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UNIVERSITY 
OF  PITTSBURGH 


-^^I''^ 


Dar.  Rm. 

CT 

NJ+26S 


LIBRARIES 


THE 
APRIL,  MDCCCXXX. 


NEW    WORKS 

PUBLISHED  BV 

MARSH   AND   MILLER,   LONDON; 

AND 

CONSTABLE  &  Co.  EDINBURGH. 


Ill  3  vols,  post  8vo. 

TALES  OF  OUR  COUNTIES., 

OR, 

PROVINCIAL  PORTRAITS  !  !  ! 

Cnmbcrland-Loid  Losel.  He.Uordshire-Rt.  Hon.  Julius  Saltonby 

Deibvsliire— Duke  of  Downshire.  Lancashire— Lord  bclkkmn 

Middiesex-A  Palace.  Nottinghamsh.re-Lcrd  Gordon. 

Ulouceslersliire-Col.  Bycrly.  hhropbhirc  -The  Hunt  Ball. 

Denbighshire-Mr.    Mcllington,    Pan-  Sussex— Lord  Richmond, 
dulph,  and  others. 

TAM  O'SHANTER  AND  SOUTER  JOHNNY. 

By  Robert  Burns.    Illustrated  by  Seven  Engravings  from  T.  Laudseer. 

MONSIEUR  TONSON, 

By  John  Taylor,  Esq.  Illustrated  by  Seven  Engravings  from  R.  Crnik- 
shank.     Price  Is.     India  Proofs,  2s.  6d. 

Uniform  with  R.  Cruiksh^nk's  Monsieur  Tonson. 

THE  devil's  walk  ; 

A  Poem,  by  Professor  Porson.  With  Additions  and  Variations  by 
SouTHBY  and  Coleridge.  Illustrated  by  Seven  Engravings  from  R.  Cruik- 
shauk.     Price  Is. 

"  And  over  the  hill,  and  over  the  dale. 
He  walked,  and  over  the  plain. 

And  backward  and  forward  he  switched  his  long  tail, 
As  a  gentleman  switches  his  cane."— From  the  Poem. 

In  1  vol.  foolscap  8vo. 

GUNTER'S  CONFECTIONER'S  ORACLE  : 

Containing  Receipts  for  Desserts  on  the  most  economical  plan,  for  private 
families-  and  all  founded  on  the  actual  experiments  of  thirty  years;  with  an 
Appendix,  containing  the  best  Receipts  for  Pastry  Cooks  ;  being  a  Companion 
to  i>r.  Kitchener's  Cook's  Oracle. 

In  1  vol.  12nio. 

THE  WINE  DRINKER'S  ORACLE. 

Contents:  — History,  Manufacture,  and  Management  of  Spanish,  Frei'.ch, 
Rhenish,  Italian,  Madeira,  Cape,  and  British  Wines,  and  Miscellaneous  Inform.i- 
tion,  peculiarly  acceptable  to  the  Bon  Vivant. 


FAMILY  LIBRARY  ADVERTISER. 


(MARSH  &  MILLERS  List— continued.) 
In  1  vol.  post  8vo. 

THE    DELIVERANCE    OF   SWITZERLAND. 
A  Dramatic  Poem.     By  H.  C.  DEAKIN,  Esq. 

By  the  same  Antlior. 

PORTRAITS  OF  THE  DEAD,  and  Miscellaneous  Poems.  Post 
8vo.     Price  10s.  6d. 

"  There  is  suDicient  sweetness  of  versification  and  grace  of  tliought  in  this  Vo- 
lume to  constitute  very  agreeable  poetry.    The  author  is  rich  in   the  number,  if 
not  in  the  novelty  of  his  similes — many  passages  of  great  beauty  and  feeling  occur  L 
in  the  subjects  of  his  book." — Xew  Monthly  Afayazine.  | 

"  This  is  a  highly  delightful  and   graceful  collection  of  Poems,  &c.     The  most  I 
pleasing  are  those  on  subjects  in  themselves  melancholy." — Court  Journal. 

Dedicated  to  the  Right  Hon.  the  Speaker  of  the  House  of  Commons. 

THE  PARLIAMENTARY  POCKET-BOOK  for  1830.  1  vol. 
12mo.  Compiled  from  Original  and  Ofticial  Documents,  containing  Biographi- 
cal Memoranda,  relative  to  the  Members  of  both  Houses,  Alphabetically  arranged, 
with  their  Titles,  Appointments,  and  Places  of  Residence.  Also,  the  Regulations 
and  Standing  Orders  of  the  Lords  and  Commons,  respecting  Privileges,  Private 
Bills,  Fees,  Fines,  Committees,  &c.  with  a  Comprehensive  Appendix,  containing 
every  species  of  information  respecting  the  constitution  and  usages  of  Parlia- 
ment. 

Elegantly  bound,  full  gilt,  price  5*. 

THE  LITERARY  BLUE  BOOK,  or  CALENDAR  of  LITERA- 
TURE, SCIENCE,  and  ART,  for  1830.  Containing  the  following  Lists,  viz.— 
Living  English  Authors  and  their  Works,  with  Critical  Remarks — Living  Eng- 
lish Artists,  their  Styles  and  Addresses — Architects,  and  their  Addresses — Litho- 
graphic Artists,  their  styles  and  Addresses,  with  Critical  Remarks,  preceded  by  a 
notice  of  Lithography — Engravers,  with  their  Styles  and  Addresses — Foreign  and 
English  Musical  Composers — Musical  Performers  and  Teachers,  with  their  Ad- 
dresses— Teachers  of  Languages  and  Accomplishments,  with  Addresses — Drawing 
Academies — Galleries  of  Art — Chronological  List  of  Eminent  Persons,  from  the 
earliest  times — Peiiodical  Works — Theatrical  Performers — Universities,  Public 
Schools,  Literary  and  Scientific  Institutions. 

