uncle.  Her  old  supporter,  Louis 
Dutens,  was  also  in  attendance.  She  must  have  visited  the 
stricken  Romney,  who  pined  for  the  sight  of  her  ;  ^  Hayley 
and  Flaxman  we  have  seen  in  her  company.  There  was 
Mrs.  Denis,  too,  her  singing  friend  at  Naples,  and  the 
hardly  used  Mrs.  Billington.  And — for  she  was  always 
loyal  to  them — she  delighted  in  beholding  or  hearing  from 
her  humble  kindred  again  :   the  Connors,  the  Reynoldses,* 

1  Nelson's  verses  enclosed  in  his  lelter  to  Emma  of  February  ii,  1801  ; 
Nelson  Letters,  vol.  i.  p.  30.  -  Add.  MS.  34,274  ^^ 

'  Romney  sent,  by  her  request,  an  old  portrait  of  her  for  her  mother.  On 
December  13,  1800,  when  in  declining  health,  he  wrote  to  Hayley:  'The 
pleasure  I  should  receive  from  a  sight  of  the  amiable  Lady  Hamilton  would 
be  as  salutary  as  great,  yet  I  fear,  except  I  should  enjoy  more  strength  and 
better  spirits,  I  shall  never  be  able  to  see  London  again.' — Hayley's  Life, 
pp.  208,  297.  Romney  was  now  at  Hampstead.  It  was  probably  about  this 
lime  that  he  drew  and  painted  Nelson. 

*  At  Sotheby's  last  year  was  sold  a  letter  addressed  by  her  to  '  Mr.  Reynolds,' 
apparently  in  this  very  January. 


I 


PICCADILLY  TO  'PARADISE'  MERTON      343 

the  Moores  of  Liverpool ;  ^  and  that  daughter,  long  ago 
wrenched  from  her  by  Greville,  Emma  '  Carevv.'  And 
there  were  Bohemian  refugees  from  Naples,  the  Banti 
among  their  number,  who  in  after  days  were  less  than 
grateful  to  their  impetuous  patroness.  New  friends  also 
pressed  for  her  acquaintance.  There  was  Nelson's  *  smart ' 
relative  Mrs.  Walpole,  a  fribble  of  fashion  in  the  Prince 
of  Wales's  set,  Mrs.  Udney  and  a  Mrs.  Nisbet,  with  their 
frivolous  on-hangers.  But,  more  acceptable  than  these, 
were  Nelson's  country  sisters  and  sister-in-law,  who  loved 
her  at  first  sight  and  never  relinquished  their  friendship. 
With  her  soul  of  attitudes,  she  must  have  felt  herself  in  a 
double  mood — heroic  under  strain,  and  laughtersome  at 
care.  The  artistic  and  musical  world  raved  of  her  afresh  ; 
they  might  well  now  have  celebrated  her  both  as  *  La 
Penserosa  '  and  '  L'Allegra.' 

It  was  about  this  time  that  Walter  Savage  Landor  sang 
of  her — 

'Gone  are  the  Sirens  from  their  sunny  shore, 
The  Muses  afterwards  were  heard  no  more, 
But  of  the  Graces  there  remains  but  one — 
Gods  name  her  Emma,  mortals,  Hamilton.' 

And  perhaps  too  he  remembered  her  when  he  wrote  of  Dido  — 

'  Ill-starred  Elisa,  hence  arose 
Thy  faithless  joys,  thy  steadfast  woes.' 

Of  old  she  had  been  praised  for  her  tarantella.-^  Nothing 
more  beautiful  could  be  imagined,  was  Lady  Malmesbury's 
verdict  more  than  five  years  earlier.  How  was  Emma  now 
to  trip  it  through  heavy  trial,  and  hide  an  aching  heart  with 
smiles  and  songs  ?  Misguided  love  lent  her  strength,  and 
its  misguidance  found  out  the  way.  She  was  ready  to 
sacrifice  everything,  and  to  forsake  all  for  one  whose 
absence  must  mean  her  own  and  her  country's  glory.  Sir 
William,  out  of  the  saddle,  was  practically  in  hospital  ; 
Nelson,  practically  in  hospital,  longed  for  the  saddle  once 
more. 

The    Northern    Coalition    threatened     a    now    isolated 

'  Cf.  Mrs.  Cadogan's  letter,  Murrison  MS.  563. 
■^  Cf.  Minto  Life  and  Letter s^  vul.  i.  p.  loi. 


344  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

Britain  with  a  stroke  more  formidable  than  the  Southern 
had  done  formerly.  Napoleon  was  exultant.  Sir  William, 
who  really  worshipped  Nelson,  and  for  whom  Emma  cared 
to  the  last,^  found  himself  none  the  less  rather  thankful 
that  Nelson  was  off  in  search  of  fresh  triumphs,  and, 
with  him,  the  disturbing  clamour  of  hero-worship.  He 
longed  for  his  little  fishing  expeditions  and  picture  hunts  ; 
he  was  anxious  about  his  pension,^  his  late  wife's  property 
as  well  as  the  tatters  of  his  own.  So,  committing  with  a 
sigh  the  racket  of  life  to  his  demonstrative  Emma,  he 
resigned  himself  to  the  worldly  wisdom  of  his  calculating 
and  still  bachelor  nephew,  Greville,  whose  ruling  motive 
had  always  been  interest.  Zeal  was  not  in  Greville's 
nature,  but  something  like  it  coloured  his  coldness  when- 
ever chattels  were  concerned.  He  was  studiously  respect- 
ful to  Nelson.  He  was  amiably  attentive  to  his  'aunt' 
All  the  same,  he  was  already  tincturing  Hamilton's  mind 
with  an  alien  cynicism  ;  he  and  Sir  William  were  gradually 
forming  a  little  northern  coalition  of  their  own.  While  he 
exerted  himself  in  assiduously  forwarding  Sir  William's 
claim  on  the  generosity  of  the  Government,  he  took  good 
care  to  discourage  any  expenditure  that  might  anticipate 
a  chance  so  doubtful. 

Nelson  was  in  a  fever  of  impatience  and  suspense,  for 
Emma,  for  his  country — his  two  obsessions — for  all  but 
himself.  He  was  ever  a  creaking  door,  but  his  health, 
though  in  his  eagerness  for  action  he  protested  it  re- 
stored, was  now  beyond  measure  miserable.  His  eye 
grew  inflamed,  his  heart  constantly  palpitated,  his  cough 
seemed  the  premonitor  of  consumption.  And  vexations, 
public  as  well  as  private,  troubled  him.  The  authorities, 
whether  in  the  guise  of  Cato,  or  of  Paul  Pry,  or  of  Tar- 
tuffe,  hampered  his  every  step,  while  the  curs  of  office 
snapped  about  his  heels.  Added  to  this,  he  had  been 
forced  into  a  lawsuit — an  *  amicable  squabble  '  he  terms  it 
— with  his  admired  and  admiring  Lord  St.  Vincent,  who 
laid  claim  to  the  prize-money  of  victories  won  during  his 

^  Cf.  Nelson's  letter  after  his  death  in  the  Appendix,  Part  ii.  D.  (4)  {a). 
^  He  wanted  a  real,  not  a  nominal,  ^2000  a  year  from  Lord  Grenville,  and 
;^8ooo  compensation. 


PICCADILLY  TO  'PARADISE'  MERTON      345 

absence.  St.  Vincent  had  retired  into  civil  service,  and 
was  now  the  mainspring  of  the  Admiralty,  in  which  the 
new  Sir  Thomas  Troubridge,  who  owed  his  rise  entirely 
to  Nelson,^  had  also  found  the  snuggest  of  berths.  Both 
the  men  who  had  taught  Nelson,  and  the  men  that  he 
had  taught,  were  setting  up  as  his  critics  and  often  his 
spies.  His  coming  expedition  was  to  be  a  thirteenth 
labour  of  Hercules.  Yet  the  tribe  of  cavillers  could  only 
insinuate  (for  aloud  they  dared  not  speak)  of  his  dalliance 
with  Omphale.  At  least  they  might  have  remembered 
that  Nelson  had  saved  them  and  his  country,  and  that  if 
his  impulsiveness  gave  himself  away  to  their  self-satisfied 
ingratitude,  he  was  at  this  moment  called  to  give  himself 
up  on  the  altar  of  duty.  On  Hardy,  and  Louis,  and  the 
two  Parkers,  and  Berry  and  Carrol,  he  could  still  count ; 
like  all  chivalrous  leaders,  he  had  his  round  table,  and  this 
was  his  pride  and  consolation.  But  it  was  also  his  solace 
to  remain  magnanimous,  and  even  now  he  sent  the  most 
generous  congratulations  on  his  adversary's  birthday,^ 
which  were  warmly  and  honourably  reciprocated.  He  had 
hoped  for  supreme  command,  but  Sir  Hyde  Parker  was 
preferred :  Nelson  was  only  Vice- Admiral  of  the  Blue. 
Scarcely  had  he  been  in  London  a  fortnight  when,  with 
his  brother  William,  he  repaired  to  his  flagship  at  Ports- 
mouth, to  superintend  the  equipment  of  the  fleet.  He  had 
already  taken  his  seat  in  the  House  of  Lords,^  though  he 
had  still  to  complain  that  his  honours  had  not  yet  been 
gazetted.'*  He  had  accompanied  the  Haniiltons  on  their 
Wiltshire  excursion.     He  had  nominated  Hardy  his  cap- 

'  '.  .  .  He  ought  to  have  recollected,'  wrote  Nelson  on  the  Amazon  next 
October,  '  that  I  got  him  the  medal  of  the  Nile.  Who  upheld  him  when  he 
would  have  sunk  under  grief  and  mortification  ?  Who  placed  him  in  such  a 
situation  that  he  got  by  my  public  letters.  Titles,  the  Colonelcy  of  Marines, 
Diamond  Boxes,  looo  ounces  in  money  for  no  expenses  that  I  know  of?  WTio 
got  him  ^500  a  year  from  the  King  of  Naples?  And  however  much  he  may 
abuse  him,  his  pension  will  l)e  regularly  paid.  Who  brought  his  character  into 
notice?  .  .  .  Nelson,  that  Nelson  that  he  now  lords  it  over.  So  much  for 
gratitude  !'     Cf.  Pettigrew,  vol.  ii.  p.  217. 

'  Laughton's  Despatches,  p.  244.  ^  November  20,  1800. 

*  It  was  in  playful  allusion  to  this  that  on  February  6  he  wrote  to  Lady 
Hamilton,  '  Your  letters  are  to  me  gazettes,  for  as  yet  I  have  not  fixed  upon  any.' 
— Morrison  MS.  509. 


346  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

tain.  On  January  13  he  quitted  Emma,  it  might  be  for  the 
last  time,  and  with  Emma  he  left  both  his  new  hopes  and 
old  ties.  His  wife,  who  had  beaten  her  retreat  to  Brighton, 
he  had  now  irrevocably  renounced  ;  his  mind  was  '  as  fixed 
as  fate,'^  and  of  none  does  the  adage  '  Vestigia  nulla 
retrorsu7n '  hold  good  more  than  of  Nelson ;  it  was  not  long 
before  he  wrote  significantly,  alluding  to  her  West  Indian 
extraction,  '  Buonaparte's  wife  is  of  Martinique.'  ^  Lady 
Nelson  had  made  no  advance,  not  the  slightest  attempt  to 
provide  him  for  the  voyage.  '  Anxiety  for  friends  left,'  he 
informed  his  '  wife  before  heaven  '  the  day  af«:er  he  set  out, 
'  and  various  workings  of  my  imagination,  gave  me  one  of 
those  severe  pains  of  the  heart  that  all  the  windows  were 
obliged  to  be  put  down,  the  carriage  stopped,  and  the 
perspiration  was  so  strong  that  I  never  was  wetter,  and 
yet  dead  with  cold.'^  And  some  days  afterwards:  'Keep 
up  your  spirits,  all  will  end  well.  The  dearest  of  friends 
must  part,  and  we  only  part,  I  trust,  to  meet  again.'  * 

By  mid-January  he  had  hoisted  his  flag  on  the  Sait  Josef. 
In  March  he  was  commanding  the  St.  George,  the  vessel 
which,  he  wrote  with  exaltation, 'will  stamp  an  additional 
ray  of  glory  on  England's  fame,  if  Nelson  survives ;  and 
that  Almighty  Providence,  who  has  hitherto  protected  me 
in  all  dangers,  and  covered  my  head  in  the  day  of  battle, 
will  still,  if  it  be  His  pleasure,  support  and  assist  me.'  ^ 

Emma  had  earned  her  lover's  fresh  admiration  by  steel- 
ing herself  to  undergo  a  test  that  would  have  prostrated 
even  those  who  would  most  have  recoiled  from  it.  She 
and  Nelson  had  resolved  to  hide  from  Sir  William  what 
was  shortly  to  happen.  But  Emma  would  take  no  refuge 
in  absence  from  home ;  sh^  would  stand  firm  and  face  guilt 
and  danger  under  her  own  roof-tree.  Though  this  trial 
might  cost  her  life,  she  would  be  up  and  doing  directly  it 
was  over.  If  for  a  few  days  she  kept  to  her  room  with  one 
of  those  attacks  which  had  been  habitual  at  Naples,  who 
but  her  mother  and  herself  need  be  the  worse  or  the  wiser? 

^  Cf.  his  letter  to  Davism:,  Eg.  MS.  2240,  f.  73.— 'I  expect  to  be  left  to 
myself.  ^  Cf.  Nelson  LetierSf  vol.  i.  p.  43. 

^  Pettigrew,  vol.  i.  p.  409.  ^  Morrison  MS.  503. 

^  Nelson  Letters,  vol.  i.  p.  32.     To  Lady  Hamilton. 


PICCADILLY  TO  'PARADISE'  MERTON     347 

The  sudden  blow  of  their  parting  under  such  circum- 
stances had  been  exceptionally  severe.  It  recalls  the 
famous  line  of  Fenelon  : 

'  Calypso  ne  pouvait  pas  se  consoler  du  depart  d'Ulysse.' 

In  their  mutual  anxiety  they  framed  a  plan  of  corre- 
spondence, in  which  Emma  and  Nelson  were  to  masquerade 
as  the  befrienders  of  a  Mr.  Thomson,  one  of  his  officers, 
distracted  with  anxiety  about  the  impending  confinement 
of  his  wife,  who  was  bidden  to  entrust  herself  and  the  child  to 
the  loving  guardianship  and  '  kind  heart '  of  Lady  Hamilton. 
These  secret  letters  were  all  addressed  to  '  Mrs.  Thomson,' 
while  Nelson's  ordinary  letters  were  addressed  as  usual  to 
Lady  Hamilton.  Without  some  such  dissimulation  they 
could  have  very  rarely  corresponded,  for  their  communica- 
tions were  constantly  opened  ;  and,  even  so,  Hamilton's 
curiosity  must  have  been  often  piqued  by  his  wife's  receipt  of 
so  many  communications  in  Nelson's  hand  to  this  unknown 
friend.  But  they  did  manage  to  exchange  fragments  even 
more  intimate  than  the  interpolations  in  the  body  of  these 
extraordinary  '  Thomson  '  letters.  Not  all  these,  nor  all  of 
such  as  he  possessed,  were  given  by  Pettigrew  in  his  con- 
clusive proof  of  Horatia's  real  origin.^  The  Morrison 
Collection  presents  many  of  Pettigrew's  documents  in  their 
entirety,  and  adds  others  confirming  them  ;  so  also  do  the 
less  ample  Nelsoji  Letters,  and  others  from  private  sources, 
which  may  serve  for  a  supplement. 

Emma's  agitated  feelings  must  be  guessed  from  Nelson's 
answers,  for,  as  he  assured  her  afterwards,  he  deliberately 
burned  all  her  own  '  kind,  dear  letters,' read  and  fingered 
over  and  over  again  ;  any  day  his  life  might  be  laid  down, 
and  he  feared  lest  they  might  pass  into  hostile  hands. 
From  one  of  hers,  however,  written  at  Merton  a  year  later 
in  commemoration  of  the  victory  he  was  now  about  to  win, 
something  of  their  tenor  may  be  gathered  : — 

'Our  dear  glorious   friend,  immortal  and  great  Nelson, 

'  Vol.  ii.  pp.  63S-656.  The  subject  has  never  been  better  handled  than  here, 
and  all  subsequent  discoveries  bear  out  Pettigrew's  evidence  and  arguments. 
Fresh  proofs,  among  others,  are  afforded  by  Morrison  MS.  509,  532,  and  it  is 
noticeable  that  the  '  Thomson  '  lelters  are  resumed  in  connection  vs  ith  the  Prince 
of  Wales  episode,  concerning  Emma  and  Nelson  alone. 


348  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

what  shall  I  say  to  you  on  this  day  ?  My  heart  and  feeling 
are  so  overpowered  that  I  cannot  give  vent  to  my  full  soul 
to  tell  you,  as  an  Englishwoman  gratefull  to  her  country's 
saviour,  what  I  feel  towards  you.  And  as  a  much  loved 
friend  that  has  the  happiness  of  being  beloved,  esteemed, 
and  admired  by  the  good  and  virtuos  Nelson,  what  must 
be  my  pride,  my  glory,  to  say  this  day  have  I  the  happiness 
of  being  with  him,  one  of  his  select,  and  how  gratefull  to 
God  Almighty  do  I  feel  in  having  preserved  you  through 
such  glorious  dangers  that  never  man  before  got  through 
them  with  such  Honner  and  Success.  Nelson,  I  want 
Eloquence  to  tell  you  what  I  fell,  to  avow  the  sentiments  of 
respect  and  adoration  with  which  you  have  inspired  me. 
Admiration  and  delight  you  must  ever  raise  in  all  who 
behold  you,  looking  on  you  only  as  the  guardian  of  England. 
But  how  far  short  are  those  sensations  to  what  I  as  a  much 
loved  friend  feil !  And  I  confess  to  you  the  predominant 
sentiments  of  my  heart  will  ever  be,  till  it  ceases  to  beat, 
the  most  unfeigned  anxiety  for  your  happiness,  and  the 
sincerest  and  most  disinterested  determination  to  promote 
your  felicity  even  at  the  hasard  of  my  life.  Excuse  this 
scrawl,  my  dearest  friend,  but  next  to  talking  with  you  is 
writing  to  you.  I  wish  this  day  I  .  .  .  could  be  near  for 
your  sake.  .  .  .  God  bless  you,  my  ever  dear  Nelson. 
Long  may  you  live  to  be  the  admiration  of  Europe,  the 
delight  of  your  country,  and  the  idol  of  your  constant, 
attached  Emma.'^ 

She  is  '  still  the  same  Emma.'  A  rhapsody  of '  None  but 
the  brave  deserve  the  fair '  rings  in  every  line.  It  is 
melodrama,  but  genuine  melodrama  ;  and  melodrama  of  the 
heart,  Nelson  loved.  It  was  what  all  along  he  had  missed 
in  his  wife,  who  had  lived  aloof  from  his  career ;  whereas 
Emma  and  he  had  lived  through  its  thrilling  scenes  together. 
It  was  what  he  himself  felt,  and  that  to  which  Emma 
answered  with  every  pulse.  At  no  time  was  she  in  the  least 
awe  of  her  hero,  whose  strong  will  and  gentle  heart  marked 
him  off  from  those  she  had  best  known.  With  Nelson  she 
was  always  perfectly  natural,  using  none  but  her  own  voice 
'  Eg.  MS.  1623,  f.  32. 


PICCADILLY  TO  'PARADISE'  MERTON      349 

and  gestures.  Had  she  been  really  the  conventional  '  serpent 
of  old  Nile'  (and  it  is  odd  what  an  historical  affinity  the 'Nile' 
has  had  for  '  serpents '),  that  part  would  thoroughly  have 
clashed  with  her  unchanging  outspokenness  of  tone.  Nelson 
was  always  emphatic  and  picturesque  ;  he  possessed  to  an 
eminent  degree,  both  in  warfare  and  otherwise,  the  intuition 
of  temperament  for  temperament.  Admitting  idealisation, 
I  cannot  think  that  he  was  absolutely  mistaken  in  Emma's. 
'I  shall  write  to  Troubridge  this  day'  is  Nelson's  com- 
munication to  Lady  Hamilton,  in  the  earliest  letter  extant 
of  the  '  Thomson  '  series,  penned  on  the  passage  to  Torbay 
only  four  days  before  the  child  was  born,  *  to  send  me 
your  letter,  which  I  look  for  as  constantly  and  with  more 
anxiety  than  my  dinner.  Let  her  [Lady  Nelson]  go  to  Briton 
[sic],  or  where  she  pleases,  I  care  not ;  she  is  a  great  fool,  and, 
thank  God  !  you  are  not  the  least  bit  like  her.  I  delivered 
poor  Mrs.  Thomson's  note  ;  her  friend  is  truly  thankful  for 
her  kindness  and  your  goodness.  Who  does  not  admire  your 
benevolent  heart  ?  Poor  man,  he  is  very  anxious,  and  begs 
you  will,  if  she  is  not  able,  write  a  line  just  to  comfort  him. 
He  appears  to  feel  very  much  her  situation.  He  is  so  agi- 
tated, and  will  be  so  for  2  or  3  days,  that  he  says  he  cannot 
write,  and  that  I  must  send  his  kind  love  and  affectionate 
regards.  ...  I  hate  Plymouth.' ^  Yet  Plymouth  had  just 
conferred  on  him  the  freedom  of  the  city.  Nelson's  whole  soul 
was  with  Emma  ;  in  the  suspense  of  fatherhood  he  shrank 
into  himself  and  recoiled  from  publicity.  He  had  no  com- 
punctions about  Lady  Nelson.  On  the  very  evening  of  the 
Plymouth  honours  he  had  despatched  a  remarkable  epistle, 
published  by  its  owner  last  year.^  Nelson  was  never  rich,  and 
his  allowance  of  ^^  2000  a  year  to  his  wife  had  been  handsome 
in  the  extreme.^     Nelson  had  already  heard  with  incredulity 

^   Morrison  MS.  502,  January  25,  1801. 

^  In  T/ie  King,  October  22,  1904.  The  author  of  the  article  kindly  offered 
to  consent  to  my  using  this  letter.  The  letter  is  dated  January  24,  1801.  It 
has  been  excerpted  in  Sothel)y's  Catalogue  of  the  sale.  It  also  tallies  with 
another  letter  to  Davison  of  even  date. 

'  His  statement  of  his  then  income  to  Davison  still  exists.  Aild.  MS.  28,333, 
f.  5.  Lady  Nelson  had  brought  him  ;!^4000.  The  allowance  of  (,2000  per 
annum  was  to  be  paid  in  advance  quarterly  by  Messrs.  Marsh  and  Creed, 
'  subject  to  the  income  tax  which,  as  I  pay  the  tax  with  my  own.  will  reduce  my 
net  yearly  income  to  ^^3600.' 


3SO  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

'  nonsensical  reports '  that  Lady  Nelson  was  instructing  the 
agent  to  buy  a  *  fine  house  for  him.'  ^  From  his  wife,  he 
now  acquaints  Emma,  he  had  received  but  half  one  side  of 
a  slip  of  paper  to  tell  him  of  her  cold  and  her  withdrawal 
from  London.  He  alludes  to  a  rumour  that  she  was  about 
to  take  Shelburne  House.  He  treats  it  with  scornful 
ridicule.  He  had  just  met  Troubridge's  sister  who  lived  at 
Exeter,  '  pitted  with  small-pox  and  deafer  far  than  Sir 
Thomas.'  Emma  need  never  be  jealous.  '  Pray  tell  Mrs. 
Thomson  her  kind  friend  is  very  uneasy  about  her,  and 
prays  most  fervently  for  her  safety — and  he  says  he  can  only 
depend  on  your  goodness.  .  .  .  May  the  Heavens  bless  and 
preserve  my  dearest  friend  and  give  her  every  comfort  this 
world  can  afford,  is  the  sincerest  prayer  of  your  faithful  and 
affectionate  Nelson  and  Bronte.' 

Nelson  is  all  prayer  and  piety  for  Emma.  It  is  one  of  the 
most  singular  features  of  his  erratic  greatness  that  he  lays 
her,  the  coming  child,  and  himself  as  humble  and  acceptable 
offerings  before  God's  throne.  His  sincerity  resembles 
in  another  plane  that  of  Carlyle,  who,  in  some  of  his  epistles 
to  his  mother,  translated  his  own  earnest  free-thought  into 
terms  of  the  Scotch  Covenanter.  But  at  the  same  time  the 
reader  is  often  tempted  to  echo  what  the  same  Carlyle 
objected  to  in  French  eighteenth-centur>  sentimentalism  : 
'  So  much  talk  about  Virtue.  In  the  devil  and  his  grand- 
mother's name,  be  Virtuous  then  ! ' 

Every  night  ^  Nelson  withdrew  after  the  day's  fatigues, 
and  amid  incessant  occupations,  to  hint  (when  he  feared  to 
pour  forth)  his  torture  of  anxiety  and  '  unbounded  '  fulness 
of  passionate  affection.  He  bade  her  be  of  good  cheer.  He 
assured  '  Mr.  Thomson  '  of  her  '  innate  worth  and  affectionate 
disposition.'-'^  But  during  these  weary  days  of  waiting,  a 
full  month  before  Oliver  had  been  chosen  to  convey  his 
famous  and  self-convicting  letter,*  he  must  have  disclosed 

^  Cf.  Nelson's  letter  to  Davison  of  January  24  (the  same  day  as  the  letter  to 
Emma),  Eg.  MS.  2240,  f.  39. 

"  On  January  26,  27,  28,  and  29.     Cf.  Pettigrew,  vol.  ii.  p.  646. 

■•  Cf.  Morrison  MS.  302,  303. 

*  March  i,  1801,  Morrison  MS.  532;  Pettigrew,  vol.  ii.  p.  652.  Cf.  post, 
p.  368.  The  one  beginning  '  Now  my  own  dear  wife,  for  such  you  are  in  my 
eyes  and  the  face  of  heaven.' 


PICCADILLY  TO  'PARADISE'  MERTON      351 

his  inmost  soul  to  its  idol  through  him,  or  perhaps  through 
Davison,  who  at  this  very  time  had  travelled  over  two 
hundred  miles  to  pay  him  a  visit.^  Another  letter  of  far 
less  reserve,  and  one  never,  so  far  as  I  know,  cited,  exists  in 
relation  to  the  birth  of  the  second  child — the  little  Emma 
who  died  so  soon — in  the  earlier  months  of  1804.  It  is  so 
remarkable,  and  probably  so  identical  with  others  which  he 
must  have  written  on  this  earlier  occasion,  that  I  subjoin 
a  portion  of  it  here,  venturing  to  fill  in  some  of  the 
excisions  : — 

'  My  dearest  Beloved, —  ...  To  say  that  I  think  of  you 
by  day,  night,  and  all  day,  and  all  night,  but  too  faintly  ex- 
presses my  feelings  of  love  and  affection  towards  you.  [Mine 
is  indeed  an]  unbounded  affection.  Our  dear,  excellent,  good 
[Mrs.  Cadogan]  is  the  only  one  who  knows  anything  of  the 
matter  ;  and  she  has  promised  me  when  you  [are  well]  again 
to  take  every  possible  care  of  you,  as  a  proof  of  her  never- 
failing  regard  to  your  own  dear  Nelson.  Believe  me  that  I 
am  incapable  of  wronging  you  in  thought,  word,  or  deed. 
No  ;  not  all  the  wealth  of  Peru  could  buy  me  for  one 
moment ;  it  is  all  yours  and  reserved  wholly  for  you.  And 
.  .  .  certainly.  .  .  from  the  first  moment  of  our  happy,  dear, 
enchanting,  blessed  meeting  .  .  .  The  call  of  our  country 
is  a  duty  which  you  would  deservedly,  in  the  cool  moments  of 
reflection,  reprobate,  was  I  to  abandon  :  and  I  should  feel  so 
disgraced  by  seeing  you  ashamed  of  me  !  No  longer  saying, 
"  This  is  the  man  who  has  saved  his  country !  This  is  he, 
who  is  the  first  to  go  forth  to  fight  our  battles,  and  the  last 
to  return  !  "  .  .  .  "  Ah  !  "  they  will  think,  "  What  a  man  ! 
What  sacrifices  has  he  not  made  to  secure  our  homes  and 
property ;  even  the  society  and  happy  union  with  the 
finest  and  most  accomplished  woman  in  the  world."  As 
you  love,  how  must  you  feel !  My  heart  is  with  you, 
cherish  it.  I  shall,  my  best  beloved,  return — if  it  pleases 
God — a  victor ;  and  it  shall  be  my  study  to  transmit  an 
unsullied  name.  There  is  no  desire  of  wealth,  no  ambition 
that  could  keep  me  from  all  my  soul  holds  dear.     No  ;  it  is 

'  Cf.  Ntho7i  Letters^  vol.  i.  p.  26.  Tlio  Morrison  MS.  show  that  Davison 
(lid  actually  transmit  letters. 


352  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

to  save  my  country,  my  wife  in  the  eye  of  God.  .  .  .  Only 
think  of  our  happy  meeting.  Ever,  for  ever  I  am  your's, 
only  your's,  even  beyond  this  world.  .  .  .  For  ever,  for  ever, 
your  own  Nelson.'  ^ 

Emma  certainly  inspired  the  Nelson  who  delivered  Eng- 
land; and  for  all  time  this  surelyought  to  outweigh  the  carping 
diatribes  of  half-moralists  who  narrow  the  whole  of  virtue  to 
a  part.  It  cannot  be  too  much  emphasised  that  Nelson  loved 
her  and  not  merely  her  enhancements.  '  Thank  God,'  he 
wrote  at  the  beginning  of  February,  'you  want  not  the 
society  of  princes  or  dukes.  If  you  happened  to  fall  down 
and  break  your  nose  or  knock  out  your  eyes,  you  might  go 
to  the  devil  for  what  they  care,  but  it  is  your  good  heart  that 
attaches  to  you,  your  faithful  and  affectionate  Nelson.' - 

On  January  29 — a  day  of  snow — Horatia  was  born.^ 
Within  the  week  Emma,  unattended,  had  taken  the  baby 
by  night  in  a  hackney  coach  to  the  nurse,  Mrs.  Gibson,^ 
of  Little  Titchfield  Street.  Within  a  fortnight,  '  thinner 
.  .  .  but  handsomer  than  ever,'**  she  could  play  hostess  at  her 
husband's  table ;  in  three  weeks  she  was  importuned  by, 
though  she  refused  to  entertain,  royalty.  From  first  to  last, 
she  wrote  daily  to  Nelson,  and  she  was  active  in  conceal- 
ment. Her  force  of  will  and  endurance  at  this  juncture 
pass  comprehension.  She  behaved  as  if  nothing  had 
happened,  though  she  seriously  deranged  her  health.^ 

'  Nelson  Letters,  vol.  i.  p.  175. 

-  Letter  of  February  5,  1801,  transcribed  by  Pettigrew,  vol.  ii.  p.  649. 

■•  Cf.  Morrison  MS.  502.  Perhaps  a  twin  ;  ibid.  328.  When  the  child  was 
baptized  on  May  13,  1803,  in  Marylebone  Church  (though  an  earlier  christening 
had  been  intended),  its  date  of  birth  was  registered  as  October  29,  1800,  so  as  to 
bear  out  the  fiction  of  the  child's  having  been  confided  to  them  abroad.  In  1804 
he  sent  Lady  H.  an  elaborate  note  (presumably  to  be  shown),  explaining  that  the 
child  was  entrusted  to  him  abroad.  One  of  the  two  originals  of  this  curious  docu- 
ment was  in  Mrs.  Hampden's  possession  ;  the  other  is  in  the  Morrison  MS. 
Horatia's  birthday  was  always  celebrated  as  if  the  birth  had  then  occurred  ;  but 
the  choice  of  the  29th  of  that  month  points  to  January  29,  1801,  as  the  true  date. 

''  Nelson  in  his  mystifying  letters  at  first  purposely  called  her  'Jenkins.'  Cf. 
Morrison  MS.  507,  to  Lady  Hamilton,  Feb.  4,  1801.  Lady  Hamilton  is  said  to 
have  conveyed  the  infant  concealed  in  her  muff. 

•''  So  Davison  told  Nelson.  Cf.  Morrison  MS.  509,  Nelson  to  Lady  H., 
Feb.  6,  1801. 

"  Cf.  Sir  William's  letter  to  Nelson  of  Feb.  19,  Nelson  Letters,  vol.  ii.  pp. 
200  and  207,  Feb.  19  and  20. 


PICCADILLY  TO  'PARADISE'  MERTON      353 

*  I  believe,'  wrote  the  transported  father  so  soon  as  her  glad 
tidings  reached  him,  '  I  believe  dear  Mrs.  Thomson's  friend 
will  go  mad  with  joy.  He  cries,  prays,  and  performs  all 
tricks,  yet  dares  not  show  all  or  any  of  his  feelings,  but  he 
has  only  me  to  consult  with.  He  swears  he  will  drink  your 
health  this  day  in  a  bumper,  and  damn  me  if  I  don't  join 
him  in  spite  of  all  the  doctors  in  Europe,  for  none  regard 
you  with  truer  affection  than  myself.  You  are  a  dear  good 
creature,  and  your  kindness  and  attention  to  poor  Mrs.  T. 
stamps  you  higher  than  ever  in  my  mind.  I  cannot  write, 
I  am  so  agitated  by  this  young  man  at  my  elbow.  I  believe 
he  is  foolish,  he  does  nothing  but  rave  about  you  and  her. 
I  own  I  participate  in  his  joy  and  cannot  write  anything.'  ^ 

It  is  noteworthy  that  the  eccentric  demeanour  of  '  dear 
Mrs.  Thomson's  friend  '  accords  with  what  was  evidently  a 
trait  in  the  Nelson  family  ;  for  Sir  William,  describing  to 
Nelson  the  joy  of  his  brother  '  the  reverend  doctor,'  on 
hearing  the  first  intelligence  of  Copenhagen  while  dining 
with  him  in  Piccadilly,  says:  'Your  brother  was  more 
extraordinary  than  ever.  He  would  get  up  suddenly  and 
cut  a  caper ;  rubbing  his  hands  every  time  that  the  thought 
of  your  fresh  laurels  came  into  his  head.'^ 

The  day  after  the  '  young  man '  at  Nelson's  elbow  had 
been  thus  disporting  himself.  Nelson  again  addressed  Lady 
Hamilton.  He  had  cut  out  two  lines  from  her  letter  with 
which,  he  declares,  he  will  never  part.  He  had  exceeded 
his  promise  of  the  day  before,  and  had  drained  two  bumpers 
to  the  health  of  Mrs.  Thomson  and  her  child  in  the 
company  of  Troubridge,  Hardy,  Parker,  and  his  brother, 
till  the  latter  said  he  would  '  hurt '  himself :  '  that  friend  of 
our  dear  Mrs.  T.  is  a  good  soul  and  full  of  feeling,'  he  wrote  ; 
'  he  wishes  much  to  see  her  and  her  little  one.  If  possible  I  will 
get  him  leave  for  two  or  three  days  when  I  go  to  Portsmouth, 
and  you  will  see  his  gratitude  to  you.'  ^  Next  morning  he 
communicates  with  her  indirectly  as  '  Mrs.  Thomson.'  Her 
'  good  and  dear  friend  does  not  think  it  proper  at  present 
to  write  with  his  own  hand,'  but  he  '  hopes  the  day  may  not 

^  Morrison  MS.  504,  February  i,  1801  ;  Pettigrew,  vol.  ii.  p.  646. 
-  Nelson  Letters,  vol.  ii.  p.  213,  Hamilton  to  Nelson,  April  i6,  iSoi. 
'  Pettigrew,  vol.  ii.  p.  646. 

Z 


354  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

be  far  distant  when  he  may  be  united  for  ever  to  the  object 
of  his  wishes,  his  only,  only  love.  He  swears  before  heaven 
that  he  will  marry  her  as  soon  as  possible,  which  he 
fervently  prays  may  be  soon.  Nelson  is  charged  '  to  say 
how  dear  you  are  to  him,  and  that  you  must  [at]  every 
opportunity  kiss  and  bless  for  him  his  dear  little  girl,  which  he 
wishes  to  be  called  Emma,  out  of  gratitude  to  our  dear,  good 
Lady  Hamilton,  but  in  either  [case?]  its  [name?],  [whether?] 
from  Lord  N.,  he  says,  or  Lady  H.,  he  leaves  to  your  judg- 
ment and  choice.'  He  has  '  given  poor  Thomson  a  hundred 
pounds  this  morning  for  which  he  will  give  Lady  H.  an 
order  on  his  agents ' ;  and  he  begs  her  to  '  distribute  it 
amongst  those  who  have  been  useful  to  you  on  the  late 
occasion  ;  and  your  friend,  my  dear  Mrs.  Thomson,'  he 
adds,  '  may  be  sure  of  my  care  of  him  and  his  interest, 
which  I  consider  as  dearly  as  my  own.  .  .  .'  ^ 

But  perhaps  the  least  guarded  of  this  long  series  is  a 
fragment  to  be  found  in  the  old  volume  of  Nelson  Letters, 
though  Pettigrew's  transcripts  and  the  Morrison  original 
do  not  comprise  it.  It  bears  date  February  i6.  '  I  sit  down, 
my  dear  Mrs.  T.,'  it  runs,  '  by  desire  of  poor  Thomson,  to 
write  you  a  line  :  not  to  assure  you  of  his  eternal  love 
and  affection  for  you  and  his  dear  child,  but  only  to  say 
that  he  is  well  and  as  happy  as  he  can  be,  separated  from 
all  which  he  holds  dear  in  this  world.  He  has  no  thoughts 
separated  from  your  love  and  your  interest.  They  are 
united  with  his  ;  one  fate,  one  destiny,  he  assures  me,  awaits 
you  both.  What  can  I  say  more?  Only  to  kiss  his  child 
for  him :  and  love  him  as  truly,  sincerely,  and  faithfully  as 
he  does  you  ;  which  is  from  the  bottom  of  his  soul.  He 
desires  that  you  will  more  and  more  attach  yourself  to  dear 
Lady  Hamilton.'  ^  Only  a  week  earlier  he  had  addressed 
to  her  that  stirring  passage  which  told  her  that  it  was  she 
who  urged  him  forth  to  glory,  that  he  had  been  the  whole 
world  round,  and  had  never  yet  seen  '  her  equal,  or  even 
one  who  could  be  put  in  comparison.'^ 

Every  night  he  and  his  *  band  of  brothers  '  continue  to  raise 

^  Morrison  MS.    505,    Nelson  to   'Mrs.   Thomson.'     Pettigrew   (who  only 
gives  the  least  interesting  parts),  vol.  ii.  p.  647. 

^  Nelson  Letters ^  vol.  i.  p.  173.  ^  Ibid.  p.  24. 


PICCADILLY  TO  'PARADISE'  MERTON      355 

the  glass  to  the  toast  of  Emma.  Letter  succeeds  to  letter, 
affection  to  impatience,  and  impatience  to  ecstasy.  He  makes 
a  new  will,  bequeathing  her,  besides  other  jewelled  presenta- 
tions, the  portrait  which  Maria  Carolina  had  given  him  of 
herself  at  parting  ^ ;  charging,  too,  in  her  favour  the  rental  of 
Bronte,  but  on  this  occasion  only  in  the  case  of  the  failure 
of  its  male  heirs  ;  creating,  above  all,  a  trust  for  the  child,  of 
whom  '  Emma  Hamilton  alone  knows  the  parents,'  of  whom 
too  she  is  besought  to  act  as  guardian,  and  by  her  honour  and 
integrity  to  '  shield  it  from  want  and  disgrace.'  He  would 
'  steal  white  bread  rather  than  that  the  child  should  want.' 
He  and  she  are  to  be  and  be  known  as  godparents  of  an 
infant  in  whom  they  take  a  '  very  particular  interest,'  and 
he  especially  requests  that  it  may  be  brought  up  as  'the 
child  of  her  dear  friend  Nelson  and  Bronte.'  He  discusses 
the  name ;  Emma  had  evidently  begged  that  it  might  be 
his^  not  hers  as  originally  proposed.  Let  it  be  christened 
'Horatia'  and  be  registered,  anagramatically,  as  'daughter 
of  Johem  and  Morata  Etnorb.'  ^  As  for  the  date  of  baptism, 
he  leaves  it  entirely  to  his  Emma's  discretion,  but,  on  the 
whole,  after  some  hesitation  he  favours  its  postponement, 
since  a  clergyman  might  ask  inconvenient  questions.^  He 
rejoices  to  hear  that  the  baby  is  handsome,  for  then  it  must 
be  like  his  dear  '  Lady  Hamilton,'  between  whom  and  Mrs. 
Thomson  there  is  said  to  be  a  striking  resemblance.  After 
all,  there  is  no  immediate  hurry  to  settle  these  trifles.  He 
must  soox\  rejoin  her,  if  only  for  a  day.  Till  March  he  would 
still  be  kept  off  the  English  coasts,  near  and  yet  far  from 
Emma ;  he  chafes  at  a  division  uncaused  by  duty  or  by 
distance.  He  will  run  up  so  soon  as  '  Mr.  Thomson  '  can  get 
leave,  and  propitiate  that  watch-dragon,  Troubridge. 

Emma's  correspondence  with  Mrs.  William  Nelson  from 
the  latter  end  of  February,  which  finds  place  in  the 
Appendix,  will  shortly  show  how  and  when  he  appeared  in 

*  This  portrait  was  reproduced  in  the  Belle  AssembWe  for  May  1S07  by  Lady 
Hamilton's  express  permission. 

'^  i.e.  Horatio  and  Emma  Bronte.  It  should  be  noticed  that  three  years  later 
he  once  more  takes  up  the  vein  of  mystification  and  uses  another  anagram, 
'  Ganam  Justem  '  ['  I  'gainst  you  Emma  '  ?]  Cf.  Nelson  Letters,  vol.  ii.  pp. 
71,  77;  and  there  were  other.-,  also.  All  this  reminds  one  of  Swift's  anagrams 
to  Stella.  '  Cf.  Morrison  MS.  509;  Pettigrcw,  vol.  ii.  pp.  650-652. 


356  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

London.  But  before  he  hastened  to  her  side,  a  curious  and 
unnoticed  episode,  mixing  a  drop  of  bitter  disquiet  with 
his  draught  of  rapture,  will  be  followed  with  interest.  It 
exhibits  Emma's  constancy  and  fortitude  under  a  tempta- 
tion which  surprised  her,  and  anguished  her  fretting  lover. 
Her  firmness  in  overcoming  it  and,  with  it,  his  jealousy, 
riveted  him,  if  possible,  more  closely  than  ever.  It  pervades 
every  one  of  Nelson's  letters,  from  the  February  of  this  year 
to  the  end  of  March,  and  many,  long  afterwards. 

While,  strained  and  nervous  beyond  measure,  she  now 
awaited  Horatia's  birth,^  she  was  annoyed  and  alarmed, 
though  possibly  flattered  also,  by  a  message  from  the 
Prince  of  Wales — eager  to  bridge  over  the  dull  interval  till 
Parliament  might  pronounce  his  father  imbecile  and  himself 
Regent.  He  politely  commanded  Sir  William  to  invite 
him  to  dinner  on  a  Sunday  evening.  It  was  his  desire 
to  hear  Lady  Hamilton  sing,  together  with  La  Banti,  who  was 
now  in  London,  and  whose  son  Nelson  had  actually  placed  in 
the  navy  together  with  Emma's  cousin,  Charles  Connor.-  Sir 
William  was  anxious  to  obtain  from  the  Government  not  only 
his  full  pension,  but  also  a  liberal  reward  for  the  heavy  losses 
which  Jacobinism  had  inflicted  on  his  property.  Moreover, 
he  hoped,  though  in  vain,  for  a  new  appointment — the 
governorship  of  Malta.'^  The  Prince's  aid  was  all-important 
for  the  ex-Ambassador.  He  had  been  more  than  civil 
during  the  short  visit  of  1791,  when  he  had  commissioned 
portraits  of  the  fair  Ambassadress ;  and,  though  an  ill- 
natured  world  might  put  the  worst  construction  on  his 
presence  in  Piccadilly,  Sir  William  trusted  to  Emma's 
prudence  and  his  own  interest.^    The  fiery  Nelson,  however, 

'  Nelson  first  mentions  the  matter  on  Jan.  26,  Morrison  MS.  503. 

"  Nelson  Letters,  vol.  i.  p.  107. 

■'  Cf.  Captain  Louis's  letter  to  Emma,  regarding  the  affair  as  if  it  were  settled, 
Morrison  MS.  603,  June  15,  1801.     Ball  also  wrote  in  the  same  strain. 

•*  Cf.  his  letter  to  Nelson  of  Feb.  11,  Nelson  Letters,  vol.  ii.  p.  200. 
'.  .  .  She  has  got  one  of  her  terrible  sick  headaches.  Am.ong  other  things  that 
vex  her  is — that  we  have  been  drawn  in  to  be  under  the  absolute  necessity  of 
giving  a  dinner  to  the  P.  of  Wales  on  Sunday  next.  He  asked  it  himself,  having 
expressed  a  strong  desire  of  hearing  Banti's  and  Emma's  voices  together.  I  am 
well  aware  of  the  dangers,  etc.  ...  As  this  dinner  must  be,  or  he  would  be 
offended,  I  shall  keep  strictly  to  the  musical  pan,  invite  only  Banti,  her  husband, 
and  Taylor  ;  and  as  I  wish  to  show  a  civility  to  Davison,  I  have  sent  him  an 


Z_ 


PICCADILLY  TO  'PARADISE'  MERTON      357 

infuriated,  even  demented,  at  the  bare  suspicion,  ascribed 
the  whole  manoeuvre  to  the  bad  offices  and  influence  of 
Lady  Abercorn,  Mrs.  Walpole,^  and  a  '  Mrs.  Nisbet,'  who 
had  been  heard  publicly  to  assert  that  Lady  Hamilton  had 
'  hit '  the  Prince's  '  fancy.'  Sir  William,  however,  was  now 
once  more  under  Greville's  thumb,  and  I  am  satisfied  that 
the  mild  Mephistopheles  of  King's  Mews  had  his  finger  in 
this  pie.-  At  a  moment  so  awkward,  Emma  certainly  dis- 
believed that  her  husband  ever  did  more  than  countenance 
the  affair.  She  was  proud  of  her  talent,  and  pleased  at 
the  sensation  it  created  in  the  Duke  of  Oueensberry's 
circle.  But  the  attentions  of  such  a  charmer  as  the  First 
Gentleman  in  Europe  were  doubtless  of  design  ;  and  she 
was  on  her  guard  at  the  outset,  though  in  after  years  she 
cultivated  the  new  friendship  of  the  Prince,  together  with 
the  long-standing  one  of  his  admiring  brothers.  Her  child 
had  half-hallowed  in  her  eyes  the  sin  that  sacrifice  had 
endeared,  and  she  resented  the  buzz  of  the  scandalmongers. 
She  welcomed,  indeed  invited,  Nelson's  plan  of  bringing  up 
his  sister-in-law  to  the  rescue. 

Sir  William's  intention  that  the  royal  visit  should  be  67? 
famille,  and  its  projected  secrecy,  worked  up  Nelson's  feelings 
to  their  highest  pitch  :  better  by  far,  if  it  had  to  be,  a  big  re- 
ception. In  the  end,  however,  no  party  took  place,  still  less 
was  there  any  ^clat?  The  Prince  was  baffled,  despite  Sir 
William.  Emma  showed  that  she  could  renounce  vanity  for 
love,  and  that  she  dared  to  rebuff  importunity  in  high  places. 
Nelson's  mountain  brought  forth  a  mouse,  nor  did  he  ever 
cease  to  commemorate  his  appreciation  of  Emma's  firmness 
— '  firm  as  a  rock,'  he  said  of  her  afterwards. 

invitation.  In  short,  we  will  get  rid  of  it  as  well  as  we  can,  and  guard  against 
its  producing  more  meetings  of  the  same  sort.  Emma  would  really  have  gone  any 
lengths  to  have  avoided  Sunday'' s  dinner.  But  /  thought  it  would  not  be  prudent 
to  break  with  the  P.  of  Wales,  etc.  ...  I  have  been  thus  explicit  as  I  know  well 
your  Lordship's  way  of  thinking,  and  your  very  kind  attachment  to  us  and  to 
everything  that  concerns  us.'     The  rest  of  this  letter  concerns  his  claims. 

'  In  February  i8cx)  Mr.  Bolton  speaks  of  her  and  her  'fine  people'  with  the 
Prince  of  Wales  at  Bath,  as  great  gamesters.     Morrison  MS.  454. 

'"  Nelson  mentions  him  expressly  in  a  passage  to  be  quoted,  as  engaged  in 
the  alTair,  Morrison  MS.  521. 

'  Cf.  Nelson  Letters,  vol.  i.  p.  34.  Nelson  to  Emma,  March  1801.  Sir 
William  seems  even  to  have  used  threats.     Cf.  Morrison  MS.  519. 


3S8  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

Nelson  was  really  on  the  rack.  His  distracted  letters  of 
more  than  a  fortnight — until  his  apprehensions  of  the  main 
danger  had  been  calmed — present  a  striking  self-revelation, 
and  are  doubly  interesting  because  Emma's  own  letters  to 
Mrs.  William  Nelson  supplement  them.  It  is  only  through 
his  own  words  that  we  can  realise  his  feelings.  His  over- 
wrought nature  magnified  every  shadow,  and  overbore  his 
strong  common  sense.  He  was  morbid,  and  conjured 
up  suspicions  and  anticipations  alike  unworthy  of  him. 
Throughout  his  life  his  geese  were  too  often  swans,  and 
his  bites  noires,  even  oftener,  demons.  His  Jeremiads 
sound  a  monotone.  He  tears  his  passion  to  tatters  in  a 
crescendo  of  self-torture.  The  man  whose  bracing  and 
unblenching  nerves  were  iron  in  action,  who  was  shortly 
to  urge  '  these  are  not  times  for  nervous  systems,'  grew 
unstrung  and  abased  when  his  immense  love  lost  its  foot- 
hold for  a  moment.  At  first  he  could  scarcely  believe 
that  '  Sir  William  should  have  a  wish  for  the  Prince  of 
Wales  to  come  under  your  roof  ;  no  good  could  come 
from  it,  but  every  harm.  *  You  are  too  beautiful  not  to 
have  enemies,  and  even  one  visit  will  stamp  you.  .  .  .  We 
know  that  he  is  without  one  spark  of  honour  in  these 
respects  and  would  leave  you  to  bewail  your  folly.  But, 
my  dear  friend,  I  know  you  too  well  not  to  be  convinced 
you  cannot  be  seduced  by  any  prince  in  Europe.  You  are, 
in  my  opinion,  the  pattern  of  perfection.'  '  Sir  William 
should  say  to  the  Prince  that,  situated  as  you  are,  it  would 
be  highly  improper  for  you  to  admit  H.R.H.  That  the 
Prince  should  wish  it,  I  am  not  surprised  at.  .  .  .  Sir 
William  should  speak  out,  and  if  the  Prince  is  a  man  of 
honour,  he  will  quit  the  pursuit  of  you.  .  .  .  The  thought 
so  agitates  me  that  I  cannot  write.  I  had  wrote  a  few  lines 
last  night  but  I  am  in  tears,  I  cannot  bear  it'  '  I  own  I 
sometimes  fear  that  you  will  not  be  so  true  to  me  as  I  am 
to  you,  yet  I  cannot,  will  not  believe,  you  can  be  false. 
No !  I  judge  you  by  myself.  I  hope  to  be  dead  before 
that  should  happen,  but  it  will  not.  Forgive  me,  Emma, 
oh,  forgive  your  own  dear,  disinterested  Nelson.  Tell 
Davison  how  sensible  I  am  of  his  goodness.  He  knows 
my  attachment  to  you.  .  .  .  May  God  send  .  .  .  happiness! 


PICCADILLY  TO  'PARADISE'  MERTON      359 

I    have    a   letter   from   Sir    William  ;    he    speaks    of    the 
Regency  as   certain  ;   and    then    probably  he    thinks    you 
will  sell  better — horrid  thought!'     'Your  dear  friend,  my 
dear  and  truly  beloved  Mr.  T.,  is   almost  distracted  ;    he 
wishes  there  was   peace,  or   if  your  uncle  would   die,  he 
would  instantly  then  come  and  marry  you,  for  he  doats  on 
nothing  but  you  and  his  child.  .  .  .   He  has  implicit  faith 
in  your  fidelity,  even  in  conversation  with  those  he  dislikes, 
and  that  you  will  be  faithful  in  greater  things  he  has  no 
doubt.'     When  Emma  scolded,  and  sought  to  pique  him  by 
a  piece  of  jesting  jealousy  into  reason,  he  reassured  both 
her^  and   himself  for  a   few  days;    but   on    February    11, 
addressing  her  as  '  My  dear  Lady,'  he  tells  her  that  '  it  is 
very  easy  to  find  a  stick  to  beat  your  Dogl  and  to  find  a  pre- 
text for  blaming  one  '  who  will  never  forget  you,  but  to  the 
last  moment  of  his  existence,  pray  to  God  to  give  you 
happiness  and  to  remove  from  this  ungrateful  world  your 
old  friend.'  -     Three  days  later,  however,  he  again  changes 
his  note  ;  he  trusts  his  'dear  Lady'  to  'do  him  full  justice, 
and  to  make  her  dear  mind  at  ease  for  ever,  for  ever  and 
ever.'"^     But  on  February   17  he  burst  out  afresh:  'I   am 
so    agitated     that     I     can     write     nothing.        I    knew    it 
would  be  so,  and  you  can't  help  it.      Do  not  sit  long  at 
table.      Good   God !      He  will    be   next   you,  and    telling 
you    soft   things.       If  he   does,  tell    it  out   at    table,  and 
turn   him  out  of  the  house.    .   .    .    Oh,  God !    that    I    was 
dead  !     But  I  do  not,  my  dearest  Emma,  blame  you,  nor 
do   I  fear  your  constancy.   ...   I   am  gone  almost  mad, 
but  you  cannot  help  it.     It  will  be  in  all  the  newspapers 
with  hints.  ...  I  could  not  write  another  line  if  I  was  to 
be  made  King.     If  I  was  in  town,  nothing  should  make  me 
dine  with  you  that  damned  day,  but,  my  dear  Emma,  I  do 
not  blame  you,  only  remember  your  poor  miserable  friend. 

^  '  Suppose  I  did  say  thai  ihe  West  Country  women  v  ore  black  stockings, 
what  is  it  more  than  if  you  was  to  say  what  puppies  all  the  present  yountj  men 
are?  You  cannot  help  your  eyes,  and  God  knows  I  cannot  see  much.' 
Morrison  MS.  514,  and  cf.  515. 

-  Cf.  excerpt  from  a  letter  of  February  11,  iJbOi.  ^  San  Josef,  Brixham,'  in 
Sotheby's  catalogue  of  July  8,  1905.     Cf.  Appendix,  1'art  il.  E.  (4)  (a). 

*  Cf.  excerpt  in  the  same  catalogue  of  another  new  letter  of  February  14, 
1801.     Cf.  Appendix,  Part  li.  E.  (4)  (b). 


36o  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

That  you  must  be  singing  and  appear  gay  !  .  .  .  I  have  read 
.  .  .  your  resolution  never  to  go  where  the  fellow  is,  but 
you  must  have  him  at  home.     Oh,  God  !  but  you  cannot,  I 
suppose,  help  it,  and  you  cannot  turn  him  out  of  your  own 
house.  ...  I  see  your  determination  to  be  on  your  guard, 
and  as  fixed  as  fate.  ...  I  am  more  dead  than  alive  .  .  . 
to  the  last  breath  your's.     If  you  cannot  get  rid  of  this,  I 
hope  you  will  tell  Sir  William  never  to  bring  the  fellow 
again.'     '  'Tis  not  that  I  believe  you  will  do  anything  that 
injures  me,  but  I  cannot  help  saying  a  few  words  on  that 
fellow's  dining  with  you,  for  you  do  not  believe  it  to  be  out 
of  love  for  Sir  William.  .  .  .  You  have  been  taken  in.    You 
that  are  such  a  woman  of  good  sense,  put  so  often  on  your 
guard    by  myself  [against]    Mrs.    Udney,  Mrs.    Spilsbury, 
Mrs.  Dent,  and   Mrs.  Nisbet.  ...  I   knew  that  he  would 
visit  you,  and  you  could  not  help  coming  downstairs  when 
the  Prince  was  there.  .  .  .  But  his  words  are  so  charming 
that,  I  am  told,  no  person  can  withstand  them.     If  I  had 
been  worth  ten  millions  I  would  have  betted  every  farthing 
that  you  would  not  have  gone  into  the  house  knowing  that 
he  was   there,  and    if  you  did,  which   I   would  not  have 
believed,  that  you  would  have  sent  him  a  proper  message 
by  Sir  William,  and  sent  him  to  hell.     And  knowing  your 
determined  courage  when  you  had  got  down,  I  would  have 
laid  my  head  upon  the  block  with  the  axe  uplifted,  and 
said  "  strike,"  if  Emma  does  not  say  to  Sir  William  before 
the  fellow,  "  my  character  cannot,  shall  not  suffer  by  per- 
mitting him  to  visit."  .  .  .  Hush,  hush,  my  poor  heart,  keep 
in  my  breast,  be  calm,  Emma  is  true.  .  .  .  But  no  one,  not 
even  Emma,  could  resist  the  serpent's  flattering  tongue.  .  .  . 
What  will  they  all  say  and  think,  that  Emma  is  like  other 
women,  when  I  would  have  killed  anybody  who  had  said 
so.  .  .  .  Forgive  me.     I  know  I  am  almost  distracted,  but 
I  have  still  sense  enough  left  to  burn  every  word  of  yours. 
.    .    .    All  your  pictures  are  before  me.     What  will   Mrs. 
Denis  say,  and  what  will  she  sing — Be  Calm,  be  Gentle,  the 
Wind  has  Changed'^      Do  you  go  to  the  opera  to-night? 
They  say  he  sings  well.     I  have  eat  nothing  but  a  little 
rice  and  drank  water.    But  forgive  me.     I  know  my  Emma, 
and  don't  forget  that  you  had  once  a  Nelson,  a  friend,  a 


PICCADILLY  TO  'PARADISE'  MERTON      361 

dear  friend,  but  alas  !  he  has  his  misfortunes.  He  has  lost 
the  best,  his  only  friend,  his  only  love.  Don't  forget  him, 
poor  fellow  I  He  is  honest.  Oh !  I  could  thunder  and 
strike  dead  with  my  lightning.  I  dreamt  it  last  night,  my 
Emma.  I  am  calmer.  .  .  .  Tears  have  relieved  me  ;  you 
never  will  again  receive  the  villain  to  rob  me.  .  .  .  May  the 
heavens  bless  you  !  I  am  better.  Only  tell  me  you  forgive 
me ;  don't  scold  me,  indeed  I  am  not  worth  it,  and  am  to 
my  last  breath  your's,  and  if  not  your's,  no  one's  in  the 
world.  .  .  .  You  cannot  now  help  the  villain's  dining  with 
you.  Get  rid  of  it  as  well  as  you  can.  Do  not  let  him 
come  downstairs  with  you  or  hand  you  up.     If  you  do,  tell 

me,  and  then ! '   '  Forgive  my  letter  wrote  and  sent  last 

night,  perhaps  my  head  was  a  little  affected.  No  wonder, 
it  was  such  an  unexpected,  such  a  knock-down  blow  ;  such 
a  death.  But  I  will  not  go  on,  for  I  shall  get  out  of  my 
senses  again.  Will  you  sing  for  the  fellow  The  Prince, 
unable  to  conceal  his  Pain,  etc.  ?     No,  you  will  not.' 

And  here  follows,  like  a  lull  in  the  storm,  his  joy  at 
hearing  from  Emma  herself  that  Sir  William,  '  who  asks 
all  parties  to  dinner,'  was  not  to  have  his  way;  she  had 
resolved  to  evade  the  Prince.  He  cursed  the  would-be 
intruder.  Even  now  he  implored  her  not  to  risk  being  at 
home  that  next  Sunday  evening,^  but  to  dine  with  Mrs. 
Denis.  If  the  Prince  still  insisted  on  coming,  Emma 
must  be  away.  But  till  he  had  certainty  he  would  con- 
tinue to  starve  himself  He  thanked  her  'ten  thousand 
times.'  She  was  never  to  say  that  her  letters  bored  him  ; 
they  were  '  the  only  real  comfort  of  his  life.'  If  ever  he 
proved  false  to  her,  might  'God's  vengeance'  light  upon 
him.  Parker  knew  his  love  for  her — '  who  does  not?'  He 
was  'all  astonishment  at  her  uncle's  conduct';  as  for  his 
'aunt,'  he  did  not  care  'a  fig  for  her."  He  would  buy 
Madame  Le  Brun's  portrait  of  her  as  well  as  Romney's. 
Still,  the  yellow  demon  had  not  yet  quite  deserted  him.  He 
still  brooded  on  imaginary  fears  and  scenes.  '  Did  you  sit 
alone  with  the  villain.?  No!  I  will  not  believe  it.  Oh, 
God  !  Oh,  God  1  keep  my  sences.     Do  not  let  the  rascal  in. 

^  February  22.     Tuesday  (when  Emma  wrote  to  Mrs.  \Villiam  Nelson)  was 
the  24th.     Cf.  Add.  MS.  34,1^89,  f.  38. 


362  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

Tell  the  Duke^  that  you  will  never  go  to  his  house.  Mr. 
G.'^  must  be  a  scoundrel.  He  treated  you  once  ill  enough^ 
and  cannot  love  you,  or  he  would  sooner  die.  ...  I  have 
this  moment  got  my  orders  to  put  myself  under  Sir 
Hyde  Parker's  orders,  and  suppose  I  shall  be  ordered  to 
Portsmouth  to-morrow  or  next  day,  and  then  I  will  try  to 
get  to  London  for  3  days.  May  Heaven  bless  us,  but 
don't  let  that  fellow  dine  with  you.  .  .  .  Forget  every  cross 
word:  I  now  live!  That  very  night  he  received  the 
assurance  of  Emma's  staunch  determination,  however  Sir 
William  and  Greville  might  remonstrate,  and  his  answer 
breathes  a  profound  and  rapturous  calm: — 'Your  good 
sense,  judgment,  and  proper  firmness  must  endear  you  to 
all  your  friends,  and  to  none  more  than  your  old  and  firm 
friend  Nelson.  You  have  shown  that  you  are  above  all 
temptation,  and  not  to  be  drawn  into  the  paths  of  dishonour 
for  to  gratify  any  price,  or  to  gain  any  riches.  How  Sir 
William  can  associate  with  a  person  of  a  character  so 
diametrically  opposed  to  his  own — but  I  do  not  choose,  as 
this  letter  goes  through  any  hands,  to  enter  more  at  large 
on  this  subject.  I  glory  in  your  conduct  and  in  your 
inestimable  friendship.  ...  I  wish  you  were  my  sister  that 
I  might  instantly  give  you  half  my  fortune  for  your  glorious 
conduct.  Be  firm  !  Your  cause  is  that  of  honour  against 
infamy.  .  .  .  You  know  that  I  would  not,  in  Sir  William's 
case,  have  gone  to  Court  without  my  wife,^  and  such  a  wife, 
never  to  be  matched.  It  is  true  you  would  grace  a  Court 
better  as  a  Queen  than  a  visitor.'  *  Good  Sir  William,'  he 
added,  must,  on  reflection,  '  admire  your  virtuous  and  proper 
conduct.'^ 

Nelson  never  forgot  or  ceased  to  praise  Emma's  conduct 
in   this  ticklish  transaction.      William   Nelson  joined  his 

'  Of  Queensberry.  -  Greville. 

^  This  is  proof  positive  that  Nelson  was  fully  aware  of  Emma's  past.  The 
reverse  has  often  been  asserted. 

^  Queen  Charlotte  would  never  receive  her. 

^  For  the  foregoing  cf,  iti/er  alia,  Morrison  MS.  503,  507,  509,  511,  513-15, 
518,  520,  521-22,  532  ;  Nelson  Letters,  vol.  i.  p.  34,  vol.  ii.  p.  200;  and  for  the 
two  citations  to  follow,  Pettigrew,  vol.  i.  p.  451,  and  excerpt  from  a  letter, 
^  St.  George,  March  7,  1801,' from  Sotheby's  catalogue  for  July  8,  1905.  Cf 
Appendix,  Part  il.  D,  (c)  (a). 


PICCADILLY  TO  'PARADISE'  MERTON      363 

brother 'in  admiration.'^  But  the  lover  holds  her  aloft  as 
a  matchless  example  in  letters  compatible  with  the  most 
platonic  affection.  She  is  incomparable.  The  more  he  reads, 
the  more  he  admires  her  '  whole  conduct,'  The  thought  of 
it  inspired  that  '  Santa  Emma  '  letter  written  in  the  May  of 
this  very  year  on  the  St.  George  off  Rostock,  one  excerpt 
from  which,  canonising  her  as  a  saint,  has  been  already 
quoted,'-  and  which  is  given  entire  in  the  Appendix.^  It 
inspired  another  uncited  passage  addressed  to  Emma  a 
few  weeks  later.  '  I  now  know  he  never  can  dine  with  you  ; 
for  you  would  go  out  of  the  house  sooner  than  suffer  it : 
and  as  to  letting  him  hear  you  sing,  I  only  hope  he  will 
be  struck  deaf  and  you  dumb,  sooner  than  such  a  thing 
should  happen  !  But  I  know  it  never  now  can.  You 
cannot  think  how  my  feelings  are  alive  towards  you  :  pro- 
bably more  than  ever:  and  they  never  can  be  diminished.'* 

In  strength  of  will,  in  picturesqueness,  in  emphasis,  in 
courage,  it  must  be  acknowledged  that  Nelson  and  Emma 
were  affinities. 

The  fresh  correspondence  between  Emma  and  Mrs. 
William  Nelson — transcribed  in  the  Appendix — is  interest- 
ing in  relation  to  this  episode,  for  through  it  we  are 
enabled  to  hear  Emma's  own  voice.  It  rings  out  true 
and  clear,  confirming  every  word  that  Nelson  uttered. 
There  is  also  here  and  there  a  touch  in  it  of  Emma  as 
'  stateswoman  '  once  more.  She  never  relaxed  her  interest 
in  politics,  and  she  was  still  in  correspondence  with  Maria 
Carolina.^ 

^  His  letter  is  very  characteristic — all  smirk,  starch,  bows  and  compliments. 
He  can  only  send  her  his  'little  morsel  of  a  better  half  ;  her  letters  to  him  are 
•charities.'  For  a  specimen  of  this  worthy's  spirit,  cf.  the  following  in  a  letter 
to  Lady  H.  of  August  23,  1801  : — '  I  am  told  there  are  two  or  three  very  old 
lives,  Prebends  of  Canterbury,  in  the  Minister's  gift^near  ;^6oo  a  year,  and 
good  houses. ' — Nelson  Letters,  vol.  i.  p.  204. 

"'  Add.  MS.  34,274  G.     Cf.  ante,  p.  26. 

^  Appendix,  Part  II.  D.  i  (/').  ^  Nelson  Letters,  vol.  i.  p.  34. 

•'•  Emma  wrote,  after  Nelson's  departure,  to  the  Queen.  The  reply  reached 
her  in  May,  protesting  'vera  amicizia.'  Maria,  herself  in  great  trouble  at  the 
entry  of  the  French,  grieves  to  hear  that  Emma  is  neither  '  happy  nor  con- 
tented.'— Eg.  MS.  1616,  f.  125.  They  exchanged  fresh  letters  in  December, 
the  Queen  assuring  her  old  friend  that  she  always  interests  her. — Ibid.  f.  127. 
In  some  of  his  this  year's  letters  Nelson  inquires  of  Emma  news  from  the  Queen, 
who  continued  her  correspondence  so  late  as  1809. 


364  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

Emma  had  welcomed  Nelson's  wish  that  his  sister-in- 
law  should  be  with  her  at  such  a  trying  moment.  Un- 
fortunately, 'Reverend  Doctor'  and  his  wife  had  ended 
their  stay  in  town  just  before  the  Sunday  of  the  party 
which  haunted  Nelson  came  round.  At  Nelson's  request, 
however,  the  little  woman,  whose  'tongue,'  he  said, 'never 
lay  still,'  returned  in  the  nick  of  time  to  fill  the  blank 
caused  by  his  departure.^  On  the  very  Friday  of  Nelson's 
two  letters^  to  Emma,  she  also  took  up  her  own  tale 
to  Mrs.  Nelson.  She  was  still  in  bed  with  a  headache : 
' .  .  .  It  is  such  a  pain  to  part  with  dear  friends,  and  you 
and  I  liked  each  other  from  the  moment  we  met :  our  souls 
were  congenial.  Not  so  with  Tom  Tit,^  for  there  was  an 
antipathy  not  to  be  described.  ...  I  received  yesterday 
letters  from  that  great  adored  being  that  we  all  so  love, 
esteem,  and  admire.  The  more  one  knows  him,  the  more 
one  wonders  at  his  greatness,  his  heart,  his  head  booth  \sic\ 
so  perfect.  He  says  he  is  coming  down  to  Spithead^  soon, 
he  hopes.  Troubridge  comes  to  town  to-day  as  one  of  the 
Lords,  so  he  is  settled  for  the  present,  but  depend  on  it, 
my  dear  friend,  this  poor  patched-up  party  ^  can  never  hold 
long.  A  new  coat  will  bear  many  a  lag  and  tag  as  the 
vulgar  phrase  is,  but  an  old  patched  mended  one  must 
tear.  ...  I  am  so  unwell  that  I  don't  think  we  can  have 
his  Royal  Highness  to  dinner  on  Sunday,  which  will  not  vex 
vie.  Addio,  inia  Cara  arnica.  You  know  as  you  are  learning 
Italian,  I  must  say  a  word  or  so.  How  dull  my  bedroom 
looks  without  you.  I  miss  our  little  friendly  confidential 
chats.  But  in  this  world  nothing  is  compleat.'  And  here 
Emma's  philosophy  follows : — '  If  all  went  on  smoothly, 
one  shou'd  regret  quitting  it,  but  'tis  the  many  little 
vexations  and  crosses,  separations  from  one's  dear  friends 
that  make  one  not  regret  leaving  it.  .  .  .'^ 

'  From  the  Morrison  MS.  and  these  new  Add.  MSS.  it  is  clear  that  Mrs. 
Nelson  arrived  again  about  March  20. 

-  February  19.     The  two  last  notes  above  cited.  ^  Lady  Nelson. 

■•  From  Portsmouth,  where  the  work  of  refitting  the  fleet  was  nearly  finished. 
Cf.  Morrison  MS.  522. 

^  Addington  [London-to-Paddington  Addington]  was  trying  to  edge  in  on  the 
debris  of  Pitt's  administration,  but  as  he  could  not  form  a  Cabinet,  Pitt  returned. 

•'  Add.  MS.  34,989,  ff.  36,  37  ;  and  .see  Appendix,  Part  11.  B. 


PICCADILLY  TO  'PARADISE'  MERTON      365 

On  February  the  24th  Nelson  hurried  to  London  ^  before 
he  finally  set  out  for  the  Baltic  in  the  second  week  of  the 
next  month.  A  note  from  Emma  in  this  new  series 
describes  his  arrival  to  Mrs.  Nelson.  The  letter  is  franked 
by  Nelson  himself  to  '  Hillborough,  Brandon,  Suffolk  ': — 

'  My  dearest  Friend, — Your  dear  Brother  arrived  this 
morning  by  seven  o'clock.  He  stays  only  3  days,  so  by 
the  time  you  wou'd  be  here,  he  will  be  gone.  How  un- 
lucky you  went  so  soon.  I  am  in  health  so  so,  but  spirits 
to-day  excellent.     Oh,  what  real  pleasure  Sir  William  and 

1  have  in  seeing  this  our  great,  good,  virtuous  Nelson.  His 
eye  is  better.  .  .  .  Apropos  Lady  Nelson  is  at  Brighton 
yet.  The  King,  God  bless  him,  is  ill,  and  there  are  many 
speculations.     Some  say  it  is  his  old  disorder.  .  .  .' 

And  on  the  next  day,  February  25  : — 

' .  .  .  Your  good,  dear  Brother  has  just  left  me  to  go  to 
pay  a  visit  to  Mr.  Nepean,'^  but  is  coming  back  to  dinner 
with  Morice,  his  brother,^  whom  he  brings  with  him,  and 
Troubridge  also.  We  shall  be  comfortable,  but  more  so 
if  you  had  been  here.  Oh,  I  wish  you  was,  and  how  happy 
would  Milord*  have  been  to  have  had  that  happiness,  to 
have  walked  out  with  Mrs.  Nelson.  .  .  .  Our  dear  Nelson 
is  very  well  in  health.  Poor  fellow,  he  travelled  allmost  all 
night,  but  you  that  know  his  great,  good  heart  will  not  be 
surprised  at  any  act  of  friendship  of  his.  I  shall  send  for 
Charlotte^  to  see  him  before  he  goes,  and  he  has  given 

2  guineas  for  her.  .  .  .' 

'  At  '  Lothian's.' 

-  Afterwards  Sir  Evan,  Secretary  to  and  one  of  the  Lords  of  the  Admiralty. 
He  was  a  shrewd  courtier,  and  a  great  admirer  of  Lady  H.  In  one  of  his  after 
letters  Nelson  tells  her  that  Nepean  only  conies  to  Merton  to  feast  on  the  sight 
of  her  beauty  and  sound  of  her  voice,  and  that  he  is  a  '  fair-weather  friend.' 

'  He  died  next  year.  Nelson,  with  difliculty  and  to  his  disgust,  could  not 
actually  procure  for  him  this  year  more  than  a  small  under-post  from  the 
Government.  His  so-called  widow,  '  poor  blind  Mrs.  Nelson,'  has  been  already 
mentioned.  Both  Nelson  and  Emma  befriended  her  affectionately.  '  She  shall 
never  want,'  he  said,  and  he  bequeathed  her  an  annuity  of  ;^ioo. 

*  Maria  Carolina's  name  for  Nelson. 

•■'  The  Rev.  William  Nelson's  daughter,  afterwards  Lady  Bridport,  now  at 
Mrs.  VoUer's  school  in  London.  From  1802- 1805  she  was  to  be  constantly  at 
Merton  under  the  wing  of  Lady  Hamilton,  and  the  instruction  both  of  her 
and  of  Miss  Connor. 


366  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

On  the  following  morning^  again: — 

'Yesterday  I  cou'd  not,  my  dearest  friend,  write  much, 
and  Milord  was  not  yet  returned  from  the  Admiralty  time 
enough  to  frank  your  letters,  and  sorry  I  was  you  shou'd 
pay  for  such  trash  that  I  sent  you,  but  I  thought  you  wou'd 
be  uneasy.  We  had  a  pleasant  evening  ['  and  night ' — 
erased].  I  often  thought  on  you,  but  now  the  subject  of 
the  King's  illness  gives  such  a  gloom  to  everything.  .  .  . 
Mr.  Addington  is  not  minister,  for  his  commission  was  not 
signed  before  the  King  was  taken  so  ill,  so  Mr.  Pitt  is 
yet  first  Lord.  .  .  .  Our  good  Lord  Nelson  is  lodged  at 
Lothian's  ;  Tom  Tit,  at  the  same  place  [Brtg/iton].  The 
Cub"  is  to  have  a  frigate,  the  TJialia.  I  suppose  HE  will 
be  up  in  a  day  or  so.  I  only  hope  he  does  not  come  near 
me.  If  he  does,  7iot  at  home  shall  be  the  answer.  I  am  glad 
he  is  going.  .  .  .  Milord  has  only  Allen "  with  him.  We 
supped  and  talked  politics  till  2.  Mr.  East  \i.e.  Este]  who  is  a 
pleasant  man,  was  with  us.  .  .  .  Oh,  my  dearest  friend,  our 
dear  Lord  is  just  come  in.  He  goes  off  to-night  and  sails 
imediately.  My  heart  is  fit  to  Burst  quite  with  greef. 
Oh,  what  pain,  God  only  knows.  I  can  only  say  may  the 
Allmighty  God  bless,  prosper,  and  protect  him  !  I  shall  go 
mad  with  grief.  Oh,  God  only  knows  what  it  is  to  part 
with  such  a  friend,  such  a  one.  We  were  truly  called  the 
Tria  juncta  in  uno,  for  Sir  W.,  he,  and  I  have  but  one 
heart  in  three  bodies.  .  .  .  He,  our  great  Nelson,  sends  his 
love  to  you.  .  .  .  My  greif*  will  not  let  me  say  more 
Heavens  bless  you,  answer  your  afflicted  E.  H.'  ^ 

From  Yarmouth,  after  a  brief  spell  of  final  prepara- 
tion, Nelson  sailed  for  the  double  feat  of  annihilating 
the  Northern  Confederation  single-handed,  and  negotiat- 
ing with  a  mastery  both  of  men  and  management  the  truce 

February  26. 

-  Nelson's  stepson  Josiah  Nisbet.  It  should  be  noticed  that  though  she  thus 
speaks  of  him,  Lady  Nelson's  '  ill-treatment '  of  her  son  formed  one  of  the 
grounds  for  Nelson's  bitterness  towards  her.    Cf.  Nelson  Letters,  vol.  i.  p.  63. 

•*  The  servant  whom  Nelson  had  afterwards  to  dismiss.  Long  years  later,  he 
gave  a  false  account  of  Horatia's  parentage.  Nelson,  in  finding  him  another 
place,  termed  him  '  a  great  liar.' 

*■  It  will  be  noticed  that  in  one  letter  grief  figures  rightly  as  '  grief,'  and  also 
as  'greef  and  'greif.  ■*  Add.  MS.  34.989.  ff-  40-43- 


PICCADILLY  TO  'PARADISE'  MERTON      367 

that  preceded  the  Peace  of  Amiens.  Copenhagen  was  now 
the  key  of  the  situation,  as  it  was  to  prove  six  years  later, 
when  Canning  saved  Europe  from  the  ruin  of  Austerlitz 
and  the  ignominy  of  Tilsit  by  that  secret  expedition  which 
would  have  gladdened  Nelson,  had  he  been  alive.  As 
victor  and  peacemaker  he  was  now  to  stand  forth  supreme. 
'  Time  is  our  best  ally,'  he  wrote  to  Lord  St.  Vincent  a  few 
days  later,  when  the  wind  caused  a  week's  delay  in  the 
start  of  the  refitted  ships.  '  I  hope  we  shall  not  give  her 
up,  as  all  our  allies  have  given  us  up.  Our  friend  here  is  a 
little  nervous  about  dark  nights  and  fields  of  ice,  but  we 
must  brace  up  ;  these  are  not  times  for  nervous  systems. 
I  want  peace,  which  is  only  to  be  had  through,  I  trust, 
our  still  invincible  navy ' ;  and,  just  before  sailing,^  he 
made  a  declaration  to  Berry  that  no  Briton  should  ever 
forget : — ' ...  As  to  the  plan  for  pointing  a  gun  truer 
than  we  do  at  present,  if  the  person  comes,  I  shall  of 
course  look  at  it,  and  be  happy,  if  necessary,  to  use  it. 
But  I  hope  that  we  shall  be  able,  as  usual,  to  get  so  close 
to  our  enemies,  that  our  shots  cannot  miss  their  object, 
and  that  we  shall  again  give  our  northern  enemies  that 
hailstorm  of  bullets  which  is  so  emphatically  described  in 
the  Naval  Chronicle,  and  which  gives  our  dear  country 
the  dominion  of  the  seas.  We  have  it,  and  all  the  devils  in 
hell  cannot  take  it  from  us,  if  our  wooden  walls  have  fair 
play,"^  On  the  verge  of  battle  he  indited  three  lines  meant 
for  Emma's  eyes  alone : — '  He  has  no  fear  of  death  but 
parting  from  you.'^ 

Emma  resumed  her  disconsolate  epistles  both  to  him  and, 
until  her  return,  to  Mrs.  William  Nelson.  The  first  can 
only  be  inferred  from  his  most  vehement  answers,  while  of 
the  second  a  few  scraps  may  find  appropriate  place. 

With  a  single  exception  she  had  withheld  nothing  from 
Nelson  ;  ■*  their  communion  was  unreserved.     But  of  '  Emma 

^  March  9. 

-  Laughton's  Despatches,  p.  246.  Nelson  always  laid  the  greatest  stress  on 
time.  Five  minutes,  he  would  say,  made  the  difference  Ijetween  defeat  and 
victory.  a  Morrison  MS.  549. 

*  The  Greville  story  he  has  already  mentioned  as  known  ;  and  in  tlie  first 
chapter  I  have  hinted  the  bare  possibility  that  he  knew  of  Felherstonchaugh, 
who,  with  Hodges,  was  a  member  of  the  Prince  of  Wales's  charmless  circle. 


368  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

Carew,'  that '  orphan,'  ^  now  a  girl  of  nineteen,  for  whom  she 
was  still  caring,^  who  was  soon  to  be  put  under  the  alternate 
charge  of  Mrs.  Denis  and  of  Mrs.  Connor,  and  who  was 
frequently  to  see  her  undisclosed  mother  at  Merton,  she 
seems  to  have  kept  silence.  On  the  first  day  of  March 
Nelson  addressed  to  the  '  friend  of  his  bosom ' "  that  most 
remarkable  letter  opening  '  Now,  my  own  dear  wife,'  ^  which 
has  become  so  hackneyed.  He  at  last  found  a  full  vent  for 
his  feelings,  for  Oliver  was  the  bearer  of  the  paper.  There 
was  nothing,  he  said,  that  he  would  not  do  for  them  to  live 
together,  and  to  have  their  dear  little  child  with  them.  He 
firmly  believed  that  the  imminent  campaign  would  ensure 
peace,  and  then — who  knew? — they  might  cross  the  water 
and  live  in  avowed  partnership  at  Bronte.  He  wanted  to 
see  his  wife  no  more,  but  until  he  could  quit  the  country 
with  Emma  (and  before  that  possibility  England  must  be 
safeguarded),  there  could  be  no  open  union.  After  ensuring 
a  *  glorious  issue,'  he  would  return  with  '  a  little  more  fame ' 
for  his  Emma,  proud  of  him  and  their  country.  '  I  never 
did  love  any  one  else,'  he  continues ;  '  I  never  had  a  dear 
pledge  of  love  till  you  gave  me  one,  and  you,  thank  my  God, 
never  gave  one  to  anybody  else.  .  .  .  You,  my  beloved 
Emma,  and  my  country  are  the  two  dearest  objects  of  my 
fond  heart,  a  heart  susceptible  and  true.  Only  place  con- 
fidence in  me  and  you  never  shall  be  disappointed.'  He  is 
now  convinced  of  his  dominion  over  her.  He  protests  in  the 
most  passionate  phrases  his  longing  and  his  constancy.  He 
is  hers  all,  only,  and  always.  '  My  heart,  body,  and  mind  ^ 
is  in  perfect  union  of  love  towards  my  own  dear  beloved ' — 
his  matchless,  his  flawless  Emma. 

Yet  a  living  proof  of  flaw  lurked  in  oblivion.  We  have 
heard  Emma  in  1798  sighing  over  her  married  childlessness. 

1  She  had  been  so  styled  in  a  communication  from  Greville  about  her  in  1792. 

-  In  April  she  was  still  with  her  old  educators,  the  Blackburns,  near  Man- 
chester, where  Mrs.  Cadogan  went  to  visit  her  and  report  to  Emma.  Cf. 
Morrison  MS.  563,  Mrs.  Cadogan  to  Emma,  April  26,  1801. 

2  '  Emma,  let  me  be  the  friend  of  your  bosom.  I  deserve  it,  for  my  confi- 
dence is  reciprocated.' — Morrison  MS.  543. 

^  Not  the  only  occasion  on  which  he  so  addressed  her.  Cf.  Morrison  MS. 
546,  621. 

*  It  is  worthy  of  notice  that  he  omits  '  soul.'  In  a  much  later  letter  to  her 
he  says  that  his  being  is  hers  entirely,  but  that  his  '  soul '  is  his  Creator's. 


PICCADILLY  TO  'PARADISE'  MERTON      369 

Horatia,  Nelson's  Horatia,  was  at  length  hers.  Horatia's 
name  and  influence  tinge  his  every  tone  ;  he  even  writes  to 
the  babe-in-arms,  the  child  of  his  own  heart.  As  Horatia's 
mother,  Emma  seems  holy  in  his  eyes.  Every  letter  that  he 
kisses  before  he  sends  it,  is  sealed  with  her  head ;  ^  each  of  hers 
with  'Nelson'  and  'The  Nile,'  with  his  glorious  emblem — 
*  Honor  est  a  Nilo!  Was  it  now  possible,  at  this  longed-for 
moment,  to  reveal  the  dark  error  of  her  day's  clouded  open- 
ing ?  She  had  been  but  seventeen  when  that  other  daughter, 
watched,  befriended,  but  never  acknowledged,  had  been  born. 
The  foundling's  disavowal  had  been  wholly  the  work  and 
craft  of  Greville,  once  so  '  good,'  so  '  tender'  to  her  and  the 
offspring  that  he  snatched  away  from  her  girl's  embrace. 
Was  this  the  moment,  she  might  well  plead  with  the 
Pharisees,  for  withdrawing  the  veil  that  hid  Horatia's  half- 
sister  from  Nelson  ?  She  remained  a  '  Protestant  of  the 
flesh' — a  born  pagan.  As  pagan  she  would  be  true  in  trial. 
She  would  do  her  duty  as  she  knew  it,  and  act  her  double 
part  of  nurse  and  wife.  She  would  be  generous  and 
warm-hearted.  But  such  surrender  ! — Was  it  in  human, 
in  feminine  nature  ?  Had  she  been  the  born  '  saint '  of 
Nelson's  canonisation,  she  would  have  done  so  now.  Pale 
and  weeping,  she  would  have  humbled  herself  and  placed 
that  daughter  by  her  side  as  some  token  of  atonement. 
How  the  scribes  of  the  long  robe,  like  Greville,  would  have 
sneered,  how  Hamilton  would  have  smiled  !  And  Hamil- 
ton's name — poor,  fading  Hamilton's — must  surely  have 
struck  some  chord  in  her  better  self.  Who  was  she,  what 
manner  of  man  was  Nelson,  to  make  or  exact  such  sacri- 
fice !  Although  Sir  William's  own  recent  weakness  had 
endangered  her,  and  belittled  him  before  Nelson,  they  still 
esteemed  him — formed  together,  indeed,  his  right  hand. 
And  yet,  whether  Greville  and  he  had  guessed  the  truth  or 
not,  to  him  they  were  half  traitors — an  ugly  word  for  an 
ugly  fact ;  for  what  had  Caracciolo  been  but  a  traitor!  This 
was  a  moment  when  self-illusions  might  have  vanished,  and 

'  This  seal — in  imitation  uf  a  classic  intaglio — was  made  in  Rome  about 
1792  by  Rega,  a  famous  artist.  It  is  now  in  the  British  Museum,  and  was 
originally  covered  with  Nelson's  sealing-wax.  She  had  a  tift'  with  Nelson 
about  it  in  August.     Cf.  Morrison  MS.  6i  i. 

2  A 


370  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

Nelson's  Roman  virtue  might  have  listened  to  the  stern 
rebuke  to  David — '  Thou  art  the  man.'  Yet,  contrasted 
with  the  lax  crew  of  Carlton  House  and  many  at  St.  James's, 
Nelson  and  she  were  all  but  virtuous,  virtuous  sinners. 
Would  her  sin,  then,  ever  find  her  out  ?  Was  this  the  time 
to  bare  her  conscience  to  the  world  ? 

And  during  that  brief  London  visit  they  had  both  seen 
the  child,^  as  they  were  so  often  to  do  in  the  two  succeed- 
ing years.  Their  visits  suggest  a  striking  picture, — the 
spare,  weather-beaten  man  in  the  plain  black  suit,  with  the 
firm  yet  morbid  mouth  ;  the  beautiful  woman  longing  to  call 
aloud  to  her  baby ;  the  little,  homely  room  ;  Nurse  Gibson 
with  her  housekeeper  air,  furtively  wondering  why  the  great 
Lord  Nelson  and  the  Ambassador's  lady  were  so  much  con- 
cerned in  this  work-a-day  world,  with  the  mysterious  child 
of  '  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thomson.' 2 

The  very  day  that  Emma  received  Nelson's  confession  of 
faith  in  her,  she  took  up  her  pen  once  more  to  his  sister-in- 
law: — 

*  My  dearest  friend,  anxiety  and  heart-bleedings  for  your 
dear  brother's  departure  has  made  me  so  ill,  I  have  not 
been  able  to  write.  I  cannot  eat  or  sleep.  Oh,  may  God 
prosper  and  bless  him.  He  has  wrote  to  Lord  Eldon  ^  for 
Mr.  Nelson.  You  will  have  him  at  Yarmouth  in  two  days. 
Oh,  how  I  envy  you !  Oh  God,  how  happy  you  are !  .  .  . 
My  spirits  and  health  is  bad  endeed.  .  .  .  Tom  Tit  is  at 
Brighton.  She  did  not  come,  nor  did  he  go.  Jove,  for  such 
he  is — quite  a  Jove — knows  better  than  that.  Morrice 
means  to  go  to  Yarmouth.     The  Cub  dined  with  us,  but  I 

^  Cf.  Nelson  Letters,  vol.  i.  p.  30.  '  I  have  seen  and  talked  much  w^ith 
Mr.  Thomson's  friend.  The  fellow  seems  to  eat  all  my  words,  when  I  talk 
of  her  and  his  child.  He  says  he  never  can  forget  your  goodness  and  kind 
affection  to  her  and  his  dear,  dear  child.  I  have  had  the  felicity  of  seeing 
it,  and  a  finer  child,'  etc. 

■^  According  to  tradition,  Mrs.  Gibson's  daughter  used  often  to  say  that  she 
remembered  these  visits.  Nelson  would  play  with  the  child  on  the  floor  while 
Lady  Hamilton  looked  on. 

^  i.e.  for  a  bishopric.  He  was  always  soliciting  Lord  Eldon  for  'Reverend 
Doctor.'  He  got  him  a  Prebendary  stall  at  Canterbury ;  and  to  this,  and  her 
share  in  it,  Emma  refers  in  one  of  her  last  despairing  letters.  Cf.  the  letter  to 
Sir  William  Scott  of  September  12,  1814,  in  Sotheby's  catalogue  for  July  8, 
1905  ;  cf.  Appendix,  Part  il.  C.  10  {a). 


PICCADILLY  TO  'PARADISE'  MERTON      371 

never  asked  how  Tom  Tit  was.  .  .  .  How  I  long  to  see  you  ; 
do  try  and  come,  for  God's  sake  do.'  And  a  like  burden 
pervades  the  notes  of  days  following  :  she  is  '  so  very  low- 
spirited  and  ill '  since  '  the  best  and  greatest  man  alive  went 
away.'  She  has  'no  spirit  to  do  anything.'  She  prays 
Mrs.  Nelson  of  her  charity  to  come.  They  can  then  'walk 
and  talk,  and  be  so  happy  together.'  She  can  hear  'all  the 
news  of  my  Hero!  She  has  bought  Charlotte  presents,  and 
will  take  them  to  her.  The  King  is  better,  and  Tom  Tit  is 
in  the  country.  She  sends  every  message  to  '  little 
Horatio.'  ^  She  had  been  ill  all  night,  and  cannot  even  take 
the  morning  air.^  For  the  second  time,  '  Calypso  ne pouvait 
pas  se  consoler  du  depart  dUlysse.' 

Nelson  had  asked,  Emma  had  hoped,  that  she  and  Sir 
William  (for  Nelson  would  never  see  her  without  her  hus- 
band) might  run  down  to  Yarmouth,  and  bid  him  and  the 
St.  George  farewell.  But  *  his  eternally  obliged  '  Sir  William 
(possibly  warned  by  Greville)  declined  with  civil  thanks. 
He  was  dedicating  every  moment  to  art.  Some  of  his 
choicest  vases,  to  his  great  joy,  had  turned  up  from  the 
wreck.  Pending  the  dubious  bounty  of  the  Government, 
he  was  preparing  to  sell  these  and  his  pictures  by  auction. 
Among  the  latter  were  three  portraits  of  his  wife.  Nelson 
was  furious  at  Emma  being  thus  for  the  second  time  'on 
sale.'  He  bought  the  St.  Cecilia,  as  has  been  recounted 
earlier,^  for  ;^300,  and  enshrined  it  as  a  true  'saint'  in 
his  cabin  :  had  it  cost  '  300  drops  of  blood,'  he  would 
'have  given  it  with  pleasure.'  ^  And  almost  up  to  the  date 
of  departure,  renewed  uneasiness  about  the  loose  set  that 
Sir  William  now  encouraged  harassed  him.  Should  she 
ever  find  herself  in  extremities,  she  must  summon  him  back, 
and  he  would  fly  to  her  deliverance.^    It  was  at  this  moment 

*  He  entered  the  navy,  but  did  not  live  to  inherit  his  uncle's  honours. 
'•^  Add.  MS.  34,989,  ff.  45-49.     App.  Part  il.  B. 

^  Chap.  i.  p.  26.  The  new  and  most  remarkable  Nelson  letter  there  quoted  is 
given  in  its  entirety  in  the  Appendix,  Part  ii.  D.  {b). 

*  Cf.  Morrison  MS.  543,  544  ;  Pettigrew,  vol.  i.  p.  445  ;  Nelson  Letters,  vol, 
ii.  p.  207.  'Can  this  be  the  great  Sir  William  Hamilton?  I  blush  for  him,' 
writes  Nelson  in  the  first-named  letter.  Among  these  pictures  was  the  '  Bacchante ' 
by  Madame  Le  Brun,  an  enamel  of  which,  by  Bone,  was  bequeathed  by  Hamilton 
to  Nelson.     The  sale  realised  over  ;,^5ooo.     Morrison  MS.  550. 

'  Cf.  Morrison  MS.  535-539,  541,  542. 


372  EMMA.  LADY  HAMILTON 

that,  in  once  more  revising  his  will,  he  bequeathed  to  her  a 
diamond  star. 

It  is  strange  that  the  virtuously  indignant  Miss  Knight's  ^ 
pen  should  have  been  employed  in  celebrating  the  loves 
of  Nelson  and  Lady  Hamilton  ;  yet  such  had  been  the  case. 
Nelson  retained  them  until  the  great  battle  was  over,  when 
he  enclosed  them  in  a  letter  to  Emma : — 

'  L'Infelice  Emma  ai  Venti.' 

'Blow,  blow,  thou  winter  wind, 
To  Love  and  Emma  kind  ! 
Ah  !  come  !  more  grateful  far 
Than  perfumed  zephyrs  are. 
Blow,  blow,  and  on  thy  welcome  wing 
My  Life,  my  Love,  my  Hero  bring. 

Blest,  blest  the  compass  be 

Which  steers  my  love  to  me  ! 

And  blest  the  happy  gale 

Which  fills  his  homeward  sail ; 

And  blest  the  boat,  and  blest  each  oar 

Which  rows  my  True  Love  back  to  shore.'  ^ 

And  ' blest'  one  might  add,  this  maudlin  trash.  Robuster, 
at  any  rate,  than  these,  surely,  is  the  mediocre  set  that 
Emma  composed  for  her  hero  in  the  same  month. 

'  Silent  grief,  and  sad  forebodings 

(Lest  I  ne'er  should  see  him  more), 
Fill  my  heart  when  gallant  Nelson 
Hoists  Blue  Peter  at  the  fore. 

On  his  Pendant  anxious  gazing, 
Filled  with  tears  mine  eyes  run  o'er  ; 

At  each  change  of  wind  I  tremble 
While  Blue  Peter  's  at  the  fore. 

All  the  livelong  day  I  wander. 

Sighing  on  the  sea-beat  shore, 
But  my  sighs  are  all  unheeded, 

When  Blue  Peter 's  at  the  fore. 

Oh  that  I  might  with  my  Nelson 
Sail  the  whole  world  o'er  and  o'er, 

Never  should  I  then  with  sorrow 
See  Blue  Peter  at  the  fore. 

^  For  Nelson's  opinion  of  her  conduct,  cf.  Nelson  Letters,  vol.  i.  p.  75. 
'^  Morrison  MS.  555. 


PICCADILLY  TO  'PARADISE'  MERTON      373 

But  (ah  me  !)  his  ship  's  unmooring  ; 

Nelson's  last  boat  rows  from  shore  ; 
Every  sail  is  set  and  swelling, 

And  Blue  Peter's  seen  no  more.' ' 

While  Nelson  reaped  fresh  laurels  to  lay  at  her  feet,  Emma 
waited  for  the  peace  which  should  bring  him  back,  but  which 
was  indefinitely  delayed.  Among  the  frequenters  of  the 
Piccadilly  household,  '  Old  Q.'  and  Lord  William  Douglas, 
an  indefatigable  scribbler  of  vers  de  societ^^  remained  real 
friends,  as  Nelson  constantly  acknowledged,  but  the  Carlton 
House  gang  still  pestered  and  annoyed  her.  For  a  space 
she  became  cross  with  herself,  cross  with  Sir  William  and 
cross  even  with  Nelson,  whose  most  unselfish  devotion  to 
her  never  allowed  the  gall  in  her  imperious  nature  to  embitter 
its  honey.  But,  despite  her  own  ailments  and  her  husband's, 
she  soon  resumed  her  energy.  Never  did  she  appear  to 
better  advantage,  except  in  days  of  danger,  than  in  those 
of  sickness.  She  was  always  trying  to  get  promotions  for 
Nelson's  old  Captains,  and  caring  for  his  proteges  and 
dependants  ;  ^  she  even  acted  as  Nelson's  deputy  in  urging 
the  authorities  to  supply  him  with  the  requisite  officers^ 
so  often  denied  him,  that  he  would  protest  himself  forgotten 
'  by  the  great  folks  at  home.'  To  Nelson  she  wrote  daily, 
pouring  out  her  heart  and  soul. 

From  Kioge  Bay  Nelson  sailed  to  Revel,  from  Revel  to 
Finland  ;  and  thence  Russia-ward  to  complete  his  work  of 
peace  by  an  interview  with  the  new  Czar,  and  with  that 
Count  Pahlen  who  had  headed  the  assassinators  of  Paul 
in  his  bedroom.  The  Russians  feted  him  and  found  him 
the  facsimile  of  their  '  young  Suwarcff.'  Nelson's  new 
triumph — one  of  navigation,  of  strategy,  and  of  ubiquitous 
diplomacy  as  well — which  had  again  saved  England  and 
awoke  the  unmeasured  gratitude  of  the  people,  met  with 
the  same  chill  reception  from  the  Government  as  of 
old.  Nelson  had  always  been  his  own  Admiral.  He 
habitually   disobeyed    orders :    it   was   intolerable.      They 

*  Morrison  MS.  572. 

-  Among  many  other  instances,  cf.  '  There  is  an  old  black  servant,  James 
Price,  as  good  a  man  as  ever  lived  ;  he  shall  be  taken  care  of,  and  have  a  corner 
in  my  house  as  long  as  he  lives.' — Morrison  MS.  589,  May  26,  1801. 

*  E.g.  'Our  friend  liowen.' — Pcttigrew,  vol.  ii.  p.  151. 


374  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

suspected  the  armistice  that  he  had  made  in  the  thick  of 
the  battle  ;  all  along,  the  white  flag  seems  to  have  pursued 
Nelson  with  misconstruction.  He  has  himself  recorded  in 
two  letters  to  Lady  Hamilton  a  telling  vindication,  which 
does  honour  to  his  humanity  and  to  his  prudence.^  He 
did  not  conceal  his  vexation.  '  I  know  mankind  well 
enough,'  he  told  Hamilton, '  to  be  sure  that  there  are  those 
in  England  who  wish  me  at  the  devil.  If  they  only  wish 
me  out  of  England,  they  will  soon  be  gratified,  for  to  go  to 
Bronte  I  am  determined.  So  I  have  wrote  the  King  of  the 
two  Sicilies,  whose  situation  I  most  sincerely  pity.'  He 
comforts  himself  that  he  is  '  backed  with  a  just  cause  and 
the  prayers  of  all  good  people.'^  No  medals  were  struck 
for  Copenhagen  ;  even  the  City  began  to  flag  in  its  appre- 
ciation. He  flew  out  against  the  Lord  Mayor  who  had 
once  said,  '  Do  fou  find  victories,  and  we  will  find  rewards.' 
It  was  not  for  himself  but  for  his  officers  that  he  coveted 
the  latter ;  and  yet,  as  he  was  to  write  in  the  following  year, 
'  I  have  since  that  time  found  two  complete  victories.  I 
have  kept  my  word.  They  who  exist  by  victories  at  sea 
have  not'  ^  Nelson  '  could  not  obey  the  Scriptures  and 
bless  them.'  The  victory  itself  he  extolled  as  the  most 
hard-earned  and  complete  in  the  annals  of  the  navy.* 
Addington  simply  wanted  the  prestige  that  Nelson  alone 
could  confer ;  it  was  the  common  case  of  mediocrity 
against  genius.  And  Nelson  was  further  troubled  not  only 
by  wretched  health  and  disappointment  at  the  frustration  of 
an  earlier  return,  but  by  the  blow  of  his  brother  Maurice's 
death.  Amid  his  own  engrossing  avocations,  he  hastened 
to  assure  the  poor  blind  'widow'  that  she  was  to  cease 
fretting  over  her  prospects,  remain  at  Laleham,  and  count 
on  him  as  a  brother.  '  I  am  sure  you  will  comfort  poor 
blind  Mrs.  Nelson,'  he  writes  to  Emma. 

Both  Sir  William  and  Emma  cheered  him  under  depres- 

1  Cf.  Morrison  MS.  579,  580. 

2  Cf.  Morrison  MS.  571,  Nelson  to  Hamilton,  April  27,  1801. 

3  Cf.  his  letter  to  Davison,  Eg.  MS.  2240,  f.  139,  and  zdid.  f.  109  :  '  It  was 
a  sight  which  no  real  man  could  have  enjoyed.  I  felt  that  when  the  Danes 
became  my  prisoners,  I  became  their  protector.  ...  By  her  armistice  we  tied 
the  arms  of  Denmark  for  four  months  from  assisting  our  enemies  and  her  allies.' 

*  Pettigrew,  vol.  ii.  p.  225. 


PICCADILLY  TO  'PARADISE^  MERTON      375 

sion.     He  had  now  done  enough,  wrote  Sir  William.     It 
was  the  ne plus  ultra.     He  quoted  Virgil : — 

'  Hie  victor  caestus  artemque  reponam.'^ 

As  for  Emma,  let  Sir  William's  words  depict  her : — '  You 
would  have  laughed  to  have  seen  what  I  saw  yesterday. 
Emma  did  not  know  whether  she  was  on  her  head  or  her 
heels— in  such  a  hurry  to  tell  your  great  news,  that  she 
could  utter  nothing  but  tears  of  joy  and  tenderness.'  Once 
more  she  is  'the  same  Emma' — the  Emma  after  the  battle 
of  the  Nile.2 

Nelson  responded  with  avidity  to  his  now  '  dearest,  ami- 
able friend.'  As  her  birthday  neared  he  reminded  her  of 
those  happy  times  a  year  gone  by,  and  contrasted  them 
with  the  present — *  How  different,  how  forlorn.'  His  body 
and  spirit,  like  his  ships,  required  refitting.  His  'wife' 
alone,  he  wrote,  could  nurse  him,  and  only  her  generous 
soul  comfort  the  '  forlorn  outcast.'  He  suspected  that  the 
Admiralty  wanted  to  replace  him.  He  would  willingly 
have  re-commanded  in  the  Baltic,  should  emergencies  re- 
arise,  if  only  they  would  concede  him  his  needed  interval 
of  rest.     He  '  would  return  with  his  shield  or  upon  it.'^ 

With  his  shield  the  Pacificator  of  the  North  at  length 
landed  at  Yarmouth  on  the  ist  of  July.  He  repaired  first 
to  Lothian's  hotel,  as  usual,  but  he  was  soon  ensconced  with 
the  Hamiltons.  He  was  not  suffered  to  remain  long. 
While  the  King  and  Queen  of  Naples — still  Emma's  amie 
sceur — were  besetting  him  with  lines  of  sympathy  in  the 
hope  that  he  might  re-emancipate  them  from  renewed 
distress  in  the  Mediterranean,  Nelson  was  ordered,  at  the 
end  of  July,  to  baffle  Buonaparte  once  more  in  the  Channel. 
The  meditated  invasion  of  England  terrified  the  nation. 
Consols  tumbled,  panic  prevailed  ;  all  eyes  were  fixed  on 
the  one  man  who  could  save  his  country. 

1  '  The  champion  boxer  now  hath  played  his  part, 

Let  him  lay  down  at  once  his  gloves  and  art.' 

-  For  the  preceding,  cf.  among  other  authorities  Morrison  MS.  589,  590, 
596,  605;  Nelson  Lellers,  so\.  ii.  pp.  310,  313;  Add.  MS.  34,274,  f.  G.  ; 
Pettigrew,  vol.  i.  p.  451  ;  vol.  ii. 

"  Pettigrew,  vol.  i.  pp.  440,  442;  vol.  ii.  p.  45  ;  Add.  MS.  34,274,  f.  G.  ; 
and  Morrison  MS.  under  dates  of  April  and  May /tZJJiVw. 


176  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

But  an  unheroic  interlude  happened  before  his  worn 
frame  was  again  called  upon  to  bear  the  strain.  Emma  it 
was  who  took  him  out  of  town.  Their  first  ramble  was  to 
Box  Hill ;  and  thence  they  went  to  the  Thames.  Sir 
William,  as  angler,  frequented  the  '  Bush  Inn '  at  Staines — 
'  a  delightful  place,'  writes  Emma,  '  well  situated,  and  a 
good  garden  on  the  Thames.'  'We  thought  it  right  to  let 
him  change  the  air  and  often.'  She  had  been  ill  at  ease, 
chafing  at  the  doubtful  predicament  in  which  devotion  to 
the  lover  and  care  for  the  husband  increasingly  placed 
her  ;  ^  this  little  trip  might  afford  a  breathing-space.  '  The 
party,'  relates  Emma,^  '  consisted  of  Sir  William  and  Lady 
Hamilton,  the  Rev.  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Nelson,  Miss  Nelson  and 
the  brave  little  Parker,  who  afterwards  lost  his  life  in  that 
bold,  excellent  and  vigorous  attack  at  Boulogne,  where 
such  unexampled  bravery  was  shown  by  our  brave  Nelson's 
followers.' 

'Old  Q.'^  and  Lord  William  Douglas,  detained  with  a 
sigh  in  town,  forwarded  their  apologies  in  verse : — 

'  So  kind  a  letter  from  fair  Emma's  hands, 
Our  deep  regret  and  warmest  thanks  commands,' 

and  so  forth.     It  satirises  the  parson's  gluttony  and  banters 
his  chatterbox  of  a  wife.      It  depicts  '  Cleopatra '  rowing 
'  Antony '  in   the  boat.     It  dwells  on  the  old  '  Cavaliere ' 
and  his  '  waterpranks,'  his  '  bites,'  his  virtu,  his  memories  of 
excavation,  and  his  stock  of  endless  anecdotes.     It  holds 
up  to  our  view  poor,  fatuous  Hamilton  as  a  prosy  raconteur. 
'  Or,  if  it  were  my  fancy  to  regale 
My  ears  with  some  long,  subterraneous  tale. 
Still  would  I  listen,  at  the  same  time  picking 
A  little  morsel  of  Staines  ham  and  chicken  ; 
But  should  he  boast  of  Herculaneum  jugs, 
Damme,  I  'd  beat  him  with  White's*  pewter  mugs  ' ; 

'  This  is  evident  from  the  terms  of  Maria  Carolina's  answer  to  her  letter  of 
about  this  date,  Eg.  MS.  1616,  f.  125. 

2  Cf.  Pettigrew,  vol.  ii.  p.  no.  Her  original  indorsement  on  the  verses  is 
among  the  Eg.  MS.  1623. 

^  If  any  should  wish  to  explore  this  accomplished  four's  career,  they  should 
consult  a  rare  and  amusing  little  book,  The  Piccadilly  Afnbulator,  by  J.  Hur- 
stone  (1808).  '  Old  Q. '  is  called  the  '  D.  of  Quizz. '  The  book  makes  much  of 
his  love  of  gambling,  but  breathes  not  a  word  about  Lady  Hamilton. 

^  The  host. 


PICCADILLY  TO  'PARADISE'  MERTON      377 

while  little  red-cheeked,  sloe-eyed  Charlotte,  rod  in  hand, 
yet    shuddering   at    the   fisherman's   cruelty   towards   '  the 
guileless  victims  of  a  murderous  meal,'  is  adjured  to 
'  Heave  a  young  sigh,  and  shun  the  proffered  dish.' 

Emma's  life  was  now  wholly  Nelson's  ;i  it  is  a  relief 
to  pass  to  a  worthier  scene.  The  main  toils  of  the  Channel 
defence  were  over.  So  was  Nelson's  keen  disappointment 
in  the  deferred  arrival  of  the  Hamiltons  to  visit  him  at 
Deal  on  the  Amazon?  Sir  William  had  been  with  Greville 
to  look  after  the  Milford  estate.^^  It  was  mid-September, 
and  that  second  '  little  Parker,'  the  truest  friend  of  the  man 
who  felt  that  '  without  friendship  life  is  misery,'  ^  lay  dying. 
Nelson  had  styled  himself  Parker's  father.  The  death  of 
one  so  young,  promising,  and  affectionate,  desolated  him, 
and  he  would  not  be  comforted.  It  was  Parker  who  had 
looked  up  to  him  with  implicit  belief  and  absolute  self- 
forgetfulness  ;  Parker  who  had  addressed  his  letters  and  run 
his  and  Emma's  errands  ;  Parker  who,  he  had  recently  told 
her,  '  Knows  my  love  for  you  ;  and  to  serve  you,  I  am  sure 
he  would  run  bare-footed  to  London ' ;  ^  he  had  been  called 
her  '  aide-de-camp.'  Together  Nelson  and  Emma  sat  in 
the  hospital  and  smoothed  the  pillows  of  the  death-bed. 
Together  they  listened  to  his  last  requests  and  bade  him 
still  be  of  good  cheer:  for  a  few  days  there  was  'a  gleam 
of  hope.'  On  September  27  he  expired,  and  Nelson  could 
say  with  truth  that  he  '  was  grieved  almost  to  death.'  ^ 
The  solemnity  of  that  moment  can  never  quite  have 
deserted  Emma. 

Sad,  but  not  hopeless,  Nelson  was  purposely  kept  hover- 
ing round  the  Kentish  coast  until  his  final  release  towards 
the  close  of  October.     Yet  Emma  spurred  him  to  his  duty. 

'  In  1804  he  wrote  to  her  of '  Old  Q.' :  'I  love  the  old  man,  and  would  give 
up  everything  but  you  to  him,  and  to  all  o\xx  Joint  friends,  for  I  can  have  none 
separate  from  being  yours.' — Morrison  MS.  750. 

■•*  '  I  came  on  board,  but  no  Emma.  I  have  4  pictures,  but  I  have  lost  the 
original.' — Morrison  MS.  621. 

^  Pettigrew,  vol.  ii.  p.  61.  *  Nelson  Letters,  vol.  ii.  p.  216. 

'"'  Cf.  the  e.\cerpt  from  Nelson's  letter  to  Lady  Hamilton,  *  St.  George, 
March  7,'  in  Sotheby's  catalogue  of  July  8,  1905.     Cf.  App.  Part  11.  D.  (i)  (a). 

^  Cf.  Nelson's  MS.  letters  to  Davison,  Eg.  MS.  2240,  ff.  72,  86,  87,  97,  102, 
103  ;  Morrison  MS.  622. 


378  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

*  How  often  have  I  heard  you  say/  he  wrote  to  her  at  this 
very  time,  '  that  you  would  not  quit  the  deck  if  you  came 
near  a  Frenchman  ?  '  ^  He  made  use  of  his  time  to  forward 
Hamilton's  interests  with  Pitt,  on  whom  he  called  at  Walmer, 
but  found  'Billy'  'fast  asleep.'  As  he  walked  back,  a 
scene  with  Emma  of  the  previous  spring  rose  again  before 
him  :  *  The  same  road  that  we  came  when  the  carriage 
could  not  come  with  us  that  night ;  and  all  rushed  into  my 
mind  and  brought  tears  into  my  eyes.  Ah !  how  different 
to  walking  with  such  a  friend  as  you,  and  Sir  William, 
and  Mrs.  Nelson.'  In  her  anxiety  for  his  return,  Emma 
actually  upbraided  him  with  being  a  'time-server.' 2  The 
Admiralty  would  not  yield  even  'one  day's  leave  for  Picca- 
dilly.' It  was  the  14th  before  he  could  tell  her  with  gusto 
'To-morrow  week  all  is  over — no  thanks  to  Sir  Thomas.' ^ 
Just  before  his  flag  was  struck,  he  wrote,  in  pain  as  usual, 
'  I  wish  the  Admiralty  had  my  complaint ;  but  they  have  no 
bowels,  at  least  for  me.'  * 

He  was  now  at  length  to  possess  a  homestead  and  haven 
of  his  own.  '  Whatever  Sir  Thomas  Troubridge  may  say,' 
he  wrote  to  his  '  guardian  angel '  in  August,  '  out  of  your 
house  I  have  no  home.'^  Even  before  the  Copenhagen 
conquest,  he  and  his  '  dearest  friend,'  at  this  moment  with 
poor  Mrs.  Maurice  Nelson,  the  widow  of  Laleham,^  had 
been  mooting  to  each  other  projects  for  such  a  nest.  He 
would  like,  he  wrote,  '  a  good  lodging  in  an  airy  situation.' ' 
A  house  in  Turnham  Green  and  others  had  been  rejected, 
but  at  last  one  suitable  had  been  found.  Like  almost 
everything  connected  with  them  both,  difficulties  and  a 
dramatic  moment  attended  its  acquisition.  The  prelimin- 
aries of  the  Peace  of  Amiens  ^  were  yet  a  secret,  but  Nelson 
had  informed  himself  of  the  coming  truce,  so  acceptable  to 

^  Ct.  Pettigrew,  vol.  ii.  p.  i6i. 

^  Nelson  Letters,  vol.  i.  pp.  69,  96.  He  dined  with  Pitt,  however,  three  days 
before  quitting  the  Amazon.     Ibid.  p.  92. 

^  Letter  dated  "■  Amazon,  October  14,  1801,'  in  Mrs.  Hampden's  ownership. 

*  Nelson  Letters,  vol.  i.  p.  34. 

^  From  Sotheby's  catalogue  of  1904.  Nelson  to  Lady  H.,  '  Medusa  at  tea,' 
August  24,  1 80 1. 

^  Nelson  Letters,  vol.  i.  p.  62.  ~'  Morrison  MS.  570. 

"  The  treaty  itself  was  not  signed  till  the  following  March. 


PICCADILLY  TO  'PARADISE'  MERTON      379 

him.  Before  its  ratification  had  been  divulged,  Merton 
Place  was  bought — in  the  general  depression — for  the  low 
sum  of  six  thousand  pounds.  But  even  this  amount  of 
capital  was  not  easy  for  Nelson  to  raise,  and  the  enthusi- 
astic Davison — one  of  the  few  friends  to  whom  Nelson 
would  ever  lie  under  the  slightest  obligation — lent  him  the 
money}  Sir  William  seems  to  have  objected  to  Emma's 
town  hospitality  to  her  relations.  Nelson  found  in  this  an 
additional  reason  for  purchasing  a  roof-tree  which  he  de- 
sired her  to  treat  as  her  own.'^  '  I  received  your  kind 
letters  last  evening,'  he  wrote  to  her  on  this  and  other 
heads,  '  and  in  many  parts  they  pleased  and  made  me 
sad.  So  life  is  chequered,  and  if  the  good  predominates, 
then  we  are  called  happy.  I  trust  the  farm  will  make 
you  more  so  than  a  dull  London  life.  Make  what  use 
you  please  of  it.  It  is  as  much  yours  as  if  you  bought 
it.  Therefore,  if  your  relative  cannot  stay  in  your  house 
in  town,  surely  Sir  William  can  have  no  objection  to  your 
taking  to  the  firm  [her  relation]  :  the  pride  of  the  Hamiltons 
surely  cannot  be  hurt  by  settling  down  with  any  of  your 
relations  ;  you  have  surely  as  much  right  for  your  relations 
to  come  into  the  house  as  his  could  have.'^ 

The  whole  affair  was  left  entirely  to  Emma's  manage- 
ment. She  pelted  Nelson's  solicitor,  Hazlewood,  with 
letters,  begging  him  to  hurry  forward  the  arrangements, 
and  pressing  the  proprietor,  Mr.  Graves,"*  to  oblige  Lord 
Nelson's  'anxiety.'  Builders  and  painters  were  in  the 
house  immediately,  to  fit  it  for  the  hero's  reception.  The 
indispensable  Mrs.  Cadogan,  now  in  charge  of  Nelson's 
new  'Peer's  robe,'^  bustled  in  and  out,  covered  to  the  elbows 
with  brickdust.  Emma  set  to  work  with  a  will,  organising, 
ordering,  preparing:  in  rough  housework  she  delighted.    She 

1  For  the  foregoing  cf.  Morrison  MS.  6n,  620,  622;  Eg.  MS.  2240,  f.  106. 

-  All  the  letters  henceforward  to  Lady  Hamilton  at  Merton  are  addressed  to 
her  'at  Viscount  Nelson's,  Merton  Place.' 

"  Cf.  excerpt  from  a  striking  letter — 'Amazon,  September  23,  iSoi ' — from 
Nelson  to  Emma  in  Sotheby's  catalogue  for  July  8,  1905. 

■•  Earlier  in  the  eighteenth  century  it  had  belonged  to  the  Chittys.  Up  to  a 
few  years  before  the  purchase  by  Nelson,  the  house  had  always  gone  with  the 
rectory.     Cf.  Lysons's  Environs  0/ London,  supplement  ist  edn.,  p.  46. 

"'  Nelson  /.cticrs,  vol.  i.  p.   105. 


38o  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

and  her  mother  set  up  pigstyes,  arranged  the  farm,  stocked 
with  fish  the  streamlet,  spanned  by  its  pretty  Italian  bridge. 
She  procured  the  boat  in  which  Nelson  had  promised 
she  should  row  him  on  that  miniature  '  Nile,'  which  was 
really  the  Wandle.  Day  after  day  they  slaved— glad  to 
be  quit  of  the  artificial  life  in  Piccadilly —  so  that  all 
might  be  spick  and  span  within  the  few  weeks  before 
the  22nd  of  October,  the  great  day  of  Nelson's  arrival. 
The  whole  village  was  eager  to  greet  him.  All  the  neigh- 
bours, the  musical  Goldsmids,^  the  rustic  Halfhides,  the 
literary  Perrys,  the  Parratts,  the  Newtons,  the  Pattersons, 
and  Lancasters,2  were  proud  of  the  newcomers.  Never  had 
Merton  experienced  such  excitement  since  one  of  the  first 
Parliaments  had  there  told  Henry  III.  that  the  'laws  of 
England'  could  not  be  changed.  There,  too,  the  same 
sovereign  had  concluded  his  peace  with  the  Dauphin — a 
good  augury  for  the  present  moment.  Nelson  wanted  to 
defray  all  the  annual  expenses,  but  Sir  William  insisted  on 
an  equal  division,  and  rigorous  accounts  were  kept  which 
still  remain. 

'  I  have  lived  with  our  dear  Emma  several  years,'  he  jests 
in  a  letter  to  Nelson,  '  I  know  her  merit,  have  a  great 
opinion  of  the  head  and  heart  God  Almighty  has  been 
pleased  to  give  her,  but  a  seaman  alone  could  have  given 
a  fine  woman  full  power  to  choose  and  fit  up  a  residence 
for  him,  without  seeing  it  himself.  You  are  in  luck,  for  on 
my  conscience,  I  verily  believe  that  a  place  so  suitable  to 
your  views  could  not  have  been  found  and  at  so  cheap  a 
rate.  For,  if  you  stay  away  three  days  longer,  I  do  not 
think  you  can  have  any  wish  but  you  will  find  it  compleated 
here.  And  then  the  bargain  was  fortunately  struck  three 
days  before  an  idea  of  peace  got  about.  Now,  every  estate 
in  this  neighbourhood  has  increased  in  value,  and  you  might 
get  a  thousand  pounds  for  your  bargain,  ...  I  never  saw 
so  many  conveniences  united  in  so  small  a  compass.  You 
have  nothing  but  to  come  and  to  enjoy  immediately.     You 

^  The  two  daughters  had  already  played  and  sung  with  Emma.  Cf.  London 
newspapers  of  September  29.  Abraham  Goldsmid,  financier  and  philanthropist 
of  Morden,  and  his  brother  of  Roehampton,  were  great  supporters  of  Pitt  and 
much  liked  and  trusted  by  the  King.     They  both  ended  in  suicide. 

-  Cf.  Nelson  Letters,  vol.  ii.  p.  52. 


PICCADILLY  TO  'PARADISE'  MERTON      381 

have  a  good  mile  of  pleasant  dry  walk  around  your  farm. 
It  would  make  you  laugh  to  see  Emma  and  her  mother 
fitting  up  pigstyes  and  hencoops,  and  already  the  Canal  is 
enlivened  with  ducks,  and  the  cock  is  strutting  with  his  hen 
about  the  walks.'  ^ 

Hamilton  still  retained  the  house  in  Piccadilly ;  he  was 
now  living  above  his  means  ;  as  fast  as  money  came  in,  the 
'  housekeeping  draughts '  drew  it  out.  His  grand  entertain- 
ments had  proved  a  bad  investment.^  One  cannot  help 
smiling  when  Nelson  tells  Emma  during  her  Merton  pre- 
parations, 'You  will  make  us  rich  with  your  economies.'* 

When  Nelson  at  length  drove  down  from  London  in  his 
postchaise  to  this  suburban  land  of  promise,  it  was  under  a 
triumphal  arch  that  he  entered  it,  while  at  night  the  village 
was  illuminated."*  Here  at  last,  and  in  the  '  piping '  times 
of  peace,  the  strange  Tria  juncta  in  uno  were  re-united ; 
what  Nelson  had  longed  for  had  come  to  pass.  Here,  too, 
the  man  who  loved  retirement  and  privacy  might  hope  to 
enjoy  them  ;  '  Oh !  how  I  hate  to  be  stared  at ! '  had  been 
his  ejaculation  but  two  months  before.^  And,  above  all, 
here  he  hoped  to  have  Horatia  with  them  in  their  walks, 
and  to  see  her  christened.*^ 

One  of  the  first  visitors  was  his  simple  old  father,'^  who 
maintained  a  friendly  correspondence  with  Emma.^    By  the 

^  Morrison  MS.  638,  Hamilton  to  Nelson,  October  16,  1801  ;  and  of.  ibid. 
and  Nelson  Letters,  passim,  under  date  of  about  that  month.  Some  of  my 
information  comes  also  from  autographs  in  private  hands.  Sir  William  himself 
gravely  discussed  as  to  whether  barbel  or  pike  should  be  excluded  from  the 
stream,  and  Nelson  as  gravely  decided  the  point  against  the  latter. 

-  Morrison  MS.  633.  ''  Nelson  Letters,  vol.  i.  p.  102. 

''  Add.  MS.  34,989,  f.  51,  and  cf.  newspapers  of  date. 

'•>  Nelson  L.etters,  vol.  i.  p.  47.  '  I  will  not  be  shewn  like  a  beast,''  ibid. 
p.  55  and  ibid.  p.  85.  "  Nelson  Letters,  vol.  i.  p.  62. 

"  Eg.  MS.  2240,  f.  109.  Nelson  allowed  him  ^^500  a  year,  and  in  this  letter 
he  wishes  him  to  have  it  on  November  28  in  advance,  lie  had  written  to  con- 
gratulate his  son  on  the  return  of  himself  and  peace.  '  In  the  words  of  an 
Apostle,  you  have  fought  a  good  fight.'  He  excused  himself  for  keeping  lonely 
Lady  Nelson  company.  Morrison  MS.  630.  For  Nelson's  view  of  this  '  de- 
testable subject,' cf.  Nelson  Letters,  vol.  i.  pp.  63,  105.  A  further  letter  from 
him  to  Nelson  of  December  5,  1801,  was  sold  at  Sotheby's  this  summer. 

*  Cf.  Nelson  Letters,  vol.  i.  p.  189.  The  first  letter  of  the  Rev.  Edmund 
Nelson  of  this  year.  He  wrote  again  in  December  about  a  lad  that  he  had 
recommended.  He  hopes  she  '  will  celebrate  with  songs  of  praise  the  return 
of  Christmas.' — Morrison  MS.  645. 


382  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

close  of  the  year  the  William  Nelsons  also  stayed  at  Merton 
to  rejoin  their  'jewel '  of  a  daughter.^ 

How  smoothly  and  pleasantly  things  proceeded  at  first 
may  be  gleaned  from  Emma's  further  new  letters  to  Mrs. 
William  Nelson  (then  staying  in  Stafford  Street),  which 
find  a  place  in  the  Appendix.  Emma  occasionally  drives 
into  London  for  '  shopping  parties  '  (shops  she  could  never 
resist)  with  Nelson's  sister-in-law. 

No  sooner  had  Nelson  returned,  than  they  all  went 
together  to  beg  a  half-holiday  for  Charlotte. — 'All  girls 
pale  before  Charlotte';  and  her  classmate,  a  Miss  Fuss,  is 
'  more  stupid  than  ever,  I  think.' — Charlotte  came  for  her 
Exeat  and  fished  with  Sir  William  in  the  'Nile':  they 
caught  three  large  pike.  She  helped  him  and  Nelson  on 
with  their  great-coats,  '  so  now  I  have  nothing  to  do'  '  Dear 
Horace,'  whose  birthday  Nelson  always  remembered,^  must 
soon  come  also.  Nelson  was  proud  of  Charlotte  and  of  her 
'  improvement'  under  Emma's  directions.  Emma,  too,  was 
proud  of  her  role  as  governess.  Charlotte  turned  over  the 
prayers  for  the  great  little  man  in  church.  They  were  al/ 
regular  church-goers.  ( Had  not  Nelson  sincerely  written 
to  her  earlier  that  they  would  do  nothing  but  good  in  their 
village,  and  set  '  an  example  of  godly  life'?)^  Nelson  and 
Sir  William  were  the  '  greatest  friends  in  the  world.'  (Did 
he  ever,  one  wonders,  call  him  '  my  uncle '  ?)  The  '  share- 
and-share  alike'  arrangement  answered  admirably — 'it  comes 
easy  to  booth  partys.'  They  none  of  them  cared  to  visit 
much,  though  all  were  most  kind  in  inviting  them.  '  Our 
next  door  neighbours,  Mr.  Halfhide  and  his  familly,  wou'd 
give  us  half  of  all  they  have,  very  pleasant  people,  and 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Newton  allso ;  but  I  like  Mrs.  Halfhide  very 
much  indeed.     She  sent  Charlotte  grapes.'     As  for  Nelson, 

1  Charlotte  :  I  have  seen  an  autograph  letter  from  Emma  inviting  Dr.  Fisher 
of  Doctors'  Commons  to  meet  them  for  him.     Cf.  />osf,  chap.  xiv. 

'"  Cf.  Nelson  Letters,  vol.  i.  p.  107. 

'  Cf.  Nelson  Letters,  vol.  i.  p.  62.  '  We  will  set  an  example  of  good- 
ness to  the  under  parishioners.'  He  wished  to  buy  everything  from  the 
villagers,  and  did  so,  as  the  very  high  accounts  (in  the  Morrison  MS.)  testify. 
This  very  October,  Admiral  Lutwidge's  wife  had  agreed  with  Nelson  that  Lady 
H.  was  an  '  angel ' : — '  In  short  she  adores  you,  but  who  does  not  ?  You  are  so 
kmd,  so  good  to  everybody;  old,  young,  rich  or  poor,  it  is  the  same  thing.' 
— Nelson  Letters,  vol.  i.  p.  78. 


PICCADILLY  TO  'PARADISE'  MERTON      383 

he  was  'very  happy': — '  Indeed  we  all  make  it  our  con- 
stant business  to  make  him  happy.  He  is  better  now,  but 
not  well  yet.'  '  He  has  frequent  sickness,  and  is  Low,  and 
he  throws  himself  on  the  sofa  tired  and  says,  "/  am  worn 
out!''  She  hopes '  we  shall  get  him  up ' — a  phrase  reminiscent 
of  the  laundry. 

Hamilton  himself  averred  to  Greville  that  he  too  was 
quite  satisfied.  The  early  hours  and  fresh  air  agreed  with 
him  :  he  could  run  into  town  easily  for  his  hobbies  ;  he 
was  cataloguing  his  books  ;  he  still  hoped  against  hope  that 
Addington  would  help  him.^ 

Eden  at  length  without  a  serpent  —  at  least  so  Nelson 
and  Emma  imagined.  Merton  idyllicised  them.  '  Dear, 
dear  Merton  ! '  If  only  baby  Horatia  could  be  there  (and 
soon  she  was)  it  would  be  perfect.  As  she  was  to  express 
it  in  the  last  letter  she  could  ever  forward  to  him,  and 
which  he  was  never  able  to  read — '  Paradise  Merton  ;  for 
when  you  are  there  it  will  be  paradise.'  - 

^  Morrison  MS.  642,  December  5. 

2  Morrison  MS.  845.     The  actual  transfer  of  all  Merton  was  not  completed 
till  the  beginning  of  1803. 


CHAPTER    XII  I 

EXIT  'NESTOR' 

January  1802 — May  1803 

The  winding  high-road  on  the  right  of  Wimbledon  towards 
Epsom  leads  to  what  once  was  the  Merton  that  Nelson  and 
Emma  loved.  A  sordid  modern  street  is  now  its  main 
approach,  but  there  are  still  traces  of  the  quaint  old  inns  ^ 
and  houses  that  jutted  in  and  out  of  lanes  and  hedgerows. 
The  house  that  many  a  pilgrim  thinks  a  piece  of  the  old 
structure  is  really  the  remains  of  Mr.  Halfhide's  or  Mr. 
Newton's.  Through  a  side  road  is  found  the  sole  relic  of 
Merton  Place  that  has  braved  the  ravages  of  time  and 
steam.  Opposite  a  small  railway  station,  and  near  a  timber- 
yard,  stands  the  ruin  of  an  ivied  and  castellated  gate,  through 
which  the  stream  meanders  on  which  Emma  would  row  her 
hero,  around  which  the  small  Horatia  played,  in  which 
Charlotte  and  Horatio  fished  ;  while  on  its  banks  Nelson 
planted  a  mulberry-tree  that  Emma  fondly  vaunted  would 
rival  Shakespeare's.  Goldsmid's  Georgian  house  still  stands; 
but  Merton  Place  has  vanished  into  the  vista  of  crumbled 
yet  unforgotten  things.  The  ancient  church,  however,  though 
enlarged  and  well  restored,  is  much  the  same.  Its  church- 
yard still  shows  familiar  names — Thomas  Bowen,  and  the 
Smiths  who  were  to  be  poor  Emma's  last  befrienders.  In  the 
south  aisle  remains  an  old  Venetian  picture  of  the  Deposition 
— the  gift,  doubtless,  of  Emma  or  Sir  William.-  The  very 
pew  on  which  they  sat  is  still  kept  in  the  vestry.  The 
hatchment  with  Nelson's  bearings,  which  Emma  presented 
after  Trafalgar,  still  hangs  in  the  nave.  The  fine  old  house 
— '  New  Place,'  which  they  must  have  passed  so  often — still 

^  The  Nag's  K     -1  and  Nelson  Arms. 

"^  The  1792  editio..  of  Lysons's  Enviiv  is  makes  no  mention  of  this  picture, 
which  it  certainly  would  have  done  had  it  then  been  there. 
384 


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EXIT  'NESTOR'  385 

fronts  the  church  porch.  Even  when  they  were  there,  the 
famous  Priory  where  the  great  Becket  was  educated,  and 
round  which  Merton's  feudal  memories  clustered,  had  been 
replaced  by  calico  factories.  How  eagerly  must  Nelson 
have  awaited  a  glimpse  even  of  these,  when  he  drove  up 
along  the  Portsmouth  road  for  his  last  brief  sojourn  in  the 
home  of  his  heart ;  how  wistfully  must  he  have  passed  them, 
when  the  door  clicked  to,  and  off  he  rattled  to  eternity  !  ^ 

The  two  snakes  in  the  grass  of  '  Paradise '  Merton  were 
lavishness  and  its  contrast,  Greville. 

Nelson's  liberality  was  as  unbounded  as  abused ;  even  his 
skin-flint  brother  William  begged  him  to  refrain  in  his  own 
favour.-  Applications  rained  from  all  quarters.  A  York- 
shireman  wrote  and  said  he  would  be  pleased  to  receive 
;^300.  'Are  these  people  mad?'  sighed  the  hero,  'or  do 
they  take  me  quite  for  a  fool  ? '  •'  He  was  always  bestowing 
handsome  presents,  while  for  his  many  regular  benefactions 
he  had  sometimes  to  draw  on  Davison,  And  Emma's  open- 
handedness  was  not  far  behindhand.  She  scattered  broad- 
cast to  her  relations,  to  the  poor,  deserving  or  the  reverse. 
The  Connors  soon  began  to  prey  on  her  anticipated  means. 
Money  burned  a  hole  in  her  pocket,  and  she  never  stopped 
to  think  of  the  future.  Before  the  year  closed  she  left  a 
note  from  Coutts  for  her  husband  on  her  toilet-table  to  the 
effect  that  her  ladyship's  balance  was  now  twelve  shillings.* 
Greville  must  have  shuddered  when  his  uncle  forwarded  it 
to  him.  'Sensibility'  was  always  over-drawing  its  banking 
account,  and  '  Nature  '  continually  forestalling  expectations. 
Added  to  largesse  was  some  extravagance,  but  not  to  the 
degree  that  has  often  been  put  forward  :  it  was  by  no  means 
enormous,  and  in  these  days  might  be  considered  normal 
for  her  husband's  position.'^     Emma  was  in  a  holiday  mood. 

'  The  best  picture  of  Merton  Place  is  by  Locker,  to  whom  Lady  Hamilton 
gave  a  plan  in  Nelson's  autograph  of  the  blockade  of  Cadiz,  drawn  a  short  time 
before  he  lost  his  arm.  Cf.  Sotheby's  catalogue  of  a  sale  in  1904.  In  this 
picture  the  figures  walking  in  the  garden  are  Lady  Hamilton,  Horatia,  and  the 
young  Horatio  Nelson.  -  Cf.  Morrison  MS.  664. 

^  Nelson  Letters,  vol.  i.  p.  103.  ■*  Morrison  MS.  694. 

^  Cf.  inter  alia  the  jewellery  bill  given  in  the  Appendix,  Part  11.  C.  (14). 
Another  bill  for  jewellery  was  sold  with  the  catalogue  of  Emma's  effects  in  1S08 
this  year  at  Sotheby's. 

2  B 


386  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

Hamilton  would  not  brace  himself  to  the  real  retrenchment 
of  giving  up  the  London  house,  nor  would  Emma  forgo 
superfluities.  Merton,  though  with  intervals  of  quiet,  became 
open  house.  Nelson's  sisters,  with  their  families — the 
Boltons  with  six,  the  Matchams  with  eight,  his  brother, 
still  hunting  for  preferment,  with  his  '  precious  '  Charlotte, 
and  little  Horatio,  the  heir  ;  old  naval  friends,  including 
'  poor  little  fatherless  Fady,'  ^  whom,  it  will  be  remembered, 
Emma  tended  in  1798.-  Emma's  kindred,  Italian  singers, 
the  theatrical  and  musical  Mrs.  Lind,  Mrs.  Billington,  and 
Mrs.  Denis  ; '  '  Old  O.'  from  Richmond,  Wolcot  the  satirist, 
Hayley  from  Felpham,  Dr.  Fisher  from  Doctors'  Commons  ; 
Admiralty  big-wigs,  disgusted  officials,  noisy  journalists, 
foreign  bearers  of  Nelson's  decorations,  the  Abb^  Camp- 
bell,* Prince  Castelcicala  the  Neapolitan  ambassador,^  the 
Marquis  Schinato,^  Maria  Carolina's  own  son,  Prince 
Leopold — all  were  indiscriminately  welcomed.  It  was  a 
menagerie.  The  Tysons,  too,  were  now  at  Woolwich,  and 
to  them,  as  Nelson's  attached  adherents,  Emma  was  all 
attention.  She  chaperoned  their  young  people  to  balls.'^ 
She  healed  their  conjugal  differences:  Mrs.  Tyson  was 
never  so  happy  as  at  Merton,  when  her  dear  husband  was 
restored  to  her,  and  she  could  at  last  '  take  the  sacrament 
with  a  composed  mind'  and  '  bless  dear  Lady  Hamilton.' 
Benevolence,  hospitality,  and  racket  each  mingled  in  the 
miscellany,  and  all  of  them  tended  to  outrun  the  constable. 
The  cellar  was  stocked  with  wine.  Only  last  September 
Nelson  had  ordered  three  hundred  dozen  for  the  Amazon, 
and  this,  with  much  else,  may  have  been  transferred  from 
the  ship  to  the  home.     When,  seven  years  later,  Emma's 

1  Cf.  chap.  i. 

^  He  was  the  bearer  of  letters  from  Emma  to  Nelson  at  Toulon  in  1804.     Cf. 
Nelson  Letters,  vol.  ii.  p.  lo.     '  He  appears  to  have  grown  a  fine  young  man.' 

^  Mrs.  Denis  was  herself  n^e  Lind,  and  the  two  families  were  to  intermarry 
again  in  1810.     Cf.  Morrison  MS.  994. 

This  was  the  mysterious  '  Monk '  who,  the  Metnoirs  of  Lady   Haviilto^i 
(1815)  declared,  was  always  in  Emma's  train. 

'•>  Cf.  Nelson  Letters,  vol.  ii.  p.  54. 

*•  For  these  last  two,  cf.  Morrison  MS.  648  ;  Add.  MS.  34,992,  f.  192,  from 
Dr.  Fisher  to  Lady  Hamilton,  1806. 

^  One  of  them  given  by  the  Rev.   S.   Horsley,  the  grandfather  of  the   late 
Royal  Academician.     Cf.  Morrison  MS.  696. 


EXIT 'NESTOR' 


387 


affairs  were  liquidated,  the  valuation  of  the  cellar  amounted 
to  no  less  than  two  thousand  pounds. 

Nelson,  who  had  protested  against  large  gatherings, 
affected  to  enjoy  Liberty  Hall  ;  all  that  his  Emma  com- 
manded was  exemplary.  And,  indeed,  as  appears  from  the 
accounts  preserved  in  the  Morrison  autographs,  the  profusion 
was  far  greater  in  London,^  allowing  for  the  expenditure  of 


^  The  accounts  of  this  summer  in  Appendix  D.  of  the  Morrison  Collection 
vary  from  about  £,2']  at  Merton  to  as  much  (twice)  as  £\oo  per  week  at  Picca- 
dilly (including  Merton  expenses  also).  These  were  continued  for  a  week  after 
Hamilton's  death  by  Greville  as  his  executor.  Here  is  a  specimen  of  a  high 
week,  but  most  are  merely  iox  £0;]  or  so.  It  comes,  of  course,  from  the  Mor- 
rison MS.,  and  it  should  be  noticed  that  it  includes  large  items  for  stores  and 
arrears  of  bills  which  do  not  recur  and  were  not  current  expenditure.  It  is  very 
different,  however,  from  the  Edgware  Row  days  of '  Poor  man,  one  halfpenny.' 

'  From  the  ^th  to  the  nth  October  1802. 

Mr.  Haines,  Poulterer,   .... 
Mr.  Stinton,  Grocer,       .... 
Mr.  Coleman,  Fishmonger,     . 
Mr.  Wyld,  Cheesemonger, 
Mr.  Scott,  for  brown  stout. 

Coachman,  for  turnpike  and  expenses  at  different 
from  Merton  to  London,  etc., . 

Mr.  Gadd,  Baker, 

Mr.  Cummins,  for  washing,    . 

Mr.  White,  for  4  lbs.  coffee  sent  to  Merton, 

To  Richard,  for  turnpike  at  different  limes, 

Mr.  Lucas,  for  milk,       .... 

Mr.  Perry,  Pastry  Cook, 

Mr.  Greenfield,  Butcher  at  Merton, 

Mr.  Cribb,  for  vegetables  at  Merton, 

Mr.  Skelton,  Baker  at  Merton, 

Mr.  Boyes,  for  letters  at  Merton,     . 

Mr.  Woodman,  chandler  shop  at  Merton, 

Mr.  Woodman,  for  charcoal,  etc.,  . 

Mr.  Foottit,  for  malt,  hops,  etc.,     . 

Mr.  Whitmore,  for  poultry,    . 

Mr.  Stone,  Brandy  Merchant, 

Mr.  Belthese,  for  fruit  sent  to  Merton,    . 

Paid  for  carriage  and  porterage  for  4  hampers, 


Expended  at  Merton  by  Mrs.  Cadogan, . 

Expended  in  the  town  house  from  4th  to  nth  October, 


£7 

0 

6 

4 

19 

8 

4 

0 

8 

2 

7 

8i 

2 

S 

0 

0 

15 

7 

0 

7 

4 

0 

7 

2 

0 

12 

0 

0 

13 

II 

0 

2 

oh 

10 

10 

9 

8 

12 

loj 

2 

13 

6 

I 

17 

0 

0 

16 

4 

0 

12 

8i 

15 

5 

10 

18 

IS 

0 

I 

16 

J 

Last  week's  account  brought  over, 


Total  expended  from  27th  September  to  nth  October,    .    ;i^i83  15     4 
(Paid  Mr.  White,  October  19,  N.  &  B.,  £()i  17s.  5d.) 


I 
3 

I  0 
0  9 

£ii^ 

4 

I 

13  4 
0  10 

14  oi 

^"7 
66 

8   2i 

7  li 

£i^ 

15  4 

388  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

both  houses.  The  joint  weekly  expenses  at  Merton  were  often 
no  higher  than  some  ;^30.  Hamilton,  however,  whose  own 
extravagance  contributed,  though  he  justified  it  by  hopes  from 
Addington,  soon  began  to  murmur.  Greville,  the  monitor, 
was  at  his  elbow.  The  heir's  prospects  were  being  im- 
perilled by  that  very  Emma  whose  thrift  he  had  first  incul- 
cated and  extolled  ;  it  was  too  bad  ;  he  must  protect  his  old 
uncle,  who  protested  to  him  that  only  fear  of  an  '  explosion  ' 
which  might  destroy  his  best  friend's  comfort  stopped  his 
rebellion  against  a  '  nonsensical  world  '  invading  his  quiet.^ 
Before  the  year  was  out  he  even  meditated  an  amicable 
separation.  He  did  not  complain  ;  he  still  loved  her.  But 
he  could  not  but  perceive  that  her  whole  time  and  attention 
were  bestowed  on  Nelson  and  '  his  interest.'  Therefore  (and 
Greville's  voice  recurs  in  what  follows),  after  his  hard  fag  at 
Naples,  at  his  waning  age,  and  under  the  circumstances,  a 
wise  and  well-concerted  separation  might  be  preferable  to 
'nonsense'  and  silly  altercations.  He  had  not  long  to  live, 
and  '  every  moment  was  precious  '  to  him.  He  only  wanted 
to  be  left  alone  at  Staines,  or  Christie's,  the  Tuesday  Club, 
the  Literary  Society,  and  the  British  Museum.  '  Nestor '  con- 
tinued a  philosopher.  They  might  still  get  on  well  enough 
apart,  or  together,  if  Emma  would  but  consult  the  comfort  of 
a  worn-out  diplomatist  and  virtuoso  :  '  I  am  arrived  at  the  age 
when  some  repose  is  really  necessary,  and  I  promised  myself 
a  quiet  home,  and  although  I  was  sensible,  and  I  said  so 
when  I  married,  that  I  should  be  superannuated  when  my 
wife  would  be  in  her  full  beauty  and  vigour  of  youth  ;  that 
time  is  arrived,  and  we  must  make  the  best  of  it  for  the 
comfort  of  both  parties.'  He  '  well  knew '  the  '  purity  of 
Lord  Nelson's  friendship  '  for  them  both.  Nelson  was  their 
best  friend,  and  it  would  pain  him  deeply  to  disturb  his  life 
or  hurt  his  feelings.  '  There  is  no  time  for  nonsense  or 
trifling.  I  know  and  admire  your  talents  and  many  excel- 
lent qualities,  but  I  am  not  blind  to  your  defects,  and  con- 
fess having  many  myself;  therefore,  let  us  bear  and  forbear, 
for  God's  sake.'  - 

The  voice  of  this   last  appeal  is  that  of  the  kindly  old 

*  Morrison  MS.  651.  ^  Morrison  MS.  684,  and  cf.  679,  680. 


EXIT  'NESTOR'  389 

epicurean,  and  not  of  the  calculating  cynic.  Emma,  erring 
Emma,  responded  to  it,  and  peace  was  restored  for  the  few 
months  remaining.  So  far,  our  entire  sympathy  must  be 
with  the  worried  and  injured  Hamilton.  But  ere  this  his 
necessities,  and  the  cunning  use  to  which  his  nephew  seems 
to  have  put  them,  had  prompted  a  plan  which  must  lower 
him  in  our  estimation. 

As  a  rule,  when  Greville  was  asked  (and  he  often  was) 
to  Merton,  he  politely  excused  himself.  So  anxious  was 
Sir  William  for  his  presence  that  he  actually  assured 
him  of  Nelson's  'love,'^  whereas  Nelson,  as  we  know, 
misliked  the  cold-blooded  caster  -  off  of  his  paragon. 
Greville,  however,  perpetually  sent  his  warmest  messages  to 
the  whole  party,  including  his  old  acquaintance  Mrs. 
Cadogan.  With  Greville,  by  hook  or  crook,  a  strange 
scheme  was  now  to  be  concocted.  Failing  the  princely  aid 
of  the  previous  spring,  a  bargain  after  his  own  heart  was 
being  revived. 

It  will  be  recollected  that  Beckford,  wearied  of  solitary 
magnificence,  had  offered  Sir  William  a  large  annuity  if  he 
could  induce  royalty  to  grant  a  peerage  to  Hamilton  with  a 
reversion  to  himself.  The  Marquis  of  Douglas,  heir  of  the 
ninth  Duke  of  Hamilton  and  head  of  the  clan,  had  shown 
symptoms  of  attachment  to  Euphemia,  Beckford's  daugh- 
ter, whom  in  the  end  he  married.  If  this  attachment  could 
be  played  upon  for  the  purpose  by  the  wary  diplomatist, 
Beckford's  object  and  Hamilton's  might  be  secured.  For 
such  a  plum  Beckford  now  proposed  a  life  annuity  of  ;^2000 
that  his  kinsman  might  maintain  the  dignity  of  the  peerage, 
and  after  his  death  one  of  ;^500  to  Emma;  while,  as  a 
bribe  to  ministers,  Beckford's  '  two  sure  seats  '  were  to  be  at 
their  disposal. 

Hamilton  opened  his  mind  the  more  freely  to  his  '  dear 
Marquis '  on  this  '  delicate '  business  since  there  existed  a 
'  very  remarkable  sympathy  between  them.'  Beckford  had 
actually  sent  his  West  India  agent  to  Morton  for  the  manage- 
ment of  this  affair.  Sir  William  ridiculed  the  mere  notion 
of  himself  coveting  such  empty  honours.  He  might,  how- 
ever, be  useful  to  his  friends,  and  no  echxt  need  attend  the 
'  Moirisun  MS.  642. 


390  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

transaction.  Beckford  had  '  strong  claims  on  Government.' 
An  idea  had  struck  Hamilton  that  the  Marquis  might  one 
day  be  intimately  connected  with  the  Fonthill  family.  He 
did  not  demand  definite  answers  ;  he  was  '  sensible  of  its 
being  a  delicate  point,'  yet  he  could  not  help  flattering  him- 
self that  '  the  good  Duke  of  H.  and  myself  would  readily 
undertake  anything  for  Emma's  and  my  advantage,  pro- 
vided it  could  be  done  sans  voiis  comprojuettre  trop.'  The 
Marquis  promptly  answered  his  kinsman's  '  very  kind  and 
confidential  letter  from  Merton  '  by  a  gentle  refusal.  He 
found  town  very  empty,  but  a  select  few,  his  books,  papers, 
and  pictures,  contented  him.  As  to  the  matter  in  hand,  it 
was,  he  feared,  quite  impracticable.  With  regard  to  his  own 
inclinations,  '  any  symptoms  of  any  sort  "which  might  have" 
appeared  in  any  part  of  his  family '  were  unknown  to  and 
unencouraged  by  him.  Hamilton  must  convey  every  kind 
expression  to  Lord  Nelson  and  Lady  Hamilton  ;  to  himself 
he  need  not  name  his  regard,  and  he  was  and  ever  should  be 
his  affectionate  friend.^ 

Poor  '  Nestor  ' !  To  this  pass  have  art  and  ambassador- 
ship brought  him.  And,  alas,  poor  Emma,  that  she,  too, 
should  enlist  her  Nelson  in  such  a  service  ! 

This  disappointment  happened  in  the  summer,  but  in 
the  spring  an  event  occurred  which  cast  real  gloom  over  the 
Merton  household.  In  April  died,  at  his  favourite  Bath,  the 
well-loved  father,  that  kindly,  upright  English  clergyman, 
whom  his  great  son  fondly  cherished,  and  whom  he  had 
actually  wished  to  be  a  permanent  inmate  of  the  household. 
Nelson's  health  immediately  grew  worse.-  His  first  care, 
however,  was  for  others,  for  his  brother  and  sisters  and  his 
father's  old  man-servant.^  Condolences  poured  in  upon  him  ; 
nor  was  Emma  the  least  grief-stricken,  for  this  truly  Chris- 
tian soul  had  treated  her  with  chivalrous  charity,  had  wholly 
refrained  from  cruel  speculations,  and  had  rather  sought  to 
raise  the  thoughts  of  this  strange  incomer  into  Horatio's 

1  Morrison  MS.  673,  674,  678. 

-  Cf.  Mrs.  Bolton's  letter  from  Cranswick  to  Lady  Hamilton,  Morrison 
MS.  666.  He  had  had  to  consult  an  oculist  as  to  an  operation  on  his  eye.  For 
his  general  health  also  he  now  consulted  his  friend  and  correspondent  Dr. 
Moseley.     Cf.  excerpts  from  Sotheby's  catalogue  of  July  8,  1905. 

'  Cf.  Eg.  MS.  2240,  ff.  127,  137. 


EXIT  'NESTOR'  391 

life.i  While  the  brother  flattered  for  gain,  while  every  appli- 
cation for  Nelson's  favour  came  through  her,  she  had  known 
and  felt  that  Nelson's  father,  who  refused  to  realise  the 
truth,  was  wholly  good  as  well  as  godly.  She  was  in 
London  at  the  time,  and  what  she  wrote  has  not  survived. 
Sir  William's  letter  has.  It  is  characteristic  of  his  '  philo- 
sophy'— that  of  the  best  of  all  possible  worlds': — 

'Piccadilly,  April  28,  1802. 
'.  .  .  Emma  says  I  must  write  a  letter  to  you  of  condol- 
ence for  the  heavy  loss  your  lordship  has  suffered.  When 
persons  in  the  prime  of  life  are  carried  off  by  accident  or 
sickness — or  what  is,  I  believe,  oftener  the  case,  by  the 
ignorance  and  mistakes  of  the  physicians — then,  indeed, 
there  is  reason  to  lament.  But,  as  in  the  case  of  your  good 
father,  the  lamp  was  suffered  to  burn  out  fairly,  and  that  his 
suff'erings  were  not  great  ;  and  that  by  his  son's  glorious  and 
unparalleled  successes,  he  saw  his  family  ennobled,  and  with 
the  probability  in  time  of  its  being  amply  rewarded,  as  it 
ought  to  have  been  long  ago — his  mind  could  not  be 
troubled,  in  his  latter  moments,  on  account  of  the  family  he 
left  behind  him.  And  as  to  his  own  peace  of  mind  at  the 
moment  of  his  dissolution,  there  can  be  no  doubt,  among 
those  who  ever  had  the  honour  of  his  acquaintance.  .  .  .'- 

Before  the  blow,  however,  had  fallen  that  saddened 
Merton,  a  musical  party  was  given  at  which  Braham,  who 
was  afterwards  to  sing,  amid  furore,  the  '  Death  of  Nelson,' 
was  the  chief  performer. 

Nelson  had  much  offended  a  society  that  longed  to 
lionise  him  by  sequestering  himself  from  it  altogether. 
Except  at  the  assemblies  of  the  Hamiltons'  friends,  he 
seldom  figured  at  all,  and  the  outraged  Lady  Nelson's 
advocates  added  this  to  their  weightier  reproaches  against 
the  '  horrid '  woman  at  Merton.  He  preferred  even 
Bohemian  routs  to  the  solemnities  of  Downing  Street  and 
the  frivolities  of  Mayfair,  though  he  disliked  all  gatherings 
but  those  of  intimate  friends. 

Among  the  guests  of  this  evening  was  their  old  acquaint- 

^  Cf.  his  Chiislnias  letter  tu  her  of  1801  (dated  January  7,  1S02),  Nelscn 
Letters^  vol.  i.  p.  191.  -  Ibid.  vol.  ii.  p.  220. 


392  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

ance  Sir  Gilbert  Elliot,  formerly  of  Vienna.  He  was 
disgusted  at  the  interior  with  its  trophies  and  portraits,  but, 
above  all,  with  Emma  herself.  Doubtless  the  sight  of  him 
put  her  in  her  most  self-assertive  vein.  The  reader  must 
form  his  own  judgment;  but  at  any  rate  Elliot,  in  this 
record,  is  quite  wrong  in  supposing  that  the  Hamiltons 
were  '  living  on '  Nelson.  The  Merton  accounts  in  the 
Morrison  Collection  prove  that  all  expenses  were  scrupu- 
lously shared.  And  when  he  brands  Emma's  effusiveness 
to  Nelson  as  flattery,  what  would  he  have  said  had  he  been 
able,  as  we  are,  to  read  Nelson's  own  outpourings  to  Emma? 
If  hers  was  'flattery,'  then  still  more  was  his.  But  Elliot 
was  no  psychologist,  nor  had  he  any  insight  into  such 
emotional  temperaments. 

' .  .  .  The  whole  establishment  and  way  of  life  is  such  as 
to  make  me  angry  as  well  as  melancholy  ;  but  I  cannot  alter 
it.  I  do  not  think  myself  obliged  or  at  liberty  to  quarrel 
with  him  for  his  weakness,  though  nothing  shall  ever  induce 
me  to  give  the  smallest  countenance  to  Lady  Hamilton. 
She  looks  eventually  to  the  chance  of  marriage.  ...  In  the 
meanwhile,  she.  Sir  William,  and  the  whole  set  of  them  are 
living  with  him  at  his  expense.  She  is  in  high  looks,  but 
more  immense  than  ever.  She  goes  on  cramming  Nelson 
with  trowelfuls  of  flattery,  which  he  goes  on  taking  as 
quietly  as  a  child  does  pap.  The  love  she  makes  to  him  is 
not  only  ridiculous,  but  disgusting.  Not  only  the  rooms, 
but  the  whole  house,  staircase  and  all,  are  covered  with 
nothing  but  pictures  of  her  and  him,  of  all  sizes  and  sorts, 
and  representations  of  his  naval  actions,  coats  of  arms, 
pieces  of  plate  in  his  honour,  the  fiagstaff  of  L' Orient,  etc., 
an  excess  of  vanity  which  counteracts  its  own  purpose.  If 
it  was  Lady  H.'s  house,  there  might  be  a  pretence  for  it. 
To  make  his  own  a  mere  looking-glass  to  view  himself  all 
day  is  bad  taste.  Braham,  the  celebrated  Jew  singer,  per- 
formed with  Lady  H.  She  is  horrid,  but  he  entertained 
me  in  spite  of  her.  Lord  Nelson  explained  to  me  a  little 
the  sort  of  blame  imputed  to  Sir  Hyde  Parker  for 
Copenhagen.  .  .  .'^ 

^  Mtnio  Life,  etc.,  vol.  ii.  pp.  242  et  seq.  It  should  be  noticed  that  not  only 
is  Elliot  here  inaccurate  as  to  facts,  but  in  his  account  of  Hamilton's  provision 
for  Emma  by  his  will  in  the  following  year.     Thid.  p.  283. 


EXIT  'NESTOR'  393 

It  was  certainly  a  queer  household  for  seemly  self- 
importance  to  enter.  Without  question,  there  was  warrant 
for  worse  than  such  superficial  strictures  as  those  in  which 
Elliot  here  indulged.  Emma  had  deteriorated,  and  she 
had  never  fitted  the  formalities  of  English  drawing-rooms. 
Average  folk,  as  will  be  seen  hereafter,  she  charmed.  But 
Elliot  was  too  prejudiced  to  be  either  accurate  or  discrimi- 
nating. Emma  was  wholly  offensive  to  him,  and  the 
patronising  air  of  one  whom  Braham's  pathos  '  entertained  ' 
may,  after  its  own  manner,  have  been  offensive  also.  Sir 
Gilbert  himself  was  a  type  of  that  'good  taste'  which  re- 
stricts itself  to  caste,  and  eschews  good-fellowship.  His 
looks  on  this  occasion  must  have  been  vinegar,  and  can 
have  ill  accorded  with  that  natural  sweetness  of  expression 
which,  by  consent  of  friend  and  foe  alike,  distinguished 
Emma  from  first  to  last.  Officialism  had  set  itself  against 
Nelson  like  a  flint,  and,  likely  enough,  his  devotee  was 
supercilious  to  the  enemy,  whom  probably  she  mimicked 
after  he  had  gone,  as  she  certainly  used  to  mimic  Nelson's 
fussy  brother.^  Still,  however  it  may  be  deplored,  the 
stubborn  fact  remains  that  Britain's  deliverer  loved  this 
woman's  reality,  and  misliked  the  spirit  of  officialism ; 
that  against  him  were  arrayed  the  pettiest  forces  at  home 
and  the  mightiest  abroad.  Nelson  endures  in  history,  and 
with  him  Emma,  while  the  phantom  of  prim  diplomacy  has 
long  receded  into  the  vagueness  of  distance.  To  appraise 
Emma,  not  defence  but  understanding  is  requisite.  Anti- 
pathy, like  flattery,  is  the  worst  critic ;  and  pedantic 
antipathy  is  perhaps  its  worst  form.  Burleigh  would  have 
made  a  bad  judge  of  the  Queen  of  Scots,  and  Cicero  of 
Cleopatra. 

Emma's  'immensity'  had  been  for  some  time  in  evidence, 
and  was  grossened  in  the  caricatures.  She  affected  to 
think  that  fatness  became  her  fine  stature  and  large  pro- 
portions. It  was  due,  partly,  to  the  porter-  which  she 
drank  for  the  sake  of  her  voice,  and  which,  as  appears  in 

'  Cf.  Nelson  Letters,  vol.  i.  p.  14J.  — '  Vou  make  me  laugli  when  you  imitate 
the  Doctor.' 

-  Cf.  Madame  Lc  Brim's  Aletnoirs,  pp.  69  et  scq.  In  the  following  year, 
after  a  private  performance  of  the  'Attitudes'  for  the  Dukes  of  Berri  and 
Bourbon,  she  saw  her  take  thiee  bottles  at  supper.     Their  size  is  nut  mentioned. 


394  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

the  earlier  letters  of  the  Morrison  Collection,  had  been  for- 
warded by  Greville  to  his  uncle  long  before  Emma  had 
entered  his  life  at  Naples. 

In  the  June  of  this  year,  too,  died  Admiral  Sir  John  Willet- 
Payne,  who,  after  sitting  in  Parliament,  had  for  some  time 
been  treasurer  of  Greenwich  Hospital.  Nelson  must  have 
known  him,  and  curiosity  is  aroused  as  to  whether  Emma 
ever  saw  her  first  tempter  again,  and  what  he  thought  of 
her  marvellous  career. 

And  in  November  was  to  flicker  out  that  sensitive  genius 
and  singular  being  to  whom  Emma  had  been  so  beholden 
in  her  girlhood.  Romney,  wasting  with  melancholy,  had 
resought  the  refuge  of  the  Kendal  roof-tree  and  the  minis- 
tering wife  so  long  neglected.^  In  one  of  his  conversations 
with  Hayley,  he  told  i.im  that  he  had  always  studied 
'Sensibility'  by  observing  the  fibrous  lines  around  the 
mouth.  It  was  Emma's  mouth  that  had  been  a  revelation 
to  him.  One  cannot  help  wishing  that  some  final  corre- 
spondence between  them  may  one  day  be  discovered. 

For  the  summer,  Hamilton  and  Greville  had  planned  a 
long  driving  tour  to  the  property  at  Milford,  where  the 
nephew  and  steward  was  anxious  to  show  his  uncle  the 
best  work  of  his  life — a  flourishing  and  contented  settle- 
ment of  labourers.  Emma  and  Nelson  accompanied  them 
on  the  Welsh  trip,  which  soon  turned  into  a  fresh  triumphal 
progress  for  the  hero  of  the  Nile  and  of  Copenhagen,  who 
shamed  the  Government  by  remaining  a  Vice-Admiral. 
Before  they  started,  William  Nelson,  who  had  just  returned 
from  'bowing  to  Billy  Pitt'^  at  Cambridge,  stayed  at 
Merton,  and  he,  his  wife  and  their  young  Horatio,  were 
added  to  the  group  of  travellers.  It  is  strange  on  this 
occasion  to  find  the  triple  alliance  of  Nelson  and  the 
Hamiltons  reinforced  by  Greville,  before  whom.  Nelson  told 
Emma,  conversation  must  be  restrained ;  in  his  official 
presence  they  could  not  speak  freely  '  of  kings  and  queens.' 
This  journey,  like  its  continental  predecessor,  was  certainly 
not  calculated  to  allay  irritation  in  high  places. 

They  started  on  the  9th  of  July  with  Box  Hill  once  more 

^  For  thirly-six  years,  with  one  interval  in  1767. 
^  Pettigrew,  vol.  ii.  p.  258. 


G.    Ro.MNEY. 
From  a  rare  ensraving  by  Madame  Boiry  after  the  medallion  by  Alphonso  Hay  ley. 


EXIT  'NESTOR'  395 

— 'a  pretty  place,  and  we  are  all  very  happy.' ^  They  went 
on  to  Oxford,  where  Nelson  received  the  freedom  of  the 
city  in  a  fine  box  to  the  music  of  finer  orations,  and  where 
the  Matchams  joined  the  caravan.  It  was  here  that  on  a 
visit  to  Blenheim  the  Marlboroughs  infuriated  Emma  by 
declining  to  receive  her.  She  was  determined  to  appeal,  for 
herself  and  her  hero,  to  the  Caesar  of  the  people.  She  per- 
formed her  music  both  for  the  select  and  the  vulgar.  Every- 
where Emma  beat  the  big  drum  of  popular  enthusiasm.  The 
long  high-roads,  the  swarming  streets,  the  eager  villages 
from  Burford  to  Gloucester,  from  Gloucester  to  Ross,  from 
Ross  to  Monmouth,  Caermarthen  and  Milford,  from  Mil- 
ford  to  Swansea,  from  Swansea  to  Cardiff,  were  thronged 
with  stentorian  admirers.  On  the  return  journey,  from 
Cardiff  to  Newport  and  Chepstow,  and  so  to  Monmouth 
again,  on  to  Hereford,  Leominster,  Tenbury,  Worcester, 
Birmingham,  Warwick,  Coventry,  Dunstable,  Watford,  and 
Brentford,^  all  turned  out  like  one  man  to  cheer  the  pos- 
tilioned  carriages.  Bells  were  rung,  factories^  and  theatres 
visited,  addresses  read,  speeches  made,  the  National 
Anthem  and  Rule  Britannia  sung  by  the  shouting  crowds. 
Wherever  they  went,  the  neighbouring  magnates  loaded 
Nelson  and  his  friends  with  invitations,  and  Payne-Knight 
implored  Emma  for  a  visit.*  And  everywhere  this  exuberant 
daughter  of  democracy  led  and  swelled  the  chorus.  Her 
Nelson  should '■h^  first.'  '  Hip,  hip,  hip  ! '  'God  Save  the 
King  ! '     '  Long  live  Nelson,  Britain's  Pride  ! ' 

'  Join  we  great  Nelson's  name 
First  on  the  roll  of  fame, 

Him  let  us  sing  ; 
Spread  we  his  praise  around. 
Honour  of  British  ground. 
Who  made  Nile's  shores  resound — 
God  save  the  King  ! ' 

'  Eg.  MS.  2240,  f.  139,  Nelson  to  Davison. 

^  Cf.  the  accounts  of  this  journey  (of  which  the  expenses  were  again  strictly 
shared)  preserved  in  the  Morrison  MS.  401-405. 

^  Especially  Chamberlain's  china  manufactory  at  Worcester. 

^  Morrison  MS.  685,  August  15.  At  Chepstow  the  Rev.  C.  Esle,  a  devout 
worshipper  both  of  Emma  and  Nelson,  joined  Ihcm,  and  afterwards  told  Emma 
that,  revisiting  the  bridge  there,  he  had  met  a  '  poor  sailor '  who  had  '  served  ' 
under  '  my  Lord.'     On  this  occasion,  at  Bath,  he  also  met  Captain  Bowen. 


396  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

It  was  Naples  over  again,  and  Emma  was  in  her  true 
element.  Let  the  Elliots  and  their  brotherhood  look  to 
themselves  and  dare  their  worst.  They  were  routed  now. 
The  people  were  on  the  side  of  those  who  had  toiled  hard 
instead  of  peddling  and  prating,  of  those  who  had  risked 
their  lives  to  save  their  homes  from  the  bogey  of  Europe. 
*  Hip,  hip,  hip,  in  excelsis !'  No  wonder  that,  when  all  was 
over  and,  hoarse  but  happy,  Emma  reposed  at  Merton  once 
more,^  awaiting  a  fresh  but  private  jubilation  on  Nelson's 
approaching  birthday,  she  took  up  her  pen  with  triumph : — 

'  We  have  had  a  most  charming  Tour  which  will  Burst 
some  of  THEM.  So  let  all  the  enimies  of  the  GREATEST 
man  alive  [perish  ?]  !  And  bless  his  friends.'  "^  In  this  same 
letter  her  native  goodness  of  heart  breaks  out  with  equal 
vehemence  about  the  death  of  'poor  Dod,'  one  of  Nelson's 
countless  proteges  :  '  Anything  that  we  can  do  to  assist  the 
poor  widow  we  will.'  How  this  'we'  reminds  us  of  the 
'we'  before  Sir  William  had  married  her,  which  had  so 
annoyed  Legge !  And  the  sensation  of  this  progress  still 
tingled  in  the  air.  In  October  Lord  Lansdowne  begged  in 
vain  for  a  visit,  should  they  stay  again  at  Fonthill.  Sir 
Joseph  Banks,  now  'crippled,'  wrote  to  bless  the  wanderers. 
So  did  Ball,  who  told  Emma  that  the  episodes  of  their 
journey  reminded  him  of  the  scenes  with  the  Maltese 
Deputies.^     Her  enthusiasm  was  still  contagious. 

But  this  trip  did  not  close  without  a  conjugal  breeze 
easily  raised  and  easily  calmed. 

Emma  insisted  on  recruiting  her  health  by  her  old 
remedy  of  sea-baths,  probably  at  Swansea ;  Hamilton, 
however,  longed  to  get  home.  He  was  exhausted,  and  she 
was  petulant,  as  the  following  little  passage  at  arms  bears 
witness : — 

'  As  I  see  it  is  pain  to  you  to  remain  here,  let  me  beg  of 
you  to  fix  your  time  for  going.  Weather  I  dye  in  Picca- 
dilly or  any  other  spot  in  England,  'tis  the  same  to  me  ; 
but  I  remember  the  time  when  you  wished  for  tranquillity, 
but  now  all  visiting  and  bustle  is  your  liking.  However, 
I   will  do  what   you    please,  being  ever  your  affectionate 

'  About  September  19.  -  To  Davison;  Eg.  IMS.  2240,  f.  139. 

•*  Morrison  MS.  685,  691. 


EXIT  'NESTOR'  397 

and    obedient   E.    H.'      On    the   back   of  it    Sir   William 
wrote : — 

*  I  neither  love  bustle  nor  great  company,  but  I  like  some 
employment  and  diversion.  ...  I  am  in  no  hurry,  and  am 
exceedingly  glad  to  give  every  satisfaction  to  our  best 
friend,  our  dear  Lord  Nelson.  Sea-bathing  is  usefull  to 
your  health  ;  I  see  it  is,  and  wish  you  to  continue  a  little 
longer ;  but  I  must  confess  that  I  regret,  whilst  the  season 
is  favourable,  that  I  cannot  enjoy  my  favourite  amusement 
of  quiet  fishing.  I  care  not  a  pin  for  the  great  world,  and 
am  attached  to  no  one  as  much  as  you.'  On  its  fly-leaf 
Emma  added,  '  I  go,  when  you  tell  me  the  coach  is  ready,' 
to  which  Hamilton  retorted  :  '  This  is  not  a  fair  answer  to 
a  fair  confession  of  mine.'^  So  ended  the  last  of  their  tiny 
quarrels.     Nestor  was  reconciled  to  Penelope. 

The  sands  of  his  life  were  fast  running  down,  and  he  was 
soon  to  have  that  euthanasia  which  he  had  praised  to 
Nelson.  Emma's  heart  smote  her  as  she  beheld  his  fading 
powers.  He  suffered  no  pain,  but  he  gradually  sank.  He 
was  removed  to  Piccadilly,  and  by  the  March  of  1803  it 
was  clear  that  his  end  was  in  sight.  Both  Emma  and 
Nelson  were  constant  in  their  attendance  and  attention.  It 
had  been  Nelson  who,  in  his  passionate  outpourings,  occa- 
sionally speculated  on  'my  uncle's'  demise;  but  Emma, 
apart  from  gratitude  and  a  sense  of  the  wrong  that  she  had 
done  him,  well  knew  that  his  death  would  remove  a  real 
friend  and  a  loving  counsellor.  All  the  past  rose  up  vividly, 
from  the  days  of  the  selfishness  of  Greville,  who  was  now 
again  half-hardening  himself  against  her,  to  those  of  the 
loving  husband  who  had  trusted  and  shielded  her.  Some 
feeling  of  sorrow,  compunction,  and  forlornness  possessed 
her.  However  grievously  she  had  erred,  she  did  her  duty 
at  the  last.  And  at  the  last  the  old  man's  mind  had 
wandered." 

On  April  6,  1803,  at  eleven  o'clock,  Nelson  wrote  this 
hurried  note  to  Davison  : — 

'  Our  dear  Sir  William  died  at  10  minutes  past  Ten  this 
morning  in  Lady  Hamilton's  and  my  arms  without  a  sigh 

^  Morrison  M.S.  679,  680,  August  1S02. 

■^  Eg.  MS.  2240,  f.  162  (misplaced  in  its  order). 


398  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

or  a  struggle.  Poor  Lady  H.  is  as  you  may  expect  desolate. 
I  hope  she  will  be  left  properly,  but  I  doubt.'  ^ 

Greville  had  once  more  succeeded. 

Nelson  would  not  so  have  written  if  Emma  had  not  so 
felt.  His  feelings  were  coloured  by  hers.  Among  Nelson's 
papers  remains  one  in  Emma's  handwriting  intended  for  no 
eye  but  his,  and  to  which  no  hypocrisy  can  be  imputed: — 

'  April  6. — Unhappy  day  for  the  forlorn  Emma.  Ten 
minutes  past  ten  dear  blessed  Sir  William  left  me.'^ 

In  all  her  private  answers  to  condolence  the  refrain  is  the 
same — '  What  a  man,  what  a  husband.'  It  can  scarcely  be 
called  falsetto.  Not  until  she  had  lost  him  did  she  realise 
all  that  he  had  been  to  her,  and  how  she  had  wronged  him. 
Strange  as  it  may  sound,  she  was  stricken  indeed.^ 

And  yet  her  attitudinising  heart  soon  alternated  between 
different  moods.  She  cut  off  her  flowing  locks  and  wore 
them  a  la  Titus  in  the  fashionable  mode  of  mourning.* 
When  Madame  Le  Brun  met  her  a  few  months  afterwards, 
she  sat  down  and  sang  a  snatch  at  the  piano.  On  a  later 
occasion  the  French  paintress  noticed  that  she  had  put  a 
rose  in  her  hair,  and  inquiring  the  reason,  was  told,  '  I 
have  just  received  a  letter  from  Lord  Nelson.'  Later  on, 
she  consented  to  oblige  Madame  Le  Brun  by  privately 
showing  before  a  few  of  the  noblesse  emigree  some  of  her 
'  Attitudes,'  which  she  had  never  been  willing  to  display  in 
London. 

'  On  the  day  appointed,'  notes  the  artist  in  her  chronicle, 
'  I  placed  in  the  middle  of  my  drawing-room  a  very  large 
frame,  with  a  screen  on  either  side  of  it.  I  had  a  strong  lime- 
light prepared  and  disposed,  so  that  it  could  not  be  seen, 
but  which  would  light  up  Lady  Hamilton  as  though  she 
were  a  picture.  .  .  .  She  assumed  various  attitudes  in  this 

^  Eg.  MS.  2240,  f.  157.  Nelson  had  shared  Sir  William's  attendances  at  the 
Literary  Society,  and  on  April  17  he  excused  his  attendance  there  to  Sir  J.  C. 
Hippisley  on  the  score  of  Sir  William's  'irreparable  loss.'  Cf.  excerpt  in 
Sotheby's  catalogue  of  July  8,  1905. 

■^  Transcribed  by  Pettigrew,  vol.  ii.  p.  294.  The  letters  of  condolence  to  her 
all  assume  that  she  was  truly  grieved  at  an  event  which  she  must  long  have  fore- 
seen.    Cf.  Ball's,  Morrison  MS.,  July  23,  from  Malta,  and  many  others. 

^  The  Annual  Register  in  its  obituary  speaks  of  Emma  in  the  highest  terms. 

■*  Her  bill  for  the  household  mourning,  as  well  as  that  for  jewellery  supplied 
during  the  previous  year,  is  given  in  the  Appendix,  Part  II.  C.  (14). 


Lady  Hamilton  as  a  Pompeiax  Dancer 

From  one  of  the  "Attitudes." 


EXIT 'NESTOR'  399 

frame  in  a  way  truly  admirable.  She  had  brought  a  little 
girl  with  her,  who  might  have  been  seven  or  eight  years 
old,  and  who  resembled  her  strikingly.^  One  group  they 
made  together  reminded  me  of  Poussin's  "  Rape  of  the 
Sabines."  She  changed  from  grief  to  joy,  and  from  joy  to 
terror,  so  that  we  were  all  enchanted,' 

Such  a  '  lime-light,'  perhaps,  revealing  v/ithout  being  seen, 
was  Emma's  own  organisation  unconsciously  '  lighting  up  ' 
the  possibilities  of  others.  Her  '  Attitudes '  were  the  ex- 
pression of  her  successive  and  often  self-deceiving  emotions. 
In  the  old  Indian  music,  we  are  told,  are  certain  selected 
notes,  called  'ragas,'  that,  separately  and  without  harmonised 
relations,  strike  whole  moods  into  the  heart  of  the  listener. 
Such,  it  seems  to  me,  was  her  temperament,  and  such  its 
function. 

Sir  William  Hamilton  was  buried-  by  the  side  of  his  first 
wife,  as  he  had  promised  her  twenty-five  years  before. 

A  month  after  his  decease  the  will  was  read  in  Piccadilly 
before  the  assembled  relations — the  Grevilles,  the  Cathcarts, 
the  Meyricks,  the  Abercorns,  and  the  rest.^  Nelson  for- 
warded the  announcement  to  Davison  by  Oliver.  He  had 
suggested  the  advisability  of  reading  Sir  William's  deed  of 
gift  of  the  furniture  to  Emma  before  a  full  conclave,  as  it 
might  otherwise  '  be  supposed  that  Mr.  C.  Greville  gives 
Lady  H.  the  furniture,'  which  her  money  had  bought  for 
Sir  William.  The  will  itself  proved  Nelson's  suspicion  of 
Greville's  influence  not  altogether  unfounded,  and  the  fact 
'  vexed '  him  sorely.*  Though  Hamilton  had  forestalled 
income,  his  means  were  ample  ;  even  Elliot  was  astonished 
at  the  inadequate  provision  for  his  widow.^     To  his  '  dear 

^  The  insinuation  is  here  obviously  groundless.  In  1795  Enima  encouraged 
no  lovers,  and  was  regarded  at  Naples  as  a  pattern  for  wives.  This  child  may 
have  been  one  of  her  nieces.     Madame  Le  Brun  also  misdates  the  year  as  1802. 

"^  About  a  fortnight  after  his  death.  Cf.  the  excerpt  from  Nelson's  letter  to 
Hippisley  above  cited. 

3  Eg.  MS.  2240,  f.  164.  "  Eg.  MS.  2240,  f.  166. 

*  Elliot  Memoirs,  vol.  ii.  p.  283.  *  Worse  off  than  I  imagined. '  He  adds  : 
'  She  talked  very  freely  of  her  situation  with  Nelson,  and  of  the  construction  the 
world  may  have  put  unon  it,  but  protested  that  her  attachment  was  perfectly 
pure '  [Oh,  Emma !]  'which  I  can  believe,  though  I  declare  it  is  of  no  conse- 
quence whether  it  is  so  or  not.'  Maria  Carolina  also  deplores  her  'indifferent 
provision.'     Cf.  Pettigrew,  vol.  ii.  p.  322. 


400  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

wife  Emma '  he  bequeathed  a  sum  of  ^300,  and  an  annuity 
of  ;^8oo,  to  include  provision  for  her  mother.^  In  a  codicil 
he  recites  that  as  he  had  promised  to  pay  her  debts, 
amounting  to  £700,  but  of  this  sum  had  only  paid  ;^25o, 
Greville  was  to  pay  her  in  advance  the  current  annuity  of 
^800,  for  herself  and  Mrs.  Cadogan,  while  the  unpaid 
remainder  of  her  debts  she  was  to  recover  as  a  charge  upon 
the  arrears  of  pension  owed  him  by  the  Government.  The 
last  arrangement  was  nugatory  on  the  face  of  it.  The 
Government  that  had  disregarded  Sir  William  was  un- 
likely to  regard  his  widow.  It  is  but  just  towards  Greville, 
who  had  been  always  at  his  uncle's  elbow,  to  relate  that 
within  a  week  of  Sir  William's  demise  he  urged  his  dying 
wishes  on  the  then  Foreign  Secretary  in  the  strongest  terms, 
while  at  the  same  time  he  repeated  his  (Hamilton's)  previous 
strictures  on  the  Government's  past  treatment.  '  I  knowl 
he  concluded,  '  that  the  records  of  your  office  confirm  the 
testimony  of  their  Sicilian  Majesties  by  letter  as  well  as  by 
their  Ministers  of  circumstances  peculiarly  distinguished  and 
honourable  to  her,  and  at  the  same  time  of  high  importance  to 
the  public  service.'  '  But  Emma  was  thus  left  with  no  capital 
except  the  furniture,  of  uncertain  value,  and  with  an  income 
diminished  by  a  debt  which  her  husband  had  promised  to 
discharge,  but  of  which  only  one  quarter  had  been  settled. 
Greville  and  his  brother,  the  Colonel,  were  declared 
executors,  the  first  being  residuary  legatee.  To  Nelson 
he  gave  an  enamel  of  Emma  '  as  a  very  small  token  of 
the  great  regard  I  have  for  his  lordship,  the  most  virtuous, 
loyal,  and  truly  brave  character  I  ever  met  with.  God  bless 
him,  and  shame  fall  on  all  those  who  do  not  say  Amen.' 

This  avowal  does  Hamilton  honour.  Poor  Nestor ! — 
however  reluctant  his  'submission,'^  whatever  his  mis- 
givings, he  steeled  himself  against  them  to  the  last.  I  do  not 
think  that  Hamilton  was  wholly  befooled,  but  how  could 
the  Nelson  that  he  loved  reconcile  to  his  conscience  such 
tributes  of  trust  from  one  whom  he  had  long  cherished  with 

1  Hamilton  confided  in  his  wife  to  provide  for  her  mother,  who  was  to  have 
;^ioo  a  year  should  she  survive  her  daughter. 

2  For  a  transcript  from  the  original  of  this  new  and  interesting  document, 
substantiating  Emma's  assertion  in  one  of  her  own  memorials,  cf.  App.,  Part  II. 
F.  (i).  The  letter  was,  formally,  one  accompanying  the  return  of  Hamilton's 
ribbon  of  the  Bath.  •'  Morrison  MS.  651. 


J 


EXIT  'NESTOR  401 

more  than  esteem  ?  He  and  Emma  must  both  have  felt  a 
pang  of  shame  and  remorse.  They  had  skated  on  thin 
ice  together.  Though  their  duplicity,  uncongenial  to  the 
frankness  of  both,  had  been  imposed  on  them  by  their 
united  care  for  each  other's  interest,  and  Horatia's,i  it  had 
also  imposed  upon  others.  Bearing  in  mind  every  extenua- 
tion, one  would  fain  forget  this  unlovely  spectacle ;  apart  from 
extenuation  it  is  hideous.  Their  falsity  towards  Hamilton 
cannot  be  condoned.  Their  sin  had  impaired  Emma's 
sense,  and  Nelson's  principle,  of  truth. 

Neither  of  them  lost  time  in  besetting  the  authorities  for 
a  grant  both  of  pension  and  of  compensation  -  which  might 
clear  her  of  debt.  To  Addington  she  wrote  herself  She 
was  '  forced  to  petition.'  She  was  '  most  sadly  bereaved.' 
She  was  now  'in  circumstances  far  below  those  in  which 
the  goodness'  of  her  'dear  Sir  William'  allowed  her  'to 
move  for  so  many  years.'  She  pleaded  for  his  thirty-six 
years'  efforts  for  England  at  Naples.  '  And  may  I  mention,' 
she  added,  in  words  to  be  carefully  scanned  as  the  first 
expression  of  her  claims,  '  what  is  well  known  to  the  then 
administration  at  home — how  I  too  strove  to  do  all  I 
could  towards  the  service  of  our  King  and  Country.  The 
fleet  itself,  I  can  truly  say,  could  not  have  got  into  Sicily 
but  for  what  I  was  happily  able  to  do  with  the  Queen  of 
Naples  (and  through  her  secret  instructions  so  obtained),  on 
which  depended  the  refitting  of  the  fleet  in  Sicily,  and  with 
that,  all  which  followed  so  gloriously  at  the  Nile.  These 
few  words,  though  seemingly  much  at  large,  may  not  be 
extravagant  at  all.  They  are,  indeed,  true,  I  wish  them 
to  be  heard  only  as  they  can  be  proved  ;  and  being  proved, 
may  I  hope  for  what  I  have  now  desired.'  Addington 
professed  to  Lord  Melville,  who  spoke  to  him  on  the  matter, 
that  he  would  give  the  whole  circumstances  a  favourable 
consideration.     But  Nelson  from  the  first  counted  little  on 

'  Horatia  had  actually  been  shown  to  Sir  William  as  a  child  confided  to 
Emma's  and  Nelson's  care  abroad,  as  will  appear  a  few  pages  further  on. 

-  Hamilton,  and  Greville  as  his  advocate,  had  repeatedly  pressed  the  Govern- 
ment for  a  reimbursement  of  half  the  debt  'incurred  by  Public  Convulsions.' 
The  whole  was  stated  by  1  lamilton  as  amounting  to  ;^30,ooo.  ilamilton  in  his 
ilying  conversations  always  pressed  that  not  only  his  arrears  of  pension,  but 
some  portion  of  the  pension  itself  might  revert  to  his  widow. 

2  C 


402  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

his  assistance,  though  of  Pitt,  for  the  moment,  he  seemed 
rather  more  sanguine.^ 

But  already,  amid  all  these  agitations,  the  supreme  one  of 
renewed  severance  from  Nelson  threatened.  He  had  always 
prophesied  that  the  truce  of  Amiens  would  not  endure.'^  In 
May  Napoleon  divined  the  safe  moment  for  breaking  it. 
Russia  was  then  friendly,  and  Austria  hesitating.  It  was 
not  till  the  following  year,  when  his  murder  of  the  Due 
d'Enghien  scandalised  Europe,  that  Russia  contrived  the 
third  coalition,  which  Prussia  and  Austria  joined.  Napoleon 
now  prepared  to  invade  Naples :  his  troops  were  soon  to 
occupy  Hanover.  Our  Ambassador,  Lord  Whitworth,  was 
recalled  from  Paris.  Maria  Carolina  assured  Emma  of  her 
delight  at  the  prospect  of  Nelson's  renewed  Mediterranean 
command,  and  Acton,  who  had  by  now  assumed  the  super- 
intendence of  Bronte,^  looked  forward  to  seeing  his  old 
associate  once  more. 

Death,  doubt,  and  despair  confronted  Emma  together, 
but  she  did  not  quail.  Her  faults  were  many,  but  cowardice 
was  never  one  of  them.  Her  hero  would  win  fresh  victories 
and  once  more  save  his  country.  She  little  recked  how 
long  that  absence  was  to  last.*  For  the  first  time  he  had 
been  with  her  for  eighteen  months,  unparted. 

A  wedding^  and  a  christening  signalised  the  month  of  his 
departure,  and  showed  Nelson  and  Emma  together  in  public. 

In  May,  at  the  Clarges  Street  house,  to  which  Emma  had 
then  been  forced  to  remove,  Captain  Sir  William  Bolton 
married  his  cousin,  the  daughter  of  Nelson's  sister  and 
Emma's  friend,  Mrs.  Thomas  Bolton.^  Emma  was  after- 
wards to  be  godmother  to  their  first-born,  '  Emma  Horatia.'  '^ 
Sir  William,  for  whose  promotion  Nelson  always  exerted 

^  For  the  foregoing  cf.  Nelson  Letters,  vol.  ii.  pp.  13,  131-34;  Morrison 
MS.  710,  716.     Nelson  soon  changed  this  mood  ;  cf.  Nelson  Letters,  vol.  ii.p.  43. 

2  Morrison  MS.  707. 

^  After  Grafer's  recent  death,  and  the  appointment  of  Gibbs,  the  Palermo 
banker,  as  its  agent. 

*  Two  years  and  three  months. 

•^  From  a  letter  of  Nelson  dated  May  18,  however,  it  would  seem  as  though 
the  wedding  took  place  on  the  day  of  his  departure.  He  there  says  to  Lady  If., 
'  I  hope  your  marriage  has  gone  off  well,  for  the  girl  may  thank  you  (if  it  is 
worth  thanking)  for  her  husband.' 

*  Cf.  Harrison,  vol.  ii.  p.  454.  '  v.  post,  chap.  xiv. 


EXIT  'NESTOR'  403 

himself,  proved  somewhat  of  a  booby,  to  Nelson's  amused 
chagrin. 

And  three  days  before  he  said  farewell,  Horatia  was 
baptized  in  the  same  Marylebone  church  which  had  wit- 
nessed her  mother's  marriage.  The  nurse  had  already 
brought  the  two  years  old  child  from  time  to  time  to  see 
them  at  Merton.  Nelson  and  Emma  stood  by  the  font  as 
god-parents  of  their  own  child,  and  two  clergymen  officiated 
at  the  christening  of  '  Horatia  Nelson  Thomson.'  Now,  at 
least,  she  might  soon  find  her  home  at  Merton.  NelsoR 
gave  her  a  silver  cup,  a  cup  by  which  hangs  a  sad  tale,  and 
which,  years  afterwards,  had  to  be  sacrificed  to  poverty. 

Greville  behaved  very  ill.  He  harshly  denied  her  a 
moment  longer  than  the  end  of  April  in  the  Piccadilly 
house.  She  applied  to  him,  in  the  third  person,  to  ascer- 
tain the  precise  limit  of  her  stay,  as  she  must  '  look  out 
for  lodgings'  and  'reduce  her  expenses.' ^  Nelson,  how- 
ever, now  resolved  to  allow  her  i^ioo  a  month  for  the 
upkeep  of  Merton,^  but  unfortunately,  though  mainly 
residing  at  her  'farm,'  she  could  not  refrain  from  still 
renting  a  smaller  town  house  in  Clarges  Street. 

An  altercation  ensued,  it  is  said,  between  Nelson  and 
Greville.  At  any  rate,  Greville's  continued  hardness 
towards  Emma,  soon  to  be  accentuated  by  his  deduction 
of  the  property-tax  from  her  annuity,  evoked  the  following 
from  Nelson  more  than  two  years  afterwards: — 

'  Mr.  Greville  is  a  shabby  fellow.  It  never  could  have 
been  the  intention  of  Sir  William  but  that  you  should  have 
had  seven  hundred  pounds  a  year  neat  money.  ...  It  may 
be  law,  but  it  is  not  just,  nor  in  equity  would,  I  believe,  be 
considered  as  the  will  and  intention  of  Sir  William.  Never 
mind  !  Thank  God,  you  do  not  want  any  of  his  kindness ; 
nor  will  he  give  you  justice.'^ 

At  four  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  May  18,  the  postchaise 
drew  up  before  Merton  Place  :  only  one  trunk  was  in  it.* 
Before  any  one  was  astir.  Nelson  had  bidden  his  passionate 

'  Cf.  Nelson  Letters,  vol.  i.  p.  273;  Morrison  MS.  715. 
^  Cf.  his  directions  lo  Davison,  Eg.  MS.  2240,  f.  159. 
•^  Nelson  Letters,  vol.  li.  p.  68.      Victory,  August  30,  1804. 
*  Nelson  to  Davison,  Eg.  MS.  2240,  f.  174. 