Authors,  Artists,  Architects,  Lithographic  Artists,  Engravers — Foreign  and 
English  Musical  Composers — Musical  Performers  and  Teachers  of  Languages  are 
respectfully  requested  to  send  their  Names  and  Addresses,  post  paid,  to  the  Edi- 
tor of  The  Literary  Bli  e  Book,  to  the  care  of  Marsh  and  Miller,  157,  Oxford 
Street,  for  insertion  in  the  forthcoming  New  Edition. 

The  Second  Volume  of  the 

ZOOLOGICAL    KEEPSAKE, 

Under  the  Superintendence  of  Mr.  Thomas  Landseer,  is  in  a  forward  state  for 

Publication. 

In  one  volume,  ISmo.    Price  3s.  bound. 

THE  NEW  CHESTERFIELD  ;  containing  Principles  of  Polite- 
ness to  complete  the  Gentleman,  and  give  him  a  knowledge  of  the  World;  also 
Precepts  particularly  addressed  to  Young  Ladies. 

Contents. —  Show  in  every  thing  a  ?\Iodesty— Avoid  Lying — Good  Breeding — 
Genteel  Carriage — Cleanliness  of  Person — Dress — Elegance  of  Expression — Ad- 
flress — Phraseology — Small  Talk — Absence  of  Mind — Knowledge  of  the  World — 
Choice  of  Company — Noisy  Laughter — Sundry  Little  Accomplishments — Em- 
uloyment  of  Time— Dignity  of  Manners — Rules  of  Conversation— Behaviour  to 
Superiors — Love  and  Marriage. 


FAMILY  LIBRARY  ADVERTISER. 


THE  FRENCH  DRAMA, 

Illustrated  by  arguments  in  English,  at  the  head  of  each  scene  ; 

with  Notes,  Critical  and  Explanatory. 

By  :Mons.  a.  GOMBERT. 

Under  the  above  title,  a  selection,  from  the  best  productions  of  the  French 
dramatic  writers,  is  now  in  course  of  publication. 

Each  Play  is  elucidated, 

By  appropriate  Arguments  at  the  head  of  each  scene,  to  nnravel  the  plot,  as 
well  as  develope  the  subject,  characters,  and  various  incidents  throughout  : 

By  an  English  Translation  of  such  words  and  idioms  as  may  arrest  the  progress 
of  the  student  : 

And  by  grammatical  and  critical  Observations,  in  which  are  interspersed  occa- 
sional remarks  upon  the  beauties  of  the  style  and  conceptions. 

The  Drama,  that  exquisite  and  invaluable  portion  of  French  literature,  cannot 
fail  to  present  to  the  learner  many  perplexities  far  beyond  the  comprehension  of 
his  immature  judgment.  By  the  different  illustrations  given,  the  chief  object  is 
to  render  his  path  easy  and  pleasant,  and  to  unfold  the  beauties  of  the  scene,  which 
mii,ht  otherwise  lie  unobserved  or  unregarded. 

The  pronunciation  n:ay  be  greatly  improved  and  facilitated  by  a  recitation  of 
well-chosen  pieces  :  by  this  means  the  memory  will  be  enriched  with  lessons  of 
morality,  and  a  correct  judgment  and  taste  will  be  inculcated. 

As  the  selection  consists  of  such  plays  as  are  performed  in  the  theatres  of  France, 
it  is  hoped  that  the  work  will  prove  a  useful  companion  to  English  visitors  of  the 
French  metropolis  or  principal  towns,  whose  imperfect  acquaintance  with  the 
language  might  preclude  them  from  participating  in  the  enjoyment  of  scenic 
entertainments. 

The  selection  embraces  the  high  and  dignified  character  of  Tragedy,  as  well  as 
the  refined  and  spirited  elegance  of  the  Comic  Muse.  Great  pains  will  be  con- 
tinned  to  combine  pleasure  with  utility;  the  Arguments  and  Notes  are  written  in 
an  easy  style,  and  the  dryness  of  observation  avoided  as  much  as  possible, 

Tlie  following  are  already  published  : 

By  MOLIERE, 


Les  Precleuses  Ridicules, 

L'Ecole  des  Femmes, 

L'Eeole  des  Maris, 

Le  iltdecin  Malgre  Lni, 

M.  de  Pourceangnac, 

Amphitryon. 


Le  Misanthrope, 

L'Avare, 

Le  Bourgeois  Gentilhomme, 

Le  Tartuffe, 

Le  Maladc  Imaginaire, 

Les  Femmes  Savantes, 

Les  Fourberies  de  Scapin, 

To  enable  persons  to  make  their  own  selections  from  the  above,  the  Publisher 
will  continue  to  sell  the  Plays  separately,  at  Is.  6d.  each,  stitched  ;  and  i?.  half- 
bound  ;  or  the  whole  may  be  had  in  3  vols,  neatly  half-bound  and  lettered,  price 
ISs. 

By  RACINE, 
Andromaque,  I  -\thalie,  ' 

Les  Plaideurs,  |  Esther. 

And  the  remainder  of  Racine's  Tragedies  will  shortly  appear. 