404  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

adieu,  and  had  driven  off  with  the  dawn.  From  Kingston,  on 
his  road,  he  despatched  the  familiar  line  of  consolation  : — 

'Cheer  up,  my  dearest  Emma,  and  be  assured  that  I  ever 
have  been,  and  am  and  ever  will  be,  your  most  faithful  and 
affectionate.'  He  had  hardly  reached  his  destination  when 
he  resumed  : '  Either  my  ideas  are  altered,  or  Portsmouth.  .  .  . 
It  is  a  place,  the  picture  of  desolation  and  misery,  but 
perhaps  it  is  the  contrast  to  what  I  have  been  used  to.  .  .  . 
When  you  see  my  eleve^  which  you  will  when  you  receive 
this  letter,  give  her  a  kiss  from  me,  and  tell  her  that  I  never 
shall  forget  either  her  or  her  dear  good  mother.'  ^  Two 
days  later  he  again  gave  comfort  from  the  Victory  : — '  You 
will  believe  that  although  I  am  glad  to  leave  that  horrid 
place  Portsmouth,  yet  the  being  afloat  makes  me  now  feel 
that  we  do  not  tread  the  same  element.  I  feel  from  my 
soul  that  God  is  good,  and  in  His  due  wisdom  will  unite 
us.  Only,  when  you  look  upon  our  dear  child,  call  to  your 
remembrance  all  that  you  think  I  would  say,  was  I  present. 
And  be  assured  that  I  am  thinking  of  you  every  moment. 
My  heart  is  full  to  bursting.  May  God  Almighty  bless 
you  is  the  fervent  prayer  of,  my  dear  beloved  Emma,  your 
most  faithful,  affectionate  Nelson.'  - 

The  old  trio  had  been  dissolved,  and  a  new  trio  reigned 

in    its   stead.      Horatia  now  sanctified   his  existence,  her 

portrait    already    adorned    his    cabin.^      Emma    becomes 

Calypso  no  more,  but  Penelope— a  Penelope,  moreover,  with 

repulsed  suitors.     On  Greville's  life — even  on  Hamilton's — 

she  had  been  but  an  iridescence,  but  to  Nelson  she  is  light, 

air,  and  heat  in  one  ;  and  what  she  was  to  him,  that  Nelson 

remains  to  her  in  perpetuity. 

^  Cf.  Appendix,  Part  II.  E  (4).  *  Morrison  MS.  712,  713. 

'  Nelson  Lciiers,  vol.  ii.  p.  109. 


CHAPTER    XIV 

PENELOPE   AND   ULYSSES 

June  1803 — Ja)iHary  1806 

It  is  a  far  cry  from  Merton  to  the  Mediterranean,  but  for 
Nelson  the  one  was  nearly  as  important  as  the  other :  the 
heart  of  Ulysses  was  with  his  Penelope. 

Estranged  Greville  straightway  took  up  his  uncle's 
mantle,  exchanging  learned  disquisitions  with  Banks  about 
'  mud  volcanoes  in  Trinidad.'  Davison  was  trying  to  curb 
P!mma's  extravagant  schemes  for  Merton  improvements, 
though  he  himself  was  now  in  election  scrapes,  and  a  few 
years  later  was,  unfortunately,  to  rival  St.  George  himself 
as  a  fraudulent  contractor.^  Penelope  (fretted  and  ailing), 
whether  at  Merton,  Southend,  Clarges  Street,  or  Canterbury, 
by  turns  with  the  Matchams,  Boltons,  or  Nelsons,  sent  daily 
reports  to  her  wandering  Ulysses.  She  tattled  alike  of  her 
conflicting  emotions,  of  the  dukes  and  princes,  her  suitors,- 
and  of  her  exertions  to  secure  berths  for  countless  appli- 
cants.^ All  Nelson's  nephews  and  nieces  constantly  found 
themselves  a  happy  family  under  her  roof,  and  Merton  was 
now  Merton  Academy  for  Charlotte.  Strange  as  it  seems, 
Emma's  relations  and  Nelson's  were  on  affectionate  and 
equal  terms,  her  cousin,  Sarah  Connor,  being  now  governess 
to  the  Bolton  children,  while  Mrs.  Matcham,  Nelson's  pet 
sister,  actually  wished  to  find  a  new  house  near  Merton.^ 
'  Our  good  Mrs.  Cadogan,'  too,  was  beloved  by  his  family  and 
his  friends,  whom  she  provided  from  the  dairy.    She  was  the 

'  Such,  alas  !  was  our  patron  saint. 

-  Nelson  called  them  ' /^.V  a«(/ ().'.?' (Princes  and  Queensberrys).     They  in- 
cluded one,  perhaps  the  Marcjuis  of  Douglas,  whom  Nelson  styles  'the  great 
Hashaw  at  the  Priory.' — Nelson  Letters,  vol.  ii.  p.  23. 
•'  Este,  Sir  William  Bolton,  the  Denises,  etc. 

*  Vox  part  of  this  condensation,  cf.  Morrison  MS.  724,  726-72S,  736,  and 
passim  under  dates  1803-4;  Eg.  i\LS.  2240,  f.  178;  Nelson  Letters,  vol.  i.  p. 
136.     The  authorities  are  too  many  for  citation. 

406 


4o6  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

Merton  economist,  kept  all  too  busy  checking  the  accounts 
of  the  rapacious  Cribb.^     Such  was  Penelope's  chronicle. 

Nelson  had  only  three  thoughts — Emma,  Horatia,  and 
the  French  fleet.  During  the  next  three  years,  whether  at 
Gibraltar  or  Naples,  Toulon  or,  afterwards,  La  Rosas,  and 
eventually  off  Boulogne,  he  mused  on  these,  and  these 
alone,  by  day  ;  he  dreamed  of  them  at  night ;  they  pos- 
sessed him  in  fierce  concentration.  He  was  an  inspired 
monomaniac,  and  the  flame  of  his  fanaticism  both  burnt  and 
fired  him  to  achievement.  Different  kinds  of  self- forgetful 
ardour  animate  every  prophet.  Adoration  of  his  country,  a 
woman,  and  a  child,  animated  Nelson.  In  this  he  contrasts 
with  all  his  colleagues  and  predecessors,  who  did  their  duty 
like  stolid  Spartans,  unwarmed  and  unenticed  by  any 
dangerous  glow.  To  the  sober-minded,  Emma  is  his  will- 
of-the-wisp  ;  to  him,  she  was  his  beacon.  He  calls  her  his 
Alpha  and  Omega ' ;  he  beseeches  her  not  to  fret.  Her 
and  the  French  fleet — '  to  these  two  objects  tend  all  his 
thoughts,  plans,  and  toils,'  and  he  will  '  embrace  them  so 
close'  when  he  'can  lay  hold  of  either  the  one  or  the  other, 
that  the  devil  himself  should  not  separate '  them.  He 
longed  '  to  see  both  '  in  their  '  proper  places  ' — the  one  at 
sea,  the  other  '  at  dear  Merton,  which,  in  every  sense  of  the 
word,'  he  expects  '  to  find  a  paradise.'  He  still  deemed 
none  worthy  '  to  wipe  her  shoes.'  He  vowed  not  to  quit  his 
ship  till  they  could  meet  again.  '  From  Ambassatrice  to  the 
duties  of  domestic  life '  he  has  never  seen  her  equal ;  her 
'  elegance,  .  .  .  accomplishments,  and,  above  all,  goodness 
of  heart,'  are  '  unparalleled,'  and  he  is  devoted  to  her  *  for 
ever  and  beyond  it.'  Eagerly  he  treasured  the  slenderest 
tidings  of  her  from  officers  returning  to  or  from  England. 

Each  night,  as  Scott,  his  secretary — Scott,  with  his  light- 
ning-struck head  ^ — relates  to  Emma,  he  toasted  their 
Guardian  Angel,  with  a  tender  look  towards  her  portrait, 
and  a  side  glance,  doubtless,  at  the  smiling  face  of  the  child 

^  He  was  a  sort  of  steward  at  Merton,  but  he  also  supplied  the  green-groceries. 
He  encouraged  the  extravagant  expense  of  the  Merton  improvements.  Cf. 
Davison's  letter  to  Lady  H.,  'The  Terrace,  June  19,  1804';  Add.  MS.  34,989. 

ff.  53.  54- 

-  An  actual  fact.  Nelson  says  that  '  learning  had  turned  it  ever  since.'  This 
was  not  the  Secretary  Scott  killed  at  Trafalgar,  but  the  Rev.  Dr.  Scott. 
Cf.  Life  of  the  Rev.  A.  /.  Scott ^  1842. 


PENELOPE  AND  ULYSSES  407 

below  it.     To  Horatia  he  addressed  the  first  whole  letter 
that  he  had  written  to  her.     He  bought  her  a  gold  watch 
through  Falconet  of  Naples,  and  forwarded  it  as  a  reminder 
of  her  liking  to  listen  to  his  own  ;  he  sent  her  a  pretty 
picture-book  of  '  Spanish  dresses/  bidding  her  be  always 
good  and  obedient  to  her  '  Guardian  Angel,  Lady  Hamilton.' 
When,  for  the  second  time,  he  ensured  such  a  settlement 
for  Horatia's  future  as  no  imprudence  could  undo,  he  com- 
mended 'the  dear  little   innocent '  to  Emma,  as  certain  to 
train  her  in  the  paths  of  religion  and  virtue.     Emma's  every 
concern  interested  him.     In  her  letters  he  finds  the  '  knack' 
of  hitting  off  and  picturing  topics  to  a  marvel.     Over  her 
cousin,   Charles    Connor,   now    a    midshipman    under    his 
charge,   he  watched    like   a    father.     As  he  passed    Capri, 
recollection  *  almost  overpowers  '  his  feelings.     He  enclosed 
for  her  the  new  entreaties  of  her  old  friends  the  King  and 
Queen   of  Naples,^   while   she   transmitted    to   him    Maria 
Carolina's  letter  to  her,  protesting  the  usual  sympathy  and 
gratitude.     Amid  his  many  engrossments  he  followed  the 
projected  improvements  at  Merton  as  if  he  were  there — the 
new  rooms  and  porch,  the  new  road,  the  dike  to  fill  up  a 
part  of  the  '  Nile,'  the  surrender  of  a  strip  to  '  Mr.  Bennett, 
which  will  save  ;^SO  a  year,'  the  acquirement  of  another 
field,    the    *  strong   netting '   to   surround    the    rivulet    for 
little  Horatia's  safety.     Davison  had  remonstrated  over  the 
expense ;  Nelson  directed  him  to  proceed.     He  expressly 
enjoined  her — a  fact  afterwards  important — not  to  pay  for 
them  out  of  her  income.     He  little  guessed  what  a  millstone 
she  was  hanging  round  her  neck ;  she  was  right  to  have  her 
way  ;  all  was  right  always  that  she  did,  wrote,  or  thought. 
He  commended  her  to  Davison's  tenderest  care.     He  chose 
her   presents   of    shawls   and   chains    from    Naples.      He 
recovered  some  of  her  lost  furniture  both  at   Malta  and 
Palermo.     He  enclosed  ^100 — for  herself  and  the  poor  at 
Merton,  together  with  gifts  to  Miss  Connor,  Mrs.  Cadogan, 
and   Charlotte,  '  a   trifling   remembrance    from    me,  whose 
whole  soul  is  at  Merton  ';  and  her  '  good  mother'  is  always 
sure  of  his  'sincerest  regard.' 

Emma's  heart,  too,  was  across   the  sea.     She   watched 

'  For  Nelson's  letters  to  the  Queen,  1S03-4,  cf.  Life  of  the  Rn\  A.J.  Scott, 
pp.  113,  116. 


4o8  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

every  wind,  chance,  and  disappointment.     When  at  South- 
end, where  she  met  her  old  friend  Jane  Powell,  the  actress, 
she  thought  of  little  but  Nelson  and  Horatia.     She  was  in  ill 
health  ;  but  she  was  still  'patroness  of  the  navy,'  forwarding 
each  officer's  requests  to,  and  his  interest  with,  her  Nelson. 
If  she  diverted  herself  with  concerts,  or  teased  her  ogling 
suitors,  at  the  same   time  she  begged   Davison  to  intro- 
duce her  to  Nepean,^  for  her  hero's  sake.      She  kept  the 
'glorious   first  of  August'  with  her  friends,  and  only  re- 
gretted that  the  Abb6  Campbell    must   be   absent.      She 
looked  anxiously  for  letters, — '  despatches  and  sea  breezes 
will  restore  you,'  wrote  Mrs.  Bolton.     She  bought  and  sent 
off  his  very  boots — a  size,  it  would  seem,  too  small.     He 
has  warned  her  never  to  spend  her  money  'to  please  a  pack 
of  fools,'  nor  to  let  her  native  generosity  empty  her  purse 
even  for  his  sisters,  as  she  so  often  did  ;  not  to  hunt  for  a 
legacy  from  '  Old  Q.' — Nelson  (repeating  her  own  phrase) 
'  would  not  give  sixpence  to  call  the  King  my  uncle.'     He 
regretted  Addington's  hard-heartedness  in  begrudging  her 
an  annuity,  but  Addington's  tether  was  fast  coming  to  an 
end.     He   got   the  Queen   to  address   the  Government  on 
Emma's   behalf,  though    he   placed    little   reliance  on    the 
letter's  efficacy  or  her  friendship.^     When,  nearly  eighteen 
months  later,  he  was  baulked,  as  he  usually  was,  of  his  prize- 
money,  Emma  characteristically  wrote  to  Davison  : — '  The 
Polyphemus  should  have  been  Nelson's,  but  he  is  rich  in 
great  and  noble  deeds,  which  t'other,  poor  devil,  is  not.     So 
let  dirty  wretches  get  pelf  to  comfort  them  :  victory  belongs 
to    Nelson.     Not  but   what   I    think  money  necessary  for 
comforts;  and  I  hope  our, yours,  and  my  Nelson  will  get  a 
little,  for  all  Master  O.'  ^     How  well  does  this  accord  with 
Nelson's  own  avowal  to  her  of '  honourable  poverty ' !  '  I  have 
often  said,  and  with  honest  pride,  what  I  have  is  my  own  ; 
it  never  cost  the  widow  a  tear  or  the  nation  a  farthing.     I 

^  Secretary  to  the  Admiralty. 

^  In  a  letter  of  August  27,  1804  {communicated  by  Mrs.  Hampden),  Nelson 
tells  Emma  that  the  King  wrote  to  him,  '  I  think  it  very  just  that  she  should  be 
helped.'  The  Queen's  letter  is  said  to  have  stated  that  Emma  had  been 
'  her  best  friend  and  preserver,  to  whom  she  was  indebted  certainly  for  her 
life,  and  probably  for  the  crown.'  Cf.  Harrison,  vol.  ii.  p.  416.  It  sounds  very 
credible.  ^  Sir  John  Orde. 


PENELOPE  AND  ULYSSES  409 

got  what  I  have  with  my  pure  blood  from  the  enemies  of 
my  country.  Our  house,  my  own  Emma,  is  built  upon  a 
solid  foundation.'  ^ 

In  September,  so  wretched  was  she  away  from  him,  that 
she  implored  him  to  let  her  come  out  and  see  him.  *  Good 
sense,' he  replied, 'is  obliged  to  give  way  to  what  is  right, 
and  I  verily  believe  that  I  am  more  likely  to  be  happy  with 
you  at  Merton  than  any  other  place,  and  that  our  meeting 
at  Merton  is  more  probable  to  happen  sooner  than  any 
wild  chase  in  the  Mediterranean.'  '  It  would  kill  you,'  he 
repeated,  *  and  myself  to  see  you.  Much  less  possible, 
to  have  Charlotte,  Horatia,  etc.,  on  board  ship.'-  And  as 
for  living  in  Italy,  'that  is  entirely  out  of  the  question. 
Nobody  cares  for  us  there  ' :  it  would  cost  him  a  fortune  to 
go  to  Bronte,  and  be  '  tormented  '  out  of  his  life.^  Indeed  at 
this  very  moment  he  had  serious  thoughts  of  relinquishing 
Bronte  altogether.^ 

Nelson  was  never  self-indulgent  ;  he  was  unselfish,  if  not 
selfless,  in  devotion,  even  where  he  went  most  astray. 
Under  dispiritments  innumerable,  and  mortifications  doubly 
galling  to  one  of  his  temperament,  through  a  catalogue  of 
hardships  which  rival  the  apostle's,  in  weary  wakefulness,  in 
headache,  eye-ache,  toothache,  and  heartache,  constantly 
sea-sick  in  the  newly  painted  cabins  which  he  abhorred, 
with  a  body,  as  he  said,  unequal  to  his  spirit,  he  was  alwa}-s 
thinking  of  and  caring  for  others  ;  and  it  is  this  that  endears 
him  to  us  even  more  than  his  glory.  At  this  very  time  he 
bade  Emma  do  her  utmost  for  General  Dumouriez,-'  the 
brave  enemy  turned  into  a  friend — their  friend  ;  not  a  sailor 
in  the  service  but  was  proud  of  one  of  his 

' .  .  .  nameless,  unremembered  acts 
Of  kindness  and  of  love,' 

'  For  the  foregoing,  cf.  inter  alia,  Morrison  MS.  717,  719,  724,  725,  734, 
742,  749  passim  for  1 803-4;  ^'elsoti  Letters,  vol.  i.  pp.  78,  80,  99,  133,  136, 
138,  142,  147,  149,  159,  165  ;  vol.  ii.  pp.  6,  9,  14,  29,  44,  59,  64,  68,  127,  310; 
Pettigrew,  vol.  ii.  pp.  310,  322,  336,  341,  352-53,  376-77  ;  Eg.  MS.  2240,  ff. 
185,  191-93,  204,  210,  217  ;  Add.  MS.  34,989,  ff.  53,  54. 

-  Nelson  Letters,  vol.  i.  p.  160 ;  Morrison  MS.  733. 

•'  Nelson  L^etters,  vol.  i.  p.  162. 

■•  Cf.  the  letter  given  in  Appendix,  Part  il.  D.  (4). 

'  Nelson  Letters,  vol.  i.  p.  144. 


410  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

and   his  considerate   maintenance  of  their  health  was  his 
perpetual  boast. 

There  was,  moreover,  something  daemonic  about  this 
wonderful  man.  At  a  glance  he  sweeps  the  horizon,  intui- 
tively discerning  the  danger  and  its  preventives.  At  Naples 
once  more  he  renewed  the  royal  gratitude,  incited  Acton, 
now  rapidly  falling  into  disfavour,  and  forecast  the 
French  designs  at  a  time  when  Ferdinand  wrote  to  him, 
'  the  hand  of  Providence  again  weighs  heavy  on  us,'  when 
the  Sicilians  themselves,  and  even  the  Queen,  were  on  the 
verge  of  turning  towards  Napoleon's  risen  sun,  and  our  old 
acquaintance  Ruffo,  now  ambassador,  was  off  on  the  wonted 
wild-goose  chase  to  Vienna.  As  in  public,  so  in  private, 
Nelson  seems  always  to  hear  voices  prompting  him.  He 
believes  in  a  star  that  will  guide  him  to  victory  and  home. 
'  My  sight  is  getting  very  bad,'  he  wrote,  '  but  I  mzts^  not  be 
sick  till  after  the  French  fleet  is  taken,'  at  the  very  moment 
when  it  seemed  further  off  than  ever.  Small  wonder  that, 
with  such  a  leader,  Davison  ejaculated  his  certainty  that 
sooner  or  later  Buonaparte's  Boulogne  flotilla  would  *go  to 
old  Nick.' 1 

Nelson  this  autumn  retailed  all  the  Neapolitan  gossip 
for  Emma.  Napoleon  had  dictated  to  Maria  Carolina  the 
dismissal  of  her  ex-favourite,  Acton.'^  She  herself,  sur- 
rounded by  French  minions,  had  relapsed  into  the  pecca- 
dilloes of  a  date  prior  to  Emma's  arrival,  of  which  Acton 
used  to  tell  them  such  amazing  stories,^  The  King  had 
thrown  the  last  shred  of  love  for  her  to  the  winds.*  It 
would  not  be  long  before  Napoleon  pounced  on  and  annexed 
Naples;^  before  the  royalties  were  once  more  exiles  in 
Sicily.      The  Princess  Belmonte  was    mischief-making  in 

^  Morrison  MS.  732. 

-  Acton  left  in  the  summer  of  1804,  '  on  account  of  some  disgust  with  the  French 
ambassador.' — Morrison  MS.  762,  Sir  W.  Bolton  to  Lady  Hamilton.  And  of. 
the  King  of  Naples'  letter  to  Nelson  from  Portici,  May  22,  1804:  '  The  ani- 
mosity of  the  First  Consul  demands  that  I  must  remove  the  worthy  and  well- 
deserving  General.     Buonaparte  alleges  his  nationality.' — Eg.  MS.  1623,  f.  49. 

•■'  Nelson  Letters,  vol.  ii.  p.  45. 

•*  Cf.  Eg.  MS.  1623,  f.  50,  The  King  writes  to  Nelson,  '  My  wife,  son,  and 
I  shall  divide  ourselves.  She  will  take  upon  her  the  defence  of  Naples,' etc. 
He  goes  to  Sicily,  the  Prince  to  Calabria,  the  rest  to  Gaeta. 

'  Nelson  Letters,  vol.  i.  p.  165. 


PENELOPE  AND  ULYSSES  4" 

London,  and  Emma  must  be  careful  of  encountering  her.^ 
All  Sir  William's  old  dependants  were  cared  for  ;  one  of  his 
servitors,  Gaetano,  was  already  in  Nelson's  service,  and  pre- 
ferred it  to  home.  Hugh  Elliot  was  now  ambassador, 
friendly,^  but  futile.  One  of  the  Hamiltons'  old  abodes  had 
become  an  hotel.  Their  ancient  friend.  Lord  Bristol,  was 
dead  at  Rome.  He  had  once  promised  them  the  bequest 
of  a  table,  but  now  '  There  will  be  no  Lord  Bristol's  table. 
He  tore  his  last  will  a  few  hours  before  his  death.' ^ 

These  are  trifles,  but  before  reverting  to  Emma,  let  us 
rapidly  glance  at  Nelson's  doings  during  this  year  of  1804, 
during  his  tedious  task  of  guarding  the  Mediterranean  and 
watching  Toulon  ('  blockading  '  he  would  never  term  it :  he 
hated  blockades).  He  was  endeavouring  to  decoy  the 
French  to  sea — to  '  put  salt  on  their  tails,'  but  save  for  a 
brief  spurt  in  May,  endeavouring  in  vain.  As  the  French 
fleet  was 'in  and  out,' so  he  was  up  and  down — at  Malta, 
Palermo,  and  when  Spain  rejoined  the  fray,  at  Barcelona, 
where  the  Quaker  merchant  'Friend  Gaynor'  became  a 
fresh  intermediary  with  Emma.  His  '  time,'  as  he  said, 
'and  movements  depended  on  Buonaparte.'  Impatient  by 
nature,  he  could  play  the  waiting  game  to  perfection. 
Though  his  cough  and  swelled  side  continually  troubled 
him,  he  was  as  indefatigable  out  of  action  as  in  it,  and  he 
disdained  the  mean  advantage  offered  by  any  subordinate's 
breach  of  strict  neutrality.  He  still  hoped  to  force  those 
unconscionable  ships  out  of  port.  Tn^ville  was  now  the 
Toulon  Admiral,  and  Nelson  '  owed  him  one '  for  landing 
the  Grenadiers  at  Naples  in  1792.  Amid  the  discourage- 
ments of  long  delays  and  the  customary  official  threat  to 
supplant  him,  he  could  look  forward  to  eating  '  his  Christ- 
mas dinner  at  Merton.'  Although,  when  his  birthday  came 
round,  he  was  farther  off  from  consummation  than  ever,  and 
reminded  Emma  of  his  '  forty-six  years  of  toil  and  trouble,' 
he  refused  to  appear  downcast.  The  accession  of  Pitt  to 
power  in  the  spring  of  1804  cheered  him,  both  on  England's 
account  and  hers.     He  still  regularly  drank  her  health  and 

*  Acton  to  Nelson,  'Caserta,  March  2,  1803  '  ;  Eg.  MS.  1623,  f.  35. 
^  Cf.  Morrison  MS.  763. 

'  Nelson  Letters,  vol.  i.  p.  157  ;  cf.  vol.  ii.  pp.  19,  54.  Eccentric  to  the  last, 
he  did  so  to  balk  the  Italian  parasites  around  him. 


412  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

'  darling '  Horatia's.  Her  letters  still  brought  before  him 
the  tranquillity  of  their  days  ;  he  rejoiced  in  her  many  acts 
of  kindness,  not  only  to  his  friends  and  relations,  but  to 
grateful  strangers.^  He  welcomed  a  tress  of  her  *  beautiful 
hair,'  and  treated  it  as  a  pilgrim  does  a  relic.  Even  while 
he  sat  signing  orders,  he  wrote  to  her,  '  My  life,  my  soul, 
God  in  heaven  bless  you.'  He  remembered  the  birthday  of 
the  '  dear  beloved  woman '  with  emphasis.  He  instructed 
her  to  buy  pieces  of  plate  for  their  new  and  joint  god- 
children,^ Even  in  his  wrath  at  the  capture  of  a  vessel 
bringing  her  portrait  and  letters,  he  made  merry  over  the 
admiration  of  them  by  the  French  Consul  at  Barcelona.^ 

While  Emma  was  occupied  with  Horatia  and  her  young 
charges  from  Norfolk,  all  had  suddenly  to  be  dismissed. 
Nelson's  second  daughter,  '  Emma,'  was  born  at  the  close 
of  February.*  The  reader  will  recall  Nelson's  torrent  of 
passionate  love  and  anxiety  in  the  ebullition  cited  ^  as 
applicable  to  his  feelings  at  the  time  of  Horatia's  birth. 
At  this  very  moment  Horatia  was  unwell  also,  and  her 
illness  added  to  his  '  raging  fever '  of  emotion,  as  he  awaited 
Emma's  news.  Before  July,  the  second  infant  of  his  hopes 
was  dead.*^     Thorns  there  were  besides  roses  at  Merton. 

^  Cf.  besides  repeated  instances  of  Emma's  abundant  kindness,  as  well  as 
bounties,  one  unknown  one  from  a  passage  omitted  by  Pettigrew's  citation  of 
Nelson's  letter  to  Emma  of  August  27,  1804.  Through  the  kindness  of 
Mrs.  Hampden,  I  am  able  to  supply  this,  and  several  other  gaps.  Nelson 
there  says  that  Sir  Robert  Barlow  is  '  full  of  gratitude  for  your  unremitted 
goodness  to  his  daughters,'  and  desires  some  silk  to  be  sent  as  '  there  is  nothing 
else  worth  your  acceptance.'  He  also  there  says,  '  Mrs.  Cadogan's  account  of 
your  dress  made  me  laugh.'     Emma  never  cared  for  elaborate  fashions. 

2  The  '  Emma  Horatia'  of  Sir  William  Bolton  (his  nephew  by  marriage),  and 
the  son  of  his  cousin,  '  William  Suckling,  and  of  Wibrew,  his  wife.'  This  child, 
it  appears  from  the  Merton  parish  register,  was  not  actually  baptized,  in  con- 
sequence of  Nelson's  prolonged  absence,  till  his  last  short  stay  at  Merton. 

'■*  For  this  precis  cf.  Ne/soti  Letters,  vol.  ii.  pp.  27,  29,  31,  37,  49,  51,  60,  73, 
77,  81,  85  ;  Morrison  MS.  752,  758  ;  Eg.  MS.  2241,  ff.  224,  227,  242  ;  Petti- 
grew,  vol.  ii.  p.  309.     This  portrait  was  sold  in  July  1905  at  Sotheby's. 

■*  The  date  could  scarcely  have  been  early  March,  for  she  was  then  writing  long 
letters  to  George  Rose  about  her  claims.     Cf.  Rose's  Diaries,  vol.  i.  p.  239. 

■'•  Cf.  chapter  xii.  p.  351. 

^  It  is  said,  of  convulsions.  Cf.  Morrison  MS.  746,  749,  752,  768 ;  Nelson 
Letters,  vol.  i.  pp.  135-175;  vol.  ii.  pp.  77,  78.  I  have  searched  in  vain  for 
any  trace  of  birth  or  death  certificate  at  Merton.  The  infant  was  probably 
buried  at  Paddington,  where  her  grandmother  was  afterwards  to  lie. 


PENELOPE  AND  ULYSSES  413 

All  this  while  the  correspondence  of  the  Boltons  and 
Matchams,  both  young  and  old,  with  Lady  Hamilton, 
breathes  affectionate  regard,  unfeigned  admiration,  and  real 
respect.  She  is  the  best  of  friends  ;  her  coming  is  eagerly 
awaited,  her  going  keenly  deplored,  Eliza  and  Anne  Bolton 
find  in  her  a  confidante,  a  trusted  and  trustworthy  coun- 
sellor, the  acme  of  the  accomplishments  that  she  knows 
how  to  impart  to  them.  With  the  William  Nelsons  it  was 
the  same,  though  here,  perhaps,  the  motives  were  less  dis- 
interested. Charlotte  adores  her  benefactress  and  educatress. 
As  for  the  Navy,  Louis  and  others,  in  their  letters,  look  up 
to  her  almost  with  veneration.  If  Emma  had  the  power  of 
offending,  that  also  of  conciliating  was  hers.  These  are 
facts  which  cannot  be  wholly  ascribed  to  the  exaggerations  of 
homely  admirers,  or  to  the  self-interest  of  office-seekers  ;  not 
one  of  these  people  were  ever  to  relinquish  their  fondness. 

Nothing  can  exceed  the  variety  of  contrasts  in  a  nature 
to  which  it  lends  fascination.  Emma's  tissue  is  spangled 
homespun,  but  the  spangles  only  overlie  it.  Let  us  ex- 
amine it  on  both  sides. 

We  watch  her  throughout  these  letters,  on  the  one  hand, 
simple,  homely,  sympathetic,  with  no  good  or  humble  ofifice 
beneath  her,  working  in  and  for  her  house  and  her  friends  ; 
a  Lady  Bountiful  dignifying  the  trivial  round,  and  generous 
not  only  with  her  purse  but  with  her  time,  her  praise,  and 
her  exertions — a  true  Penelope  by  her  spinning-wheel.  And 
yet,  on  the  other  hand,  we  view  her  inhaling  the  fumes  of 
homage,  whether  from  the  suitors  or  the  crowd.  We  see 
her  courting  the  flutter  of  Bohemia,  while  she  cherishes  her 
household  gods,  and  hugging  flattery  though  she  has  a  keen 
scent  for  the  flatterer.  In  like  manner  she  borrows  with 
far  less  consideration  than  she  gives  ;  ^  nor  does  debt  cause 
her  a  pang  until  its  consequences  are  in  sight.  To  the  end 
she  remains  far  more  lavish  to  her  lowliest  kinsfolk  and 
associates  than  to  herself,  while  she  conceals  her  unsparing 

*  In  May  1805  she  wrote  to  Tyson,  himself  a  poor  man : — '  My  dearest  Tyson, 
the  long  absence  of  our  dearest  Nelson  makes  me  apply  to  you,'  etc.  All  her 
bankers'  balance  has  evaporated  in  Merton  improvements,  for  which  Nelson 
has  thanked  her,  promising  to  settle  on  return.  She  asks  for  a  loan  of  £1^0. 
A  letter  quoted  in  Sotheby's  catalogue,  1904. 


414  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

generosity  quite  as  much  as  her  waste.    So  far  from  '  affect- 
ing to  be  unaffected ' — that  '  sham  simplicity  which  is  a 
refined  imposture' — she  rather  affects  affectation,  whether 
from  whim  or  in  self-defence.     Devoid  of  the  petty  vanities 
of  fashion,  she  is  vain  of  her  power.     Tender  in  excess  to 
her  friends,  to  her  foes  she  can  be  overbearing.     Enjoying 
the  recognition  of  rank,  of  her  own  kindred  she  is  proud  ; 
and  if  she  is  not  gentle,  she  is  never  genteel,  though  in  her 
flush   of  pride  at  the  royal   licence  to  wear  her   Maltese 
honours,   she   can    stoop   to   bid    Heralds'    College   invent 
the  '  arms  of  Lyons.'  ^     Lyon's  arms,  forsooth !     Had  her 
blacksmith    father   but    known    of    this,   surely   he   would 
have  thrown  up  his   own    brawny  arms   in  astonishment. 
Compassionate  and  sensitive,  to  such  as  thwart  or  suspect 
her   she   can   be  coarse  and  obdurate.     Natural  and  out- 
spoken to  a  fault,  she  is  unscrupulous  wherever  her  con- 
nection with  Nelson  is  concerned,  in  double-speaking  and 
double-dealing.     Piquing  flirtation,  to   Nelson   she  abides 
steadfast  as  a  rock.     When  least  virtuous,  she  never  loses 
a  sense  of  and  reverence  for  virtue.     A  tender,  if  unwise, 
mother,  her  moods  drive  her  into  outbursts  with  the  child 
she  adores.      Big  schemes  of  expenditure    always    allure 
her  ;  to  little  economies  she  attends,  and  she  will  squander 
by  mismanagement   in   the    mass  what   her   management 
saves  in  detail.     Constantly  ailing,  she  is  always  energetic, 
but  though  never  idle,  she  is   often  indolent.     Passionate 
and   even  stormy,  she    battles   hard   with  a  temperament 
which    repeatedly   masters   her.      She    is    at   once    home- 
loving  and   pleasure-loving,  careful    and   careless,  sensible 
and   silly,  kind   and    cruel,  modest   and   unblushing,  calm 
and  petulant,  natural  and  artificial ;  and  through  all  these 
phases  runs  the  thread  of  individuality,  of  self-consciousness, 
of  independence,  of  insurgent  and  infectious  courage  and 
enthusiasm. 

The  letters  speak  for  themselves.  Little  Miss  Matcham, 
at '  Pappa's '  request,  indited  a  prim  little  note  to  her  dearest 
Lady  Hamilton.'-     Miss  Anne  Bolton,  often  at  loggerheads 

1  Within  a  few  months,  on  Nelson's  last  return: — 'those  of  "Lyons"  with 
the  Cross  of  Malta  in  chief,'  etc.     Morrison  MS.  832,  August  31,  1805. 
•^  Morrison  MS.  751. 


PENELOPE  AND  ULYSSES  415 

with  her  morbid  sister  Eliza,  wrote  to  her  at  Ramsgate, 
where  she  was  recruiting  her  health  with  Charlotte  and 
Mrs.  William  Nelson  : — 

*  I  would  have  thanked  you  sooner  for  the  few  affectionate 
lines  you  sent  me  by  Bowen,  tho'  indeed  the  life  we  lead  is 
so  uniformly  quiet,  that  tho'  we  are  perfectly  happy  and 
comfortable,  it  is  very  unfavourable  to  letter  writing.  .  .  . 
It  gives  me  much  pleasure  to  find  that  Miss  Connor ^  is 
not  to  come  into  Norfolk,  till  you  go.  I  should  not  know 
what  to  do  without  her.  She  is  so  companionable  to  me, 
who,  you  know,  would  have  none  without  her,  for  Eliza, 
when  most  agreeable,  I  consider  as  nothing,  and  my  father 
is  very  much  in  town.  She  is  so  good,  she  seems  quite 
contented  with  the  very  retired  life  we  lead.  We  have  got 
our  instrument,  which,  with  books  and  work,  form  our 
whole  amusment.  Sometimes,  by  way  of  variety,  we  have 
the  old  woman  -  come  down,  who  behaves  extremely  well 
and  is  become  quite  attached  to  Miss  Connor.  Sometimes 
we  sing  to  her  till  the  poor  thing  sheds  tears,  and  we  are 
obliged  to  leave  off.  I  am  glad  I  have  got  over  the  horror  I 
once  felt  in  her  presence,  because  it  is  in  my  power,  the  short 
time  I  am  here,  to  contribute  a  little  to  her  comfort.  We 
have  beautiful  walks  in  this  neighbourhood,  which  Miss 
Connor  and  I  enjoy,  and  you,  dearest  Lady  Hamilton,  are 
often  the  subject  of  our  conversation.  I  live  in  the  pleasing 
hope  of  seeing  you  once  more,  before  we  begin  our  journey, 
which  will  not  be  till  the  22nd  of  August.  But  possibly, 
as  you  are  so  well  and  happy,  you  may  prolong  your  stay 
at  Ramsgate.  I  was  delighted  at  the  account  Bowen  gave 
me  of  you.  I  made  him  talk  for  an  hour  about  you,  and, 
indeed,  to  do  him  justice,  he  seemed  as  fond  of  the  subject 
as  myself  And  thank  you  for  the  darling  pin-cushion, 
which  is  treasured  up,  and  only  taken  out  occasionally  to 
be  kissed.  A  few  nights  ago  I  had  an  alarming  attack  of 
the  same  complaint  which  was  very  near  killing  me  a  year 
and  a  half  ago.^     I    fainted  away  and  terrified  them   all. 

'  Sarah,  the  nicest  of  the  Connors,  and  soon  to  be  Horalia's  instructress  also. 
This  letter  is  interesting  as  showing  how  much  she  had  already  fastened  the 
regard  of  Nelson's  kindred. 

-  Her  hostess  at  Slanmore,  where  she  was  slaying  ;  an  invalid  whose  hrain 
was  affected.  ^  Heart-spasms,  prevalent  in  all  Nelson's  family. 


4i6  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

Eliza  declares  she  began  to  consider  what  she  could  do 
without  me.  Thank  God,  and  my  father's  skill,  I  am  again 
well.  Pray  write  to  me  ;  if  it  is  but  such  a  little  scrap  as  I 
have  hitherto  had  from  you,  I  shall  be  content.  How  often 
we  long  to  have  a  peep  at  you.  .  .  .  Miss  Connor  and  Eliza 
desire  their  best  love  to  you,  as  would  daddy,  were  he  at 
home.  God  bless  you,  most  dear  Lady  Hamilton.  .  .  .'^ 
Eliza  Bolton,  who  at  Merton  had  learned  music  from  Emma 
and  Mrs.  Billington,  also  reports  her  own  progress.- 

Nor,  meanwhile,  in  Clarges  Street,  did  Emma  neglect  the 
interests  of  the  Boltons.  For  Tom,  she  solicited  Nelson's 
cautious  and  official  friend  George  Rose,  already  busied 
over  her  own  suit  with  the  new  Ministry : — '  It  will  make 
Nelson  happy,'  she  tells  him  ;  *  I  hope  you  will  call  on 
me  when  you  come  to  town,  and  I  promise  you  not  to 
bore  you  with  my  own  claims,  for  if  those  that  have 
power  will  not  do  me  justice,  I  must  be  quiet.  And  in 
revenge  to  them,  I  can  say,  if  ever  I  am  a  Minister's 
wife  again  with  the  power  I  had  then,  why,  I  will  again 
do  the  same  for  my  country  as  I  did  before.  And  I 
did  more  than  any  Ambassador  ever  did,  though  their 
pockets  were  filled  with  secret  service  money,  and  poor  Sir 
William  and  myself  never  got  even  a  pat  on  the  back.  But 
indeed  the  cold-hearted ^  Grenville  was  in  then.'*  She  adds 
that  Pitt  would  do  her  justice  if  he  could  hear  her  story : 
she  calls  him  '  the  Nelson  of  Ministers.' 

When  Emma  proposed  spending  the  ist  of  August  with 
the  Nelsons  at  Canterbury,  Nelson,  during  a  fresh  scare  of 
French  invasion,  evinced  playful  anxiety  at  her  neighbour- 
hood to  the  French  coast.^  But  the  ist  of  August  was 
always  her  fete.  She  begged  her  constant  and  learned 
ally,  Dr.  Fisher,  to  join  their  '  turtle  and  venison.'  '  I  wish,' 
she  concludes,  'you  would  give  heed  unto  us,  and  hear  us, 
and  let  our  prayers  prevail.'^  Doubtless  the  long,  thin 
beakers  and  pink  champagne  of  our  ancestors  were  brought 
out  at  Canterbury  to  celebrate  the  anniversary  of  the  Nile, 

1  Morrison  MS.  772.  "^  Ibid.  840. 

^  Nelson's  own  expression  for  him. 

*  Rose's  Diaries,  vol.  i.  p.  239.  ^  Morrison  MS.  768. 

^  Letter  of  July  25,  1804,  in  Mr.  Sabin's  possession. 


PENELOPE  AND  ULYSSES  417 

while  'Reverend  Doctor'  bowed  his  best,  and  Emma  raised 
the  glass  with  a  tirade  in  honour  of  the  distant  hero.  It 
was  not  the  French  fleet  that  interrupted  this  festivity:  a 
worse  epidemic  than  invasion  was  abroad — that  of  small- 
pox. Poor  little  Horatia  caught  the  disease,  though  lightly, 
and  Emma  was  in  great  distress.  Nelson's  anxiety  was  as 
keen  : — '  My  beloved,'  he  wrote,  '  how  I  feel  for  your  situa- 
tion and  that  of  our  dear  Horatia,  our  dear  child.  Un- 
exampled love  never,  I  trust,  to  be  diminished,  never :  no, 
even  death  with  all  his  terrors  would  be  jubilant  compared 
even  to  the  thought.  I  wish  I  had  all  the  small-pox  for 
her,  but  I  know  the  fever  is  a  natural  consequence.  Give 
Mrs.  Gibson  a  guinea  for  me,  and  I  will  repay  you.  Dear 
wife,  good,  adorable  friend,  how  I  love  you,  and  what  would 
I  not  give  to  be  with  you  at  this  moment,  for  I  am  for  ever 
all  yours.' ^  Relieved  by  better  accounts,  he  sighed  for  long 
years  of  undivided  union — 'the  thought  of  such  bliss 
delights  me' — 'we  shall  not  want  with  prudence.' ^ 

Horatia  could  at  last  be  'fixed'  at  Merton,  to  his  in- 
tense delight.  Hitherto  she  had  oscillated  between  Nurse 
Gibson's  care^  and  Lady  Hamilton's.  Nelson  now  de- 
spatched to  Emma  a  strange  announcement,  evidently 
designed  as  a  circular  note  of  explanation  for  the  enlighten- 
ment of  over-curious  acquaintances.*  It  bears  date  Victory, 
August  13,  1804: — 'I  am  now  going  to  state  a  thing  to 
you,  and  to  request  your  kind  assistance,  which,  from 
my  dear  Emma's  goodness  of  heart,  I  am  sure  of  her 
acquiescence  in.  Before  we  left  Italy,  I  told  you  of  the 
extraordinary  circumstance  of  a  child  being  left  to  my 
care  and  protection.  On  your  first  coming  to  England, 
I  presented  you  the  child,  dear  Horatia.  You  became, 
to  my  comfort,  attached  to  it,  so  did  Sir  William,  thinking 
her  the  finest  child  he  had  ever  seen.  She  is  become 
of  that  age  when  it  is  necessary  to  remove  her  from  a 
mere  nurse,  and  to  think  of  educating  her.     Horatia  is  by 

^  Morrison  MS.  77S. 

-  Sentences  omitted  by  Pettigrew  in  his  citation  of  the  letter  of  Aufjust  27, 
1804.     The  entire  original  has  been  kindly  communicated  by  Mrs.  Hampden. 
•'  Some  of  her  receipts  remain  in  the  Morrison  MS. 

*  Its  account  tallies  with  Il.irriscm  (vol.  ii.  p.  461),  informed  by  I.ady  H. 

2  D 


4i8  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

no  means  destitute  of  a  fortune.  My  earnest  wish  is  that 
you  would  take  her  to  Merton,  and  if  Miss  Connor  will 
become  her  tutoress  under  your  eye,  I  shall  be  made  happy. 
I  will  allow  Miss  Connor  any  salary  you  may  think  proper. 
I  know  Charlotte  loves  the  child,  and  therefore  at  Merton 
she  will  imbibe  nothing  but  virtue,  goodness,  and  elegance 
of  manners,  with  a  good  education  to  fit  her  to  move  in 
that  sphere  of  life  which  she  is  destined  to  move  in.'^  Not 
long  afterwards  he  added  that  his  dearest  wish  was  that 
Horatio  Nelson  when  he  grew  up,  '  if  he  behaves,'  should 
wed  Horatia,  and  thus  establish  his  posterity  on  Emma's 
foundation  as  well  as  his  brother's,  and  this  wish  he 
embodied  in  one  of  his  numerous  wills. 

In  these  mysteries  of  melodrama  it  is  impossible  not 
to  discern  Emma's  handiwork.  As  a  girl  she  had 
devoured  romances  and  been  thrilled  by  the  strokes  and 
stratagems  of  the  theatre.  The  same  leaning  that  had 
prompted  the  secret  passage  episode  at  Naples,  prompted 
this  also ;  and  from  her  Nelson  caught  the  pleasures  of 
mystification.  Nor  can  impartiality  acquit  her  of  planting 
some  of  her  relatives  on  Nelson's  bounty.  Sarah  Connor's 
salary  is  one  instance  ;  Charles  Connor's  naval  cadetship 
is  another.  At  this  very  time  the  youth,  who  was  to  end 
in  madness,  was  discoursing  to  '  her  Ladyship  '  of  Nelson's 
'  unbounded  kindness.'  It  is  true  that  the  unworthier 
members  of  this  family,  especially  Charles  and  Cecilia,  took 
advantage  of  Emma  to  the  close,  and  that  she  had  to  sup- 
port all  of  them,  including  their  parents  ;  but  it  is  also  true 
that  Nelson's  charities  temporarily  lightened  her  burdens. 

Nelson  was  now  nearing  the  end  of  his  Mediterranean 
vigil.  The  King  and  Queen  of  Naples  despaired  at  his 
departure.  Acton,  in  disgrace,  had  thoughts  of  taking  his 
new  wife  to  England.  Nelson  had  tarried  long  enough  in 
the  scenes  of  his  memories.  '  Nothing,  indeed,'  he  tells  his 
'  dearest  Emma,'  '  can  be  more  miserable  and  unhappy  than 
her  poor  Nelson.'  From  February  19,  1805,  he  had  been 
'  beating '  from  Malta  to  off  Palma,  where  he  was  now 
anchored.     He  could  not  help  himself;   none  in   the  fleet 

^  Morrison  MS.  779.  Another  original  of  this  document  is  with  Mrs. 
Hampden. 


PENELOPE  AND  ULYSSES  419 

could  '  feel '  what  he  did  ;  and,  '  to  mend  his  fate,'  since  the 
close  of  November  all  his  letters  had  gone  astray,  and  he 
was  without  even  the  solace  of  news.^ 

And  yet  his  energy  was  never  more  indispensable  than 
at  this  moment.  The  French  strained  every  nerve  to  meet 
the  renewed  vigour  which  characterised  Pitt's  brief  and 
final  accession  to  power.  Directing  their  fleet  to  the  West 
Indies,  they  hoped  to  strike  Britain  where  she  was  most 
vulnerable,  her  colonies.  Eight  months'  strenuous  activity 
dejected  but  could  not  subjugate  Nelson.  '  I  never  did,'  he 
assured  Davison,  'or  ever  shall  desert  the  service  of  my 
country,  but  what  can  I  do  more  than  swim  till  I  drop?  If 
I  take  some  little  care  of  myself,  I  may  yet  live  fit  for  some 
good  service.'  He  was  dying  to  catch  Villeneuve.  Irri- 
tated at  the  command  of  Sir  John  Orde,  destitute  of  '  any 
prize-money  worthy  of  the  name,'  he  could  still  waft  his 
thoughts  and  wishes  beyond  the  waves.  It  was  not  only 
each  movement  at  Merton  that  he  followed ;  he  cared  for 
poor  blind  '  Mrs.  Nelson,'  -  while  he  sat  beside  the  sick-bed 
of  many  a  man  in  his  own  fleet.  Nor  did  his  vigilance 
concerning  each  veriest  trifle  that  might  profit  his  country 
ever  diminish.  Scott's  descendants  still  cherish  the  two 
black  -  leathered  and  pocketed  armchairs,  ensconced  in 
which,  night  by  night.  Nelson  and  his  secretary'^  waded 
through  the  polyglot  correspondence,  and  those  '  inter- 
minable papers '  which  engrossed  him.  *  His  own  quick- 
ness,' writes  one  of  the  latter's  grandsons,  'in  detecting  the 
drift  of  an  author  was  perfectly  marvellous.  Two  or  three 
pages  of  a  pamphlet  were  generally  sufficient  to  put  him 
in  complete  possession  of  the  writer's  object,  and  nothing 
was  too  trivial  for  the  attention  of  this  great  man's  mind 
when  there  existed  a  possibility  of  its  being  the  means  of 
obtaining  information.'  Nelson  insisted  on  examining 
every  document  seized  in  prize-ships,  and  so  tiring  proved 
the  process  that  '  these  chairs,  with  an  ottoman  that  fits 
between  them,  formed,  when  lashed  together,  a  couch  on 
which  the  hero  often  slept  those  brief  slumbers  for  which  he 

'  Ne!soti  /<r/^(?ri ,  vol .  ii.  p.  89.  -  Ey.  MS.  2240,  ff.  224,  226,  230,  244. 

'  The  Kev.  Alexander  John  ScoU  (l76S-i84o),  Nelson's  chaplain,  and  brother 
ol  Secretary  J.  Scott,  who  perished  al  Trafalgar, 


420  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

was  remarkable.'  ^  At  the  end  of  March  he  heard  that  the 
French  were  safe  in  port.  Within  three  days  his  fleet 
was  equipped  and  refreshed.  He  scoured  every  quarter, 
ransacked  every  corner,  to  sight  the  enemy — in  vain. 
Villeneuve  had  left  Toulon  to  form  his  junction  with  the 
Spaniards  and  effect  his  great  design  ;  Orde  retired  from 
Cadiz,  where  the  junction  was  effected.  Nelson  ground  his 
teeth  and  cursed  his  luck.  By  mid- April  he  French  were 
reported  as  having  passed  Gibraltar  with  their  colours 
flying.  Nelson  chased  them  once  again,  foul  winds  and 
heavy  swells  hampering  his  course.  '  Nothing,'  he  wrote, 
'  can  be  more  unfortunate  than  we  are  in  our  winds.  But 
God's  will  be  done !  I  submit.  Human  exertions  are 
absolutely  unavailing.  What  man  can  do,  I  have  done.' 
Orde's  remissness  in  taking  no  measures  for  ascertaining 
their  course  over-exasperated  Nelson.  At  last  he  heard 
of  their  East  Indiaward  direction.  Though  they  out- 
numbered him  greatly  in  ships,  and  entirely  in  men,-  he 
swore  that  he  would  track  them  '  even  to  the  Antipodes.' 
Though,  by  the  opening  of  May,  the  elements  still  defied 
him  ofl"  Gibraltar,  and  the  linen  had  been  actually  sent  on 
shore  to  be  washed,  while  the  officers  and  men  had  landed, 
their  observant  commander  perceived  some  indication  of  an 
east  wind  w"  hin  twenty-four  hours.  Without  hesitation  he 
took  the  risk  of  his  weathervvise  observation.  '  Off  went  a 
gun  from  the  Victory,  and  up  went  the  Blue-peter.'  The 
crew  was  recalled,  '  the  fleet  cleared  the  gut  of  Gibraltar, 
and  away  they  steered  for  the  West  Indies.' ^  He  hurried 
with  unexampled  expedition  to  Martinique  and  Barbadoes 
— thus  revisiting,  in  the  last  year  of  his  life,  the  two  scenes 
associated  respectively  with  his  love  and  his  marriage.  By 
the  West  Indies  he  was  hailed  as  a  deliverer,  and  it  was 
their  joy  that  first  warned  the  French  of  the  approach  of  the 
sole  commander  whom  they  dreaded.  Nelson  did  not  stay 
even  to  water  his  ships.  The  shrewd  Villeneuve,  who  had 
once  escaped  from  Egypt,  hastened  to  escape  once  more, 
and  his  superior  force  fled  like  a  hare  from  Nelson's  fury. 

'  From  information  kindly  and  privately  communicated. 
^  The  French  and  Spaniards  had  twelve  thousand  troops  on  board. 
*  From  the    Rev.  A.  J.  Scott's  grandson's   account,  privately  printed  and 
kindly  communicated. 


PENELOPE  AND  ULYSSES  421 

And  Emma,  meanwhile,  was  in  an  agony  of  suspense. 
To  the  incessant  inquiries  of  Nelson's  sisters,  she  could 
give  no  answer,  for  she  could  glean  no  news.  At  last 
letters  arrived.  He  -as  longing  to  fly  to  '  dear,  dear  Merton.' 
He  dared  not  enclose  one  of  his  *  little  letters,'  for  fear  of 
'  sneakers  and  cutters,'  but  he  published  for  all  to  read  '  that  I 
love  you  beyond  any  woman  in  the  world,  and  next  our  dear 
Horatia.'^  As  for  her,  she  paid  visits.  She  threw  herself 
into  London  distractions — again  she  sought  retirement.  But 
the  hard  fact  of  debt  stared  in  the  face  of  all  her  emotions. 
Just  before  her  return  to  Merton,-  her  mother  wrote  to  her  : 
'  I  shall  be  very  glad  to  see  you  to-morrow,  and  I  think  you 
quite  right  for  going  into  the  country  to  keep  yourself 
quiet  for  a  while.  My  dear  Emma,  Cribb  is  quite  distrest 
for  money,  would  be  glad  if  you  could  bring  him  the  £i'^ 
that  he  paid  for  the  taxes,  to  pay  the  mowers.  My  dear 
Emma,  I  have  got  the  baker's  and  butcher's  bills  cast  up  ; 
they  come  to  one  hundred  pounds  seventeen  shillings. 
God  Almighty  bless  you,  my  dear  Emma,  and  grant  us 
good  news  from  our  dear  Lord.  My  dear  Emma,  bring  me 
a  bottle  of  ink  and  a  box  of  wafers.  Sarah  Reynolds  thanks 
you  for  your  goodness  to  invite  her  to  Sadler's  Wells.' ' 

While  Emma  lingered,  bathing  at  Southend,  Mrs.  Tyson, 
returning  from  a  visit  to  her  there,  described  a  pleasant  day 
spent  at  'charming  Merton'  with  'dear  Mrs.  Cadogan': 
*  She,  with  Miss  Lewold  '  (Emma  always  left  her  mother  a 
companion)  '  did  not  forget  to  drink  my  Lord's  and  your 
health.  Tom  Bolton  was  of  the  party.  We  left  them  six 
o'clock,  horseback,  but,  alas !  I  am  got  so  weak  that  the 
ride  is  too  much  for  me.  .  .  .  I  am,  my  dear  Lady  Hamilton, 
wishing  all  the  blessings  your  good  and  charming  dis- 
position should  have  in  this  life.  .  .  .  Your  Ladyship,  I 
beg,  will  pardon  this  and  please  give  it  to  Nancy.  ...  I  will 
be  much  obliged  to  look  for  a  pair  of  silk  stockings  marked 
H.S.  or  only  H.,  as  they  were  given  me  at  Bath,  changed  in 
the  wash.  .  .  .  She  has  been  very  pert  about  them,  and  I 
will  not  pay  her  till  I  hear  from  you.'  •*  Nor  did  old  sailors 
forget  to  show  Emma  their  appreciation.     Captain  Lang- 

*  Morrison  MS.  814,  April  4,  1805. 

"  July  19,  1805.  =  Morrison  MS.  821.  ■•  /did.  826. 


422  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

ford  brought  back  for  her  from  Africa  a  crown-bird  and  a 
civet  cat,  which  must  have  astonished  the  Mertonites.^ 

Far  removed  from  such  trivialities  Nelson  still  struggled 
to  come  up  with  that  fleeing  but  unconquered  fleet.  Once 
more  at  Cadiz  he  gained  fresh  advices :  it  had  been  seen 
off  Cape  Blanco.  He  rounded  Cape  Vincent,  the  scene  of 
his  earliest  triumphs.  Collingwood,  steering  for  the  Straits' 
mouth,  reported  Cape  Spartel  in  sight ;  but  still  no  French 
squadron.  Anchored  again  at  Gibraltar,  Nelson  could  descry 
not  a  trace  of  them.  He  went  ashore,  as  he  recounts,  for  the 
first  time  since  June  i6,  1803,  and  although  it  was  'two 
years  wanting  ten  days  '  since  he  had  set  foot  in  the  Victory y 
still  he  would  not  despair.  The  French  destination  might 
be  Newfoundland,  for  aught  he  knew  ;  Ireland,  Martinique 
again,  or  the  Levant;  each  probability  had  its  chance. 
He  searched  every  point  of  the  compass.  He  inquired 
of  Ireland.  He  secured  Cadiz.  He  sailed  off  to  Tetuan. 
He  reinforced  Cornwallis,  lest  the  combined  ships  should 
approach  Brest.  At  last  he  heard  of  Sir  Robert  Calder's 
brilliant  encounter,  but  problematic  victory,-  sixty  leagues 
west  of  Cape  Finisterre.  Pleasure  mingled  with  disappoint- 
ment; at  least  and  at  last  he  was  free.  On  August  17  he 
rode  off  Portland,  at  noon  off  the  Isle  of  Wight.  He 
anchored  at  Spithead  on  the  following  morning  at  nine, 
and  with  a  crew  in  perfect  health,  despite  unfounded  allega- 
tions of  the  need  for  quarantine,  he  landed. 

All  his  family  were  gathered  at  Merton  with  Emma,  who 
had  sped  from  Southend  to  greet  him.  The  next  day  saw 
him  in  Emma's  and  Horatia's  arms.  This  was  his  real 
reward.  The  society  that  resented  his  isolation  rushed  to 
honour  him.  London  was  jubilant.  Deputations  and 
gratitude  poured  in  on  his  privacy.  But,  rightly  or  wrongly, 
Merton  was  his  Elysium,  and  from  Merton  he  would  not 
budge.^ 

'  Thank  God,'  wrote  her  lively  cousin  Sarah  to  Emma  the 
day  after  his  arrival,  '  he  is  safe  and  well.  Cold  water  has 
been  trickling  down  my  back  ever  since   I   heard  he  was 

1  Morrison  MS.  827.  -  July  22,  1805. 

■^  He  dined  out  nowhere  until  his  final  departure,  except  at  the  Duke  of 
Queensberry's  and  Abraham  Goldsmid's. 


PENELOPE  AND  ULYSSES  423 

arrived.  Oh  !  say  how  he  looks,  and  talks,  and  eats,  and 
sleeps.  Never  was  there  a  man  come  back  so  enthusiasti- 
cally revered.  Look  at  the  ideas  that  pervade  the  mind  of 
his  fellow-citizens  in  this  morning's  post.  Timid  spinsters 
and  widows  are  terrified  at  his  foot  being  on  shore ;  ^  yet 
this  is  the  man  who  is  to  have  a  Sir  R.  Calder  and  a  Sir  J. 
Orde  sent  to  intercept  his  well-earned  advantages.  I  hope 
he  may  never  quit  his  own  house  again.  This  was  my 
thundering  reply  last  night  to  a  set  of  cowardly  women.  I 
have  lashed  Pitt  ...  to  his  idolatrice  brawler.  I  send  you 
her  letter.  The  public  are  indignant  at  the  manner  Lord 
Nelson  has  been  treated.'-  Outside  his  family  he  received 
friends  like  the  Perrys.^  With  reluctance  he  acceded  to 
the  Prince's  command  that  he  would  give  him  audience 
before  he  went. 

He  had  not  long  to  remain.  On  September  13,  little 
more  than  three  weeks  after  his  arrival,  the  Victory  was 
at  Spithead  once  more,  preparing  to  receive  him.  Ville- 
neuve  must  be  found,  and  the  sole  hope  of  the  French  at 
sea  shattered.  Nelson's  '  band  of  brothers  '  were  to  welcome 
the  last  trial  of  the  magic  '  Nelson  touch.'  Emma  is  said 
to  have  chimed  with,  and  spurred  his  resolve  for,  this  final 
charge.  Harrison's  recital  of  this  story  has  been  doubted, 
but  she  herself  repeated  it  to  Rose  at  a  moment,  and  in  a 
passage,  that  lend  likelihood  to  sincerity.  Moreover,  in  a 
striking  letter  of  self-vindication  to  Mr.  A.  J.  Scott,  Nelson's 
trusted  intimate,  she  thus  delivered  herself  in  the  following 
year,  assuming  his  own  knowledge  of  the  fact  : — '  Did  I  ever 
keep  him  at  home,  did  I  not  share  in  his  glory  ?  Even  this 
last  fatal  victory,  it  was  I  bid  him  go  forth.  Did  he  not  pat 
me  on  the  back,  call  me  brave  Emma,  and  said,  "  If  there 
were  more  Emmas  there  would  be  more  Nelsons.'"* 

Together  with  his  assembled  relatives  she  shrank  from 
bidding   him   adieu   on   board.      One  by  one    all   but  the 

^  Alluding  lo  the  fear  of  French  invasion. 

-  Morrison  MS.  828,  Sarah  Connor  to  Lady  Hamilton — Tuesday,  August 
20,  1805.  There  follows  some  very  curious  gossip  about  the  legacy-hunting  and 
wine-bibbing  set  of  the  Regent,  Sarah  fears  her  letter  is  illegible,  as  she  '  is 
sitting  with  a  compress  of  goulard '  on  her  inflamed  left  eye.  One  is  almost 
tempted  to  fancy  that  the  *  idolatrice  brawler '  gave  her  one  there. 

»  Morrison  MS.  838.  ■•  Cf.  App.,  Part  il.  C.  (3)  {a). 


424  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

Matchams  departed.  On  that  Friday  night  of  early  autumn, 
at  half-past  ten,  the  postchaise  drew  up,  as  he  tore  himself 
from  the  last  embraces  of  Emma  and  Horatia,  in  whose 
bedroom  he  had  knelt  down  and  solemnly  invoked  a 
blessing.  George  Matcham  went  out  to  see  him  off,  and 
his  final  words  were  a  proffer  of  service  to  his  brother-in- 
law.^  At  six  next  morning  he  sent  his  '  God  protect  you 
and  my  dear  Horatia'  from  the  George  at  Portsmouth.^ 
A   familiar  and    pathetic   excerpt    from  his  letter-book 

bears  repetition : — 

'Friday,  Sept.  13,  1805. 

'  Friday  night,  at  half-past  ten,  drove  from  dear,  dear 
Merton,  where  I  left  all  that  I  hold  dear  in  this  world,  to 
go  to  serve  my  King  and  country.  May  the  great  God 
whom  I  adore  enable  me  to  fulfil  the  expectations  of  my 
country,  and  if  it  is  His  good  pleasure  that  I  should  return, 
my  thanks  will  never  cease  being  offered  up  to  the  throne 
of  His  mercy.  If  it  is  His  good  providence  to  cut  short  my 
days  upon  earth,  I  bow  with  the  greatest  submission,  rely- 
ing that  He  will  protect  those  so  dear  to  me  that  I  may 
leave  behind.     His  will  be  done.     Amen.     Amen.     Amen.' 

The  humility  of  true  greatness  rings  through  this  valedic- 
tion. 

He  seems  to  have  felt  some  foreboding — and  his  last 
letters  confirm  it — that  he  would  never  return.^  During 
the  two  days  on  board  before  he  weighed  anchor,  each 
moment  that  could  be  spared  from  business  was  devoted  to 
the  future  of  Emma  and  his  child.  His  thoughts  travelled 
in  his  letters  to  eve^y  cranny  of  his  home  :ead.  A  few 
hours  after  he  stepped  on  deck,  he  asked  Rose,  come  froir. 
Cuffnells,  to  bring  Canning  with  him  to  dinner.  Canning 
was  not  present  when  Nelson  engaged  his  friend  in  a 
parting  conversation  about  Bolton's  business,  and  also  the 
prosecution  of  Emma's  claims,  though  she  maintained  eight 

1  Harrison,  vol.  ii.  p.  274.     In  such  details  he  is  to  be  trusted. 

"  Cf.  Pettigrew,  vol.  ii.  pp.  496-7.     For  Emm<a's  feelings,  cf.  App.  Pt.  Ii.  C. 

3  Before  quitting  London  he  called  at  Mr.  Peddieson's,  his  upholsterer,  who 
kept  the  coffin  presented  to  him  after  the  Nile  battle  by  Captain  Hallowell, 
desiring  him  to  record  its  identity  on  the  lid.  '  For,'  he  added,  '  I  think  it 
highly  probable  that  I  may  want  it  on  my  return.'     Cf.  Harrison,  vol.  ii.  p.  468. 


PENELOPE  AND  ULYSSES  425 

years  later  that  she  understood  them  to  have  given  their 
joint  assurances  on  her  behalf.^  He  purposely  embarked 
from  the  bathing-machine  beach  to  elude  the  populace. 
To  Davison,  in  sad  privacy,  while  he  was  off  Portland,  he 
gave  his  last  mandate  for  mother  and  child.^  He  twice 
answered  Emma's  last  heart-broken  notes.  '  With  God's 
blessing  we  shall  meet  again.  Kiss  dear  Horatia  a  thousand 
times.' — '  I  can.iot  even  read  your  letter.  We  have  fair 
.  wind  and  God  will,  I  hope,  soon  grant  us  a  happy  meeting. 
We  go  too  swift  for  the  boat.  May  Heaven  bless  you  and 
Horatia,  with  all  those  who  hold  us  dear  to  them.  For  a 
short  time,  farewell.'  The  next  day,  off  Plymouth,  he 
entreated  her  to  '  cheer  up,'  they  would  look  forward  to 
many,  many  happy  years,'  surrounded  by  their  '  children's 
children.'^  There  are  tears,  and  a  sense  of  tragedy,  in  all 
these  voices. 

Passing  the  Scilly  Islands,  three  days  later,  he  again 
conveyed  his  blessings  to  her  and  to  Horatia.  At  that  very 
time  Miss  Connor  wrote  prettily  of  her  young  charge  to  the 
mother,  who  had  joined  the  William  Nelsons  at  Canterbury, 
'  She  is  looking  very  well  indeed,  and  is  to  me  a  delightful 
companion.  We  read  about  twenty  times  a  day,  as  I  do 
not  wish  to  confine  her  long  at  a  time.  .  .  .  We  bought 
some  shoes  and  stockings  and  a  hat  for  the  doll.  She  is 
uncommonly  quick.  ...  I  told  her  she  was  invited  to  see 
a  ship  launchp''  ,  every  morning  she  asks  if  it  is  to  be 
to-day,  an  i  wanted  to  know  if  there  will  be  any  firing  of 
guns.'*  How  these  trifles  contrast  with  the  coming  doom, 
and  lend  a  silver  lining  to  the  dark  cloud  hanging  over  the 
sailor-father!  Poor  child,  there  was  soon  to  be  firing  of 
guns  enough,  and  a  great  soul,  as  well  as  a  ship,  was  to  be 
launched  on  a  wider  ocean.  Emma  forwarded  this  letter 
to  Nelson  : — '  I  also  had  one  from  my  mother,  wb"  doats  on 
her,  and  says  that  she  could  not  live  without  '  ci  vVhat  a 
blessing  for  her  parents  to  have  such  a  child,  so  sweet ; 
altho'  young,  so  amiable.  .  .  .  My  dear  girl  writes  every 
day  in  Miss  Connor's  letter,  and  I  am  so  pleased  with  her. 

'  Rose's  Diarif:,  vol.  ii.  pp.  266  et  ieq. 

^  Eg.  MS.  2240. — '  Channer  knows  all  my  pl.ms  and  wishes.' 

■'  Nelson  Letters,  vol.  ii.  p.  97.  ^  Morrison  MS.  842,  843. 


426  EMMA.  LADY  HAMILTON 

My  heart  is  broke  away  from  her,  but  I  have  now  had  her 
so  long  at  Merton,  that  my  heart  cannot  bear  to  be  without 
her.  You  will  be  even  fonder  of  her  when  you  return. 
She  says,  "  I  love  my  dear,  dear  Godpapa,  but  Mrs.  Gibson 
told  me  he  killed  all  the  people,  and  I  was  afraid,"  Dearest 
angel  she  is!  Oh!  Nelson,  how  I  love  her,  but  how  do  I 
idolise  you, — the  dearest  husband  of  my  heart,  you  are  all 
in  this  world  to  your  Emma.  May  God  send  you  victory, 
and  home  to  your  E^nma,  Horatia,  and  paradise  Merton, 
for  when  you  are  there,  it  will  be  paradise.  My  own 
Nelson,  may  God  preserve  you  for  the  sake  of  your  affec- 
tionate Emma.'  ^ 

It  was  not  for  that  paradise  that  Nelson  was  reserved. 

There  is  no  need  to  recount  the  glories  of  Trafalgar. 
Let  more  competent  pens  than  mine  re-describe  the 
strategy  of  the  only  action  in  which  Nelson  ever  appeared 
without  his  sword.-  When  he  explained  to  the  officers 
'  the  Nelson  touch'  '  it  was  like  an  electric  shock.  Some 
shed  tears,  all  approved':  'it  was  new,  it  was  singular,  it 
was  simple.' — '  And  from  Admirals  downwards,  it  was 
repeated — it  must  succeed  if  ever  they  will  allow  us  to 
get  at  them.' 2     Again  he  had  been  stinted  in  battleships. 

Nelson  ascended  the  poop  to  view  both  lines  of  those 
great  ships.  He  directed  the  removal  of  the  fixtures  from 
his  cabin,  and  when  the  turn  came  for  Emma's  portrait, 
'  Take  care  of  my  Guardian  Angel,'  he  exclaimed.     In  that 

'  Morrison  MS.  844,  845,  October  4  and  8  respectively.  These  two  letters 
only  escaped  destruction  because  Nelson  never  lived  to  receive  them.  In  the 
last  Emma  also  says  :  ' .  .  .  She  novir  reads  very  well,  and  is  learning  her  notes, 
and  French  and  Italian.  The  other  day  she  said  at  table,  "  Mrs.  Cadoging,  I 
wonder  Julia  [a  servant]  did  not  run  out  of  the  church  when  she  went  to  be 
married,  for  I  should,  seeing  my  squinting  husband  come  in,  for  .  .  .  how  ugly 
he  is,  and  how  he  looks  cross-eyed  ;  why,  as  my  lady  says,  '  he  looks  two  ways 
for  Sunday. '  "  Now  Julia's  husband  is  the  ugliest  man  you  ever  saw  ;  but  how 
that  little  thing  cou'd  observe  him  ;  but  she  is  clever,  is  she  not,  Nelson?' 

'^  Cf.  Beatty's  Authentic  Narrative  of  the  Death  of  Lord  Nelson  (1808),  p.  12. 
Beatty's  account  is  undoubtedly  authentic,  being  composed  on  the  voyage  home. 
The  wretched  controversy  about  it,  of  1891,  disproved  all  allegations  to  the 
contrary.  A  new  and  most  striking  account  of  the  battle,  in  a  letter  from  Mr. 
A.  J.  Scott  to  his  uncle,  will  be  found  in  the  Appendix,  Part  II.  F.  (2).  Its 
wording  seems  to  favour  the  view  that  the  attack  was  made  in  two  divisions  at 
right  angles. 

^  Nelson  Letters,  vol.  ii.  p.  lOi.     '  F/c/^/7,' October  i,  1805. 


PENELOPE  AND  ULYSSES  427 

cabin  he  spent  his  last  minutes  of  retirement  in  a  prayer 
committed  to  his  note-book.  '  May  the  great  God  whom  I 
worship,  grant  to  my  country,  and  for  the  benefit  of  Europe 
in  general,  a  great  and  glorious  victory  ;  and  may  no  mis- 
conduct in  any  one  tarnish  it,  and  may  humanity  after 
victory  be  the  predominant  feature  in  the  British  fleet ! 
For  myself  individually,  I  commit  my  life  to  Him  that 
made  me,  and  may  His  blessing  alight  on  my  endeavours 
for  serving  my  country  faithfully.  To  Him  I  resign  my- 
self, and  the  just  cause  which  is  entrusted  to  me  to  defend. 
Amen.     Amen.     Amen.' 

And  then  he  entrusted  to  his  diary  that  memorable  last 
codicil,  witnessed  by  Blackwood  and  Hardy,  recounting 
his  Emma's  unrewarded  services,  and  commending  her 
and  Horatia  (whom  he  now  desired  to  bear  the  name  of 
*  Nelson'  only  ^)  to  the  generosity  of  his  King  and  country  : 
— 'These  are  the  only  favours  I  ask  of  my  King  and 
Country  at  this  moment  when  I  am  going  to  fight  their  battle. 
May  God  bless  my  King  and  Country  and  all  those  I  hold 
dear.  My  relations  it  is  needless  to  mention  ;  they  will,  of 
course,  be  amply  provided  for.'  On  his  desk  lay  open  that 
fine  letter-  to  Emma,  the  simple  march  of  whose  cadences 
always  somehow  suggests  to  one  Turner's  picture  of  the 
Temeraire : — 

'  My  dearest,  beloved  Emma,  the  dear  friend  of  my 
bosom,  the  signal  has  been  made  that  the  enemies'  com- 
bined fleet  is  coming  out  of  port.  May  the  God  of  Battles 
crown  my  endeavours  with  success  ;  at  all  events  I  will 
take  care  that  my  name  shall  ever  be  most  dear  to  you 
and  Horatia,  both  of  whom  I  love  as  much  as  my  own 
life  ;  and  as  my  last  writing  before  the  battle  will  be  to  you, 
so  I  hope  in  God  that  I  shall  live  to  finish  my  letter  after 
the  battle.  May  Heaven  bless  you  prays  your  Nelson  and 
Bronte.  .  .  .' 

As  in   a  vision,  one  seems  to  behold  that  huge  Saiitis- 

^  The  King  duly  jjave  his  licence  to  that  effect.     Morrison  MS. 

-  October  19.  The  original  is  prominent  this  year  at  the  British  Museum 
with  Emma's  indorsement : — '  This  letter  was  found  open  on  His  desk,  and 
brought  to  Lady  Hamilton  by  Captain  Hardy.  "Oh,  miserable,  wretched 
Emma  !     Oh,  glorious  an<l  happy  Nelson  ! "' ' 


428  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

shna  Trinidad,  that  mighty  Bucenfaur,  that  fatal  Redojibt- 
ad/e,the  transmission  of  that  imperishable  'Duty'  signal; 
the  Victory  nigh  noon,  hard  by  the  enemy's  van.  One 
hears  the  awful  broadside — the  'warm  work'  which  rends 
the  buckle  from  Hardy's  shoe — Nelson's  words  of  daring 
and  comfort.  One  heeds  his  acts  of  care  for  others  and 
carelessness  for  himself. 

His  four  stars  singled  him  out  as  a  target  for  the  death- 
blow that  •  broke  his  back  '  fifteen  minutes  afterwards.  He 
fell  prone  on  the  deck,  where  Hardy  raised  him  : — '  They 
have  done  for  me  at  last,  Hardy.'  And  then,  as  he  lies 
below,  in  face  of  death — '  Doctor,  I  told  you  so  ;  doctor, 
I  am  gone';  tho  whisper  follows,  'I  have  to  leave  Lady 
Hamilton  and  my  adopted  daughter  Horatia  as  a  legacy  to 
my  country.'  He  feels  'a  gush  of  blood  every  minute 
within  his  breast'  His  thoughts  are  still  for  his  officers 
and  crew.  '  How  goes  the  day  with  us,  Hardy  ? '  His  day 
is  over.  '  I  am  a  dead  man  .  .  .  come  nearer  cO  me.'  Over 
his  filming  eyes,  assured  of  conquest,^  hover  but  two  pre- 
sences, but  one  place.  '  Come  nearer  to  me.  Pray  let  my 
dear  Lady  Hamilton  have  my  hair,  and  r'^  *-her  things 
belonging  to  me,'  And  next,  raising  hims  A  in  pain, 
'Anchor,  Hardy,  anchor!'  Nc^  Collingwood  but  Hardy 
shall  give  the  command;  'for,  il  I  live,  /  anchor.' — 'Take 
care  of  my  poor  Lady  Hamilton,  Hardy,  Kiss  me.  Hardy.'  - 
— '  Now  I  am  satisfied  '  While  his  throat  is  parched  and 
his  mouth  agasp  for  air,  his  oppressed  breathing  falters 
once  more  to  Scott :  '  Remember  that  I  leave  Lady 
Hamilton  and  my  daughter  [now  there  is  no  '  adopted '] 
to  my  country.'  Amid  the  deafening  boom  of  guns,  and 
all  the  chaos  and  carnage  of  the  cockpit,^  while  the  surgeon 
quits  him  for  five  minutes  only  on  his  errands  of  mercy, 
alone,  dazed,  cold,  yet  triumphant,  with  a  spirit  exulting  in 

^  Scott's  account  (cf.  App. ,  Part  ii.  F.  (2))  adds  a  striking  detail  to  the 
received  version.  '  He  died,'  he  says,  '  as  the  battle  finished,  and  his  last  effort 
to  speak  was  made  at  the  moment  of  joy  for  victory  .^ 

-  Hardy,  in  a  letter  to  Scott  of  March  10,  1807,  protesting  his  continued 
esteem  for  Lady  Hamilton,  declares  that  Nelson's  last  words  to  him  were,  '  Do 
be  kind  to  poor  Lady  H.'     Cf.  Life  of  Rev.  Dr.  Scott  (1842),  p.  212. 

"  Scott,  whose  horror  at  the  scenes  he  witnessed  always  prevented  him  from 
alluding  to  them,  once  said,  '  It  was  like  a  butcher's  shambles.'  (From  informa- 
tion kindly  and  privately  communicated  to  the  writer.) 


PENELOPE  AND  ULYSSES  429 

self-sacrifice,  and  wavering  ere  its  thinnest  thread  be  severed, 
around  the  distant  dear  ones,  he  dies  '  Thank  God,'  he 
'has  done  his  duty'!  Can  man  do  mu.e,  or  love  more,  than 
to  lay  down  his  life  for  his  friends  ? 

Bound  up  with  Britain,  the  son  who  saved,  ennobled,  and 
e  nbodied  her,  rests  immortal.  Ministers,  who  used  him 
like  a  sucked  orange,  might  disregard  his  latest  breath. 
With  such  as  these  he  was  never  popular.^  But  wherever 
unselfishness,  and  valour,  and  genius  dedicated  to  duty, 
are  known  and  famed,  there  will  he  be  remembered.  '  The 
tomb  of  heroes  is  the  Universe! 

Sad  and  slow  plodded  the  procession  of  fatal  victory 
over  the  waters  homeward.  Long  before  the  flagship  that 
formed  Nelson's  hearse  arrived,  Scott,  his  chaplain,  broke 
the  news  to  Emma  at  Clarges  Street  through  Mrs.  Cadogan: 
— '  Hasten  the  very  moment  you  receive  this  to  dear  Lady 
Hamilton,  and  prepare  her  for  the  greatest  of  misfortunes. 
.  .  .  The  friends  of  my  beloved  are  for  ever  dear  to  me.'" 
Nine  days  elapsed  before  she  heard  the  worst.^  She  was 
si-  "ned  and  paralysed  by  the  blow.  For  many  weeks  she 
lay  prostrate  in  bed,  from  which  she  only  arose  to  be  re- 
moved to  Merton.  Her  nights  were  those  of  sighs  and 
memories ;  her  mother  tended  her,  wrote  for  her,  managed 
the  daily  tasks  that  seemed  so  far  away.  Quenched  now 
for  ever  was 

'  The  light  that  shines  from  loving  eyes  upon 
Eyes  that  love  back,  till  they  can  see  no  more.' 

And  when  at  length  she  revived,  her  first  thought  was  to 
beseech  the  protection  of  the  Government,  not  for  herself, 
but  for  the  Boltons.^  If  George  Rose  could  forward 
Nelson's  wishes  for  them,  it  would  be  a  drop  of  comfort 
in  her  misery.  She  kept  all  Nelson's  letters — '  sacred,'  she 
called  them — '  on  her  pillow.'     She  fingered  them  over  and 

'  Elliot  wrote,  '  He  is  not  popular  ai  St.  James's.' 

-  Morrison  MS.  849,  October  27,  1805. 

^  Cf.  Lady  H.'s  letter  to  Rose  fro:  Clarges  Street,  November  29,  1S05  : — 
'  I  write  from  my  bed  where  I  have  been  ever  since  the  fatal  6tk  of  this  month,' 
etc.     Cf.  Rose's  Diaries,  vol.  i.  p.  240  et  seq. 

^  Cf.  Mrs.  Cadogan's  letter  to  Rose  of  November  9,  1S05.  —  Ibid.  Emma's 
own  applications  even  to  Earl  Nelson  did  not  begin  till  the  following  year.  Cf. 
Appendix,  Part  11.  C.  (i)  (<>). 


430  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

over  again.  Her  heart,  she  told  Rose,  was  broken.  'Life 
to  me  now  is  not  worth  having.  I  lived  but  for  him.  His 
glory  I  gloried  in  ;  it  was  my  pride  that  he  should  go  forth ; 
and  this  fatal  and  last  time  he  went,  I  persuaded  him  to  it. 
But  I  cannot  go  on.  My  heart  and  head  are  gone.  Only, 
believe  me,  what  you  write  to  me  shall  ever  be  attended  to.' 
Letters  purporting  to  be  Nelson's  regarding  his  last  wishes 
had  leaked  out  in  the  newspapers.  She  was  too  weak  to 
'  war  with  vile  editors.'  '  Could  you  know  me,  you  would 
not  think  I  had  such  bad  policy  as  to  publish  anything  at 
this  moment.  My  mind  is  not  a  common  one,  and  having 
lived  as  confidante  and  friend  with  such  men  as  Sir  William 
Hamilton  and  dearest,  glorious  Nelson,  I  feel  superior  to 
vain,  tattling  woman.'  ^  She  was  desolate.  She  had  lost  not 
only  the  husband  of  her  heart  and  the  mainstay  of  her 
weakness,  but  herself — the  heroine  of  a  hero.  She  was  '  the 
same  Emma'  no  longer,  only  a  creature  of  the  past.  The 
receptive  Muse  had  now  no  source  of  inspiration  left,  nor 
any  commanding  part  to  prompt  or  act.  Yet  her  old 
leaven  was  still  indomitable.  She  would  fight  and  struggle 
for  herself  and  her  child  so  long  as  she  had  breath. 

Messages  of  sympathy  poured  in  from  every  quarter,  but 
she  would  not  be  comforted.  Among  others,  Hayley, 
writing  with  the  new  year,  and  before  the  funeral,  entreated 
her  to  make  '  affectionate  justice  to  departed  excellence  a 
source  of  the  purest  delight.'  He  rejoiced  in  the  idea  that 
his  verses  had  ever  been  '  a  source  of  good '  to  her,  and  the 
egotist  enclosed  some  new  ones  of  consolation.  She  told  him 
she  was  most  unhappy  '  No,'  she  '  must  not  be  so,'  added 
the  sententious  '  Hermit '  ;  '  self-conquest  is  the  summit  of 
all  heroism.'  -  While  Rose  and  Louis  importuned  her  for 
mementoes — and  Emma  parted  with  all  they  asked — the 
Abbe  Campbell,  writing  amid  the  third  overthrow  at 
Naples,  was  more  delicate  and  sympathetic.  His  '  heart 
was  full  of  anguish  '  and  commiseration.  '  I  truly  pity  you 
from  my  soul,  and  only  wish  to  be  near  you,  to  participate 
with  you  in  the  agonies  of  your  heart,  and  mix  our  tears 
together.'    Goldsmid  sent  philosophic  consolation,  and  tried 

'  Cf.   her   leltci'  to  George  Rose  of  November   29,    1805 — Rose's   Diaries, 
vol.  i.  p.  241.  ■"  Pettigrevv,  vol.  ii.  pp.  556-7. 


PENELOPE  AND  ULYSSES  431 

to  get  her  an  allotment  in  the  new  loan.^  Staunch  Lady 
Betty  Foster  and  Lady  Percival  were  also  among  her  con- 
solers, and  so  too  was  the  humbler  Mrs,  Lind.  The  Duke  of 
Clarence — Nelson's  Duke — inquired  after  her  particularly." 
And  later  Mrs.  Bolton  wrote : — '  For  a  moment  I  wished 
myself  with  you,  and  but  a  moment,  for  I  cannot  think  of 
Merton  without  a  broken  heart,  even  now  can  scarcely  see 
for  tears.  How  I  do  fed  for  you  my  own  heart  can  tell ;  but 
I  beg  pardon  for  mentioning  the  subject,  nor  would  it  have 
been,  but  that  I  well  know  your  thoughts  are  always  so. 
My  dear  Horatia,  give  my  kindest  love  to  her.  The  more 
I  think,  the  dearer  she  is  to  me.'  ^ 

At  length  the  Victory  arrived  at  Spithead.*  Hardy 
travelled  post-haste  with  his  dearest  friend's  notebooks  and 
last  codicil  to  Rose  at  Cuffnells.  Blackwood  assured  Emma 
that  he  would  deliver  none  of  them  to  any  person  until  he 
had  seen  her ;  all  her  wishes  should  be  consulted.''  Scott 
wrote  daily  to  her  all  December,  as  he  kept  watch  over  the 
precious  remains  of  the  man  whom  he  worshipped.  He  took 
lodgings  at  Greenwich,"  where  they  now  reposed.  Rooted  to 
the  spot,  throughout  his  solitary  vigil  he  was  ever  inquiring 
after  Emma,  whom  Tyson  alone  had  seen.  From  the  Board 
Room  of  Greenwich  HospitaF  the  body  was  deposited  in 
the  Painted  Chamber.^  It  was  the  saddest  Christmas  that 
England  had  known  for  centuries.  The  very  beggars, 
Scott  wrote  to  Emma,  leave  their  stands,  neglect  the 
passing  crowd,  and  pay  tribute  to  his  memory  by  a  look. 
*  Many'  did  he  see,  'tattered  and  on  crutches,  shaking  their 
heads  with  plain  signs  of  sorrow.'  The  Earl  had  been 
there  with  young  Horace,  who  shed  tears:  —  'Every 
thought  and  word  I  have  is  about  your  dear  Nelson.  Here 
lies  Bayard,  but  Bayard  victorious.  ...  So  help  me  God,  I 
think  he  was  a  true  knight  and  worthy  the  age  of  chivalry. 

'  '  His  time  was  to  die,  and  if  not  by  a  shot,  you  might  have  lost  him  by  sick- 
ness.'— Morrison  MS.  872. 

2  Cf.  Morrison  MS.  862  (Scott's  letter).  Mrs.  Lind  lived  at  Brompton,  and 
Emma  dined  there  rather  than  with  her  grand  friends.  For  Lady  E.  Bentinck's 
sympathy,  cf.  Pettigrcw,  ii.  p.  545. 

^  Morrison  MS.  881.    This  tends  to  show  that  she  knew  who  Horatia  really  was. 

*  December  6,  1805.  '■'  Cf.  Pettigrew,  ii.  p.  549  ;  Morrison  MS.  854. 

'  21  Park  Row.  "  December  23,  1805.  ®  December  24. 


432  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

One  may  say,  lui  nieme  fait  le  Steele — for  where  shall  we 
see  another  ? '  Yes,  Emma  should  come  herself  and  paj 
her  last  farewell  alone.  Scott  could  not  tear  himself  away  ; 
he  was  rowed  in  the  same  barge  that  bore  the  hero's  Orient- 
made  coffin  to  the  Admiralty.  He  watched  by  it  there,  and 
thence  attended  it  to  St,  Paul's.  He  bitterly  resented  being 
parted  from  it  by  his  place,  next  day,  in  the  procession. 
'  I  honour  your  feelings,'  exclaimed  he,  who  always  loved 
her,  'and  I  respect  you,  dear  Lady  Hamilton,  for  ever.'  ^ 

Who  can  forget  the  scenes  of  that  dismal  triumph  of 
January  the  loth.?  Not  a  shop  open  ;  not  a  window 
untenanted  by  silent  grief.  The  long  array  of  rank  and 
dignity  wends  its  funeral  march  with  solemn  pace.  But 
near  the  catafalque  draped  with  emblems  and  fronted  with 
the  Victory's  figurehead,  are  ranged  the  weather-beaten 
sailors  who  would  have  died  to  save  him. 

Fashion  and  officialdom,  as  distasteful  to  Nelson  living 
as  he  was  to  them,  press  to  figure  in  the  pomp  which  cele- 
brated the  man  at  whom  they  sometimes  jeered,  and  whom 
they  often  thwarted  and  sought  to  supersede.  Professed 
and  unfeigned  sorrow  meet  in  his  obsequies. 

Every  order  of  the  State  is  represented.  Yet  as  the 
deep-toned  anthem — half-marred  at  first — swells  through 
the  hushed  cathedral,  two  forms  are  missing — that  of  the 
woman  -  whom  certainly  he  would  never  have  forsworn 
had  her  wifehood  ever  meant  real  affection,^  and  that  of  the 
other  woman  who  beyond  measure  had  loved  and  lost  him. 
Can  one  doubt  but  that,  when  all  was  over,  when  form  and 
ceremony  were  dispersed,  Emma  stood  there,  silent,  their 
child's  hand  clasped  in  hers,  and  shed  her  bitter  tears 
beside  his  wreaths  of  laurel,  into  his  half-closed  grave? 

^  Morrison  MS.  855-861. 

'  Barham  announced  to  her  on  November  5  her  'illustrious  Partner's  death. ' 
— Eg.  MS.  28,333,  f.  6.  By  their  own  request  the  Nelson  family  were  buried 
in  the  enclosure.  Countess  Nelson  rests  there ;  so  does  Nelson's  nephew 
Horatio.  It  may  here  be  noted  that  the  marble  covering  over  Nelson's  coffin 
was  presented  by  the  Prince  Regent.  It  forms  one  of  the  remains  of  the  un- 
finished Italian  splendours  which  Henry  viil.  designed  for  his  own  burial-chapel. 
It  was  to  have  been  Cardinal  Wolsey's  sarcophagus. 

^  Mrs.  Bolton  writes  to  Emma  of  her  at  Cheltenham  in  June  1806:  'Dis- 
putes even  the  last  words  of  the  man  she  once  prciended  to  love.' — Morrison 
MS.  S82. 


CHAPTER    XV 

THE   IMPORTUNATE   WIDOW   IN    LIQUIDATION 

Februarys  1806 — July  18 14 

While  the  nation  was  to  vote  i^  120,000  ^  to  support  the  earl- 
dom of  the  clergyman  whose  brother  died  only  a  Viscount 
and  Vice-Admiral,  in  receipt  of  an  annual  grant  not  exceed- 
ing ;^2000;  while  Lady  Nelson,  soon  to  wrangle  over  the  will,^ 
received  her  own  annuity  from  Parliament,  not  only  were 
Emma's  claims  disregarded,  but  the  payment  of  Nelson's 
bequest  to  her  was  deferred  and  grudgingly  made.  She 
retired  for  a  space  to  Richmond,  and  at  once  begged  Sir  R. 
Barclay  to  be  one  of  a  committee  for  arranging  her  affairs  and 
disposing  of  Merton.^  Not  until  the  November  of  this  year 
did  she  address  Earl  Nelson,  urging  him  in  the  strongest 
terms,  as  his  brother's  executor,  to  legalise  Nelson's  last 
codicil ;  and  nearly  a  year  after  he  had  received  the  pocket- 
book  containing  it  from  Hardy,  he  returned  her  a  civil  and 
friendly  answer.*  Her  finances  were  now  more  straitened 
than  has  been  supposed.  Her  income  from  all  sources 
(including  Horatia's  i^200  a  year)  has  been  estimated  as 
now  some  ;i^2ioo.  This  estimate  counts  Hamilton's  and 
Nelson's  annuities,  of  ;^8oo^  and  ;^SOO  respectively,  as  if 
they  were  paid  free  of  property-tax,  her  Piccadilly  furniture 
as   realised  and  invested  intact  at  five  per  cent.,  together 

'  ;^200,ooo  in  all  to  the  family,  in  May  1806.  On  April  30  Grenville  re- 
quested Earl  Nelson  to  confer  with  him  about  the  '  royal  de„.res  for  subsidising 
the  Nelson  family."— Add.  MS.  34,992,  f.  132. 

"  Cf.  (besides  the  authorities  cited  on  p.  340)  Morrison  MS.  882,  where 
Mrs.  Bolton  tells  Lady  H.,  'The  Viscountess  is  going  to  law.  What  a  vin- 
dictive woman,'  etc.  ■'  Cf.  Appendix,  Part  11.  C.  (4). 

••  Add.  MS.  34,989,  ff.  55  and  56  ;  '  Merton,  November  14,  1806,  and  Canter- 
bury, November  16,  1806.'  Emma  evidently  suspected  his  intentions  already. 
She  says,  '  Whose  executor  you  have  the  honour  to  be.'  Writing  to  Rose  about 
the  same  time  she  says,  '  The  Earl  you  know,  but  a  man  must  have  great  courage 
to  accept  the  honour  of  calling  himself  by  that  name.'  Cf.  Rose's  Diaries,  and 
Appendix,  Part  11.  C.  (i)  (/')  and  (2).  '•'  Cf.  attte,  p.  400. 

2  E 


434  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

with  Nelson's  ^2000  legacy,  and  Merton  as  rentable  at 
;^500  a  year.  The  tax  alone,  however,  seems  to  have  been 
some  ten  per  cent.,  the  furniture  should  surely  be  reckoned 
at  half-price,  Merton  was  unlet,  and  with  difficulty  sold  at 
last,  while  large  inroads  had  been  made  by  debt  and  inter- 
rupted Merton  improvements.  Her  available  capital  must 
have  been  small.  Her  net  income  may  be  taken  as  under 
some  £1200,  apart  from  Nelson's  annuity  payable  half- 
yearly  in  advance.  Had  this  been  so  paid  regularly  from 
the  first,  another  ;^450,  after  deducting  property-tax, 
would  have  been  hers.  But  I  have  discovered  that  Earl 
Nelson,  on  the  excuse  that  the  money  he  actually  re- 
ceived from  the  Bronte  estate  up  to  1806  was  for  arrears 
of  rent  accrued  due  before  Nelson's  death,  never  apparently 
allowed  her  a  penny  until  1808,^  and  then,  after  consult- 
ing counsel,  haggled  over  the  payment  in  advance  directed 
by  the  codicil,  and  in  fact  never  paid  her  annuity  m  advance 
until  1 8 14.  The  receipt  for  the  first  payment  in  advance 
still  exists,  and  is  set  out  in  the  Appendix.  This  surely 
puts  a  somewhat  different  complexion  on  her 'extravagance,' 
since  a  year's  delay  in  the  receipt  of  income  by  one  alread}' 
encumbered  would  prove  a  deadweight.  Imprudent  and 
improvident  she  continued  ;  embarrassed  by  anticipated  ex- 
pectations, eager,  indeed,  to  compound  with  creditors  she 
became  much  sooner  than  has  hitherto  been  imagined.^ 
She  remained  absolutely  faithful  to  Horatia's  trust  up  to  the 
miserable  end.^  Within  three  years  from  Nelson's  death 
Emma  and  Horatia  were  to  become  wanderers  from  house  to 
house:  treasure  after  treasure  was  afterwards  to  be  parted 
with  or  distrained  upon  ;  and  the  Earl,  who  had  flattered  and 
courted  Emma  in  her  heyday,  and  still  protested  his  willing- 

'  It  should  be  clearly  understood  with  regard  to  the  statement  that  Earl  Nelson 
received  'nothing'  from  the  Bronte  rental  till  1808,  that  nothing  '  for  his  own 
use'  is  meant,  being  the  terms  of  the  recital  in  the  legal  document  (App.  p.  489) 
to  which  express  reference  is  made  above.  It  is  this  recital  which  goes,  I  think, 
to  show  that,  till  1808,  Lady  Hamilton  probably  received  nothing  also.  And  in 
any  case  she  would  manifestly  get  nothing  till  1807,  since  she  was  never  paid  in 
advance^  and  nothing  at  all  came  from  Bronte  till  September  1806. 

'^  Already  in  May  1805,  during  Nelson's  absence,  she  had  applied  to  Tyson 
for  a  loan  of  ;i^i50,  as  '  what  money  '  she  had  in  'her  banker's  hands'  had  '  been 
laid  out  at  Merton.'     Cf.  Appendix,  Part  II.  C.  (15). 