By  CORNEILLE. 
CINNA;  on,  la  Ckmence  d'Auguste. 
And  others  in  great  forwardness. 


Published  by  J.  SOUTER,  School  Libraru,  73,  St.  Paul's  Church  Yard. 


FAMILY  LIBRARY  ADVERTISER. 


SOUTER'S 
IMPROVED   SERIES   OF   CATECHISMS, 

By  C.  IRVING,  LL.D.  F.A.S.  Dr.  BUSBY,  and  others. 
9d  each,  neatly  sewed, 

I.  A  CATECHISM  of  the  HISTORY  of  ENGLAND  :  containing  the  most 
striking  Events  from  the  earliest  period  to  the  Reign  of  George  IV. 

•2.  The  GEOGRAPHY  of  ENGLAND  and  WALES  :  containing  a  Description 
of  the  Situation,  Extent,  Divisions,  Population,  Soil,  Climate,  Mountains,  RiverSj 
Lakes,  and  Islands  :  also  the  Religion,  Literature,  Government,  &c. 

3.  The  HISTORY  of  IRELAND  :  containing  an  Outline  of  the  principal 
Events  that  have  taken  place  in  that  Country,  from  the  earliest  Period  to  the 
present  Time.     By  J.  G.  GORTON. 

4.  The  GEOGRAPHY  of  IRELAND  :  containing  an  accurate  Description  of 
its  Situation,  Extent,  Population,  Soil,  Trade,  Manufactures,  &;c. 

5.  The  HISTORY  of  SCOTLAND  :  containing  the  most  striking  Events  from 
the  earliest  Period  to  the  present  Time. 

C.  The  GEOGRAPHY  of  SCOTLAND  :  containing  a  Description  of  its  Situa- 
tion, Extent,  Districts,  Population,  Soil,  Manufactures,  Productions,  &c. 

7.  The  HISTORY  of  FRANCE  :  from  the  earliest  Period  to  the  present  Time. 
By  J.  G.  GORTON. 

S.  The  GEOGRAPHY  of  FRANCE  :  containing  an  accurate  Description  of 
the  Situation,  Extent,  Divisions,  Antiquities,  Soil,  Trade,  &c. 

9.  The  HISTORY  of  GREECE  :  describing  the  most  striking  Events,  from  the 
earliest  Ages  till  Greece  became  a  Roman  Empire. 

10.  The  ANTIQUITIES  of  GREECE :  containing  the  Manners,  Customs,  &c. 
of  the  Ancient  Greeks. 

II.  The  HISTORY  of  ROME  :  from  the  Foundation  of  the  City  to  the  Fall  of 
the  Western  Empire.     New  Edition. 

12.  The  ANTIQUITIES  of  ROME  :  or,  an  Account  of  the  Religion,  Civil 
Government,  Military  and  Naval  AtTairs,  Public  Buildings,  &c. 

13.  SACRED  HISTORY  :  a  Summary  View  of  the  Events  related  in  the  Old 
and  New  Testaments;  revised  by  the  Rev.  T.  CLARK. 

14.  UNIVERSAL  HISTORY:  containing  a  concise  Account  of  the  most 
striking  Events,  from  ihe  earliest  Ages  to  the  present  Time. 

15.  GENERAL  GEOGRAPHY  :  the  Situation,  Extent,  Mountains,  Lakes, 
Rivers,  Religion,  and  Government,  of  every  Country  in  the  World. 

10.  JEWISH  ANTIQUITIES  :  containing  an  Account  of  the  Classes,  Institu- 
tions, Rites,  Ceremonies,  Manners,  Customs,  &c. 

17.  CLASSICAL  BIOGRAPHY:  containing  an  Account  of  the  Lives  of  the 
most  celebrated  Characters  among  the  Greeks  and  Romans. 

18.  ASTRONOMY  :  illustrated  by  Engravings. 

19.  BOTANY  :  containing  a  Description  of  the  most  familiar  and  interesting 
Plants,  according  to  the  Linna^an  System.— 9(f.  plain,  and  Is.  coloured. 

20.  BRITISH  CON.STITUTION  :  containing  a  View  of  the  Government,  Courts 
of  Justice,  Or<lcrs  of  Society,  Rights,  Duties,  and  Political  Institutions;  with  an 
Appendix,  containing  an  .■Vbstract  of  Magna  Charla,  the  Habeas  Corpus  Act,  &c. 

21.  ENGLISH  GRAMMAR:  compiled  from  the  best  Authors,  with  Exercises. 

22.  FRKNCH  GRAMMAR:  intended  as  an  easy  Introduction  to  Hanul's  and 
Lcvizac's  Grammars.  By  M.  A.  GOMBERT,  editor  of  the  "  French  Dramas,"  &c. 

23.  GENERAL  KNOWLEDGE  :  an  easy  Introduction  to  the  Artsand  Sciences. 

24.  PRACTICAL  CHEMISTRY:  with  easy  and  pleasing  Experiments. 

25.  MUSIC  :  comprising  the  first  Principles  of  the  Science,  arranged  in  easy 
Progression,  with  preliminary  Instruction  for  the  Piano-forte.  By  THOMAS 
BUSBY,  Mus.  Doc. 

20.  MYTHOLOGY:  containing  a  History  of  the  Heathen  Gods  and  Goddesses. 
27.  NATURAL  PHILOSOPHY.     By  C.  MACKENZIE. 