■■'  Nicolas  vii.,  p.  395.     Cited  by  Jeaffreson. 


IMPORTUNITY  AND  LIQUIDATION         435 

ness  to  serve  her,  and  his  hopes  that  Government  would 
yield  her  'a  comfortable  pension,'^  had  joined  the  fair-weather 
acquaintances  who  left  her  and  her  daughter  in  the  ditch. 
On  her  income,  even  apart  from  her  variable  annuity 
and  the  furniture  proceeds,  she  might  have  been  com- 
fortable, if  she  had  been  content  to  retire  at  once  into  decent 
obscurity.  She  could  not  bring  herself  to  forfeit  the  flat- 
teries of  worthless  pensioners  and  cringing  tradesmen  ;  and, 
moreover,  I  cannot  help  suspecting  that  Nurse  Gibson  may 
not  have  rested  satisfied  with  the  occasional  extra  guineas 
bestowed  on  her,  and  that  whether  by  her  or  by  servants 
who  had  guessed  the  secret  of  Horatia's  birth,  continual 
hush-money  may  possibly  have  been  extorted.^ 

From  December  6,  1805,  when  he  received  his  brother's 
'  pocket-book  '  or  '  memorandum-book  '  (in  the  letters  it  is 
named  both  ways)  from  Hardy,  the  new  Earl  held  in  his  hands 
the  '  codicil '  on  which  hung  Emma's  fate  and  Horatia's. 

A  few  of  Earl  Nelson's  manuscript  letters  ^  cast  a  little 
light  on  its  adventures,  and,  so  far  as  they  go,  assist  Emma's 
account  of  his  attitude,  though  I  think  that  she  miscon- 
strued or  exaggerated  its  motives. 

From  December  6  to  December  12  it  seems  to  have  been 
kept  in  his  own  possession.  He  then  took  it  to  Lady 
Hamilton's  friend.  Sir  William  Scott,  at  Somerset  House, 
where  she  was  led  by  him  to  believe  that  its  formal  registra- 
tion with  Nelson's  will  was  in  favourable  process.  Before 
Pitt's  death  in  the  ensuing  January  it  was  determined  that 
the  memorandum-book  should  be  sent  to  the  Premier.* 
Pitt  died  at  an  unfortunate  moment,  and  Grenville  became 
Prime  Minister.  After  consultation  with  Scott  and  others, 
the  Earl,  however,  resolved  in  February  to  hand  it  over  to 
Lord  Grenville,  and  in  Grenville's  keeping  it  actually  re- 
mained till  so  late  as  May  30,  1806.     If  even,  as  is  possible,^ 

1  Cf.  Add.  MS.  34,992,  f.  197,  Earl  Nelson  to  Davison  ;  '  Portman  Square, 
Monday  morning,  February  i,  1813.' 

"  For  this  conjecture  cf.  Nelson's  words  in  a  letter  of  February  6,  iSoi,  where 
'  if  the  secret  were  well  kept '  he  suggests  '  a  small  pension."    Morrison  MS.  509. 

■>  Add.  MS.  34,992.     Cf.  especially  f.  148. 

■•  Cf.  Earl  Nelson's  own  account,  once  in  Pettigrew's  possession,  and  cited  iiy 
him  in  vol.  ii.  p.  626,  note  i. 

^'  The  codicil  is  said  to  have  been  lodged  for  registration  in  February  by 
Emma  herself.  In  the  '  pocket-book'  or  '  letter-book,'  she  inscribed  her  claim 
to  having  been  instrumental  in  getting  the  fleet  watered  in  the  summer  of  1798. 


436  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

the 'pocket-book  '  and  the  '  memorandum-book '  mean  two 
separate  things,  and  what  Grenville  retained  was  only  the 
latter,  referring  to  the  'codicil'  in  the  first,  still  the  undue 
delay  was  no  less  shabby;  and  Nelson's  sisters  agreed  with 
Emma,  whose  warm  adherents  they  remained,  in  so  entitling 
it.^  Grenville  was  the  last  person  in  the  world  to  act  favour- 
ably towards  Emma,  but  of  course  it  was  for  him  to  decide 
from  what  particular  source,  if  any,  Government  could 
satisfy  Nelson's  petition. 

Up  to  February  23,  1806,  the  iLarl's  letters  were  more  than 
friendly,  and  even  many  years  afterwards  they  professed 
goodwill  and  inclination  to  forward  her  claims  for  a  pension, 
but  in  the  interval  a  quarrel  ensued. 

Emma  subsequently  declared  that,  after  so  long  with- 
holding the  pocket-book,  the  Earl,  as  her  own  guest  at  her 
own  table,  tossed  it  back  to  her  '  with  a  coarse  expression.' 
She  then  registered  the  codicil  herself.  She  added  that  the 
reason  lor  its  detention  was  that  the  Earl  desired  nothing  to 
be  do  le  until  he  was  positive  of  the  national  grant  to  him 
and  hn  family. 

For  such  meanness  I  can  see  no  sufficient  reason.  To  put 
his  motives  at  the  lowest,  self-interest  would  tempt  him  to 
forward  Emma's  claims  to  some  kind  of  Government  pension. 
But  I  do  think  that  his  course  was  ruled  solely  by  a  wish 
for  his  own  safe  self-advantage.  He  did  not  choose  to  risk 
offending  Lord  Grenville. 

Earl  Nelson  certainly  never  erred  on  the  side  of  gener- 
osity. Despite  his  assiduous  court  of  Emma  during  Nelson's 
lifetime,  and  his  present  amicable  professions,  he  himself,  as 
executor,  sent  ferreting  for  papers  at  that  Merton  where 
he  had  so  often  found  a  home,  and  whose  hospitality  his 
wife  and  children  still  continued  gratefully  to  enjoy;"  though 
he  was  probably  angered  when  the  shrewd  Mrs.  Cadogan 
proved  his  match  there  and  worsted  him.^    With  reluctance, 

1  They  comment  on  his  general  shabbiness,  .ind  to  the  last  the  Matchams 
were  constant. 

2  They  remained  devoted  to  Emma.     Morrison  MS.  918. 

'  Cf.  Morrison  MS.  865:  'I  will  not  show  them  one  bill  or  receipt.  ...  I 
had  a  very  canting  letter  from  Haslewood  yesterday,  saying  the  Earl  was  coming 
down  to-day,'  etc.  Mrs.  Cadogan  to  Lady  Hamilton,  February  13,  1806; 
and  cf.  871. 


IMPORTUNITY  AND  LIQUIDATION        437 

and  '  with  a  bleeding  heart,'  he  conceded  Emma's  '  right '  to 
the  '  precious  possession  '  of  the  hero's  coat,  as  the  document 
concerning  its  surrender,  in  his  wife's  handwriting,  still 
attests.^  In  the  future,  only  two  years  after  declaring, '  No 
one  can  wish  her  better  than  I  do,'  ^  he  was  to  begrudge  one 
halfpenny  of  the  expenses  after  her  death.  Only  a  few  months 
before  it,  his  behaviour  caused  her  to  exclaim  in  a  letter  which 
has  only  this  year  seen  the  light,  and  which  is  one  of  the  most 
piteous  yet  least  complaining  that  she  ever  wrote,  '  He  has 
never  given  the  dear  Horatia  a  frock  or  a  sixpence.'^  He 
squabbled  and  haggled  over  Clarke  and  Macarthur's  Life 
of  his  brother.*  And  long  after  Emma  lay  mouldering  in  a 
nameless  grave,  he  declined  to  subscribe  for  the  book  of  an 
old  acquaintance,  on  the  stingy  pretext  that  books  now  he 
never  bought.  If  Emma  rasped  him  by  overbearing  de- 
fiance (and  she  never  set  herself  to  conciliation),  it  would 
excuse  but  not  justify  him,  since  Horatia's  prospects  were 
as  much  concerned  as  Emma's  in  the  fulfilment  of  the  last 
request  of  the  departed  brother,  to  whom  he  and  his  owed 
absolutely  everything. 

The  worst  was  yet  far  distant.  But  harassing  vexations 
already  began  to  cluster  round  the  unhappy  woman,  who 
was  denied  her  demands  by  ministers  alleging  long  lapse  of 
time,^  and  the  inapplicability  of  the  Secret  Service  Fund, 
as  impediments,  though  Rose  and  Canning  afterwards 
acknowledged  them  to  be  just.^  Pitt's  death  with  the  dawn- 
ing year  rebuffed  anew,  as  we  have  seen,  the  main  hope  of 
this  unfortunate  and  importunate  widow.      Hidden  briars 

•  Add.  MS.  34,992,  f.  103.  He  insisted,  too,  on  retaining  his  stall  at  Canter- 
bury, though  Scott  had  counted  on  it.  ^  Ihid.  f.  197. 

3  Cf.  App.,  Part  II.  C.  (10)  (a).  The  letter  is  to  Sir  W'illiam  Scott  from  Lady 
Hamilton  at  '  The  Common  of  St.  Peter's,  two  miles  from  Calais,'  and  hears  date 
September  12,  1814.  'Think  what  I  must  fee!,'  she  ejaculates,  'who  was  used 
to  give,  God  only  knows  [how  much],  and  now  to  ask.  Earl  and  Countess 
Nelson  lived  with  me  seven  years.  I  educated  Lady  Charlotte,  and  paid  at 
Eton  for  Trafalgar.  I  made  Lord  Nelson  write  the  letter  to  Lord  Sidmoulh  for 
the  Preb'.ndary  of  Canterbury,  which  his  Lordship  kindly  gave  him.  They  have 
never  given  the  dear  Horatia  a  frock  or  a  sixpence.'     Cf.  fosl,  p.  46S. 

*  Add.  MS.  34,992,  f.  105  (i  sr,/. 

■'  Cf.  Rose's  letter,  July  3,  1S06,   Morrison  MS.  886.      He  says  this  is 'the 
real  cause.' 
'  Cf.  Rose's  Diaries. 


438  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

beset  her  path  also.  Her  once  obsequious  creditors  already 
clamoured,  and  were  only  staved  off  temporarily  by  the 
delusive  promises  of  Nelson's  will.  For  a  time  one  at  least 
of  the  Connors^  caused  her  secret  and  serious  uneasiness  by 
ingratitude  and  slander  ;  while  the  whole  of  this  extravagant 
family  preyed  on  and  'almost  ruined  '  her.  But,  worse  than 
all,  the  insinuations  of  her  enemies  began  at  length  to  find 
a  loud  and  unchecked  outlet.  '  How  hard  it  is,'  she  wrote 
of  her  detractors,  during  a  visit  to  Nelson's  relations,  in 
a  letter  of  September  7,  1806,  to  her  firm  ally  the  departed 
hero's  friend  and  chaplain,  'how  cruel  their  treatment  to 
me  and  to  Lord  Nelson!  That  angel's  last  wishes  all 
neglected,  not  to  speak  of  the  fraud  that  was  acted  to  keep 
back  the  codicil.  ...  It  seems  that  those  that  truly  loved 
him  are  to  be  victims  to  hatred,  jealousy,  and  spite.  .  .  .  We 
have,  and  had,  what  they  that  persecute  us  never  had,  his 
unbounded  love  and  esteem,  his  confidence  and  affection. 
...  If  I  had  any  influence  over  him,  I  used  it  for  the  good 
of  my  country.  ...  I  have  got  all  his  letters,  and  near  eight 
hundred  of  the  Queen  of  Naples'  letters,  to  show  what  I  did 
for  my  King  and  Country,  and  prettily  I  am  rewarded.' 
For  glory  she  had  lived,  for  glory  she  had  been  ready 
to  die.      In  seeking  to  rob  her  of  glory  by  refusing  to 

^  Ann,  who,  with  the  touch  of  madness  peculiar  to  the  whole  family,  and  at 
this  time  dangerous  in  Charles,  associated  herself  now  with  Emma  'Carew,' 
whose  pseudonym  she  took,  as  Lady  Hamilton's  daughter.  '  How  shocked  and 
surprised  I  was,  my  dear  friend,'  writes  Mrs.  Bolton,  from  whom  Emma  hid 
nothing,  not  even  Horatia's  parentage.  '  Poor,  wretched  girl,  what  will  become 
of  her  ?  What  could  possess  her  to  circulate  such  things  ?  But  I  do  not  agree  with 
you  in  thinking  that  she  ought  to  have  been  told  before,  nor  do  I  think  anything 
more  ought  to  have  been  said  than  to  set  her  right.  ...  I  am  sure  I  would  say 
and  do  everything  to  please  and  nothing  to  fret.' — Morrison  MS.  896,  Friday, 
October  11,  1806.  In  her 'will'  of  1808  Emma  records: — 'I  declare  before 
God,  and  as  I  hope  to  see  Nelson  in  heaven,  that  Ann  Connor,  who  goes  by  the 
name  of  Carew  and  tells  many  falsehoods,  that  she  is  my  daughter,  but  from  what 
motive  I  know  not,  I  declare  that  she  is  the  eldest  daughter  of  my  mother's 
sister,  Sarah  Connor,  and  that  I  have  the  mother  and  six  children  to  keep,  all 
of  them  except  two  having  turned  out  bad.  I  therefore  beg  of  my  mother  to  be 
kind  to  the  two  good  ones,  Sarah  and  Cecilia.  This  family  having  by  their 
extravagance  almost  ruined  me,  I  have  nothing  to  leave  them,  and  I  pray  to 
God  to  turn  Ann  Connor  alias  Carew's  heart.  I  forgive  her,  but  as  there  is  a 
madness  in  the  Connor  family,  I  hope  it  is  only  the  effect  of  this  disorder  that 
may  have  induced  this  bad  young  woman  to  have  persecuted  me  by  her  slander 
and  falsehood.' — Morrison  MS.  959. 


IMPORTUNITY  AND  LIQUIDATION         439 

acknowledge  her  services,  and  by  traducing  her  motives, 
her  foes  had  wounded  her  where  she  was  most  susceptible. 
Pained  to  the  quick,  yet  as  poignantly  pricked  to  defiance, 
she  uplifted  her  voice  and  spirit  above  and  against  theirs : — 

'  Psha  !  I  am  above  them,  I  despise  them  ;  for,  thank 
God,  I  feel  that  having  lived  with  honour  and  glory,  glory 
they  cannot  take  from  me,  I  despise  them  ;  my  soul  is 
above  them,  and  I  can  yet  make  some  of  them  tremble  by 
showing  how  he  despised  them,  for  in  his  letters  to  me  he 
thought  aloud.'  The  parasites  were  already  on  the  wing. 
'  Look,' she  resumed,  'at  Alexander  Davison,  courting  the 
man  he  despised,  and  neglecting  now  those  whose  feet  he 
used  to  lick.  Dirty,  vile  groveler  [«V].'^  She  meets  con- 
tumely with  contumely. 

But  her  warm  and  uninterrupted  intercourse  with  Nelson's 
sisters  and  their  families  proved  throughout  a  ray  of  real 
sunshine.  She  stayed  with  them — especially  the  Boltons — 
incessantly,  and  they  with  her  at  Merton.  The  Countess 
Nelson  herself,  even  after  her  husband's  unfriendliness,  was 
her  constant  visitor.  Horatia  was  by  this  time  adopted 
'  cousin  '  to  all  the  Bolton  and  Matcham  youngsters. 
Nothing  could  be  further  from  the  truth,  as  revealed  in 
the  Morrison  Autographs,  than  the  picture  of  Emma,  so 
often  given,  as  now  a  broken  'adventuress.'-  She  led 
the  life  at  home  of  a  respected  lady,  befriended  by  Lady 
Elizabeth  Foster  and  Lady  Percival.  In  London,  Lady 
Abercorn  begged  her  to  come  and  meet  the  persecuted 
Princess  of  Wales.  But  her  heart  stayed  with  Nelson's 
kinsfolk,  with  Horatia's  relations.  She  stifled  her  sorrow 
for  a  while  with  the  young  people,  who  still  found  Merton 
a  home,  as  Mrs.  Bolton  tenderly  acknowledged,  Char- 
lotte Nelson  was  still  an  inmate,  and  Anne  and  Eliza 
Bolton  were  repeatedly  under  its  hospitable  roof  Emma's 
godchild  and  namesake.  Lady  Bolton's  daughter,  was 
devoted  to  Mrs.  Cadogan — they  all  '  loved '  her,  she  called 

'  From  a  letter  to  Mr.  A.  J.  Scull,  kimlly  and  privately  comiminicatcd.  Cf. 
App.,  Part  II.  C.  (3)  (/').  I  now  find  that  this  letter  has  been  published  (1842) 
in  Scott's  LiJ(.     Scott,  loo,  had  his  own  grievances. 

-  One  should  not,  however,  omit  a  jjlimpse  given  of  Bohemian  revel  by  Scott's 
Life.     Royalty,  too,  stayed  at  Merton. 


440  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

her  '  grandmama.'  The  Cranwich^  girls  reported  to  'dear- 
est Lady  Hamilton  '  all  their  tittle-tattle,  the  country  balls, 
their  musical  progress,  the  matches,  the  prosperous  poultry, 
their  dishes  and  gardens.  They  awaited  her  Sunday 
letters — their  '  chief  pleasure  ' — with  impatience.  They 
never  forgot  either  her  birthday  or  Mrs.  Cadogan's.  When 
in  a  passing  fit  of  retrenchment  she  meditated  migra- 
tion to  one  of  her  several  future  lodgings  in  Bond  Street,'^ 
who  so  afraid  for  her  inconvenience  as  her  dear  Mrs. 
Bolton?  When  the  ministry,  after  Pitt's  demise,  brought 
Canning  to  the  fore,  who  again  so  glad  that  George 
Rose  was  his  friend  and  hers,  so  convinced  that  the  '  new 
people  who  shoot  up '  as  petitioners  were  the  real  obstacles 
to  her  success?  And  so  in  a  sense  it  proved,  for  one  of 
the  ministry's  excuses  may  well  have  been  that  a  noble 
family  had  been  ten  years  on  their  hands.  Mrs.  Bolton  still 
hoped — even  in  1808 — that  the  'good  wishes  of  one  who  is 
gone  to  heaven  will  disappoint  the  wicked.'  Mrs.  Matcham, 
too,  who  '  recalled  the  many  happy  days  we  have  spent 
together,'  was  always  soliciting  a  visit :  '  It  will  give  us 
great  pleasure  to  f^te  you,  the  best  in  our  power.'  She 
longed — in  1808  again — to  pass  her  time  with  her,  though 
it  might  be  a  '  selfish  wish.'  But  Emma  preferred  the 
Bolton  household.  She  and  Horatia  went  there  immedi- 
ately after  the  '  codicil '  annoyances,  and  twice  more  earlier 
in  that  same  year  alone.  Emma,  they  repeated, 'was  be- 
loved by  all.'  And  her  affection  extended  to  their  friends 
at  Brancaster^  and  elsewhere.  Sir  William  Bolton  re- 
mained in  his  naval  command,  and  Lady  Hamilton  kept 
her  popularity  with  the  navy.*  Anne  and  Eliza  Bolton,  to- 
gether with  their  mother,  hung  on  her  lightest  words,  and 
followed  her  singing-parties  at  'Old  Q.'s,'  in  1807,  with  more 
than  musical  interest.  Eliza,  indeed,  one  regrets  to  recount, 
confided  a  dream  to  Emma,  a  dream  of  '  Old  Q.'s '  death 

'  Cranswick  ;  but  their  own  spelling  is  retained. 

^  No.  136,  April  1807.  This  migration  did  not  take  place  definitely  till  1809, 
but  already  in  1807  she  is  to  be  found  there,  having  possibly  let  the  house  in 
Clarges  Street. 

'  Mrs.  PeirsoK.  In  the  striking  letter  to  Mr.  A.  J.  Scott  of  September  1S06, 
above  cited,  she  had  been  staying  with  one  of  Nelson's  aunts. 

*  This  very  year  Duckworth  assured  her  of  his  '  real  regard.' 


IMPORTUNITY  AND  LIQUIDATION         441 

and  a  thumping  legacy,  'There  is  d. feeling  iox you  at  this 
heart  of  mine,'  wrote  Anne  Bolton,  just  before  the  crash, 
'that  will  not  be  conquered,  and  I  believe  will  accompany 
me  wherever  I  may  go,  and  last  while  I  have  life.'^  Surely 
in  Emma  must  have  resided  something  magnetic  so  to  draw 
the  hearts  of  the  young  towards  her — even  when,  as  now 
she  seemed  to  neglect  them.  Those  who  judge,  or  mis- 
judge her,  might  have  modified  their  censoriousness  had 
they  experienced  the  winning  charm  of  her  friendship. 

But  all  this  while,  and  under  the  surface,  Emma  con- 
tinued miserable,  ill,  and  worried.  Her  importunities  with 
the  Government  were  doomed  to  failure ;  her  monetary 
position,  aggravated  by  reckless  generosity  towards  her 
poverty-stricken  kinsfolk,  grew  more  precarious ;  but  her 
pride  seems  not  to  have  let  her  breathe  a  syllable  of  these 
embarrassments  to  the  Boltons  or  the  Matchams. 

Eor  a  while  she  removed  to  136  Bond  Street-  as  a 
London  pied-a-terre.  One  of  her  letters  of  this  period 
survives,  addressed  to  Captain  Rose,  her  befriender's  son. 
Horatia  insisted  on  guiding  Emma's  hand,  and  both  mother 
and  daughter  signed  the  letter.  '  Continue  to  love  us,'  she 
says,  'and  if  you  would  make  Merton  your  home,  when- 
ever you  land  on  shore  you  will  make  us  very  happy.' ^ 
To  Merton,  so  long  as  she  could,  she  and  her  fatherless 
daughter  still  clung. 

To  carry  out  Nelson's  wishes  with  regard  to  Horatia's 
education  was  her  main  care,  but  her  ideas  of  education 
began  and  ended  with  accomplishments.  Horatia's  pre- 
cocities both  delighted  and  angered  her.  Of  real  mental 
discipline  she  had  no  knowledge,  and  her  stormy  temper 
found  its  match  in  her  child's. 

Her  restless  energy,  bereft  of  its  old  vents,  found  refuge  in 
hiring  Harrison  to  write  his  flimsy  life  of  the  hero  ;  in  trying 
to  dispose  of  the  beloved  home,  which  she  became  hourly  less 
able  to  maintain  ;  in  coping  with  her  enemies;  in  dictating 
letters  to  Clarke,  another  of  the  throng  of  dependants  with 

'  Morrison  MS.  950.  For  the  foregoing  cf.  ib.  passim  (to  1809),  S66-986, 
(to  1811),  991-1029;  for  'grandmama,'  900.  For  Ladies  I'ercival  and  iJ. 
Foster,  862,  910,  and  cf.  post,  p.  455,  w.  7. 

-'  She  afterwards  lived  also  at  No.  150. 

^  Letter  in  possession  of  Mr.  Robson.     It  is  misdated  '  1813.' 


442  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

whom  she  liked  to  surround  herself;  in  hoping  that  Hayley 
would  celebrate  her  in  his  Life  of  Romney.  An  unpublished 
letter  from  her  to  him  of  June  1806 — a  portion  of  which  has 
been  already  cited — depicts  her  as  she  was.  She  is  '  very 
low-spirited  and  very  far  from  well'  She  was  'very  happy 
at  Naples,  but  all  seems  gone  like  a  dream.'  She  is 
*  plagued  by  lawyers,  ill-used  by  the  Government,  and  dis- 
tracted by  that  variety  and  perplexity  of  subjects  which 
press  upon  her,'  without  any  one  left  to  steer  her  course. 
She  passes  '  as  much  of  her  time  at  dear  Merton  as  pos- 
sible,' and  '  always  feels  particularly  low  '  when  she  leaves  it. 
She  tries  hard  to  gain  '  a  mastery  over  herself,'  but  at  present 
her  own  unhappiness  is  as  invincible  as  her  gratitude  to 
her  old  friend  who  so  often  influenced  her  for  good.  She  is 
distraught,  misinterpreted,  the  sport  of  chance  and  apathy. 

'  L'ignorance  en  courant  fait  sa  roide  homicide, 
L'indiffi^rence  observe  et  le  hasard  decide.' 

Two  years  later  again,  when  misfortunes  were  thickening 
around  her,  she  thus  addressed  Heaviside,  her  kind  surgeon  : 
— ' .  .  .  Altho'  that  life  to  myself  may  no  longer  be  happy,  yet 
my  dear  mother  and  Horatia  will  bless  you,  for  if  I  can  make 
the  old  age  of  my  good  mother  comfortable,  and  educate 
Horatia,  as  the  great  and  glorious  Nelson  in  his  dying 
moments  begged  me  to  do,  I  shall  feel  yet  proud  and  de- 
lighted that  I  am  doing  my  duty  and  fulfilling  the  desires 
and  wishes  of  one  I  so  greatly  honoured.'  ^  And  in  the 
same  strain  she  wrote  in  that  same  year  to  Greville,  who 
had  then  relented  towards  her.  She  strove,  she  assured  him, 
to  fulfil  all  that '  glorious  Nelson '  thought  that  she  '  would 
do  if  he  fell' — her  'daily  duties  to  his  memory."^  Of 
'virtuous'  Nelson  she  writes  perpetually.  On  him  as  per- 
petually she  muses.  For  till  she  had  met  him  she  had 
never  known  the  meaning  of  true  self-sacrifice.  In  his 
strength  her  weak  soul  was  still  absorbed.  Remembrance 
was  now  her  guiding  star ;  but  it  trembled  above  her  over 
troubled  waters,  leading  to  a  dismal  haven.     Nor,  in  her 

'  Unpublished  letter  from  Sotheby's  catalogue,  autumn  1904.  The  letter  is 
in  Mr.  Sabin's  possession.     Cf.  App.,  Part  11.  C.  (5). 

-  Lady  Hamilton  to  Greville,  in  a  new  letter  undated,  but,  from  internal 
evidence,  certainly  written  during  November  1808.    Cf.  App.,  Part  11.  C.  {5)  {b). 


The  earliest  amateur  skeich  ok  Emma  Lvon,  Lauv  Hamilton. 

By  Miss  Thomas  (daughter  ok  her  first  employer) 

AT  IIawakden. 


4 


IMPORTUNITY  AND  LIQUIDATION         443 

own  sadness,  was  she  ever  unmindful   of  the  misery  and 
wants  of  others. 

Before  the  year  1808,  which  was  to  drive  her  from  '  dear, 
dear  Merton,'  had  opened,  she  received  one  more  letter 
which  cheered  her.  Mrs.  Thomas,  the  widow  of  her  old 
Hawarden  employer,  the  mother  of  the  daughter  who  first 
sketched  her  beauty,  and  whom  Emma  always  remembered 
with  gratitude,  wrote  to  condole  with  her  on  the  misconduct 
of  some  of  the  Connors.  She  alluded  also  to  that  old  rela- 
tion, Mr.  Kidd,  mentioned  at  the  beginning  of  our  story,  who 
from  being  above  had  fallen  beyond  work,  but  who  still 
battened  on  the  bounty  of  his  straitened  benefactress  : — 

' .  .  .  I  am  truly  sorry  that  you  have  so  much  trouble  with 
your  relations,  and  the  ungrateful  return  your  care  and 
generosity  meets  with,  is  indeed  enough  to  turn  your  heart 
against  them.  However,  ungrateful  as  they  are,  your  own 
generous  heart  cannot  see  them  in  want,  and  it  is  a  pity 
that  your  great  generosity  towards  them  shou'd  be  so  ill- 
placed.  I  don't  doubt  that  you  receive  a  satisfaction  in 
doing  for  them,  which  will  reward  you  here  and  hereafter. 
I  sent  for  Mr.  Kidd  upon  the  receipt  of  your  letter.  I  be- 
lieve he  has  been  much  distressed  for  some  time  back,  .  ,  . 
As  he  observes,  he  was  not  brought  up  for  work.'^  In  her 
opinion,  the  less  pocket-money  he  gets,  the  better;  it  'will 
onely  ^  be  spent  in  the  ale-house.'  The  Reynoldses,  too,  had 
been  living  upon  Emma,  and  another  relation,  Mr.  Nichol, 
Kidd's  connection,  expected  ten  shillings  a  week.  Emma 
had  provided  Richard  Reynolds  with  clothes,  and  a  Mr. 
Humphries  with  lodging.  They  all  imagined  her  in  clover, 
and  she  would  not  undeceive  them.  When  her  '  extrava- 
gance '  is  brought  up  against  her,  these  deeds  of  hidden  and 
ill-requited  generosity  should  be  remembered.  She  was 
more  extravagant  for  others  than  for  herself  She  even 
besought  the  Queen  of  Naples  to  confer  a  pension  on  Mrs. 
Grafer,  though  she  besought  in  vain.^     And  all  the  time 

'  Morrison  MS.  930.  '  Mari  Thomas,'  Hawarden,  to  Lady  Hamilton, 
Hawarden,  Novemher  27,  1807. 

-  L.idy  H.  also  spells  this  word  thus.  I  think  that  the  Thomases  taught  her 
spelling. 

•'  Cf.  Api).,  I'att  II.  C  (5)  (A).  In  a  letter  of  the  following  year  Mrs.  Grafer 
bitterly  complained  to  Lady  Hamilton  that  Maria  Carolina,  despite  her  con- 
tinued and  atTcctionatc  correspondence,  refused  to  aid  her. 


444  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

she  continued  her  unceasing'  presents  to  Nelson's  relations, 
and  to  poor  blind  '  Mrs.  Maurice  Nelson.'^ 

But  these  were  the  flickers  of  a  wasting  candle.  By  April 
1808  Merton  was  up  for  sale.-^  The  Boltons  had  not  the 
slightest  inkling  of  her  disasters.^  They  missed  the  regu- 
larity of  her  letters;  they  had  heard  that  she  was  unwell,  and 
fretting  herself,  but  they  were  quite  unaware  of  the  cause. 
Indeed,  Anne  Bolton  was  herself  now  at  Merton  with 
Horatia,  under  the  care  of  Mrs,  Cadogan,*  who  was  soon  ill 
herself  under  the  worries  so  bravely  withheld. 

Maria  Carolina,  still  in  affectionate  correspondence  with 
her  friend,  was,  however,  unable  or  unwilling  to  aid  her  since 
she  had  written  the  reluctant  plea  on  her  behalf  to  the 
English  ministers  four  years  previously.  Indeed,  it  may  be 
guessed  that  one  of  the  reasons  alleged  for  disregarding  the 
supplication  of  Nelson,  was  that  its  discussion  might  com- 
promise the  Neapolitan  Queen.  This,  then,  was  the  end  of 
the  royal  gratitude  so  long  and  lavishly  professed.  When 
Emma  in  this  year  besought  her,  not  for  herself,  but  for 
Mrs.  Grafer  (then  on  the  eve  of  return  to  Palermo),  she 
told  Greville  that  she  had  adjured  her  to  redeem  her  pledge 
of  a  pension  to  their  friend  '  by  the  love  she  bears,  or  once 
bore,  to  Emma,'  as  well  as  '  by  the  sacred  memory  of 
Nelson.'  If  the  Queen  was  at  this  time  in  such  straits  as 
precluded  her  from  a  pecuniary  grant  once  promised  to  the 
dependant,  she  might  still  have  exerted  herself  for  her 
dearest  friend.  But  'Out  of  sight,  out  of  mind.'  In  despair, 
while  Rose  returned  to  his  barren  task  of  doing  little 
elaborately,  Emma  betook  herself  to  Lord  St.  Vincent.  If 
her  importunities  could  effect  nothing  with  the  gods  above, 
she  would  entreat  one  of  them  below.  Perhaps  Nelson's 
old  ally  could  melt  the  obdurate  ministers  into  some  regard 
for  Nelson's  latest  prayers  ;  perhaps  through  him  she  might 

'  Emma  evidently  urged  her  to  claim  her  over-due  allowance  frcnii  the  Earl. 
Morrison  MS.  935. 

-  It  was  valued  by  '  Willock,  Golden  Square,' at  ^12,930.     Morrison  MS. 
938,  April  4,  180S. 

^  So  late  as  September  Mrs.  Bolton  congratulates  her  on  the  '  improvements 
so  much  to  her  liking.' — Morrison  MS.  953. 

Morrison  MS.  939.     Anne  was  recalled  to  Cranwich  by  her  mother's  own 
illness. 


IMPORTUNITY  AND  LIQUIDATION         445 

draw  a  drop,  if  only  of  bitterness,  with  her  Danaid  bucket 
from  that  dreary  official  well. 

She  conjures  him  by  the  '  tender  recollection '  of  his 
love  for  Nelson  to  help  the  hope  reawakened  in  her 'after 
so  many  years  of  anxiety  and  cruel  disappointment,'  that 
some  heed  may  be  paid  to  the  dying  wishes  of  'our  im- 
mortal and  incomparable  hero,'  for  the  reward  of  those 
'  public  services  of  importance '  which  it  was  her  '  pride  as 
well  as  duty  to  perform,'  She  will  not  harrow  him  by 
detailing  'the  various  vicissitudes'  of  her  'hapless'  fortunes 
since  the  fatal  day  when  '  Nelson  bequeathed  herself  and 
his  infant  daughter,  expressly  left  under  her  guardianship, 
to  the  munificent  protection  of  our  Sovereign  and  the 
nation.'  She  will  not  arouse  his  resentment  '  by  reciting 
the  many  petty  artifices,  mean  machinations,  and  basely 
deceptive  tenders  of  friendship'  which  hitherto  have 
thwarted  her.  She  reminds  him  that  he  knows  what  she 
did,  because  to  her  and  her  husband's  endeavours  she  had 
been  indebted  for  his  friendship.  The  widow  of  Lock, 
the  Palermo  Consul,  had  an  immediate  pension  assigned 
of  ;^8c)0  a  year,  while  Mr.  Fox's  natural  daughter,  Miss 
Willoughby,  obtained  one  of  ;^300.  Might  not  the  widow 
of  the  King's  foster-brother,  an  Ambassador  so  distinguished, 
hope  for  some  recognition  of  what  she  had  really  done, 
and  what  Nelson  had  counted  on  being  conceded  ?  ^ 

At  the  same  time  both  she  and  Rose  besought  Lord 
Abercorn,  who  interested  himself  warmly  in  her  favour.  In 
Rose's  letter  occurs  an  important  passage,  to  the  effect  that 
Nelson  on  his  last  return  home  had,  through  him,  for- 
warded to  Pitt  a  solemn  assurance  that  it  was  through 
Emma's  'exclusive  interposition  that  he  had  obtained 
provisions  and  water  for  the  English  ships  at  Syracuse,  in 
the  summer  of  1798,  by  which  he  was  enabled  to  return  to 
Egypt  in  quest  of  the  enemy's  fleet';  and  also  that  Pitt 
himself,  while  staying  with  him  at  Cuffnells,  had  '  listened 
favourably '  to  his  representations.^  Rose  had  previously 
assured    Lady    Hamilton    that    he   was   coyivinced    of    the 

'  Morrison  MS.  949. 

-  Rose's  DiarieSy  letter  of  April  9,  iSob.  Pitt,  however,  he  says,  made  no 
'  engagement.' 


446  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

'  justice  of  her  pretensions,'  to  which  she  '  was  entitled  both 
on  principle  and  policy.'  ^ 

And  not  long  afterwards,  when,  as  we  shall  shortly  see, 
kind  friends  came  privately  to  her  succour,  she  forwarded 
another  long  memorial  to  Rose,  in  whose  Diaries  it  is 
comprised,  clearly  detailing  both  services  and  misadventures. 
'This  want  of  success,'  she  repeats,  and  with  truth,  'has 
been  more  unfortunate  for  me,  as  I  have  incurred  very 
heavy  expenses  in  completing  what  Lord  Nelson  had 
left  unfinished  at  Merton,  and  I  have  found  it  impossible 
to  sell  the  place.'  She  might  have  added  that  Nelson 
entreated  her  not  to  spend  one  penny  of  income  on  the 
contracts ;  he  never  doubted  that  this  cost  at  least  the 
nation  would  defray.  '  From  these  circumstances,'  she 
resumes,  '  I  have  been  reduced  to  a  situation  the  most 
painful  and  distressing  that  can  be  conceived,  and  should 
have  been  actually  confined  in  prison,  if  a  few  friends  from 
attachment  to  the  memory  of  Lord  Nelson  had  not  inter- 
fered to  prevent  it,  under  whose  kind  protection  alone  I  am 
enabled  to  exist.  My  case  is  plain  and  simple.  I  rendered 
a  service  of  the  utmost  importance  to  my  country,  attested 
in  the  clearest  and  most  undeniable  manner  possible,  and  I 
have  received  no  reward,  although  justice  was  claimed  for 
me  by  the  hero  who  lost  his  life  in  the  performance  of  his 
duty.  ...  If  I  had  bargained  for  a  reward  beforehand,  there 
can  be  no  doubt  but  that  it  would  have  been  given  to  me,  and 
liberally.  I  hoped  then  not  to  want  it.  I  do  now  stand  in 
the  utmost  need  of  it,  and  surely  it  will  not  be  refused  to  me. 
...  I  anxiously  implore  that  my  claims  may  not  be  rejected 
without  consideration,  and  that  my  forbearance  to  urge  them 
earlier  may  not  be  objected  to  me,  because  in  the  lifetime 
of  Sir  William  Hamilton  I  should  not  have  thought  of  even 
mentioning  them,  nor  indeed  after  his  death,  if  I  had  been 
left  in  a  less  comparatively  destitute  state.' 

Yet  the  latter  was  the  excuse  continuously  urged  by  suc- 
cessive Governments.  Both  Rose  and  Canning,  more  than 
once,  admitted  the  justice  of  her  claims,  and  even  Grenville 
seems  by  implication  not  to  have  denied  it.-     Rose  always 

1  Rose's  Diaries,  leUer  of  December  9,  1805. 

"  He  would  have  considered  her  claims  had  they  been  pressed  at  the  time 


IMPORTUNITY  AND  LIQUIDATION         447 

avowed  his  promise  to  Nelson  at  his  '  last  parting  from 
him  '  to  do  his  best,  and  he  did  it.  But  he  well  knew 
that  the  real  obstacle  lay  not  in  doubt,  or  in  lapse  of  time, 
or  in  the  quibble  of  how  and  from  what  fund  it  would  be 
possible  to  satisfy  her  claims,  but  solely  in  the  royal  dis- 
inclination to  favour  one  whom  the  King's  foster-brother  had 
married  against  his  will,  and  whose  early  antecedents,  and 
later  connection  with  Nelson,  alike  scandalised  him.^  The 
objections  raised  were  always  technical  and  parliamentary, 
and  never  touched  the  substantial  point  of  justice  at  all,  as 
may  be  seen  in  the  short  note  just  appended — a  note  which 
might  have  been  considerably  enlarged  had  every  instance 
been  adduced.  The  sum  named — £6000  or  £yooo — would 
have  been  a  bagatelle  in  view  of  the  party  jobbing  then 
universally  prevalent ;  and  no  attentive  and  impartial 
peruser  of  the  whole  correspondence  from  1803- 181 3  ^^^i 
fail  to  grasp  that  each  successive  minister — one  generously, 
another  grudgingly — admitted  her  claims  even  while  he 
refused  them.  It  was  not  their  justice,  but  justice  itself 
that  was  denied,  and  the  importunate  widow  was  left 
pleading  before  the  unjust  judge  who  had  more  advan- 
tageous claimants  to  content.  Pitt's  death,  in  January 
1806,  was  undoubtedly  a  great  blow  to  Emma's  hopes. 
During  his  last  illness  she  must  often  have  watched  that 

(Pettigrew,  vol.  ii.  p.  628).  lie  would  not  give  a  '  clear  opinion.'  Canning, 
writing  to  Rose  in  1809  of  Greville's  letter — worded  'with  the  coldest  caution' 
— says  it  'left  it  open  to'  Greville  'to  say  that  though  her  services  deserved 
reward,  yet  the  Foreign  Secret  Service  Fund  was  not  the  proper  fund  out  of 
which  that  reward  should  come.'  In  this  Canning  agreed,  hut  added,  'I  do 
think  that  a  pension  might  well  be  bestowed.'  He  repeats,  in  1S13,  that  he 
thought  her  'richly  entitled.'  He  feared  'inconvenient'  questions  from  the 
Opposition  if  recourse  were  had  to  that  fund.  Cf.  Rose's  Diaries,  vol.  i.  jip.  260 
and  seq.  and  passim. 

'  Cf.  inter  alia,  Lady  H.'s  own  assertion  in  a  letter  of  March  4,  1813,  to 
George  Rose  (contained  in  his  Diaries),  the  original  of  which  was  sold  in  July 
1905  at  Sotheby's ;  and  tlie  inferences  from  a  passage  in  Rose's  letter  of  July  3, 
1806,  where  he  speaks  of  the  chance  of  proposing  to  the  A'ing  a  small  pension 
for  the  child  (Morrison  MS.  948,  July  21,  1S08),  where  Rose  again  assures 
Kmma  of  Canning's  goodwill,  but  hints  '  »>/5wrwo«>/A;/'/f  difficulties' ;  and  there 
is  another  letter  where  Lady  H.  says  that  a  kind  friend  has  explained  to  her  the 
reason  ;  another,  again,  to  her  declaring  the  royal  disfavour  to  be  the  cause,  and 
another  of  1804  from  Hugh  Elliot  to  Nelson  alleging  that  her  claims  would  have 
a  better  chance  under  another  '  reign,'  Morrison  MS.  763. 


44'"^  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

white  house  at  Putney  with  the  keenest  anxiety.  So  early 
as  the  beginning  of  1805,  Lord  Melville,  whom  Nelson  had 
asked  to  bestir  himself  on  Emma's  behalf  during  his  absence, 
told  Davison  that  he  had  spoken  to  Pitt  personally  about 
'the  propriety  of  a  pension  of  ^^500'  for  her.  Melville 
himself  spoke  '  very  handsomely  '  both  of  her  and  her  '  ser- 
vices.'^ Pitt,  if  he  had  survived  more  than  a  year  and  had 
been  quit  of  Lord  Grenville,  might  have  risked  the  royal 
disfavour,  as  in  weightier  concerns  he  never  shrank  from 
doing.  The  luckless  Emma  sank  between  the  two  stools 
of  social  propriety  and  official  convenience,  while  the  hope 
against  hope,  that  no  disillusionment  could  extinguish,  con- 
stantly made  her  the  victim  of  her  anticipations. 

For  a  moment  a  purchaser  willing  to  give  ;^i 3,000  for 
Merton  had  been  almost  secured.  But  debts  and  fears 
hung  round  her  neck  like  millstones.  They  interrupted 
her  correspondence  and  sapped  her  health,  now  in  serious 
danger.  By  June  1808  she  told  her  surgeon,  Heaviside, 
that  she  was  so  '  low  and  comfortless '  that  nothing  did  her 
good.  Her  heart  was  so  '  oppressed '  that  '  God  only 
knows'  when  that  will  mend, — 'perhaps  only  in  heaven.' 
He  had  'saved'  her  life.  He  was  'like  unto  her  a  father,  a 
good  brother.'  In  vain  she  supplicated  '  Old  Q.'  to  purchase 
Merton  and  she  would  live  on  what  remained:-  he  had 
named  her  in  his  will,  and  that  sufficed.  With  her  staunch 
servant  Nanny,  and  her  faithful  '  old  Dame  Francis,'  who 
attended  her  to  the  end,  she  and  Horatia  retired  to  Rich- 
mond, where  for  a  space  the  Duke  allowed  her  to  occupy 
Heron  Court,  though  this  too  was  later  on  to  be  exchanged 
for  a  small  house  in  the  Bridge  Road.  She  herself  drew  up 
a  will,  bequeathing  what  still  was  hers  to  her  mother  for  her 
life,  and  afterwards  to  '  Nelson's  daughter,'  with  many  en- 
dearments, and  expressing  the  perhaps  impudent  request 
that  possibly  she  might  be  permitted  to  rest  near  Nelson  in 
St.  Paul's,  but  otherwise  she  desired  to  rest  near  her  '  dear 
mother.'  She  begged  Rose  to  act  as  her  executor,  and  she 
called  on  him,  the  Duke,  the  Prince,  and  '  any  administra- 

^  Morrison  MS.  804,  Davison  to  Lady  Hamilton,  January  6,  1805. 
-  Ibid.  951.     She  hoped  '  ;if  15,000  would  do  for  everything.'     ;^i8,ooo,  how- 
ever, were  required.     Her  one  wish  was  '  to  be  free  and  at  liberty,' 


IMPORTUNITY  AND  LIQUIDATION        449 

tion  that  has  hearts  and  feelings,'  to  support  and  cherish 
Horatia.^ 

All  proved  unavailing,  and  she  resigned  herself  to  the 
inevitable  liquidation.  After  a  visit  to  the  Boltons  in 
October,  she  returned  to  arrange  her  affairs  in  November. 

A  committee  of  warm  friends  had  taken  them  in  hand. 
Many  of  them  had  powerful  city  connections.  Sir  John 
Perring  was  chairman  of  a  meeting  convened  in  his  house 
at  the  close  of  November.  His  chief  associates  were  Gold- 
smid,  Davison,  Barclay,  and  Lavie,  a  solicitor  of  the  highest 
standing,  and  there  were  five  other  gentlemen  of  repute. 

A  full  statement  had  been  drawn  up.  Her  assets 
amounted  to  ^,"17,500,  'taken  at  a  very  low  rate,'  and 
independent  of  her  annuities  under  the  two  wills  and  her 
'claim  on  the  Government,'  which  they  still  put  to  the 
credit  side.  Her  private  debts,  of  which  a  great  part  were 
on  account  of  the  Merton  improvements,''  amounted  to 
j^Sooo,  but  there  were  also  exorbitant  demands  on  the  part 
of  money-lenders,  who  had  made  advances  on  the  terms  of 
receiving  'annuities.'  To  satisfy  these,  i^io,ooo  were 
required. 

Everything  possible  was  managed.  All  her  assets,  in- 
cluding the  prosecution  of  those  hopeless  claims,  were 
vested  in  the  committee  as  trustees,  and  they  were  realised 
to  advantage.  Goldsmid  himself  purchased  Merton." 
£2,700  were  meanwhile  subscribed  in  advance  to  pay  off 
her  private  indebtedness. 

At  this  juncture  Greville  reappears  unexpectedly  upon 
the  scene.      In   her  sore  distress  he  thawed  towards  one 

'  Morrison  MS.  959,  October  16,  1808. 

''  This  is  likely  from  the  fact  that,  including  the  annuities,  which  were  un- 
acknowledged, and  exorbitant  obligations  on  advances,  which  amounted  to 
;^lo,ooo,  she  herself  had  declared  that  if  the  Duke  bought  Merton  for  ;^i  5,000, 
she  would  be  clear.  Her  current  debts,  therefore,  were  ^^5000,  and  most  of  this 
must  have  referred  to  the  extensive  alterations  at  Merton.  Afterwards,  however, 
;f^3000  more  of  her  private  debts  made  their  appearance.  These  were  paid  oft 
by  immediate  subscription. 

^  Lysons's  Ettvtrons  of  Lomion,  Supplement  (iSii),  p.  46,  and  Morrison 
MS.  965,  Mrs.  Bolton  to  Lady  H.,  April  23,  1S09  :  '  I  am  glad  to  hear  a 
Goldsmid  has  purchased  Merton  rather  than  any  stranger.  You,  I  hope,  will 
feel  more  easy  now  it  is  gone.  Perhaps  you  and  I  may  one  day  have  a  melan- 
choly pleasure  in  tracing  former  limes  in  these  walks.' 

2  F 


450  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

whom  his  iciest  reserve  and  most  pettifogging  avarice  had 
never  chilled.  He  had  evidently  asked  her  to  call,  though 
he  never  seems  to  have  offered  assistance.  She  answered, 
in  a  letter  far  more  concerning  her  friend  Mrs.  Grafer's 
affairs  than  her  own,  that  an  interview  with  her  '  trustees ' 
must,  alas!  prevent  her: — 'I  will  call  soon  to  see  you,  and 
inform  you  of  my  present  prospect  of  Happiness  at  a 
moment  of  Desperation ' ;  you  who,  she  adds,  '  I  thought 
neglected  me,  Goldsmid  and  my  city  friends  came  forward, 
and  tliey  have  rescued  me  from  Destruction,  Destruction 
brought  on  by  Earl  Nelsons  having  thrown  on  me  the  Bills 
for  finishing  Merton,  by  his  having  secreted  the  Codicil  of 
Dying  Nelson,  who  attested  in  his  dying  moments  that  I 
had  well  served  my  country.  All  these  things  and  papers 
...  I  have  laid  before  my  Trustees.  They  are  paying  my 
debts.  I  live  in  retirement,  and  the  City  are  going  to  bring 
forward  my  claims.  .  .  .  Nothing,  no  power  on  earth  shall 
make  me  deviate  from  my  present  system''^  she  concludes, 
using  the  very  word  which  Greville  used  concerning  his 
methods  with  womankind  in  the  first  letter  which  she  ever 
received  from  him.  Goldsmid  had  been  an  '  angel ' ;  friends 
were  so  kind  that  she  scarcely  missed  her  carriage  and 
horses. 

Emma  had  every  reason  to  be  grateful.  She  was  clear 
of  debt.  She  could  still  retain  the  valuables  that  were  out 
of  Merton.  With  Horatia's  settlement,  she  could  count  on 
about  £(^oo  a  year  when  the  '  annuities '  had  been  dis- 
charged. Somehow  they  never  were,  and  they  again  figure 
largely  during  her  last  debacle.  The  mysteries  of  her 
entanglements  baffle  discovery ;  so  does  her  sanguine  im- 
providence which,  to  the  end,  alternated  with  deep  depres- 
sion. In  a  few  years  she  and  Horatia,  like  Hagar  and 
Ishmael,  were  to  go  forth  into  the  wilderness  ;  but  even 
then  she  was  still  buoyed  up  with  this  mirage  of  an  oasis 
in  her  tantalising  desert. 

Relieved  for  the  moment,  she  resumed  the  tenor  of  her 
way  at  Richmond.  She  frequented  concerts,  and  some- 
times dances,^  in  the  fashionable  set  of  the  Duke  and  the 

1  Cf.  App.,  Part  II.  C.  (5)  {b). 

^  E.g.  Lady  Rushe's,  Morrison  MS.  963,  February  14,  1809. 


IMPORTUNITY  AND  LIQUIDATION        451 

Abercorns.  In  June  1809  Lord  Northwick  begged  her  to 
come  to  the  Harrow  speeches,^  and  afterwards  meet  a  few 
'old  Neapolitan  friends'  and  her  life-long  friend  the  Duke 
of  Sussex  at  'a  fete  in  his  house.'  The  fame  of  Horatia's 
accomplishments  added  the  zest  of  curiosity.  All  were 
eager  to  meet  the  'interesting  eleve  whom  Lady  Hamilton 
has  brought  up '  with  every  grace  and  every  charm.  The 
Duke  of  Sussex  looked  forward  to  the  encounter  with 
pleasure ;  Emma  had  not  yet  lost  her  empire  over  the 
hearts  of  men.  Of  this  invitation  Emma  took  advantage 
to  do  a  thoughtful  kindness  for  an  unhappy  bride  who  had 
just  married  the  composer  Francesco  Bianchi.  A  fort- 
night later  she  was  still  trying  to  heal  the  breach  between 
them." 

The  Bohemians,  therefore,  were  always  with  her.  She 
continued  to  receive  the  Italian  singers  as  well  as  their 
patrons;  she  still  saw  Mrs.  Denis  and  Mrs.  Billington, 
whose  brutal  husband,  Filisan,  was  now  threatening  her 
from  Paris  ;  while  Mrs.  Grafer,"  on  the  very  eve  of  return 
to  Italy,  continued  to  beset  her  with  importunities.  Nor 
did  her  old  friends,  naval,  musical,  and  literary,  spare  the 
largeness  of  her  hospitality  or  the  narrowness  of  her  purse. 

But,  in  addition  to  these  diversions,  she  still  overtasked 
herself  with  Horatia's  education — so  much  so,  that  Mrs. 
Bolton  wrote  beseeching  her  to  desist*  Sarah  Connor  had 
now  transferred  her  services  to  the  Nelson  family,  and 
Emma  eventually  took  the  musical  but  far  less  literate 
Cecilia  for  Horatia's  governess.^ 

'  Old  Q.,'  her  patron,  now  in  the  last  year  of  his  self- 
indulgent  life,  was  busy  making  a  new  will  every  week.^ 
His  friendship  for  Emma,  however,  had  been  truly  dis- 
interested, and  even  calumny  never  coupled  their  names 
together.     When  he  died  next  year,  he  left  her  an  annuity 

1  Some  six  years  before,  she  and  Nelson  had  attended  the  Eton  4th  of  June 
festivities  to  see  the  young  Horatio.  -  Cf.  Morrison  M.S.  971,  973. 

^  In  August  iSogshe  writes  to  Emma,  '  I  am  on  my  last  leggs.' — Ibid.  979. 

*  Morrison  MS.  965,  April  23,  1809.  She  refers  to  expense  as  much  as  to 
effort. 

'■>  Meanwhile  she  eng.aged  a  Mile.  Roulanch.  The  Holtcn  girls  hoped  that 
Sarah  would  stay  with  them  at  the  end  of  May  1S09. — Ibid.  967,  968. 

"  Ibid.  gOy,  May. 


452  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

of  ;^500,  which,  however — such  was  her  persistent  ill  luck — 
she  never  lived  to  receive,  for  the  old  voluptuary's  will 
was  contested,  it  would  seem,  till  after  Lady  Hamilton  had 
paid  the  debt  of  nature.  Even  if  she  had  survived  the 
litigation,  it  would  probably  have  absorbed  a  portion  of 
the  bequest. 

The  autumn  of  1809  saw,  too,  the  end  of  Greville.  Since 
his  mean  and  heartless  treatment  of  her  after  Hamilton's 
death,  Emma,  save  for  the  glimpse  of  reconciliation  afforded 
by  the  remarkable  comm.unication  of  1808  just  quoted,  had 
never  so  much  as  breathed  his  name  in  any  of  her  surviving 
letters.  The  collector  of  stones  had,  till  that  moment  of 
compunction,  himself  been  petrified.  In  1812  his  crystals, 
for  which  he  had  so  long  ago  exchanged  Emma,  together 
with  the  paintings  which  his  cult  of  beauty  at  the  expense 
of  the  beautiful  had  amassed,  were  sold  at  Christie's.  *  The 
object  of  this  connoisseur,'  writes  M.  Simond,  an  eye- 
witness of  the  auction,  'was  to  exhibit  the  progress  of  the 
art  from  its  origin  by  a  series  of  pictures  of  successive  ages 
— many  of  them  very  bad.'  ^  And  perhaps  the  faultiest  of 
his  pictures  had  been  himself 

From  1 8 10,  when  they  left  Richmond,  onwards,  Emma 
and  Horatia  owned  no  fixed  abode.  They  moved  from  Bond 
Street  to  Albemarle  Street,-^  thence  for  a  few  months  to 
Piccadilly  once  more,^  thence  to  Dover  Street,*  thence  to 
two  separate  lodgings  at  the  two  ends  again  of  Bond  Street, 
where  Nelson  for  a  brief  space  after  Sir  William's  death 
had  also  lodged.  Lady  Bolton,  with  her  daughter,  the 
godchild  Emma,  who  had  failed  to  find  her  at  the  opening 
of  the  year,  expressed  their  keen  disappointment:  'You 
cannot  think  how  melancholy  I  felt  when  we  passed  the  gate 
at  the  top  of  Piccadilly,  thinking  how  often  we  had  passed 
it  together.  .  .  .  Emma  sends  her  best  love  and  kisses  to 
you,  and  Horatia,  and  Mrs,  Cadogan.  When  I  told  her 
just  now  how  if  we  had  gone  two  houses  further  we  should 
have  seen  you,  she  looked  very  grave.  At  last  she  called 
out:  "Pray,  Mama,  promise  me  to  call  as  we  go  back  to 
Cranwich."  .  .  .  My  love  to   Mrs.  Cadogan,  Miss  Connor, 

^  Simond's /otirnal  0/ a  Tour  and  Residence,  etc.  (1817),  vol.  i.  p.  114. 

2  No.  36.  "  Cf.  Morrison  MS.  998.  ''  November  16.— Idid.  1018. 


I 


IMPORTUNITY  AND  LIQUIDATION        453 

and  my  dear  Horatia.  .  .  .  God  bless  you,  my  dear  Lady 
Hamilton.'^ 

But  the  worst  blow  was  yet  to  fall.  By  the  opening  of 
the  new  year  her  mother  lay  on  her  deathbed. 

Her  old  admirer,  Sir  H.  Fetherstonehaugh — and  nothing 
is  more  curious  in  this  extraordinary  woman's  life  than  the 
way  in  which  the  light  lover  of  her  first  girlhood  re-emerges 
after  thirty  years  as  a  respectful  friend — began  a  series  of 
sympathising  letters.  He  was  much  concerned  for  her 
health,  and  ill  as  she  was,  she  forgot  her  own  ailments  in 
the  terrible  trial  of  her  mother's  malady.  *  As  I  am  alive 
to  all  nervous  sensations,'  he  wrote,  '  be  assured  I  under- 
stand your  language.' — '  I  trust  you  will  soon  be  relieved 
from  all  that  load  of  anxiety  you  have  had  so  much  of 
lately,  and  which  no  one  so  little  deserves.' - 

Mrs.  Cadogan  died  on  the  same  day  as  the  date  of  this 
letter,  and  Emma  with  Horatia  now  drifted  forlorn  and  alone 
in  a  pitiless  world.  Emma's  mother  had  endeared  herself 
to  all  the  Nelson  and  Hamilton  circle,  as  well  as  to  her 
own  humble  kindred.  '  Dear  Blessed  Saint,'  wrote  Mrs. 
Bolton  to  Lady  Hamilton, '  was  she  not  a  mother  to  us  all ! 
How  I  wish  I  was  near  you  ! '  ^  She  was  buried  in  that 
Paddington  churchyard  which  she  and  Emma  had  known 
so  well  in  the  old  days  at  Edgware  Row.* 

Emma  was  paralysed  by  the  blow.  More  than  a  year 
afterwards  she  wrote  that  she  could  feel  'no  pleasure  but 
that  of  thinking  and  speaking  of  her.'  In  sending  to 
Mrs.  Girdlestone — whose  family  still  possesses  so  many 
relics  of  Nelson — the  box  which  the  Duke  of  Sussex  had 
presented  to  Mrs.  Cadogan  in  Naples,  the  bereaved  daughter 
concluded  a  touching  letter  as  follows :  '  Accept  then,  my 
dear  Friend,  this  box.  You  that  are  so  fond  a  mother,  and 
have  such  good  children,  will  be  pleased  to  take  it  as  a 
token  of  my  regard,  for  I  have  lost  the  best  of  mothers,  my 
wounded  heart,  my  comfort,  all  buried  with  her.''' 

'  Endeavour,'  wrote  Mrs.  Bolton, '  to  keep  up  your  spirits: 
after   a   storm    comes   a    calm,  and  God  knows  you  have 

^  Morrison  MS.  987,  January  3,  iSio.  -  Ibid.  989,  January  14,  iSio. 

'  Ibid.  991,  January  27,  1810.  ^  Cf.  Annual  Register,  1810. 

*  Cf.  App.,  Part  11.  C.  (6)  (a). 


454  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

had  storm  enough,  and  surely  the  sun  must  shine  some- 
times.'^ 

The  sun  was  never  to  shine  again.  This  very  year  two 
more  staunch  friends  made  their  exit,  the  old  Duke  and 
Abraham  Goldsmid,  who,  in  despair  at  the  failure  of  the 
recent  Government  loan,  died  by  his  own  hand  at  Morden, 
while  his  associate.  Baring,  also  committed  suicide.  It  was 
a  year  of  tumult.  The  din  and  riot  of  Burdett's  election 
endangered  the  streets;  abroad  it  was  the  year  of  Napoleon's 
second  marriage,  of  the  great  battle  of  Wagram  preluding 
the  Russian  campaign.  Maria  Carolina  was  an  exile  once 
more.  Austria  and  the  allies  were  worsted  and  rabid. 
Whichever  way  Emma's  distraught  mind  turned,  despair 
and  misery  were  her  outlook,  and  Nelson  seemed  to  have 
died  in  vain. 

The  sum  raised  for  her  relief  had  been  soon  exhausted. 
In  removing  to  Bond  Street  she  intended  really  to  retrench, 
but  everything  was  swallowed  up  by  the  crowd  of  parasites 
who  consumed  her  substance  behind  her  back.-  Her  land- 
lady, Mrs.  Daumier,  pressed  for  payment.  And  yet  Lady 
Hamilton's  own  requirements  seem  to  have  been  modest 
enough. 2  It  was  Mrs.  Bianchi,  Mrs.  Billington,  Clarke,  her 
secretary,  who  seems  to  have  filched  her  papers  from  her 
afterwards,  and  the  battening  Neapolitans  that  rendered 
economy  impossible  and  swarmed  around  her  to  the  close. 
Nor  would  old  dependants  of  Nelson  believe  that  she 
was  impoverished.  One,  '  William  Nelson,'  continued  to 
importune  her  from  Bethnal  Green ;  Mr.  Twiss,  Mrs. 
Siddons's  nephew,  urged  her  influence  for  his  solicitations 
to  gain  a  'commissionership  of  Bankruptcy  '^ — an  ominous 

1  Morrison  MS.  993,  February  12, 1810. 

-  Cf.  Sarah  Connor's  letter  of  September  10,  1810,  Morrison  MS.  1000 : 
'  Mrs.  Francis  and  her  husband  came  yesterday  from  Merton  to  fetch  the  parrots. 
You  must  excuse  my  freedom  in  the  remark  I  am  about  to  make,  namely,  in  your 
being  obliged  to  pay  for  the  board  when  all  will  be  away,  excepting  only  servants, 
when  I  sett  off.  That  has  fretted  me  staying  in  town,  as  I  thought  it  made  you 
pay  the  same  as  when  all  was  at  home,  but  find  that  my  absence  nor  [sic]  yours 
makes  any  difference. '  And  cf.  lOOl  (from  the  same),  '  What  do  you  mean  to 
do  about  coals  ? '  etc. 

^  '  This,'  wrote  Sarah  Connor,  alluding  to  the  circumstances,  'alters  the  plan 
of  cheapness  greatly,  for  there  never  has  been  extravagant  dinners,  but  good 
plain  joints  for  you.'  ■*  Morrison  MS.  1013,  January  20,  1811. 


IMPORTUNITY  AND  LIQUIDATION         455 

word  for  Emma.^  The  Kidds,  Reynoldscs,  and  Charles 
Connor  still  lived  on,  the  girl  Connors  zuith  her.  Their 
conduct  ill  contrasted  with  that  of  the  once  '  poor  little 
Emma';  for  the  unacknowledged  Emma  '  Carew,'  after 
disdaining  dependence  on  her  prosperity,  was  now,  in 
adversity,  bidding  her  a  last  and  loving  farewell.^  Sir 
William  Bolton  still  entreated  her  good  offices  with  the 
royal  dukes  for  *  poor  Horace  ' ;  ^  so  did  Mrs.  Matcham  with 
Rose.*  She  could  not  even  now  refrain  from  maintaining 
appearances,  and  keeping  open  house.  She  could  not  bring 
herself  to  let  those  debonair  royal  dukes  know  that  one 
whom  they  fancied  all  song  and  sunshine  was  on  the  brink 
of  beggary.  She  could  not  hold  the  promise,  repeated  to 
her  befrienders,  of  living  in  tranquillity  and  retirement. 
Nor  would  she  desist  from  making  presents.'^  She  still 
visited  fashionable  resorts  like  Brighton.^  She  still  enjoyed 
the  friendship  of  Lady  Elizabeth  Foster,  by  now  the  new 
Duchess  of  Devonshire.''  She  still  flattered  herself,  and 
listened  to  the  flatteries  of  others.  She  still  trusted  to 
chance — to  her  elusive  claims  and  her  elusive  legacy. 

The  old  Duke  had  left  Sarah  Connor  a  legacy  also,^  but 
all  his  bequests  were  long  postponed.  While  Mrs.  Matcham 
was  congratulating  Emma  on  accessions  of  fortune,  while 
elderly,  complimentary,  Frenchified  Fetherstonehaugh  re- 
joiced at  the  Queensberry  '  mite  out  of  such  a  mass  of 
wealth,'  forwarded  her  '  envoies  de  gibier'  and  promised  her 
'  a  view  of  old  Up  Park  dans  la  belle  saison,'^  the  widow's 
cruse  was  wellnigh  drained.  Nor,  after  Greville's  death, 
was  his  brother,  as  trustee,  always  regular  in  his  payments 
of  her  forestalled  revenue.  With  reason,  as  well  as  with 
excuses,  Lord  Mansfield  warned  her  not  to  increase  her 
expenditure  till  her  '  affairs  were  settled.'  ^°  Sir  Richard 
Puleston,  inviting  her  from  Wrexham  to  revisit  the  scenes 

'  Morrison  MS.  99S,  July  23,  1810.  -  Cf.  Appendix,  Part  1.  Note  C. 

*  Morrison  MS.  1034.  "•  /bid.  1035- 1037. 

'  Ibid.  1006,  December  6,  1810.  .Vl  the  close  of  this  selfsame  year  Anne 
Hollon  thanks  her  and  1  ioralia  for  a  gown  and  a  brooch. 

•*  Morrison  MS.  1025,  which  gives  an  amusing  letter  from  her  old  Neapolitan 
acquaintance  Coxe. 

^  Cf.  Kctlicrstoneliaughs  allusion,  ibid.  1030,  December  iSll. 

"  Morrison  MS.  lOio.  "  /bid.  toog.  '"  /bid.  1014. 


456  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

of  her  childhood,  could  still  gloat  over  her  '■fairy  palace  in 
Bond  Street'  ^ 

In  extreme  need,  she  revived  her  desperate  petitions  to 
the  new  Government.  Her  fashionable  friends  called  her 
'  a  national  blessing,'  and  cried  shame  on  the  deniers  of  her 
suit.2  But  Mrs.  Bolton  well  said  to  her  that  she  feared  the 
friendly  Rose  was  '  promising  more  than  he  could  procure ' ; 
and  amid  these  dubious  hopes  two  tell-tale  pieces  of  paper 
in  the  Morrison  Collection  speak  volumes.  They  are  bills 
drawn  on  Emma  by  a  Neapolitan,  Carlo  Rovedino,  for 
£\^o  each.^ 

Even  Cecilia  Connor,  with  whom  she  had  quarrelled  but 
who  owed  her  everything,  dunned  'her  Ladyship'  for  the 
salary  due  for  such  education  as  she  had  given  '  dear 
Horatia.'^     This  was  the  last  straw. 

The  Matchams  and  Boltons  invited  her  yet  again,  but 
she  did  not  come.  She  concerted  fresh  petitions  with  a  fresh 
man  of  the  pen.^  He  hastened  at  Emma's  bidding  from 
his  '  Woodbine  Cottage '  at  Wootton  Bridge.  He  worked 
'  like  a  horse.'  During  his  absence  his  wife  was  ill.  Emma 
could  not  rest  for  thinking  of  her.  She  inquired  of  her 
from  a  common  friend.*^  She  wrote  to  her  herself:  'You  do 
not  know  how  many  obligations  I  have  to  Mr.  Russell,  and 
if  I  have  success  it  will  be  all  owing  to  his  exertions  for  me. 
Would  to  God  you  were  in  town.  What  a  consolation  it 
would  be  to  me,'  All  smiles  to  the  world,  full  of  wretched- 
ness within,  she  could  not,  as  she  wrote  so  many  years  ago, 
'divest'  herself  'of  her  natural  feelings.'  But  her  uniform 
love  of  excitement — of  which  these  hazardous  petitions 
were  a  form — peeps  out  at  the  close  of  this  little  note  :  '  It 
must  be  very  dull,  alltho'  your  charming  family  must  be 
such  a  comfort  to  you.'^ 

1  Morrison  MS.  1027,  September  25,  1811. 

^  Puleston,  among  others  ;  Morrison  MS.  1032. 

^  Morrison  MS.  1018,  1019 ;  May  13  and  14,  181 1.  He  was  a  singer,  and 
according  to  the  authors  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Scott's  Life,  acted  in  1807  as  'master 
of  the  ceremonies  '  at  a  Merton  party.  ■*  Ibid.  1024. 

^  Mr.  Russell,  an  acquaintance  of  the  Perrys,  who  now  lived  in  the  Isle  of 
Wight.  ^  Morrison  MS.  1033. 

"'  Letter  in  Clarke's  hand,  and  franked  by  Beckford,  of  December  28,  1812 ; 
in  Mr.  Sabin's  possession. 


I 


IMPORTUNITY  AND  LTQUIDATION        457 

The  crash  came  suddenly  with  the  opening  of  the  new 
year,  and  just  as  Miss  Matcham  was  begging  her  to  repose 
herself  with  them  at  Ashfield  Lodge.  Horatia  had  whoop- 
ing-cough. Emma,  who  was  never  without  a  companion, 
had  replaced  Cecilia  Connor  by  a  Miss  Wheatley.  For  the 
sixth  time  she  had  failed  in  moving  the  ministers,  but  her 
tenacity  was  inexpugnable.  She  owed  it  to  her  kind  com- 
mittee, to  Nelson's  memory,  to  Horatia,  to  herself  The 
creditors,  however,  at  last  perceived  that  the  asset  on  which 
they  had  built  their  hopes  had  vanished.  In  vain  she 
prayed  for  time  ;  the  royal  dukes  would  not  see  her 
draggled  in  the  dust.  Royal  dukes,  however,  were  not  cash, 
thought  the  creditors,  when  they  promptly  arrested  her  for 
debt.  It  was  the  first  time  such  a  calamity  had  even 
entered  her  mind,  but  it  was  not  to  be  the  last,  as  we 
shall  soon  discover.^  She  implored  none  of  her  grand 
friends.  From  the  disgrace  of  prison  she  saved  herself 
111,  with  the  ailing  Horatia,  she  found  a  scant  lodging 
at  12  Temple  Place,  within  the  rules  of  the  King's  Bench. 
To  her  old  Merton  friend,  James  Perry,  afterwards  pro- 
prietor of  the  Morning  Chronicle,  and  through  thick  and  thin 
her  warm  upholder,  she  addressed  the  following  scrawl : — 

'  Will  you  have  the  goodness  to  see  my  old  Dame  Francis, 
as  you  was  so  good  to  say  to  me  at  once  at  any  time  for 
the  present  existing  and  unhappy  circumstances  you  wou'd 
befriend  me,  and  if  you  cou'd  at  your  conveaneance  call  on 
me  to  aid  me  by  your  advice  as  before.  My  friends  come 
to  town  to-morrow  for  the  season,  when  I  must  see  what 
can  be  done,  so  that  I  shall  not  remain  here ;  for  I  am  so 
truly  unhappy  and  wretched  and  have  been  ill  ever  since  I 
had  the  pleasure  of  seeing  you  on  dear  Horatia's  birthday,^ 
that  I  have  not  had  either  spi''its  or  energy  to  write  to  you. 
You  that  loved  Sir  William  and  Nelson,  and  feel  that  I 
have  deserved  from  my  country  some  tribute  of  remunera- 
tion, will  aid  by  your  counsel  your  ever  affectionate  and 
gratefull.  .  .  .' 

^  Pettigrew,  and  others  following  him,  make  no  mention  of  more  than  one 
prrest.  But  Emma's  own  letter  to  Perry  of  April  22  in  the  next  year  (Morrison 
MS.  1054)  leaves  no  doubt  as  to  this  point.  She  says  she  has  been  in  Temple 
Place  for  nine  months. 

-  Always  celebrated  on  Oclobcr  29,  as  it  had  been  registered. 


458  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

And  to  the  Abbe  Campbell,  who  had  just  left  for 
Naples : — 

'.  .  .  You  was  beloved  and  honour'd  by  my  husband.  Nelson, 
and  myself;  knew  me  in  all  my  former  splendours  ;  you  I 
look  on  as  a  dear,  dear  friend  and  relation.  You  are  going 
amongst  friends  who  love  you ;  but  rest  assured  none 
reveres  you  nor  loves  more  than  your  ever,  etc,  P.S. — 
Poor  Horatia  was  so  broken-hearted  at  not  seeing  you. 
Tell  dear  Mr.  Tegart^  to  call  on  me,  for  I  do  indeed  feil 
truly  forlorn  and  friendless.  God  bless  you.  As  glorious 
Nelson  said,  Amen,  Amen,  Amen.'^ 

Her  stay  in  these  purlieus  was  not  long.  Perry,  and 
probably  the  Mertonite  Alderman  Smith,  must  have  bailed 
her  out.  But  during  these  few  weeks  of  restricted  liberty 
she  slaved  at  new  petitions,  was  visited  by  friends,  and 
continued  her  correspondence  with  the  Boltons  and  the 
Matchams,  who  begged  hard  for  Horatia,  whom  they  would 
meet  at  Reigate  if  Emma  '  could  not  manage  to  come  with 
her.'^  They  forwarded  her  presents  of  potatoes  and  turkeys 
from  the  country,  and  their  letters  evidently  treat  her  just 
as  if  she  were  at  large. 

All  he»-  f^nergies  were  bent  on  the  two  final  memorials  so 
often  1  ,-ferred  to  in  these  pages — that  to  the  Prince  Regent, 
and  that  to  the  King.  Rose  now  at  last  espoused  her  cause 
with  real  warmth,  and  Canning  favoured  her,  despite  his 
pique  at  her  exaggerated  account  of  what  Nelson  under- 
stood from  their  last  interview.  All,  however,  ended  in 
smoke.  Perceval,  whom  she  had  persuaded  into  benefiting 
one  of  Nelson's  nephews,  had  been  shot  in  the  previous 
year,  and  Lord  Liverpool  trod  in  the  footsteps  of  Lord 
Grenville. 

Whither  she  repaired  on  liberation  is  unknown,  though 
by  the  summer  of  the  year  she  managed  to  reinstate  herself 
in    Bond    Street*      There   is   no   heading   to   the   strange 

^  A  doctor  who,  with  Dr.  Watson,  again  tends  her  in  1814.  Cf.  Morrison 
MS.  1054. 

'■^  Cf.  Morrison  MS.  1042,  January  3,  1813  ;  1043. 

3  Cf.  Morrison  MS.  1044,  January  25,  and  for  the  other  fact  Rose's  Diaries, 
vol.  i.  pp.  265  and  266. 

■*  No.  150.  This  is  manifest  from  the  inventory  and  sale  catalogues  of  the 
following  July  sold  at  Sotheby's  on  July  8,  1905. 


i 


IMPORTUNITY  AND  LIQUIDATION        459 

remonstrance  which  the  distressed  mother  penned,  in  one 
of  her  fitful  moods,  to  Horatia  on  'Easter  Sunday '^  of 
this  year: — 

*  Listen  to  a  kind,  good  mother,  who  has  ever  been  to 
you  affectionate,  truly  kind,  and  who  has  neither  spared 
pains  nor  expense  to  make  you  the  most  amiable  and 
accomplished  of  your  sex.  Ah!  Horatia,  if  you  had  grown 
up  as  I  wished  you,  what  a  joy,  what  a  comfort  might  you 
have  been  to  me !  For  I  have  been  constant  to  you,  and 
willingly  pleas'd  for  every  manifestation  you  shew'd  to  learn 
and  profitt  of  my  lessons.  .  .  ,  Look  into  yourself  well,  cor- 
rect yourself  of  your  errors,  your  caprices,  your  nonsensical 
follies.  ...  I  have  weathered  many  a  storm  for  your  sake, 
but  these  frequent  blows  have  kill'd  me.  Listen  then  from 
a  mother,  who  speaks  from  the  dead.  Reform  your  conduct, 
or  you  will  be  detested  by  all  the  world,  and  when  you  shall 
no  longer  have  my  fostering  arm  to  sheild  you,  woe  betide 
you,  you  will  sink  to  nothing.  Be  good,  be  honou -able, 
tell  not  falsehoods,  be  not  capricious.'  She  threatened  to 
put  her  to  school — a  threat  never  executed.  *  I  grieve  and 
lament  to  see  the  increasing  strength  of  your  turbulent 
passions ;  I  weep,  and  pray  you  may  not  be  totally  lost ; 
my  fervent  prayers  are  offered  up  to  God  for  you.  I 
hope  you  may  become  yet  sensible  of  your  eternal  welfare, 
I  shall  go  join  your  father  and  my  blessed  mother,  and  may 
you  on  your  deathbed  have  as  little  to  reproach  yourself  as 
your  once  affectionate  mother  has,  for  I  can  glorify,  and  say 
I  was  a  good  child.  Can  Horatia  Nelson  say  so  ?  I  am 
unhappy  to  say  you  cannot.  No  answer  to  this !  I  shall 
to-morrow  look  out  for  a  school  for  your  sake  to  save  you, 
that  you  may  bless  the  memory  of  an  inju.'-ed  mother. 
P.S. — Look  on  me  as  gone  from  this  world.' 

Six  months  later  she  again  blamed  her  for  her  'cruel 
treatment.'  It  may  well  be  that  the  poor  young  girl, 
bandied  about  with  Emma's  fortunes,  and  with  her  driven 
from  pillar  to  post,  complained  of  hard  treatment.  '  If 
my  poor  mother,'  once  more  exclaimed  Emma,  who 
had,  at  any  rate,  been  a  most  dutiful  daughter,  '  If  my 
poor  mother  was  living  to  take  my  part,  broken  as  1  am 

'  April  iS,  1S13.     Cf.  Morrison  MS.  1047. 


46o  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

with  greif  and  ill-health,  I  should  be  happy  to  breathe  my 
last  in  her  arms.  I  thank  you  for  what  you  have  done 
to-day.  You  have  helped  me  nearer  to  God,  and  may  God 
forgive  you.'  In  two  days  'all  will  be  arranged  for  her 
future  establishment.'  She  will  summon  Colonel  and  Mrs. 
Clive,  Colonel  and  Mrs.  Smith,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Denis,  Dr. 
Norton,  Nanny  the  old  servant,  Mr.  Slop,  Mr.  Sice,  Annie 
Deane,  all  the  gossips  from  Richmond,  to  'tell  the  truth'  if 
she  '  has  used  her  ill.'  '  Every  servant  shall  be  on  oath.' 
*  The  all-seeing  eye  of  God  '  knows  '  her  innocence.'  ^ 

Of  these  two  ebullitions,  it  is  impossible  not  to  discern  in 
the  first  a  fear  lest  her  own  errors  should  be  repeated  in  her 
daughter.  And  it  should  not  be  forgotten  that,  through 
the  connivance  of  Haslewood,  Nelson's  solicitor,  Horatia  to 
the  last  refused  to  believe  that  Lady  Hamilton,  whom  she 
tenderly  nursed  and  comforted  at  the  close,  was  her  real 
mother.  Some  such  denials  of  Emma's  motherhood  may 
have  caused  these  outbursts,  proportioned  in  their  violence 
to  the  intense  and  unceasing  love  that  Emma  fostered  for 
Nelson's  child,  on  her  real  relationship  to  whom  she  here — 
and  here  only  within  four  walls — laid  such  vehement  stress. 

She  had  been  compelled  to  part  with  Horatia's  christening- 
cup.  Nelson's  own  gift,  to  a  Bond  Street  silversmith."  Sir 
Harris  Nicolas  declared  that  he  had  seen  a  statement  in 
her  handwriting  to  the  effect  that  '  Horatia's  mother '  was 
'too  great  a  lady  to  be  mentioned.'  It  has  been  assumed 
that  this  ambiguous  phrase  pointed  to  the  Queen  of  Naples, 
who  so  late  as  1808  was  in  friendly  correspondence  with 
Emma.  This,  however,  remains  uncertain.  Nelson's  own 
action  had  constrained  her  to  envelop  their  joint  offspring 
in  mystery,  for  Horatia's  benefit  as  well  as  their  own.  It  is 
just  as  probable  that  the  words  'too  great  a  lady'  were 
used  of  herself,  for  the  same  words  are  used  of  her  by  Mrs. 
Bolton  in  1809.^ 

Things  went  rapidly  from  bad  to  worse.  The  smaller 
fry   of  her   creditors  were    emboldened    by   the   complete 

^  Morrison  MS.  1051,  October  31,  1813.  2  ]vjy_  Salter. 

^  'Were  I  a  certain  great  lady,'  eic.  Morrison  MS.  984.  Since,  however, 
this  rumour  was  otherwise  current,  I  cannot  now  absolve  Emma  from  at  least 
connivinji  at  this  defamation. 


IMPORTUNITY  AND  LIQUIDATION         461 

neglect  of  her  last  '  memorials '  into  renewed  action.  At 
the  instance  of  an  exorbitant  coach-builder,^  with  a  long 
bill  in  his  hands,  she  was  re-arrested,  and  in  Horatia's 
company  she  found  herself,  towards  the  end  of  July  18 13, 
for  the  second  time  in  the  bare  lodgings  at  Temple  Place, 
All  her  remaining  effects  in  Bond  Street  were  sold.  The 
articles  offered  were  by  no  means  luxurious,  and  included 
the  remnants  of  Hamilton's  library  ;  many  of  them  were 
bought  by  the  silversmith,  whom  she  still  owed,  and  by 
Alderman  Smith,  her  most  generous  benefactor.  The  city 
remained  her  champion. 

She  could  still  see  her  friends,  Coxe  and  George  Matcham 
among  them,^  and  she  was  permitted,  such  was  her  miserable 
health,  to  drive  out  on  occasion.  But  the  game,  spiritedly 
contested  to  the  last,  was  now  up.  Mrs.  Bolton's  death  in 
the  preceding  August  added  one  more  to  the  many  fatalities 
that  thronged  around  her.  The  Matchams,  themselves  poor, 
were  unwearying  in  their  solicitude,  and  eventually  a  small 
windfall  enabled  them  to  contribute  i,"ioo  to  her  dire  neces- 
sities. Alderman  Smith  came  for  the  second  time  to  the 
rescue,  and  once  more  stood  her  bail.^ 

But  before  even  this  alleviation  was  vouchsafed,  and  while 
she  had  been  for  three  months  confined  to  her  bed,  a  crown- 
ing trouble  beset  her.  Through  the  perfidy  of  some 
dependant*  Nelson's  most  private  letters  to  her  had  been 
abstracted  some  years  before,  and  were  now  published  to 
the  world.  This  is  the  invaluable  correspondence  on  which 
these  pages  have  so  frequently  drawn.  It  was  not  their 
revelation  of  the  '  Thomson '  letters  that  prejudiced  her : 
her  enemies  were  always  willing  to  insinuate  even  that  she 
had  foisted  Horatia  on  Nelson.  It  was  the  revelation  of  the 
Prince  of  Wales  episode  of  1801,  that  scandalised  the  big 
world,  and  destroyed  the  last  shred  of  hope  for  any  future 
'memorials.'     It  was  insinuated  that  she  herself  had  pub- 

'  Much  of  his  claim  was  said  to  be  fictitious,  and  he  was  only  the  stali<ing- 
horse  for  the  annviitants  who  had  advanced  her  money. 

-  Morrison  MS.  1053. 

^  Cf.  Mrs.  and  Miss  Matcham's  letter  of  November  21,  1S13,  Morrison  MS. 
1052,  November  21,  1813. 

■•  Perliaps  Harrison,  or  more  probably  her  secretary,  Clarke,  whom  and 
whose  wife  she  had  supported. 


462  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

lished  the  volume.  '  Weather  this  person,'  she  told  Mr. 
Perry, '  has  made  use  of  any  of  these  papers,  or  weather  they 
are  the  invention  of  a  vile  mercenary  wretch,  I  know  not, 
but  you  will  oblige  me  much  by  contradicting  these  false- 
hoods.' ^  '  I  have  taken  an  oath  and  confirmed  it  at  the 
altar,'  the  much-harried  Emma  was  to  write  to  the  press  in 
the  following  year,  after  she  had  crossed  the  Channel,  '  that 
I  know  nothing  of  these  infamous  publications  that  are 
imputed  to  me.  My  letters  were  stolen  from  me  by  that 
scoundrel  whose  family  1  had  in  charity  so  long  supported. 
I  never  once  saw  or  knew  of  them.  That  base  man  is 
capable  of  forging  any  handwriting,  and  I  am  told  that  he 
has  obtained  money  from  the  [Prince  of  Wales]  by  his 
impositions.  Sir  William  Hamilton,  Lord  N.,  and  myself 
were  too  much  attached  to  his  [Royal  Highness]  ever  to 
speak  ill  or  think  ill  of  him.  If  I  had  the  means  I  would 
prosecute  the  wretches  who  have  thus  traduced  me.'-  In 
still  another  of  her  last  letters  she  is  even  more  specific 
on  this  sore  subject.  '  I  again  before  God  declare,'  she 
avers,  '  I  know  nothing  of  the  publication  of  these  stolen 
letters.' 3 

These  statements  point  to  Emma's  truthfulness.  All 
that  she  asserts  is  her  ignorance  of  the  contents  of  the 
volume,  and  how  they  came  to  be  published.  The  Prince 
of  Wales  letters  in  this  collection  are  undoubtedly  genuine, 
corroborated,  as  they  are,  by  many  of  their  companions  in 
the  Morrison  Manuscripts.  The  letters  had  been  purloined 
by  a  rascal,  and  their  publication  blasted  her  last  chances 
with  the  Prince  whom  in  her  will  she  had  begged  to  protect 
Horatia  after  she  was  gone,  while  it  also  disclosed  for  the 
first  time  her  dishonour  of  her  husband. 

Her  sin  had  found  her  out ;  but  her  sin  had  been  born 
of  real  devotion,  and  surely  it  should  not  harden  us  against 
her  lovableness,  or   alienate   us  from   charity  towards  the 

1  Cf.  her  indignant  note  of  April  26,  1814,  to  Perry,  Morrison  MS.  1054.  She 
begs  Perry  to  contradict  falsehoods  or  inventions.    She  has  not  seen  the  volume. 

^  Add.  MS.  34,992,  f.  129.  A  copy;  cf.  Appendix,  Part  II.  C.  (10).  This 
document  also  is  there  transcribed  for  the  first  time. 

"  From  the  letter  to  Sir  William  Scott  of  Sept.  12,  1814,  sold  at  Messrs. 
Sotheby's,  July  8,  1905. 


IMPORTUNITY  AND  LIQUIDATION        463 

weight  of  her  temptations,  and  from  pity  for  the  tragedy  of 
her  lot. 

She  had  abstained  from  reading  the  book.  If  she  meant 
to  deny  the  authenticity  of  these  letters,  then  indisputably 
she  must  be  taken  to  have  lied.  But  even  so,  she  was 
driven  to  oay  and  at  the  end  of  her  tether.  The  perjury 
would  Have  been  exceptional.  It  would  not  have  been 
Plato's  *  lie  in  the  soul ' :  it  would  have  been  a  lie  in  defence 
of  the  dead  and  the  living. 

'The  lips  have  sworn  :  unsworn  remains  the  soul.'  ^ 
^  '  H  7\w(7"(r'  6iJ.wfiox\  V  St  (pprfv  dvwfioTOi. 


CHAPTER    XVI 

FROM   DEBT   TO    DEATH 

July  i?>i/^— January  1815 

Short  and  evil  were  the  few  days  remaining.  *  What  shall 
I  do ;  God,  what  shall  I  do ! '  had  been  her  exclamation 
thirty-two  years  ago  to  Greville.  As  she  began,  so  she 
closed. 

Mrs.  Bolton's  death  in  the  late  summer  of  1813  left  her 
more  desolate  than  ever  at  Temple  Place.  The  Matchams 
resumed  their  warm  invitations  ;  alas  !  she  could  not  leave  ; 
she  was  still  an  undischarged  bankrupt.  The  Matchams 
themselves  were  breaking  up  the  last  of  their  many  estab- 
lishments. They  all  wished  to  join  Emma  and  Horatia, 
when  possible,  in  some  'city,  town,  or  village  abroad.'^ 
This  proposal  doubtless  suggested  the  idea  of  retiring  to 
Calais  when  her  present  ordeal  in  the  stale  air  of  stuffy 
Alsatia  should  come  to  an  end. 

But  even  in  tribulation  she  had  celebrated,  as  best  she 
could,  the  'glorious  ist  of  August.'  I  have  seen  a  letter 
inviting  a  few  even  then — not  '  pinchbeck,'  she  calls  them, 
'but  true  gold' — round  that  little  table  in  Temple  Place, 
to  drink  for  the  last  time  to  the  hero's  memory. 

The  few  surviving  records  unite  in  proving  her  genuine 
anxiety  that  through  her  no  creditor  should  suffer.  Though 
imprudence,  as  she  confessed,  had  not  a  little  contributed, 
her  main  disasters  were  due  to  a  crowd  of  worthless  on- 
hangers whom  she  had  recklessly  maintained.  She  herself 
had  gone  bail  '  for  a  person '  whom  she  thought  '  honour- 
able.' This  'person'  was  probably  one  Jewitt,  a  young 
friend  of  the  Russells,  in  whom  she  had  taken  a  warm 

1  Morrison  MS.  1053,  April  18,  1814. 


FROM  DEBT  TO  DEATH  465 

interest.  '  I  should  be  better,'  she  had  written  to  her  '  kind, 
good,  benevolent  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Russell,'  '  if  I  could  know 
that  this  unfortunate  and.  I  think,  not  guilty  young  man 
was  saved.  He  has  been  a  dupe  in  the  hands  of  villains. 
...  I  have  never  seen  him,  for  I  could  not  have  borne  to 
have  seen  him  and  his  amiable  wife  and  children  suffer  as 
they  must.'i  She  employs  the  same  phrase — 'dupe  of 
villains ' — about  herself  in  a  long  epistle  of  this  very  date 
to  Rose. 

All  her  property  was  surrendered  ;  with  the  exception 
of  a  few  sacred  relics,  everything  unseized  had  been  sold, 
even  Nelson's  sword  of  honour.-  Her  just  creditors  lost 
not  a  penny.  The  sole  extortioners  she  would  not  benefit 
were  those  annuitant  Shylocks  who  had  preyed  upon  her 
utmost  need,  and  who  had  well  secured  themselves  by 
insuring  her  life  in  the  Pelican  Insurance  Company.^ 

James  Perry  and  Alderman  Smith  exerted  themselves  to 
the  utmost  on  her  behalf  A  small  further  sum  was  col- 
lected for  her  in  the  city,  and  by  the  last  week  of  June 
.4814  her  full  discharge  was  obtained  from  Lord  Ellen- 
borough.  She  was  now  free — with  less  than  fifty  pounds  in 
her  pocket. 

But  she  soon  gleaned  the  fact  that  these  merciless 
'annuitants'  purposed  her  re-arrest.  Without  dishonour, 
she  prepared  for  exodus  to  France.* 

It  was  a  flight  requiring  management  and  secrecy  to  elude 
the  new  writs  about  to  be  issued :  it  was  her  last  thrill. 
How  different  from  that  memorable  flight  to  Palermo 
sixteen  years  earlier,  which  had  earned  the  admiration  of 

*  Cf.  extract  from  an  undated  letter  (about  1813)  in  Sotheby's  catalogue  for 
May  17,  1905,  given  in  the  Appendix.  The  name  is  there  misprinted  '  Jematt,' 
for  I  have  seen  another  letter  to  a  Mrs.  Jewitt  which  tallies  with  its  allusions. 

■'  There  was  a  dispute  in  more  recent  years  about  its  authenticity. 

^  For  the  preceding,  inter  alia,  cf.  Rose's  Diaries,  vol.  i.  p.  271  (July  4, 
1814);  Add.  MS.  34,992,  f.  199  (September  14,  1814);  Morrison  MS.  1054 
(April  22,  1814),  1055  (September  21,  1814),  1066  (February  8,  1815). 

*  '  Mr.  Smith  got  me  the  discharge  from  Lord  Ellenborough.  I  then  begged 
Mr.  Smith  to  withdraw  his  bail,  for  I  wou'd  have  died  in  prison  sooner  than 
that  good  man  should  have  suffered  forme.' — Lady II.  to  George  Rose  ;  Calais, 
|uly  4  ;  Rose's  Diaries,  vol.  i.  p.  271.  For  the  small  sum  with  which  she 
landed  in  France,  cf.  App.,  Part  II.  (10)  (a).  She  went  away  with  /"50,  out  of 
which  she  had  to  defray  all  the  travelling  expenses. 

2  G 


466  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

Nelson,    the    gratitude    of    a    court,    and    the    praise   of 
Britain  ! 

About  the  last  day  of  June  she  and  Horatia,  unattended, 
embarked  at  the  Tower.  The  stormy  passage  thence  to 
Calais  took  three  days.  Her  single  thought  was  for 
Horatia's  future,  but  she  still  buoyed  herself  up  by  believing 
that  an  ungrateful  ministry  would  at  length  provide  for  her 
daughter.  Sir  William  Scott,  she  wrote,  assured  her  that 
there  were  *  some  hopes '  for  her  *  irresistible  claims.'  She 
fancied,  moreover,  that  she  had  some  disposing  power  over 
the  accumulations  of  arrears  on  her  income  under  her 
husband's  will,  so  long  withheld  and  intercepted  by  greedy 
annuitants.  '  If  I  was  to  die,'  she  told  Greville's  brother 
and  executor,  imploring  him  at  the  same  time  for  ;^ioo  on 
account,  '  I  should  have  left  that  money  away,  for  the 
annuitants  have  no  right  to  have  it,  nor  can  they  claim  it, 
for  I  was  most  dreadfully  imposed  upon  by  my  good 
nature.  .  .  .  When  I  came  away,  I  came  with  honour,  as 
Mr.  Alderman  Smith  can  inform  you,  but  mine  own  in- 
nocence keeps  me  up,  and  I  despise  all  false  accusations 
and  aspersions.  I  have  given  up  everything  to  pay  just 
debts,  but  [for]  annuitants,  never  will.'^ 

She  at  first  lodged  at  Dessein's  famous  hotel — the  inn 
where  Sterne  (of  whom  Romney,  his  first  portrayer,  must 
have  often  told  her)  had  started  on  his  Sentimental  Journey, 
by  the  confession  over  a  bottle  of  Burgundy  that  there 
was  '  mildness  in  the  Bourbon  blood ' ;  and  where  the 
'  Englishman  who  did  not  travel  to  see  Englishmen '  had 
inspected,  in  his  host's  company,  the  ramshackle  desobli- 
geante  which  was  to  be  the  vehicle  of  his  whimsies. 

Dessein's,  however,  was  expensive  ^  as  v/ell  as  senti- 
mental. It  was  not  long  before  she  inhabited  the  smaller 
'Quillac's'^  and  looked  out  for  a  still  humbler  abode. 
Her  '  Old  Dame  Francis '  was  soon  to  join  her  as  house- 
keeper. 

'  Morrison  MS.  1055,  Lady  H.  to  Hon.  R.  F.  Greville,  September  21, 
1814. 

-  In  the  letter  to  Rose  from  '  Dessein's '  above  cited,  she  speaks  of  the  benefit 
to  her  health  from  '  change  of  climate,  food,  air,  larger  rooms,  and  liberty.' 

^  Cf.  Mrs.  Ward's  (Horatia)  account  of  her  mother's  last  days,  in  her  two 
letters  to  Mr.  Paget  in  Blackwood,  May  1888. 