Published  by  J.  SOUTER,  School  Library,  No.  73,  St.  Paul's  Churchyard, 
London;  sold  also  by  J.  CUMMING,  Dublin ;  and  by  all  BMksellers. 


FAMILY  LIBRARY  ADVERTISER. 


Published  on  the  First  Day  of  each  Month,  handsomely  printed  in  quarto, 

price  3s. 

THE  HARMONICON, 

A  MONTHLY  JOl'RXAL  AND  REVIEW  OF  MUSIC, 

FOR   PROFrSSORS,  AMATEURS,  AND  MUSICAL  FAMILIES  AND  SOCIETIES. 


"  So  many  unprofessional  persons — people  of  station  and  of  the  highest  educa- 
tion— now  turn  their  attention  to  music  as  a  science,  or  cultivate  their  talent  for 
it  as  an  art,  that  a  channel  through  which  they  can,  in  a  convenient  manner, 
make  known  to  the  public  their  thoughts  or  their  productions,  is  become  more 
than  ever  necessary.  It  was  partly  with  this  view  that  the  Harmoxicon  was  at 
first  established  ;  and  the  Increased,  and  still  increasing  number  of  intelligent 
Correspondents  who  favour  us  with  their  communications,  furnish  a  satisfactory 
proof  that  we  ought  to  offer  additional  inducements  for  the  exertions  of  writers 
who  may  not  choose  to  print  at  their  own  risk,  as  well  as  to  composers,  amateur 
or  otherwise,  who  have  any  motive  for  wishing  to  accompany  their  productions 
by  historical  or  explanatory  remarks. 

"  At  the  end  of  every  half-year,  therefore,  a  handsome  quarto  volume,  not  too 
ponderous  for  the  desk  of  a  piano-forte,  nor  too  little  literary  for  the  library  table, 
will  be  completed,  with  title,  index,  &c., — an  arrangement  which  will  be  attended 
by  miliy  beneticial  results  to  the  art  generally,  and  we  have  every  reason  to  sup- 
pose, prove  satisfactory  to  those  who  have,  for  a  period  of  seven  years,  honoured 
our  work  by  their  notice." — Advertisement  to  the  Harmonicoti  for  Jan.  1830. 

The  Contents  of  the  First  Number  for  the  present  year  are  given  as  a  specimen 
of  the  subjects  gener;Uly  treated  on  in  the  Harmonicon  : — 

1  Memoir  of  Garret,  Earl  of  Morning-  1 16  On  the  Trumpet. 


ton,*  and 

2  Glee,  "  O   Bird  of  Eve,"  for  Five 

Voices,  composed  by  his  Lordship. 

3  Notes  of  a  musical  Tourist,  on  a  re- 

cent Tour  in  Germany. 

4  Arietta,  "  Freddosasso."  Mercadante. 

5  Chronicles  of  the  Italiaa  Opera  in 

England, 
0  On  the  Clavichord. 

7  Air,   Alia   Tedesca,  for  the   Piano- 

forte.    Composed  expressly  for  this 
work,  by  C.  Hargitt,  jun. 

8  The  Metronome. 

9  On  the  State  of  Music  in  England. 

10  Martial  Chorus,  from  11  Pirata,  an 

Opera    Scria,    by    Signor    Bellini. 
For  the  Piano  forte. 

11  On  Bowed  Instruments. 

12  Salaries  of  Opera  Singers. 

13  Arictte,  Le  Hetour  de  la  Tyrolienne. 

Composed  by  M.idame  Malibran. 

14  Neglect   of    Music    at    Oxford   and 

Cambridge. 

15  Norwich  i\f  usical  Festival. 


17  A^'altz.    Composed  by  Lady  William 

Lennox. 

18  On  the  Theory  of  Music.    By  D.  H. 

Hewitt. 

19  Benefit  Concert  at  York. 

20  Market    Chorus,    from    Masaniello. 

Composed  by  Auber.  iVrranged  for 
Flute  and  Piano-forte. 

21  Review  of   New   Music    (continued 

mon^^Jy ), com  prisiugcriticismSjWJth 
extracts  and  illustrations, of  the  lead- 
ing publications  of  the  current 
month. 

22  Foreign  JIusical  Report  (continued 

monthly),  containing  critical  notices 
of  Operatic  and  other  Musical  Per- 
formances and  Perfonners,  in  vari- 
ous parts  of  the  Continent. 

23  The  Diary  of  a  Dilettante  (continued 

monthly),  in  which  the  prevailing 
topics  connected  with  Music  are  re- 
gistered daily,  thus  forming  a  com- 
plete chronological  history  of  the  art. 

24  The  Drama — King's  Theatre,  &c. 


•  Father  to  his  Grace  the  Duke  of  Wellington,  &c.  &c. 

New  Subscribers  will  find  it  convenient  to  be^in  with  the  Number  for  January,  the  first 
of  the  Volume  for  isjo,  which  will  be  complete  lu  itself,  and  may  be  preserved  eitberwilh 
or  without  the  Volumes  of  previous  jeais. 


LONDON:  PUBLISHED  BY  SAMUEL  LEIGH,  18,  STRAND, 
By  whom  Communications  for  the  Editor  are  received. 


FAMILY  LIBRARY   ADVERTISER. 


NEW  AND  INTERESTING  WORKS 

Published  by  WILLIAM  KIDD,  6,  Old  Bond  Street. 

In  Three  Volumes,  Post  &vo.  Price  iis. 

THE   DOMINIE'S   LEGACY. 