FROM  DEBT  TO  DEATH  467 

She  thus  describes  their  manner  of  life  to  George 
Rose  : — 

' .  .  .  Near  me  is  an  EngHsh  lady,  who  has  resided  here  for 
twenty-five  years,  who  has  a  day-school,  but  not  for  eating 
or  sleeping.  At  eight  in  the  morning  I  take  Horatia,  fetch 
her  at  one  ;  at  three  we  dine  ;  she  goes  out  till  five,  and 
then  in  the  evening  we  walk.  She  learns  everything — 
piano,  harp,  languages  grammatically.  She  knows  French 
and  Italian  well,  but  she  will  still  improve.  Not  any  girls, 
but  those  of  the  best  families  go  there.  Last  evening  we 
walked  two  miles  to  a  fete  champetre  pour  les  bourgeois. 
Everybody  is  pleased  with  Horatia.  The  General  and  his 
good  old  wife  are  very  good  to  us  ;  but  our  little  world  of 
happiness  is  ourselves.  If,  my  dear  Sir,  Lord  Sidmouth 
would  do  something  for  dear  Horatia,  so  that  I  can  be 
enabled  to  give  her  an  education,  and  also  for  her  dress,  it 
would  ease  me,  and  make  me  very  happy.  Surely  he  owes 
this  to  Nelson.  For  God's  sake,  do  try  for  me,  for  you  do 
not  know  how  limited  I  am.  ...  I  have  been  the  victim  of 
artful,  mercenary  wretches.'^ 

Dis  aliter  visum ;  it  was  not  to  be.  Nothing  but  the 
pittance  of  Horatia's  settlement  remained.  Rose  bestirred 
himself,  but  Lord  Sidmouth  continued  impervious  to  the 
importunate  widow,-  herself  slowly  recovering  from  the 
jaundice. 

When  'Dame  Francis'  arrived,  they  tenanted  a  farm- 
house two  miles  distant  in  the  Commune  of  St.  Pierre — 
'  Common  of  St.  Peter's,'  as  Lady  Hamilton  writes  it — and 
from  this  farmhouse,  not  long  afterwards,  they  again  re- 
moved to  a  neighbouring  one.  It  belonged  to  two  ladies 
who  had  lost  a  large  sum  by  the  refusal  of  their  sons  to  join 

'  Cf.  Rose's  Diaries,  vol.  i.  p.  272  ;  and  cf.  Morrison  MS.  1055.  '  Horatia 
is  improving  in  person  and  education  every  day.  She  speaks  French  like  a 
French  girl,  Italian,  German,  English,'  etc. — September  21. 

2  On  March  6,  1813,  he  had  repulsed  her  '  Prince  Regent'  application  'after 
a  full  communication  with  Lord  Liverpool.'  It  was  'very  painfull'  for  him  to 
do  so;  he  regretted  her  'embarrassments.'  But,  'on  comparing  them  with 
representations  now  before  him  of  difticulty  and  distress  in  many  other  quarters, 
and  upon  view  of  the  circumstances  with  which  they  are  attended,'  he  found  it 
'impossible  to  administer  the  scanty  nuans  of  relief  and  assistance^  etc.  This 
model  of  officialism  is  transcribed  in  Ruse's  Diaries  :  the  original  is  in  the 
writer's  possession. 


468  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

Napoleon's  invading  army.  Its  rooms  were  large,  its  garden 
extensive.  She  could  at  length  take  exercise  in  a  pony-cart. 
She  and  Horatia  were  regular  in  church  attendance :  the 
French  prayers  were  like  their  own.  Provisions  were 
cheap:  turkeys  two  shillings,  partridges  fivepence  the  brace; 
Bordeaux  wine  from  five  to  fifteen  pence.^  Occasionally 
a  stray  visitor  passed  their  way.  Lord  Cathcart,  Sir 
William's  old  friend  and  relative,  had  visited  them,  and 
spied  out  the  nakedness  of  the  land.  It  was  well  known  at 
Calais  that  the  celebrated  Lady  Hamilton  was  in  retreat : 
a  real  live  'milord'  must  have  fluttered  the  farmhouse 
dovecote.  For  a  time  there  was  a  brief  spell  of  cheerful 
tranquillity,  but  the  gleam  was  transient.  It  was  only  a 
reprieve  before  the  final  summons.  '  If  my  dear  Horatia 
were  provided  for,'  she  wrote  to  Sir  William  Scott,  '  I  should 
dye  happy,  and  if  I  could  only  now  be  enabled  to  make 
her  more  comfortable,  and  finish  her  education,  ah  God, 
how  I  would  bless  them  that  enabled  me  to  do  it ! '  She  was 
teaching  her  German  and  Spanish  ;  music,  French,  Italian, 
and  English  she  '  already  knew.'  Emma  '  had  seen  enough 
of  grandeur  not  to  regret  it';  'comfort,  and  what  would 
make  Horatia  and  myself  live  like  gentlewomen,  would  be 
all  I  wish,  and  to  live  to  see  her  well  settled  in  the  world.' 
It  was  of  no  avail  that  her  illness  was  leaving  her.  '  My 
Broken  Heart  does  not  leave  me.'  '  Without  a  pound  in ' 
her  'pocket,'  what  could  she  do.? — 'On  the  21st  of  October, 
fatal  day,  I  shall  have  some.  I  wrote  to  Davison  to  ask 
the  Earl  to  let  me  have  my  Bronte  pension  quarterly 
instead  of  half-yearly,  and  the  Earl  refused,  saying  that  he 
was  too  poor.  .  .  .  Think,  then,  of  the  situation  of  Nelson's 
child,  and  Lady  Hamilton,  who  so  much  contributed  to  the 
Battle  of  the  Nile,  paid  often  and  often  out  of  my  own 
pocket  at  Naples  .  .  .  and  also  at  Palermo  for  corn  to  save 
Malta.  Indeed,  I  have  been  ill  used.  Lord  Sidmouth  is  a 
good  man,  and  Lord  Liverpool  is  also  an  upright  Minister. 
Pray,  and  if  ever  Sir  William  Hamilton's  and  Lord  Nelson's 
services  were  deserving,  ask  them  to  aid  me.  Think  what 
I   must  feel  who  was  used  to  give  God  only  knows  [how 

'  Morrison  MS.  1055  ;  other  information  Irom  a  late  letter. 


FROM  DEBT  TO  DEATH  469 

much],  and  now  to  ask  ! '  ^  Such  was  the  plight  of  one  who 
had  gladly  lavished  care  and  money  on  the  son  and 
daughter  of  Earl  Nelson.  That  new-made  Earl,  who  had 
canvassed  her  favour,  and  called  her  his  'best  friend,'  was 
now  calmly  leaving  her  to  perish,  and  his  great  brother's 
daughter  to  share  her  carking  penury  and  privation. 

Lawyers'  letters  molested  even  the  seclusion  of  St.  Pierre. 
The  English  papers  published  calumnies  which  she  was 
forced  to  contradict."^  Their  little  fund  was  fast  dwindling, 
and  as  late  autumn  set  in  they  were  forced  to  transfer  their 
scanty  effects  to  a  meagre  lodging  in  the  town  itself. 

In  the  Rue  Frangaise — No.  in — and  even  there  in  its 
worst  apartments,  looking  due  north,  the  distressed  fugitives 
found  themselves  in  the  depth  of  a  hard  winter. 

They  were  not  in  absolute  want,''  but,  had  their  suspense 
been  protracted,  they  must  ere  long  have  been  so.  At  the 
beginning  of  December  the  '  annuitants' '  attorneys  were  in 
close  correspondeiice  with  the  Honourable  Colonel  Sir  R. 
Fulke  Greville.  Proceedings,  indeed,  were  being  instigated 
in  Chancery,  which  were  only  stopped  by  Lady  Hamilton's 


'  Lady  Hamilton  to  Sir  William  Scott— September  12,  1814.  C'f.  App., 
Part  II.  (10)  (a). 

-  Cf.  her  letter  (September  14,  1814)  from  '  Village  of  St.  Pierre,  near  Calais,' 
Add.  MS.  34,992,  f.  199,  to  the  editor  of  the  Moriiini;  Herald.  '  I  was  sur- 
prised to  observe  that  the  Morniti,!^  Herald,  with  other  newspapers,  had  pub- 
lished that  I  fled  from  my  bail.  This  is  false.  I  had  Lord  Ellenborough's 
discharge,  and  Alderman  Smith  .  .  .  never  lost  a  shilling  by  me.  I  have  left 
in  England  all  I  possessed  to  pay  my  creditors,  retaining  only  sufficient  for 
Horatia  and  myself  to  subsist  upon  at  a  farmhouse.' 

=*  Cf.  Mrs.  Ward's  letter  to  Mr.  Paget  in  Blackivood,  May  1888.  The  legend, 
repeated  both  by  Pettigrew  and  Mr.  Calton  (in  his  Calais)  from  the  supposed 
eye-witness  of  the  benevolent  Mrs.  Hunter,  then  of  Biighton,  but  formerly  of 
the  '  Grande  Place,'  Calais,  is  disproved.  According  to  her,  she  learned  from  a 
*  M.  Rheims,'  '  interpreter,'  that  Emma  and  her  child  were  in  need  even  of  the 
scraps  which  the  butcher  gave  to  dogs.  But  though  these  are  exrggeral  ions,  she 
and  M.  Rheims  may  have  befriended  the  unfortunates.  Mrs.  Hunter's  account  of 
the  funeral,  however,  is  an  ascertained  myth.  Among  other  doubtful  traditions 
may  be  also  mentioned  the  babble  of  the  old  gardener,  Ward,  who  had  been  a 
lad  at  Merton  when  Nelson  quilted  it  for  the  last  lime,  and  who  died  some 
twenty-five  years  ago.  He  used  to  relate  how  Lady  Hamilton  asked  Nelson, 
when  they  met  him  on  one  of  their  last  walks  together,  to  give  him  a  shilling. 
Asked  by  an  interviewer  who  brought  a  pretty  lady  with  him,  if  Emma  were  as 
lovely  as  she  is  painted,  the  old  man  answered,  with  a  sly  side-glance  at  the 
young  lady,  '  I  've  seen  many  as  pretty  as  her.' 


470  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

unexpected  demise.^  An  embargo  was  laid  on  every  penny 
of  Emma's  income.  Even  Horatia's  pittance  was  not  paid 
in  advance,  till  she  herself  begged  for  a  trifle  on  account 
from  her  uncle,  Earl  Nelson. 

Under  the  strain  of  uncertainty,  Emma,  worried  out  of 
her  wits,  and  drawn  more  closely  than  ever  to  the  daughter 
who  absorbed  her  fears,  her  sorrow,  and  her  affection,  at 
length  collapsed.  The  strong  and  buoyant  spirits,  which 
had  brought  her  through  so  many  crises,  including  Horatia's 
own  birth,  and  the  coil  of  its  consequences,  failed  any 
longer  to  support  her.  A  dropsical  complaint,  complicated 
by  a  chill,  fastened  upon  her  chest.  By  New  Year's 
Day  1 815,  her  state  of  pocket,  as  well  as  of  health,  had 
become  critical.  Some  ten  pounds,  in  English  money,  her 
wearing  apparel,  and  a  few  pawn  tickets  for  pledged  pieces 
of  plate,-  were  the  sole  means  of  subsistence  until  Horatia's 
next  quarter's  allowance  should  fall  due.  In  181 1  the 
Matchams  had  sent  all  they  could  spare  ;^  they  may  have 
done  so  again.  If  the  mother,  denuded  of  all,  asked  for 
anything,  it  was  for  Horatia  that  she  pleaded.  At  her  debut, 
Greville  had  noticed  that  she  would  starve  rather  than  beg : 
it  proved  so  now.  Only  seven  years  ago  she  had  implored 
the  Duke  not  to  let  their  'enemies  trample  upon  them.' 
Those  enemies  had  trampled  on  them  indeed.  A  new 
creditor  was  knocking  at  her  door,  the  last  creditor — Death. 

One  can  picture  that  deserted  death-scene  in  the  Calais 
garret,  where  the  wan  woman,  round  whom  so  much  bril- 
liance had  hovered,  lay  poverty-stricken  and  alone.  Where 
now  were  the  tribes  of  flatterers,  of  importuners  for  promo- 
tion, or  even  the  crowd  of  true  and  genial  hearts?  Her 
still  lingering  beauty  had  formed  an  element  of  her  age, 
but  now  only  the  primitive  elements  of  ebbing  life  remained 
intact — the  mother  and  her  child.  By  her  bedside  stood  a 
crucifix — for  she  had  openly  professed  her  faith.*  Over  her 
bed  hung,  doubtless,  the  small  portraits  of  Nelson  and  of 

^  Cf.  Morrison  MS.  1056,  1061,  1063,  1065,  1066. 

"  Cf.  Pettigrew's  risunii  of  the  Juge  de  Paix's  inventory,  vol.  ii.  p.  636. 
3  Cf.  Morrison  MS.  1021. 

■•  Cf.  Mr.  Cadogan's  list  of  funeral  expenses,  including  '  priests'  and  'candles,' 
Morrison  MS.  io,o6S. 


FROM  DEBT  TO  DEATH  471 

her  mother — remnants  from  the  wreck.  Nelson  was  no 
longer  loathed  at  Calais ;  a  Bourbon  sat  on  the  throne,  and 
not  even  wounded  pride  angered  the  French  against  the 
man  who  had  delivered  the  sister — now  dead  herself — of 
Marie  Antoinette.  Perhaps  Emma  is  trying  to  dictate  a 
last  piteous  entreaty  to  the  hard-hearted  Earl,  and  sad 
Horatia  writing  it  at  the  bare  table  by  the  attic  casement. 
Perhaps,  while  she  gasps  for  breath,  and  calls  to  mind  the 
child  within  her  arms,  she  strives  but  fails  to  utter  all  the 
weight  upon  her  heart.  Horatia  sobs,  and  kisses  again, 
may  be,  and  again  that  '  guardian  '  whom  now  she  loves 
and  trusts  with  a  daughter's  heart.  Sorrow  unites  them 
closely  ;  here  '  they  and  sorrow  sit.' 

Of  her  many  tragic  '  Attitudes '  (had  Constance  ever  been 
one?)  the  tragedy  of  this  last  eclipses  all.  She,  whose 
loveliness  had  dazzled  Europe,  whose  voice  and  gestures 
had  charmed  all  Italy,  and  had  spellbound  princes  alike 
and  peasants ;  whose  fame,  whatever  might  be  muttered, 
was  destined  to  re-echo  long  after  life's  broken  cadence 
had  died  upon  the  air ;  she  whose  lightest  word  had  been 
cherished — she  n  n  lay  dying  here.  Nelson,  her  mother, 
her  child,  these  are  still  her  company  and  comfort,  as 
memories  float  before  her  fading  eyes.  Ah !  will  she  find 
the  first  again,  and  must  she  lose  the  last? 

A  pang,  a  spasm,  a  cry.  The  priest  is  fetched  in  haste. 
She  still  has  strength  to  be  absolved,  to  receive  extreme 
unction  from  a  stranger's  hands.  Weeping  Horatia  and  old 
'  Dame  Francis'  re-enter  as,  in  that  awful  moment,  shrived, 
let  us  hope,  and  reconciled,  she  clings,  and  rests  in  their 
embrace. 

It  had  been  her  wish  to  lie  beside  her  mother  in  the 
Paddington  church.  This,  too,  was  thwarted.  On  the 
next  Friday  she  was  buried.  The  hearse  was  followed 
by  the  many  naval  officers^  then  at  Calais  to  the  cheerless 
cemetery,  before  many  years  converted  into  a  timber-yard. 

'  Cf.  Pettigrew's  information  from  Mr.  Rothery,  Mr.  Henry  Cadogan's  rela- 
tive, given  in  his  note  to  vol.  ii.  p.  636.  The  Morrison  MSS.  confirm  his 
surmise  as  to  how  the  funeral  expenses  were  defrayed.  From  them  it  also 
appears  that  her  body,  like  Nelson's,  was  preserved  in  spirits. 


472  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

Had  she  died  a  Protestant — such  was  the  revival  of 
Catholicism  with  monarchy  in  France — intolerance  would 
have  refused  a  service  :  only  a  few  months  earlier,  a  blame- 
less and  charming  actress  had  been  pitched  at  Paris  into 
an  unconsecrated  grave.  It  was  these  circumstances  that 
engendered  the  fables,  soon  circulated  in  England,  of  Emma's 
burial  in  a  deal  box  covered  by  a  tattered  petticoat.^ 

Earl  Nelson  and  the  Mr.  Henry  Cadogan,^  who  has 
been  mentioned  earlier,  came  over  before  the  beginning  of 
February — the  former  to  bring  Horatia  back,  the  latter  to 
pay,  through  Alderman  Smith's  large- heartedness,^  the  last 
of  the  many  debts  owing  on  the  score  of  Lady  Hamilton. 
None  of  them  were  defrayed  by  the  Earl,  who  had  never 
given  his  niece  so  much  as  '  a  frock  or  a  sixpence.'  It 
was  soon  known  that  the  '  celebrated  Emma '  had  passed 
away.  Polite  letters  were  exchanged  between  Colonel 
Greville  and  the  '  Prefect  of  the  Department  of  Calais '  as 
to  the  actual  facts,  and  Greville's  executor  was  much 
relieved  to  feel  that  Emma's  departure  had  spared  him  the 
bother  of  a  long  lawsuit.* 

Horatia  owed  nothing  to  her  uncle  Nelson's  care :  she 
stayed  with  the  Matchams  until  her  marriage,  in  1822,  to 
the  Reverend  Philip  Ward  of  Tenterden.  She  became  the 
mother  of  many  children,  and  died,  an  octogenarian,  in  1881. 

The  research  of  these  pages  has  tried  to  illumine  Lady 
Hamilton's  misdeeds  as  well  as  her  good  qualities,  to  in- 
terpret the  problems  and  contrasts  of  a  mixed  character 
and  a  mixed  career.  It  has  tracked  the  many  phases  and 
vicissitudes  both  of  circumstance  and  calibre  that  she 
underwent.  We  have  seen  her  as  a  girl,  friendless  and 
forsaken,  only  to  be  rescued  and  trained  by  a  selfish  pedant, 
who  collected  her  as  he  collected  his  indifferent  pictures 

1  Cf.  not  only  Mr.  Hunter's  account  repeated  by  Pettigrew  and  Calton,  but 
Emma's  obituary  in  the  Gentleman'' s  Magazine,  where  the  instance  of  the  actress 
is  also  chronicled. 

-  He  was  possibly  her  mother's  relative.  I  have  since  learned  that  he  was 
then  British  Consul.  If  so,  he  did  not  'come  over.'  For  some  details  about 
him  and  Mr.  Rothery  cf.  an  article  in  the  Standard  iox  October  21,  1905. 

^  Cf.  Morrison  MS.  1064,  Mr.  Henry  Cadogan's  receipt  from  Alderman 
Joshua  Jonathan  Smith  for  the  funeral  expenses,  amounting  to  £,2%,  los. 

*  Cf.  Morrison  MS.  1059-1061. 


FROM  DEBT  TO  DEATH  473 

and  metallic  minerals.  We  have  seen  her  handed  on  to  the 
amiable  voluptuary  whose  torpor  she  bestirred,  and  for 
whose  classical  taste  she  embodied  the  beautiful  ideal.  We 
have  seen  her  swaying  a  Queen,  influencing  statesmen  and 
even  a  dynasty,  exalted  by  marriage  to  a  platform  which 
enabled  her  to  save,  more  than  once,  a  situation  critical 
alike  for  her  country,  for  Naples,  and  for  Europe.  We 
have  seen  her  rising  not  only  to,  but  above,  the  occasions 
which  her  highest  fortunes  enabled.  We  have  followed  her 
conspicuous  courage,  from  its  germs  in  battling  with  mean 
disaster,  to  a  development  which  attracted  and  enthralled  the 
most  valiant  captain  of  his  age.  We  have  marked  how  her 
resource  also  enhanced  even  his  resourcefulness.  We  have 
watched  her  swept  into  a  vortex  of  passionate  love  for  the 
hero  who  transcended  her  dramatic  dreams,  and  sacrificing 
all,  even  her  native  truthfulness,  for  the  real  and  unshaken 
love  of  their  lives.  We  have  shown  that  she  cannot  be 
held  to  have  detained  him  from  his  public  duty  so  long  as 
history  is  unable  to  point  to  a  single  exploit  unachieved. 
And  eventually,  we  have  found  that  the  infinite  expressive- 
ness which  throughout  rendered  her  a  muse  both  to  men 
of  reverie  and  of  action,  rendered  herself  a  blank,  when 
the  personalities  she  prompted  were  withdrawn  and  could 
no  more  inspire  her  as  she  had  inspired  them.  We  have 
viewed  her  marvellous  rise,  and  we  have  traced  her  melan- 
choly decline,  from  the  moment  of  the  prelude  to  Horatia's 
birth  to  the  years  which  involved  its  far-reaching  and  in- 
evi'jable  sequels.  We  have  found,  despite  all  the  resulting 
stains  which  soiled  a  frank  and  fervid  but  unschooled  and 
unbridled  nature,  that  she  never  lost  a  capacity  for  devo- 
tion, and  even  self-abandonment ;  while  her  kindness  and 
bounty  remained  as  reckless  and  extravagant  as  the  wilful- 
ness of  her  moods  and  the  exuberance  of  her  enthusiasm. 
We  have  found  her  headstrong  successively,  and  resolute, 
bold  and  brazen,  capricious  and  loyal,  vain-glorious,  but 
vainer  far  for  the  glory  of  those  she  loved  ;  strenuous  yet 
inert,  eminently  domestic  yet  waywardly  pleasure-loving  ; 
serviceable  yet  alluring,  at  once  Vesta  and  Hebe.  We  have 
tracked  her,  as  catastrophe  lowered,  tenaciously  beating  the 
air,  and  ever  sanguine  that  she  could   turn  stones — even 


474  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

the  stones  flung  at  her — to  gold.  We  have  tracked  also 
the  cruelty  and  shabbiness  of  those  that  were  first  and  fore- 
most in  throwing  those  stones,  whose  propriety  was 
prudence,  and  whose  virtue  was  self-interest.  We  have 
marked  how  long  this  woman  of  Samaria's  wayfare  was 
beset  by  bad  Samaritans.  We  have  felt  the  falsities  to 
which  they  bowed  as  falser  than  the  genuine  idolatry  which 
held  her  from  a  nobler  worship,  and  from  an  air  purer  than 
most  of  her  surrounders  ever  breathed.  It  was  in  Nelson's 
erring  unselfishness  that  her  salvation  and  her  damnation 
met.  And  in  her  semi-consecration  of  true  motherhood, 
springing  at  first  from  wild-animal  devotion  to  her  first 
child,  we  can  discern  the  refinement  of  instinct  which  at 
length  led  the  born  pagan  within  the  pale  of  reverence. 
Astray  as  a  girl,  she  had  found  refuge  in  her  own  devotion, 
with  which  she  invested  Greville's  patronage.  An  outcast 
at  the  close,  she  turned  for  shelter  to  a  worthier  home. 
And  above  all,  implanted  in  her  from  the  first,  and  in- 
eradicable, her  unwavering  fondness  for  her  mother  has  half- 
erased  her  darkest  blots,  and  made  her  more  beautiful  than 
her  beauty.  May  we  not  say,  at  the  last,  that  because  she 
loved  much,  much  shall  be  forgiven  her:  quia  multtcm  amavit. 
The  site  of  her  grave  has  vanished,  and  with  it  the  two 
poor  monuments  rumoured  to  have  marked  the  spot ;  the 
first  (if  Mrs.  Hunter  be  here  believed)  of  wood,  '  like  a 
battledore,  handle  downwards';  the  second,  a  headstone, 
which  a  Guide  to  Calais  mentions  in  1833.^  Its  Latin 
inscription  was  then  partially  decipherable: — 

'.  .  .  Quae 
.  .  .  Calesiae 
Via  in  Gallica  vocati 
Et  in  domo  C.vi.  obiit 
Die  XV.  Mensis  Januarii.     a.d.  MDCCCXV. 
^tatis  suae  Ll.'  ^ 
It  was  perhaps  erected    by   some  officer   of  that    navy 
which,   long  after  she  had   gone,  always   remembered  her 
unflagging  zeal  and  kindness  with  gratitude. 

Her  best   epitaph  may  be  found  in  the  touching  lines 
indited  by  Nelson's  Doctor  Beatty,  who  had  himself  known 

*  Pettigrew,  vol.  ii.  p.  636.     The  'battledore'  bore  the  inscription,  'Emma 
Hamilton,  England's  friend,'  -  i.e.  In  the  fifty-first  year  of  her  age. 


FROM  DEBT  TO  DEATH  475 

and  liked  her,  after  visiting  her  grave  on  his  return  from 
attending  Wilh'am  IV  and  his  wife  in  German^-.  They  were 
pubh'shed  in  1831  : — 

'  And  here  is  one— a  nameless  grave — the  grass 
Waves  dank  and  dismal  o'er  its  crumbling  mass 
Of  mortal  elements — the  wintry  sedge 
Weeps  drooping  o'er  the  rampart's  watery  edge  ; 
The  rustling  reed — the  darkly  rippling  wave — 
Announce  the  tenant  of  that  lowly  grave. 

.  .  .  Levelled  with  the  soil, 
The  wasting  worm  hath  revelled  in  its  spoil — 
The  spoil  of  beauty  !     This,  the  poor  remains 
Of  one  who,  living,  could  command  the  strains 
Of  flattery's  harp  and  pen.     Whose  incense,  flung 
From  venal  breath  upon  her  altar,  hung, 
A  halo  ;  while  in  loveliness  supreme 
She  moved  in  brightness,  like  th'  embodied  dream 
Of  some  rapt  minstrel's  warm  imaginings. 
The  more  than  form  and  face  of  earthly  things. 

Few  bend  them  at  thy  bier,  unhappy  one  ! 

All  know  thy  shame,  thy  mental  sufferings,  none. 

All  know  thy  frailties— all  thou  wast  and  art  ! 

JJut  thine  were  faults  of  circumstance,  not  heart. 

Thy  soul  was  formed  to  bless  and  to  be  bless'd 

With  that  immortal  boon— a  guiltless  breast, 

And  be  what  others  seem — had  bounteous  Heaven 

Less  beauty  lent,  or  stronger  \irtue  given  1 

The  frugal  matron  of  some  lowlier  hearth, 

Thou  hadst  not  known  the  splendid  woes  of  earth  : 

Dispensing  happiness,  and  happy— there 

Thou  hadst  not  known  the  curse  of  being  fair  '. 

But  like  yon  lonely  vesper  star,  thy  light — 

Thy  love— had  been  as  pure  as  it  was  bright. 

I  've  met  thy  pictured  bust  in  many  lands, 

I  've  seen  the  stranger  pause  with  lifted  hands 

In  deep,  mute  admiration,  while  his  eye 

Dwelt  sparkling  on  thy  peerless  symmetry. 

I  've  seen  the  poet's — painter's — sculptor's  gaze 

Speak,  with  rapt  glance,  their  eloquence  of  praise. 

I  've  seen  thee  as  a  gem  in  royal  halls 

Stoop,  like  presiding  angel  from  the  walls. 

And  only  less  than  worshipp'd  !     Yet  'tis  come 

To  this  !     When  all  but  slander's  voice  is  dumb. 

And  they  who  gazed  upon  thy  living  face. 

Can  hardly  find  thy  mortal  resting-place.' 


APPENDIX 

PART  I.— NOTES 

A. — Evidences  as  to  the  date  of  Lady  Hamilton's  birth. 

Greville,  writing  in  May  1785,  tells  Sir  William  Hamilton  that 
she  was  only  twenty  years  of  age  (Morrison  MS,  137).  As  her 
birthday  was  admittedly  on  April  26,  he  evidently  believed  her 
birth  to  have  occurred  in  the  same  year  as  the  copy  of  her  baptismal 
register  which  he  possessed,  and  to  which  I  have  alluded  in  the 
text.  He  was  also  in  full  possession  of  her  '  past ' ;  so  that  when 
he  received  her  in  1782  he  can  have  seen  nothing  improbable  in 
the  previous  events  having  happened  in  a  short  space  of  time  to  a 
girl  sixteen  years  old.  Sir  William  Hamilton  himself,  writing  in  May 
1789,  speaks  of  'the  difference  between  22  and  57'  {Ibid.  177). 
But  Sir  William  is  constantly  very  slipshod  in  dates.  This  would 
make  himself  born  in  1732,  whereas  he  was  born  in  1730,  or  a 
earliest  (from  other  indications  in  other  letters)  1729;  while  it 
would  make  Emma  born  in  1767,  which  is  obviously,  in  view  of  her 
baptismal  register,  impossible.  Writing  in  1802  to  Bowen,  Lady 
Hamilton  (as  I  have  quoted  in  the  text)  observes  that  she  only 
began  her  education  at  seventeen  years  of  age:  this  refers  to  her  asso- 
ciation with  Greville  in  the  spring  of  1782,  and  therefore  keeps  to 
1765  as  the  date  of  her  birth  {Ibid.  68g).  The  Calais  record  of 
her  death  (about  January  15,  1815)  calls  her  '51,'  and  adheres 
therefore  to  the  same  date  1765  (her  birthday  being  in  April). 

When  we  take  all  these  evidences  in  conjunction  with  the 
marriage  register  of  her  parents  in  1764,  given  for  the  first  time  in 
my  text,  and  with  the  exact  baptismal  register  of  May  1765  (differ- 
ing from  that  sent  to  Greville  only  in  the  name),  there  can  be  no 
doubt  that  she  was  born  April  26,  1765,  unless  we  assume,  without 
evidence  or  even  rumour,  that  she  was  an  illegitimate  child. 

B. — Dr.  James  Graham  ( 1 745  - 1 794). 

The  son,  it  is  said,  of  a  saddler,  this  singular  empiric  was  born 
in  the  Cowgate,  Edinburgh.  He  attended  its  university,  but  it  is 
doubtful  if  he  qualified  there  as  physician.  In  1770  he  married  at 
Pontefract  a   Miss  Pickering ;   and  soon   afterwards  migrated  to 

470 


APPENDIX:  NOTES  477 

America.  From  1772  to  1774  he  seems  to  have  practised  at 
Philadelphia  as  an  oculist.  But  his  inborn  itch  for  notoriety, 
oddity,  and  gain,  led  him  from  an  early  period  to  anticipate  the 
modern  American  cult  of  advertisement,  just  as  his  real  skill, 
debased  by  his  quack  methods,  anticipated  the  modern  acceptance 
of  mud-baths,  massage,  and  galvanism.  In  1774  he  was  advertis- 
ing his  miracles  at  Bristol;  m  1775,  after  a  brief  sojourn  at  Bath, 
he  appears  as  a  full-blown  trumpeter  and  showman  in  Pall  Mall 
'opposite  St.  James's  Palace,'  where  he  was  subsequently  to  re- 
appear about  1 781  in  a  far  greater  blaze  of  puffery.  At  Bath,  in 
the  former  year,  he  met  Mrs.  Catherine  Macaulay,  the  authoress. 
He  had  already  established  his  'magnetic  throne,'  and  advocated 
electricity  and  massage.  In  1778-1779  he  conceived,  and  prepared 
for,  his  grand  venture  of  the  'Temple  of  ^sculapius,'  in  the 
Adelphi  Terrace.  Garrick  had  just  died  there,  and  it  seems 
probable  that  it  was  Garrick's  house  which,  so  soon  as  he  could 
scrape  money  enough  together,  he  acquired.  Adelphi  Terrace  was 
already  mortgaged  to  the  banking  house  of  Drummond,  and  was 
by  no  means  in  request,  owing  to  the  muddy  Thames  water  which 
periodically  flooded  its  cellars.  The  nature  of  his  gorgeous  and 
tinsel  show  there  has  been  sketched  in  my  text.  It  was  a  blend 
of  imposture  and  truth  advertised  with  persistent  and  unblushing 
effrontery,  and  enhanced  by  all  the  ritual  of  a  sham  prophet.  He 
was  always  religious  in  his  professions,  and  he  trusted  much  to 
music  and  painting  as  appeals  to  the  senses.  In  the  early  part  of 
1779  he  was  at  Newcastle  superintending  the  manufacture  of  his 
'  crystal  pillars  '  and  the  glass  apparatus  of  his  electrical  machines. 
In  the  same  year  he  was  at  Paris,  where  he  met  Franklin,  and  at 
Aix,  where  he  found  countenance  from  Georgina,  Duchess  of 
Devonshire  and  other  distinguished  patronesses  whom  his  electric 
system  really  benefited.  He  inaugurated  his  temple  in  the  autumn, 
where  he  professed  to  cure  sterility,  repair  the  degeneration  of  a 
declining  race,  teacli  the  elements  of  natural  health,  and  prolong 
life.  He  charged  a  crown  admittance,  but  the  '  Celestial  Bed  '  cost 
;^5o  a  lodging;  and  all  his  days  were  spent  in  consultations.  He 
hired  'giant  footmen'  in  sumptuous  liveries,  fine  musicians,  and 
tolerable  artists.  The  performance  closed  at  ten  each  night.  It 
soon  became  the  talk  of  the  town.  Horace  Walpole  found  him  a 
'dull'  mountebank;  Colman  produced  (1780)  a  play  satirising  the 
show  as  '  The  Genius  of  Nonsense.'  Graham  sought  in  vain  to 
start  legal  proceedings  against  him  for  portraying  him  as  'the 
Emperor  of  Quacks.'  He  himself  had  a  clever  if  scurrilous  knack, 
which  he  exercised  in  his  lectures.     One  excerpt  will  suffice: — 

'This  curious,  most  eccentric,  and  most  cordially  concentric 
lecture  is  begun  wiih  enumerating  the  safest  and  most  efificacious 
ways  and  means  uf  producing  a  Numerous,  a  Healthy,  a  Beautiful, 
and  a  Virtuous  offspring,  and  is  closed  with  a  glowing,  brilliant, 
and  supremely  delightful  description  of  the  structure,  and  most 
irresistibly  genial   influences  of  the   Celestial   Bed.      The   whole 


478  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

illustrated  and  embellished  by  a  just  and  spirited  Review  of  the 
Candour  of  Newspapers,  of  the  present  Professors  and  Adminis- 
trators of  Politics,  Law,  Physics,  and  Divinity,  and  with  a  Naked 
Exhibition  of  Asses  stuffed  of  their  ermine,  viz.  of  County  Just- 
asses,  Mares,  Alderwomen  and  Whippers-in,  by  James  Graham, 
M.D.,  President  of  the  Council  of  Health,  Sole  Proprietor  and 
Principal  Director  of  the  Temple  of  Health  in  Pall  Mall  near  the 
King's  Palace.'^  This,  of  course,  refers  to  his  reception  by  Respecta- 
bility ;  in  another,  he  '  looks  down  '  on  '  the  curious  faculty '  with 
'  smiles  of  ineffable  and  sovreign  contempt,'  reminding  one  of 
Miss  Squeers's  attitude  towards  Nicholas  Nickleby. 

If  Lady  Hamilton  'posed'  for  him  as  'Hygeia,'  it  must  have 
been  at  the  very  end  of  1780;  for  in  the  spring  of  1781  he 
removed  on  a  reduced  scale  to  Schomberg  House,  Pall  Mall  (where 
also  was  Gainsborough's  studio),  and  opened  his  exhibition  as  the 
'  Temple  of  Hymen,'  with  '  Hebe  Vestma'  as  high  priestess.  Had 
'  Miss  Hart '  ever  appeared  in  that  character  the  free  satire  on  the 
show  of  'II  Convito  Amoroso,' published  in  1782  and  mentioned 
hi  my  text,  would  most  probably  have  referred  to  her,  for  she  was 
then  already  known,  and  was  being  painted  by  Romney  and 
Reynolds.     It  contains,  however,  no  allusion  to  her. 

In  1 783  the  enterprising  but  luckless  '  Doctor '  was  in  Edinburgh, 
where  his  '  high  priestess '  read  lectures  to  ladies  on  their  true 
position  in  society  and  the  world.  These  lectures  were  repeated 
in  Graham's  London  house  during  the  summer  of  that  year,  and 
found  a  listener  in  Mrs.  Curtis,  the  youngest  sister  of  Mrs.  Siddons. 
By  December  the  '  woman's  rights '  tack  was  relinquished,  and  he 
is  found  advertising  how  to  be  a  centenarian.  Up  to  1786  silence 
reigns  respecting  him,  and  it  may  be  inferred  that  he  practised 
without  notoriety  as  a  physician,  in  order  to  repair  his  embarrassed 
fortunes.  That  year  sees  him  in  Paris  once  more,  and  afterwards 
in  Newcastle  and  Edinburgh.  In  1789,  at  Bath,  he  speaks  of 
himself  as  having  toned  down  the  exuberances  of  youth,  and  as 
basking  in  an  'autumn,  intellectual  sun.'  But  already  in  1787 
he  had  turned  '  Christian  Philosopher,'  and  proclaimed  himself 
'  Servant  to  the  Lord  Omnipotence,  Wisdom,  and  Love.'  He 
desired  a  'New  Christian  Church,'  and  he  combined  his  new 
heavenly  with  his  old  earthly  wisdom  of  mud-baths,  to  which  he 
added  the  gospel  of  open  air  and  the  wickedness  of  curtains  and 
coverings.  In  1790  he  and  his  lady  assistant,  with  their  heads 
magnificently  dressed  and  powdered,  might  have  been  seen  at 
Bath  immersed  in  earth  up  to  their  chins,  and  looking  like  '  two 
cauliflowers.'  At  the  same  time  and  place  he  advocated  '  A  new 
Christian  Church.'  He  pressed  his  prayers  on  the  pillow  of  the 
King,  whose  brain  was  softening.  He  pressed  on  the  scapegrace 
Prince  of  Wales  his  version  of  the  Book  of  Wisdom,  recommend- 

^  1780.  'Sold  at  the  Temple  of  Health;  at  the  Pamphlet  Shop  under  the 
Front  Piazza  of  the  Royal  Exchange  ;  and  at  Mr.  Rich's  Pamphlet  Shop  opposite 
Anderson's  Coffee  House,  No.  55  Fleet  Street,  price  2s.  6d  ' 


APPENDIX:  NOTES  479 

ing  Wisdom  to  his  serious  notice  as  *a  beautiful  and  spotless 
virgin  princess  of  imperial  descent.'  In  1793  total  abstinence 
(then  an  absolute  novelty)  had  become  his  hobby.  But  it  does 
not  seem  to  have  agreed  with  him,  for  in  1794  he  died  suddenly 
opposite  the  Archers'  Hall,  Edinburgh.^  Throughout  he  appears  to 
have  united  the  frenzies  of  a  Fifth  Monarchy  man  to  the  orgies 
rampant  in  France  and  America  just  before  the  Revolution  of  the 
one,  and  just  after  the  Rebellion  of  the  other.  Good  ideas  were 
clothed  by  him  in  disgusting  attire,  licence  was  exploited  under 
the  name  of  liberty;  and  while  he  duped  idleness  and  curiosity, 
he  was  often  able  to  cure  disease. 


C. — Emma  '  Cavew.^ 

Emma  '  Carew,' a//a^  '  Connor,' seems  to  have  been  the 'little 
Emma'  born  in  the  early  part  of  1782,  and  the  object  of  Emma's 
delighted  fondness  in  the  summer  of  1784,  as  her  Park  Gate  letters 
of  that  year  in  the  Morrison  autographs  copiously  illustrate.  Mr. 
Jeaffreson  took  the  view,  which  lacks  any  authentic  foundation, 
that  she  was  an  older  '  Emma.'  The  evidence  is  all  the  other  way, 
as  I  have  indicated  in  my  text.  The  mere  fact  that  mentions  of  her 
then  and  afterwards  may  sometimes  seem  applicable  to  an  older 
child,  is  no  proof  apart  from  corroboration.  Like  her  mother,  and 
like  Horatia  afterwards  (about  whose  age  there  is  no  doubt),  she 
may  well  have  appeared  and  behaved  in  advance  of  her  years  (cf. 
Morrison  MS.  125-129).  'Little  Emma'  was  allowed  for  a  space 
by  Emma's  entreaty  to  remain  under  the  Edgware  Row  roof-tree  at 
the  close  of  1784,  but  Grevillc  insisted  that  she  should  be  brought 
up  apart,  though  he  was  ready  to  aid  in  the  expenses  of  a  proper 
education,  and  did  so  aid  until  after  Emma's  marriage,  when  Sir 
William  and  Lady  Hamilton  defrayed  the  charges  between  them. 
Our  knowledge  on  this  subject  is  wholly  derived  from  the  Morrison 
MS.     Without  entering  into  tedious  details,  these  letters  prove — 

(i)  That  Emma  was  sent  to  a  home  and  school "  kept  by  a  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Blackburn,  of  whom  Greville  approved,  somewhere  near 
Manchester,  where  Lady  Hamilton's  mother  visited  her  in  1791, 
and  again  in  1801  (causing  the  nine  years  old  girl  to  wonder  once 
more  as  to  her  origin,  and  recalling  early  recollections.  Emma 
and  Greville  allude  to  her  both  in  1796  and  1797,  while  Emma 
further  alludes  to  her  in  a  letter  to  Greville  of  1793,  and  is 
exercised  for  her  'settlement'  in  1794).''     So  early  as  1788  there  is 

1  The  foregoing  facts,  with  manv  material  additions,  however,  arc  baaed  on 
the  excellent  article  in  the  Dictionary  oj  National  Biography,  as  well  as  on 
independent  researches. 

-  The  bill.s  were  regularly  forwarded  by  Greville  to  Naples.  Her  maintenance 
cost  about  ;^ioo  a  year,  and  she  was  really  well  educated.  It  i.->  pretty  clear  that 
Sir  William  knew  all  about  her,  though  in  one  letter  Greville  professes  ignor- 
ance as  to  her  '  history  '  ;  by  '  history  '  he  probably  means  '  paternity.' 

'  Morrison  MS.  221,  250. 


48o  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

an  allusion  in  one  of  Emma  '  Hart's '  letters  which  seems  applic- 
able to  her  solicitude  for  her  (Morrison  MS.  172). 

(2)  That  Emma  was  probably  for  a  time  afterwards  with  Lady 
Hamilton's  maternal  aunt  and  cousins,  the  Connors,  one  of  whom, 
'Anne,'  used  about  1806  to  aver  herself  falsely  to  be  Lady 
Hamilton's  child,  and  to  call  herself  'Carew  ' ;  ^  but  there  was  mad- 
ness in  the  Connor  family,  and  Charles  Connor  went  mad.  This 
led  Emma,  who  was  then  known  as  '  Connor,'  to  style  herself 
'  Carew.' 

(3)  That  she  soon  came  to  reside  with  a  Mrs.  Denis,  71'ee  Lind, 
who  had  been  in  Naples,  sang  well  herself,  and  was  in  the  singing 
set  of  Mrs.  Billington  and  Mrs.  Lind,  which  Anne  and  Sarah  Connor 
frequented  from  1804  onwards. 

(4)  That  the  true  reason  for  her  being  kept  in  the  background 
by  her  mother  was  that — as  appears  in  my  text — she  had  never  in- 
formed Nelson  of  her  existence  in  1798  (though  all  else  of  her  past 
she  told  him),  and,  therefore,  shrank  from  making  a  clean  breast  of 
this  secret  afterwards. 

(5)  That  about  1806 — despite  Lady  Hamilton's  tenderness  for 
her— she  resented  her  non-recognition  and  reception  as  acknow- 
ledged daughter  at  Merton,  rendered  practically  impossible,  per- 
haps, after  Horatia's  first  appearance  there,  took  to  some  indepen- 
dent livelihood  by  her  own  exertions,  and  eventually  went  abroad, 
possibly  with  Mrs.  Denis,  to  Italy — after  which  she  recedes 
pathetically  from  sight.  The  only  note  of  hers  which  remains  is 
her  parting  one  in  the  Morrison  MS.  (1003),  which  does  her  so 
much  honour  that  it  is  here  transcribed.  It  was  written  in  1810, 
and  preserved  by  Lady  Hamilton  : — 

'  Sunday  Morning. 
'  Mrs.  Denis's  mention  of  your  name,  and  the  conversation  she  had 
with  you,  have  revived  ideas  in  my  mind  which  an  absence  of  four 
years  has  not  been  able  to  efface.  It  might  have  been  happy  for 
me  to  have  forgotten  the  past,  and  to  have  begun  a  new  life  with 
new  ideas;  but  for  my  misfortune,  my  memory  traces  back  circum- 
stances which  have  taught  me  too  much,  yet  not  quite  all  I  could 
have  wished  to  have  known. ^  With  you  that  resides,  and  ample 
reasons,  no  doubt,  you  have  for  not  imparting  them  to  me.  Had 
you  felt  yourself  at  liberty  so  to  have  done,  I  might  have  become 
reconciled  to  my  former  situation,  and  have  been  relieved  from  the 
painful  employment  I  now  pursue.  It  was  necessary  as  I  then 
stood,  for  I  had  nothing  to  support  me  but  the  affection  I  bore 
you ;  on  the  other  hand,  doubts  and  fears  by  turns  oppressed  me, 
and  I  determined  to  rely  on  my  own  efforts,  rather  than  to  submit 
to  abject  dependence,  without  a  permanent  name  or  acknowledged 
parents.  That  I  should  have  taken  such  a  step  shows,  at  least,  that 
I  have  a  mind  misfortune  has  not  subdued.  That  I  should  per- 
severe in  it  is  what  I  owe  to  myself  and  to  you,  for  it  shall  never 

1  Morrison  MS.  896,  959.  -  i.e.  paternity. 


APPENDIX:  NOTES  481 

be  said  that  I  avail  myself  of  your  partiality  or  my  own  inclination, 
unless  I  learn  my  claim  on  you  is  greater  than  you  have  hitherto 
acknowledged.  But  the  time  may  come  when  the  same  reasons 
may  cease  to  operate,  and  then,  with  a  heart  filled  with  tenderness 
and  affection,  will  I  show  you  both  my  duty  and  attachment.  In 
the  meantime,  should  Mrs.  Denis's  zeal  and  kindness  not  have 
over-rated  your  expressions  respecting  me,  and  that  you  should 
really  wish  to  see  me,  I  may  be  believed  in  saying  that  such  a  meet- 
ing would  be  one  of  the  happiest  moments  of  my  life,  but  for  the 
reflection  that  it  may  also  be  the  last,  as  I  leave  England  in  a  few 
days,  and  may,  perhaps,  never  return  to  it  again.' 


D. — Lady  Hamilton! s  letter  in  French  to  the  Countess 
of  Lichtenau} 

*  Naples,  29M  March  1791. 
'Tres-chere  amie,  je  desire  vivement  savoir  des  vos  cheres 
nouvelles  et  comme  va  votre  sante,  et  quand  vous  reviendrez  chez 
nous.  Le  bon  et  bienfaisant  Ld.  Bristol  est  au  desespoir  sans  vous, 
et  vous  attend  avec  le  meme  empressement,  que  les  juifs  attendent 
Notre  Seigneur  chez  eux.-  Mon  mari  vous  salue  de  tout  son  coeur. 
La  bonne  &  sincere  Denis  ne  parle  que  de  vous  et  vous  embrasse, 
&  nous  joignons  nos  prieres  pour  que  vous  ne  voyez  pas  la  .  .  . 
a  Rome  qui  a  ete  tr^s-mechante  et  deshoneree  ici  ;  mais  les  choses 
sont  trop  longues  pour  vous  les  conter.  Je  crois  qu'il  ne  lui  sera 
jamais  permis  de  rentrer  ici.  La  noble  famille  chez  qui  elle  a  ete 
cherie  elle  I'a  trahie,  et  y  a  mis  un  trouble  qu'il  sera  difificile  de 
pouvoir  calmer,  et  votre  bon  coeur  souffrirait  de  la  voir.  Adieu  chere 
comtesse  :  Aimez  votre  sincere  et  attachee  amie, 

Emma  Hamilton.' 


E. — Some  new  inferential  evidence  for  Lady  Hamilton's 
general  services  to  England  in  1794- 179  5. 

This  particular  claim  is  merely  one  of  general  usefulness.  That 
from  the  time  of  Nelson's  first  visit  to  Naples,  Lady  Hamilton  never 
lost  an  opportunity  of  receiving  British  sailors  and  assisting  them 
is  generally  conceded  and  abundantly  proved.  In  whatever  Sir 
William  did,  his  wife  shared,  while  she  often  suggested  and  ex- 
ceeded it.  In  a  letter  of  April  1794  Sir  William  expressly  tells 
Greville,  '  I  am  employed  in  sending  Mortars  and  other  Artillery 
stores  of  which  Lord  Hood  is  in  want,  for  the  attack  of  Bastia.'  ^ 

'  Mimoires  de  Wilhelminay  Cotnlesse  de  Lichtenau.  Colboiirn,  1809,  vol.  ii. 
P-  54- 

-  A  mot  of  the  blasphemous  old  bishop  used  of  Emma  in  a  letter  from  him 
to  her. 

'  Morrison  MS.  238,  April  10,  1794. 

2   H 


482  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

But  says  Mr.  Jeaffreson,i  begrudging  Lady  Hamilton  even  a  shred 
of  veracity,  any  assistance  rendered  to  Hood  from  Naples  was 
merely  in  pursuance  of  the  Anglo-Sicilian  treaty  which  had  been 
signed  on  July  20,  1793.  This  very  letter,  however,  proves  most 
plainly  that  the  discovery  of  a  fresh  conspiracy  to  murder  the  King 
had  stopped  the  despatch  of  all  extra  supplies.  '  I  question,'  he 
adds,  '  if  this  Government  will  venture  to  part  with  more  of  its 
forces  than  what  it  is  obliged  to  do  by  its  treaty.^  Moreover,  the 
Acton  correspondence  proves  that  in  1794  Acton  was  reluctantly 
constrained  to  deny  Hotham  supplies.^  It  is  clear,  therefore,  that 
the  requisite  was  extras ;  and,  in  furnishing  them,  nobody  conver- 
sant with  Emma's  letters  and  character  can  doubt  her  part.  She 
may  have  exaggerated  it,  but  her  consistent  course,  directly  she 
became  paramount  with  the  Queen,  proves  that  it  must  have  been 
substantial.  Moreover,  the  mere  Anglo-Sicilian  compact  never 
turned  the  Queen  into  an  Anglo-maniac.  Her  adoration  of  Eng- 
land dates  from  Nelson's  visit  two  months  afterwards,  and  Emma's 
ardour  and  Sir  William's  awakening. 

In  the  year  1813,  when  she  was  pressing  her  last  series  of  claims, 
she  thus  addressed  a  naval  peer,  presumably  either  Lord  Hood  or 
Lord  St.  Vincent,^  once  associated  with  the  then  dead  Nelson ;  and 
it  is  inconceivable  that  she  could  so  have  addressed  him  had  she 
been  conscious  of  falsifications  in  her  accompanying  memorial. 
She  alludes  to  damaging  statements  regarding  it  printed  by  a 
section  of  the  press  : — 

'  150  Bond  Street,  Febrtiary  7,  1813. 

'  My  Lord, — I  had  a  letter  written  to  your  Lordship  with  a  copy 
of  my  memorial  and  narrative  to  H.R.H.  the  Prince  Regent,  when 
to  my  surprise  I  saw  the  letter  published  in  the  newspapers,  which 
very  much  disconcerted  my  way  of  proceeding ;  my  desire  being 
that  of  laying  my  case  before  H.R.H.,  the  Ministers,  your  Lord- 
ship, and  a  select  few  of  the  chief  nobles  and  gentlemen  of  Parlia- 
ment, who  are  noted  for  attention  to  public  business.  ...  I  am 
sure  of  your  Lordship's  potent  protection  as  far  as  you  will  see  it 
deserving. 

'  My  story  is  told  truly  as  the  circumstances  rose  to  my  memory. 
And  with  a  safe  conscience  I  can  say,  whatever  is  omitted  I  believe 
to  be  to  my  own  disadvantage,  as  all  my  actions  were  guided  by  a 
Heart  and  Soul  devoted  like  your  Lordship's  own  to  our  dear,  dear 
Country. — Forgive  me  this  intrusion,  but  Nelson  loved  you,  and  I 
am  alone  and  feel  forlorn  in  the  world,  and  his  spirit,  if  it  cou'd 

1  In  his  Queen  of  Naples  and  Lord  Nelson. 
-  Add.  MS.  2639,  f.  217. 

2  It  is  just  possible,  however,  that  it  may  have  been  to  Lord  Sidmouth,  to  whom, 
as  Addington,  her  first  memorial  of  1803  had  been  addressed  ;  for,  writing  to 
George  Rose  in  this  very  month,  and  inclosing  the  memorial,  she  also  sends  '  a 
letter  I  sent  to  Lord  Sidmouth'  (Rose's  Diaries,  vol.  i.  p.  270).  But  this  is 
highly  improbable,  for  Addington  had  been  hostile  from  the  first,  and  by  no 
means  friendly  with  Nelson.     He  was  now  Home  Secretary. 


I 


APPENDIX:  NOTES  483 

look  down,  would  bless  you  for  your  kindness  and  attention  to  his 
last  wishes  in  the  moment  of  death  and  victory  to  your  Lordship's 
ever  obliged  and  most  gratefull,  Emma  Hamilton.'^ 

F. — Lady  Hamilton's  claim  concerning  the  King  of  Spain's 
secret  letters  in  the  spring  ^1795  and  autumn  of  1796 
further  co?i  side  red. 

My  reasons  for  believing  that  Lady  Hamilton's  main  claim 
regarding  these  applies  to  September  1796  have  been  given  in 
my  text.  Professor  Laughton,  in,  his  long  article  in  Colburn's 
United  Service  Magazine  for  April  1889,  tries  to  show  that  they 
concern  a  series  of  letters  which  conveyed  information  sent  by  the 
Queen  to  Lady  Hamilton,  and  transmitted  by  her  husband  to 
Grenville  during  the  spring  of  1795,  though  he  also  gives  the 
succeeding  despatches  of  Hamilton  in  the  June  and  September 
following.  All  of  these  merely  refer  to  the  preparations  by  Spain 
for  d,  peace  with  France,  and  not  for  their  formal  offensive  alliance 
in  the  succeeding  year  which  was  to  be  the  crucial  issue,  long 
disguised.  The  preparations  for  peace,  on  the  other  hand,  were 
more  or  less  known  at  St.  James's  throughout  1795.  Lady 
Hamilton  in  asserting  her  claim  speaks  of  Sir  William's  illness 
as  one  of  the  reasons  for  her  exceptional  exertions,  and  she  may 
have  confused  his  severe  illness  in  April  1795  i"  *^he  long  train  of 
information  forwarded  to  her  by  the  Queen,  which  culminated  in 
the  discoveries  which  she  was  thus  enabled  to  make,  with  some 
slighter  indisposition  in  September  1796;  or  she  may  merely  have 
mixed,  so  far  as  her  husband's  illness  was  concerned,  the  two  years 
together 

Lady  Hamilton's  claim  relates  to  an  excepiiofial  ^xscov try.  In 
writing  to  Lord  Grenville  on  July  4,  1795,  after  the  series  relating 
to  'Galatone's  cipher'  in  April,  Sir  William  says  that  another  of 
June  16  'was  communicated  to  me  as  nsuaV  This  shows,  and 
indeed  all  his  despatches,  as  well  as  the  Queen's  letter  to  Lady 
Hamilton,  join  in  showing,  that  throughout  1795  secret  informa- 
tion was  habitually  transmitted  to  him  through  his  wife  to  be 
forwarded  to  Lord  Grenville. 

But  as  regards  1795  Professor  Laughton  has  misinterpreted  the 
documents  which  he  quotes  from  a  double  error.  In  the  first 
place,  he  does  not  seem  to  have  consulted  the  originals,  or  their 
copies  when  the  originals  were  forwarded,  of  the  Queen's  own 
letters  to  Lady  Hamilton;  and  in  the  second,  he  has  not  discerned 
that  Emma's  main  service  in  1795  ^^'^^  in  having  procured  not  only 
the  long  ciphered  despatch  by  '  Galatonc  '  from  Madrid,  but  also  the 
key  by  which  alone  the  cipher  could  be  unriddled. 

On  April  30,  1795,  Sir  ^Villiam,  still  very  unwell,  forwarded  a 
long    'secret'  despatch    to    Lord   Grenville,   following   two  other 

'  From  the  original  autograph  in  possession  of  Mr.  Sabin. 


484  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

less  important  ones  dated  April  21  and  April  28  respectively,  in 
the  latter  of  which  he  enclosed  a  letter  from  the  Queen  to  Lady 
Hamilton  promising  her  'three  papers'  after  the  King  had  held 
his  Council.  In  this  despatch  of  April  30  Hamilton  forwards 
further  information,  inclosing  three  documents  received  through 
his  wife  from  the  Queen:— (i)  a  copy  of  the  last  deciphered 
despatch  from  Galatone;  (2)  a  letter  from  the  Queen  to  Lady 
Hamilton  of  April  28;  (3)  a  letter  from  the  Queen  to  Lady 
Hamilton  of  April  29  ;  and  he  says  that  he  thinks  them  of  such 
importance  that  he  is  sending  'this  packet'  by  'one  of  his  'own 
servants  '  as  far  as  Rome,  where  a  '  Mr.  Jenkins '  will  forward  it  to 
London.  This  by  no  means  implies  the  special  messenger  by 
whom  Lady  Hamilton  claimed  to  have  herself  forwarded  her  far 
more  important  communication  direct  to  London  in  the  following 
year,  as  I  think ;  and  indeed  Hamilton  on  several  occasions  used 
means  of  communication  similar  to  these. 

Of  these  inclosures  (2) — the  Queen's  letter  of  April  28 
(to  be  succeeded  in  the  subsequent  summer  by  the  unfortunate 
one  announcing  the  capture  of  Bilbao,  and  the  Spanish  minister 
Alcudia's  prophecy  that  these  losses  would  not  last)i  does  not 
quite  tally  with  Professor  Laughton's  rendering  of  it.  The  Queen 
forwards  a  '  letter  in  cipher  come  from  Spain  from  Galatone,'  which 
must  be  returned  '  avant  vingt-quatre  heures'  (Professor  Laughton 
has  it  'by  12  o'clock'!)  'afin  que  le  roi  le  reirouve"^  (Professor 
Laughton  has  it  '  so  that  the  King  may  have  it ' !).  She  adds  that 
in  it  are  'matters  very  interesting  for  the  English  Government,' 
and,  as  will  be  seen  from  her  next  note,  she  has  promised  to  for- 
ward shortly  the  'cipher'  itself,  which  is  the  clue  to  Galatone's 
'  letter  iti  cipher.^ 

These  variations  from  the  original  are  important.  If  the  Queen 
had  really  written  that  she  must  have  Galatone's  'letter  in  cipher' 
back  by  midday,  there  would  not  have  been  time  to  apply  the  key 
which  she  transmitted  on  the  following  morning.  If  the  Queen 
had  really  written  '  so  that  the  King  may  have  it,'  it  would  not  be 
clear  that  Galatone  had  sent  the  information  for  the  King  alone, 
and  that  by  some  means  or  other  the  Queen  had  obtained,  and 
was  lending,  the  King's  private  information.  What  she  does  say  is 
'in  order  that  the  King  may yf;?^  it  again.'' 

Now  let  us  see  what  the  Queen  writes  to  Emma  on  the  next  day.-'' 
She  sends  her  not  a  'letter'  but  the  'promised  cipher' — the 
due,  'too  happy  in  being  able  to  render  a  service.'  She  begs  for 
the  return  of  the  'cipher'  also,  but  this  time  'at  the  chevalier's 

1  Eg.  MS.  1617,  f.  3.  The  British  Museum  has  pencilled  this  as  '  1794?'  I 
first  thought  it  was  one  of  spring  1795  ;  but  Bilbao  appears  to  have  fallen  in  July. 

■^  Cf.  Eg.  MS.  16 15,  f.  22.  This  is  Lady  H.'s  copy  of  the  letter  in  question. 
Her  indorsement  on  it  runs: — 'A  copy  of  the  Queen's  letter,  April  28,  1795. 
Sir  William  was  obliged  to  send  the  original  to  England  with  the  cypher  Her 
Majesty  mentions.' 

*  This  is  accurately  transcribed  by  Mr.  Jeaffreson  in  his  Queen  of  Naples, 
vol.  i.  p.  289. 


APPENDIX:  NOTES  4^5 

convenience';  the  King,  be  it  marked,  will  not  miss  the  ^ cipher^ 
as  he  must  have  missed  the  '  letter.^  She  warns  Emma,  '  above  all 
to  take  care'  that  she  is  not  'compromised.'^  'There  is  no 
atrocity  which  Spain,  who  hates  me  already,  would  not  be  capable 
of  against  me.'- 

These  confusions  have  caused  Professor  Laughton  to  suppose 
that  the  further  inclosure  of  the  long  'chiffre  regu  de  Galatone ' 
about  the  French  proposals  of  peace ^  refers  to  the  'promised 
cipher^  mentioned  in  the  Queen's  letter  to  Emma  of  April  29, 
instead  of,  as  really,  to  'the  letter  \n  cipher  come  from  Spain  from 
Galatone'  mentioned  in  her  letter  of  the  day  before.  He  has  not 
perceived  the  manifest  distinction  between  the  'cipher'  and  the 
'  letter  in  cipher '  at  all,  nor  discerned  that  what  Emma  then 
obtained  was  the  key  by  which  the  '  letter '  could  be  translated. 

On  May  16  Sir  William  forwarded  to  Grenville  'a  continuation 
of  the  ciphered  despatches'  which  he  was  now  able  to  decipher, 
and  after  again  warning  the  minister  against  compromising  the 
Queen,  he  incloses  another  note  from  her  to  his  wife  with  the  three 
'  very  curious  papers '  accompanying  it,  which  are  really  con- 
firmatory of  previous  information.  It  should  be  noticed  that 
this  Queen's  letter  of  May  is  one  in  ordinary  course,  and  not  one 
for  official  inspection.  These  always  begin  '  Chfere  Miledy ' ;  this 
begins  'Ma  chere  amie.'  And  finally,  after  a  further  and  im- 
material despatch  of  July  4,  1795,  Sir  William  forwards  one  of 
September  i,  in  which  he  'loses  no  time  in  communicating'  that 
the  peace  negotiations  have  'commenced.'  He  again  transmits 
this  by  a  .y^////-special  messenger.  His  despatches  of  October  are 
irrelevant  to  the  points  at  issue. 

One  word  more  with  regard  to  the  crucial  discovery  of  September 
1796,  which  in  the  text,  I  maintain,  was  due  to  Emma. 

The  '  letter '  from  Charles  of  Spain  to  Ferdinand  of  Naples  was 
not  in  cipher.  Emma  describes  it  as  'a  private  letter,'  and  Sir 
William  Hamilton  as  '  written  in  Spanish.'  It  is  important  also 
to  observe  that  Sir  William's  '  secret '  despatch  to  IvOrd  Grenville  of 
September  21,  1796,"^  forwarding  the  information,  does  not  inclose 
the  copy  of  the  original,  or  any  document  at  all.  My  inference  is, 
in  view  of  other  and  ampler  evidence  urged  in  the  text,  that  the 
reason  for  its  unusual  absence  is  that  Emma  had  herself  forwarded 

^  These  requests  that  her  name  should  not  be  mentioned  recur  perpetually. 
There  was  a  striking  instance  in  1799  (July  14),  when  Sir  William,  writing  on 
the  Foudroyant  to  (Jrenville  a  'separate  and  secret'  despatch,  and  inclosing  as 
usual  the  Queen's  letters  to  Emma,  observes.  ' .  .  .  I  have  prevailed  on  my  wife 
to  allow  me  to  entrust  to  your  Lordship  the  most  interesting  .  .  .  but  not  with- 
out a  solemn  promise  from  me  that  they  should  be  restored  to  her  by  your 
Lordship  on  our  arrival  in  England.  .  .  .'  Cf.  P. R.O.,  Sic.  Papers,  vol.  iv., 
quoted  by  Gutteridgc,  Nelson  aud  the  Neafoliiav Jacobins,  p.  317. 

-  On  the  following  day  she  again  wrote.  She  was  leaving  for  Cardiletto, 
when  she  would  be  absent  all  the  day.     '  Vous  seriez  bien  occupc  jiour  moi.' 

•''  Dated  March  31,  1795,  «in'l  translated  from  the  Italian  given  by  Professor 
Laughton  in  his  article  on  p.  652. 

^  Transcribed  by  Professor  Laughton  at  p.  659. 


486  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

her  copy  of  the  original  by  '  the  Count  of  Munster's  courier '  to 
London,  as  afterwards  both  she  and  Nelson,  on  several  occasions, 
claimed  that  she  had  done. 

G. — Lady  Hamilton's  claim  to  have  procured  the  watering  of 
the  British  Fleet  in  the  summer  of  lyg^  further  considered. 

Professor  Laughton's  criticism  ^  is  rightly  exercised  on  circum- 
stances.^ He,  of  course,  doubts  the  dramatic  scenes  either  of 
Emma's  dictating  a  letter  to  the  Queen,  or  as  to  the  '  talisman,' 
given  respectively  by  Pettigrew  and  Harrison,  while  he  omits 
another  in  one  of  Emma's  memorials  about  her  supplication  with 
tears.  That  such  dramatic  scenes  as  these  are  not  of  themselves 
improbable  is  shown  by  the  dramatic  scene  of  herself  haranguing 
the  Queen,  in  her  new  letter  to  Nelson  of  October  24,  1798, 
transcribed  in  this  Appendix. 

But  Jeaffreson's  argument  that  on  June  1 7  the  fleet  was  not  short 
of  water  is,  as  I  hope  to  have  made  quite  clear  in  my  text,  beside 
the  point,  which  was  the  necessity  that  must  arise  afterwards,  and 
against  which  Nelson's  instructions  from  the  Government  had 
expressly  guarded,  in  a  long  and  uncertain  pursuit  of  the  formid- 
able French  fleet.  Neither  the  ministerial  instructions  in  allowing 
force,  if  necessary,  to  obtain  refreshment,  nor  the  limited  rights  for 
four  vessels  at  a  time  to  be  in  harbour,  under  the  Franco-Neapolitan 
engagement,  could  possibly  prevent  delay,  and  delay  it  was  that 
Nelson  most  dreaded.  As  it  happened,  he  was  enabled  to  set  sail 
from  Syracuse  in  July  earlier  than  he  had  anticipated. 

The  question  of  the  'Queen's  letter'  has,  I  hope,  now  been 
settled,  as  well  as  the  point  of  the  Austrian  negotiations  for  a 
defensive  pact  witli  Naples,  and  the  instructions  by  the  Neapolitan 
ministers  to  the  governors  of  ports  that,  pending  those  negotiations 
a  show  of  resistance  must  be  made,  which  explains  so  much  of  what 
happened  in  July. 

With  regard  to  this  point  I  should  like  here  to  emphasise  the 
relevance  of  Acton's  letters  (Eg.  MS.  2640,  ff".  83,  87,  89)  of  the 
first  two  weeks  in  August  1798,  after  the  Nile  battle  had  been 
won,  but  while  he  was  still  ignorant  that  Nelson  had  gained  an 
effectual  refreshment  for  his  fleet,  and  was  still  apologising  to 
Hamilton  for  the  lack  of  it,  and  proposing  measures  to  supply 
Nelson's  needs.  They  strongly  corroborate  my  view  of  the 
'  Governor  of  Syracuse's  letter.'  On  August  2,  Acton  tells  Hamil- 
ton, in  view  of  Nelson's  complaints,  that  'a  single  kind  of  ostensible 
opposition  was  made,  in  case  that  the  Court  of  Vienna  had  denied 
the  desired  explanation,' and  adds  that  he  hopes  that  Nelson  will  be 
found  '  by  the  Transfer  sloop.'  On  August  7,  he  states  that  Gallo 
had  told  him  of  Nelson's  'humour,'  which  he  hopes  may  soon  be 
remedied.  So  late  as  August  15,  even  after  hearing  how  Nelson 
had  departed  from  Syracuse  '  fully  satisfied  with  reception  and  pro- 

^  Nelson's  Last  Codicil,  Colbuin's  Uitiled  Service  Magazine,  May  1889. 


APPENDIX:  NOTES  487 

visions,'  he  still  speaks  of  him  as  provisioned  for  seven  or  eight 
weeks  only,  and  he  still  proposes  measures  for  victualling  Nelson's 
squadron. 

From  a  sentence  in  Acton's  letter  to  Hamilton  of  June  22 
(Eg.  MS.  2640,  f.  73),  'He  [GaratJ  was  desabused  by  Gallo 
Wednesday  evening,'  I  assumed  that  a  second  council  had  then 
been  held,  but  this  remains  wholly  uncertain. 

I  subjoin,  for  what  they  are  worth,  the  main  parts  of  the  draft  in 
Hamilton's  handwriting  1  (hitherto  uncited)  for  the  familiar  despatch 
to  Lord  Grenville  of  June  18,  1798.2  This  despatch,  despite  its 
date,  cannot  have  been  forwarded  till  about  three  days  later,  since 
the  draft  is  dated  '  June  20.'  I  append  a  material  extract,  with  its 
interlineations  and  erasures.  It  begins  with  Troubridge's  arrival 
at  the  Embassy  in  the  early  morning  of  June  17  : — 

*  Naples, /«<««  20,  1798. 

'Captain  Troubridge  of  the  CuUoden  came  to  me  from  the 
admiral  for  intelligence  .  .  .,  and  for  a  clear  and  positive  answer 
whether  the  Ports  of  H.S.M.'s  dominions  .  .  .  were  open  without 

woud  be 
limitation  or  not  for  the  King's  Ships  of  war  and  whether  they  -wete- 
alow'd  to  supply  themselves,  &c.  I  shew'd  him  the  official  answer 
A  copy  of  which  you  will  have  received  by  the  last  Messenger. 
I  had  received  from  the  Marquis  Gallo.  a  But  as  Capt.  Troubridge 
seem'd  to  be 

wft*  in  a  great  hurry  to  join  the  admiral  &  pursue  the  Enemy 
now  that  he  had  been  that  the  armament  was  off  Malta 

-whe — '.ycrG  ao  wo  informed  by  the  laot  account  of  the  loth 
instant  thout:;ht  it  best  to  carry  him 

off  Malta;  I  carried  hin>  directly  to  General  Acton,  and  we  did 
more  real  business  in  half  an  hour  than  we  shou'd  have  done  in  the 

in  a  week.  and  home 

usual  official  wayA  Troubridge  put  strong  a  questions  to  General 
Acton  who  answe     '   'hem  fairly,  but  as  I  saw  that  what  Capt. 

was  m>.  .ious  to  obtain 

Troubridge  wishca  -  >p-m©st-"W8»7  as  he  expected  an  immediate 

to  all  the  Governors  in  Sicily 
action  with  the  french  fleet  was  an  order  of  His  S.  Majesty  a — to 

of     British  be 

allow  A  the  A  sick  and  wounded  to  A  put  on  shore  .  .  . — and  also 

fresh 
that  they  might  be  allow'd  to  get  A   provisions  for  the  fleet  from 
I  prevailed  upon  G.Acton  to  give    in  his  own  hand  and  in  the 
these  Ports.  A     This  order  4fi-A  the  King's  name  wao  immediately 

directly  and  he 
given  by-Gl.  Acton- to  Troubridge  a  who  went  off  to  join  the  adm'. 
in  high  good  humour  with  the  genl.  whom  more  than  he  said  was  a  good  man  of 
business.  Me  did  not  stay  two  hours  on  shore. 

A  Jnimodiatcly.  -Aftd-Jmrdly  stay'd  two  hourc  on  shore.  ...  He 
expressed  only  a  wish  to  get  sight  of  Buonaparte.  .  .  . 

P.S. — This  Court,  as  you  may  perceive,  is  in  great  distress.' 
'  Eg.  MS.  2638,  f.  2S7.  -  Clarke  and  Macarthur,  vol.  ii.  p.  64. 


488  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

But  in  the  draft  Hamilton  first  omitted,  and  added  afterwards, 
that  the  order  was  in  Acton's  handwriting  as  well  as  in  the  '  King's 
name ' :  it  is  evident  that  the  King  himself  did  not  sign  the 
document. 

Hamilton  could  not  mention  in  an  official  despatch  anything 
that  might  have  been  effected  in  the  meanwhile,  behind  the  backs 
both  of  King  and  Council,  by  Emma  and  the  Queen. 

Hamilton  in  his  despatch  to  Lord  Grenville  of  August  4  ex- 
pressly says,  in  explanation  of  the  circumstances  which  caused 
Nelson's  anger  and  disappointment  at  Syracuse  a  fortnight  earlier, 
'The  whole  mystery  was  that  the  Court  of  Naples  could  not  with- 
out risk  throw  off  the  mask  until  it  had  received  the  ratified  treaty 
with  the  Emperor  of  Germany.' 

These  diplomatic  circumstances,  as  I  have  shown,  form  the 
key  to  the  Governor  of  Syracuse's  letter,  but  they  also  tend  to 
show  that  the  order  in  the  King's  name  could  not  of  itself  sur- 
mount delays  in  provisioning  vessels,  and  point  (under  the  cir- 
cumstances that  happened)  to  the  probability  of  the  Queen 
having  intervened,  unknown  to  her  husband,  who  would  have 
been  furious. 

Nelson's  official  accounts  of  what  transpired  are  naturally  guarded 
and  reserved.  It  was  the  same  with  his  account  of  the  flight  to 
Palermo.  But  all  along  he  was  in  constant  private  communica- 
tion with  the  Hamiltons ;  the  Queen's  letters  to  Emma  even 
during  the  week  before  Nelson's  arrival  in  the  bay  of  Naples  show 
that  the  news  of  these  letters  was  regularly  reported  to  her  by  her 
friend.^ 

Bearing  all  the  circumstances  in  mind,  and  discounting  ex- 
aggerations and  concealments  on  either  side,  it  seems  to  me 
that  Emma  and  the  Queen  bore  a  much  more  active  part  in  these 
transactions  than  Hamilton  or  Acton.  So  Nelson  held,  and  he 
knew.  The  King  and  Acton  were  probably  never  informed  of  what 
happened  without  their  knowledge.  But  Nelson,  at  Syracuse,  was 
perfectly  aware  of  the  change  that  came  over  the  scene  there  in 
two  days,  and  I  think  that  he  ought  to  be  believed. 


H. — An  Abstract  of  the  legal  document  of  May  6,  18 14, 
whereby  Lady  Hamilton  received  her  first  payment  in 
advance  of  Lord  Nelson  s  annuity P' 

It  is  signed  'Emma  Hamilton,' and  recites  that  '  Lord  Nelson 
bequeathed  to  me '  an  annuity  of  ^^500  'as  a  tax  on  the  rental  of 

^  Cf.  Eg.  MS.  1618,  f.  7  ;  1615,  f.  102,  and  afterwards  (June  29)  the  Queen 
follows  Nelson's  movements  with  anxiety.     Ibid.  f.  107. 
-  Add.  iNIS.  34,992,  f.  300. 


APPENDIX:  NEW  LETTERS  489 

Bronte  by  the  codicil  to  his  will  of  19th  February  1804,  to  be  paid 
half-yearly  '  in  advance '  during  my  life,  and  by  a  postscript  directed 
the  first  half-year  '  to  be  first  paid  after  the  interest  was  received.' 
'  And  whereas  no  arrear  of  rent  was  received  by  his  executors  until 
September  1806,  and  no  rent  accruing  after  his  [Nelson's]  decease 
was  received  by  Earl  Nelson,  now  Duke  of  Bronte,  for  his  own  use 
until  January  1808,'  'and  whereas  Earl  Nelson  was  advised  by 
Counsel  that,'  under  these  events,  'the  said  annuity  was  not  payable 
half-yearly  in  advance,  and  therefore  the  same  hath  not  hitherto 
been  so  paid.  But  a  different  opinion  having  been  expressed  by 
persons  consulted  by  me,'  it  acknowledges  that  the  Earl  having  there- 
upon consented  to  pay  a  half-annuity  in  advance,  that  '  I  have  this 
day  received  from  Earl  Nelson  the  sum  of  ^^225,  which,  with  ^25 
property  tax  deducted,  is  ^^250,  being  a  half-year's  payment  of  the 
said  annuity  in  advance,  the  said  annuity  having  been  paid  in  full 
to  2ist  day  of  April  inclusive.'  'Witness  my  hand,  6th  day  of 
May  1814.' 


PART  II.— NEW  LETTERS 

A. — Lady    Hamiltofi's    Correspondence   with  Admiral   {and 
afterwards)  Lord  Nelson  in  September  and  October  1798.^ 

(i)  Lady  Hamilioji  to  Admiral  Nelson. 

{llthjiiue  179S.  I 
Mv  DEAR  Admiral, — I  write  in  a  hurry  as  Captain  T.  Carrol 
stays  on  Monarch.  God  bless  you  and  send  you  victorious,  and 
that  I  may  see  you  bring  back  buonaparte  with  you.  pray  send 
Captain  Hardy  -  out  to  us,  for  I  shall  have  a  fever  with  anxiety. 
The  Queen  desires  me  to  say  everything  that 's  kind  and  bids  me 
say  with  her  whole  heart  and  soul  she  wishes  you  victory.  God 
bless  you,  my  dear  sir.  I  will  not  say  how  glad  I  shall  be  to  see 
you.  Indeed  I  cannot  describe  to  you  my  feelings  on  your  being 
so  near  us. — Ever,  ever,  dear  Sir,  your  affte.  and  gratefuU 

Emma  Hamilton. 

\^Addressed,  'Admiral  Sir  Horatio  Nelson.' 
Indorsed,  'Lady  Hamilton,  17th  June  '98.'] 

'  Add.  MS.  34,989,  fi'.  1-32.     This  series  was  acquired  in  1S96. 
-  This  shows  ih.il  ILndy  arrived  «//<:;■  Troubridgc. 


490  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

(2)  Lady  Haynilton  to  Admiral  Neisoft. 

[Same  date,  similar  paper  y  writlen  very  htirriedly.'] 

Dear  Sir, — I  send  you  a  letter  I  have  received  this  moment 
from  the  Queen.  Kiss  it,  and  send  it  me  back  by  Bowen,  as  I  am 
bound  not  to  give  any  of  her  letters. — Ever  yrs.,  Emma. 

(3)  The  same  to  the  same. 

\_This  letter  is  written,  as  was  Lady  Hamilton'' s  frequent  habit,  on 
several  successive  days.] 

Naples,  Septembers,  1798. 

My  dear,  dear  Sir, — How  shall  I  begin,  what  shall  I  say  to 
you.  'tis  impossible  I  can  write,  for  since  last  Monday  ^  I  am 
delerious  with  joy,  and  assure  you  I  have  a  fevour  caused  by 
agitation  and  pleasure.  God,  what  a  victory  !  Never,  never  has 
there  been  anything  half  so  glorious,  so  compleat,  I  fainted  when 
I  heard  the  joyful!  news,  and  fell  on  my  side  and  am  hurt,  but  now 
well  [?]  of  that.  I  shou'd  feil  it  a  glory  to  die  in  such  a  cause. 
No,  I  wou'd  not  like  to  die  till  I  see  and  embrace  the  Victor  of 
the  JVi'k.  How  shall  I  describe  to  you  the  transports  of  Maria 
Carolina,  'tis  not  possible.  She  fainted  and  kissed  her  husband,  her 
children,  walked  about  the  room,  cried,  kissed,  and  embraced  every 
person  near  her,  exclaiming.  Oh,  brave  Nelson,  oh,  God  bless  and 
protect  our  brave  deliverer,  oh,  Nelson,  Nelson,  what  do  we  not  owe 
to  you,  oh  Victor,  Savour  of  Ltali,  oh,  that  my  swolen  heart  cou'd 
710W  tell  him  personally  what  7ve  oive  to  him  / 

You  may  judge,  my  dear  Sir,  of  the  rest,  but  my  head  will  not 
permit  me  to  tell  you  half  of  the  rejoicing.  The  Neapolitans  are 
mad  with  joy,  and  if  you  wos  here  now,  you  wou'd  be  killed  with 
kindness.  Sonets  on  sonets,  illuminations,  rejoicings;  not  a 
French  dog  dare  shew  his  face.  How  I  glory  in  the  honner  of  my 
Country  and  my  Countryman  !  I  walk  and  tread  in  air  with  pride, 
felling  I  was  born  in  the  same  land  with  the  victor  Nelson  and  his 
gallant  band.  But  no  more,  I  cannot,  dare  not,  trust  myself,  for 
I  am  not  well.  Little  dear  Captain  Hoste  will  tell  you  the  rest. 
He  dines  with  us  in  the  day,  for  he  will  not  sleep  out  of  his  ship, 
and  we  Love  him  dearly.  He  is  a  fine,  good  lad.  Sir  William  is 
delighted  with  him,  and  I  say  he  will  be  a  second  Nelson.  If  he 
is  onely  half  a  Nelson,  he  will  be  superior  to  all  others. 

I  send  you  two  letters  from  my  adorable  queen.  One  was 
written  to  me  the  day  we  received  the  glorious  news,  the  other 
yesterday.  Keep  them,  as  they  are  in  her  own  handwriting.  I 
have  kept  copies  only,  but  I  feil  that  you  ought  to  have  them.  If 
you  had  seen  our  meeting  after  the  battle,  but  I  will  keep  it  all  for 
your  arrival.     I  coo'd  ^  not  do  justice  to  her  felling  nor  to  my  own, 

*  September  3,  when  the  private  news  of  the  Nile  battle  first  reached  her. 

^  She  usually  spells  this  correctly.  It  perhaps  echoes  the  burr  of  her  Cheshire 
accent  in  her  excitement.  The  letters  throughout  are  unpunctuated,  and  the 
stops  are  inserted  by  me. 


APPENDIX:  NEW  LETTERS  491 

with  writing  it ;  and  we  are  preparing  your  appartment  against  you 
come.  I  hope  it  will  not  be  long,  for  Sir  William  and  I  are  so 
impatient  to  embrace  you.  I  wish  you  cou'd  have  seen  our  house 
the  3  nights  of  illumination.  'Tis,  'twas  covered  with  your  glorious 
name.  Their  were  3  thousand  Lamps,  and  their  shou'd  have  been 
3  miUions  if  we  had  had  time.  All  the  English  vie  with  each  other 
in  celebrating  this  most  gallant  and  ever  memorable  victory.  Sir 
William  is  ten  years  younger  since  the  happy  news,  and  he  now 
only  wishes  to  see  his  friend  to  be  completely  happy.  How  he 
glories  in  you  when  your  name  is  mentioned.  He  cannot  contain 
his  joy.  For  God's  sake  come  to  Naples  soon.  We  receive  so 
many  Sonets  and  Letters  of  congratulation.  I  send  you  some  of 
them  to  shew  you  how  your  success  is  felt  here.  How  I  felt  for 
poor  Troubridge.  He  must  have  been  so  angry  on  the  sandbank, 
so  brave  an  officer !  In  short,  I  pity  those  who  were  not  in  the 
battle.  I  wou'd  have  been  rather  an  English  powder-monkey,  or 
a  swab  in  that  great  victory,  than  an  Emperor  out  of  it,  but  you 
will  be  so  tired  of  all  this.  Write  or  come  soon  to  Naples,  and 
rejoin  your  ever  sincere  and  oblidged  friend, 

Emma  Hamilton. 

The  Queen  [h]as  this  moment  sent  a  Dymond  Ring  to  Captain 
Hoste,  six  buts  of  wine,  2  casks,  for  the  officers,  and  every  man  on 
board  a  guinea  each.  Her  letter  is  in  English  and  comes  as  from 
an  unknown  person,  but  a  well-wisher  to  our  country,  and  an 
admirer  of  our  gallant  Nelson.  As  war  is  not  yet  declared  with 
France,  she  cou'd  not  shew  herself  so  openly  as  she  wished,  but 
she  [h]as  done  so  much,  and  rejoiced  so  very  publickly,  that  all  the 
world  sees  it.  She  bids  me  to  say  that  she  longs  more  to  see  you 
than  any  woman  with  child  can  long  for  anything  she  may  take  a 
fancy  to,^  and  she  shall  be  for  ever  unhappy  if  you  do  not  come. 
God  bless  you  my  dear,  dear  friend. 

My  dress  from  head  to  foot  is  alia  Nelson.  Ask  Hoste.  Even 
my  shawl  is  in  Blue  with  gold  anchors  all  over.  My  earrings  are 
Nelson's  anchors ;  in  short,  we  are  be-Nelsoned  all  over.  I  send 
you  some  Sonets,  but  I  must  have  taken  a  ship  on  purpose  to  send 
you  all  written  on  you.  Once  more,  God  bless  you.  My  mother 
desires  her  love  to  you.  I  am  so  sorry  to  write  in  such  a  hurry. 
I  am  affraid  you  will  not  be  able  to  read  this  scrawl. 

\^Here,  I  am  half  disposed  to  think,  ought  to  follow  the  passage  in 
No.  (8)  beginning  '  My  dear  little  fatherless  Fady.'] 

(4)  Zady  Hamilton  to  Lady  Nelson. 

Naples,  October  z,  179S. 
I  hope  your  Ladyship  received  my  former  letter  with  an  account 
of   Lord    Nelson's   arrival,    and    his    reception    by   their   Sicilian 

'  This  curious  illustration  alludes  to  Maria  Carolina's  own  dauglitcr-in-law, 
the  Princess  Clementine's  then  condition. 


492  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

Majesties ;  and  allso  the  congratulations  and  compliments  from 
this  amiable  Queen  to  your  Ladyship  which  I  was  charged  with  and 
wrote  a  month  back,  but  as  the  posts  were  very  uncertain,  you  may 
not  have  received  that  letter.  Lord  Nelson  is  gone  to  Leghorn 
with  the  troops  of  the  King  of  Naples,  and  we  expect  him  soon 
Back,  as  the  King  is  gone  to  Rome  with  his  army ;  and  he  beg'd  of 
ray  Lord  Nelson  to  be  as  much  in  and  about  Naples  as  he  cou'd, 
not  only  to  advise  and  consult  with  her  Majesty,  who  is  Regent  for 
the  good  of  the  common  cause,  but,  in  case  of  accident,  to  take 
care  of  her  and  of  her  familly. 

Lord  Nelson  is  adored  here,  and  looked  on  as  the  deliverer  of 
this  country.  He  was  not  well  when  first  he  arrived,  but  by  nursing 
and  asse's  milk  he  went  from  Naples  quite  recovered. 

The  King  and  Queen  adore  him,  and  if  he  had  been  their 
Brother,  they  cou'd  not  have  shewn  him  more  respect  and  atten- 
tions. I  need  not  tell  your  Ladyship  how  happy  Sir  William  and 
myself  are  at  having  an  opertunity  of  seeing  our  dear,  respectable, 
brave  friend  return  here  with  so  much  honner  to  himself,  and  glory 
for  his  country.  We  only  wanted  you  to  be  completely  happy. 
Lord  Nelson's  wound  is  quite  well.  Josiah  ^  is  so  much  improv'd 
in  every  respect,  we  are  all  delighted  with  him.  He  is  an  excellent 
officer  and  very  steady,  and  one  of  the  best  hearts  in  the  world.  I 
Love  him  much,  and  allthough  we  quarrel  sometimes,  he  loves  me 
and  does  as  I  wou'd  have  him.  He  is  in  the  way  of  being  rich,  for 
he  has  taken  many  prizes.  He  is  indefatigable  in  his  line,  never 
sleeps  out  of  his  ship,  and  I  am  sure  will  make  a  very  great  officer. 
Lady  Knight  and  her  amiable  daughter  ^  desire  to  be  remembered 
to  your  Ladyship.  I  hope  you  received  the  ode  I  sent ;  it  is  very 
well  written,  but  Miss  Knight  is  very  clever  in  everything  she 
undertakes.  Sir  William  desires  his  kind  compliments  to  your  Lady- 
ship and  to  Lord  Nelson's  respected  father. 

The  King  is  having  his  picture  set  with  dymonds  for  his  Lord- 
ship, and  the  Queen  has  ordered  a  fine  set  of  china  with  all  the 
battles  he  Jias  been  engaged  in,  and  his  picture  painted  on  china. 
Josiah  desired  his  duty  to  your  Ladyship,  and  says  he  will  write  as 
soon  as  he  [h]as  time,  but  he  has  been  very  busy  for  some  time 
past. 

God  bless  you  and  your's,  my  dear  Madam,  and  believe  me  your 
Ladyship's  very  sincere  friend,  Emma  Hamilton. 

Sir  William  is  in  a  rage  with  [the]  ministry  for  not  having  made 
Lord  Nelson  a  Viscount,  for,  sure,  this  great  and  glorious  action — 


^  Nisbet,  Lady  N.'s  son  and  Lord  N.'s  stepson,  to  whom,  as  a  lad,  Lady 
Hamilton  had  been  kindness  itself  at  Naples  in  1793,  but  whom  she  grew  to  dis- 
like as  Lady  Nelson's  suspicions  and  coldness  increased.  He  took  to  drink,  was 
often  insubordimte,  and  gave  the  stepfather,  who  advanced  him  in  every  way, 
great  future  trouble.     He  had  saved  Nelson's  life  in  1796. 

-  Miss  Cornelia. 


APPENDIX:  NEW  LETTERS  493 

greater  than  any  other — ought  to  have  been  recognised  more.    Hang 
them,  I  say.^ 

[Addressed  to  the  'Right  Honourable  Lady  Nelson,  Roundwood, 
near  Ipswich,  Suffolk  ';  sealed  in  red  with  : 

Nelson, 

I  August 
1798. 
Indorsed  in  Lady  Nelson's  handwriting,  '  Lady  Hamilton's  letter 
to  Lady  Nelson,  Naples,  October  2,  1798.'] 

(5)  Lord  JVelson  to  Lady  Hamilt07i  - 

[Muck  interlined  and  corrected.^ 

Oct.  3,  1798. 

My  dear  Madam, — The  anxiety  which  you  and  Sir  William 
Hamilton  have  always  had  for  the  happiness  and  welfare  of  their 
Sicilian  Majesties,  was  also  planted  [in  mej  in  the  five  years  past. 
And  I  can  safely  say,  that  on  every  occasion  which  have  \sic\ 
offered  (which  have  been  numerous),  I  have  never  failed  to  mani- 
fest my  sincere  regard  for  the  felicity  of  these  kingdoms.  Under 
this  attachment,  I  cannot  be  an  indifferent  spectator  to  what  has 
been  and  is  passing  in  the  two  Sicilies,  nor  to  the  misery  which, 
without  being  a  politician,  I  cannot  but  see  plainly  is  now  ready 
to  fall  on  these  very  kingdoms  now  so  loyal,  by  the  worst  of  all 
policies,  that  of  procrastination. 

Since  my  arrival  in  these  seas  in  June  last  I  have  seen  in  the 
Sicilians  the  most  loyal  people  to  their  sovreign,  with  the  utmost 
detestation  of  the  French  and  their  principles.  Since  my  arrival 
at  Naples  I  have  found  all  ranks,  from  the  very  highest  to  the 
lowest,  eager  for  war  with  the  French,  who,  all  know,  are  preparing 
an  army  of  Robbers  to  plunder  these  kingdoms  and  destroy  the 
monarchy.  I  have  seen  the  minister  of  the  insolent  French  pass 
over  in  silence  manifest  breach[es]  of  the  3rd  article  of  the  treaty 
between  their  Sicilian  Majesties  and  the  French  Republic. 

Ought  not  this  extraordinary  conduct  to  be  seriously  noticed  ? 
Have  \sic\  not  the  uniform  conduct  of  the  French  been  to  lull  the 
Government  into  a  fatal  security,  and  been  to  destroy  them.  As  I 
have  before  stated,  is  it  not  known  to  every  person  that  Naples  is 
the  most  marked  object  for  plunder — with  their  knowledge,  and 
that  His  Sicilian  Majesty  has  an  army  ready  (I  am  told,  to  march 
into  a  country  ready  to  receive  them  with  the  advantage  of  carrying 
on  the  .var  from  the  cnomicii  country,'^  instead  of  waiting  for  it  at 

^  These  words  .-ire  written  very  small. 

-  This  sketch  of  policy  and  [iroject  for  the  royal  safety  is  the  hrsl  draft  for 
another  and  more  formal  document  which  has  been  published  (cf.  Laughton's 
Despatches,  pp.  171 -173).  It  was  intended  to  be  shown  to  the  ministers.  It  is 
included  here  with  Lady  Hamilton's  letters,  so  as  not  to  break  the  series. 

*  Erased  in  the  original. 


494  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

Home).  I  am  all  astonishment  that  the  army  has  not  marched  a 
month  ago.  I  trust  the  arrival  of  General  Mack  will  induce  the 
Government  not  to  lose  any  more  of  the  favourable  time,  which 
Providence  has  put  in  their  hands.  For,  if  they  do,  and  wait  for 
an  attack  in  the  country  instead  of  carrying  the  war  out  of  it,  it 
requires  no  gift  of  prophecy  to  pronounce  that  these  kingdoms  will 
be  divided,  and  the  monarchy  destroy'd.  But  shou'd,  unfortun- 
ately, this  miserable  Ruinous  system  of  procrastination  be  persisted 
in,  I  wou'd  recommend  that  all  your  property  and  persons  are  ready 
to  embark  at  a  very  short  notice.  It  will  be  my  duty  to  look  and 
provide  for  your  safety,  and  with  it  (I  am  sorry  to  think  it  will  be 
necessary),  that  of  the  amiable  Queen  of  these  kingdoms  and  her 
family.  I  have  read  with  admiration  her  dignified  and  incompar- 
able letter  of  September  1796.  May  the  councils  of  this  kingdom 
ever  be  guided  by  such  sentiments  of  dignity,  honour,  and  justice. 
And  may  the  words  of  the  great  Mr.  Pitt  be  instilled  into  the 
ministry  of  this  country, — '  The  Boldest  measures  are  the  safest,'  is 
the  sincere  wish  of  your  Ladyship's,  &c. 

PS. — Your  Ladyship  will,  I  beg,  receive  this  letter  as  a  pre- 
paritive  \sic\  for  Sir  William  Hamilton,  to  whom  I  am  writing  with 
all  respect  the  firm  and  unalterable  opinion  of  a  British  Admiral, 
anxious  to  approve  himself  a  faithful  servant  to  his  sovreign  by 
doing  everything  in  his  power  for  the  Happiness  and  Dignity  of  their 
Sicilian  majesties  and  their  kingdom. 

[This  paper  shows,  (i)  That  so  early  as  October  3  Nelson  was 
urging  flight,  probably  against  the  grain  both  of  the  Queen,  Acton, 
and  Hamilton  ;  (2)  that  Lady  Hamilton  was  the  intermediary  both 
with  her  and  Sir  William,  before  anything  could  be  done. 

Indorsed,  'My  letter  to  Lady  Hamilton,  3  Oct.  1798,'  but  not  in 
Nelson's  or  Lady  H.'s  handwriting.] 


(6)  Lady  Ha7nilton  to  Lord  Nelson. 

Caserta,  October  20,  1798. 

My  dear,  respectable  ^  Friend, — We  have  this  moment  had  a 
letter  from  Troubridge  to  say  the  Flora  cutter  is  going  to  join  you, 
and  I  fell  so  happy  to  have  an  opertunity  to  write,  alltho'  but  a 
line,  to  our  dear,  dear  Admiral  to  say  how  miserable  we  were  for 
some  days,2  j-j^t  j^q^  hope  of  your  return  revives  us.  We  are 
oblidged  to  live  here  now  till  her  Royal  Highness'  ^  squaling,  and 
thank  God,  her  .  .  .,*  so  all  the  ladies  in  the  pallace  say.     I  know 

1  This  adjective,  so  often  used  by  the  Queen  also,  means,  of  course,  in  eighteenth 
century  parlance,  'venerated.' 