CONSISTING    OF  A    SERIES  OF   TALES  ILLUSTRATIVE  OF  THE  SCENERY 
AND  MANNERS  OF  SCOTLAND. 

©pinions  of  tfft  ^vAlic  ^ress. 

"  The  -writer  of  llie  work  before  us  is  entirely  Scotch  ;  and  his  pages  are  pic- 
tures from  scenes,  whose  impress  of  truth  tell  he  has  taken  them  as  an  eye-wit- 
ness, and  many  are  rich  in  quiet  simple  pathos,  which  is  evidently  his  forte.  •  *  • 
We  should  compare  the  feelings  excited  in  these  pages  to  gazing  on  a  series  of 
rustic  landscapes  and  simple  home  scenes.  •  •  •  Need  we  recommend  thera  fur- 
ther to  our  readers." — Literary  Gazette,  Feb.  27. 

'  "  There  is  much  fascinalion  in  this  author's  style.  He  at  once  fixes  attention, 
and  we  go  on  with  real  anxiety  to  know  how  his  characters  are  to  fare." — Sun- 
day Times,  March  6. 

"  In  the  author  of  these  interesting  tomes  we  have  discovered  an  old  friend; 
and  rejoice  to  tind  that  experience  is  at  once  richly  and  rapidly  inatnrine  his 
powers.  Amid  the  stirs  and  strife  of  the  Great  Babel  he  has  not  forgotten  bcot- 
land ;  and  as  a  pourtraycr  of  her  manners  he  has  shown  himself,  in  the  volumes 
before  us,  little  if  at  all  inferior  to  some  countrymen  of  proud  name." — Edinb. 
Literary  Gazette. 

"  These  tales  teem  with  delicate  touches  of  truth  and  simplicity,  and  contain  a 
liappy  variety  of  sketches  after  life.  The  machinery  by  which  they  are  strung 
together  is  inartificial,  and  owes  nothing  to  invention.  A\  ere  we  to  select  a  writer 
to  furnish  a  true  statement  of  the  modes,  moral  and  physical,  of  the  Scotch  pea- 
santry, we  should  unhesitatingly  name  the  author  of  the  '  Dominie's  Legacy.'  " — 
Atlas,  March  14. 

"  There  is  a  thorough  knowledge  of  Scottish  habits  and  character  interspersed 
throughout  this  work  which  none,  without  a  long  residence  in  the  country,  could 
possiiily  obtain  ;  added  to  this,  there  is  a  lurking  humour,  a  knowledge  of  men  and 
manners,  quite  indcscrib;ihle.  The  volumes  must  be  read  to  be  appreciated." — 
Fraser's  Monthly  Literary  Magazine. 

II. 

In  One  Volume,  foolscap  6vo. 

THE  BRUNSWICK.     A  Poem.     In  Three  Cantos. 

Third  Edition,  with  Considerable  Additions. 

"  Fallen,  fallen,  fallen,  f!illea'."—Dryden. 

"  A  more  agreeable  diversity  of  witty  conceits  and  touches  of  genuine  poetry 
has  not  appeared  since  the  immortal  Don  Juan." — Mornim/  Post. 

"  In  this  poem  there  is  much  beautiful  poetry — many  excellent  descriptions,  and 
a  vein  of  good  natured  satire,  at  once  severe  and  true.  The  author  rambles  from 
'  grave  to  gay '  with  the  most  determined  unconcern." — Brighton  Gazette. 


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(Mk.  KIDD's  List — continued.) 

III. 

STEAMERS  i.  STx\GES ; 

OR 

ANDREW   AND   HIS   SPOUSE. 

A  humorous  Poem,  by  the  Author  of  "  York  and  Lancaster,"  illustrated 

by  Eight  spirited  Engravings  on  Wood,  after  designs  by  Robert 

Cruikshank.     Price  25. 

"  To  be,  or  not  to  be  ?    This  is  the  question  : 
Whether  'tis  better  to  proceed  by  steam, 
Or  shape  our  coarse  by  land  ?  ' — Manuscript, 

*,*  A  limited  Number  of  Proof  Impressions  have  been  taken  off  on  India 
Paper,  and  may  be  purchased  separately,  price  is.  6d. 

A  small  Number  have  also  been  printed  on  India  Paper,  with  the  Letter-press, 
price  3s. 

"  Steamers  v.  Stages  is  a  most  humorous  and  laughter-moving  production,  whe- 
ther we  regard  the  Poetry  or  the  Engravings.  The  former  is  from  the  pen  of  the 
Author  of  "  York  and  Lancaster,"  and  is  an  imitation,  and  by  no  means  an  un- 
successful one,  of  the  "  Epping  Hunt,"  the  "  Whims  and  Oddities,"  and  other 
Well-known  productions  of  Thomas  Hood,  of  panning  notoriety.  The  Engravings 
are  eight  in  number,  and  represent  various  moving  accidents  which  may  happen 
by  field  or  flood,  in  Steamers  and  Stages.  They  are  from  designs  by  Robert 
Cruikshank,  and  do  much  credit  to  the  talents  of  this  artist." — Morniny  Paper. 

"  We  have  known  less  hnmourous  productions  create  roars  of  laughter." — 
Athemeum  Jf'eekly  Review. 


The  following  are  yiearly  ready  for  Fublication. 

I. 
FOUR  YEARS'  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  WEST   INDIES. 

Illustrated  by  Seven  Lithographic  Engravings.     In  one  thick  vol.  demy  8vo. 
By  F.  W.  N.  BAYLEY,  Esq. 