-  Nelson  left  Naples  for  Malta,  October  16.  With  the  exception  of  a  brief 
return,  after  which  he  started  for  Leghorn,  he  was  not  back  till  early  November. 

•■'  Princess  Clementine  (arch-duchess,  cousin  and  wife  of  the  Neapolitan  heir- 
apparent)  was  expecting  her  first  confinement. 

^  The  words  are  difficult  to  ascertain,  and  in  any  case  they  are  too  plain 
spoken  for  transcription. 


APPENDIX:  NEW  LETTERS  495 

nothing  about  it.  Yesterday  we  heard  of  nothing  but  the  '  Pancia 
Caduta,'  which  is  a  sign  that  she  will  soon  Bring  Forth.  Then  we 
go  to  Naples,  for  it  is  impossible  here  [to]  be  happy,  when  our 
ships  are  there,  and  my  anxiety  for  news  is  such  I  have  no  rest. 
However,  here  we  go  on  with  vigour,  and  I  flatter  myself  We  Spur 
them,  for  I  am  allways  with  the  Queen,  and  I  hold  out  your 
energick  language  to  her.  Mack  ^  is  writing.  He  does  not  go  to 
visit  the  frontiers,  but  is  now  working  night  and  day,  and  then  goes 
for  good.  And  I  tell  her  Majesty,/^?-  God's  sake,  for  the  Country s 
sake,  and  for  your  own  sake,  send  hifn  of[f]  as  soon  as  possible,  no 
time  to  be  lost,  and  I  believe  he  goes  after  to-morrow.  The  rebel- 
lion in  Ireland  being  finished,  and  the  French  troops  taken,  [h]as 
given  them  fresh  courage.  I  translate  from  our  papers  for  her  to 
inspire  her,  or  them,  I  should  say,  with  some  of  our  spirit  and 
energy.  How  delighted  we  Booth  were  to  sit  and  speak  of  you. 
She  loves,  respects,  and  admires  you.  For  myself,  I  will  leave  you 
to  guess  my  fellings.  Poor  dear  Trowbridge  staid  that  night  ^  to 
comfort  us.  What  a  good,  dear  soul  he  is !  I  have  not  time  to 
say  more,  and  not  being  in  Naples,  I  have  nothing  to  send  you. 
How  provoking !  The  Queen  desires  her  kindest  complements, 
and  thanks  you  for  leving  Trowbridge.  He  is  to  come  down  soon, 
and  I  am  to  present  him.  She  says  she  shou'd  not  feil  happy  if 
she  had  not  one  English  ship  here,  to  send  of[f ]  her  poor  children. 
Give  my  compliments  to  good,  dear  Tyson.  I  love  him  for  his 
real  attachment  to  you.  Remember  me  to  Hardy  and  Mr. 
Cummins  [?] ;  he  is  a  worthy,  good  man,  I  am  sure,  and  his  pro- 
fession must  give  him  respect  allways ;  and  shake  little  Fady  and 
Woodin  by  the  hand  for  me.  I  hope  your  doctor  is  satisfied  with 
your  health.  How  do  you  do  for  your  cook  ?  The  dog,  I  will  have 
him  taken  as  a  deserter,  but  all  is  for  the  best,  perhaps.  Your 
steward  is  better  with  John  Bull's  roost  and  boil  than  the  Italian 
spoil-stomach  sauce  of  a  dirty  Neapolitan.  God  bless  you  !  How 
we  abused  Gallo  '•''  yesterday !  How  she  hates  him  !  He  won't 
reign  long;  so  much  the  better !  Write  to  me,  and  come  soon,/^r 
you  are  wanted  at  Caserta.  All  their  noddles  are  not  worth  your's. 
— Ever,  ever  your's,  Emma. 

[Indorsed — at  top  of  last  page — '  Oct.  20,  — 98.'] 
(7)  The  same  to  the  same. 

October  26,  1798. 

My  DEAR  Friend, — I  must  say  one  word  more  to  you.  We  have 
just  had  another  letter.  The  Turk  Signor  has  written  to  the  King 
of  England  to  beg  his  permission  that  you  may  wear  the  order  or 
feather  that  he  took  out  of  his  own  Turban  to  decorate  you,   and 

'  The  Austrian  General  now  in  command  of  the  Neapolitan  troops. 
-  October  16. 

*  The  petit  maitre,  delaying,  anti  -  English  Foreign  Minister — Nelson's 
aversion. 


496  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

which  is  the  sign  of  sovrainty,  I  do  not  exactly  know  how  many 
thousand  piastres  it's  worth,  but  unprecedented  is  the  present. 
'  Viva  il  Turco,'  says  Emma. 

If  I  was  King  of  England  I  wou'd  make  you  the  most  noble 
present,  Dicke  Nelson,  Marqicis  Nile,  Earl  Aboukir,  Vicount 
Pyramid,  Baron  Crocodile,  and  Prince  Victory,  that  posterity  might 
have  you  in  all  forms.  Pray  if  the  Turkish  frigate  comes  to  you, 
I  beg  you  to  bring  it  here,  that  I  may  have  the  pleasure  of  enter- 
taining the  good  Turban  soul,  and  sending  him  home  satisfied,  and 
convinced  that  an  English  woman  has  a  soul,  for  I  fancy  they  don't 
beli[e]ve  we  have  one,  and  shewing  him  our  gratitude  for  the  justice 
his  master  has  done  to  the  friend  of  our  hearts,  for  so  Sir  William 
and  I  call  you.  Once  more,  God  bless  you,  and  beli[e]ve  me  ever 
your  grateful!  Emma  Hamilton. 

(8)  Lady  Hamilton  to  Lord  Nelson. 

Caserta,  October  24,^  1798. 

My  dear  Sir, — We  have  had  our  good  Trowbridge  here  a  day 
and  a  half.  He  is  gone  to  Naples  to  send  a  frigate  to  you.  I 
cannot  let  the  first  opertunity  pass  without  writing  to  our  dear, 
respectable  Admiral,  and  we  have  been  so  happy  with  Trowbridge, 
in  having  such  an  occasion  to  speak  of  you  as  you  deserve. 

I  presented  him  and  Captain  Waller  to  the  Queen.  We  staid 
with  her  two  hours.  Poor,  dear  Trowbridge  was  affected  in  seeing 
her  with  her  children.  He  thought  of  his  own.  We  dined  with 
General  Acton. 

How  you  are  beloved,  for  not  merely  with  her  Majesty,  but  of 
the  General's  [party  ?]  you  was  our  theme,  and  my  full  heart  is  fit  to 
Burst  with  pleasure,  when  I  hear  your  honoured  name,  but  enough 
now  for  the  day. 

I  received  yesterday  a  letter  from  Spencer  Smith.^  Your  present 
is  a  pelicia  of  Gibelini  with  a  feather  for  your  hat  of  Dymonds, 
large,  most  magnificent,  and  2  thousand  Zechins  for  the  wounded 
men,  and  a  letter  to  you  from  the  Grand  Signor,  God  bless  him  ! 
There  is  a  frigate  sent  of[f]  on  purpose.  We  expect  it  here.  I 
must  see  the  present.  How  I  shall  look  at  it,  smel  it,  taste  it, 
to[ujch  it,  put  the  pelice  over  ray  own  shoulders,  look  in  the 
glas,  and  say.  Viva  il  Turk!  And  by  express  desire  of  his 
imperial  Majesty,  you  are  to  wear  these  Badges  of  Honner,  so  we 
think  it  is  an  order  he  gives  you,  for  you  are  particularly  desired  to 
wear  them,  and  his  thanks  to  be  given  to  all  the  officers.  God 
bless,  or  Mahomet  bless,  the  old  Turk ;  I  say,  no  longer  Turk,  but 
good  Christian.  The  Queen  says  that  after  the  English,  she  loves 
the  Turks,  and  she  [h]as  reason ;  for  as  to  Viena,  the  ministers^ 

i  This  letter  is  printed  in  its  order  of  arrangement  by  the  British  Museum. 
2  English  Consul  at  Constantinople,  and  brother  of  the  Admiral. 
'  This  refers  to  the  merely  defensive  alliance  with  Naples,  signed  by  Austria, 
July  16. 


I 


APPENDIX:  NEW  LETTERS  497 

deserve  to  be  hanged ;  and  if  Naples  is  saved,  no  thanks  to  the 
Emperor,^  for  he  is  kindly  leving  his  Father-  in  the  lurch. 

We  have  been  2  days  desperate  on  account  of  the  weak  and  cool 
acting  of  the  Cabinet  of  Viena.  Tugood  ^  must  be  gained.  But 
the  Emperor,  oh,  but  he  is  a  poor  sop,  a  machme  in  the  hands  of 
his  corrupted  ministers.  The  Queen  is  in  a  rage,  Belmonte,* 
expected  back,  not  having  been  permited  to  go  on  their  arrival 
here.  Sunday  last,  2  Corriers,  one  from  London,  one  from  Viena ; 
the  first  with  the  lovely  news  of  a  fleet  to  remain  in  the  Mediter- 
ranean ;  a  treaty^  made  of  the  most  flattering  kind  for  Naples.  In 
short,  everything  amicable,  friendly,  and  most  truly  honnerable. 
T'other  from  their  dear  son  and  daughter,  cold,  unfriendly,  mis- 
trustful, frenchified,  and  saying  plainly,  help  yourselves.  How  the 
dear  Maria  Carolina  cried  for  joy  at  the  one,  and  rage  at  the  other. 
But  Mack  is  gone  to  the  army  to  prepare  all  to  march  emediately. 
And  I  fl,atter  myself,  I  did  much.  For  whilst  the  passions  of  the 
Queen  [were]  up  and  agitated,  I  got  up,  put  out  my  left  arm  like  you, 
spoke  the  language  of  truth  to  her,  painted  the  drooping  situation 
of  this  fine  country,  her  friends  sacrificed,  her  husband,  children, 
and  herself  led  to  the  Block;  and  eternal  dishonour  to  her  memory, 
after  for  once  having  been  active,  doing  her  duty  in  fighting 
bravely  to  the  last,  to  save  her  Country,  her  Religion,  from  the 
hands  of  the  rapacious  murderers  of  her  sister,  and  the  Royal 
Family  in  France,  that  [sic]  she  was  sure  of  being  lost,  if  they  were 
inactive,  and  their  was  a  chance  of  being  saved  if  they  made  use 
now  of  the  day,  and  struck  now  while  all  minds  are  imprest  with 
the  Horrers  their  neighbours  are  suffering  from  these  Robbers.  In 
short,  their  was  a  Council,  and  it  was  determined  to  march  out  and 
help  themselves ;  and,  sure,  their  poor  fool  of  a  son  will  not, 
cannot,  but  come  out.  He  must  bring  a  hundred  and  fifty  thousand 
men  in  the  Venetian  State.  The  French  cou'd  be  shut  in  between 
the  two  armys,  italy  cleared,  and  peace  restored.  I  saw  a  person 
from  Millan  yesterday,  who  says  that  a  small  army  wou'd  do,  for 
the  Milanese  have  had  enough  of  Liberty,  whilst  the  nobility  are 
starving  at  home,  and  ladies  of  the  first  fashion  without  a  gown  to 
their  backs.  Their  are  2  hundred  French  common  w — s,  the 
finest  clooths,  coaches,  sadlc-horses,  and  attendants  dancing  and 
w — ing  every  evening,  and  puting  virtue  out  of  countenance  by 
their  infamous  publick  prostitution  and  Libertinage.  So  you  see, 
a  little  wou'd  do.  Now  is  the  moment ;  and  endeed  everything  is 
going  on  as  we  cou'd  wish.  The  King  is  [to]  go  in  a  few  days,  not  to 
return.^     The  regency  is  to  be  in  the  name  of  the  Prince  Royal, 

^  Son-in-l2.w  of  Maria  Carolina.  -  i.e.  father-in-law. 

^  Count  Thugut,  who  in  1797  had  negotiated  the  treaty  of  Campoformio 
for  Austria  with  France. 

*  i.e.  '  Cialatone,'  Prince  Belmonfc.  He  had  been  minister  for  Naj^lcs  at 
^Tadri^^  in  1796.  Mad  negotiated  the  Franco-Neapolitan  peace  at  I'aris,  after 
long  delays,  in  I797-      He  wa*;  always  ^  persona  grata. 

•'  Signed  in  December,  and  in  marked  contrast  to  Lord  Grenville's  recent 
attitude.  **  This  is  a  hitherto  unknown  historical  fact. 

2  I 


498  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

but  the  Queen  will  direct  all.  Her  head  is  worth  a  thousatid.  I 
have  a  pain  in  my  head,  and  must  go  take  an  airing. 

3  o'clock.  Alleg?-amente,  Sir,  am  tres  bien  with  Acton.  The 
Emperor  [h]as  thought  better,  and  will  assist  them.  The  war  is  to 
be  declared  Religious,^  but  he  will  tell  you  more,  for  I  am  to  go  to 
the  Palace,-  and  this  must  go  off  to-night.  We  are  tied  by  the  feet 
here.  The  Princess  is  got  well  again,  after  being  in  pain  all  one 
night ;  and  we  all  dressed  in  Gal[l]a  24  hours.  So  we  must  wait 
with  patience.  The  King  says  it  will  not  be  these  ten  days.  How 
should  he  know  ?  Prince  Ventimiglia  ^  desires  his  kind  compli- 
ments. The  King  and  Queen  beg'd  to  be  most  kindly  remembered 
to  you.  And  Prince  Leopold  was  yesterday  contriving  to  escape, 
to  get  aboard  a  ship,  to  come  to  you,  and  cried  himself  sick  because 
they  wou'd  not  let  him.  But  how  every  body  loves  and  esteems 
you.  'Tis  universal  from  the  high  to  the  low;  and,  do  you  know, 
I  sing  now  nothing  but  the  Conquering  Hero.  I  send  it  you 
alter'd  by  myself  and  sang.'^  It  comes  very  fine  and  affecting.  I 
sang  it  twice  to  Trowbridge  and  Waller  yesterday.  God  bless  you, 
prosper  and  assist  you  in  all  you  undertake ;  and  may  you  live 
Long,  Long,  Long,  for  the  sake  of  your  country,  your  King,  your 
familly,  all  Europe,  Asia,  Affrica,  and  America,  and  for  the  scorge 
of  France,  but  particularly  for  the  happiness  of  Sir  William  and 
self,  who  Love  you,  admire  you,  and  glory  in  your  friendship. 
Complements  to  Hardy,  Tyson,  and  Mr.  Commins. 

My  dear  little  fatherless  Fady  ;  tell  him  to  keep  his  head  clean, 
and  when  he  comes  back  I  will  be  his  mother  as  much  as  I  can, 
comb,  wash,  and  cut  his  nails,  for  with  pleasure  I  lov'd  to  do  it  all 
for  him.  In  London  you  are  not  abus'd.  Alltho'  'tis  known  you 
are  returned  to  Syracuse,  you  are  called  the  Gallant  Admiral,  but 
their  is  not  an  idea  that  you  will  meet  with  them.^     What  a  day 

^  This  happened  next  year  with  Cardinal  Ruffo  as  the  General. 
"  Some  of  her  letters  (cf.  one  in  Sotheby's  catalogues  for  May  1905)  are  headed 
'  Palazzo,'  and  were  written  there. 
"  One  of  the  King  of  Sardinia's  court. 
■*  Her  version  is  given  in  f.  25  of  this  series  : — 

'  See  the  conquering  Hero  comes  ! 
Sound  the  trumpets,  beat  the  drums. 
Spoils  prepare,  the  Laurel  bring, 
Songs  of  Triumph  to  him  sing. 

See  our  gallant  Nelson  comes, 
Sound  the  trumpet,  beat  the  drums, 
Sports  prepare,  the  Laurel  bring, 
Songs  of  Triumph,  Emma,  sing  ! 
Myrtle-wreath  and  roses  twine 
To  deck  the  Hero's  brow  divine.' 

'Nelson's  arrival  from  Egypt  as  conqueror.' 

^  i.e.  the  French.  The  London  jiapers  received  by  this  time  had  not  yet 
got  wind  of  the  victory  of  August  i.  This  portion  of  the  letter  is  therefore 
perhaps  put  in  wrong  order  in  the  British  Museum.  It  should  follow,  I  am 
inclined  to  think,  on  No.  (3),  though  from  the  allusions  to  the  Queen  it  seems 
of  a  date  subsequent  to  Nelson's  arrival,  and  just  before  Lady  H.'s  letter  to 
Lady  Nelson. 


APPENDIX:  NEW  LETTERS  499 

will  it  be  to  England  when  the  glorious  news  arrives  !  Glad  shou'd 
I  be  to  be  there  for  one  moment.  Your  statue  ought  to  be  made 
of  pure  gold  and  placed  in  the  middle  of  London.  Never,  never 
was  there  such  a  battle,  and  if  you  are  not  regarded  as  you  ought, 
and  I  wish,  I  will  renounce  my  country  and  become  either  a 
iMameluch  or  a  Turk.  The  Queen  yesterday  said  to  me,  the  more 
I  think  on  it,  the  greater  I  find  it,  and  I  feil  such  gratitude  to  the 
warrior,  the  glorious  Nelson,  that  my  respect  is  such  that  I  cou'd 
fall  at  his  honner'd  feet  and  kiss  them.  You  that  know  us  booth, 
and  how  alike  we  are  in  many  things,  that  is,  I  as  Emma  Hamil- 
ton, and  she  as  Queen  of  Naples — imagine  us  booth  speaking  of 
you.  We  touch  ourselves  into  terms  of  rapture,  respect,  and  ad- 
miration, and  conclude  their  is  not  such  another  in  the  world.  I 
told  her  Majesty,  we  onely  wanted  Lady  Nelson  to  be  the  female 
triajuncta  in  nno,  for  we  all  Love  you,  and  yet  all  three  differently, 
and  yet  all  equally — if  you  can  make  that  out.  Sir  William  laughs 
at  us,  but  he  owns  women  have  great  Souls,  at  least  his  has.  I 
wou'd  not  be  a  lukewarm  friend  for  the  world. 

I  am  no  one's  enemy,  and  unfortunately  am  difficult,  and  cannot 
make  friendships  with  all.  But  the  few  friends  I  have,  I  wou'd  die 
for  them.  And  I  assure  you  now,  if  things  take  an  unfortunate 
turn  here,  and  the  Queen  dies  at  her  post,  I  will  remain  with  her. 
I  feil  I  owe  it  to  her  friendship  uncommon  for  me.  Thank  God, 
the  first  week  in  November^  is  near.^  I  write  in  such  a  hurry,  I  am 
affraid  you  will  be  out  of  patience.  But  take  the  will  for  the  deed, 
if  I  fail.  Love  Sir  William  and  myself,  for  we  love  you  dearly. 
He  is  the  best  husband,  friend,  I  wish  I  could  say  father  allso ;  but 
I  shou'd  be  too  happy  if  I  had  the  blessing  of  having  children,  so 
must  be  content.     God  bless  you,  prays  most  sincerely, 

Emma  Hamilton. 

[The  whole  is  difficult  to  read,  being  in  faint  and  faded  ink. 
Addressed  to  'Rear  Admiral  Sir^  Horatio  Nelson,  K.B.,  &c., 
Vanguard.'] 

(9)  Lady  Hainilton  to  Lord  Nelson. 

Caskrta,  Friday,  November  2,  1798. 
God  knows  whether  this  will  meet  you,  my  dear  admiral.  How- 
ever, I  will  risk  and  send  you  the  latest  papers.  The  King  marches 
the  8th,  thank  God.  I  hope  you  will  be  here  soon,  and  therefore 
will  not  say  more^  only  love  and  compliments  to  all,  and  beli[e]ve 
me  ever,  my  dear,  dear  Admiral,  your  ever  oblidged  and  sincere 

E.  Hamilton. 
The  Princess  is  not  brought  to  bed.     Oh  dear!   what  can  the 
matter  be  !     God  bless  you. 

'  Nelson  returned  to  Naples  from  Leghorn,  November  6,  179S. 
-  These  lines  in  the  text  are  written  within  tlic  sheet  containing  the  address. 
3  His  peerage  had  not  yet  ijccn  gazetted,  hut,  as  mentioned,  I  take  all  this  latter 
part  of  the  letter  to  he  misplaced  in  order  and  to  follow  No.  (3), 


500  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

(lo)  Lady  Hamilton  to  Lord  Nelson. 

Saturday  Evening,  November  24,  1798. 
My  dearest  Lord,^ — How  unhappy  we  are  at  the  bad  weather. 
How  are  you  toss'd  about  ?  Why  did  yon  not  come  back  ?  We 
have  not  slept  these  2  nights  thinking  on  all  your  sufferings.  God 
protect  you  !  I  find  some  of  the  ships  are  this  moment  come  to 
anchor,  but  what  are  these  to  us?  If  you  was  to  come  back,  we 
are  affraid  you  will  be  sick.  Pray  keep  yourself  well  for  our  sakes, 
and  do  not  go  on  shore  ^Leghorn.  There  is  no  comfort  Their  for 
you.  The  army  is  marched.  The  Queen  is  in  town,  praying  for 
their  success.  I  have  not  seen  her,  for  I  have  not  been  out  since 
you  went,  nor  can  I  for  2  or  3  days  yet,  as  I  have  been  ill,  but  am 
now  getting  better.  As  Sir  William  sends  you  a  manifesto  of  the 
King,  I  will  not.  Your  dear  venerable  father  is  to  be  made  a 
bishop.-  Oh,  how  happy  I  am  at  every  mark  of  honour  shewn 
you  !  AVhy  did  Trowbridge  go  out  in  such  weather?  He  knew  it 
was  not  good.  How  is  Tyson  ?  Compliments  to  all  friends. 
May  God  bless  you,  my  dear  Lord.  Ever  your's  sincerely  and 
affectionately,  Emma. 

(11)   The  same  to  the  same. 

Sunday  Evening."^ 

I  write  you  2  lines  more  to  say  I  am  better,  but  how  are  you  ? 
Oh,  this  weather !  If  we  cou'd  know  how  you  are,  and  w[h]ere 
you  are,  we  shou'd  be  happy. 

The  King  is  to  sleep  at  Frascati  to-night,  and  to-morrow  enters 
Rome.  We  have  had  2  or  3  skirmishes.  Moliterni,  the  prince 
with  one  eye,  [hjas  cut  to  pieces  2  hundred  Poles.  The  clever 
Saxe  [hjas  taken  Terrisena.  To-day  is  to  be  the  great  battle  of 
Velletria.  God  prosper  them !  You  have  shewn  them  the  example. 
The[y]  perhaps  may  date  their  downfall  from  the  glorious  first  of 
August.  Everybody  here  prays  for  you.  Even  the  Neapolitans 
say  mass  for  you,  but  Sir  William  and  I  are  so  anxious  that  we 
neither  eat,  drink,  nor  sleep,  and  tell  [5/V]  you  are  safely  landed 
and  come  back,  we  shall  feel  much  [more  mad  ?].  We  have  been 
beset  to  tell  the  secret,  but  I  wou'd  have  my  flesh  torn  off  by  red- 
hot  pinchers  sooner  than  betray  my  trust.  We  send  you  one  of 
your  midshipmen  left  here  by  accident,  Mr.  Abrams ;  pray  don't 
punish  him.  Oh,  I  had  forgot  I  wou'd  never  ask  favours ; 
but  you  are  so  good,  I  cannot  help  it.  I  write  in  such  a  hurry,  I 
am  affraid  you  will  not  be  able  to  read.  We  have  got  Josiah  ;  how 
glad  I  was  to  see  him !  Lady  K.,  Miss  K.,^  and  Carrol,  and 
Josiah  dined  to-day  with  us,  but,  alas,  your  place  at  table  was 
occupied  by  Lady  K.     I  cou'd  have  cried,  I  felt  so  low-spirited. 

'  The  first  address  lo  him  in  this  series  by  his  new  title  of  baron. 

■^  A  canard  in  the  Eptrlish  papers. 

'  i.e.  November  25.  *  Knight. 


APPENDIX:  NEW  LETTERS  501 

For  God's  sake,  turn  back  soon.     Pray,  do  you  have  no  occasion 
to  go  on  shore  at  Leghorn. 

God  bless,  protect  and  keep  you  from  all  danger,  and  restore 
you,  my  dear  Lord,  to  your  ever  sincere  and  affectionate 

Emma  Hamilton. 

Sir  William's  Love  to  you. 

(12)  The  same  to  the  same. 

\No  date.     End  of  November.  ] 
I  congratulate  you  on  the  sword. ^     I  beli[e]ve  Mack  is  taken  for 
sure.     How  are  the  generals?     I  have  taken  a  Bath,  am  a  little 
better,     God  protect  you,  my  dear  Lord ;  ever  your's  sincerely, 

E.  Hamilton. 
Make  haste  back.     Emma  and  Sir  William  esteem  you. 


B. — Lady  Hamilton  s  Correspondence  with  Mrs.  Williavi 
Nelson  in  February  and  March  iSoi,^  and  in  the 
following  November;  together  with  two  extracts  from 
letters  addressed  to  Lady  Ha^nilton  by  Mrs.  William 
Nelson  {afterwards  Sarah,  Countess  Nelson)  in  1804 
and  1805  respectively. 

(i) 

PiCCAnil.LY,  Febrttary  19,  1801. 

Mv  DEAR  Mrs.  Nelson, — I  am  so  ill  with  a  headaich  that  I 
cannot  move,  and  I  feil  I  cou'd  not  take  leive  of  you  and  Mr. 
Nelson ;  it  wou'd  be  too  much  for  my  heart.  I  will  send  by  the 
coach  all  your  things  and  caps.  Write  to  me,  and  beli[e]ve  me, 
my  dearest,  ever  dear  friend,  your's  sincerely,  Emma. 

(2) 
Friday,  Noon  {indorsed  February  20,  1801]. 
I  have  been  ill  in  bed,  my  dearest  Mrs.  Nelson ;    I  cou'd  not 
take  Leave  of  you.     My  soul  was  torn  in  pieces.     It  is  such  a  pain 

1  Given  by  ihe  Grand-Duke  of  Tuscany. 

-  Add.  MS.  34,989,  ff.  34-52.  Sir  William  had  wished  to  invite  the  Prince 
of  Wales  to  dinner  to  hear  Emma  sing.  Nelson  and  she  both  resolved  not  to 
allow  this,  and  in  the  end  she  prevailed.  At  Nelson's  request  she  sent  for  Mrs. 
William  Nelson,  his  sister-in-law,  to  bear  her  company.  She  made  two  visits, 
as  the  correspondence  opens  when  slie  returned  to  Ilillborough  for  the  first  time. 
Eventually  Nelson  came  up  himself,  and  Emma  describes  his  three  days'  sojourn 
in  London  before  starting  for  the  Baltic.  The  subsequent  letters  refer  to 
Nelson's  stay  at  Morl<m  on  his  return.  The  whole  episode,  which  had  material 
bearings  on  her  life-story,  is  described  in  my  text. 


502  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

to  part  with  dear  friends,  and  you  and  I  Liked  each  other  from  the 
moment  we  met ;  our  souls  were  congenial.  Not  so  with  Totn  Tit^ 
for  their  was  an  antipathy  not  to  be  described.  I  am  laying  down, 
writing  to  you,  so  it  is  not  Legible,  but  my  heart  says  everything 
that 's  kind  to  you  and  good,  honest  Mr.  Nelson.  I  received  yes- 
terday Letters  from  that  great  adored  being,  that  we  all  so  Love, 
esteem,  and  admire.  The  more  one  knows  him,  the  more  one 
wonders  at  his  greatness ;  his  heart,  his  head,  booth  so  perfect. 
He  says  he  is  coming  to  Spithead  soon,  he  hopes.  I  am  sorry  you 
was  in  such  a  hurry  to  go.  Trowbridge  comes  to  town  to-day,  as 
one  of  the  Lords.^  So  he  is  settled  for  the  present.  But  depend 
on  it,  my  dear  friend,  this  poor  patched  2ip  party^  can  never  hold 
Long.  A  new  coat  will  bear  many  a  lag-tag,  as  the  vulgar  phrase 
is,  but  an  old  patched  mended  one  must  tear.  So  'tis  a  remedy 
for  the  moment.  Oh,  my  dear  Mrs.  Nelson,  I  wish  their  was  a 
peace,  and  all  Partys  settled  to  their  Liking.  I  know  w[h]ere  you 
and  I  would  be ;  torn  tit  might  go  to  the  devil  for  what  I  care.  I 
am  so  unwell  that  We  cannot  have  his  Royal  Highness  to  dinner  on 
Sunday,  which  will  not  vex  me.  Addio,  mia  Cara  arnica.  You 
know,  as  you  are  learning  Lalian,  I  must  say  a  word  or  so.  How 
dull  my  hedroom  Looks  without  you.  I  miss  our  little  friendly 
confidential  chats,  but  in  this  world  nothing  is  compleat.  If  all 
went  on  smoothly,  one  shou'd  regret  quitting  it,  but  'tis  the  many 
little  vexations  and  crosses,  separations  from  one's  dear  friends, 
that  makes  one  not  regret  leaving  it.  Give  my  Love  to  Mr. 
Nelson,  Mrs.  Denis,*  the  Duke  and  Lord  William,^  and  believe  me 
ever,  ever  your  attached  Emma  Hamilton. 


(3)   This  letter  zvas  ivritten  during  the  three  days'  leave  of  absence 
before  Nelson  left  for  the  battle  of  Copenhagen. 

London,  Tziesday  ^February  24]." 
Mv  DEAREST  Friend, — Your  dear  Brother  arrived  this  morning 
by  seven  o'clock.  He  stays  only  3  days  ;  so  by  the  time  you  wou'd 
be  here,  he  will  be  gone.  How  unlucky  you  went  so  soon.  I  am 
in  health  so  so,  but  spirits  to-day  excellent.  Oh,  what  real  pleasure 
Sir  AVilliam  and  I  have  in  seeing  this  our  great,  good,  virtuous 
Nelson.     His  eye  is  better.     Tom   tit  does   not  come  to  town." 

1  Lady  Nelson,  so  called  at  this  time  by  all  her  husband's  family. 

-  Of  the  Admiralty. 

^  Addington  was  trying  to  edge  in,  but  as  he  was  unable  to  form  an  admini- 
stration, Pitt  returned  to  power. 

■'  The  wife  of  a  French  settler  at  Naples  ;  an  intimate  of  Emma's.  She  had 
been  a  Miss  Lind,  an  1  the  Linds  were  early  friends.  She  sang  well.  She 
afterwards  took  care  of  Emma  '  Carew. ' 

^  Duke  of  Queensberry,  and  Lord  William  Douglas,  the  versifier. 

"  Indorsed  'Tuesday,  February  24,  1 801,' in  Lady  H.'s  hand  ;  addressed  in 
Nelson's  to  '  Mrs.  Nelson,  Hillborough,  Brandon,  Norfolk.' 

''  From  Brighton. 


APPENDIX:  NEW  LETTERS  503 

She  offered  to  go  down,  but  was  refused.  She  only  wanted  to  go, 
to  do  mischief  to  all  the  great  Jove's  ^  relations.  'Tis  now  shewn, 
all  her  ill-treatment  and  bad  heart.  Jove  has  found  it  out. 
Apropo,  Lady  Nelson  is  at  Brighton  yet.  The  King,  God  bless 
him,  is  ill,  and  their  are  many  speculations.  Some  say  it  is  his  old 
disorder.  I  can  only  say  to  you,  God  bless  you.  I  will  write 
Longer  to-morrow.     Ever,  ever  yours,  etc. 

(4) 

[Indorsed  'February  25,  iSoi.'] 
London,  Wednesday,  Noon. 

I  have  only  time  to  say,  how  are  you  ?  Your  good  dear  Brother 
has  just  left  me  to  go  to  pay  a  visit  to  Mr.  Nepean,  but  is  coming 
back  to  dinner  with  Morice,  his  brother,-  whom  he  brings  with  him, 
and  Trowbridge  allso.  We  shall  be  comfortable,  but  more  so  if  you 
had  been  here.  Oh,  I  wish  you  was,  and  how  happy  would  Milord  ^ 
have  been  to  have  had  that  happiness,  To  have  walked  out  with 
Mrs.  Nelson.  How  unfortunate  it  was !  His  Majesty  still  re- 
mains in  the  same  way,  constant  fever.  Our  dear  Nelson  is  very 
well  in  health.  Poor  fellow,  he  travelled  allraost  all  night,  but  you 
that  know  his  great,  good  heart  will  not  be  surprised  at  any  act  of 
friendship  of  his.  I  shall  send  for  Charlotte"^  to  see  him  before  he 
goes,  and  he  has  given  2  guineas  for  her.  Give  my  love  to  Mr. 
Nelson,  and  believe  me  ever,  ever,  my  dearest,  best  friend,  etc. 
To-??iorrow  will  write  more. 

(5) 

[Indorsed  '  February  26,  1801.'] 

Yesterday  I  cou'd  not,  my  dearest  friend,  write  much,  and 
milord  was  not  yet  returned  from  the  admiralty  time  enough  to 
frank  your  Letters,  and  sorry  I  was  you  shou'd  pay  for  such  trash 
that  I  sent  you,  but  I  thought  you  wou'd  be  uneasy.  We  had  a 
pleasant  evening  \and  night  (erased)].  I  often  thought  on  you, 
but  now  the  subject  of  the  King's  illness  gives  such  a  gloom  to 
everything,  'tis  terrable — all  turned  upside  down.  Mr.  Addington 
is  not  minister,  for  his  commission  was  not  signed  before  the  King 
was  taken  ill,  so  Mr.  Pitt  is  yet  first  Lord  of  the  T — .  What  odd 
circumstances  !  His  Majesty  is  the  same  as  yesterday,  in  short — 
you  know  what  I  mean.-'  Their  are  thousands  of  coaches  every 
day  in  the  Park  to  enquire — the  Willises  are  there.      Our  good 

'  The  name  given  to  Nelson,  after  the  derivation  of  Bronte  (thunder) — the 
thunderer. 

-  Maurice  Nelson,  for  whose  'wife'  (Mrs  Ford),  'poor  blind  Mrs.  Nelson,' 
Nelson  and  Einma  so  tenderly  cared.      Maurice  died  in  the  next  year. 

"   Maria  Carolina's  word. 

■*  Afterwards  Lady  Bridport.  From  1802  onwards,  and  after  Nelson's  death, 
she  was  constantly  at  Merton  with  Lady  H.  She  was  at  present  'finishing' 
her  education  with  a  Mrs.  V^oller  in  London.  Her  father  always  called  her  his 
'jewel'  or  'dearie'  to  Lady  IL  ^  i.e.  madness. 


504  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

Lord  Nelson  is  lodged  at  Lothian's.  Tom  tit  at  same  place, 
Brighton.  The  Cub  ^  is  to  have  a  frigate,  the  Thalia ;  the  Earl  2 
gives,  'tis  settled  so.  I  suppose  he  will  be  up  in  a  day  or 
so.  I  onely  hope  he  does  not  come  near  me.  If  he  does,  not 
at  home  shall  be  the  answer.      I    am  glad  he  is  going,  I    hope 

never  To !     Milord  has  only  Allen  ^  with  him.     We  supped 

and  talked  politicks  till  2.  Mr.  East  [Este],  who  is  a  pleasant  man, 
was  with  iis.     Do  you  wonder  his  M — y's  head  shou'd  be  turned 

with  all  these  things?^    'Tis  enough  to  turn .    Oh,  my  dearest 

friend,  our  dear  Lord  is  just  come  i?t.  He  goes  off  to-night  and  sails 
immediately.  My  heart  is  fit  to  Burst  quite  with  greef.  Oh,  what 
pain,  God  only  knows  !  I  can  only  say,  may  the  AUmighty  God 
bless,  prosper,  and  protect  him.  I  shall  go  mad  with  grief.  Oh, 
God  only  knows  what  it  is  to  part  with  such  a  friend,  such  a  one. 
We  were  truly  called  the  '  Tria  Juncta  in  uno,'  for  Sir  William,  he, 
and  I  have  but  one  heart  in  three  bodies.  My  beloved  friend,  I  can 
only  say,  may  God  bless  you  !  He,  our  great  Nelson,  sends  his 
love  to  you.  Give  mine  to  Mr.  Nelson.  My  greif  will  not  let  me 
say  more.     Heaven  bless  you.     Answer  your  afflicted 

Emma  Hamilton. 
{Addressed,  in   Nelson's  hand,  to    'Mrs.  Nelson,  Hillborough, 
Brandon,  Suffolk.'     'London,  February  26,  1801.'] 

(6) 
March  2,  1801.     {^Indorsed \}cvg  same  day.] 

My  dearest  Friend, — Anxiety  and  heart-bleedings  for  your 
dear  brother's  departure  has  made  me  so  ill,  I  have  not  been  able 
to  write.  I  cannot  eat  or  sleep.  Oh,  may  God  prosper  and  bless 
him  !  He  has  wrote  to  Lord  Eldon  for  Mr.  Nelson.^  You  will 
have  him  at  Yarmouth  in  2  days.^ 

Oh,  how  I  envy  you.  Oh  God,  how  happy  you  are  to  be  with 
that  great,  good,  virtuos  man  !  My  spirits  and  health  is  bad 
endeed.  The  King  is  worse  to-day,  yesterday  was  better.  Tom 
tit  is  at  B[righton].  She  did  not  come  up,  nor  did  he  go.  Jove — 
for  such  he  is,  quite  a  Jove, — knows  better  than  that.  Morrice 
means  to  go  to  Yarmouth.  The  cub  dined  with  us,  but  I  never 
asked  how  tom  tit  was.  Love  to  Mr.  Nelson,  and  believe  me  ever, 
ever  yours  sincerely,  &c. 

Oh,  how  I  long  to  see  you !  Do  try  and  come.  For  God's 
sake  do  ! 

{Addressed  by  Lady  H.,  sealed  with  the  Hamilton  arms.] 

1  Josiah  Nisbet.  2  g,.   Vincent. 

'•'•  The  servant  whom  Nelson  called  'a  great  liar'  and  dismissed,  but  pitied 
and  helped.    Yet  afterwards  he  fabricated  a  new  story  about  Horatia's  parentage. 

•*  i.e.  the  Northern  confederation,  his  son's  conduct,  etc. 

^  Bishopric,  as  usual. 

•^  Mr.  and  Mrs.  W.  Nelson  came  to  see  him  there,  and  he  (Nelson  wrote) 
'  bored '  him.  Nelson  had  hoped  that  Sir  W.  and  Lady  Hamilton  would  also 
have  come,  but  the  project  failed. 


APPENDIX:  NEW  LETTERS  505 

(7) 

Wednesday,  Noon,  March  4,  180 1. 

I  am  sorry,  my  dearest  friend,  to  make  you  pay  for  such  a  short 
letter,  but  I  have  been  so  very  Low-spirited  and  ill  ever  since  the 
best  and  greatest  inati  alive  went  away,  I  have  had  no  spirit  to  do 
anything.  Oh,  if  you  cou'd  come  to  town,  what  happiness  for 
your  poor  friend,  and  beside,  Mr.  Nelson's  affairs  require  it.  Let 
me  take  your  old  lodgings  for  you.  Pray  do,  and  then  we  can 
2ualk  and  talk,  and  be  so  happy  together,  and  you  will  hear  all  the 
news  of  my  Hero,  great,  great,  glorious  Nelson. 

I  shall  go  to  Charlotte  to-morrow  as  I  have  bought  something 
for  [her].  Give  my  love  to  Mr.  Nelson,  and  beg  him  to  bring  you. 
God  bless  you,  my  dearest  friend  !  Your  ever  affectionate,  but 
Low-spirited,  E.  Hamilton. 

The  King  is  better ;  Tom  Tit  in  the  country.  The  Cub  called 
yesterday,  but  I  did  not  see  him,  thank  God.  They  are  a  vile  set, 
Tom  Tit  and  Cub,  hated  by  every  body. 

[Addressed  by  Lady  H.  to  Hillborough,  and  sealed  with  the 
'Nile'  seal, 


(8) 

[Marc/:  20?  i8or.]^ 

My  dear  Mrs.  Nelson, — I  have  been  so  ill  all  night.  I  cannot 
go  out  this  morning,  which  vexes  me  much,  as  I  wish'd  to  have  had 
the  pleasure  of  your  agreable  company  for  a  shoping  party.  Sir 
William  desires  his  Compliments  to  you  and  Mr.  Nelson,  and  say 
[the  same  from  me?]  to  my  charming ^  Mr.  Nelson,  not  forgetting 
little  Horatio,^  &c. 

[Written  in  a  very  shaky  hand.  Addressed,  '  Stafford  Street, 
Dover  Street.'] 

(9) 

London,  Monday  morning,  ten  o'clock 
\_Mid- November,  1 80 1 .  ]  ^ 

We  are  arrived   here  early,  sloped  at  Whiteland's,  and   Lord 

*  There  is  no  date,  but  the  references  to  this  visit  in  the  Morrison  MS.  show 
this  to  have  been  aliout  the  date  ;  so  do  those  in  the  Nelson  Letters,  vol.  ii. 

-  Four  years  later,  the  reverse. 

■'  Their  son,  who  so  often  made  Merton  his  home. 

^  The  internal  evidence  shows  that  this  was  written  soon  after  Nelson's  return 
from  his  Baltic  Channel  exploits  to  Merton  in  the  last  week  of  October. 
Charlotte  was  with  them  all  at  Merton  both  for  a  space  in  November  and 
in  December,  There  is  another  printed  letter  of  November  saying  that  her 
holidays  are  near.  This  is  her  only  letter  from  Merton  of  the  series.  They 
have  all  driven  in  from  Merton  to  London  for  the  day. 


5o6  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

Nelson,  Sir  William  and  self  went  out  with  dear  Charlotte,  and 
Milord  beg'd  a  Holoday  to-morrow,  and  Miss  Nelson,  permited 
to  give  tea.     She,  Miss  V[oller],  with  a  good  grace  gave  permission. 

1  saw  Miss  Fuss,  more  stupid  than  ever,  I  think,  but  all  girls  pall 
when  near  Charlotte.  She  Loses  no  lessons  by  coming  on  Monday 
morning,  for  she  is  their  by  a  little  after  nine. 

I  am  sorry  to  tell  you  I  do  not  think  our  Dear  Lord  well.  He 
has  frequent  sickness,  and  [is]  Low,  and  he  throws  himself  on  the 
sofa  tired  a?id  says,  I  am  worn  out,  but  yet  he  is  better,  and  I  hope 
we  shall  get  him  up.  He  has  been  very,  very  happy  since  he 
arrived,  and  Charlotte  has  been  very  attentive  to  him.  Indeed 
we  all  make  it  our  constant  business  to  make  him  happy.  Sir 
William  is  fonder  than  ever,  and  we  manage  very  well  in  regard  to 
our  establishment,  pay  share  and  share  alike,  so  it  comes  easy  to 
booth  partys.  When  will  you  come  ?  Pray  do  as  soon  as  possible, 
for  we  Long  to  see  you. 

We  were  all  at  church,^  and  Charlotte  turned  over  the  prayers 
for  her  uncle.  As  to  Sir  William,  they  are  the  greatest  friends  in 
the  world ;  and  our  next  door  neighbour,  Mr.  Halfliide  and  his 
familly,  they  wou'd  give  us  half  of  all  they  have ;  very  pleasant 
people. 

And  I  like  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Newton  allso,  but  like  Mrs.  Halfhide 
very  much  indeed,  and  she  sent  Charlotte  grapes,  &c.  &c.  We 
cou'd  have  plenty  of  visiting  in  the  neighbourhood,  but  we  none  of 
us  like  it.  Sir  William  and  Charlotte  caught  3  large  pike.  She 
helps  him  and  milord  with  their  great  coats  on ;  so  now  I  have 
nothing  to  do.  Lord  Nelson  says  he  never  saw  such  a  difference, 
such  an  improvement  as  in  Charlotte.  He  is  quite  proud  of  her, 
and  as  to  you,  he  Loves  you  better  than  his  own  sisters.  He  has 
wrote  you  a  few  Lines,  but  in  a  day  or  two  he  will  write  his  brother 
a  Long  Letter.  Dear  Horace,  he  shall  soon  come.  Sir  William 
and  milord  are  gone  into  the  town  to  do  all  their  business,  and  at 

2  o'clock  we  go  down  to  dinner  to  Merton.      All  the  town   of 
Merton  was  illuminated  for  him.^ 

(I0)3 

[Summary  of  a  letter  from  '  Sarah,  wife  of  the  Reverend  William 
Nelson,'  addressed  to  '  Lady  Hamilton  at  Viscount  Nelson's,  Mer- 
ton, Surrey,'  December  4,  1804 — 'expressing  in  affectionate  terms 
regard  and  esteem  for  Lady  Hamilton,'  with  whom  were  her  son 
and  eldest  daughter — Horatio  and  Charlotte.  She  begr  her  to 
take  care  of  her  son,  then  just  over  sixteen,  and  to  send  him  to 

'  In  one  of  her  two  last  letters  from  Canterbury  to  Nelson,  preserved  in  the 
Morrison  MS.,  she  says,  '  I  am  so  fond  of  the  Church  service.' 

'•^  i.e.  on  October  22,  in  honour  of  Copenhagen. 

"  This,  and  the  following  excerpts  from  Sotheby's  catalogue  of  letters  sold  on 
May  17,  1905,  have  been  added  as  showing  t.e  continued  friendship  of  Mrs. 
William  Nelson  for  Lady  Hamilton.  Long  afterwards  she  and  her  children 
continued  their  visits  and  affectionate  intimacy. 


APPENDIX:  NEW  LETTERS  507 

bed  every  night  at  eleven,  and  naentions  his  being  sent  to  Cam- 
bridge. She  hopes  that  Lord  Nelson  will  be  able  to  pass  Christ- 
mas 'in  old  England.'  She  adds  her  kind  love  to  Mrs.  Cadogan, 
'  whom  I  shall  once  more  be  glad  to  see.'  She  subscribes  herself 
'  my  dear  friend,  your  ever  affectionate.'] 

(") 
[Sarah  Nelson,  now  Countess  Nelson,  to  Lady  Hamilton, 
December  5,  1806,^  quoting  Dr.  Scott's  (Nelson's  chaplain)  denial 
of  any  knowledge  whatever  of  certain  anonymous  letters  in  the 
papers,  and  mentioning  her  late  brother-in-law's  desire  to  see  her 
husband's  clerical  advancement : — '  From  my  heart,  my  dear 
Lady  Hamilton,  I  wish  you  and  all  of  us  to  live  as  dear  friends, 
and  to  make  our  short  lives  as  comfortable  to  each  other  as  we 
can,  and  any  little  foibles  each  may  have,  to  overlook  them,  for 
we  are  none  of  us  perfection. — Your  ever  affectionate,  &c.'] 

(12) 

[Postcript  -  in  Lady  Hamilton's  hand  in  a  letter  of  September 
20,  1802,  from  Lord  Nelson  to  A.  Davison  regarding  the  journey 
to  Wales  : — ] 

Merton,  Sep.  20,  1802. 

You  cannot  think,  my  Dear  Sir,  how  sorry  we  were  on  poor 
Dod's  death,  but  anything  we  can  do  to  assist  the  poor  widow  we 
will.  1  am  very  sorry  you  are  not  near  us  to  keep  the  Hero  of 
Heroes  birthday,  the  29th,  but  you  will  drink  his  health.  Sir,  he 
begs  his  compliments. 

We  have  had  a  most  charming  Tour,  which  will  Burst  some  of 
THEM.  So  let  all  the  Enimies  of  the  greatest  man  alive  [perish  ?] 
and  bless  his  friends.  God  bless  you,  and  believe  me  ever  your 
obliged  E.  Hamilton. 

C. — Later  mid  other  new  letters  from  and  to 
Lady  Hamilton. 

(i)  {a)  Extract  frojn  a  letter  from  Lady  Hamilton  to  f.  D.  Thomson., 
dated  September  14,  1805  (the  day  after  Nelson  started  on  his 
last  voyage).^ 

We  are  all  so  wretched,  our  glorious  Nelson  having  left  us  last 
night  at  ten  o'clock  ;  his  sisters,  my  self  beg  of  you  to  let  us  know 
by  a  line  when  he  has  hoisted  his  flag  and  when  he  sails  ;  you  may 
imagine  the  feelings  of  your  obliged  friend  ;  my  face  is  an  honest 
picture  of  the  sufferings  of  my  heart. 

^  When  Earl  Nelson  had  got  the  'last  codicil,'  and   Lady  II.  was  already 
suspicious  of  the  use  to  wliich  ho  might  put  it. 
^  Eg.  MS.  2240,  f.  151. 
'  Sotheby's  catalogue,  July  8,  1905. 


5o8  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

(i)  (^)  From  Lady  Hamilto7i  to  Earl  Nelson — about  the' last  codicil.'  * 

Merton,  Novr.  14,  1806. 
My  Lord, — Having  seen  with  inexpressible  pleasure  that  every 
expressed  wish  of  the  late  Lord  Nelson  regarding  the  interests  of 
his  Family,  when  only  communicated  to  the  gracious  Sovereign  in 
whose  service  he  so  gloriously  fell,  has  been  instantly  and  Liberally 
granted  by  the  generous  bounty  of  our  King  and  Country,  I  am 
naturally  induced  to  consider  as  equally  certain  that  the  same 
mode  of  conveying  his  last,  humble  request  in  favour  of  the  Infant, 
Horatia  Nelson,  his  adopted  daughter,  as  well  as  of  myself,  will  be 
observed  with  a  proportionate  degree  of  attention.  I  have  there- 
fore to  require  not  only  on  my  own  behalf,  but  as  Guardian  of  the 
said  Infant,  by  virtue  of  his  late  Lordship's  will,  and  the  Codicil 
particularly  expressive  of  that  request,  that  you  will  have  the 
goodness  immediately  to  assist  me  in  regularly  carrying  into  effect 
the  evident  intention  of  the  Testator  whose  executor  you  have  the 
honour  to  be. — I  am,  &c. 

(2)  Copy  in  Earl  Nelson's  hand  of  his  answer  to  preceding, 
dated  Canterbury,  Nove7?iber  16,  1806.^ 

Dear  Lady  Hamilton, — No  one  is  more  ready  and  willing  to 
comply  with  every  wish  of  my  late  Dear  and  lamented  Brother  than 
myself.  With  regard  to  what  you  allude  to  in  your  letter  of  14th 
instant — if  you  will  point  out  to  me  what  it  is  you  want  me  to  do, 
either  for  yourself  or  the  child,  I  shall  be  glad  to  give  you  every 
assistance  in  my  power. — We  expect  to  be  in  town  about  Xmas, 
and  shall  hope  to  see  you  at  our  house.  Lady  Nelson  has  been  in 
daily  expectation  of  hearing  from  you.  She  and  Charlotte  beg  to 
join  in  best  regards  and  good  wishes  with  your  faithful  humble 
servant,  Nelson. 

(3)  {a)  From  Lady  Hamilton  to  William  Hayley,/ime  5,  1806.^ 

My  dear  Hayley, — As  I  am  very  low-spirited  and  very  far  from 
well,  I  have  desired  Clarke  to  sit  down  at  my  table,  and  in  my 
presence,  and  write  to  you,  for  whom  I  feel  everything  I  ever 
did. 

1  was  very  happy  at  Naples,  but  all  seems  gone  like  a  dream. 
I  am  plagued  by  Lawyers ;  ill-used  by  the  Government,  and  dis- 
tracted by  that  variety  and  perplexity  of  subjects  which,  as  you 
may  suppose,  press  upon  me. — I  pass  as  much  of  my  time  at 
dear  Merton  as  possible — and  I  always  feel  particularly  low  when  I 
leave  it  [in  her  own  writing].     Mr.  Clark  has  read  me  [    ]  well,  for 

'  Add.  MS.  34,989,  f.  55.  This  was  after  his  conduct  with  regard  to  the 
codicil  had  caused  a  coolness. 

2  Eg.  MS.  2240,  f.  57. 

-  Transcribed  from  the  original  in  Mr.  Sabin's  possession. 


APPENDIX  :  NEW  LETTERS  509 

I  was  leaning  my  cheek  upon  my  hand,  and  very  unhappy,  but  I 
did  try  and  get  a  victory  over  myself  and  seem  to  be  happy  alltho' 
miserable.  I  will  write  soon  and  send  the  list  of  my  pictures,  but 
at  present  I  can  only  say  that  I  am  your  most  unhappy,  very 
gratefuU,  Emma  Hamilton. 

Now,  indeed,  again  must  I  read  your  Triumphs  of  temper. 
Addio  mio  Caro  amico  il  Sigr.  Clark  mi  dice  di  bisogna  de  vi 
servire  in  italiano,  ma  sto  molto  infelice. 

William  Hayley,  Esqre.,  Felpham, 
Nr.  Chichester,  Sussex. 


(3)  {b)  From  Lady  Hamilton  to  the  Rev.  A.J,  Scott,  Chaplain  to 
Lord  Nelson} 

Cranwich,  7  September  1806. 

My  dear  Friend,— I  did  not  get  your  letter  till  the  other  day, 
for  I  have  been  with  Mrs.  Bolton  to  visit  an  old,  respectable  aunt 
of  my  dear  Nelson's.  I  shall  be  in  town,  that  is,  at  Merton,  the 
end  of  the  week,  and  I  hope  you  will  come  there  on  Saturday  and 
pass  Sunday  with  me. 

I  want  much  to  see  you,  to  consult  with  you  about  my  affairs. 
How  hard  it  is,  how  cruel,  their  treatment  to  me  and  Lord  Nelson  ! 
That  angel's  last  wishes  all  neglected,  not  to  speak  of  the  fraud 
that  was  acted  to  keep  back  the  codicil.  But  enough  !  when  we 
meet  we  will  speak  about  it.  God  bless  you  for  all  your  attentions 
and  love  you  showed  to  our  virtuous  Nelson  and  his  dear  remains ; 
but  it  seems  those  that  truly  loved  him  are  to  be  victim^  to  hatred, 
jealousy,  and  spite. 

However,  we  have  innocence  on  our  side,  and  we  have,  and  had, 
what  they  that  persecute  us  never  had — that  was  his  unbounded 
love  and  esteem,  his  confidence  and  affection.  I  know  well  how 
he  valued  you  and  what  he  would  have  done  for  you  had  he  lived. 
You  know  the  great  and  virtuous  affection  he  had  for  me,  the  love 
he  bore  my  husband,  and  if  I  had  afiy  influence  over  him  /  used  it 
for  the  good  of  my  country. 

Did  I  ever  keep  him  at  home  ?  Did  I  not  share  in  his  glory  ? 
Even  this  last  fatal  victory,  it  7vas  J  bid  him  go  forth.  Did  he  not 
pat  me  on  the  back,  call  me  brave  Emma,  and  said,  '  If  there  were 
more  Emmas  there  would  be  more  Nelsons  '  ?  Does  he  not  in  his 
last  moments  do  me  justice,  and  request  at  the  moment  of  his 
glorious  death  that  the  King  and  the  nation  will  do  me  justice? 
And  I  have  s;ot  all  his  letters  and  near  eight  hundred  of  the  Queen 
of  Naples  letters,  to  show  what  I  did  for  my  King  and  country,  and 
prettily  I  am  rewarded  ! 

Psha !  I  am  above  them,  I  despise  them ;  for,  thank  God,  I  feel 

'  Kindly  and  privately  coniiminicaled.     This  letter  refers  lo  the  slanders  in 
the  newspapers,  and  should  be  read  in  connection  with  B.  (11). 


5IO  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

that,  having  lived  with  honour  and  glory,  glory  they  cannot  take 
from  me.  I  despise  them — my  soul  is  above  them,  and  I  can  yet 
make  some  of  them  tremble  by  showing  them  how  he  despised 
them,  for  in  his  letters  to  me  he  thought  aloud. 

Look  at  Alexander  Davison  courting  the  man  he  despised, 
and  neglecting  now  those  whose  feet  he  used  to  lick.  Dirty,  vile 
groveler !  [sic].  But  enough  till  we  meet.  Mrs.  Bolton  and  all 
the  family  beg  their  compliments.  Write  to  me  at  Merton,  and 
ever  believe  me,  my  dear  sir,  your  affectionate 

Emma  Hamilton. 

(4) 
[A  letter  headed  'Richmond,  1805,'  to  Sir  R.  Barclay  regarding 
the   neglect  of  the  Government  in   granting  her   any  relief,  and 
requesting  her  correspondent  to  be  one  of  a  committee  for  arrang- 
ing the  sale  of  the  Merton  estate.^] 

(5)  (a)  Extract  from  a  letter  of  June  3,  1808,  to/.  Heavtside, 
Surgeon. 

Alltho'  that  life  to  myself  may  no  longer  be  happy,  yet  my 
dear  mother  and  Horatia  will  bless  you ;  for  if  I  can  make  the  old 
age  of  my  good  mother  comfortable,  and  educate  Horatia  as  the 
great  and  glorious  Nelson  in  his  own  dying  moments  beg'd  me  to 
do,  I  shall  feel  yet  proud  and  delighted  that  I  am  doing  my  duty 
and  fulfilling  the  desires  and  wishes  of  one  I  so  greatly  honoured.' 

[This  letter  begins,  '  My  dear  sir  and  good  friend.'  She  says 
she  feels  so  'Low'  that  nothing  will  do  her  good.  It  is  her 
'heart 'that  is  'oprest.'  She  says  to  him  (much  in  the  language 
long  before  used  by  her  of  Romney),  'You  are  like  unto  me  a 
father,  a  good  brother.  You  have  saved  my  life,  for  which  my 
heart  is  most  grateful.' ^J 

(5)  ip)  Extract  from  a  letter  of  November  1808  to  the 
Hon.  C.  F.  Greville.^ 

I  was  on  the  point  of  coming  to  you  when  I  got  your  note,  but 
I  feel  sorry  to  say  I  cannot  call  on  you  at  your  House,  for  I  am  to 
meet  some  of  my  Trustees  ana  my  Solicitor  at  2  o'clock  on  particular 
business.  As  to  my  dear  friend  Mrs.  Greffer,  it  was  not  only  favor 
she  wished  for  herself,  for  she  would  not  ask  one  of  the  King,  and 

'  Cf.  one  of  Sotheby's  catalogues  for  the  summer  of  1904.  It  must  there  be 
misdated  '  1805,'  since  she  was  not  in  any  part  of  that  year  at  Richmond.  It 
is  important  as  showing  that  her  embarrassments  were  largely  due  to  the  Merton 
improvements,  and  arose  much  earlier  than  has  been  supposed.  And  cf. 
Davison's  letter  to  her  of  June  1804,  Add.  MS.  34,989,  ff.  53,  54.  The  catalogue 
miscalls  Barclay  '  Lord.' 

-  By  kind  permission  of  Mr.  Sabin,  who  has  the  original,  and  allowed  my 
transcription. 

*  Sotheby's  catalogue,  July  8,  1905. 


APPENDIX:  NEW  LETTERS  511 

I  have  taken  care  to  give  her  such  a  letter  for  the  Queen  and  beg'd 
of  Her  Majesty  by  the  love  she  bears  or  once  bore  to  Emma,  by  all 
I  have  done  for  her,  by  the  sacred  memory  of  Nelson,  by  the 
Charge  she  has  placed  in  me,  that  she  will  be  good  to  Mrs.  Greffer, 
whom  she  always  marked  with  her  Royal  notice.  I  have  given  her 
an  account  of  the  Cruel  neglect  of  the  present  possessor  of  dear 
Lord  Nelson's  honored  Titles,  Estates  and  Honours,  neglect  to  me 
who  was  the  maker  of  His  family  and  neglect  to  Mrs.  Greffer.  But 
vvhyspeak  of  such  people.  Let  it  suffice, she  sailsThursdayand  I  have 
done  by  her  as  I  have  done  by  all  that  my  Glorious  Nelson  thought  1 
would  do  if  He  fell,  I  have  fulfilled  and  am  fulfilling  my  Dutys  daily 
to  His  memory.  ...  I  will  call  soon  to  sec  you  and  inform  you  of 
my  present  prospect  of  Happiness  at  a  moment  of  Desperation  who 
I  thought  neglected  me.  Goldsmid  and  my  City  friends  came 
forward  and  they  have  rescued  me  from  Destruction,  Destruction 
brought  on  by  Earl  Nelson's  having  thrown  on  me  the  Bills  for 
finishing  Merton  by  his  having  secreted  the  Codicil  of  Dying 
Nelson  who  attested,  in  his  Dying  moments,  that  I  had  well  served 
my  country.  All  these  things  and  papers  and  my  services  of  my  ill 
treatment,  I  have  laid  before  my  Trustees ;  they  are  paying  my 
debts.  I  live  in  retirement  and  the  City  are  going  to  bring  forward 
my  claims,  in  short  I  have  put  myself  under  their  protection  and 
nothing,  fio  power  on  Earth  shall  m?ikt  me  deviate  from  my  present 
system.  .  .  .  You  will  be  pleased  to  hear  my  mother  is  well  and 
delighted  with  my  House  and  small  establishment,  Horatia  is  well, 
and  you  will  I  think  be  pleased  with  my  Education. 


(6)  {a)  Extract  fron  a  letter  from  Lady  Hamilton  to  Mrs.  Girdlestone, 
dated  ^  Cra?rivich,  August  11,  1811,'  about  the  Duke  of  Sussex 
and  her  mother} 

The  snuff  box  which  I  now  send  to  my  dear  poor  friend  was  a 
present  from  His  Royal  Highness  the  Duke  of  Sussex  to  my  ever 
dearly  beloved  Mother  Mrs.  Cadogan,  for  he  loved  and  respected 
her,  having  known  her  many  years  in  Italy,  when  she  was  more 
than  a  mother  to  H.R.H.,  and  he  knew  her  Worth,  Honor  and 
Trust  and  even  to  her  death  shewed  her  every  attention  and  kind 
hearted  aff"ection,  for  His  Royal  Highness  has  the  best  and  kindest 
of  Hearts.  He  has  been  my  husband's  Sir  William  Hamilton's 
and  my  Honor'd  Friend  for  more  than  twenty  years.  May  God  give 
him  Health  ;  accept  then  my  dear  Friend  this  Box,  you  that  are  so 
fond  and  good  a  mother  and  have  such  good  children  will  be 
pleased  to  take  it  as  a  token  of  my  regard,  for  I  have  lost  the  best 
of  Mothers,  my  wounded  heart,  my  comfort,  all  buried  with  Her. 
I  can  not  now  feel  any  pleasure  but  that  of  thinking  and  speaking 
of  her. 

'  Sotheby's  cataliigue,  luly  S,  1905. 


512  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

(6)  {b)  Extract  from  a  letter  from  Lady  Hamilton  <?/  1807  to  Captain 

Rose,  '  Chatham,  Kent,''  in  ivhich  Horatia  '  ivould  gjiide   my 

hand J  ^ 

136  Bond  Street. 

My  dear  Sir, — Thank  you  for  your  very  kind  letter  which  I 
have  just  time  to  answer  and  save  post.  I  will  send  you  a  small 
picture  immediately.  Horatia  begs  her  love  to  you  and  will  have 
anything  with  pleasure  that  comes  from  you.  We  wish  only  for 
your  friendship  and  that  you  will  continue  to  love  us,  and  if  you 
would  make  Merton  your  home  whenever  you  land  on  shore,  you 
will  make  very  happy  your  very  affectionate  Emma  Hamilton  and 
Horatia  Nelson.  [Beneath  Lady  Hamilton  adds,  '  She  would  guide 
my  hand.'] 

(7)  Summary  of  letter,  December  28,   \Z\2,  from  Lady  ILamilton 

to  Mrs.  Russell,  Woodbine  Cottage,  Wootton  Bridge,  Isle  of 
Wight,  while  Lady  Hamilton  was  employed  on  her  '  Prince 
Regenfs '  Memorial. 

She  sends  her  a  letter  from  her  'good,  dear  husband,'  who  is 
'working'  'to-day'  'like  a  horse,  having  received  a  letter  from 
Colonel  McMahon  to  send  him  a  coppy  of  the  Memorial  for  the 
Prince.'  She  has  indescribable  'obligations'  to  his  'exertions.' 
She  wishes  Mrs.  Russell  could  be  in  town.  '  What  a  consolation 
it  wou'd  be  to  me.'  '  You  promised  to  write  to  me.  From  your 
love,  do ;  I  beg  you  will.  It  must  be  very  dull,'  but  '  your  charm- 
ing family  must  be  such  a  comfort  to  you.' 

(8) 

Her  pathetic  letter  to  Lord  St.  Vincent  (?)  about  her  memorial, 
headed  '150  Bond  Street,  February  7,  1813,' about  the  Prince  of 
Wales'  memorial,  transcribed  in  Note  E.  in  the  first  part  of  this 
Appendix,  at  p.  482.^ 

(9)  Extract  from  a  letter  headed  '  Friday  night, ^  to  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Russell,  and,  presumably,  of  iSi$.^ 

My  kind  good  benevolent  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Russell,  do  send  me  one 
word  of  comfort  for  the  unfortunate  Jematt  [Jewitt].  ...  I  should 
be  better  if  I  could  know  that  this  unfortunate  and,  I  think,  not 
guilty  young  man  was  saved.  He  has  been  a  dupe  in  the  hands 
of  villains.  ...  I  have  never  seen  him,  for  I  could  not  have  borne 
to  have  seen  him  and  his  amiable  wife  and  children  suffer  as 
they  must,  &c.  &c. 

^  By  kind  permission  of  Mr.  Robson,  who  has  the  original. 
-  Both  this  and  the  preceding  are  in  Mr.  Sabin's  possession. 
'  Sotheby's  catalogue  of  May  17,  1905. 


APPENDIX:  NEW  LETTERS  513 

(10)  (a)  Extract  from  a  letter^  from  Lady  Hamilton  to  Sir  William 
Scott  {afterwards  Lord  StowelPjfrom  '■The  comffwn  of  St.  Peter's,' 
two  miles  from  Calais,  September  12,  18 14.  Written  about 
four  jnonths  before  her  death. 

Many  thanks,  my  dear  Sir  William,  for  your  kind  letter.  If  my 
dear  Horatia  was  provided  for  I  should  dye  happy,  and  if  I  could 
only  now  be  enabled  to  make  her  more  comfortable  and  finish  her 
Education,  ah,  God,  how  I  would  bless  them  that  enabled  me  to 
do  it !  She  already  reads,  writes  and  speaks  Italian,  French  and 
English,  and  I  am  teaching  her  German,  Spanish ;  Music  she 
knows.  .  .  .  But  my  Broken  Heart  does  not  leave  me.  I  have  seen 
enough  of  grandeur  not  to  Regret  it,  but  comfort  and  what  would 
make  Horatia  and  myself  live  like  gentle  women  would  be  all  I 
wish  and  to  live  to  see  her  well  settled  in  the  world.  But  my  dear 
Sir  William,  without  a  pound  in  my  pocket  what  can  I  do  ?  the 
2 1  St  of  Oct.  fatal  day,  I  shall  have  some,  I  wrote  to  Davison  to  ask 
the  Earl  to  let  me  have  my  Bronte  pension  quarterly  instead  of 
half  yearly  and  the  Earl  refused,  saying  he  was  too  poor,  although 
I  got  the  good  and  great  Lord  Nelson  that  estate  by  means  of  the 
Queen  [of  Naples].  I  set  out  from  town  ten  weeks  or  more  ago 
with  not  quite  fifty  pounds,  paying  our  passage  also  out  of  it ;  think 
then  of  the  situation  of  Nelson's  Child,  and  Lady  Hamilton  who 
so  much  contributed  to  the  Battle  of  the  Nile,  paid  often  and  often 
out  of  my  own  pocket  at  Naples  for  to  send  to  Sir  John  Jervis  pro- 
visions and  also  of  Palmero  for  corn  to  save  Malta,  indeed  I  have 
been  ill  used.  Lord  Sid  mouth  is  a  good  man  and  Lord  Liverpool 
is  also  an  upright  Minister,  pray  and  if  ever  Sir  William  Hamilton's 
and  Lord  Nelson's  services  were  deserving  ask  them  to  aid  me. 
Think  what  I  must  feel  who  was  used  to  give  God  only  knows,  and 
now  to  ask  !  Earl  and  Countess  Nelson  lived  with  me  seven  years,  I 
educated  Lady  Charlotte  and  paid  at  Eton  for  Trafalgar.  I  made 
Lord  Nelson  write  the  letter  to  Lord  Sidmouth  for  the  Prebendary 
of  Canterbury,  which  his  Lordship  kindly  gave  him.  They  have 
never  given  the  dear  Horatia  a  frock  or  a  sixpence. 

(10)  {b)  An  autograph  copy,  much  soiled,  in  Lady  Hamilton's  hand- 
writing,  of  her  letter  to  the  newspapers  about  the  rumours 
which  had  been  published,  dated  September  14,  1814.- 

Village  of  St.  Pierre,  near  Calais. 
Mr.  Editor,  I  was  surprised  to  observe  that  the  Morning  Herald, 

with  other  newspapers,  had  published   that  I   fled   from  my   bail. 

This  is  false ;   and    I  had   had    Ellenborough's  discharge.       Mr. 

Alderman  Smith,  who  became  my  bail,  never  lost  a  shilling  by  me. 

I  have  left  in  England  [all]  which  I  possessed  to  pay  my  creditors, 

retaining  only  that    sufficient   for    Horatia  and    myself  to  subsist 

'  Sotheby's  catalogue,  July  S,  1905.  -  Add.  MS.  34,992,  f.  199. 

2  K 


514  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

upon  at  a  farm-house.  My  innocence,  I  trust,  will  support  me 
against  all  the  calumnies  that  have  been  raised  against  me.  I  have 
taken  an  oath  and  confirmed  it  at  the  altar  that  I  know  nothing 
of  those  infamous  publications  that  are  imputed  to  me.  Many 
letters  were  stolen  from  me  by  that  scoundrel,  whose  family  I 
had  in  charity  so  long  supported.  I  never  once  saw  or  knew  of 
them.  That  base  man  is  capable  of  forging  any  handwriting ;  and 
I  am  told  that  he  has  obtained  money  from  the  [Prince  of  Wales] 
by  his  impositions.  Sir  W.  Hamilton,  Lord  N.,  and  myself  were 
too  much  attached  to  his  [Royal  Highness]  ever  to  speak  or  think 
ill  of  him.  If  I  had  the  means  I  wou'd  prosecute  the  wretches 
who  have  thus  traduced  me.  I  entreat  you  to  contradict  the 
falsehood  concerning  my  bail,  and  also  the  other  malicious  reports 
I  have  alluded  to  in  this  letter,  which  will  much  oblige  the  much 
injured  Emma  Hamilton. 

ADDENDA 

(ii)  Extract  from  a  letter  from  Lady  Hamilton  to  Flaxman, 
the  Sculptor,  early  in  i8oi.^ 

Will  you  tell  our  dear  Mr.  Hayley  we  shall  be  most  happy  to 
see  him  this  morning.  Sir  Wm.  is  impatient ;  and  do  you  come 
with  him.  Give  my  love  to  Mrs.  Flaxman ;  I  shall  call  upon  her 
soon,  &c. 

(12)  Extract  from  a  letter  of  William  Hayley  to  Flaxman,  of 
November  17,  1805,  recalling  the  circumstances  of  their  visit 
about  January  1801  at  the  Hamiltons\  and  their  encounter 
zvith  Nelson,  to  his  mind.- 

That  very  interesting  scene  when  we  visited  Sir  William  Hamilton 
together,  at  his  request,  on  his  return  from  Naples.  As  we  entered 
the  apartment  Lord  Nelson  was  preparing  to  leave  it.  '  Pray,  stop 
a  little,  my  lord,'  exclaimed  Sir  William,  '  I  desire  you  to  shake 
hands  with  Mr.  Flaxman,  for  he  is  a  man  as  extraordinary  in  his 
way  as  you  are  in  yours.  Believe  me,  he  is  the  sculptor  who 
ought  to  make  your  monument.'  'Is  he?'  replied  Nelson,  seizing 
your  hand  with  great  alacrity  and  spirit,  'then  I  heartily  wish 
he  may.' 

(13)  Extract  from  a  letter  of  about  November  1800  from  Lady 
Hamilton  to  Lady  Nelson? 

I  would  have  done  myself  the  honour  of  calling  on  you  and 
Lord  Nelson  this  day,  but  I  am  not  well  nor  in  spirits.  Sir  William 
and  self  feel  the  loss  of  our  good  friend,  the  good  Lord  Nelson. 

1  From  Sotheby's  catalogue  of  May  17,  1905.  -  Ibid. 

2  Ibid.  May  II,  1 905. 


APPENDIX:  NEW  LETTERS  515 

Permit  me  in  the  morning  to  have  the  pleasure  of  seeing  you  and 
hoping,  my  dear  Lady  Nelson,  the  continuance  of  your  friendship, 
which  will  be  in  Sir  William  and  myself  for  ever  lasting  to  you  and 
your  family.  Sir  William  begs  to  say,  as  an  old  and  true  friend 
to  Lord  Nelson,  if  he  can  be  of  any  use  to  you  in  his  Lordship's 
absence,  he  shall  be  very  happy  and  will  call  to  pay  his  respects 
to  you  and  Mr.  Nelson,  to  whom  I  beg  my  compliments  and  to  Cap. 
Nesbit. 

(14) 

1.  An  account  of  Haberdashery,  etc.,  supplied  to  her  Ladyship 
on  the  death  of  Sir  William  Hamilton,  dated  ^th  April,  two  days 
after  his  decease,  consisting  of  47  items  amounting  to  ;^i85,  paid 
by  Exors.,  17  Novr.  1803.     (This  was  for  the  whole  household.) 

2.  John  Salter's  bill  for  Jewellery  supplied  to  her  Ladyship 
between  January  1802  to  March  1803,  91  items  amounting  tO;^i6g, 
IIS.  7d.,  paid  by  Exors. 

(15)  Extract  from  a  letter  of  Lady  Hamiltofi  to  Tyson  of  May  8, 
1805,  asking  for  a  loan  of  jQi^o  on  Nelson^ s  account,  to  re- 
pay herself  for  advances  by  her  towards  the  Aferton  improve- 
ments.^ 

Clakges  St.,  May  8,  1805. 
Mv  DEAREST  TvsoN, — The  long  absence  of  our  dearest  Nelson 
makes  me  apply  to  you.  First  I  must  tell  you  that  what  money  I 
had  in  my  banker's  hands,  I  have  laid  out  at  Merton,  and  Lord 
Nelson  thanked  me  in  his  last  letter  and  said  he  would  settle  with 
me  with  thanks  when  he  came  home.  Could  you  then,  my  dearest 
Tyson,  either  on  my  account  or  Lord  Nelson's  lend  me  a  hundred 
and  fifty  pounds  ? 


D. — New  Letters  from  Lord  Nelson  to  Lady  Hamilton. 

(i)  {a)  Extract  from  a  letter'^  from  Lord  Nelson  to  Lady  Hamilton, 
'St.  George,  March  7'  [1801]. 

'.  .  .  Never,  my  dearest  friend,  say  "Do  my  letters  bore  me."  No, 
they  are  the  comfort  of  my  life,  the  only  real  comfort  I  feel,  sepa- 
rated as  I  am  from  all  I  hold  dear.  I  received  your  affectionate 
letter  by  Davison,  and  the  profile — he  said  you  would  give  him 
another;  do,  if  you  please,  for  he  knows  well  our  attachment  .  .  .' 
[Speaks  of  a  lady  visitor  to  his  ship,  and  says  that  he  would  not 
dine  with  her  because]  '  of  his  determination  about  women,'  [but  he 
adds :]  '  I  saw  her  for  a  moment.     She  is  skinny  and  may  be  called 

'  From  Sotheby's  catalogue  of  August  1904. 

2  Sotheby's  cutaloyue,  July  S,  1905.  This  letter  was  long  in  the  ownership 
of  Mr.  Abiahani  Hayward,  the  critic  and  essayist. 


5i6  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

ugly.  Certainly  very  plain,  but  all  womenkind  are  so  to  me,  but 
one  only  do  I  know  that  is  all  my  fond  heart  can  wish,  and  when 
in  any  way  1  prove  false  to  Her,  may  God's  vengeance  light  upon 
me.  We  want  neither  Kings  nor  Regents  to  make  us  happy ;  we 
have  it,  thank  God,  in  ourselves '  .  .  .  [Speaks  of  Parker,  and  says:] 
'  He  knows  my  love  for  you,  for  who  does  not  ?  and  to  serve  you  I 
am  sure  he  would  run  bare-footed  to  London  .  .  .  My  dear,  dear 
friend,  you  are  present  wherever  I  go,  all  my  prayers  and  vows  are 
for  our  happy  meeting  and  when  we  are  to  part  no  more.  Remember 
me  most  affectionately  to  dear  Mrs.  Thomson.  Tell  her,  her  dear 
friend  is  as  well  as  can  be  expected,  and  has  a  comfort  in  firmly 
believing  her  constant,  although  it  goes  to  his  heart  he  is  all 
astonishment  at  the  conduct  of  her  Uncle;  as  to  his  Aunt,  he  don't 
care  a  fig  for  her.  Kiss  my  god  child  for  me.  .  .  .  Shall  I  offer  Sir 
William  a  sum  of  money  for  Madame  Le  Brun's  picture  of  you  ? 
etc.  etc. 

'St.  George'  off  Rostock,  May  20,,  1801. 
My  dearest  beloved  Friend, — Yesterday  I  joined  Adml. 
Totty,  when  I  found  little  Parker  with  all  my  treasures,  your  dear 
kind  friendly  letters,  your  picture  as  Santa  Emma,  for  a  Santa 
you  are  if  ever  there  was  one  in  this  world  ;  for  what  makes  a  saint, 
the  being  so  much  better  than  the  rest  of  the  human  race ;  therefore 
as  truly  as  I  believe  in  God  do  I  believe  you  are  a  Saint,  and  in 
this  age  of  wickedness  you  sett  an  example  of  real  Virtue  and 
goodness  which,  if  we  are  not  too  far  sunk  in  Luxury  and  Infamy, 
ought  to  rouse  up  almost  forgot  Virtue,  and  may  God's  curse 
alight  upon  those  who  want  to  draw  you,  my  dearest  friend,  from 
a  quiet  home  into  the  company  of  men  and  women  of  bad 
character,  and  I  am  one  of  those  who  believe  that  in  England  the 
higher  the  class  the  worse  the  company.  I  speak  generally.  I  will 
not  think  so  bad  of  any  class  but  that  there  may  be  some  good 
individuals  in  it.  How  can  I  sufficiently  thank  you  for  all  your 
goodness  and  kindness  to  me,  a  forlorn  outcast  except  in  your 
generous  soul  ?  My  health  I  have  represented  to  the  admiralty  in 
such  terms  that  I  have  no  doubt  but  an  Admiral  has  sailed  to  take 
my  place.  The  Harpy  has  carried  a  stronger  letter  than  any  of  the 
former.  This  vessel  states  that  I  do  not  know  that  I  shall  go  to 
sea  again,  as  my  health  requires  the  shore  and  gentle  exercise,  and 
so  it  does  \  and  really,  if  the  Admiralty  had  allowed  me  to  go  home, 
and  in  the  event  of  hostilities  being  renewed  in  the  Baltic,  I  might 
j)erhaps  in  that  case  care  to  command  the  fleet,  but  the  Baltic  folks 
will  never  fight  me  if  it  is  to  be  avoided.     In  my  humble  opinion 

*  Add.  r>IS.  34,2740.  This  IcUer  bears  the  marks  of  having  been  lingered 
perpetually.  The  circumstances  which  called  it  forth,  of  the  Prince  of  Wales 
episode  and  the  purchase  by  Nelson  at  Christie's  of  Romney's  'St.  Cecilia,' 
have  been  fully  detailed  in  my  text.  It  was  presented  to  the  British  Museum 
in  1892. 


APPENDIX:  NEW  LETTERS  517 

we  shall  have  peace  with  the  northern  powers  if  we  dixe  Just  in  our 
desires.  Will  you  have  the  goodness  to  carry  the  enclosed  after 
you  have  sealed  it  to  Mrs.  Maurice  Nelson,  and  your  own  dear 
generous  [heart]  will  say  every  kind  thing  for  me.  She  shall  be 
fixed  where  she  pleases,  and  with  every  comfort  in  this  world,  and 
ever  be  considered  as  my  honoured  sister-in-law.  I  feel  my  dear 
Brother's  confidence,  and  she  shall  feel  he  has  not  mistaken  me. 
Tell  Mrs.  William  Nelson  how  much  I  esteem  her  for  all  her  kind- 
ness, and  that  I  shall  never  forget  her  complying  with  my  request  in 
staying  with  you,  although  1  hope  it  has  been  truly  pleasant  to 
herself;  to  Mrs.  Denis  say  every  kind  thing  you  please  for  her 
letter.  Tell  her  I  want  not  to  conquer  any  heart  if  that  which  I  have 
conquered  is  happy  in  its  lot.  I  am  confident,  for  the  conqueror 
is  become  the  Co?iqt(ered.  I  want  but  one  true  heart.  There  can  be 
but  one  love,  although  many  real  well-wishers.  Ever  and  Ever  your 
dear  and  truly  affectionate  Friend,  Nelson  and  Bronte. 

Best  regards  to  Dr.  and  Mrs.  William. 

[Sealed  with  a  classical  intaglio  of  Lady  H.'s  head  in  black.] 


(2)  {a)  Extract  from  a  letter  from  Lord  Nelson  to  Lady  Hamilfo7(^ 
''Medusa  at  Sea,'  August  24,  1801,  sealed  with  lur  luad.  A 
portion  of  the  last  sheet  has  beeti  torn  away} 

So  little  is  newspaper  information  to  be  depended  upon,  that  on 
Thursday  although  with  a  -f ,  I  was  not  a  quarter  of  an  hour  on  shore. 
I  went  to  Parker,  from  him  to  the  Admiral,  from  the  Admiral  to 
Parker,  did  not  stay  five  minutes,  was  very  low,  did  not  call  upon 
any  of  the  wounded,  nor  at  the  Three  Kings,  got  into  the  boat, 
and  have  not  since  been  out  of  the  Medusa.  If  I  had  staid  ashore, 
I  should  not  have  had  Trevor  on  board.  The  information  1  have 
received  about  Flushing  is  not  correct,  and  I  cannot  get  at  the 
Dutch,  therefore  I  shall  be  in  the  Downs  I  trust  on  Wednesday 
evening,  ready  and  happy  to  receive  you.  Whatever  Sir  Thomas 
Troubridge  may  say,  I  feel  L  have  no  real  friends  out  of  your  house. 
How  I  am  praying  for  the  wind  to  carry  me  and  to  bring  me  to 
your  sight.  I  am  tired  at  not  being  able  to  get  at  the  damned 
rascals ;  but  they  are  preparing  against  me  in  every  quarter,  there- 
fore they  cannot  be  preparing  for  an  invasion.  I  agree  with  you  ; 
fight  them  if  they  come  out,  so  I  will;  anfl  reserve  myself  for  it.  I 
believe  the  enemy  attaches  much  more  importance  to  my  life  than 
our  folks  ;  the  former  look  up  to  me  with  awe  and  dread,  the  latter 
fix  not  such  real  importance  to  my  existence.  I  send  this  under 
cover  to  Parker  in  case  you  are  not  come,  that  he  may  send  it  to 
London.  I  am  making  some  arrangements  and  shall  be  across 
directly.    With  my  kindest  regards  to  Sir  William,  believe  me,  .  .  . 

'  Sotheby's  catalogue  for  the  summer  of  1904. 


5i8  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

(2)  {b)  Extract  from  a  letter '  from  Lord  Nelson  to  Lady  LLamilton, 
^Amazon,  September  23,  1801/  regarding  Merton. 

My  dear  Emma,  I  received  your  kind  letters  last  evening,  and  in 
many  parts  they  pleased  and  made  me  sad,  so  life  is  chequered, 
and  if  the  good  predominates  then  we  are  called  happy.  I  trust 
the  farm  will  make  you  more  so  than  a  dull  London  life,  make 
what  use  you  please  of  it,  it  is  as  much  yours  as  if  you  bought  it, 
therefore  if  your  relative  cannot  stay  in  your  house  in  town  surely 
Sir  William  can  have  no  objection  to  your  taking  [your  relation]  to 
the  farm  ;  the  pride  of  the  Hamiltons  surely  cannot  be  hurt  by 
settling  down  with  any  of  your  relations.  You  have  surely  as  much 
a  right  for  your  relations  to  come  into  the  house  as  his  could  have, 
&c.  The  vagabond  that  stole  your  medal  will  probably  be  hanged, 
unless  Mr.  Varden  will  swear  it  is  not  worth  40  shillings,  which  / 
dare  say  he  may  do  with  a  safe  consciefice.  I  should  not  wish  it  to 
be  brought  into  a  Court  of  Law,  as  the  extraordinary  nature  of  the 
medallion  will  be  noticed.  I  am  sure  you  will  not  let  any  of  the 
Royal  blood  into  your  house.  They  have  the  Impudence  of  the 
devil,  etc. — Ever  yours  faithfully. 

(3)-  Lord  Nelsofi  to  A.  Davison,  relating  to  Sir  William 
LLamiltons  death. 

[Piccadilly],  Wednesday,  w  o'clock  {April  6,  1803]. 
My  dear  Davison, — Our  dear  Sir  William  died  at  10  minutes 
past  Ten  this  morning  in  Lady  Hamilton's  arms  without  a  sigh  or 
a  struggle.  Poor  Lady  H.  is,  as  you  may  expect,  desolate.  I  hope 
she  will  be  left  properly,  but  I  doubt. — Every  yours  most  affection- 
ately. 

(4)  Extract  from  a  letter  frofu  the  same  to  the  safne,  indorsed 
May  [4?],  1803,  which  after  saying  that  the  will  is  to  be  read 
at  11  d clock  this  jnornitig,  continues : — 

...  I  think  it  will  be  proper  to  read  the  deed  of  gift,^  especi- 
ally as  the  family  will  be  present,  or  it  may  be  supposed  that  Mr. 
C.  Greville  gives  Lady  Hamilton  the  furniture. 

(5)  Extract  from  a  letter  from  Lord  Nelson  to  Lady  Hamilio7i 
headed  '  Victory,  August  24,  1803  '■* 

Do  you  know  the  King  never  knew  of  my  wish  to  resign 
Bronte;  it  is  said,  Acton  dare  not  tell  him,  and  now,  I  fear,  the 

*  Sotheby's  catalogue,  July  8,  1905. 
-  Eg.  MS.  2240,  ft.  157,  164. 

^  Lady  Hamilton  in  1801  had  sold  jewels  to  buy  the  furniture,  which  was 
therefore  assigned  to  her  by  her  husband. 

*  Sotheby's  catalogue  of  May  17,  2905. 


] 


APPENDIX:  NEW  LETTERS  519 

French  will  have  Sicily,  so  that  I  shall  be  well  off.  If  that  does 
not  happen^  I  shall  hope  to  get  regularly  ;^2ooo  a  year — that  will 
be  a  pretty  addition  to  our  housekeeping.  Mr.  A'Court  told  me 
that  Castelcicala  is  as  great  a  favorite  as  ever  with  the  Queen,  and 
that  if  Acton  went  away  she  would  try  and  have  him  Prime  Minister 
— then  I  believe  the  kingdom  would  be  well  governed.  .  .  . 
Admiral  Campbell  is  on  board  ...  he  has  made  a  large  fortune 
in  the  Channel  Fleet — so  much  the  better;  the  more  we  take  from 
the  French,  the  less  they  have,  and  the  sooner,  I  hope,  we  shall 
have  peace  .  .  .  whenever  young  Paddy  [Fady,  of  the  1798 
correspondence?]  comes,  he  shall  be  promoted,  &c. 

(6)  Copy  of  a  letter  from  Lord  Nehfl?i  to  Lady  Hamilton} 

'Amazon,'  October  14,  1801. 

My  dearest  Friend, — To-morrow  week  all  is  over — no  thanks 
to  Sir  Thomas.  I  believe  the  fault  is  all  his,  and  he  ought  to  have 
recollected  that  I  got  him  the  Medal  of  the  Nile.  Who  upheld 
him  when  he  would  have  sunk  under  grief  and  mortification  ? 
Who  placed  him  in  such  a  situation  in  the  Kingdom  of  Naples 
that  he  got  by  my  public  Letters,  Titles,  the  Colonelcy  of  Marines, 
Diamo7id  Boxes,  from  the  King  of  Naples,  1000  ounces  in  money, 
for  no  expenses  that  I  know  of?  Who  got  him  ^^500  a  year  from 
the  King  of  Naples?  and  however  much  he  may  abuse  him,  his 
pension  will  be  regularly  paid.  Who  brought  his  character  into 
notice?  Look  at  my  public  Letters.  Nelson,  that  Nelson  that  he 
now  Lords  it  over.  So  much  for  gratitude.  I  forgive  him,  but,  by 
God,  I  shall  not  forget  it.  He  enjoys  shewing  his  power  over  me. 
Never  mind  ;  altogether  it  will  shorten  my  days.  The  day  is  very 
bad — blows,  rains,  and  great  sea.  My  complaint  has  returned 
from  absolutely  fretting;  and  was  it  not  for  the  kindness  of  all 
about  me,  they,  damn  them,  would  have  done  me  up  long  ago.  I 
am  anxiously  waiting  for  your  letters  ;  they  are  my  only  comfort, 
for  they  are  the  only  friendly  ones  I  receive.  Poor  Captn.  Somer- 
ville  is  on  board ;  himself,  wife,  and  family,  makes  20,  without  a 
.servant,  and  has  only  ;i{!^ioo  a  year  to  maintain  them.  He  has 
been  begging  me  to  intercede  with  the  Admiralty  again ;  but  I  h.ave 
been  so  rebuffed,  that  my  spirits  are  gone,  and  the  ^'■r^rt/'Troubridge 
has  what  we  call  cowed  the  spirits  of  Nelson  ;  but  I  shall  never 
forget  it.  He  told  me  if  I  asked  anything  more  that  I  should  get 
nothing,  I  suppose  alluding  to  poor  Langford.  No  wonder  I  am 
not  well. 

Noon.  Your  kind  letters  are  just  come,  and  have  given  me 
great  comfort,  Pray  tell  Sir  William  that  I  will  write  to  him  this 
day,  but  certainly  to-morrow.  I  have  much  to  do  from  Admiralty 
orders,  letters,  etc.     I   rejoice  at  your  occupation.     Live  pretty, 

'  'Phis  letter  has  been  printed  by  Pcttigrew,  vol.  ii.  p,  218.  But  in  this 
original  there  are  a  few  variations,  and  as  ii  is  of  interest,  I  reprint  it  by  kind 
permission  of  my  friend  Mrs.  Hampden  of  Ewelme. 


520  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

and  keep  a  pig.  Have  you  done  anything  about  the  Turnip  field  ? 
Say  every  thing  that  is  kind  for  me  to  Sir  William,  Mrs.  Cadogan, 
etc.  I  have  delivered  your  message  to  Sutton  and  Bedford.  You 
may  rely  on  a  visit.  — Ever,  my  dear  friend,  your  affectionate 

Nelson  &  Bronte. 

Half  sea-sick.  I  thank  you  for  the  Rev.  Dr.'s  letter  to  Mrs.  N., 
but  going  to  Swaffham  is  mentioned  7  times  &  in  the  Postscript. 
It  put  me  in  mind  of  the  directions  for  the  Cardinal.^  I  have 
laughed,  but  she  is  a  good  wife  for  him,  or  he  would  have  been 
ruined  long  ago.  His  being  a  Doctor  is  nonsense.  But  I  must 
write  to-morrow,  and  congratulate  him,  or  else  the  fat  will  be  in 
the  fire. — For  ever  yours,  N.  &  B. 

(7)  Extracts  from  fivo  letters  frofn  the  sa?ne  to  the  same  of  May  4, 
1805,  *  Victory ^^  and  August  r8,  1805,  '  Victory^  off  Spithead!^ 

{a) 

Your  poor  dear  Nelson  is,  my  dearest  beloved  Emma,  very  very 
unwell,  after  a  two  years  hard  fag  it  has  been  mortifying  the  not 
being  able  to  get  at  the  Enemy,  as  yet  I  can  get  no  confirmation 
about  them,  at  Lisbon  this  day  week  they  knew  nothing  about 
them,  but  it  is  now  generally  believed  that  they  are  gone  to  the 
West  Indies.  My  movements  must  be  guided  by  the  best  Judg- 
ment I  am  able  to  form.  John  Bull  may  be  angry,  but  he  never 
had  any  ofificerwho  has  served  him  more  faithfully,  but  Providence, 
I  rely,  will  yet  crown  my  never  failing  exertions  with  success,  and 
that  it  has  only  been  a  hard  trial  of  my  fortitude  in  bearing  up 
against  untoward  events.  You,  my  own  Emma,  are  my  first  and 
last  thoughts,  and  to  the  last  moment  of  my  breath  they  will  be 
occupied  in  leaving  you  independent  of  the  world,  and  all  I  long  in 
the  world  that  you  will  be  a  kind  and  affectionate  Father  to  my  dear 
[a  word  obliterated — 'own'?]  daughter  Horatia,  but  my  Emma 
your  Nelson  is  not  the  nearer  being  lost  to  you  for  taking  care  of  you 
in  case  of  events  which  are  only  known  when  they  are  to  happen  and 
[to]  an  all  wise  Providence,  and  I  hope  for  many  years  of  comfort 
with  you,  only  think  of  all  you  wish  me  to  say  and  you  may  be 
assured  it  exceeds  if  possible  your  wishes.  May  God  protect  you 
and  MY  DEAR  Horatia,  prays  ever  your  most  faithful  and  affec- 
tionate, etc.  etc. 

I  have  not  heard  from  my  own  Emma  since  last  April  by  Abbe 
Campbell,  but  I  trust  my  Emma  is  all  what  her  Nelson  wishes  her 
to  be.  I  have  brought  home  no  honors  for  my  Country,  only  a 
most  faithful  servant,  nor  any  Riches,  that  the  Administration  care 

1  i.e.  Ruffo. 

^  Sotheby's  catalogues  :  (i)  May  11,  1905  ;  (2)  summer  1904. 


APPENDIX:  NEW  LETTERS  521 

to  give  to  others,  but  I  have  brought  home  a  most  faithful  & 
honourable  &  beloving  heart  to  my  Emma  &  my  dear  Horatia. — 
May  Heaven  bless  you,  etc.  etc. 

(8)  From  the  same  to  the  sa?ne. 

'  Victory  '  okk  Carlisle  Bay,^  Barbadoks, 
Jwte  4,  1805. 

My  own  dearest  beloved  Emma, — Your  own  Nelson's  pride 
and  delight.  I  find  myself  within  six  days  of  the  Enemy,  and  I 
have  every  reason  to  hope  that  the  6th  of  June  will  immortalize 
your  own  Nelson,  your  fond  Nelson.  May  God  send  me  Victory, 
and  us  a  happy  and  speedy  meeting.  Adl.  Cochrane  is  sending 
home  a  Vessel  this  day,  therefore  only  pray  for  my  success,  and 
my  Laurels  I  shall  with  pleasure  lay  at  your  feet,  and  a  Sweet  Kiss 
will  be  an  ample  reward  for  all  your  faithful  Nelson's  hard  fag,  for 
Ever  and  Ever  I  am  your  faithful,  ever  faithful  and  affectionate 

Nelson  &  Bronte. 

The  Enemy's  fleet  and  army  are  supposed  to  have  attacked 
Tobago  and  Trinidada,  and  are  now  about  landing. 

[Addressed  '  Lady  Hamilton,  Merton,  Surrey. 
Nelson  &  Bronte.'] 

(9)  Omissions  -  made  by  Fettii^re'cV  ifi  his  iranscriptioji  of  Lerd 
Nelsofi's  letter  to  Lady  Uatni/tofi,  '  Victory,'  Au^^ust  27,  1804, 
cf.  voL  it.  pp.  420  et  seq. 

(No.  i) 

.  .  .   '  May  19th.     I  do  not'  .  .  . 
here  insert — '  My  dear  Emma.' 

(No.  2) 

'I  hope  we  shall  live  many  years.'  .  .  . 


here  insert — '  And  spend  it  together ;  the  very  thought  of  such 
bliss  delights  me.' 

(No.  3) 

'  /  do  not  expect  much  from  it,  never  mind  '  .  .  . 
here  insert — 'We  shall  never  want  with  prudence.' 

(No.  4) 

'  This  goes  by  Triumph.'  .  .  . 
here  insert — 

'  Gibbs  sends  you  a  piece  of  Palermo  silk,  which  I  have  requested 
Sir  Robt.  Barlow  to  send  up  from  Portsmouth.     He  says  there  is 

'  From  the  original,  kindly  lent  by  Mrs.  Hampden.    It  is  uncited  by  Pettigrew 
or  elsewhere. 

'  Kindly  communicated  by  Mrs.  Hampden. 


522  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

nothing  else  worth  your  acceptance ;  he  appears  full  of  gratitude 
for  your  unremitted  goodness  to  his  daughter.' 

(No.  5) 

'  I  will  do  it  when  I  come  home '  .  .  . 
here  insert — 

'  Mrs.  Cadogan's  account  of  your  dress  made  me  laugh.  God 
in  heaven  bless  you,  my  own  dear  Emma,  and  be  assured  that  my 
only  attachment  is  to  you  and  at  present  my  dear  Horatia.' 

(No.  6) 

'  You  will  see  '  .  .  . 
here  insert — 

'  Your  own  dear  Nelson  and  Bronte.' 


E. — Other  New  Letters  from  Lord  Nelson. 

( I )  Extract  from  a  letter  ^  from  Lord  Nelson  to  the  French 
Commander  at  Malta,  October  1798. 

In  addressing  to  you  this  letter,  containing  my  determination 
respecting  the  French  now  in  Malta,  I  feel  confident  that  you  will 
not  attribute  it  either  to  insolence  or  impertinent  curiosity,  but  to 
a  wish  of  having  my  sentiments  clearly  understood.  The  present 
situation  of  Malta,  I  am  told,  is  this,  the  inhabitants  are  in  posses- 
sion of  all  the  Islands  except  the  town  which  is  in  your  hands,  and 
that  the  port  is  blocked  by  a  Squadron  belonging  to  his  Britannick 
Majesty.  My  objects  are  to  assist  the  people  of  Malta  in  forcing 
you  to  abandon  the  Island,  that  it  may  be  delivered  into  the  hands 
of  its  lawful  Sovereign,  and  to  get  possession  of  the  Gme.  Tell, 
Diana,  and  Justice.  To  accomplish  these  objects  as  speedily  as 
possible  I  offer  that,  on  the  delivery  of  the  French  ships  to  me, 
that  all  the  Troops  and  Seamen  now  in  Malta  shall  be  landed  in 
France  without  the  condition  of  their  being  prisoners  of  war.  .  .  . 
If  my  offers  are  rejected,  or  the  French  ships  make  their  escape, 
notwithstanding  my  vigilance,  I  declare  I  will  not  enter  or  join  in 
any  capitulation  which  the  General  may,  hereafter,  be  forced  to 
enter  into  with  the  inhabitants  of  Malta,  nor  will  I  ever  permit  any 
which  may  be  like  the  present,  much  less  will  I  intercede  for  the 
lives  or  forgiveness  of  those  who  have  betrayed  their  country.  I 
beg  leave  to  assure  you  that  this  is  the  determination  of  a  British 
Admiral,  etc. 

(2)  Extract  from  a  letter'^  regarding  Malta  from  Lord  Nelson  to 
Sir  James  St.  Clair  Erskine,  Naples,  2yd  July  1799. 

As  Admiral  Duckworth  sails  this  day  for  Minorca,  he  will  inform 
you  of  all  which  is  passing  in  this  country,  respecting  the  removal 

*  Sotheby's  catalogue,  July  8,  1905.  -  Ibid. 


APPENDIX:  NEW  LETTERS  523 

of  Colonel  Graham  and  the  garrison  at  Messina.  It  may  be 
attended  with  the  most  fatal  effect.  .  .  .  Malta  and  the  Northern 
coasts  must  have  some  attention  paid  to  them,  and  I  know  it  is  His 
Majesty's  pleasure  that  I  should  pay  such  attention  to  the  safety 
of  H.S.  My.  and  his  Kingdom  that  nothing  shall  induce  me  to 
risk  those  objects  of  my  special  care. 


(3)  Extract  from  a  letter'^  regarding  Minorca  and  his  policy  from 
the  same  to  the  same,  Naples,  August  2,  1799. 

I  have  just  received  your  letter  by  the  Brig.  It  is  very  natural 
you  should  look  to  the  Island  of  Minorca,  so  do  I,  and  will  take 
care  that  no  superior  fleet  shall  annoy  it,  but  many  other  countrys 
are  also  entrusted  to  my  care,  and  I  am  endeavouring  so  to 
divide  my  force  that  all  may  have  security. 


(4)  (a)  Extract  from  a  letter^  from  Lord  Nelson  to  Lady  Llamiltoji 
^San  Josef  \Brixham\  February  11,  1 80 1 . ' 

Mv  DEAR  Lady, — I  was  prepared  on  reading  your  first  letter  to 
have  wrote  a  most  affectionate  letter,  but  your  last  has  been  so 
truly  unkind  that  I  can  only  recal  to  mind  it  is  very  easy  to  find 
a  stick  if  you  are  inclined  to  beat  your  dog,  therefore  it  is  no  wonder 
you  should  endeavour  from  every  word  of  mine  to  find  cause 
for  an  excuse  [cut  away  here]  him  who  will  never  forget  you,  but 
to  the  last  moment  of  his  existence  pray  to  God  to  give  you 
happiness,  and  to  remove  from  this  ungrateful  world,  your  old 
friend.  Nelson  &  Bronte. 

{b)  Extract  from  a  letter^  from  the  same  to  the  same, 
February  14,  i8oi. 

I  doubt  whether  a  boat  can  get  on  shore.  But  we  are  going 
to  try.  Trowbridge  is  just  come  to  say  it  is  impossible,  there- 
fore you  must  be  content  with  my  assurance  that  I  write  every 
day.  Pray  send  the  enclosed  to  Mrs.  Thompson  and  assure  her 
of  my  unalterable  attachment  to  her  and  her  friend.  I  trust 
my  dear  Lady  to  your  doing  me  full  justice  and  to  make  her 
dear  mind  at  ease  for  ever,  for  ever  and  ever.  Yours  faithful  .  .  . 
Sunday  noon.  It  continues  to  blow  so  hard,  and  the  sea  is  so  very 
high,  that  I  scarcely  expect  the  possibility  of  getting  a  boat  with 
this  weather;  she  would  be  lost  in  an  instant,  but  in  fair  or  foul 
weather,  at  sea  or  on  shore,  I  am  ever  for  ever  yours,  etc. 

^  Sotheby's  catalogue,  July  8,  1905.  Both  these  relate  to  the  Prince  of  W.iles 
episode. 

-  Ibid.  s  Ibid. 


524  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

F. — Supplementary  Letters. 

( I )  From  the  Hon.  C.  F.  Greville  to  Lord  Hobart  or  Lord  Pet  ham 
{Foreign  Secretaries),  April  12,  1803.^ 

My  Lord, — I  believe  it  to  be  consistent  with  propriety  to  take 
the  earliest  opportunity  of  returning  to  His  Majesty  the  Red 
Ribbon  which  Sir  Wm.  Hamilton  wore,  and  I  propose  to  do  so 
to-morrow. 

I  hope  your  Lordship  will  not  consider  it  otherwise  than  respect- 
ful in  me  on  this  occasion  to  refer  you  to  my  communication  of 
Sir  Wm.  Hamilton's  feeling  to  Lord  Grenville  at  the  period  Mr. 
Paget  was  appointed  to  supersede  him  without  previous  notice.  A 
few  days  before  his  death,  he  said  to  me  that  the  King's  regard  for 
him,  and  his  attachment  to  his  Sovereign,  had  been  founded  on 
the  solid  ground  of  unvaried  affection,  respect,  and  Truth,  and  he 
had  never  connected  the  slights  of  ministers  with  the  direction  of 
his  Sovereign.  He  added  that  in  a  few  days  his  death  would  bring 
to  the  consideration  of  ministers  whether  the  payment  of  one-half 
of  the  debt  incurred  by  Public  Convulsions,  and  the  usual  pension 
for  the  short  period  he  could  be  expected  to  enjoy  it,  from  the 
time  it  was  granted,  would  be  considered  as  a  close  of  reward  for 
36  years'  foreign  Service,  and  the  deterioration  of  his  private  fortune; 
that  he  had  not  reserved,  but  left  to  the  feehngs  of  ministers  the 
suggestion  I  had  made  to  Lord  Grenville  of  his  wishes,  on  the  pre- 
cedents which  then  occurred,  that  a  token  of  respect  to  Lady 
Hamilton  might  be  given  by  a  reversion  of  a  small  part  of  the 
pension.  It  does  not  become  me  to  withold  [sic]  his  dying  conversa- 
tion, and  it  cannot  be  for  me  to  urge  the  propriety  of  your  Lord- 
ship recommending  such  mark  of  his  Majesty's  kindness  to  the 
memory  of  my  dear  departed  Friend,  when  I  know  that  the 
records  of  your  office  confirm  the  Testimony  of  their  Sicilian 
Majesties,  by  letter  as  well  as  by  their  ministers,  of  circumstances 
peculiarly  distinguished  and  honourable  to  her,  and  at  the  same 
time  of  high  importance  to  the  public  Service. — I  am,  etc. 

(2)  The  Rev.  A.  J.  Scotfs  Account  of  the  Battle  of  Trafalgar 
in  a  letter^  to  his  uncle. 

October  27,  1 805.  VICTORY. 
Mv  DEAR  Uncle, — On  the  21st  instant  the  combined  fleet  of 
thirty-three  sail  of  the  line  were  completely  defeated  by  our  twenty- 
seven  sail  of  the  line.  The  enemy  were  extended  to  lee-ward,  and 
in  as  good  a  line  as  they  could  well  form  with  so  little  wind  as 
there  was.  Our  fleet  in  two  divisions  went  down  all  sail  set, 
steering-sails,^  &c.;  the  wind  right  aft  and  the  swell  forcing  the  ships 

^  From  the  original  in  the  writer's  possession. 
2  Privately  and  kindly  communicated. 
'  ?  'studding-sails,'  or  stunsails. 


APPENDIX:  NEW  LETTERS  525 

down.  Lord  Nelson  in  the  Victory  led  one  division,  Admiral 
Collingwood  the  other.  The  first  cut  through  between  the  enemy's 
ninth  and  tenth  ships,  the  latter  between  the  nineteenth  and 
twentieth.  Never  was  so  complete  a  defeat.  There  has  been  a 
heavy  gale  of  wind  ever  since  the  night  of  the  action,  the  wind  dead 
on  a  lee-shore,  and  we  have  been  lying  a  wreck  part  of  the  time ; 
consequently  we  know  nothing  of  particular  liamages,  or  all  the 
enemy's  ships  might  have  been  taken.  I  believe  there  were  at 
least  nineteen  taken — two  three  deckers,  one  called  a  four-decker 
(the  largest  ship  ever  built),  the  Spanish  Admiral  Gravina,  the 
French  Admiral  Villeneuve,  etc.  Having  told  you  the  news,  which 
will  make  you  rejoice  for  your  country,  what  will  you  think  of  me 
who  detest  this  victory?  It  has  deprived  me  of  my  beloved  and 
adored  friend.  I  knew  not  until  his  loss  how  much  I  loved  him. 
He  died  as  the  battle  finished,  and  his  last  effort  to  speak  was  7nade 
at  the  ?noment  of  joy  for  victory.  I  cannot  talk  more  to  you  about 
it.  I  hope  soon  to  see  you.  I  shall  attend  my  dear  Lord's  remains, 
and  act  when  I  reach  England  as  his  executors  may  direct.  Let 
me  find  a  letter  from  you  at  Portsmouth.  This  ship  must  go  home 
— the  mizenmast  gone,  the  main  and  foremast  cut  to  pieces,  and 
only  standing  by  miracle,  &c.  It  still  blows  hard,  but  we  are  in 
tow  by  the  Neptune,  and  hope  to  get  the  Gut  of  Gibraltar  open 
to-morrow  morning.  Possibly  we  shall  rig  a  good  jurymast  at 
Gibraltar,  and  then  go  home.  I  do  not  say  much  of  my  loss ;  //  is 
beyond  all  utterance.     I,  of  course,  now  retire. 


(3)  Account  by  the  same  of  Lord  Nelson's  death  ifi  a  letter'^  to 
George  Rose. 

H.M.S.  'Victory,'  December  22,  1805. 
Mv  DEAR  Sir, — In  answer  to  your  note  of  the  loth  inst., 
which,  forwarded  by  way  of  Chatham,  I  received  this  morning,  it 
is  my  intention  to  relate  everything  Lord  Nelson  said  in  which 
your  name  was  in  any  way  connected.  He  lived  about  three 
hours  after  receiving  his  wound,  was  perfectly  sensible  the  whole 
time,  but  compelled  to  speak  in  broken  sentences,  which  pain  and 
suffering  prevented  him  always  from  connecting.  When  I  first 
saw  him  he  was  apprehensive  he  should  not  live  many  minutes, 
and  told  me  so ;  adding  in  a  hurried,  agitated  manner,  though 
with  pauses,  '  Remember  me  to  Lady  Hamilton — remember  me 
to  Horatia — remember  me  to  all  my  friends — Doctor,  remember 
me  to  Mr.  Rose ;  tell  him  I  have  made  a  will,  and  left  Lady 
Hamilton  and  Horatia  to  my  country.'  He  repeated  his  remem- 
brance to  Lady  Hamilton  and  Horatia,  and  told  me  to  mind  what 
he  said  several  times.  Gradually  he  became  less  agitated,  and  at 
last   calm    enough   to   ask  (uicstions  about  what  was   going   on. 

'  Privately  and  kindly  communicated. 


526  EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 

This  led  his  mind  to  Captain  Hardy,  for  whom  he  sent  and 
inquired  with  great  anxiety,  exclaiming  aloud  he  would  not  believe 
the  captain  was  alive  unless  he  saw  him.  He  grew  agitated  at 
the  captain's  not  coming,  lamented  his  being  unable  to  go  on  deck 
and  do  what  was  to  be  done,  and  doubted  every  assurance  given 
him  of  the  captain  being  safe  on  the  quarter-deck.  At  last  the 
captain  came,  and  he  instantly  grew  more  composed,  listened  to 
his  report  about  the  state  of  the  fleet,  directed  hmi  to  anchor,  and 
told  him  he  should  die,  but  observed  he  should  live  half-an-hour 
longer.  '  I  shall  die,  Hardy,'  said  the  Admiral.  '  Is  your  pain  great, 
sir  ?  '  '  Yes,  but  I  shall  live  half-an-hour  yet.  Kiss  me.  Hardy.'  The 
captain  knelt  down  by  his  side  and  kissed  him.  Upon  the  captain 
leaving  him  to  return  to  the  deck,  Lord  Nelson  exclaimed  very 
earnestly  more  than  once,  '  Hardy,  if  I  live  I'll  bring  the  fleet  to  an 
anchor— if  I  live  I'll  anchor,  if  I  live  I'll  anchor' — and  this  was 
earnestly  repeated  even  when  the  captain  was  out  of  hearing.  I  do 
not  mean  to  tell  you  everything  he  said.  After  this  interview  the 
Admiral  was  perfectly  tranquil,  looking  at  me  in  his  accustomed 
manner  when  alluding  to  any  prior  discourse  :  '  I  have  not  been  a 
great  sinner,  Doctor,'  said  he.     '  Doctor,  I  was  right.     I  told  you 

so.     George  Rose  has  not  yet  got  my  letter — tell  him ' He  was 

interrupted  here  by  pain.  After  an  interval  he  said,  'Mr.  Rose 
will  remember — don't  forget,  Doctor— mind  what  I  say.'  There 
were  frequent  pauses  in  his  conversation.  Our  dearly  beloved 
Admiral  otherwise  mentioned  your  name  indeed  very  kindly,  and  I 
will  tell  you  his  words  when  I  see  you  ;  but  it  was  only  in  the  two 
above  instances  he  desired  you  should  be  told.— I  have  the  honour 
to  be,  etc.  A.  J.  Scott. 

(4)  Extract  from  Lady  Hamilton  s  letter  to  Sir  William  Scott,  of 
March  22,  [1809],  when  she  is  at '  1^6  Bond  Street.' 

After  mentioning  that  a  friend  wishes  to  consult  Sir  William,  that 
she  is  only  in  town  till  Saturday,  and  dines  with  her  '  dear,  good 
Goldsmids  on  Friday,'  she  thus  concludes  : — 

I  have  suffered  much,  but  I  hope  yet  all  will  be  right.  I  feel  it 
a  comfort  that  in  my  splendor  I  did  good.  I  served  my  country, 
and  many  basqued  [sic]  in  my  sunshine.  But  my  only  ambition 
now  is  that  I  shall  fulfill  Nelson's  last  request,  take  care  of  his 
Horatia,  make  my  mother  comfortable,  pay  everyone  what  is  their 
due,  act  honourably  and  right,  and  be  esteemed  by  good  and 
sensible  men.  Do  you,  my  dear  sir,  think  well  of  and  love  your 
ever  grateful  and  aff"ectionate  Emma  Hamilton. 


I  N  DEX 


Battles  and  Treaties  will  hi  found  ztndir  these  separate  headings. 


Abercorn,  Marquis  of,  70;  (1791).  133" 
135;  one  of  the  witnesses  at  Lady  Ham-  , 
ikon's  wedding,   136;  (1803),  Sir  Wil- 
liam's will,  399;  (1808),  Emma's  claims, 
445  ;  parties  at,  450. 

Marchioness  of  (1801),  357;  (1807), 

invites  Emma,  439. 

Abrams,  Lieutenant,  App.  500. 

Abrial,  Commissary  (1799,  Jan.  22), 
his  part  .in  the  Januarius  procession, 
267. 

A'court,  Mr.,  App.  519. 

Acquaviva,  Beatrice  [Neapolitan  nun] 
(1787),  and  Lady  Hamilton,   15  n.  6, 

IIO-II. 

Acton,  Sir  John  Francis  Edward  (i737- 
1811),  antecedents  and  character  of, 
123-125;  his  early  links  with  Hamilton, 
124-127;  his  English,  198  w.  2;  [Premier 
at  the  Neapolitan  Court]  (1736-1811),  8  ; 
(1772),  65  «.  2  ;  (1779).  65  ;  (1786),  and 
Lady  H.,  90,  103;  (1788),  120  n.  3; 
(1789),  127;  pro-Spanish,  140;  (1791), 
his  change  of  tack  and  association  with 
Hamiltons :  his  desire  for  an  Anglo- 
Sicilian  rapprochement,  140-143  ;  his 
appeal  to  Great  Britain  v.  France,  142  ; 
his  fury  at  Jacobinism  which  threatens 
establishments  :  a  born  bureaucrat, 
143,  265  ;  (1793),  on  critical  peace  junc- 
tures, 144  n.  2  ;  (1792),  Star  Chamber, 
145;  (1793),  'Junta,'  153;  Nelson's 
first  arrival,  its  effects  on,  163,  171  ; 
(1794),  173  n.  2  ;  on  the  French  designs, 
ib.  n.  6;"  his  novelties  in  inquisition, 
174  ;  h's  wish  to  engross  business,  188  ; 
(1795-6),  complains  of  lukewarmness  of 
Austria,  Tuscany,  and  England,  182 
and  seq.  ;  on  Franco-Hispanian  con- 
spiracy, 185 ;  in  close  correspondence 
with  Hamilton  about,  186  ;  competes 
with  Hamilton  in  transmitting  secret 
despatches  to  England,  188  complains 
of  Grenville's  faintlieartedness,  189  ti.2, 
198 ;  on  the  Queen's  resentment  v. 
Spain,  189  n.  i  ;  for  a  brief  space 
veers  towards  King's  pro-Spanish  atti- 
tude, 189,  191 ;  fears  Naples'  isolation, 
and  returns  with  zest  to  the  Queen's 
pro-English  attitude,  ib.  ;  joins  with 
Hamilton  in  urging  Britain's  co-opera- 
tion, ih.  ;  (1797),  presses  England  for 
Mediterranean  squadron,  197  ;  confers 


with  Hamiltons  and  Klliot,  197;  his 
bureaucratic  bent  is  relieved  by  Queen's 
changed  policy,  zT-.  ;  his  representation, 
198  ;  (1798),  correspondence  with  Ham- 
ilton, 198;  begs  Hamilton  to  procure 
aid,  198  ;  and  Queen,  199;  his  action 
in  the  critical  council  of  June  17,  206 
and  seq.  ;  and  Malta,  n.  i  ib.  ;  signs 
'order'  in  King's  name,  206-207;  a 
'credential,'  206;  a  'royal  despatch," 
217-218  ;  ignorant  even  in  August  that 
Nelson  had  been  provisioned,  206 
;/.  5,  216,  App.  486  ;  his  antipathy  to 
Gallo  (q.v.),  214;  and  instructions  to 
port  governors  in  Sicily,  216  n.  4,  217  ; 
to  be  kept  in  dark  with  the  King,  as  to 
the  Queen's  private  and  secret  nnssive 
to  Nelson,  220,  222  ?i.  4  ;  (Oct.),  gained 
by  Emma,  231 ;  on  Neapolitan  troops, 
239  n.  5  ;  (Nov.),  with  King  in  Rome, 
241  ;  (Dec),  misjudges  Neapolitan 
crisis,  244 ;  plans  for  royal  escape 
altered,  247;  (Dec.  21),  six  communi- 
cations between  him  and  Hamilton. 
248 ;  and  Nelson,  ib.  ;  still  doubts 
danger,  ib.  248  ;  and  dallies,  249  ; 
orders  of  embarkation,  and  ridiculous 
precedence,  249,  250  ;  on  the  voyage, 
257,  262;  and  Malta  ('/.''),  272/?.  2  ; 
(1799),  and  Lady  H.,276;  (June  17), 
289  ;  (June  21),  293  ;  (June  25),  letters  to 
Nelson  regarding  Ruffo  and  Neapoli- 
tan affairs,  298  ;  (June  26),  to  Hamilton, 
303;  (July  9),  arrives  with  King  in 
Naples;  (Sept.),  quarrels  with  Ham- 
ilton, 314  and  n.  4  ;  (1803),  and  Bronte, 
402  n.  3;  (1804),  dismissed,  410  and 
>i.  2  ;  (1804),  married,  thinks  of  coming 
to  England,  418. 

Acton,  Lady,  250. 

Addington  [statesman]  (1801),  364,  388  ; 
(1803),  401,  408;  (1813),  172;  (1814), 
467. 

.■Mbert,  Prince  [of  Najiles]  (1798),  250  ; 
death  of,  257. 

Amalie,  Princess,  115  n.  i. 

.\mato,  Tommaso  (1794),  executed.  174 

America  (1789),  128. 

Amherst,  Lord  [ambassador],  322  «.  2. 

.\ncaster.  Duchess  of  (1793).  154. 

.■\ndrcas  [painter]  (1786),  103  n.  1. 

.Andrews,  Miss.  157. 

Aprilc  [musician],  15. 

627 


528 


EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 


Aidinghelli  [litterateur],  121. 

Argyll,  Duchess  of  [Miss  Gunning],  15, 
133;  (1789).  her  affection  for  Emma, 
and  its  results,  127;  (1790),  death, 
130. 

Arnstein  [banker],  332. 

Artois,  Count  (1791),  131. 

Ashburner,  Miss  [see  '  Perconti,  Eliza']. 

Astley,  'Jack,'  47, 

Athol,  Duke  of,  370. 

Aurora,  Commandant  (1799.  June  25), 
302  n.  4. 

Ausberg,  Prince  (1792),  I49- 

Austria,  the  Hapsburgs'  historical  ambi- 
tions for,  in  Italy,  113,  114;  (1789). 
126;  (1791),  138,  141  ;  venality,?^,  and 
n.  2;  (1792),  Prussian  alliance,  144; 
(1795-8),  lukewarm  in  resisting  France, 
182  and  seg.  ;  worsted  in  campaign, 
189  ;  bound  by  treaties  to  desist,  183 
[see  'Treaties,'  Campoformio,  Tolen- 
tino]  ;  her  cessions  to  France,  196  n.  i  ; 
Venice  and,  ib.  ;  (1798),  Acton  on, 
198 ;  negotiating  with  Naples  as  to  a 
possible  but  limited  and  defensive  alli- 
ance, 203,  204,  205,  206,  213,  216  and 
«.  4,  230,  231;  (Dec),  refuses  aid  to 
Naples,  243,  245 ;  soon  herself  in 
extremis,  245  ;  (1799,  March),  alliance 
with  Russia,  Turkey,  and  Naples,  279  ; 
(April),  prepares  to  drive  French  from 
North  Italy,  290;  (October),  demands 
Russian  troops  at  Malta,  315  ;  (1B03), 
third  coalition,  402  ;  (1810),  454. 

Baker  ['  Baccher']  (1799).  272. 

Ball,  Sir  Alexander,  and  Lady  Hamilton, 
19  «.  I  ;  (1798),  nursed  by  her,  230; 
ordered  to  Malta,  234  ;  (1799),  273,  276, 
279  ;  (June  25),  302  ;  (September),  314  ; 
(December),  315  n.  5;  calls  Emma 
'sister,'  as  his  companion  in  Grand 
Cross  order  of  Malta,  316  ;  to  Nelson, 
317;  (1800,  March),  invites  the  Ham- 
iltons,    321 ;    (1802),  letter   to   Emma, 

398. 

Banks,  Sir  Joseph  [scientist],  on  Lady 
Hamilton  (1787).  loi,  119  ti.  i  ;  (1791). 
130;  (1795).  5.  16;  (1798).  on  Jacob- 
inism, 241  ;  (1800),  335  and  n.  3. 

[sculptor],  5,  7- 

Banti  [prima  donna]  (1787),  104  and  «.  2, 
HI  n.  3;  (1801),  343.  356- 

Barclay,  Sir  R.  (1805),  434  and  n.  2; 
(1808),  449. 

Barham,  Lord  (1805),  and  Lady  Nelson, 

432.   , 
Baring  (1810),  454- 
Barlow,    Miss  [see   Hamilton,    the    first 

Lady]. 

Sir  R.,  -^pp.  521. 

Barret,  G.  [artist],  57. 
Barry  [artist],  21. 

Reverend  Dr.  E.,  136. 

Bartoldi,  250. 
Basseville  (1793).  i52- 
Bathyaui,  Count,  332. 


Battles — Calvi,  166,  175  ;  Copenhagen, 
242  ;  Finisterre,  422  ;  Froisinone,  239  ; 
Jemappes,  144;  Longwy,  ?d. ;  Magonza, 
153;  Nile,  223  and  seq.,  242,  258; 
Padua,  27q ;  Ponte  Delia  Maddalena, 
291,  293;  St.  Vincent,  196;  Toulon, 
153,  157,  170  ;  Trafalgar,  242,  417-429  ; 
Valmy,  144 ;  Velletri,  240. 

Bausan,  Captain  (1798),  258. 

Beatty,  Dr.,  475. 

Beauclerk,  Lady  Diana,  67,  122  ;  letter 
to  Lady  Hamilton,  166  n.  i. 

Charles  (1793),  165. 

Beauharnais.  Eugene  (1797),  attacks 
Papal  guard,  197. 

I'jL'ckford,  William  (1760-1844),  and  Lady 
Hamilton,  16  ;  on  Lady  H.  (1791),  133, 

13s  ;    (1792),  144.   148  ;    (1794).  5 ; 

(1800),  14,  230,  335,  338  ;  insincerity, 
ib.  and  n.  2;  (1801),  230;  inaccuracy 
of,  171 ;  (1802),  peerage  scheme,  389- 

39'->- 

Euphemia,  389. 

Bedford,  Captain,  App.  520. 

Belmonte,  Prince  ['Galatone']  (1779), 
123;  (1795-6),  his  part  as  Neapolitan 
ambassador  at  Madrid  in  forwarding 
information  regarding  Spain,  185  and 
seq.  ;  secretly  negotiates  Franco-Nea- 
politan compact  in  Paris,  188  and  seq., 
190  «.  6;  (1798),  199;  (1798,  Dec),  his 
part  in  preparing  royal  flight,  247,  248, 
250 ;  on  voyage,  257  ;  (i8oo),  his  fare- 
well to  Lady  H. ,  329  ;  App.  497, 

Princess  (1804),  410. 

Bentinck,  Lord  William  [ambassador], 
99  ?i.  4,  116,  322  n.  2. 

•  Lady  E.  (1805),  431  «.  2. 

Berri,  Duke  of  (1803),  105  n.  5,  393  n.  2. 

Berry,  Captain,  345  ;  (1801),  367. 

Berthier,  General  (1797),  despatched  by 
Napoleonic.  Rome,  197  ;  (1798,  Novem- 
ber), 239. 

Bessborough,  Lady  (1793),  122,  155. 

Bianchi,    Francesco    [composer]  (1809), 

451.  454- 

Mrs.,  451. 

Billington,     Mrs.    [prima    donna],     24 ; 

(1801),    342;    at    Merton,    386,    416; 

(1809),  451  ;  (1810),  454. 
Blackburn,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  (1801),  368  and 

11,  2. 
Blackwood,  Captain  the  Hon.  H.  (1805), 

427.  431-  ,       ., 
Bolton,  Ann,  413  ;  letters  to  Lady  Hamil- 
ton, 415,  440;  (1806-8),  constantly  at 
Merton,  439-441  ;  (1808),  444. 
Eliza,  413,  416  ;  (i8o6-8),  at  Merton, 

439- 
Emma  Horatia,  christened,  412  ».  2; 

(1806-7),  439- 

family,  the,  405 ;  (1806  and  after), 

Emma's  warm  friends,  439,  449  ;  (181 1- 
1812),  invite  Lady  Hamilton,  456,  458. 

Horace,  453. 

Lady  (1809),    her    letter   to    Lady 

Hamilton,  452. 


INDEX 


529 


Bolton,  Thomas  [the  younger],  416; 
(1805),  at  Merton,  421,  424. 

Mrs.  T.  [Nelson's  sister],  158  n.  i ; 

(1800),  334;  (1802),  at  Merton,  386; 
(1803),  402,  408;  (1805),  letter  of  con- 
dolence to  Lady  Hamilton,  431  ;  on 
Lady  Nelson  to  Emma,  432  //.  3,  433 
71.  2  ;  (1806  and  after),  believes  Emma 
will  obtain  justice,  440;  (1809),  460; 
(1810),  to  Emma  on  Mrs.  Cadogan's 
death,  453  ;  her  own  death  (1813),  461, 
464. 

Captain  Sir  William  (1803),  mar- 
riage, 403  ;  (1810),  begs  Lady  Hamil- 
ton s  influence,  455. 

Boothby,  Sir  Brooke,  16  n.  i  ;  and 
Emma's  voice,  104  71.  3. 

Bourbon,  Duke  of  (1803),  105  «   5. 

Bowen,  T.  [contractor,  of  Merton  and 
Portman  Square],  41,  383. 

Captain  T.  (June  1798),  staying  at 

Hamiitons'  as  intermediary,  210  71.  2  ; 
takes  Emma's  letter  to  Nelson,  210; 
promoted  through  Hamiitons,  ib.  214; 
promoted,  227. 

Captain  [his  brother]  (1797),  210?/.  2. 

Boyd,  Lady, 65. 

Boydell,  Alderman,  44. 

Braham  [singer]  (1802  and  1805),  391, 

Bristol,  Frederick  Augustus,  Earl  of, 
and  Bishop  of  Derry  (1730- 1803) ; 
his  characteristics,  130,  177-180 ; 
(1778),  123  71.  2;  (1789),  127  71.  4; 
(1791),  130;  (1793).  178;  (1794).  on 
Medici's  treason,  174  71.  2 ;  (1795), 
141  V.  2  ;  and  Lady  Hamilton  (1794), 
16,  22,  178 ;  and  Countess  Lichtenau 
{g'.v.),  i8o;(i798),i7;(i799),  279;  (1800), 
328  ;  (1803),  death,  411 ;  App.  481. 

Brooke,  Lord,  92. 

Bruce,  Lord  (1769),  66  «.  i. 

Brueys,  Admiral  (1798),  killed  in  Nile 
battle,  223. 

Brunswick,  Duke  of,  144. 

Budd,  Dr.,  4,^. 

Buonaparte,  Joseph  (1797),  196. 

Louis  (1798).  "-39- 

Napoleon,    113,    122,    137,    153    n, 

S;  (1793).  167;  (1794).  175:  Direc- 
toire,  paves  way  for  Spanish  rapproche- 
TTtent,  185;  (1795-7),  182;  coalition 
against,  weakened,  183;  his  long 
chapter  of  Italian  and  Austrian  siic- 
cesfes,  184  ;  republicanises  Liguriaand 
Romagna.  189, 191  w.  i,  196,  201;  (1797), 
exploits  Roman  Jacobins,  197  ;  boasts 
of  republicanising  two  Sicilies,  197 ; 
and  Acton,  173  w.  3,  198;  (1805),  his 
letter  to  Maria  Carolina,  173  «.  3 ; 
(1798),  Epyptian  expedition,  201  and 
seq.  ;  the  Suvan/s,  202  >/.  i  ;  reassures 
Sicily  and  bribes  Malta,  204  ;  objects 
■n,  207  71.  5;  significance  of,  213; 
quits,  214  ;  correspondence  intercepted 
a  week  after  Nile  battle,  223;  its 
nature,  20271.  i  ;  his  republican  ardour. 
241  ;     designs   011    Naples,    244,    263 ; 


(1799),  returns  to  France,  315  ;  at 
Marseilles,  id.  71.  4  ;  (1801),  344  ;  (1801), 
366-7;  (July),  375;  (1803),  breaks  the 
truce,  402  ;  (1804),  dictates  to  Maria 
Carolina,  410  and  71.  2 ;  Boulogne 
flotilla,  410,  411 ;  (1810),  454  ;  (1814), 
468. 

Burchardt,  General  (December,  1798), 
244. 

Burdett,  Sir  Francis  (1810),  454. 

Burke,  Edmund,  142. 

Burlot,  Marquis,  153. 

Byng,  Admiral,  306. 

Byres,  37. 

Byron,  Lord,  cited,  3, 161. 

Cadogan,  Mrs.  \nie  Mary  Kidd  of 
Hawarden,  Lady  Hamilton's  mother], 
15.  23.  40,  41.  42,  44.  56.  84  ;  (1785),  85, 
86, 90, 94;  (1787),  100;  (1788),  1291(1798), 
229;  (Dec.  22),  252,  253,  254  ;  (Dec.  24), 
'an  angel,' 257  ;  (1799),  and  Nelson, 
281;  and  Emma,  255;  has  a  secretax}', 
286  71.  I  ;  (July),  Nelson's  letter  to, 
308;  (1800,  June-Nov.),  homeward 
journey,  329,  333;  (1800),  342;  and 
Emma  'Carew'  {q.v.),  337  71.  3,  351, 
367  and  n.  2;  Merton,  379,  380; 
(1803),  Sir  William's  bequest,  400  ; 
'  beloved,'  405,  407,  412  «.  i  ;  (1805), 
421,  425,  426  71.  I,  429;  (1806),  436; 
and  the  Boltons  {q.v.),  439,  440  ;  (1808), 
444;  (1809),  452;  (1810),  death,  453; 
App.  520,  522." 

Henry  (1813),  42,  472. 

Calder,  Sir  R.  (1805,  July  22),  422,  423. 

Calonne,  Prince  (1791),  131. 

Campbell,  Abbe  (1798.  Dec),  278  ;  (1801- 
2),  386;  (1803),  408;  (1805),  letter  to 
Lady  Hamilton,  430;   (1813),  457. 

Commodore    (1798,     Dec),     royal 

flight,  247  71.  3,  265  ;  App.  519. 

Canning,  W.  [statesman],  142,  160,  195 
71.  5 ;  and  Emma's  claims,  205,  367  ; 
(1805),  424;  (1806),  acknowledges  her 
claims,  437  ;  (1810),  admits  their  justice, 
447  7iotes  I  and  2  ;  (1813),  458. 

Canova,  118. 

Canzano,  Duke  of,  167. 

Capel,  Captain  (1798),  sent  by  Nelson  to 
Emma  with  first  news  of  Nile  victory, 

223  71.    I. 

Caracciolo,  Nicolo  [Commandant  of  San 
Elmo]  (1799),  268  71.  I. 

Prince  [the  elder  ;  Finance  Minis- 
ter] (1793),  167. 

Prince  and  Admiral  [the  younger  ; 

Chief  of  Marine],  122  ;  learned  seaman- 
ship in  England,  305;  (1798),  228; (Dec.) 
247  ;  royal  flight,  247,  248  ;  his  orders  of 
embarkation,  249  ;  on  the  voyage  and 
arrival,  Palermo,  258  ;  false loj'alty,  ib.  ; 
(1799,  March),  Nelson's  opinion  of, 
279 ;  (May  and  June),  evidt-nces  of 
his  treacher)',  290  and  71.  2  ;  fires  on 
his  flagship,  291  ;  a  hostage,  but  flies, 
294  ; 'the  Queen  on,  304  «.  3;   (June 


2  L 


S30 


EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 


27-29),  his  arrest,  trial,  and  execution, 
305-7 ;  episode  of  his  reappearance,  311. 

Carafa,  Prince  Ettore,  123. 

Caramanico,  Prince  (1776),  122;  (1779), 
124. 

Joseph,  Prince,  122;  (1794),  death, 

174. 

Caravelli  [litterateur^  124. 

Caretto  \litt6rateur\  121. 

'Carew,'  Emma  [or  Hart,  Lady  Hamil- 
ton's first  daughter],  44  w.  i  ;  (T782),  70 
n.  I ;  (1784),  70,  71,  72  and  n.  3  ;  school 
bills,  75  ;  description  of,  156  n.  2,  73,  76, 
136,  178  n.  I,  343,  367,  370;  parting 
letter  of,  455 ;  App.  479 ;  her  parting 
letter,  480. 

Carnegie,  Lady  (1791),  147. 

Caroline,  Princess  of  Wales  (1807), 
Emma  invited  to  meet  her,  439. 

Carr,  Miss,  133 ;  portrait  by,  of  Lady 
Hamilton,  137. 

Carrol,  Captain  T.  (1798),  204,  240; 
(1801),  345  ;  App.  500. 

Carter,  Rev.  R. ,  40  «.  i. 

Castelcicala,  Prince  (1789),  123;  (1793), 
145;  (1794),  174;  (1797),  conciliatory, 
197  ;  (1798),  and  theQueen,  199;  (Dec. ), 
250,  257;  (1799,  July  9),  arrives  with 
King  in  Naples,  308 ;  (1800),  mission 
to  London,  327  ;  App.  519. 

Cathcart,Charles[Greville's  friend], 38, 61. 

Lord,  468. 

Cathcarts,  the,  399. 

Championnet,  General  (1799),  263,  265  ; 
forced  ba-^k  to  Capua,  267  ;  (Jan.  22), 
his  promises,  and  part  in  St.  Januarius' 
procession,  267,  269 ;  enters  Naples, 
269  ;  conduct,  270. 

Channer,  425  n.  2. 

Charles  ill.  of  Spain,  113. 

IV.  of  Spain  [brother  of  Ferdinand 

IV.  of  the  two  Sicilies]  (1795-6);  his 
part  in  Franco-Spanish  conspiracy  for 
rapprochement,  so  as  to  bully  Naples 
out  of  neutrality  and  worst  England, 
188-192. 

VI.  of  Germany,  113. 

Charlotte,  Queen  (of  England),  133,  136, 

329- 
Chatham,  first  Earl  of,  alluded  to,  158  ; 

cited  by  Nelson,  233. 
John,  second   Earl  of  (1756-1835), 

and  Nelson,  157. 
Cheney,  General,  137. 
Chesterfield,  Earl  of,  39,  51  n.  i. 
Cheze,  La  [ambassador],  152  n.  i. 
Chirac,  Denis  [jeweller],  57. 
Cholraondeley,  Mr.  (1793),  155. 
Christine,  Archduchess  (1793),  153. 
Cimarosa  [composer],  117,  228. 
Cipriani  [artist],  21. 
Circello,  Prince  [ambassador],   142,   145 

n.  I,  193,  226  n.  2,  327. 
Cirillo,  Dr.  [scientist],  120. 

Domenico  (1799),  305. 

Clarence,  Duke  of  (1702),    157;    (1805), 

condoles  with  Lady  Hamilton,  431. 


I  Clarke,  Mr.   [secretary],  44,  454 ;    App. 
I       508. 
Clementina,  Archduchess  and  Princess, 

115  n.   I,   138  n.   I,  228,  235;   (1798, 

Dec.  21),  249. 
Cochrane,  Admiral,  App.  521. 
Coco,    Vincenzo    [Jacobin  and   author], 

119  7t.  2  ;   (1799),  272. 
Colletta  [historian],  120,  145. 
CoUingwood,  Vice-Admiral  Lord  (1805), 
,  422,  455  ;  App,  525. 
Colonna,  Prince,  114,  167. 
Commins,  Mr.,  498. 
Compton,  Mr.,  315  n.  4. 
Condorcet,  142. 
Conforti  [historian],  121. 
Connor   family,    the,    43  n.   2,   385,   438 

n,  I,  443;  (1810-12),  455. 

Mrs.    [Lady   Hamilton's   maternal 

aunt],  43,  368,  438. 

Ann,  43,  438. 

Cecilia,     418,    438    n.    i  ;     (1809), 

451 ;    (1812),    duns    Lady    Hamilton, 

450- 
Charles,  43;  (1801),  356  ;  (1804),  418 ; 

(1808),  438  71.   I. 

Eliza,  43,  438  n.  i. 

Mary  [for  a  space  governess  also, 

like  her  sister  Sarah],   43  ;  (1805),  on 

Horatia  and  Nelson,  425. 
Sarah,  43;   (1803),  governess,  405, 

407;   (1804),    415    71.    I,    418;    (1805), 

her  letter  about  Nelsons  return,  423  ; 

(1809),  451  and  71.  5. 
Cos'.vay  [artist],  20. 
Cowper  [poet],  63. 
Coxe,  Mr.,  455  71.  6,  461. 
Craven,  Lady  [Margravine  of  Anspach], 

67  71.  3,  82. 
Cribb  [steward  and  grocer],  406,  421. 
Cumberland,  Duke  of  (1786),  101  n.  3. 
Curtis,   Don   Michel  [Governor  of  Pro- 

cida]  (1799),  278  n.  3 ;  (May),  282. 
Curwen,  Christian,  Mr.,  i8  n.  4. 
Cuto,  General  (1795),  ^^75- 
Cuzzardi  [painter],  21. 

D' Albert,  Rosalie,  153. 

Darner,  Anne  Seymour,  Honourable 
Mrs. ,  67  and  n.  5,  89,  122. 

Danton  (1791),  143. 

Dartmouth,  Earl  of,  65. 

Dashwood,  analogy  of,  122. 

Daumier,  Mrs. ,  454. 

Davison,  Alexander  (1800),  326,  335, 
341  n.  l;  (1801),  352  n.  5,  379,  385; 
(1802),  3991  (1803),  remonstrates  on 
Emma's  improvements,  405,  407,  408, 
410;  (1805),  419,  425,  448;  (1806), 
courts  Earl  Nelson,  439;  (1808),  on 
Emma's  committee,   449 ;    App.    510, 

515- 
Dejean  [courier],  86. 
Delfico  [scientist],  121. 
'  Demoiselles  de  France,' the  (1789),  126  ; 

(1798,  Dec),  248. 
D'Enghien,  Due  (1803),  402. 


INDEX 


531 


Denis,  Mrs.  [fi/e  Lind]  (1801),  342,  368, 

386;   (1809),   451;   (1813),   460;  App. 

480,  481,  502  n.  4,  517. 
Dent,  Mrs.,  360. 
Devonshire,  Georgina,  Duchess  of,   15 ; 

(1793),    122,    133,    154;    (1810),    still 

Lady  Hamilton's  friend,  455. 
D'Harcanville,  36  «.  i. 
Diavolo,    Fra  [freebooter    and    soldier], 

116  «.  2  ;  (1799,  May),  271. 
Dickenson,     Mrs.    [Sir   W.    Hamilton's 

niece    Mary],    82,    99  ;     (1791),     135 

n.  3. 
Dietrichstein     [' Draydrixton '],     Prince, 

(1786),  103,  315  n.  3. 
Douglas,     Lord    William     (1791),     135, 

150  «.  2;  (1801),  373;  verses,  376-7. 

Marquis  of  (1802),  389. 

Downward,  Mrs. ,  43. 

Droz,  Gustave,  alluded  to,  5  «.  2. 

Drunmiond,  Lady  Charlotte,  157  «.  i. 

Dubourg,  M.  [violinist],  57. 

Ducheyla  {1798),  killed   in    Nile   battle, 

223. 
Duckworth  (1798),  and  Minorca,  239,  279 ; 

and    Nelson,    280;    (1799,   June    25), 

289  n.  5,    300  n.  2  ;    (Sept. ),    Nelsop 

orders  to  protect   British   trade,  314 ; 

(1806  and  after),  retains  friendship  for 

Emma,  440  n.  3  ;  App.  522. 
Dumourie?,,  General,  144,  335,  409. 
Dunmore,  Lady  (1792),  150. 
Duphot  (1797),  killed  in  Jacobin  uprising 

at  Rome,  196. 
Dutens,  L.  [Secretary  to  Turin  Embassy] 

(1791),  136;  (1801),  342. 

Earthquakes    at    Naples,    36   «.    i  ; 

(1793),  167. 

at  Siena  (1797),  197. 

East  India  Company  (1799),  317- 
Eden  [diplomatist]  (1798),  203,  233  n.  i. 

Lady,  179. 

Elcho,  Lord  (1790),  127. 
Elizabeth,  Prmcess  [of  Russia],  24. 
Ellenborough,   Lord,  465  and  71.  4,  469 

n.  2  ;  App.  513. 
Elliot,  Hugh,  The  Honourable,  99  ;/.  4  ; 

(1804),  411. 
Lady,  105  n.  5;   and   Emma,   181, 

331- 

Sir    Gilbert    [ambassador],    (1797), 

summoned  by  Acton  to  confer  with 
Hamiltons,  197;  (1799,  November), 
correspondence  with  Lady  Hamilton, 
320  n.  2  ;  (1800),  his  insinuations,  325 
and  n.  2,  5  «.  4,  330  /.'.  3;  (1802),  as 
critic  at  Merton,  391-3;  inaccuracy, 
392  «.  I  ;  (1803),  on  Emma's  provision, 

399  "■  S- 
Elliott,  Grace  Dalrymple,  24. 
Epicharis    [freedwoman],     analogy    of, 

224. 
Erskine,  Sir  James  St.  Clair,  143  n.  i, 

287  n.  2  ;  App.  522. 
Este,  Rev.  C.  (1802),  395  «.  4  ;  App.  504. 
Dr.  L.,  148. 


Esterhazy,  Prince,  332. 

Eyre,  Governor,  analogy  of,  306. 

Exeter,  Lord,  37. 

Fady  [midshipman],  25  ;  (i8oi),  at  Mer- 
ton, 386. 

Falaguerra  [littiSrateur],  121. 

Falco  [physician  and  conspirator],  (1793), 
144  n.  2. 

Falconet  [agent],  407. 

[banker],  259  n.  2. 

Faypoult  [French  commissary],  (1799), 
262,  270. 

Ferdinand  iv.,  King  of  the  two  Sicilies 
{1752- 1 826),  20  n.  I,  22 «.  7,  25,  487?.  I  ; 
(1776),  6s;  (1782),  69,  90-92,  97;  (1786), 
and  Lady  Hamilton,  103 ;  episodes  of 
Lady  Hamilton's  meeting  with,  103, 
III  and  n.  3,  112-14;  his  character, 
education,  and  early  surroundings, 
115-18,  139;  musical,  116,  155;  his 
humour,  118  and  «.  i ;  pro-Spanish  bias 
up  to  1796,  118,  125,  139,  141 ;  effects 
of  French  Revolution  on,  126;  (1791), 
attiiidc  to  affairs  and  his  wife,  139  ; 
anti-bureaucratic,  and  so  popular, 
though  despotic,  143;  (1792),  Sir 
William's  illness,  150,  153;  (1793), 
attentions  to  English,  155  ;  reception 
of  Nelson,  162-63;  (1795),  ^74  I  (i795- 
96),  his  pro-Spanish  policy,  keeps 
Acton  and  Hamilton  in  the  dark, 
corresponds  secretly  with  his  brother 
the  Spanish  King,  186  and  scq.  ;  re- 
ceives tlu-eatening  letters  from  him, 
188;  temporises,  ib.,  191  ;  (Sept.  1796), 
receives  the  King  of  Spain's  secret  and 
crucial  letter  announcing  terms  of 
alliance  with  France,  191,  192;  (1797), 
and  Acton  regarding  Mediterranean 
squadron,  197;  (1798),  dejectionatpoliti- 
cal  situation,  202  n.  4,  212 ;  dispersed  by 
Nelson's  arrival,  202  and  n.  4 ;  now  lean- 
ing on  Austria,  203  ;  awaiting  Austria's 
(if.v.)  negotiations,  203,  205,  206; 
(June  17),  the  informal  'order'  in  his 
name  procured  through  Hamilton 
(//. ^/.)  for  Acton  (q.-j.),  207  and  seq., 
219 ;  ignorant  of  Queen's  action  at 
Emma's  instance,  210  and  seq.  ;  in- 
structions to  Sicilian  port  Governors. 
216  and  n.  4,  217,  218  ;  to  be  kept  in 
the  dark  as  to  his  wife's  secret  letter 
to  Nelson,  218;  the  '  Govrrnor  of 
Syracuse's  letter'  purposely  meant  to 
be  shown  to  him,  ib.  ;  gratitude  to 
Nelson,  227  ;  reception  by,  of  Nelson, 
228;  now  waiting  on  Austria,  232, 
235;  his  frivolous  outlook,  ib.;  starts 
with  Mack  on  ill-starred  campaign, 
234,  239  ;  (Nov. ),  enters  Rome,  ib.  240  '; 
(Dec.),  Rome  re-taken,  ib.  ;  (Dec), 
returns  ashamed  to  Naples,  243,  244  ; 
plans  for  escape  of,  247,  249  ;  altered,' 
ib.  ;  his  reasons  for  hesitation,  248  ; 
(Dec.  21),  dallies,  249,  256;  the  flight, 
248-255 ;  refuses  deputies'  petition  to 


532 


EMMA,  LADY   HAMILTON 


Ferdinand  iv. — continued. 
remain,  256;  (Dec.  23),  voyage,  256 
and  seq.  ;  arrival,  258  ;  rage  v.  Queen, 
259 ;  effects  of  flight  at  Naples,  260 ; 
(1799),  instructions,  267  n.  2  ;  (April), 
replaces  Pignatelli  (q.v.)  by  Ruffo 
{q.v.);  his  strict  injunctions  limiting 
powers  of,  271  and  }i.  i  ;  his  commis- 
sion to  Ruffo  and  institution  of  new 
tribunal  divulged  to  Jacobins,  272  ;  and 
LuisaSanfelice(^.^'.),  272;  listens  again 
toGallo,  276 ;  (June),  confers  full  powers 
on  Nelson,  282  ;  (June),  suspects  Ruffo, 
but  awaiting  certainty,  lets  Nelson 
depart  without  him,  288  ;  (June  16), 
council  about  Ruffo,  289  ;  letters  to, 
289  notes  I  and  2  ;  latent  cruelty,  290, 
304,  310;  his  orders  to  Nelson,  303; 
Caracciolo  and  Nelson,  306  n.  3  ; 
(July  9),  arrival  in  Naples,  308;  eventual 
plans  as  mentioned  by  Lady  Hamilton, 
309 ;  at  English  prayers,  ib.  ;  fetes 
and  honours  for  Nelson  at  Palermo, 
312-14  ;  withholds  grain  from  Malta, 
315,  316 ;  not  a  gambler  \teste  Ben- 
tinck],  318;  (1800),  pensions  Trou- 
bridge,  320  n.  i  ;  anger  with  Lady 
Hamilton  and  eventual  reconciliation, 
321  and  n.  2 ;  trims  towards  France, 
327  «.  I  ;  (1801),  Nelson's  letter  to, 
374;  writes  to  Nelson,  375;  (1803), 
400;  (1806),  addresses  English  minis- 
ters on  Emma's  behalf,  408  n.  2 ; 
condition  of  his  affairs,  410;  (1804), 
despairs  at  Nelson's  departure  from 
Mediterranean,  418. 

Ferdinand,  Archduke,  115. 

[the  younger],  115  n.  i;  mar- 
riage, 138  n.  I. 

Ferrari  (1798),  250. 

Ferrers,  Lord  (1786),  iot  «.  3. 

Fetherstonehaugh,  Sir  Henry  {1777),  66 
71.  2;  (1781),  34  and  «.  I,  47,  49  and 
"•  3.  SO.  52-53;  (1809-10),  letters  of, 
to  Lady  Hamilton,  453,  455. 

Lady,  50. 

Filangeri  [jurist],  1..0. 

Filisan  [Mrs.  Billington's  second  hus- 
band], 451. 

FilomArino,  Clemente  (1799,  Jan.),  and 
Lazzaroni  {q.z'.),  268. 

Fisher,  Dr.,  382  n.  i,  386;  (1804,  Aug.  i), 
416. 

Fitzharris,  Lord,  332. 

Fitzherbert,  Mr.,  278. 

Fitzmurray,  338  ri.  i. 

Flaxman  [sculptor],  36  «.  i  ;  (1791).  147; 
(1800),  334;  interview  with  Nelson,  341 
and  n.  2  ;  App.  514. 

Fleury,  Duchess  of  (1789),  128. 

Flint  [King's  messenger]  (1793),  156. 

Foote,  Captain  (1799,  May),  commis- 
sion by  Nelson  to  reduce  Neapolitan 
mainland,  282 ;  proclaims  blockade, 
id.  ;  his  p^rt  in  events  of  June  de- 
tailed and  discussei,  292-294. 

Ford,   Mrs,  ['Mrs.    M.  Nelson],  (1800), 


334  and  n.  i ;  (1801),  374,  378  ;  (1804), 
419;  (1808),  444. 

Foster,  Lady  Elizabeth  [afterwards 
Duchess  of  Devonshire],  15 ;  (1793), 
122  ;  (1798),  tribute  to  Lady  Hamilton's 
heroism,  255  n.  i  ;  (1799),  and  Lady 
Hamilton,  276  «.  2;  (1800),  328;  (1805), 
condolence  with  Lady  Hamilton,  431  ; 
(1806  and  after),  remains  her  warm 
friend,  439. 

Fox,  C.  J.  [statesman],  122 ;  and  Carac- 
ciolo, 306  ;  and  Nelson,  id.  n.  2. 

France,  historical  ambitions  of  French 
Bourbons  for  Italy,  113,  114;  (1789), 
125-26;  (1791),  beginnings  of  league 
against.  138;  (1792),  144;  (1793),  her 
Neapolitan  representative  dismissed, 
223,  239  ;  Tr6ville  spreads  revolution- 
ary ideas  at  Naples,  145  ;  designedly 
foments  the  ferment,  i72andj^y. ;  effect 
of  Directoire  on  Italian  Jacobinism, 
173  ;  French  designs  up  to  and  after 
i79S>  173;  (1795),  National  Convention 
bribes  .Austria,  141  n.  2 ;  (1795-6), 
uses  republicanism  to  possess  Italy; 
manceuvres  rapprochement  with  Spain, 
182  and  seq.  ;  (1796-7),  exacts  com- 
pact from  Naples,  dictates  treaties  to 
Pope  and  Emperor,  183  ;  (1797),  forces 
Naples  to  acknowledge  Cisalpine 
Republic,  184  ;  bullies  and  blackmails 
her,  198  ;  her  conspiracy  with  Spain 
V.  Naples,  185  ;  regains  Ionian  Islands 
and  Low  Countries,  196  n.  i  ;  (1798), 
her  forces  v.  England,  199  ;  objects  of, 
in  countenancing  Napoleon's  Egyptian 
expedition,  202  n.  i  ;  gold  lavished  on 
revolutionising  Italy,  204  ;  influence  of 
her  compulsory  engagement  with 
Naples  on  events  of  June  17,  1798  [see 
'Treaties,'  Franco-Neapolitan],  205; 
boasts  disappointed  by  Nile  battle, 
223.  228  ;  threatens  to  burn  fleet,  ib. ; 
gains  ground  in  Italy,  designs  on 
Naples,  231 ;  and  Ireland,  232;  Nelson's 
aims  of  intercepting  Egyptian  com- 
munications of,  234 ;  in  Malta,  238  ; 
Naples  declares  war  against,  239 ; 
declares  war  also,  ib.  ;  successes  in 
Rome,  239 ;  prepares  Netipolitan  in- 
vasion, 244,  245,  247;  occupies  Rome, 
ib.;  (1799,  Jan. ),  approaching  invasion 
to  '  Parthenopean  Republic,'  260-61  ; 
reflections  on  French  manufacture  of, 
261-65;  Pignatelli's  armistic".  273; 
Directory's  e.xactions  at  Naples,  270 
and  seq. ,  306,  309  ;  garrison  reduced, 
271  ;  Calabrian  campaign,  and  conduct 
in,  271  and  seq.\  Leghorn  surrenders 
to,  ib. ;  Capuan  successes,  274 ;  fleer, 
ib.,  276;  fleet  quits  Brest,  279-80; 
Neapolitan-Jacobins  anxiously  await 
it,  292,  294  ;  (1800),  troops  in  Egypt, 
321:  (1801),  375;  (1803),  and  Naples 
again,  410;  (1805),  prepares  to  invade 
England,  417,  423;?.  i;  and  to  cope 
with     Nelson,     419 ;    Trafalgar,  242 ; 


INDEX 


533 


(1815),  effects  of  Rourbon  reaction,  471,  ' 
472-  I 

Francis,  'Prince'  [Neapolitan  Pretender],  | 
,(1799).  270. 

Francis    11.    [Emperor    of   Austria    and 
Germany],     115    //.     i  ;     marriage    to  ' 
Princess  Maria,  138  n.  i  ;  (1798),  199 ; 
his  cold   hesitation  and  caution,  232  ;  , 
(Dec),  243.  } 

Francis,  'Old  Dame'  [Lady  Hamilton's 
faithful  servant],  (1808),  448  ;  (1814-15),  I 
466,  471. 

Fuss,  Miss,  382.  I 

Gaetano  [servant],  411.  I 

Gainsborough,  T.  [artist],  20,  47.  \ 

Galanti  [scientist],  120.  1 

Gailiani  JscientistJ,  121.  I 

Gallini  [impresario],  136.  1 

Gallo,   Marquis  of  [Neapolitan    Foreign  I 
Minister],    (1779),    122;    (1791),    139; 
pro-Spanish,   140;  and  (1795-6),    189; 
(1798),   and  Queen,   199;  on  Nehon's 
arrival,    203 ;    (June   17),    in   irregular 
council,    hesitates,    205  ;    '  disabuses  ' 
Garat,  205  n.  4,  206  n.  2 ;  his  replies 
to     Nelson's    requisitions    forwarded, 
207;  Emma  on,  214;  Nelson's  disgust 
at,    231;    his    policy,    231-32;    (1798, 
Nov.),  despatched  to  Vienna  in  vain, 
243;  (Dec),  248;  (1799),  intrigues  v. 
Queen,  276. 
Galluci  [musician],  99. 
Garat,    'Citizen'    [French    Minister    at 
Naples],  152  n.  1  ;  (June  17-22,  1798), 
205  71.  4,  206 ;   his  demands  refused, 
214  ;  Emma  on,  214  ;  (1798),  furious  at 
Nile  battle,  223-228  ;  Nelson  on,  233  ; 
dismissed,  223,  230. 
Gardener,  G. ,  Rev. ,  40  n.  2. 
Garrick,  David  [actor],  104. 
Gaynor  ['  Friend'],  (1804),  411. 
Geddes,  Alexandf-r  [scholar],  57. 
George   III.,    33,  48;  (1786),    loi   n.   3; 
(1791),  129,  132  ;  Hamilton's  statement 
about,  130;  confirms  hiin  in  ;imbassador- 
ship,  136,  169;  his  prt-jiidices  z*.  Lady 
Hamilton,    171    v .    4 ;    (1794),    renews 
war,  177  ;  (1799),  and  Troubndgc.  322, 
328;  (1801),  356,    364,    365,   371,    and 
Emma's  claims,  447  n.  2  ;  (1813),  458. 

Prince     of     Wales,      and     Prince 

Regent,  26,  45.  48,  153  n.  5,  278  ; 
(1791),  356;  (1801),  repulsed  by  Lady 
Hamilton,  the  Prince  of  Wales  episode, 
356-366.  357  w.  i;  (1805),  423  n.  2; 
and  Nelson,  423;  (1808),  448;  (1813), 

458- 
Gihbs  [manager  of  Bronte],  313,  402  w.  3  ; 

App.  521. 
Gibson,  Mrs.  [alias  'Jenkins'],  332  and 

V.  4  ;  (1801),  370  «.  2,  417,  455.' 
Girdlestonc,  Mrs.  (1810),  455.  nnd  App. 

511. 
(Ilouccster,    Duke  of  (1787),    and  Lady 

Hamilton,  int. 
CiOdolphin,  analogy  of,  122. 


Goethe,  Wolfgang,  15,  and  Sir  William 
Hamilton,  68,  107;  (1786),  description 
by,  of  Nai)les,  96  ;  and  Lady  Hamilton, 
loi  ;  account  of  her  attitudes,  105 ; 
(1787),  of  his  dinner  at  the  Embassy, 
106,  335 

Goldsmid,  Abraham,  332,  380  and  w.  i, 
383,  422  n.  3,  App.  SI  I  ;  (1805^  letter 
to  Lady  Hamilton,  430 ;  (1808),  on  her 
' committee,' buy sMerton,  449  and  n.  3; 
Emma's  mention  of,  -150  ;  (1810), 
suicide,  454. 

Grafer  [steward],  (1793),  156  ;  (1799),  156 
n.  I  ;  281  n.  i,  313;  (1803),  402  n.  2. 

Mrs.,   53  n.    I,    156  n.    1;    (1808), 

Emma  intercedes  for,  443  ;  App.  510. 

Graham,  Colonel,  App.  523. 

Dr.  James  [empiric  and  showman], 

47-49,  52  ;  App.  476. 

Graves,  Mr.,  379. 

Gravina,  Duke  of  (1798I,  257. 

Duchess  of  (1798),  250. 

.Admiral  (1805),  App.  525. 

Greece  (1799),  S'^^  °f'  ^°  Nelson,  314. 

Grenville,  Lord  [statesman],  (1759- 1834), 
his  coldness,  caution,  ar.d  lack  of 
initiative,  142,  416;  Acton's  opinion  of, 
ayrees  with  Canning's,  ib.\  'chicaned,' 
ih.  >i.  3  ;  (1798),  speech,  ib.  ;  (1795-96), 
rcct  ives  the  Queen's  secret  information 
through  the  Hamiltons,  186  and  seq. ; 
advises  Naples  to  give  up  the  game, 
189;  grows  fainter  and  cooler,  ib.;  Sir 
William  Hamilton's  despatch  to,  191, 
193  and  n.  2,  194  w.  i,  195  ;  (1797).  still 
dallies  over  a  Mediterranean  squadron, 
196;  (1798),  his  conduct  in  at  length 
consenting  to  it,  199  ;/.  2 ;  his  stress 
on  necessity  of  obtaining  free  and  un- 
limited admission  of  British  vessels 
into  Mediterranean  harbours,  203 ; 
(June),  Hamilton  despatches  and  draft 
de=patclies  to,  and  Emma's  claims, 
205,  206-7  and  71.  2 ;  (July  22), 
Nelson's  letters  forwarded  to,  by 
Hamilton,  220  and  «.  4;  (1798),  orders 
to  Nelson,  273;  (1799),  294  n.  2,  300 
''''■  3.  307  "■  3;  (1800),  322  n.  I,  327; 
Nelson  sends  him  Czar's  letter  about 
his  services  and  Einma's,  350  ri.  3  ; 
(1805),  448  ;  (1806,  April  30),  interview 
with"  Earl  Nelson,  433  w.  i;  and 
Nelson's  codicil,  435,  436 ;  (1810), 
seems  not  to  have  denied  fairness  of 
Emma's  claims,  447  n.  i. 

Greville,  the  Hon.  C.  F.  (1749-1809) 
['  Pliny  the  Younger'],  on  Lady  Hamil- 
ton, 6,  II,  13,  15,  19,  23,  24,  41,  44,  46, 
47,51, 52,  224;  characteiandantecedents 
of,  33 «.  I,  35-39,  235  ;  (1781),  character- 
istics, 4,  37-39,  50;  (1782),  33  ;  Emma's 
letter  to,  34;  his  answer,  52-53;  his  views 
of  womankind,  54,  56  ;  establishment 
in  Edgware  Row,  57  and  fetj.  ;  his 
accounts  of  Emma's  simplicity,  60,  61  ; 
in  Romney's  studio,  62  ;  reference  to. 
by  Hayley,  63;  his  description  ol  hist 


534 


EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 


Gieville,  the  Hon.  C.  F. — continued. 
Lady  Hamilton,  66 ;  condolences  with 
uncle  on  first  Lady  Hamilton's  death, 
68;  (1783),  69;  (1784),  70  and  seq.; 
his  income,  71  n.  i  ;  and  Emma's 
Park  Gate  visit,  72  and  seq. ;  and  '  little 
Emma'  ('Carew,'  Emma),  74  and  seq., 
77;  sends  porter  to  Naples,  393;  his 
uncle's  kindness  to,  77,  82;  (1785),  79 
and  seq.  ;  his  conduct  and  motives  in 
Emma's  disposal,  80,  86  and  seq.,  90,  95 
seq.,  96  ;  (1786),  effects  of  his  conduct, 
89  and  seq.  ;  his  orders  to  Emma,  92 ; 
his  cynical  comment  to  Hamilton, 
94,  98  ;  Lady  Hamilton's  letter  to,  103, 
107  ;  his  intentions  as  to  settlement, 
95  i  (1787),  letters  to,  from  Hamilton, 
100,  104,  III  n.  I  ;  (1789-1791),  his 
fears  for  and  information  of  his  uncle's 
imminent  marriage,  128-133 ;  his  feel- 
ings, 135  ;  (1792),  on  Grenville's  policy, 
142  n.  5;  Sir  William's  illness,  i^i, 
153"-  5:  (1794).  178,  181;  (1795),  182; 
(1796),  193;  (1798),  246;  (1799),  260, 
270  n.  2,  275  n.  4 ;  tribute  of,  to 
Emma's  heroism,  283,  286  n.  i,  300 
«.  I,  308;  (1800),  320,  334,  335  and 
«•  3.  337;  (1801),  342,  344;  influences 
Sir  'William  in  Prince  of  Wales 
episode,  357,  362 ;  his  conduct  known 
to  Nelson,  362  and  n.  r,  368  ;  Milford, 
377;  and  Merton,  383,  385,  389;  his 
warnings  and  his  contrivance,  ib.  ; 
(1802),  the  peerage  scheme,  389-390; 
the  Hamilton-Nelson  tour  to  Milford 
and  Cardiff,  393-397  ;  (1803),  his  letter 
concerning  Emma's  services  and 
Hamilton's  unrequited  claims,  170  ;  the 
will,  400 ;  his  influence,  399-400 ;  his 
strong  application  in  Emma's  favour 
to  Government,  400,  App.  524 ; 
for  Hamilton,  401  w.  2 ;  (May),  be- 
haviour to  Emma,  403,  434;  coUecto- 
mania  again,  405;  (1808),  thaws  to- 
wards Emma,  442,  449-50;  (1809), 
death,  452  ;  (1812),  sale  of  his  collec- 
tions, ib  ;  App.  510,  518,  524. 

Colonel  the  Honourable  R.  Fulke, 

61  (i8ic);    455   (1814);    466   (1815); 
lawsuit,  469-472. 

Guidobaldi  (1794),  174. 
Gustavus  of  Sweden,  144. 

Hackert  [painter],  20  ;  (1786),  105  n.  i. 

Hackwood  [milliner],  59. 

Halifax,  Earl  of,  his  alleged  association 

with  Lady  Hamilton's  family,  41. 
Halfhide,  Mr.  and  Mrs.,  380,  382. 
Hallowell,    Captain    (1799),    271,    286; 

(1805),  424. 
Hamilton,  Cecilia,  38  n.  2,  67. 

Duke  of,  66  n.  2,  389. 

Elizabeth  (Countess  of  Warwick), 

35- 

Gavin  [artist],  16,  21,  22  «.  i;  (1792), 

148. 

Lady  [Sir  William's  first  wile],  35, 


66  and  seq.,  67;  funeral  of,  68; 
Hamilton's  promise,  67 ;  which  was 
kept,  399. 
Hamilton,  Emma,  Lady  (1765-1815),  date 
of  birth  and  her  real  name,  39-51  ;  App. 
476  ;  a  power,  prompts  as  well  as  acts, 
medium  for  genius,  2  and  seq. ,  399 ; 
enthusiasm  infectious  (see  at  end 
'(Qualities'):  a  true  daughter  of  de- 
mocracy, 22,  393  ;  'nonpareil,'  10  and 
n.  5  ;  spontaneous,  4  ;  naturally 
theatrical,  11 ;  inspiration,  feminine, 
10  ;  and  Hayley,  11  ;  unachieved  self- 
discipline,  11,  213;  self-education,  12- 
13,  15  ;  knowledge  of  languages,  7  «.  1, 
12  71.  8,  467-8,  App.  481,  483  ;  physical 
organisation,  14  ;  effervescence  and  dis- 
interestedness, ch.  i.  passim  ;  defects 
(see  'Qualities');  domesticity  and 
simplicity  (see  'Qualities');  resent- 
ment at  being  thwarted,  14  ;  could  awe 
beholders,  ib.  ;  love  of  surprises,  14-17 
(and  see  'Qualities');  artistic  accom- 
plishments, 13  and  seq.  (and  see 
'Qualities');  an  excellent  nurse,  15- 
25  ;  devotion  to  kmdred,  14  and  51?^. 
(see  'Qualities');  beloved  by  English 
women  of  distinction,  15  ;  big-hearted- 
ness,  15;  kindness  and  love  of  children, 
24  ;  gaiety  and  mimicry,  ib.  ;  accent, 
17  ;  spelling,  8  n.  3,  102,  131  n.  i  ; 
and  Romney  {q.v.),  16-31;  faculty  for 
rendering  emotion,  17  and  seq.  ;  pic- 
tures of,  17-21,  60,  61,  62,  63,  J-],  79  n. 
1 ,  92  n.  1  ;  her  verses,  277,  372 ; 
Bohemianism,  22,  181,  386,  413,  451  ; 
protean  changes  of  face,  21  ;  her  Atti- 
tudes, 15,  47,  99, 105  and  notes  4  and  5  ; 
a  muse,  21-23  '<  theatrical  associations, 
45  ;  appearance,  22  ;  like  Trilby,  23 ; 
tirades,  8  n.  3,  347,  349,  393,  396  ;  clues 
to  her  and  Nelson's  attachment,  2, 
26-7,  161-2,  225.6,  234-5,  275-6,  286, 
299.  3"..  318,  323,  351,  352,  363, 
psychological  problems,  31,  32  ;  sum- 
mary of  career,  472-5 ;  birth  and 
environment,  39-51. 

(1782)  Appeal  to  Greville,  34;  his 
answer,  52;  education,  41,  64,  441, 
443  71.  2  ;   Edgware,  57  and  seq. 

(1783)  69. 

(1784)  Accounts,  58;  affection  for 
Greville  (q.v.),  59;  Park  Gate  and 
Emma  'Carew'  {q.v.),  4,  59,  60,  72 
and  seq.  ;  return  to  London,  76 ; 
Ranelagh  incident,  60 ;  progress,  60 
and  j^^.  ;  acquaintances,  61 ;  Romney, 
61  ;  his  brother's  account  of  her  con- 
duct, 62;  Hayley  [q.v.),  62-64;  first 
sight  of  Sir  W.  Hamilton,  71  and  seq. 

(1785)  79  and  seq.  ;  terms  of  his  in- 
vitation to  Naples,  84-86 ;  her  reply, 
87 ;  her  situation  and  her  feelings  at 
parting,  86  and  seq. 

(1786-89)  Arrival  at  Naples — pleading 
letters  to  Greville,  88  and  seq.,  90; 
final  appeal,  91 ;    indignant  reply  to 


INDEX 


535 


Hamilton,  Emma,  Lad)' — contimied. 
Greville's  orderj  92 ;  repeated  trust  in 
him,  93;  her  enlarging  horizon,  94; 
Greville's  intentions,  95,  96 ;  outlook, 
98;  as  'Madonna,'  5,  108,  109;  in- 
vites Romney  and  Hayley,  8,  94  ;  feel- 
ings towards  Hamilton  as  rescuer  and 
friend,  99  and  seij.,  105  11.  2  ;  progress 
at  Palazzo  Sessa,  101  and  seq.  ;  sudden 
conquest  of  society,  102 ;  scenes  and 
sensations  of  her  triumph,  90,  102-9  i 
Santa  Romita,  99,  109  ;  and  the  nun, 
iio-ii  ;  and  the  King  (see  '  Ferdinand 
IV.'),  103,  III  and  n.  3,  112-14;  and 
San  Leucio  colony,  122. 

(1789)  127;  the  Duchess  of  Argyll's 
friendship  for  her  and  its  influence, 
ib.  ;  and  Madame  Le  Brun,  127  ;  social 
standing,  128,  137 ;  the  great  recep- 
tion, ib. 

(1790)  Lord  Bristol,  130 ;  Greville, 
128-30  ;  tentatives  for  marriage,  129, 
130  ;  her  allowance,  129,  193 ;  the 
marriage  project,  131  and  seq.\  desola- 
tion at  the  Duchess's  death,  130  ; 
journey  homewards,  131  ;  London  at 
last,  133  and  seq.  ;  Romney,  ib.  ; 
Gallini's  offers,  134  ;  Jane  Powell,  135  ; 
wedding,  136  ;  visit  to  Marie  Antoi- 
nette, 136  ;  evidence  as  to,  considered, 
145-6;  returns  to  Naples  in  complete 
favour  with  society,  Englisli  and  Nea- 
politan, 137 ;  begins  political  study, 
138,  150;  political  situation,  138-46. 

(1791-1796)  England's  advocate,  140 
and  seq.  ;  spurs  on  Acton  and  Hamil- 
ton, 142,  224. 

(1791,  Dec.)  Letter  to  Romney,  146, 
147  ;  attention  of  English  ladies  to, 
148 ;  Sir  William's  correspondence 
with,  148-50 ;  her  grief  and  assiduity 
on  Sir  William's  illness,  150-1  ;  to 
Greville  of  her  grandmother,  151. 

{1792)  Her  general  acceptability  now 
fortified  by  (jueeii's  regard,  146  ;  '  im- 
provement,' ib. 

(1793-94)  Diplomatic  beginnings  and 
intimacy  with  Queen,  152  and  seq.  ; 
App.  481 ;  on  Jacobin  libellers,  153  n.  5, 
ascendency,  154, 168  ;  music  with  King, 
155 ;  with  Sir  William,  and  botany,  156  ; 
catches  the  Queen's  tone,  ib.  ;  first  meet- 
ing with  Nelson,  163  and  seq.  ;  her  first 
impressions  of,  164  ;  her  power  of 
inspiring  him  analysed,  2,  9,  10,  22; 
161  and  seq. ,  163-4  ;  a  human  docu- 
ment, 162  ;  joins  in  Nelson's  enthusi- 
asm, 166;  rouses  the  Quet-n,  166;  her 
r61e  as  '  stateswoman  '  begins,  169  ;  her 
claims  for  serving  England  in  1793  con- 
sidered, 169-73  ;  bs*"  correspondence 
with  the  Queen,  176  and  seq. 

(1795)  Husbands  renewed  illness, 
177  and  n.  5 ;  friendship  with  Lord 
Bristol,  178;  and  Countess  of  Lich- 
tenau,  135-6;  her  claims  for  services 
in  1795  and  1796  fully  discussed,  182- 


96,  App.  483  ;  her  transcripts  of  docu- 
ments and  ciphers,  183  n.  6,  184  and 
71.  I,  190  ;  her  main  claim  non-relative 
to  a  cipher,  185 ;  probability  of  her 
being  huice  instrumental  in  forwarding 
a  critical  document,  186  ;  her  con- 
fusion explained,  187  ;  joins  Acton  and 
her  husband  in  detectmg  the  facts  of 
Spanish  connivance  with  France,  so  as 
to  urge  on  the  vacillating  Lord  Gren- 
ville  to  decision,  189  ;  her  close  con- 
fabulation with  Queen,  190;  her  report 
to  Greville,  ib.  ;  the  '  Chiffre  de  Gala- 
tone,'  190-1,  App.  483  ;  her  initiative, 

190  n.  5  ;  pricks  her  husband  to  action, 

191  ;  a  trusted  go-between,  ib.  ;  her 
husband's  statement  of  the  Queen's 
confidence  in  her,  191 ;  opportunities 
and  motives,  ib. 

(1796,  late  summer  and  early 
autumn)  Spain,  who  in  previous  years 
had  wriggled  out  of  coalition,  now  pro- 
poses to  join  France  ;  Emma  gets  wind 
of  the  terms  through  the  Queen,  191 
and  seq.  ;  presumptions  favouring 
Emma's  own  account  of  the  transac- 
tion, 193,  194;  some  presumptions 
against,  rebutted,  195  ;  her  letter  from 
the  Queen  and  to  Greville,  about  special 
courier,  193;  (1797),  reheartens  Queen 
and  braces  Hamilton,  196 ;  through 
her  Nelson's  views  as  to  Mediterranean 
squadron  prevail,  197;  the  Queen  rests 
all  on  her  influence,  199;  together  they 
await  Mediterranean  squadron,  200. 

(1798)  Together  chafe  v.  Franco- 
Neapolitan  pact  enforcing  neutrality, 
204 ;  Nelson's  arrival  in  the  bay,  his 
message  and  messengers,  204  ;  Emma's 
service  in  procuring  the  Queen's  order 
to  water  and  provision  British  fleet  cor- 
roborated by  some  new  and  important 
evidence,  10^  z.x^A  seq . ,  App.  486  ;  her 
early  awakening — difference  in  English 
and  Neapolitan  time,  204  «.  3;  her 
action  with  Queen  for  Nelson,  208  and 
seq. ;  her  two  letters  to  Nelson,  209,  210  ; 
his  hitherto  disputed  reply,  211 ;  her 
indorsement,  ib. ;  evidence  that  she  met 
him,  209  n.  2;  resumes  correspon- 
dence with  Nelson  immediately — her 
remarkable  letter,  214  ;  initiative,  214  ; 
for  war,  ib.  (July  19-23)  had  promised 
Nelson  to  '  come  down  Mediterranean' 
to  Sicily  if  Queen's  private  and  secret 
letter  ineffective,  216  and  w.  i,  220  ; 
episode  of  Governor  of  Syracuse  and 
Nelson,  216-23  :  Nelson's  letter  of  first 
disappointment  at  private  order's  tem- 
porary failure,  220  ;  his  two  letters  of 
rapture  at  success,  221-22  ;  evidence 
that  change  of  tone  was  due  to  inter- 
vention of  '  Queen's  letter, '  see  Nelson; 
her  transports  at  Nile  victory,  as  re- 
lated by  her  to  Nelson,  6-8,  223  and 
seq.,  App.  489-501  ;  the  first  to  hear 
of  it,  223  n.  1 ;  her  feelings,  224  and 


536 


EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 


Hamilton,  Emma,  Lady — continued, 
seq.  ;  her  own  account  of  them  con- 
firmed, 224  n.  3  ;  problems  of  heart 
and  temperament,  225,  226,  232,  240;  ' 
correspondence  with  Nelson,  6,  29,  223,  | 
226-8,  235-40,  App.  489  and  5^(7.  ;  writes  1 
to  Lady  Nelson,  227,  229  n.  i,  231  ; 
unwell,  227  ;  her  meeting  with  Nelson, 
228;  nurses  Nelson,  229;  her  general 
exertions,  230 ;  her  reception  in  Nelson's 
honour,  230,  231;  (Sept-Oct. ),  imder 
political  outlook  in  close  confabulation 
with  Nelson,  232  ;  affinities  to,  ib.  ; 
Nelson's  manifesto,  233 ;  Foreign 
Minister  during  Nelson's  absence,  234, 
235  and  seq.  ;  Nelson's  letter  before 
voyage  to  Malta,  234  ;  inspires  Queen 
with  Nelson's  spirit,  235  ;  her  strong 
political  initiative  as  shown  by  her 
letter  to  Nelson,  235  and  seq.  ;  Tria  j 
juncta  in  uno,  238,  366 ;  at  Caserta  with 
Queen,  240 ;  awaits  Nelson's  return 
from  Leghorn  in  (Nov.)  crisis,  ib.;  her 
indefatigable  alertness  in  preparing  the 
Queen's  flight,  242-55  ;  constancy  to 
Queen,  242 ;  her  accounts  of  her 
various  exertions  confirmed,  245  and 
seq.,  252  ;  stows  the  royal  effects,  245  ; 
foils  the  Jacobin  spies,  247;  resourceful- 
ness, 248;  Queen  leans  on  her,  246,  248, 
250  ;  the  secret  passage  a  fact,  250  and 
n.  3  ;  romantic  incidents  of  the  escape 
resuscitated,  251  and  seq.;  Emma's  own 
accounts  tested,  252-3,  255  ;  the  pro- 
bable episode,  254,  255  ;  she,  her 
husband,  and  mother  to  be  embarked 
separately  by  Nelson,  248;  her  hero- 
ism during  the  storm  on  the  voyage, 
255,  256  and  seq.;  Macpherson's,  Lady 
Betty  Foster's,  and  Lord  St.  Vincent's 
tributes  to,  255  and  tiotes  i  and  2; 
acknowledgment  also  by  English 
royalties,  283 ;  the  vovage,  255  and  seq. ; 
Emma's  exertions  —  Nelson's  account 
of  hers,  257 ;  comforts  the  Queen, 
ib.  ;  discharges  Embassy  duties,  259. 

(1799)  Does  not  detain  Nelson  from 
duty,  272  and  seq.,  285;  sympathetic 
and  energetic  aid  of  Nelson,  275 
and  seq.  ;  Nelson's  amanuensis,  ib. 
n.  6;  'Fate  will  carry  me  down,' ?i^. 
and  276;  helps  Nelson  with  Acton, 
ib. ;  her  verses  to  Nelson,  277  ;  reli^jious 
Influences,  277 ;  helps  Troubridge, 
278-9  ;  (May),  letters  to  Nelson,  280-1 ; 
(June),  theQueen's  requests,  282;  her  ex- 
citement, 283  ;  her  own  invitation,  284  ; 
her  mixed  feelings,  285-6 ;  glory  for 
her  meant  honour,  ib.  ;  her  mother, 
285-6  ;  starts  with  Nelson,  Sir  William, 
and  Miss  Knight  on  Foudroyant  for 
Naples,  289  ;  Nelson's  growing  ascend- 
ency over,  289 ;  her  telling  part  in 
events  of  June- August,  297-31T  ;  inter-  1 
prets  and  translates,  297,  298 ;  and  \ 
Ruffo,  ib.  ;  a  woman  of  action  ;  the  ! 
episode    of    Pali,    299-300;    forms    a 


'Queen's  party,'  ib.  on  Queen's 
reformation,  ib.  ;  thanked  and  con- 
gratulated by  Ruffo,  303  ;  correspond.s 
with  Queen,  ib.  ;  compassionate,  304 
and  w.  3,  308 ;  and  Caracciolo,  307  ; 
(July),  on  the  situation,  the  King  and 
the  Queen,  308 ;  episode  of  Caracciolo's 
reappearance,  311;  zenith  reached, 
312  ;  the  Palermo  pageant,  312-13  ; 
Italian  poem  on,  313  n.  3;  procures 
Bronte  for  Nelson,  cf.  App.  513  (10) 
(a) ;  her  '  trousseau,'  314  ;  (Septem- 
ber and  December  1799,  ^^^^  spring 
1801),  exertions  for  Maltese  loyalists, 
315,  316  and  n.  3;  deputies  lodge  at 
Embassy,  'Ambassadress'  receives 
Maltese  Grand  Cross  from  Czar  through 
Lord  Whitworth,  316 ;  present  to 
Nelson,  318;  gambling,  and  Trou- 
bridge's  remonstrances,  318-20 ; 
'many  enemies,"  unconsciousness  of 
unpopularity,  reason  for  illusions,  319- 
20  ;  her  letter  to  Greville,  320  ;  diplo- 
matic correspondence,  320  and  n.  2  ; 
good  offices  for  others,  defies  King, 
grief  at  prospect  of  parting  from  Queen, 
321  and  11.  I  ;  shares  Nelson's  aimr, 
and  objects,  321,  322  ;  invited  to  Malta, 
322 ;  (April  23),  the  journey  to  and 
from,  322-26 ;  reflections  on  the 
present  climr.v  of  Nelson's  and  Emma's 
passion,  323-25 ;  despondency  en 
voyage,  325  ;  her  poem,  326  ;  (May  20), 
Palermo  again,  ib.  ;  Queen's  letter  to, 
of  intense  trust  and  affection,  328 ; 
King  George's  birthday  fete,  ib. ;  tri- 
butes to  her  from  many  before  the 
final  farewell,  328,  329  ;  absence  creates 
void,  326  ;  the  homeward  journey,  329- 
40 ;  Leghorn,  pacifies  mob,  330 ; 
Vienna,  332;  Dresden,  and  Mrs.  St. 
George,  333 ;  Hamburg,  335 ;  Yar- 
mouth and  London,  336  ;  had  created 
a  world  of  her  own,  330-31  ;  anticipa- 
tions, 334 ;  face  to  face  with  Lady 
Nelson,  337;  offers  to  call,  ib.  n.  2; 
London,  337-8  ;  Fonthill,  338 ;  scene 
with  Lady  Nelson,  338 ;  the  breach 
discussed,  340  ;  her  relentlessness,  and 
letter  to  Mrs.  W.  Nelson,  ib. ;  Nelson's 
avowal  of  his  feelings,  340  n.  3. 

(1801,  March)  In  Piccadilly,  341 
and  seq. ;  sells  jewels  for  husband,  341 ; 
her  coming  ordeal,  342-3,  346  ;  Nelson 
departs,  346 ;  imminence  of  Horatia's 
birth,  '  Thomson '  correspondence, 
347  and  seq.  ;  Nelson's  extreme  and 
prayerful  agitation,  350-2  ;  her  inspira- 
tion, 352  ;  birth  of  Horatia,  and  attend- 
ant circumstances,  352  and  seq.  ;  Nel- 
son's letters  on,  353-5 ;  the  singular 
Prince  of  Wales  episode,  355-66 ; 
'firm  as  a  rock,'  357  and  seq.  ;  Mrs. 
W.  Nelson  comes  up  to  protect  lier,  her 
correspondence  with  her,  363-7,  370 ; 
and  with  Maria  Carolina,  ib.  n.  5  ;  on 
'  Tom      Tit  ■     [Lady     Nelson],    364 ; 


INDEX 


537 


Hamilton,  Emma,  Lady — continued. 
(March)  Nelson's  departure  for  the 
North,  366  and 5^^.;  on  it,  370,  371  ;  had 
confided  past  to  Nelson,  362  and  n.  i  ; 
concealed  '  Emma  Carew  '  {q.v.),  367- 
70 ;  Nelson's  declaration  to,  368  ;  visits 
Horatia,  370  and  ;/.  i ;  Yarmouth  visit 
falls  to  ground,  371 ;  verses,  372  ;  wait- 
ing, care  for  sick,  373 ;  enthusiasm 
over  Copenhagen,  375 ;  on  Nelson's 
return  they  visit  Staines,  376  ;  with  him 
at  Parker's  death  while  Nelson  in 
Channel,  377;  spurs  Nelson  afresh, 
377 ;  acquisition  of  Merton,  378-84 ; 
'Guardian Angel, '378  ;  share-and-share 
alike,  380,  382  ;  her  activity  in  prepar- 
ing Merton,  379-81;  'Economy,' 381 ; 
and  Nelson's  father,  381  and  n.  8  ; 
her  description  of  their  life  there,  382-3  ; 
governess,  382;  'Paradise, '383;  lavish- 
ness,  385-8 ;  support  of  relatives,  ih.  ; 
a  chaperone,  386  ;  husband's  murmurs, 
388 ;  Beckford's  peerage  scheme,  389- 
90 ;  her  party  and  its  critic,  391-3 ; 
(April),  loss  in  death  of  Nelson's  father, 

390-9I- 

(1802)  Her  letter  of  enthusiasm  to 
Nelson,  8  ?i.  3,  347,  348 ;  embonpoint, 
391-2  ;  deaths  of  Romney  and  Payne, 
394 ;  Eton  4th  of  June,  451  n.  i  ; 
the  Milford  and  Cardiff  tour,  394-7  ; 
Nelson's  enemies  defied,  her  own 
account  of  the  journey,  396  ;  conjugal 
tiff  and  reconciliation,  396-97. 

(1803,  May)  devotion  in  Sir  William's 
illness,  hergriefathisdeathsiiicere,398; 
her  indorsement,  ib.  ;  Madame  Le  Rrun 
and  the  Attitudes  ((/.t/.),  399:  Sir  Wil- 
liam's will,  399-400;  the  furniture 
assignment,  399 ;  her  real  pectuiiary 
condition,  Greville's  mention  of  her  to 
Government,  400;  her  application  to 
Addington,  401  ;  a  wedding  (Bolton) 
and  a  christening  (Horatia),  402-3 ; 
(May),  Nelson's  departure,  402-3 ; 
Greville's  conduct,  403 ;  burden  of 
Merton  'improvements,'  405,  444  ;/.  3, 
446,  449  ;  her  friendly  correspondence 
and  intercourse  with  all  Nelson's  rela- 
tions, 405-6,  413  and  seg.  ;  the  '  suitors," 
405  and  n.  i,  408,  414;  at  Southend, 
408  ;  her  occupations  and  preoccupa- 
tions up  to  September,  408-9  ;  on  Nel- 
son's lack  of  prize-money,  408  ;  wishes 
to  rejoin  Nelson,  409  ;  royal  letters,  ib.  ; 
carelessness  of  fashion,  412  n.  i  ;  birth 
of  Emma,  412  ;  death,  ib.  n.  6  ;  the 
Boltons'  and  Matchams'  correspond- 
ence, 413  ;  contradictions  in  her  char- 
acter as  displa^'cd  in  her  answers,  413- 
14  ;  'the  Arms  of  Lyons,'  414  ;  Rams- 
gate  with  William  Nelsons,  415 ; 
applies  to  Government  for  Boltons, 
416  ;  (August),  Canterbury,  ib.  ;  Nelson 
prescribes  the  story  to  be  told  of 
Horatia  now  that  she  can  live  at  Mer- 
ton, 417-18. 


(1805)  Suspense,  visits,  debt,  second 
visit  to  Southend,  421 ;  (Sept.  17th), 
hurries  from  Southend  to  Merton  to 
welcome  Nelson,  422  ;  Nelson's  assur- 
ance to  Pitt  respecting  her  services, 445; 
new  corroboration  ol  her  story  that  she 
bade  him  '  go  forth,' 423,  App.  509;  her 
last  adieu,  424  ;  her  '  face  an  honest 
image  of  her  heart, 'App.  507;  last  heart- 
broken notes,  encloses  Horatia's  letter, 
425,  426  ;  '  May  God  send  you  victory 
and  home,'  426;  on  Horatia  to  Nelson, 
425,  426  and  «.  I  ;  NeLon  her  '  idol,' 
426 ;  his  last  words  of  her,  426-8 ; 
the  codicil,  427  ;  his  last  letter,  and  her 
indorsement,  427  n.  2  ;  how  she 
received  news  of  his  death,  429  ;  her 
prostration  and  thouglits  for  others, 
429,  430 ;  her  letters,  430  ;  letters  to 
her  of  sympathy,  430-31  ;  a  creature  of 
the  past,  430  ;  at  the  grave,  432 ;  true 
financial  state  after  Nelson's  death, 
the  conduct  of  Earl  Nelson  towards 
her  examined  in  light  of  new  evidence, 
4337 ;  addresses  Sir  R.  Barclay  in 
1805,  434  «.  2  ;  had  addressed  Tyson, 
ib.  ;  Nelson's  sisters  uphold  her,  436 
n.  2  ;  her  benefactions  to  Earl  Nelson's 
family,  437  n.  4  ;  his  conduct  respect- 
ing Nelson's  coat,  437  ;  her  annuity 
unpaid  till  1808,  434  ;  fresh  embitter- 
ments,  438  ;  her  statement  to  the  Rev. 
A.  J.  Scott  regarding  her  traducers, 
438,  App.  409;  her  influence  over 
Nelson,  ?i^.  ;   'glory,' 439. 

(1806-8)  Affectionate  intimacy  with 
Nelson's  relations,  befriended  by  dis- 
tinguished ladies,  439-441,  440  ;/.  2  ; 
136  Bond  Street,  440  and  n.  1,  441  ; 
'  beloved  by  all,'  440  ;  her  education  of 
Horatia,  441-2,  451,  467,  468;  her 
letter  to  Greville,  442,  App.  510 ;  her 
persistent  support  of  poor  kinsfolk, 
443-4  ;  intercedes  with  Queen  of  Naples 
for  Mrs  Grafer,  443,  444  ;  continues 
her  presents  to  Nelson's  connections, 
444  ;  the  Queen  continues  an  affection- 
ate correspordence(i8o8),  444;  (April,) 
Merton  up  for  sale,  ib. ,  and  notes  2  and 
3  ;  addresses  Lord  St.  Vincent,  444-5  ; 
and  Abercorn,  ib.  ;  justice  of  her  claims 
seems  not  denied  by  Grenville,  and 
is  admitted  by  Canning,  447  «.  i  ; 
sends  a  pathetic  memorial  to  Rose, 
446;  her  piteous  plight,  448;  'Old 
Q. 's  '  refusal,  ib.  ;  retires  to  Richmond, 
ib.  ;  her  will,  443  ;  debts,  448  «.  2, 
449 ;  visits  Boltons  and  icturns  to 
arrange  affairs,  the  committee,  ib.  ; 
settlement,  and  her  gratitude  for,  450  ; 
Greville's  reappearance  on  her  scene, 
and  her  letter  t",  //'. .  and  App.  510; 
her  (secuniary  rehabilitation,  ib. 