II. 
In  Two  Volumes,  post  Svo. 

DERWENTWATER.     A  TALE  OF  1715. 

"  L'nscutcheoned  all 


I'nplumed,  unhelmed,  unpedigreed, 
Unlaced,  ancoroneted,  unbestarred." — PoUok. 

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RANULPH   DE   ROHAIS. 

A  ROMANCE  OF  THE  TWELFTH  CENTURY. 

By  the  Author  of  "  Tales  of  a  Yoyager  to  the  Arctic  Ocean." 

"  The  times  are  wild.  Contention,  like  a  war-horse 
Foil  of  high  feeding,  madly  hath  broke  loose. 
And  bears  down  all  before  him." — S'hakspeare. 


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milies and  Young  Persons;  in  which 
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hitherto  devised."  This  review  also  ascribes  to  the  author  of  the  Hamiltonian 
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0    Perrin's  Fables 5     0 

0    Recueil  Choisi 7    6 


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Epitome  Historije  Saci"8E  4 

jEsop's  Fables    4 

Phajdnif' Fables    4 

Eutropins 4 

Aurelius  Victor 4 

Cornelius  Ncpos    6 

Select*  e  Profanis,  2  vols 13 

Caesar's  Commentaries 7 

Latin  Verbs 2 

Sallnst 7 

First  Six  books  of  the  Mneid  ...  9 

Ovid's  Metamorphoses 7 

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from  its  origin  to  this  time  ;  with  Mr.  Hamilton's  Lecture  at  Liverpool, 
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On  the  1st  of  Junt  will  be  published, 

No.  I.  OF 

A  SERIES  OF  THE  MOST  ESTEEMED 

DIVINES 

OF 

THE   CHURCH   OF   ENGLAND. 

WITH  LIVES  OF  EACH  AUTHOR, 
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Places  resorted  to  by  Invalids  in  Eng- 
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cimen, to  be  the  clearest  and  most 
available  work  of  its  class  that  has  been 
presented  to  the  public Alto- 
gether the  '  Topographical  Dictionary,' 
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and  it  deserves  it,  amongst  the  most 
popular  works  of  the  day." — Atlas. 

"  The  two  lirst  Numbers  of  this  work 
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«f  great  utility — a  good  Topographical 
Dictionary  has  long  been  wanted  ;  and 
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hands  of  a  man  of  real  ability  and  lite 
rature." — Court  Journal. 

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London :    Published  by  Chapman  and 


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Tiverton  Cborch,  from  the  Bridge,  De- 
vonshire. 

St.  Sidwell's  Church,  Exeter. 

St.  David's  Church,  Exeter. 

Devonport,  Dock-yard,  and  the  River 
Tamer,  from  Mount  Edgcumbe. 

Saltram  House,  Devonshire. 


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Contents  of  the  Numbers  Published 


No.  I. 
Vignette :  Howth  Light-house,  from  the 

Needles. 
Dublin,  from  Plioenix  Park. 
Great  Court  Yard,  Dublin  Castle. 
Curaghmore,  Co.  Waterford. 
Lisraore  Castle,    Ditto. 

No.  II. 
Cove  Harbour,  Cork. 
.South  Mall,        Ditto. 
Nelson's  Pillar,  Dublin. 
St.  George's  Church,  Ditto. 

No.  III. 
Exterior  of  the  Church  of  the  Carmelite 

Friarj',  Dublin. 
Interior  of  Ditto,  Ditto. 
Kilkenny  Castle. 
Ditto,  North  Front. 

No.  IV. 
Vice-regal  Lodge,  near  Dublin. 
Terenure,  Co.  Dublin. 
Poul-a-Phuca  Waterfall,  Co.  Wicklow. 
Kound Tower  of  Clondalkin,  Co.  Dublin. 

No.  V. 
Cloth    Mart,   &c.    &c.    Usher's    Quay, 

Dublin. 
Royal  Exchange,  Dublin. 
Jenkinstown  Castle,  Co.  Kilkenny. 
Castle  Howel,  Ditto. 


No.  VI. 
Lying-in  Hospital  and  Rotunda,  Dublin. 
The  Four  Courts,  Ditto. 
King's  Bridge,  Ditto. 
Ditto,  East  View. 

No.  VII. 
Bank  of  Ireland,  Dublin. 
Ruins  of  Lord  Portlester'sChapel,  Dnblin 
Wellington  Testimonial,  Phcenix  Park, 

Dublin. 
Memorial  of  the  King's  Visit  to  Ireland, 

Kingstown. 

No.  VIII. 
Powerscourt  W'aterfall,  Co.  Wicklow. 
Round  Tower,   Belfry,   and  Church  of 

Swords. 
St.   Peter's   R.    C.    Chapel    and    Free 

Schools,  near  Dublin. 
College  Street,  Dublin. 
No.  IX. 
Post  Office,  Dublin. 
Strongbow's  Monument,  Dublin. 
Courtstown  Castle,  Co.  Kilkenny, 
luchmore  Castle,  Ditto, 

No.  X. 
Dublin,  from  Blaquiere  Bridge. 
Sarah's  Bridge,  Dublin. 
Obelisk,  Newtown  Park. 
The  Phoenix  PiUar,  Phoenix  Park. 


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rary Oaiette. 

JOHN  MURRAY,  Albemarle  Street. 


THE 


LIFE   OF   NELSON 


BY 


ROBERT  SOUTHEY,  ESQ.  LL.D. 