(1808-9)  Richmond,  royalty,  and 
Bohemia;  Horatia's  education,  Harrow 
speeches,  450-1 :  '  Old  Q's"  unavailing 
bci|ucsl,  452  :  Greville's  death,  ib. 


538 


EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 


Hamilton,  Emma,  Lady,  continued. 

(1810)  Various  abodes,  452;  Mrs. 
Cadogan's  death  desolates  her,  453  ; 
sympathy,  her  letter  to  Mrs.  Girdle- 
stone,  ib.,  and  App.  511. 

(1810-12)  Lavish  kindness  and  hospi- 
tality despite  debts  again,  454  and 
notes  2  and  3,  455  ;  Brighton,  ib.  ;  visits, 
ib.  ;  revives  petitions,  456. 

(1813,  Jan.)  The  crash  comes,  her 
letters,  457-8 ;  Temple  Place,  457 ; 
rescued  once  more,  458  ;  her  two  royal 
memorials,  ib.  ;  Bond  Street  again, 
458 ;  admonishes  Horatia,  459  ;  parts 
with  relics,  460;  (July),  re-arrest,  461  ; 
Smith  Vjails  her,  464 ;  the  publication 
of  her  letters,  461  ;  its  disastrous 
results,  461-2 ;  evidence  as  to,  con- 
sidered, 462-4. 

(1814)  ist  of  August  in  Temple  Place, 
ib.  ;  her  unselfish  interest  in  another 
'  dupe  of  villains,"  465  ;  everything  sur- 
rendered for  creditors,  ib.  ;  full  dis- 
charge, //'.  ;  flight  '  with  honour  '  to 
Calais,  465,  466  ;  at  Dessein's,  Quillac's, 
and  the  farm  ;  new  last  letters,  467-69  ; 
her  last  claims,  466,  467  //.  2,  468  ;  the 
second  farm,  467 ;  Lawyers'  letters 
and  calumnies,  469;  (December),  106 
Rue  Fran9aise,  ib.  ;  her  straits,  470. 

(1815,  Jan.)  Her  buoyancy  suc- 
cumbs, the  lawsuit  v.  her  trustee,  469  ; 
her  death-illness  and  death-scene,  ib. 
and  471;  her  Romanism,  471,  472; 
funeral,  472  ;  mouldered  monuments, 
474 ;  summary  of  her  qualities  and 
career,  472-74  ;  epilogue,  475. 

Her  few  last  surviving  letters  to 
Nelson,  6-9,  209,  214,  226-27,  235-38, 
347-48,  App.  489-501. 

Her  Claims. — Greville's  testimony, 
130 «.  1, 171 ;  Canning's,  142,  447  n.  i ; 
Nelson's,  162.  Those  of  1793  discussed, 
169-173,  App.  481.  Of  1795-1796,  182- 
196,  App.  483.  That  of  June  1798,  205 
to  end  of  chap,  viii.,  App.  486.  Of 
Dec.  1798,  for  full  assistance  in  stowing 
royal  treasure,  and  in  the  secret  passage 
episode  of  the  royal  flight  to  Palermo, 
245  and  seq.  Of  getting  provisions  for 
the  Maltese  state  in  1799  and  early  in 
1800,  315,  316  and  n.  3. 

Generally,  400-1,  403,  416,  424,  425, 
431.  433-437.  438,  445-8;  real  reasons 
for  refusal,  446-7,  and  notes  i  and  2  ; 
(i8ii),456,  458;  (1814),  466-7. 
Qualities — 

Ambitions,  singularity  of,  6,   9,    13, 
14,    137,   161,    165,  ig6,  224,  235, 

309.  439- 
Artistic  gifts,  15,  47,  56  71.   I,   102, 

103,  104,  105  n.  5,  177,  343.  393- 
Capacity  for  friendship,  9,  13,  15,  99, 

III,  238,  240,  242,  246,  445. 
Courage,  9,   10,   107,   235  and  seq., 

253.    255.    299.    300,    330,    342-3, 

352  and  seq.,  393,  402,  423,  470. 


Devotion  to  mother  and  kinsfolk,  14, 
285,  443,  453,  459. 

Disinterestedness,  13,  31,  79,  80,  81, 
85,  90,  92,  93-102,  225  and  seq., 
255.  341.  408,  414,  416,  429-30. 
443-4,  446,  454-5,  458. 

Energy,  8,  99,  142,  150,  151,  155, 
162,  168,  199,  235  and  seq.,  244 
and  seq.,  248  and  seq.,  253,  255, 
275,  276,  278-9,  286,  309,  373, 
393.  414.  441.  469-70. 

Enthusiasm,  2,  6,  11,  12,  107,  163, 
166,  177,  181,  199,  223  and  seq., 
235  and  seq.,  275,  318,  377,  414. 

Expressiveness,  3,  6,  29,  223,  226, 
228,  235,  240. 

Generosity,  11, 13,  23,  59,  80  and  n.  i, 
85,  III  n.  I,  151,  443-4,  454-5  and 
^n.  5,  458. 

Genuineness,  89,  91  and  n.  i,  94, 
161,  162,  172,  196,  211,  224  n.  3, 
240,  349,  363,  385-7,  398. 

Gratitude,  99,  147,  151,  412,  413, 
450. 

Homeliness,  8,    15,   24-25,    loi,   128, 

255.  373.  413.  425.  426. 
Humanity,    25,   97   n.    i,    162,   255, 
257,  276,  304,  308,  309,  310,  373, 

451- 
Impulsiveness,    208,    223    and    seq. , 

335.  338  »■  I. 
Independence,  39,  79,  85,  92,  162, 
Industry,  146,  169-173,   182-196,   184 

n.  I,  208  and  seq.,  248  and  seq., 

275,  276. 
'  Natiiit,'  3,   4,    17,    109,    no,    151, 

15s,  162,  348,  385.  413. 
Sense  of  hjimour,  99,  108. 
'Sensibility,'  3,  17,  59,  no,  in,  162, 

321  n.  I,  323,  340,  385,  394,  413, 

425,  426,  4^9.  430- 
Simplicity,  19,  20,  87,  128,  137,  155, 

413- 
Sympathy,   27,  28,    153,   156,   176-7, 

199,   214,   chapters    viii.    and    ix. 

passim,  309,  328,  413  n.  1. 
Defects  and  Errors — 

Generally,    11-14,  25,   59,   loi,   109, 

131  71.  I,  161,  162,  318,  340,  373, 

378,  381,  386,  392,  401,  405,  413, 

414,  418,  421,  441,  455. 
Admiration,  love  of,   50,  109,   no, 

III,  392,  414. 
Aggressiveness,    104,    108,  109,    128, 

334-4.  392-3.  414- 
Excitement,  love  of  14,  318  329,  332, 

414. 
Extravagance,    405,    413,    414,   421, 

434.  443.  455- 
Lack  of  self-control,  11,  14,  414. 
Love  of  '■  surprisi7ig  people,'  14  and 

seq. ,  109,  192,  418. 
Self-consciousness,     109,     161,     208, 

309- 
Temper,  5,   11,   13,   14,   S9.   li>  95. 

129,  147,  441,  460. 
Hamilton,  Mrs.,  35  «.  2. 


INDEX 


539 


Hamilton ,  Sir  William  { 1 730- 1803)  [' riiny 
the  Elder 'J,  ii,  12,18/1.4,  20  n.  i,  21 «. 
1,  22,  23,  25,  29,  32,  45,  46,  52,  55  ;  early 
life  and  first  marriage,  64  and  seg.  and 
n.  I ;  early  associations  with  Acton, 
124 ;  his  part  in  the  Trta  juncta  iii 
una  foreshadowed,  31  ;  description  of, 
33,  65  and  seq. ;  his  friendship  with 
Greville,  35;  {1774),  36;  his  archceo- 
logical  and  artistic  talents,  his  pub- 
lished works,  lb.  n.  2,  70,  loi,  140  ; 
his  picture-collecting,  37 ;  scientific 
experiments,  48  w.  i  ;  referred  to  in 
Hayley's  verses,  63;  (1782),  68  and 
seq.  ;  {1784),  first  acquaintance  with 
Emma,  70  and  seq.  ;  returns  to 
Naples,  77;  makes  Greville  his  heir, 
ib.  ;  (1785),  79  and  ieq.  ;  his  invitation 
to  Emma,  84,  86  ;  his  intentions  con- 
trasted with  Greville's,  85  ;  (1786),  95  ; 
his  reception  of  Emma  at  Palazzo 
Sessa,  88  and  seq.  ;  intentions  and 
settlement,  95 ;  his  tenderness  and 
chivalry  towards  Emma,  99  and  seq., 
129  and  seq.  ;  (1787),  i6i ;  and  the 
'belle's'  stratagem,  112;  (1789),  his 
growing  devotion  to  Emma,  the  anti- 
quarian excursion,  127  ;  {1790-91),  128 
and  seq. ;  and  Greville  as  to  settlement, 
129  ;  tentatives  for  marriage,  129,  130  ; 
privy  councillor,  129 ;  his  perpetual 
neglect  by  ministers,  130  ?i.  i  ;  the 
marriage  project,  131  and  r^^/.  ;  journey 
home,  131  ;  London  and  festivities, 
133  and  seq.  ;  answers  Gallini,  134; 
wedding,  136  ;  return  by  way  of  Paris, 
136  ;  political  situation  and  his  present 
attitude  towards  it,  138  and  seq.  ;  the 
two  Sicilies,  a  shuttlecock,  141  ;  his 
troubles  with  English  visitors,  66,  148  ; 
correspondence  between  him,  while 
sp)orting  with  the  king,  atid  Emma, 
148-150;  illness  (1792),  150  and  seq.  ; 
(1793),  niusic  with  Lady  Hamilton, 
155;  and  botany,  ib.  \  first  meet- 
ing with  Nelson,  163  ;  his  friendship 
with,  and  enthusiasm  for,  163-165, 
168;  (1794),  on  Sicilian  Jacobinism, 
173  "•  5  ;  Medici's  treason,  174  and 
n.  1  ;  (1795),  ill  again,  177  ;  and 
Countess  Lichtenau  (q.v.),  181;  on 
Emma  and  politics,  182  ;  on  Spanish 
policy,  185  n.  1  ;  in  close  correspond- 
ence with  Acton  about,  186  and  seq.  ; 
competes  with  Acton  in  forwarding 
(£795-96)  documents  to  British  minis- 
ters, 188  ;  through  theQueen  and  Emma 
detects  real  facts  of  Franco-Spanish 
conspiracy,  and  joins  Acton  in  pressing 
the  lukewarm  Grenville  into  co-opera- 
tion with  Naples,  189  and  seq.  ;  urged 
into  activity  by  his  wife,  his  own  state- 
ment of  her  position,  190-91  :  his  com- 
munication of  naval  secrets  to  Britain, 
191  ;  the  King  of  Spain's  secret  letter 
announcing  terms  of  .illiaiice  with 
France,  ib.,    192;    his  custom    as    to 


despatches,  193  «.  2 ;  as  to  special 
messengers,  194  n.  i,  195  n.  i  ; 
(1797),  and  Acton  regarding  England 
and  Mediterranean  squadron,  197-99; 
on  Grenville,  199  ;  (1798),  correspond- 
ence with  Nelson  ;  (1798-99),  his 
arrival,  202 ;  endeavours  to  surmount 
obstacles  of  Franco-Neapolitan  treaty 
of  1796  enforcing  neutrality  and  ex- 
cluding anti-French  ships  from  Medi- 
terranean harbours,  203 ;  correspond- 
ence wnh  Nelson,  204;  his  share  in 
critical  events  and  councils  of  June 
17-22  ascertained,  205  and  seq.  ;  the 
'order,'  206-8;  recitals,  official  and 
in  draft,  206-7,  487  ;  (June  17-22),  in 
council,  206,  207  n.  5 ;  and  Acton, 
206  notes  2  and  5,  App.  n.  G  ; 
sends  Nelson  Gallo's  replies,  207 ; 
on  Nelson's  weighing  anchor  re- 
sumes correspondence,  214 ;  Anglo- 
Sicily  V.  France  and  Spain,  tb. ;  know- 
ledge of  instructions  to  Sicilian  port- 
governors  to  make  '  show  of  resistance  ' 
pending  conclusion  of  Austria's  negotia- 
tions, 216  and  71.  4,  and  seq.  ;  impor- 
tant distinctions  between  private, 
official,  and  semi-official  despatches, 
2i6  ;  (July  22),  Nelson's  letters  to,  of 
disappointment  at  failure  both  of  public 
and  private  orders,  his  letters  of 
extreme  joy,  219-22  ;  evidence  to  show- 
that  change  of  tone  was  due  to  inter- 
vention of  Queen's  letter,  see  '  Nelson  '; 
all  along  in  correspondence  with 
Nelson,  and  intending  to  run  down  and 
see  him  at  Syracuse  should  Queen's 
letter  not  operate,  or  Acton's  [q.v.) 
'  order  in  King's  name,'  216  and  n.  2  ; 
(Sept.),  unwell,  227;  nursed  by  over- 
tasked wife,  230 ;  party  to  Nelson,  231  ; 
Nelson  writes  to,  on  policy  after 
addressing  Lady  Hamilton,  233  and 
n.  I ;  pushes  affairs  with  Grenville, 
234;  and  Enuna,  235;  her  mention  of, 
to  Nelson,  29,  238;  co-operation  in 
preparations  for  '  royal '  escape  to 
Sicily,  244  and  seq.  ;  strongly  attests 
wife's  services,  246  ;  (Dec.  21),  his  com- 
munications with  Acton,  Embassy  only 
centre  of  energy  and  resource,  248 ;  the 
flight,  248-255;  his  and  wife's  name 
absent  from  court  lists  of  embarkation, 
248  ;  on  the  voyage,  257,  258  ;  inten- 
tion to  retire  temporarily  to  England, 
ib.  260 ;  depredations  of  his  property, 
ib.  270;  a  'philosopher,'  mistrust  of 
Rufro((/,f.),  271;  (1799),  attests  Nelson's 
adherence  to  duty  in  staying  in  Sicily, 
275  and  Jifr/.  ;  Emma  and  y\cton,  276; 
Nelson,  280  n.  i ;  .acc|uaints  him  of 
Ruffo's  perfidy,  288  ;  ill,  but  starts  with 
Nelson  (June),  284,  289  ;  hi.s  part  in 
events  of  June- August,  291-31 1  ;  in 
Nelson's  interview  witii  Ruffo,  298 ; 
(June  26),  302,  303;  (June  27).  304; 
(July).  309 ''  (•■^iiS"'''\  I^alermo  pageant, 


540 


EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 


Hamilton,  Sir  William — continued. 
312-13  ;  '  Nestor,'  314  ;  worn  and  irrit- 
able, his  borrowings  from  Nelson,  /i^.and 
n.  2  ;  with  Acton,  ib.  and  n.  4  ;  crippled 
fortunes,  318;  home  slanders  of,  319; 
decides  to  retire  home,  but  supposes 
only  for  a  time,  321;  (1800,  March), 
Ball's  tribute  to  and  invitation  of,  321 ; 
definitely  superseded,  ib.  ;  forwards 
Nelson's  letter  to  Grenville,  322  n.  i ; 
(April  23),  the  journey  to  Malta  and 
back,  322-326 ;  reflections  on  his  part 
in  the  present  climax  of  passion  between 
Elmma  and  Nelson,  324  ;  (May),  Queen 
wishes  him  to  remain  ambassador,  327  ; 
(June  lo-Nov. ),  the  homeward  journey, 
329-340  ;  offers  civility  to  Lady  Nelson, 
337  «.  2;  Fonthill,  338;  (1801),  in 
Piccadilly,  341  and  seg.  ;  exhausted, 
343 ;  Greville's  renewed  influence 
over,  344 ;  anxieties,  344  ;  pension,  ib. 
and  401  >t.  2  ;  (February),  to  Nelson 
on  Emma's  health,  352  ?i.  6,  356  n.  4  ; 
on  W.  Nelson's  eccentricity,  353  ;  his 
part  in  the  strange  Prince  of  Wales 
episode,  356,  357,  358  ;  belittles  him, 
369  ;  wish  for  ministerial  compensa- 
tion, hopes  of  governorship  of  Malta, 
356  ;  Tria  juncta  in  uno,  366  ;  selling 
wife's  portraits,  26,  361,  363,  371;  Yar- 
mouth visit  frustrated,  371  ;  to  Nelson 
on  Copenhagen,  375  ;  prosiness  and 
Staines  visit,  376-7 ;  Milford  with 
Greville,  377  ;  Merton,  378-384  ; 
objections,  379 ;  on  its  charms  to 
Nelson,  380-81  ;  '  share-and-sbare 
alike,'  380,  382,  395  n.  2;  content 
with,  382,  383  ;  present  to  church, 
383  ;  accounts,  387  and  n.  1  ;  Piccadilly 
expenses,  388  ;  Greville's  warning 
and  his  complaint,  ib.  ;  Nelson's  '  best 
friend,"  ib.  ;  (1802),  peerage  scheme, 
389-go  ;  condolence  on  Nelson's 
father's  death,  391 ;  (1803),  the  Milford 
and  Cardiff  tour,  393-397 ;  last  conju- 
gal tifT  and  reconciliation,  396-97 ; 
authentic  account  of  death,  397-98 ; 
burial,  399  and  n.  4  ;  his  will,  399-400  ; 
last  expressions  of  devotion  to  Nelson, 
400 ;  and  to  Emma,  397 ;  reflec- 
tions on  them  both  and,  400 ;  old 
dependants  cared  for  after  his  death, 
411,  430;  App.  518. 
Qualities — 

Beliefs  of,  68. 

Courtesy  and good-/fUfnoy>-  of,  65,  66, 
96  71.  I,  99  ;  Emma  on,  124  ;  to 
visitors,  66,  148. 

Economy  and  extravagance  of,  23 
"•  I.  37.  154.  276,  381,  387  n.  I, 
388. 

Indolence,  178. 

Love  of  music ,  102. 

Perennial  youth,  150. 

Phrases  of ,  12,  15  w.  2,  21  n,  i. 

R,^fionali.'!n,  3. 
Handel  [composer],  102. 


Hardy,  Captain  (June  17,  1798),  204, 
205  and  n.  2,  208  ;  (1801),  345,  353  ; 
(1805),  427  and  n.  2  ;  (1806),  433,  435  ; 
App.  498,  526. 

Harfrere,  Mrs.,  36. 

Harrison,  Mr.  (1806-7),  44i- 

Hart,  Emily.  See  Emma,-v  Conjectures 
Lady  Hamilton.  I  as  to  reasons 

'  Little'  Emma.    See  fforthename, 

'  Carew,'  Emma.  J  51  and  «.  i. 

[musician],  15  ;  (1786),  104. 

Hartley,  Colonel,  61. 

Harvey,  Mrs.,  traditions  of,  regarding 
Lady  Hamilton  examined.  51. 

Flaslewood  [Nelson's  solicitor],  437  n.  i, 
460. 

Hatton,  Lady  A.,  149  and  n.  2. 

Haydn  [composer].  333. 

Hayley,  William  (1745-1820),  character 
and  career,  63.  64  ;  influence  on  Lady 
Hamilton  of  his  Triumphs  of  Temper, 
II,  147  ;  his  friendship  with,  8,  12,  17, 
18  n.  4,  62,  63,  64  ;  in  Romney's  studio, 
ib.  ;  (1786),  invited  to  Naples,  94  ; 
(1791).  133.  147;  (1800),  334,  341  and 
n.  2  ;  (1801),  386  ;  (1804),  99  ;  (1805), 
169  ;  to  Lady  Hamilton,  430;  App. 
508. 

Heaviside  [surgeon],  17  m.  i  ;  (1808), 
442. 

Hervey,  Lord  Augustus  (1728-1804).  Sec 
Bristol,  Earl  of. 

Lord,  92,  153  n.  3. 

Hippisley,  Sir  J.  C. ,  173  n.  5. 

Hodges,  Mrs.  (1793),  153. 

Hogarth,  W.  [artist],  57. 

Mrs. ,  57. 

Holland,  Lord,  171  ?/.  4,  172. 

Hompesch  [Knight  of  Malta],  (1798), 
213,  231. 

Hood,  Lord  [Admiral],  (1793),  153,  156, 
157.  170;  (1795-96).  182. 

Hope,  Captain  (June,  1798),  214  ;  (Dec), 
245.  252,  2t;4. 

Hoppner,  J.  [artist].  20. 

Hoste,  Captain.  7;  (1798),  sent  by  Nel- 
son to  Lady  Hamilton  with  first  news 
of  Nile  victory,  223  n.  i  ;  his  account 
of  Neapolitan  ecstasy,  223 ;  and  the 
Queen,  224  ;  Emma's  kindness  to,  227. 

Hotham    1705-96),  182. 

Humphries,  Richard  [Lady  Hamilton's 
kinsman],  443. 

Hunter,  Mrs.,  her  statements  regarding 
Lady  Hamilton's  last  days  criticised, 
469  n.  3,  474. 

Hyde,  Anne  [see  '  Solari,  Marchesa  Di ']. 

Ingram,  Jonathan,  41. 

Jacobins  and  Jacobinism,  21 ;  and  St. 
Januarius,  97  «.  3;  (1791).  122;  lam- 
pooners, 119 ;  meaning  of,  for  Great 
Britain,  141  and  seg. ;  '  mobbing  system ' 
of,  and  Nelson,  143  ".  i  ;  his  detesta- 
tion of.  239  ;  and  Nai)les,  ib.  ;  begiiis 
to  affect  offended  nobles,  144;  (1793), 


INDEX 


541 


in  Naples,  152, 154  ;  libels  by,  153/':  5. 
156;  {1794),  172  and  seq.;  in  Sicily, 
173;  executions,  174;  (1795-97).  182; 
(1797),  196  ;  disturbances  at  Rome,  ib.  ; 
fugitives  to  Naples,  198  ;  (1798),  black- 
mail Naples,  ib.  ;  (June  17),  effect  of 
Nelson's  arrival  on,  202  ;  Emma  on, 
214  ;  (June  30),  already  plot  the  death 
of  King  and  Queen,  215  ;  insolence  and 
its  disappointment,  233 ;  Lord  St. 
Vincent  on,  224,  227  ;  (August,  Sept., 
and  Oct.),  231,  232;  (Nov.),  fresh  con- 
spiracies at  Naples,  239,  243;  (Dec), 
Nelson's  allies  against,  245  ;  spies  on 
Emma  and  Nelson,  247  ;  their  Neapoli- 
tan pillage,  258;  (1799,  Jan.),  260; 
Neapolitan ,  distinguished  and  analysed, 
261-65;  action  of  Patriots' and  'Eletti,' 
265andj«<7.  ;  '  Parthenopean  Republic,' 
260,  266  and  seq. ,  269,  273  ;  part  played 
by  St.  Januarius  in,  97  n.  3,  266,  267  ; 
'Civic  Guard,'  268,  270;  Lazzaroni's 
moderation  towards,  268 ;  poets  and 
pamphleteers,  269  ;  paper  systems,  270 
and  n.  i  ;  (March),  Nelson  already 
wishful  to  crush,  274  ;  (June),  Repubhc 
which  had  touched  provinces  limited 
once  more  to  Naples,  272  ;  hopes  from 
Frenchfieet,  276;  Queen  prays  Nelson's 
aid  against,  282  ;  Foote's  commission 
v.,  282  ;  (June),  Ruffo's  armistice,  288  ; 
conduct  as  to  capitulation  and  armis- 
tice and  Nelson's  attitude  and  policy 
fully  discussed,  291-31 1  ;  (June  19), 
refuse  clemency,  293  ;  (June  26),  some 
escape,  fate  of  others,  303  and  seq.  ; 
(June  27),  304,  305,  328. 

Jerocades  ['  Patriot '],  291. 

Jesuits,  98-115. 

Jewitt  ['Jematt'],  Mrs.  (1814),  Lady 
Hamilton's  unselfish  interest  in,  464, 
App.  512. 

Johnson,  Dr.,  26. 

Joseph  II.  of  Austria,  115;  (1791),  death, 
138. 

Kauffmann,  Angelica  [artist],  20,  90, 

259- 

Kaunitz  [Austrian  Premier],  115. 

Keith,  Lord  (1799).  replaces  St.  Vincent, 
282 ;  summons  Nelson  to  Minorca, 
287 ;  appoints  to  chief  Mediterranean 
command,  317  n.  2;  (1800,  January), 
it  expires,  321. 

Kelira  EiTendi  (Dec.  22.  1798),  251. 

Kellermann,  General,  144. 

Keppell,  Admiral,  96. 

Kidd,  Francis,  41  n.  2. 

Mrs.  [Lady  Hamilton's  grand- 
mother], of  Hawarden,  51,  71,  72. 

Mary  [wife  of  William  Kidd],  43. 

see  Mrs.  'Cadogan.' 

Thomas  [cousin  of  Lady  Hamilton], 

40. 

William   ['labourer'],  41,  43,  443, 

455- 
Klopstock  [po(;t]  (1800),  335, 


Knight,  Mr.  R.  Payne,  104  n.  3,  395. 
Cornelia,  Miss,  42,   100,    171,   227, 

230,    231,    240  ;    (180D,    March),    322  ; 

(April),  her  verses,  325  and  //.  2  ;  (June 

lo-November),   329  and  seq.  ;    (1801), 

verses,  372. 
Lady,  240. 

Ladmore,  Mrs.,  43. 
Lancaster,  Mr.  and  Mrs.,  380. 
Landor,  W.  S.  [poet],  quoted  on  Lady 
Hamilton,  343 ;  as  to  her,  429 ;  App. 

519- 
Langford,  Captain  (1805),  422. 
Lansdowne,  Lord  (1802),  396. 
Lavater,  180. 

Lavie,  Mr.  [solicitor],  (1808),  449. 
Lawrence,  Sir  T.  [artist],  20.  316. 
Lazzaroni,  the,  9,  97,   122.   143  ;  (1793), 

153;  (1794).  173;  (1797).  197;  (1798). 
and  Queen,  199;  and  Nelson,  202; 
(Sept.  and  Oct.),  231;  (Dec),  241, 
244,  248;  (Dec.  21),  249;  (1799),  260, 
265  and  seq.  ;  remain  staunch,  267, 
270  n.  2  ;  their  leaders,  268  ;  conduct 
to,  when  betrayed,  moderation  to  '  Pat- 
riots,' 268 ;  betrayed  by  Roccomana 
[q.v. ),  268  ;  Stand  their  ground,  ib.  ; 
at  first  gulled  by  Championnet  {q.v.), 
269;  dispersed,  270;  (June),  291;  the 
Hamiltons  their  friends,  299,  308  ;  and 
("aracciolo,  290  n.  2,  306. 

Le  Brun,  Madame  Vigee,  on  Lady 
Hamilton,  5  7t.  5,  105  n.  5 ;  (1789), 
127  n.  4,  361,  371  n.  4  ;  (1803),  393  «.  2  ; 
App.  516. 

Legge,  Heneage,  Honourable,  67 ;  (1791), 
on  Lady  Hamilton  to  Greville,  131, 
132,  398. 

Mrs.  (1791),  131. 

Leopold,  Grand  Duke  of  Tuscany  (1779), 
115,  124;  (1791),  accedes  to  Austrian 
throne,  family  council  at  Vienna,  138  ; 
(1792),  149. 

Prince  of  Naples,  108,  115  n.  i,  138 

n.  I,  249  ;  (1798),  257,  327  ;  at  Merton, 
386. 

Lewold,  Miss,  421. 

Lichtenau,  Countess  of,  24 ;  account  of, 

180-S1. 
Lind,    Mrs.,    at    Merton,    386;    (1805), 

condolence     with      Lady     Hamilton, 

431. 
Linley,  Mr.  [manager  of  Drury  Lane], 

46. 
Liverpool,  Lord,  458;  (1814),  468. 
Lock  [consul],    260,    276   «.   2  ;    (1799), 

misfeasances,  315  //.  2. 

Mrs.,  276  n.  2;  reward  by  Govern- 
ment. 445. 

Locker  [artist],  385  n.  i. 

Lolli  [violinist],  57. 

Louis,  Captain  (1799),  281  ;  (September), 

314;  (i8oi),34S,  3s6«.  3;  (1804),  4x3; 

(t8o^),  430. 

Philippe  [afterwards  French  King], 

II",  '/.  I. 


542 


EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 


Louis  XVI.  (1789),  126;  (1791),  138,  143; 
(1792-93),  152. 

XVII.,  153. 

Lovell,  the  Rev.  — ,  179. 

Lucian,  224. 

Luigia,    Princess   of  Naples,    marriage, 

138. 

Lunardi  ( balloonist],  60. 

Luttrell,  Lady  Elizabeth  (1786),  loi. 

Lutwidge,  Mrs.,  382  n.  3. 

Lynch,  Sir  William  [Hamilton's  prede- 
cessor at  Naples],  65. 

Lyon,  Charles  [Lady  Hamilton's  brother], 
40. 

Emily  [see  Emma,  Lady  Hamilton]. 

Henry  [ '  smith  of  Nesse, '  Lady  Ham- 

ilton's  father],  40  ;  his  marriage  certifi- 
cate, ib.  n.  2  ;  '  arms,"  414. 

iVIary  [see  Mrs.  '  Cadogan  ']. 

Macartney,  Charles  [Greville's  in- 
timate], 38. 

Lord,  102  ;  (1796),  140. 

Macaulay,  Mrs.  Catlierine [authoress],  48. 

-  Mr.  [contractor],  183  n.  3. 
Macdonald,      General,      his      part      in 

Januarius'  procession  (Jan.  1799),  267  ; 
on  entry  of  French  into  Naples,  269  ; 
replaces  Championnet,  270 ;  (April), 
retires  from  Naples,  290. 

Mack,  General,  9;  (1798),  232,  233, 
234;  (Nov.),  235;  short-lived  suc- 
cesses, 239;  (Dec),  in  despair,  ib.  ; 
Nelson  on,  239  n.  4,  256  ;  his  com- 
plete rout,  239,  245;  (Dec.  23),  on 
Vanguard,  256  ;  at  Capua,  257. 

Mackau,  'Citizen'  [ambassador]  (1793), 

152. 

Mackinnon  [contractor],  183. 
Macmahon,  Colonel,  App.  512. 
Macpherson,  Sir  John  (1798),  tribute  of, 

to  Lady  Hamilton's  heroism,  255. 
Mahoney,  Countess  of  (1787),  101. 
Maiden,  Lady  (1791).  '47- 
Malmesbury,  Lady  (1792  and  1796),  105 

n-  5;  (1791).  147.  320  n.  I,  343. 

Lord,  on  Nelson,  10  n.  i. 

Malta  (1798),  bribed  by  France,  202  it.  1, 
204  ;  (June- August),  207  n.  5,  211  n.  2, 
213-215,  230,  234;  and  Nelson,  238 
and  n.  4,  245  ;  (1799).  272,  279,  314, 
315,  316,  398;  (1800),  321,  322-327, 
330  «.  3;  (1801),  356. 

Mann,  Sir  Horace  (1780),  124. 

Mansfield,  l>ord  (1810),  455. 

Maria  Princess  of  Naples,  marriage,  138 
n.  I  ;  (1798),  243,  250,  252,  256. 

Queen  of  Portugal,  148. 

'Carolina'  [Charlotte],  Queen  of  the 

two  Sicilies(i7S3-i8i4),  7.  9.  "-  iS  '"^^" 
I  and  2,  23,  48  «.  I,  90 ;  (1786),  103,  112, 
156  ;  (1777),  her  right  to  sit  in  council, 
119,  204  ;  her  character,  126,  127,  152; 
hrr  education  and  marriage,  114;  her 
freemasonry,  115,  139.  144;  her  early 
enlightenment  and  reforms,  119-121  ; 
her  experiment  in  monarchical  social- 


ism, 121  ;  her  need  for  an  able  financier 
and  leader  in  1779,  ^23  ;  beginnings  of 
pro-English  bias,  124  ;  reasons  for 
Acton's  ascendency  with,  124 ;  pro- 
Austrian  policy,  118,  125 ;  effects  on 
her  of  French  Revolution,  126,  138  and 
seq.  ;  (1790),  her  first  public  recogni- 
tions ol  Emma,  128  ;  (1791),  her  policy 
and  its  objects,  138  and  seq.  ;  visits 
Vienna  and  Rome,  ib.  ;  her  fury  with 
France,  139  ;  ancestral  ideas  of  duty  ; 
'  de  Bourboniiation,'  ib.  ;  Acton'scom- 
mission,  140  ;  England's  aloofness, 
141 ;  becomes  bureaucratic,  143  ;  finds 
her  '  enlightenment '  has  favoured 
Jacobinism,  144 ;  methods  of  first  re- 
pression, and  efforts  for  anti-GaUic 
coalition,  144-5;  'camera  oscura,' 
145 ;  Lady  Hamilton's  message  to, 
from  her  sister,  145,  146 ;  gaieties  in 
disaster,  148  ;  (1791),  receives  Lady 
Hamilton  with  favour,  146;  (1794), 
Sir  William's  illness,  150;  (1793), 
prompted  by  revenge,  152  ;  redoubles 
defences  against  imported  Jacobinism, 
153;  'Junta,'  ib.;  organises  second 
coalition,  ib.  ;  efforts  to  save  her  sister, 
id.  ;  her  craving  for  Emma's  sympathy, 
153-4;  Anglo-mania,  154,  155,  166, 
168,  177,  181  ;  welcomes  Nelson,  162- 
3,  165-7 ;  fresh  conspiracies,  167 ; 
through  Emma  made  enthusiastic  for 
Nelson,  168  ;  her  close  intimacy  with 
Emma,  ib.  ;  (1794),  resolves  more  than 
ever  to  go  '  thorough'  v.  Jacobins,  172- 
175,  and  cf.  144 ;  her  embarrassments 
and  her  new  tribunal — 'Cerberus,'  174  ; 
a  crusade  preached  v.  Jacobins,  175 ; 
parts  with  jewels  to  support  war  v. 
France,  175 ;  hails  British  victories, 
ib.  ;  her  correspondence  with  Lady 
Hamilton,  176  and  seq.  ;  home  ex- 
plosions arrested,  but  foreign  defeats 
and  defections  exasperate  her,  183-4 ; 
(1795-1796),  her  part  in  obtaining  the 
King  of  Spain's  letter  to  her  husband, 
184-196  ;  her  close  confabulations  with 
Emma,  190,  193,  199;  (1796),  anger  at 
Britain's  intention  to  evacuate  Mediter- 
ranean and  at  her  compelled  compact 
with  France,  183  ;  furious  at  Peace  of 
Brescia  (see  '  Treaties  ')  enforcing  Nea- 
politan neutrality,  ib.  ;  wishes  Lord 
Grenville  not  to  compromise  her  by 
the  information  confided  through 
Emma  to  Sir  William,  186  and  seq.  ; 
her  detestation  of  Spain,  189  and  n.  1  ; 
her  close  confabulation  with  and  great 
trust  in  Emma  accounted  for,  190,  191 ; 
the  crucial  letter  from  the  King  of 
Spain  announcing  secretly  the  terms  of 
an  alliance  with  France  to  Ferdinand, 
191,  192,  194  n.  I ;  her  letter  to  Emma 
as  to  an  exceptional  courier,  193 ; 
(1797),  cheered  by  English  successes, 
but  dejected  by  foreign  failures,  196, 
203  n.  4,    211 ;  more  Anglophil  than 


INDEX 


543 


Maria  Carolina — continued. 
ever,  196 ;  becomes  conciliatory  at 
home,  Vanni  deposed,  197  ;  joins  in 
pressing  England  for  squadron,  197; 
her  feverish  impatience  for,  199  ;  her 
extreme  reliance  on  Emma's  influence, 
199;  her  indissociability  from,  200; 
(1798),  effects  on,  of  Nelson's  arrival, 
202  and  w.  4;  and  after,  214;  licr 
eager  desire  to  break  enforced  neu- 
trality, 204  ;  (June  17),  her  secret  action 
at  Emma's  instance  confirmed,  208  and 
seq.  ;  nature  of,  210;  'a  royal  letter,' 
217,  218 ;  a  letter  of  indemnity,  219  ; 
will  not  allow  her  name  to  transpire, 
210,  220;  instructions  to  port  gover- 
nors, 210,  216  n.  4 ;  her  rage  over 
Malta,  213-215;  Emma  indispensable  ; 
renewed  Anglo-mania,  213-214 ;  dis- 
like of  Gallo  {q.v. ),  214  ;  Emma  on  hor, 
ib.  ;  (July  19),  time  for  her  '  open 
sesame'  delivered  to  Nelson,  215;  at 
first  ineffective,  219  ;  evidence  to  show 
that  Nelson's  quick  change  from  dis- 
appointment to  rapture  on  July  22  was 
due  to  her  letters  of  intervention,  216, 
219  n.  I,  220,  222 ;  her  transports  at 
battle  of  Nile  related  by  Emma  to 
Nelson,  6,  8,  223  and  seq.,  226  ;  App., 
Part  II.  A.  ;  and  from  other  sources, 
223  ;  her  letter  to  Emma,  223  and  n.  i 
to  226  n.  2 ;  to  Circello,  ib.  ;  unwell 
on  Nelson's  arrival  from  Egypt,  228 ; 
continues  ill,  230;  Nelson's  manifesto 
to  Lady  Hamilton  v.  procrastination 
for  her,  mentions  dignity  of,  233 ; 
catches  his  promptness  from  Emma, 
235;  her  'regency,'  235  and  n.  4; 
conversation  with  Emma,  238  ;  cheered 
by  brief  Neapolitan  successes  at  Rome 
(Nov.),  plunged  in  despair  by  defeats, 
pities  her  husband,  239  ;  fresh  home 
conspiracies,  239,  247;  devotions,  240; 
pride  under  reverses,  241  ;  (Dec),  rage 
and  despair,  243 ;  first  disinclination 
to  follow  Nelson's  advice  and  Emma's 
lead,  243;  letters  to  her  daughter,  243, 
250,  256 ;  her  doubts,  244  ;  relies 
wholly  on  Emma  and  Nelson,  who 
persuade  and  protect  her,  246  and  seq.  ; 
the  original  plan  for  her  escape, 
247,  249  ;  altered,  ib.  ;  causes  of  her 
hesitation,  248;  scene  within  palace, 
ib.  ;  episode  of  her  flight,  250  and  seq.  ; 
her  account  of  the  escape,  252  ;  the 
voyage,  storm,  and  Emma's  heroism, 
255  and  seq.  ,  arrival,  bereavement, 
and  grief,  258  and  seq.  ;  devotions,  257, 
278 ;  reflections  on  flight,  260  ;  events 
at  Naples,  ib.  ;  (1799).  and  Luisa 
Sanfelice  (q.v.),  272;  Leghorn  sur- 
renders;  Tuscany  in  revolt,  273,  276  ; 
(June  11),  begs  Nelson  to  undertake 
the  suppression  of  Neapolitan  Jacobins, 
282;  and  Mrs.  Cadogan  (qv.),  286; 
(June  13),  forbidden  to  accompany 
Nelson  to  Naples,  288  ;  suspects  Ruffo, 


288  n.  2,  300  «.  3 ;  her  counsel  to 
Nelson,  297 ;  ascribes  mischief  to 
'  Eletti,' 299  ;  Emma's  action  for,  299- 
300  ;  her  humanity,  304  n.  3 ;  (August), 
her  royal  recognition  of  Emma's  ser- 
vices, 314 ;  withholds  grain  from  Malta, 
316;  (autumn-New  Year),  gambles, 
318;  (1800,  March),  exasperated  at 
probable  transference  of  Malta,  322, 
327;  (May),  her  plans  for  a  journey 
with  Nelson  and  the  Hamiltons,  327  ; 
her  letter,  327 ;  wishes  Hamilton  not 
to  resign  his  post,  ib.  ;  her  intense  ex- 
pressions of  trust  in  and  friendship  for 
Emma,  328;  (June  10),  journey  to 
Leghorn,  Trieste,  etc.,  and  Vienna  with 
Hamiltons,  329  ;  presents,  329  ;  part- 
ing with  Emma,  332  ;  the  portrait, 
355;  (1801),  resumes  correspondence 
with  her,  363  and  n.  5  ;  writes  to 
Nelson,  375  ;  and  to  Emma,  397  ; 
(1804),  402 ;  addresses  British  ministers 
on  Emma's  behalf,  409 ;  her  dis- 
tressing situation,  410;  (1804),  de- 
spairs at  Nelson's  quitting  Mediter- 
ranean, 418  ;  (1806),  writes  to  Emma, 
438;  (1808),  disregards  Enmia's  peti- 
tion for  Mrs.  Grafer,  443  and  n.  3  ; 
continues,  however,  affectionate  corre- 
spondence, 444 ;  fears  that  discussion 
of  Emma's  claims  may  compromise 
her,  ib.  ;  gratitude,  ib.  ;  much  beset, 
ib.\  (i8io),  again  an  exile,  454;  (1814), 
death,  471;  App.  511;  Letters  of, 
to  Lady  Hamilton,  13,  139,  148,  176- 
177,    190,    199,    202  11.  4,    214,  223  n. 

1,  226  n.  2,  229  n.  4,  244  n.  I,  245- 
247,  250,  284  n.  2,  288  «.  2,  292 
71.  I,  299  n.  I,  300  n.  3,  304  n.  3,  320 
n.  I,  327,  332,  363  71.  5,  397,  402,  484, 
485  71.  2  ;  the  Queen  and  Lady  Ham- 
ilton's Attitudes,  {q.v.),  134. 

Maria    Theresa,     113-115,     114     «.     2, 

243- 
Marie  Antoinette,   9,    126,    136;  (1791), 

138,      145;      (1792 -1793).     152.     153 

"■  5- 
Marlborough,  Duke  of  (1802),  393. 

Duchess  of,  analogy  to,  154. 

Masham,  Abigail,  154. 

Masquerier,  James  [artist],  21. 

Massa,  General  ['  Patriot '    commander] 

(1799,  June),  298  ;  misled.  302. 
Matcliam  family,  the  (1802),  at  home  at 

Merton,  386;  the   Milford  tour,    394; 

(1804),  414;  (1805),  remain  at  Merton 

to   bid   Nelson   farewell,   424;  (1806), 

Emma's  warm  upholders,  436  notes  i, 

2,  and  3;  (1811-1812),  invite  her,  456; 
(1813),  458;  (1814),  assist  her,  461, 
470;  plans  and  invitations,  464. 

Matcham,  Mr.  (1800),  334. 

Mrs.   [Nelson's    pet   sister]    (1800), 

334  :  (1803),  405  :  (1810),  455. 

George  [their  son],  333  //.    3,   386; 

(1805),  sees  Nelson  off,  424;  (1813) 
visits  Emma  at  Temple  Place,  461. 


544 


EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 


Matcham,  Miss,  letter  to  Lady  Hamilton, 

414;  (1813),  457. 
Maynard,  Lady  [Nancy  Parsons],  24. 
Medici,  Luigi  di,  Cavaliere  (1789),  123  ; 

(1799),   'regente,'  145,   174;  his   early 

treason,  ib.  n.  2;  (1794),  trial  of,  174; 

and  Queen,  199. 
Medicis,  Catherine  of,  119. 
M^jean    [French    commandant    of   San 

Elmo]  (1799,  June),  291-311;  motives, 

and  apathy  to  '  Patriots, '294;  hostages, 

ib.  ;     threatens     bombardment,     298 ; 

selfishness.  301  ;  bombards,  307. 
Melville,   Lord,    and   Emma's    'claims,' 

205,  401 ;  (1805),  448. 
Commodore     (1787),      and      Lady 

Hamihon,  107. 
Merlin  [mechanic],  ^j. 
Metastasio  [poet],  121. 
Meyricks,  the  (1803),  399. 
Michelle,  Count  [French  ambassador  at 

Naples],  152  V.  i. 
Micheroux,  Chevalier  (1797),  198  ;  (1799, 

June),  ib.  and  n.  3,  292,  298,  301. 
Middleion,  Lord  {1784),  70,  83. 
Minasi,  Padre  [musician  and  antiquarian], 

120. 
Minto,    first     Earl     of    [see   Elliot,    Sir 

Gilbert]. 
Lady   [and   see   Elliot,   Lady],   320 

n.  I. 
Mirabeau,  143. 
Moira,   Lord,    and  Emma's   music,    104 

«.  3. 
Moliterno,  Prince  [general]  (1795),  175  ; 

(1799,  Jan.),  266  ;  and  Lazzaroni  (^.z'. ), 

268 ;  App.  500. 
Monaco,  Prince  of  (1789),  128. 
Moore,     Mr.     and     Mrs.    John    [Lady 

Hamilton's  uncle  and  aunt],  42. 

Ephraim  and  Catherine,  42  //.  5. 

Morland,  Henry  [painter],  33. 
Moutray,  Mrs.,  157. 
Mulgrave,  Lord,  163. 
Munster,  Count  (1796),  193. 
Murray,  Lady  Augusta,  148  «.  i. 

Nancy  [Lady  Hamilton's  servant],  421, 
448,  460. 

Naselli,  General  (1799),  267. 

Nelson,  Charlotte  [afterwards  Lady 
Bridport],  25,  41  ;  (1800),  334:  (1801), 
361;  and  n.  5,  371,  376-7.  382,  384  ; 
(1803),  405,  407;  (1804),  413,  415; 
{1806-7),  constantly  at  Merton,  439. 

Horatia  [afterwards    Mrs.    Ward], 

12  n.  S,  13  n.  6,  14,  23,  25,  27,  162  ; 
birth  and  christening,  352  and  n.  3, 
353-355.  368,  370,  381,  383.  384.  38s 
n.  I,  403,  404,  407,  412  ;  (1804),  small- 
pox, 417;  fixed  at  Merton,  ih.  ;  (1805), 
422,  424;  to  be  styled  'Nelson,"  427 
n.  I  ;  (1806-8), 434,  438  n.  I  ;  'cousin,' 
439,  441,  442,  444  ;  proposal  for  pension 
to,  447  n.  2 ;  education,  441-2,  451, 
467,  468  ;  (1809),  452  ;  (1810),  455  n.  5  ; 
(1812-13),  456,    457   and   stq;    (1813), 


458;  maternal  admonitions  to,  459-60; 
her  cup,  460;  (1^14),  flight  with  Lady 
Hamilton  to  France,  465,  466  and  w.  3, 
467  71 .  3,  469  n.  3,  470  71.  3 ;  and  Earl 
Nelson,  472. 

Nelson,  the  Rev.  Edmund  [Nelson's 
father]  (1798),  240  ;  (1800),  334,  336; 
(iSor),  visits  Merton,  381;  (1802,  April), 
death,  390  ;  Lady  Hamilton  mentior.s, 
App.  515- 

Horatio,     'The    Younger,'    (1800), 

334,  383.  385  «•  I  ;  (1802),  394;  (1805), 
designed  by  his  uncle  to  marry  Horatia, 
418 ;  buried  in  Nelson's  vault,  432 
n.  2. 

Horatio,  Viscount  (1758-1805),  14, 

20  71.  I,  46,  137,  142;  sobriety,  333 
;?.  3 ;  on  Lady  Hamilton's  kindliness, 
24-27  ;  his  idealisation  of  her  exempli- 
fied in  a  new  and  remarkable  instance, 
25-26,  225 ;  his  treatment  of  Lady 
Nelson  treated  in  advance,  29 ;  his 
keen  desire  for  fatherhood,  29 ;  his 
amativeness,  I57«.,  226^.  i  ;  'electric,' 
10  and  w.  I ;  exaggerativeness,  358 ; 
dislike  of  crowds,  381 ;  heart  complaint 
in  his  family,  415  71.  i;  his  character  and 
antecedents  considered,  157-162,  368; 
Scott's  tribute  to,  160  ;z.  3  ;  his  idealisa- 
tion of  Emma,  psychologised  and 
analysed,  2,  9,  10,  22,  24,  25,  27,  28 
and  7t.  2,  29,  161  and  se(].,  163-4,  225, 
274-6,  285,  323-4,  348-52,  363,  390, 
438-9,  473  ;  (1793,  Sept.  10),  arrival  at 
Naples,  156;  description  of  his  recep- 
tion by  court,  162 ;  by  Hamiltons, 
163;  first  impressions  of  Emma,  165; 
awakes  Naples,  166  ;  his  parting  enter- 
tainment, 167  ;  his  view  of  Jacobinism 
chimes  with  Europe's,  173;  (1795), 
166,  172;  (1796),  his  anger  at  minis- 
terial lukewarmness  in  prosecuting  the 
war,  183;  (1797),  196  ;  his  view  of  Eng- 
lish Government  and  Mediterranean 
squadron,  196 ;  his  views  prevail  at 
Naples,  197;  (1798),  Grenville  on,  199 
7t.  2;  sails  for  Mediterranean,  200; 
chases  French  fleet,  201  and  seq,  ; 
approaches  Naples,  202;  'conservated,' 
202  n.  4 ;  his  instructions,  projects,  and 
prospects,  203  and  seq.  ;  his  letter  tc 
Hamilton,  203 ;  the  obstacles  to  be 
faced,  ib.;  Hamilton's  correspondence 
with,  204 ;  his  need  and  wish  for  a 
roving  '  credential,' 204,  206;  his  mes- 
sage to  Hamiltons  (June  17),  his 
further  requisitions,  206  ;  the  order  '  in 
King's  name,'  206  and  seq. ;  his  two 
letters  from  Emma,  209-210  ;  his 
hitherto  disputed  reply  to  one  of  them 
proved,  211  ;  on  setting  sail  immedi- 
ately resumes  correspondence  with 
Hamiltons,  'laurels  or  cypress,"  213, 
222;  on  Malta,  ib.;  'co-operation,'  ib.; 
in  hot  pursuit,  215 ;  (July  19),  at 
Syracuse,  ib.;  episode  and  significance 
of  'Governor  of  Syracuse  lett  r,"  and 


INDEX 


545 


Nelson,  Horatio,  Viscount — co?ilinued. 
events  of  July  19-23  fully  considered, 
216-223  I  'show  of  resistance,  217,  218  ; 
his  disappointment,  and  inefiicacy  both 
of  Acton's  irregular  order  and  Queen's 
private  and  secret  letter,  219 ;  his  desire 
to  hasten  the  watering,  etc.,  of  fleet, 
time  all  important,  219  and  «.  i  ; 
until  late  on  July  22,  did  not  expect  to 
be  ready  till  23rd,  219  n.  i,  220;  his 
two  letters  of  invitation  to  Hamilton 
and  Lady  Hamilton,  219,  220 ;  his  two 
rapturous  letters  following  them,  220- 
222  ;  evidence  that  change  of  tone  was 
due  to  intervention  of  '  Queen's  letter,' 
216,  219  «.  I,  220,  222;  the  Arethusa 
letter  considered,  221,  222;  his  letters 
explain  each  other,  221  n.  4  ;  sails  re- 
fitted and  reheartened,  222  and  seq. ; 
habit  of  rehearsing  his  plans,  223  ; 
battle  of  the  Nile,  and  its  effects,  223, 
224  ;  as  related  in  Emma's  correspon- 
dence with  him  of  this  date,  6,  8, 
223,  224 ;  his  letters  to  her,  224  n. 
3 ;  to  his  wife,  ib.  n.  4 ;  his  feel- 
ings towards  Emma,  225,  226,  232, 
23S1  283,  285 ;  (Sept.  22),  arrival  in 
Naples,  228-9  ;  his  account  of  meet- 
ing with  Lady  Hamilton,  228-9  5  ^^'s 
bad  state  of  health,  229  and  «.  4  ;  at 
Castellamare,  ib.  ;  Lady  Hamilton's 
party  for  his  birthday,  230,  231 ; 
consults  Lady  Hamilton  (Oct.  3),  his 
political  manifesto  addressed  to  her 
for  the  Queen's  attention,  231-233  and 
w.  I,  App.  493  ;  plans  and  movements, 
234  ;  parting  letter  to  Emma  before 
sailing  for  Malta,  234 ;  leaves 
Emma  as  vicegerent,  her  letters  to 
him,  135  and  seq.  ;  his  important 
declaration  as  to  unauthorised  Maltese 
capitulations,  238  and  n.  2;  (Nov.), 
returns,  Naples  declares  war,  238 ; 
starts  for  Leghorn,  which  surrenders, 
239;  (Dec),  returns,  his  avowal 
of  Emma's  influence  on  him,  240; 
his  preparation  with  her  for  royal 
escape,  144  and  seq. ;  omens,  244 ;  his 
view  of  Neapolitan  situation,  244 ; 
protects  coasts,  245;  his  plans,  247  and 
seq.  ;  his  official  accounts  of  Enmia's 
services,  246,  252,  255 ;  (Dec.  21), 
irritated  at  Acton's  delays  and  stolidity, 
248;  merchants  look  to  him  and 
Hamilton  for  protection,  248;  brooks 
no  more  delay,  249 ;  account  of  the 
escape,  252 ;  the  scene  of,  253,  254  ; 
voyage, tempest,  and  arrival  at  Palermo, 
255  and  seq.  ;  his  tribute  to  Emma, 
257  ;  reception  on  arrival,  ib.  ;  present 
to  Emma,  259  ;  lodges  with  Hamiltons, 
259;  offers  ship  to  take  ailing  Hamiltons 
home,  260 ;  disgust  at  Neapolitan 
events,  265  ;  opinion  of  Ruffo,  271  ti.  3  ; 
anxiety  for  Egypt  and  Malta,  272  and 
n.  2,  273;  and  Lady  Nelson,  ib.;  his 
pre-occupations,  273  and  seq. ;  (March), 


already  declares  willingness  to  suppress 
Neapolitan  Jacobins,  274  ;  and  France, 
ib. ;  slights  of,  273,  274 ;  sends  Trou- 
bridge  to  Procida,  I'unis,  274 ;  duty 
detains  him  in  Sicily,  evidence  that,  ib. 
and  seq.,  289;  ill  health,  275;  Lady 
Hamilton's  sympathetic  activity,  275- 
6 ;  his  verses  to  Emma,  278 ;  Trou- 
bridge's  mission  to  Procida,  278-9 ; 
(March),  opinion  of  Caracciolo,  279  ; 
(May),  hears  of  French  fleet,  move- 
ments and  motives  up  to  June  17,  279- 
289  ;  (May),  and  Hamiltons,  281  and 
seq.;  bequests,  281  ;  (May  28),  re-lands 
at  Palermo,  Foote's  commission,  Fou- 
droyant,  282  ;  (June),  invitation  to 
St.  Vincent,  282;  (June  11  and  12), 
Queen's  invitation  to  suppress  Jacobins, 
his  feelings,  283-4  !  Emma's,  284  ; 
his  mixed  feelings,  286 ;  vexations 
and  affronts,  287  ;  and  Minorca,  287 
71.  2 ;  decides  to  start  for  Naples, 
embarks  (June  13)  and  disembarks 
(June  14)  the  Crown  Prince,  takes 
fourth  short  cruise  of  survey,  288 ; 
learns  Ruffo's  unauthorised  armistice, 
288 ;  starts  with  Hamiltons  for  Naples, 
289 ;  short  view  of  his  approaching 
policy,  289-90;  Jacobin  'mob-system,' 
143 ;  (June  25),  concerts  battle-place 
with  IDuckworth,  289  n.  5,  296,  297  ; 
state  of  affairs  on  arrival,  291-297  ;  the 
terms  of  capitulations  and  armistices, 
295-6 ;  Nelson's  views  on,  297 ;  joy  of 
loyalists,  297,  299 ;  his  memorandum 
to  Ruffo,  297 ;  he  annuls  armistice 
and  capitulations,  298  ;  interview  with 
Ruffo,  ib.;  signatories  to  capitulations, 
protest,  298  ;  castles  Uovo  and  Nuovo 
surrender,  298 ;  Emma's  '^nergy  and 
resource,  299-300;  distii'cao.,  between 
armistice  with  French  and  capitulations 
with  Patriots,  300  ;  (June  25),  refuses  to 
let  rebels  'quit  or  embark,'  iL  n.  2; 
(June  26),  does  not  change  front  to 
rebels,  302  ;  will  not  oppose  '  embarka- 
tion,' 303;  awaits  King's  orders,  ib.% 
his  after-vindication,  303-304  ;  Govern- 
ment endorses  his  policy,  304 ;  Carac- 
ciolo, 305-307;  demands  from  Ruffo  con- 
cerning, 306;  King's  influence,  306  ».  3; 
the  'sentence,'  307;  attacks  St.  Elmo,  ib. 
308  ;  on  Lady  Hamilton's  labours  and 
humanity,  308  ;  celebration  of  August  i, 
311  ;  commanding  admiral,  ib.;  episode 
of  Caracciolo's  resurrection,  311  ; 
(Aug.  9),  Palermo,  311  ;  the  signal 
pageant  in  his  honour,  312-13;  Bronte 
and  other  honours,  312  -  13  [and 
for  Emma's  part  in,  see  '  Hamilton, 
Emma,  Lady,  and  reference  to  App. 
there  given];  Acton,  314  w.  4  ;  'Jove,' 
314,  340  ;  (August-  December),  his 
many  and  various  activities,  314-316; 
Port  Mahon,  and  care  for  \Ialta,  315  ; 
(Sept.  22),  lands  again  at  Palermo, 
sends    to    free    Rome,    ib.;    Barbary 


2  M 


546 


EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 


Nelson,  Horatio,  Viscount — continued. 
States,  deplores  Napoleon's  elusion  of 
British  fleet,  ib.  ;  dejection,  ib.  and 
316 ;  home  annoyances.  East  India 
Company's  grant,  317  ;  temporary 
chief  command,  317  n.  i  ;  tone  of 
letters,  317,  318  ;  letter  to  Lady  Hamil- 
ton, 318  ;  '  Dame  Fortune,'  home 
slanders,  319  ;  refuted,  320  ;  again 
under  Keith's  orders,  321  ;  aims  and 
annoyances,  ib.  ;  Leghorn,  Malta, 
capture  of  Le  Ginireiix,  ib.  and  322  ; 
(March),  Maltese  blockade  progressing, 
re-lands  at  Palermo,  322 ;  (Ap  il  23), 
the  journey  to  Malta  and  back,  322- 
26  ;  reflections  on  his  present  climax 
of  passion,  323-25,  340  71.  3,  370;  his 
recollections  of  voyage,  325  n.  i  ; 
(May  20),  Palermo,  announces  his 
return  home,  326 ;  the  homeward 
journey,  329-40  ;  Leghorn,  329-30  ; 
ignorance  of  big  world,  330-31  ; 
Vienna,  332;  Dresden,  333;  Hamburg, 
335 ;  Yarmouth  and  London,  336 ; 
medal,  ib.  n.  2 ;  and  Lady  Nelson, 
337  ;  events  in  London,  337  -  8  ; 
Fonthill,  338 ;  scene  with  wife,  ib.  ; 
repudiation  and  provision,  338-9  and 
n.  3,  349  n.  3;  'outcast,'  ib.  n.  4, 
375  ;  the  breach  considered,  339-40  ; 
(r8oi),  and  Flaxman,  341  ;  fresh  causes 
for  admiration  of  Emma,  341-43,  346; 
ill,  but  eager  for  action.  Northern 
Coalition  summons  him  to  confront 
it,  anxiety  for  Emma,  lawsuits  and 
vexations,  343  -  46 ;  parting  from 
Emma,  San  Josef,  346-7  ;  imminence 
of  Horatia's  birth,  the  singular  Thom- 
son correspondence  with  Emma,  347 
and  seq. ;  Nelson's  agitation  and  pious 
affection,  350-52 ;  a  remarkable  letter 
to  Lady  Hamilton,  351  ;  another  ex- 
pressing attachment  for  her  character, 
352 ;  birth  of  Horatia,  352  and  n.  3 ; 
his  transports  and  anxiety  as  shown  by 
letters,  353-55  ;  bequeaths  the  Queen's 
portrait  to  Emma,  355  ;  anagrams,  ib. 
and  n.  2  ;  the  Prince  of  Wales  episode, 
and  his  letters  on,  358-66,  371 ;  and 
Sir  William,  360  and  seq.,  362;  de- 
termines to  'run  up  to  London,' 
362  ;  praises  Emma's  constancy,  362  ; 
about  Greville,  ib. ;  affinities  to  Emma, 
363 ;  his  canonisation  of,  26,  363 ; 
(February),  hurries  up  to  London,  364 
and  seq.;  (March),  visits  Horatia,  370 
and  n.  x;  departure  for  Copenhagen,  ' 
366  and  seq.  ;  patriotism,  367,  368 ;  | 
vents  feelings  to  Emma,  368 ;  wish  to  j 
retire  to  Bronte,  ib. ;  hopes  for  a  visit  j 
at  Yarmouth,  371 ;  on  Hamilton's  sell-  , 
ing  portraits,  371  «.  4;  Copenhagen, 
fresh  slights  and  misconstructions,  374- 
76  ;  Emma's  birthday,  375  ;  (July  i), 
retiu"ns,  only  to  be  ordered  off  soon  to  I 
Channel,  ib.  ;  visit  to  Staines,  376 ;  j 
Parker's  death,  377  ;  kept  off  Kentish  1 


coast,  ib.  ;  forwards  Hamilton's  in- 
terests, 378  ;  recollections,  378 ;  acquisi- 
tion of  Merton  Place,  378-84 ;  its  church, 
384 ;  offers  Merton  to  Emma,  379 ; 
divides  expenses,  380  ;  entry  into,  381 ; 
generosity  to  father,  ib.  n.  7 ;  exhausted, 
383  ;  liberality  practised  on,  35  ;  wine, 
386  ;  accounts,  387  ;  prefers  Merton  to 
social  solemnities,  391 ;  (1802),  the 
Beckford-Hamilton  peerage  plot,  389- 
90 ;  (April),  grief  at  father's  death, 
Hamilton's  sympathy,  391-2 ;  gene- 
rosity, 390;  (June),  Eton,  451  71.  i; 
(July),  the  Milford  and  Cardiff  trip  and 
demonstrations,  394-96;  (1803),  Sir 
William's  death,  and  Nelson's  letter, 
397-8  ;  the  will,  and  his  suspicions  as 
to  Greville,  399 ;  Hamilton's  expres- 
sions about  Nelson,  400 ;  applies  for 
Emma,  401  ;  (May),  a  wedding  and  a 
christening,  402,  403  ;  departs  for  the 
Mediterranean,  402-3 ;  on  Greville's 
conduct  to  Emma,  403 ;  his  farewell 
words,  404 ;  occupations  and  ob- 
sessions, 406-7  ;  (1804),  writes  to 
Horatia,  407  ;  and  King  and  Queen  of 
Naples,  408,  410  and  ».  4  ;  daemonic, 
410 ;  ill-health  and  dispiritments,  409- 
10,  411,  418;  on  guard,  his  move- 
ments; Emma,  Merton,  and  Horatia 
haunt  him,  411-12  ;  (1804),  the  regained 
portrait,  412  ;  anxiety  for  Emma  and 
Horatia,  351,  417;  his  announcement 
concerning  Horatia,  417;  (1805),  pre- 
pares to  quit  Mediterranean,  418  ;  his 
movements  in  search  of  French 
squadron,  419  and  seq.;  West  Indies, 
420  ;  letters  opened,  421 ;  secures  safety 
of  Cadiz,  his  further  efforts,  lands  at 
Spithead  (Aug.  18),  422  ;  at  Merton  for 
the  last  time,  422,  423 ;  parting  hours 
and  scenes  of  farewell,  423-4,  422  n.  3 ; 
forebodings,  424  and  «.  3 ;  last  mes- 
sages before  Trafalgar  to  Emma  and 
Horatia,  424-26  ;  Trafalgar  and  death, 
426-29,  App.  524-26  ;  his  body's  home- 
coming, 429,  431 ;  Scott's  description, 
431-2  ;  funeral,  432  ;  his  sword,  426  n. 
1  ;  his  sword  of  honour,  465  and  w.  2  ; 
his  coat,  430,  437  ;  particulars  about 
sarcophagus,  432  «.  2;  his  will,  434;  his 
annuity  to  Emma  does  not  take  effect 
till  1808,  and  even  then  not  wholly, 
434,  and  App.  489 ;  Lady  Hamilton's 
devotion  to  his  memory  and  wishes, 
441-2 ;  his  solemn  assurance  to  Pitt 
as  to  Emma's  claims,  445 ;  Mrs. 
Damer's  bust  of,  67  n.  5  ;  his  verses,  3 
and  «.  I,  277  342. 
Qualities — 

A77ibition,  160. 

Fanatifism,  406. 

Infectious  enthusiasTn,  161,  166,  419, 

423-. 
Intuitio7i,  159  71.   I,    232,   241,    410, 

419,  420. 
Mag7ia7timity ,  409. 


INDEX 


547 


Nelson,  Horatio,  Viscount — continued. 
Poetical  phrases  of,  3  «.  i,  7  «.  i,  10, 

213  n.  I. 
Religious  ideas,  160. 
Simplicity  and  generosity  of,  158. 
Spontaneity,  160,  161. 
Theatricality,  159. 
Unselfishness,  223,  406,  409,  419. 
Various  letters  of,  alluded  to  [Ch.  I., 
passim  and  App.  Pt.  11.  D.  and  E.], 
99  «.  I  ;    on  .Sardinia,   141  n.  2 ; 
(1801),   of  Greville,    109  n.  2,  402 
n,  5,   406-7,   409,    411,   412,   417, 
418,  419,  421,  426,  429. 
His    wording     regarding     Emma's 
several     'Claims.'      [See     'Lady 
Hamilton,  Emma,'  and  'Claims' 
under  same  heading.] 

Frances,    Viscountess,     29,     157 ; 

character  of,  158  ;  (1798),  Nelson  to, 
229  n.  3  ;  letters  to,  from  Lady  Hamil- 
ton, 227,  229  n.  I,  231 ;  App.  491  ; 
Lady  Hamilton  on,  238;  (1798,  Oct.), 
273;  (1799),  285  and  ?i.  2;  and 
East  India  Company's  grant,  317; 
(iSoo),  her  injuries  considered,  323-4, 
326,  336;  absent  in  Nelson's  welcome, 
336 ;  scene  with  husband  and  Lady 
Hamilton,  338  ;  eventually  repudiated, 
338)  339  ^"d  ^-  i;  'Tom  Tit,'  339, 
340,  364 ;  her  attitude,  339  and  w.  3, 
350 ;  Brighton,  346,  349,  364,  371  ; 
(1806),  buried  near  Exmouth,  432  n.  2  ; 
Lady  Hamilton's  third  letter  to,  App. 

514- 

Maurice,  334,  339  n.  i,  365,  374. 

Sarah,    Mrs.    William    [afterwards 

Countess  Nelson]  (1800),  334,  340; 
(1801,  February),  hurries  up  at  Nelson's 
request  to  protect  Emma ;  Emma's 
correspondence  with,  364  and  scq. ,  370, 
376,  394,  405,  413,  415;  (1806  and 
after),  continued  her  friendship  for, 
and  visits  to  Emma,  439. 

the  Rev.  William  [Earl  Nelson],  42; 

(1800),  334  and  «.  2,  339;  oddities, 
353 ;  praises  Emma's  conduct,  362  ; 
characteristics,  363  n.  i,  370  n.  3 ; 
Staines,  376-7;  (1802),  394,  408  ;  (1803), 
405,  413,  415;  (1804,  Aug.  i),  417; 
his  behaviour  regarding  the  codicil 
discussed,  433-36,  450,  -'^pp.  508  ;  his 
conduct  concerning  Nelson's  coat, 
437 ;  shabbiness,  436-7 ;  conduct  to 
Mrs.  Maurice  Nelson  [see  '  Ford, 
Mrs.'].  444  «•  I ;  App.  501-507;  (1814), 
Lady  Hamilton  on  his  conduct,  468-9  ; 
his  hardness,  470,  472. 

William  (1810),  454. 

Nepean,   Sir  Evan  (i8oi),    365 ;    App. 

503- 
Newton,  Mr.  and  Mrs.,  380,  382. 
Nichol,  family  of,  43,  443. 
Niciiolson,  M;irgarct,  61. 
Nicolas,  Sir  Harris  N.,  221,  350. 
Nisbet,  Francis[see  Nelson,  Viscountess!. 
Nisbct,  Josiah,Captain[Nclson'sslepson|, 


165,  227,  231 ;  at  Neapolitan  Embassy 
(1798),  240;  ill  conduct,  273  ;  (1801), 
365  and  n.  2,  370. 

Nisbet,  Mrs.  (1801),  343,  357,  360. 

Nizza,  Admiral  (1799,  September),  314. 

NoUekens  [sculptor],  57. 

Northwick,  Lord,  16  «.  1  ;  (1808),  451. 

Nudi,  Dr.,  179. 

Ogilvie  [banker],  80  n.  4. 

Oliver  [interpreter]  (1800),  335  ;  (1801), 

350,  368,  408. 
Opic,  J.  [artist],  21. 
Orde,  Sir  John  (1805),  419,  420. 
Orloff,    Count   [Russian   ambassador  at 

Naples]  24  n.  i. 

Pagako  [jurisprudent],  120  and  n.  4. 

Paget,  Mr.  [Hamilton's  temporary  suc- 
cessor], 99  M.  4  ;  Hanoverian  ambas- 
dor,  180  n.  2,  322  and  ti.  2,  327. 

Paisiello  [composer],  102,  117,  228. 

Pali  [leader  of  the  Lazzaroni],  9,  299-300. 

Pallanti  [envoy],  139. 

Palmerston,  Lady  (1793),  154. 

Palmieri  [scientist],  120. 

Panthea  [freedwoman],  Emma's  proto- 
type, 224. 

Parker,  Sir  Hyde  (1801),  345,  362. 

Captain   (i8oi),   345,  353  ;  (death), 

376- 

Lieutenant  (1801),  345, 361  ;  (death), 

377;  App.  516. 

Parma,  Duke  of  (1791),  139. 

Parratt,  Dr.,  380. 

Patterson,  Mr.  and  Mrs.,  380. 

Payne,  Willet-,  Rear-Admiral,  46,  49 ; 
(1802),  death,  394. 

Peddieson  [upholsterer],  424  n.  3. 

Peirson,  Mrs.  (1806),  440. 

Pembroke,  Earl  of,  31,  150. 

Pcpc  [afterwards  General]  (1799),  268, 
(June),  291  and  seq. 

P^ncival,  Lady  (1805),  431,  439, 

Spencer,  458. 

Perconti,  Eliza  (1800),  328. 

Perring,  Sir  John  (1808),  449. 

Perry,  Mr.,  380,  423,  457,  458,  462,  465. 

Pescher  [banker  and  conspirator]  (1793), 
144. 

Petion  (1791),  143. 

Piazra,  267. 

Pignatelli  [author],  121. 

Count,  144  «,  I. 

Prince    (1794),     174:     (Dec.    23), 

Captain-General,  256;  (1799,  Jan.), 
260;  his  action  and  absconsion,  265, 
268 ;  secret  negotiations  with  French, 
267,  273  ;  ill  behaviour,  279 ;  '  sur- 
rounded by  scoundrels,'  30  n.  3. 

Pimentel,  Eleonora  de  Fonseca  [poetess 
and  revolutionist],  121-2  ;  (1799),  264; 
edits  Monitore,  269,  305. 

Pitt,  Willi.im  [statesman]  (1783),  69; 
(1794).  i77«.6;(i8oi),  364; (1802),  394; 
and  Emma's  claims,  205;  and  Hamilton, 


548 


EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 


378;  (1803),  402;  (1804),  411;  (1805), 

assured  by  Nelson  of  Emma's  services, 
445  ;  Melville  addresses  him  on  her 
behalf,  448  ;  Emma's  admiration  for, 
416;  energy,  419;  and  Nelson,  423; 
(1806,  Jan.),  his  death  affects  Emma's 
claims,  435,  448. 

Pisa,  Colonel  (1798),  197  n  i. 

Pius  VI.,  Pope  (1791),  120,.  138;  (1797), 
and  Austria,  196  n.  i  ;  ejected  from 
republicanised  Rome,  183,  196  and 
n.  I,  197 ;  death  of,  ib. 

Plymouth,  Lady  (1791),  147;  her  letter 
to  Emma,  148;  (1792),  150;  (1793), 
122,  155. 

Polignac,  Prince  (1791),  131. 

Pope  cited,  160,  176  t?.  3. 

Portland,  Duke  of,  31. 

Portman  Square,  33  n.  2,  41. 

Potemkin,  Prince,  127  71.  4. 

Pott,  Emily  [see  Seaforth,  Lady]. 

Potter,  Mr. ,  43. 

Pova,  Mary,  41. 

Powell,  Harriet  [actress],  [see  Seaforth, 
Lady]. 

Jane  [actress],  45  and  ib.  note  2  ; 

(1791),  135;  (1803),  with  Lady  Hamil- 
ton at  Southend,  408. 

Prussia,  and  Frederick,  King  of  (1792), 
and  Austria,  144;  (1793).  .152;  (i794). 
resents  spread  of  Jacobinism,  173 ; 
Countess  Lichtenau  {q.v.),  180;  (1795- 
96),  deserts  coalition  against  France, 
182,  184  ;  (1803),  Third  Coalition,  402. 

Puleston,  Sir  R.  (1811),  456. 

QuEENSBERRY,  Duke  of  ['Old  Q.'],  23  ; 
(1791).  135;  (1801),  357,  373,  376;  at 
Merton,  386;  (1803),  408;  (1805), 
422  «.  3;  (1807),  440;  (1808),  448; 
(1810),  death  and  luckless  bequests  of, 
452,  454- 

Rasoumowsky,  Count,  24  n.  i. 
Rega  [intaglio-cutter],  20. 
Reynolds  family,  the,  43,  443. 

Ann   [Lady    Hamilton's    maternal 

aunt],  43. 

Richard,  43,  443,  4.55. 

Sir  Joshua,  and  Romney,   17 ;  and 

Lady  Hamilton,  20 ;  on  Hamilton's 
connoisseurship,  34  Jt.  i ;  and  'Thais,' 
38. 

Richard  [Lady   Hamilton's  uncle], 

43- 

Sarah,  43,  421,  455. 

Riario,  Prince  (1791),  144,  167. 
Richelieu,  Cardinal,  119. 
Robespierre  (1794),  173. 
Robinson,  Mrs.  ['Perdita'],  20,  24. 
Rocco,  Padre  [Royalist  reformer],  120. 
Rficcomana,  Duke  of  (1799,  Jan.),  leads 

Lazzaroni  {//.v.),  268. 
Rodney,  Lord  (1780),  124. 
Rohan,  Pierre  Camille  de,  85  ».  i. 
Romney,  George  (1734-1802),  8,  11,  12, 

14 ;    and  Lady   Hamilton,    16-21,    26, 


44 ;  evidence  as  to  first  acquaintance 
with  Lady  Hamilton,  46,  49,  50,  51, 
56;  (1783-86),  his  friendship  with  Emma, 
60-62  ;  acknowledges  her  '  inspiration.' 
99  and  u.  5  ;  scene  in  his  studio,  62, 
63;  (1784),  77;  (1785),  79,  90;  (1786), 
invited  to  Naples,  94 ;  intended  to  be 
Emma's  trustee,  95  ;  (1791),  Emma's 
surprise  visit  to,  133  ;  intercourse 
between  him  and  the  Hamiltons  till 
her  marriage,  19,  133-135,  136  ?/.  3; 
letter  to,  from  Lady  Hamilton,  on  her 
new  happiness,  147  ;  his  answer  to  her 
invitation  to  Naples,  ib.  ;  (1800),  334, 

341  ;  (1801),  desire  to  see  Emma  again, 

342  and  ?/.  3,  361 ;  (1802),  death,  394  ; 
on  sensibility  of  Emma's  mouth,  z'i^. ,  466. 

Romney,  John  [son  and  biographer  of  the 
artist],  18  ?i.  4,  19  n.  3,  60  and  n.  3,  61 
n.  4,  62. 

Rose,  George,  the  Right  Honourable, 
42  ;  and  Emma's  claims,  205,  412  n.  4, 
416  ;  (1805),  last  interview  with  Nelson, 
424,  429,  430  ;  acknowledges  Emma's 
'  claims,'  437  ;  (1808),  445,  446  ;  (1810), 
447  fio^es  I  and  2,  455;  (1813),  458; 
(1814),  466  n.  2,  467 ;  App.  525,  526. 

• Captam,  App.  502. 

Rosenheim,  Count  (1798),  243. 

Ross  [banker],  80  n.  4. 

Rothery,  Mr.,  42. 

Roulanch,  Mile.  [Horatia's  governess 
after  Sarah  Connor  went  as  governess 
to  the  Boltons],  451. 

Rousseau,  J.  J.,  263. 

Rovedino,  Carlo,  456, 

Rovere  family,  the,  123. 

Ruffo,  Cardinal  Fabrizio  (1744-1827), 
character  of,  271 ;  42  n.  2 ;  (1792), 
and  '  camera  oscura,'  145,  197  «.  i  ; 
(1799),  267  71.  2;  designated  Vicar- 
General  ;  King's  strict  injnctions  to, 
271  and  }!.  I ;  Nelson's  opinion  of,  and 
the  Hamiltons,  ib.  and  «.  3;  proclaims 
holy  war,  271  and  se^.  ;  movements 
till  May,  279  ;  (June),  his  armistice  sus- 
pected at  Palermo,  288;  and  Queen, 
289  71.  2,  291  n.  2 ;  and  King,  289 
notes  I  and  2 ;  (early  June),  nears 
Naples,  290 ;  (June  16),  council  at 
Palermo  respecting  him ;  intercepts 
land  communications,  gives  battle  and 
wins,  290,  291  ;  his  humanity,  291 ; 
his  shifty  and  unauthorised  manoeuvres 
for  peace  detailed  and  discussed,  291- 
303 ;  and  M^jean,  292,  300-1  ;  and 
Foote,  292-94  ;  and  Acton,  293  ;  and 
Micheroux,  292,  300 ;  at  Is^elson's 
arrival  (June  23),  297  ;  (June  24),  inter- 
view with  Nelson  and  Hamiltons,  298  ; 
(June  25),  298 ;  '  surrounded  by 
scoundrels,' 300  «.  3;  his  twisting  of 
facts,  301  and  set/,  ;  saved  from  King's 
anger,  303 ;  grateful  to  Lady  Hamil- 
ton, ib.  ;  (1804),  Viennese  mission,  410  ; 
App.  520. 

Francesco,  291  n.  2. 


INDEX 


549 


Rumbold,  Lady,  89. 

Sir  Thomas,  89  and  «. 

Rushout  [diplomatist],  15  n.  5. 

Russell,  Mr.,  456,  465. 

Mrs.,  456,  465  ;  App.  512. 

Russia,  and  Paul,  Emperor  of,  and  Cathe- 
rine II.,  Empress  of,  and  Lady  Ham- 
ilton, 107;  (1794),  resents  spread  of 
Jacobinism,  173;  (1798),  declares  war 
V.  P'rance,  232,  234  ;  promises  fleet  to 
Naples,  239;  (1799,  May),  co-operates 
with  Ruffo,  271  ;  treaty  with  Naples, 
232  ;  and  Malta  (Nelson),  273  w.  2  ; 
fresh  treaty  with  Naples,  Austria,  and 
Turkey,  279  ;  Corfu  blockaded,  290 ; 
(June),  disappointed  of  arranging  peace 
with  Neapolitan  rebels,  297  ;  (October), 
inactive  at  Valetta,  315,  330  w.  3 ;  and 
Nelson's  and  Lady  Hamilton's  Maltese 
services,  350  n.  3  ;  (1803),  third  coali- 
tion, 402;  (1810),  454. 

Ruvo,  Count  (1793),  167;  (1799),  270. 

Vincenzo  [patriot],  291. 

Ruzzi,  Dr.  (1798),  250. 

Saboff,  180. 

Saffory,  Ann  (1788),  120  ;/.  2. 

Sanfelice,  Molines  Luisa  (1799),  her  part 
in  betraying  royal  secrets,  and  her  fate, 
72. 

St.  George,  Miss,  38  «.  3. 

Mrs.  [MelesinaChenevix,  afterwards 

Mrs.  Trench],  22  n.  6,  333  n.  4. 

Saint  Maitre,  Duke  and  Duchess  of 
(1787),  lOI. 

St.  Vincent,  Earl,  and  Lady  Hamilton, 
10,  25,  169,  170,  196,  276  n.  2  ;  (1798). 
and  Acton,  198 ;  correspondence  with 
Emma,  202  n.  4  ;  and  Captain  Bowen, 
210  n.  2;  on  Nelson,  the  Nile,  and 
Jacobinism,  224 ;  on  Nelson's  sus- 
ceptibility, 226  n.  I  ;  (1798),  on  I^ady 
Hamilton's  heroism,  255;  (1799)  258, 
280;  Lady  Hamilton's  appeal  to,  171, 
App.  n,  E.  ;  retirement,  282  ;  Nelson 
invites,  ib.  ;  and  appeals  to,  287 ; 
(1800),  on  Nelson's  philandering,  323, 
330  n.  2;  (1801),  squabbles,  344-5, 
367;  (1808),  Emma  addresses,  444-5, 
App.  512. 

Salandra,  Duke  of  (1799,  August),  '  Vice- 
General,'  311. 

Sambuca,  Marquis  of  (1776),  122. 

San  Clemente,  Marchioness  (1793),  153. 

San  Leucio  (Royal  and  socialistic 
colony),  121. 

San  Marco,  Marchioness  (1793),  153. 

Sandby,  Paul  [artist],  57. 

Sardinia,  115,  141  n.  2,  153;  (1798), 
203. 

Saunders  [savant],  14,  16. 

Sauveur,  Alexandre  ['  hermit  of  Vesu- 
vius'],  107  «.  2,  180. 

Saverio,  245. 

Sawbrige,  John,  M.P. ,  48. 

Saxe,  Chevalier,  180. 

Saye  [me^zotinter],  21  n.  1. 


Sberri,  the,  97  n.  i. 

Schiavonetti  [artist],  57. 

Schinato,  Marquis,  at  Merton,  386. 

Schipani  (1799,  June),  290. 

Schomberg  House,  47. 

Scott,  J.  [Nelson's  secretary],  406. 

Rev.  Dr.  A.  J.  [Nelson's  chaplain  and 

secretary],  160  n.  3,  419,  423  and  n.  2, 
426  n.  I,  428  notes  r  and  2  ;  breaks  news 
of  Nelson's  death  to  Emma,  429,  App. 
524  ;  his  vigil  over  Nelson's  remains 
and  care  for  Emma,  431-2  ;  on  Nelson, 
431  ;  his  tribute  to  Emma,  432  ;  at  the 
funeral,  ib.  ;  (1806,  Sept.),  Lady 
Hamilton's  vindicatory  letter  to,  438. 

Sir  William  [Lord  Stowell],  12  n. 

8,  39  7/.  2;  (1806),  435;  (1814),  466, 
468. 

Seaforth,  Lord,  69. 

Lady,  24,  41,  45. 

S^mouville,       '  Citizen '      [ambassador] 

(1793).  152  n.  2. 
Shelburne,  Lord  [statesman],  57. 
Sheldon  [balloonist],  60. 
Sicigniano    [ambassador]    (1789),    123 ; 

(1793).  145- 
Sicily  (as   distinguished    from    Naples), 

119   n.    4;    (1794),   Jacobinism,    173; 

(1798),  204;  (1799),  289. 
Simpson,  Miss  Molly,  157  «.  5. 
Singleton,  W.  [artist],  21. 
Skamousky,  Madame,  150. 
Skavonska,    Madame   [wife   of    Russian 

ambassador  at  Naples]  (1789),  127. 
Smith,  Jonathan  [alderman],  383;  (1813 

458;   (1814),  461,  465,  466.  472  ;    App. 

513- 

Sidney,    Admiral    Sir   (1799),    273, 

274,  315- 

Solari,  Marchesa  Di,  Anne  Hyde,  16, 
42,  no;  (1792),  143;  and  Lady 
Hamilton's  message  from  Marie 
Antoinette,  145-6;  and  Lady  Hamil- 
ton's intimacy  with  the  Queen,  153. 

Somerville,  Captain,  App.  519. 

Sorrentino,  Duchess  of  (1800),  121. 

Spain. — Spanish  Bourbon's  historical 
ambition  for  Italy,  113,  114;  (1791) 
138  ;  the  key  of  the  Neapolitan  situa- 
tion, 139 ;  anti- Freemasons,  ib.  and  n. 
I,  141 ;  (1795-6),  gradual  rapprocht- 
ment  with  France,  182  and  seq.  ;  she 
deserts  allies,  184,  185  and  scq. ;  (1796), 
her  real  objective  v.  England,  185 ; 
declares  war,  186  n.  2 ;  puts  troops  in 
Leghorn,  188  n.  3;  (1798)  201,  203; 
(1799),  joins  fleet  with  French,  280  and 
seq.  ;  (1805),  Trafalgar,  428. 

Spencer,  Lord,  and  Nelson  (1798).  234; 
(1799),  290  n.  2,  273  ;  indorses  his 
anti-Jacobin  policy,  304  and  n.  2 ; 
(1800),  suspicions,  326. 

Lady  (1793),  155;  (1798).  232. 

Spilsbury,  Mrs. ,  360. 

Sterne,  L. ,  311,  466. 

Strafford,  Lady,  67  w.  i. 

Stuart,  Sir  Charles,  Genera  (1799),  274. 


550 


EMMA,  LADY  HAMILTON 


Suckling,  Sir  William,  157  n.  3,  412  n.  2. 

Wibrew,  412  n.  2. 

Sussex,  Duke  of,  16  «.  i ;  and  Mrs. 
Cadogan,  42 ;  (1792  and  1793),  at 
Naples,  148,  163;  (1794),  177;  birth- 
day fete,  181  ;  (1809),  meets  Lady 
Hamilton  at  Harrow,  451. 

Sutton,  Captain  (1793),  163,  App.  520. 

Suwarrow,  373. 

Swinburne,  Henry  (1786),  104  n.  3. 

Tacitus,  quoted,  306. 
Talma  [actor],  16. 
Tarsia,  Prince  of  (1794),  175. 
Tegart,  Dr.,  458. 

Tenucci,  Marquis  [Neapolitan  Finance- 
Minister]  (1760),  118;  (1775-6),  122. 
Thomas,  Mrs.  [of  Hawarden],  44  ;  (1807), 

443- 
Thomas,  Miss,  44,  443. 
Thomson,  J.  D.,  Mr.,  App.  507. 
Thugut  [negotiator  for   Austria  of    the 

Campoformio  treaty],  236. 
Thurn,  Count  [Austrian  Admiral]  (1798, 
Dec),  part  in  Royal  escape,  247  ;  (Dec. 
22),  watchword,  249,  250  ;  (1799,  May), 
282  ;  (June  29),  307. 
Tischbein  [painter],  20,  2,171.  4  ;  (1786), 

105  and  n.  i. 
Torella,  Prince,  123. 
Torre  [Pyrotechnist],  60. 
Torre,    Delia,    Duke   (1799,    Jan.),    and 

Lazzaroni  {q.v.),  268. 
Totty,  Admiral,  26  ;  App.  516. 
Treaties  and  truces — 

Amiens     (1801,     September ;      1802, 

March),  367,  378  n.  8. 
Anglo-Sicilian,  the  first  (1793,  July), 
152,  15b,  171,  177;  the  second  {x^g^, 
December),  224. 
Austro-Neapolitan    (1798,    July),    204 
n.  5,  205,  206  and  notes  2  and  5,  207 
and«.  5,  216. 
Ajistro-Tzirkish  {xjg<),  March),  279. 
Brescian  (1795-6),  175,  179. 
Campoformia7i  (1797,  February),    183, 

196  n.  I,  236  71.  3,  243. 
Franco-Neapolitan  (1796,  December), 
183,  198,  203,  205,  216 ;  Nelson  on, 
213,  216,  219,  220  ;  Gallo  and,  230-1, 

243- 
Franco-Spanish  (1796,  August  and  Sep- 
tember), 186  71.  2. 
Russo- Turkish- Neapolitan{x'jg%, May), 

232. 
Of  Tolenfi7io  (1797,  October),  183,  196 
n.  I. 
Trench,  Mrs.  [see  'St.  George,  Mrs.']. 
Tresham,  H.  [artist],  20,  49. 
Trdville,  Latouche,  Admiral  (1793),  152  ; 

(1804),  411. 
Trevor,  Captain,  App.  517. 
Trogoff,  Admiral  (1793),  153,  157  ».  2. 
Troubridge,  Sir  Thomas,  10  «.  5  ;  (1798, 
June),  204,  206  n.  1,  207,  208  ;  (July, 
19-23),    at   Syracuse,  217  71.   1  ;    (Sep- 
tember),   at    Castellamare,    229 ;     ill. 


230  ;  future  attitude  to  Lady  Hamilton, 
id.  ;  (December),  245 ;  (1799),  at 
Procida,  274 ;  suppresses  island  rebels, 
278,  279  ;  message  to  Nelson,  280,  281  ; 
(June  26),  takes  over  the  two  smaller 
Neapolitan  castles,  his  false  and  his  real 
proclamation,  302  notes  3  and  4,  303  ; 
(June  27),  'to  execute  the  business,' 
304  ;  Caracciolo,  305  ;  invest  St.  Elmo, 
308  ;  (August),  Commodore  of  Naples 
squadron,  311 ;  (September),  Civita 
Vecchia,  314  ;  (autumn),  remonstrates 
with  Lady  Hamilton  on  gambling, 
319,  320  ;  his  own  receipt  of  Neapolitan 
pension  and  Nelson's  advancement  of, 
320  n.  i;  (1801),  Lord  of  Admiralty: 
Nelson's  complaints  of,  337  n.  3,  345 
and  71.  I  ;  sends  Nelson's  letters,  353, 
364  ;  App.  498,  517,  519. 

Tschudi,  Madame,  67. 

Turkey,  and  Sultan  of,  8,  24  71.  i,  227 ; 
(1798),  declares  war  v.  France,  232, 
234 ;  (1799,  May),  co-operates  with 
Ruffo,  271 ;  treaty  with  Naples,  232  ; 
fresh  treaty  with  Russia,  Austria,  and 
Naples,  279 ;  Corfu  blockaded,  290 ; 
(1799),  fresh  gifts  to  Nelson,  314. 

Twiss,  Mr.  (1810),  454. 

Tyson,  Captain  (1799,  autumn),  acts  as 
Nelson's  secretary,  286  «.  i,  317  w.  2, 
322  n.  I  ;  (1804),  413  n.  i ;  App.  498. 

Mrs.,    and   Lady   Hamilton,    386; 

(1805,  July),  a  day  at  Merton,  421, 
434  77.  2  ;  App.  515. 

Udney,  Mrs.,  343  ;  (1801),  360. 

Vanni   [inquisitor],    123 ;   (1794),  made 

assessor    and    marquis,    174;    (1797), 

deposed,  197. 
\'arden,  Mr.,  518. 
Vaudreuil,  Count  (1791),  131. 
Ventimiglia,  Prince,  App.  498. 
Vestinus,  analogy  of,  306. 
Villeneuve,  Admiral  (1798),  223  ;   (1805, 

April),  starts  from  Toulon,  chased  by 

Nelson,  420  ;  App.  525. 
Vincenzo  [servant],  86. 
VoUer,  Miss  [schoolmistress],  App.  506. 
Voltaire,  306. 

Wade,   Matthew    (1799),    on    Jacobins, 

pillage,  and  shifts,  310-11. 
Waller,  Captain,  App.  498. 
Walpole,   Horace,   16 ;    and  Hayley,   63 

71.   I  ;  and  Mrs.  Darner,  67  71.  5  ;  and 

Sir  W.  Hamilton,  89  «.  2  ;  on  Sir  T. 

Rumbold,   71    n.   2;  (1791),  on   Lady 

H.'s  wedding,  137;  'Austriacity,'  138. 
Sir  Robert,  analogy  of,  with  Acton, 

124. 

Mrs.,  343  ;  (1801),  357. 

Ward,  Horatia  [see  '  Nelson,  Horatia']. 
[gardener],  hiS  statements  regarding 

Lady  H.,  469  n.  3. 
Warwick,  Francis,  Earl  of,  31,  35,  80  n. 

2,85. 


INDEX 


551 


Warwick,  Dowager-Countess  of,  135  n.  3. 

Watson,  Dr.,  458  «.  i. 

Watt,  James  [inventor],  52. 

Webster,  Lady  (1792),  150;  (1793),  155. 

Sir  George  (1793).  '^SS- 

Wedgwood,  Josiah,  36  n.  i. 
Wellington,  Duke  of,  158. 
Wells,  J.  [artist],  21. 

Mrs.,  84,  96,  98. 

White,  Robert,  in  n.  i. 

Whiteford,  Caleb  [wit,  a  wine  merchant], 

57- 
Whitworth,  Lord,  402. 
Williams,  Miss  [Jacobin],  31. 

of  Gwint  [heiress],  35, 

Willock,  444  n.  2. 
Willoughby,  Mrs.,  71. 


Willoughby,     Miss,     provided     for     by 

Government,  454. 
Wittig  [Knight  of  Malta],  203,  231. 
Wolcot,  Dr.  ['  Peter  Pindar '],  16  ;  at  Mer- 

ton,  386. 
Woollett  [mezzotinter],  109. 
Wright,  Lady  (1791),  147. 
Wurmser,  General  (1795),  i^^. 
Wyndham  [minister  at  Leghorn]  (1795- 

96),  188. 

Yanch,  Admiral  (1799),  279  «.  3. 
York,  Duke  of,  137. 

ZuRLO,  Archbishop  (1793),  167;  (1799, 
Jan.  15),  266 ;  (Jan.  22),  267. 


ADDENDA 

The  picture  of  Lady  Hamilton  mentioned  on  page  21  as  by  Gavin  Hamilton 
is  more  probably  by  Angelica  Kauffmann.  The  earliest  mezzotint  of  her  is  a 
spirited  one  in  1779  as  '  Thais.' 

By  an  inadvertence  the  description  on  the  illustration  facing  p.  157  does  not 
correspond  to  the  right  description  in  the  Illustration  List.  It  is  quite  uncer- 
tain who  made  the  medallion  or  the  engraving  of  it.  The  portrait  resembles 
De  Koster's. 

To  the  incidents  of  the  voyage  enumerated  in  the  text  at  pp.  257,  258  should 
be  added  a  story  presumably  true.  Sir  William,  prostrated  by  the  horrors  and 
terrors  of  the  storm,  was  found  by  his  wife  with  pistols  by  his  side.  On  being 
questioned  as  to  his  reason  for  firearms,  he  replied  that  he  would  prefer  suicide 
to  dying  'with  the  guggle,  guggle,  guggle  of  water  in  my  ears.' 

The  '  Miss  Connor '  whose  letter  about  Horatia,  just  before  the  battle  of 
Trafalgar,  is  mentioned  on  page  425,  is  Miss  Mary  Connor.  It  has  not  been 
sufficiently  shown  in  the  text  that  Horatia  was  for  some  time  under  her  charge 
as  well  as  under  Sarah  Connor's,  and,  afterwards,  Cecilia's.  Mary  seems  to 
have  been  a  far  more  refined  and  better  educated  woman  than  her  more  showy 
sisters. 


Printed  by  T.  and  A.  Constable,  Printers  to  His  Majesty 
at  the  Edinburgh  University  Press 


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