POET  LAUREATE,  ETC.  ETC. 


LONDON : 


JOHN  MURRAY,  ALBEMARLE  STREET. 

MDCCCXXX. 


C.  WHltTINGHAM,  TOOKS  CODRT,  CHANCERY  LANE. 


TO 

JOHN  WILSON  CROKER.  ESQ.  LL.D.  F.R.S. 

SECRETARY  OF  THE  ADMIRALTY ; 

WHO, 

BY  THE  OFFICIAL  SITIATION  WHICH   HE  SO  ABLY  FILLS, 

IS  QUALIFIED 

TO  APPRECIATE  ITS  HISTORICAL  ACCURACY  ; 

AND  WHO, 

AS  A   MEMBER  OF  THE  REPUBLIC  Ot  LETTERS, 

IS  EQUALLY  QUALIFIED 

TO  DECIDE  UPON"  ITS  LITERARY  MERITS, 

THIS  VOLUME 

IS  RESPECTFULLY  INSCRIBED, 
BY   HIS  FRIEND, 

THE  AUTHOR. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

Page 
Nelson's  Birth  and  Boyhood — He  is  entered  on  Board  the 
Raisonnable — Goes  to  the  West  Indies  in  a  Merchant- 
ship  ;  then  serves  in  the  Triumph — He  sails  in  Capt. 
Phipps'  Voyage  of  Discovery — Goes  to  the  East  Indies 
in  the  Seahorse,  and  returns  in  ill  health — Serves  as 
acting  Lieutenant  in  the  Worcester,  and  is  made  Lieu- 
tenant into  the  Lowestoffe,  Commander  into  the  Badger 
Brig,  and  Post  into  the  Hinchinbrook — Expedition 
against  the  Spanish  Main — Sent  to  the  North  Seas  in 
the  Albemarle — Services  during  the  American  War     .    •  3 


CHAPTER  II. 

Nelson  goes  to  France  during  the  Peace — Reappointed  to 
the  Boreas,  and  stationed  at  the  Leeward  Islands — His 
firm  conduct  concerning  the  American  interlopers  and 
the  contractors — INIarries  and  returns  to  England — Is 
on  the  point  of  quitting  the  service  in  disgust — Manner 
of  life  while  unemployed — Appointed  to  the  Agamem- 
non on  the  breaking  out  of  the  war  of  the  French  Revo- 
lution         34 


CHAPTER  III. 

The  Agamemnon  sent  to  the  Mediterranean — Commence- 
ment of  Nelson's  acquaintance  with  Sir  William  Hamil- 
ton— He  is  sent  to  Corsica,  to  co-operate  with  Paoli — 

b 


VI  •  CONTENTS. 

Page 
State  of  affairs  in  that  island — Nelson  undertakes  the 
siege  of  Bastia,  and  reduces  it — Takes  a  distinguished 
part  in  the  siege  of  Calvi,  where  he  loses  an  eye — Ad- 
miral Hotham's  action — The  Agamemnon  ordered  to 
Genoa,  to  co-operate  with  the  Austrian  and  Sardinian 
forces — Gross  misconduct  of  the  Austrian  General    .  .     57 

CHAPTER  IV. 

Sir  J.  Jervis  takes  the  command — Genoa  joins  the  French 
—^Buonaparte  begins  his  career — Evacuation  of  Cor- 
sica— Nelson  hoists  his  broad  pendant  in  the  INIinerve 
— Action  with  the  Sabina — Battle  off  Cape  St. Vincent 
— Nelson  commands  the  inner  Squadron  at  the  block- 
ade of  Cadiz — Boat  action  in  the  Bay  of  Cadiz — Expe- 
dition against  Teneriffe — Nelson  loses  an  Arm — His 
sufferings  in  England,  and  Recovery 98 

CHAPTER  V. 

Nelson  rejoins  Earl  St.  Vincent  in  the  Vanguard — Sails 
in  pursuit  of  the  French  to  Egypt — Returns  to  Sicily, 
and  sails  again  to  Egypt — Battle  of  the  Nile 131 

CHAPTER  VI. 

Nelson  returns  to  Naples — State  of  that  Court  and  King-  • 
dom — General  Mack — The  French  approach  Naples — 
Flight  of  the  Royal  Family — Successes  of  tlie  Allies  in 
Italy — Transactions  in  the  Bay  of  Naples — Expulsion 
of  the  French  from  the  Neapolitan  and  Roman  States 
— Nelson  is  made  Duke  of  Bronte — He  leaves  the  Me- 
diterranean and  returns  to  England 168 

CHAPTER  VII. 

Nelson  separates  himself  from  his  wife — Northern  Con- 
federacy— He  goes  to  the  Baltic,  under  Sir  Hyde  Par- 
ker— Battle  of  Copenhagen,  and  subsequent  Negotiation 
— Nelson  is  made  a  Viscount 225 


CONTENTS.  VU 

Page 
CHAPTER  VIII. 

Sir  Hyde  Parker  is  recalled,  and  Nelson  appointed  Com- 
mander— He  goes  to  Revel — Settlement  of  Affairs  in 
the  Baltic — Unsuccessful  Attempt  upon  the  Flotilla  at 
Boulogne — Peace  of  Amiens — Nelson  takes  the  Com- 
mand in  the  Mediterranean  on  the  Renewal  of  the  War 
— Escape  of  the  Toulon  Fleet — Nelson  chases  them  to 
the  West  Indies,  and  back — Delivers  up  his  Squadron 
to  Admiral  Cornwaliis,  and  lands  in  England 267 

CHAPTER  IX. 

Sir  Robert  Calder  falls  in  with  the  combined  Fleets — They 
form  a  junction  with  the  Ferrol  Squadron,  and  get  into 
Cadiz — Nelson  is  re-appointed  to  the  Command — Bat- 
tle of  Trafalgar — Victory,  and  Death  of  Nelson  ....  318 


THE 


LIFE   OF    NELSON. 


Many  lives  of  Nelson  have  been  written :  one  is  yet  wanting, 
clear  and  concise  enough  to  become  a  manual  for  the  young 
sailor,  which  he  may  carry  about  with  him,  till  he  has  trea- 
sured up  the  example  in  his  meitiory  and  in  his  heart.  In 
attempting  such  a  work,  I  shall  write  the  eulogy  of  our  great 
naval  Hero ;  for  the  best  eulogy  of  Nelson  is  the  faithful 
history  of  his  actions  :  and  the  best  history  must  be  that 
which  shall  relate  them  most  perspicuously. 


THE 

LIFE    OF    NELSON. 


CHAPTER  I. 


Nelson's  Birth  and  Boyhood — He  is  entered  on  Board  the  Rai- 
sonnable — Goes  to  the  West  Indies  in  a  Merchant -sh ip  ;  then 
serves  in  the  Triumph — He  sails  in  Capt^  Phipp's  Voyage  of 
Discovery — Goes  to  the  East  Indies  in  the  Seahorse,  and  returns 
in  ill  health — Serves  as  acting  Lieutenant  in  the  Worcester, 
and  is  made  Lieutenant  into  the  Lowestoffe,  Commander  into 
the  Badger  Brig,  and  Post  into  the  Hinchinbrook — Eipediticn 
against  the  Spanish  Main — Sent  to  the  North  Seas  in  the  Al- 
bemarle— Services  during  the  American  War. 

Horatio,  son  of  Edmund  and  Catherine  Nelson, 
was  born  Sept.  29,  1758,  in  the  parsonage  house 
of  Burnham  Thorpe,  a  village  in  the  county  of 
Norfolk,  of  which  his  father  was  rector.  The 
maiden  name  of  his  mother  was  Sucklino: :  her 
grandmother  was  an  elder  sister  of  Sir  Robert 
Walpole,  and  this  child  was  named  after  his  god- 
father, the  first  Lord  Walpole.  Mrs.  Nelson 
died  in  1767,  leaving  eight,  out  of  eleven,  chil- 
dren. Her  brother,  Capt.  Maurice  Suckling  of  the 
navy,  visited  the  widower  upon  this  event,  and 
promised  to  take  care  of  one  of  the  boys.  Three 
years  afterwards,  when  Houatio  was  only  twelve 
years  of  age,  being  at  home  during  the  Christmas 
holidays,  he  read  in  the  county  newspaper  that  his 


4  UFE  OF  NELSOX. 

uncle  was  appointed  to  the  Raisonnable,  of  sixty- 
four  guns.  "  Do,  William,"  said  he  to  a  bro- 
ther uho  was  a  year  and  half  older  than  himself, 
"  write  to  my  father,  and  tell  him  that  I  should 
like  to  go  to  sea  with  uncle  Maurice."  Mr.  Nelson 
was  then  at  Bath,  whither  he  had  gone  for  the  re- 
covery oi"  his  health :  his  circumstances  were  strait- 
ened, and  he  had  no  prospect  of  ever  seeing  them 
bettered :  he  knew  that  it  was  the  wish  of  providing 
for  himself  by  which  Horatio  was  chiefly  actuated; 
and  did  not  oppose  his  resolution :  he  understood 
also  the  boy's  character,  and  had  always  said,  that 
in  whatever  station  he  might  be  placed,  he  would 
climb,  if  possible,  to  the  very  top  of  the  tree.  Ac- 
cordingly Capt.  Suckling  was  written  to.  "  What," 
said  he  in  his  answer,  "  has  poor  Horatio  done, 
who  is  so  weak,  that  he,  above  all  the  rest,  should 
'he  sent  to  rough  it  out  at  sea  ? — But  let  him  come  ; 
and  the  first  time  we  go  into  action,  a  cannon  ball 
may  knock  off  his  head,  and  provide  for  him  at 
once." 

It  is  manifest  from  these  words,  that  Horatio 
was  not  the  boy  whom  his  uncle  would  have  chosen 
to  bring  up  in  his  own  profession.  He  was  never 
of  a  strong  body ;  and  the  ague,  which  at  that 
time  was  one  of  the  most  common  diseases  in 
England,  had  greatly  reduced  his  strength  ;  yet 
he  had  already  given  proofs  of  that  resolute  heart 
and  nobleness  of  mind,  which,  during  his  whole 
career  of  labour  and  of  glory,  so  eminently-distin- 
guished him.  When  a  mere  child,  he  strayed  a 
bird's-nesting  from  his  grandmother's  house  in 
•  ompany  with  a  cow-boy :  the  dinner  hour  elapsed ; 
he  was  absent,  and  could  not  be  found  ;  and  the 


LIFE  OF  XELSOX.  5 

alarm  of  the  family  became  very  great,  for  they 
apprehended  that  he  might  have  been  carried  off 
by  gipsies.  At  length,  after  search  had  been  made 
for  him  in  various  directions,  he  was  discovered 
alone,  sitting  composedly  by  the  side  of  a  brook 
which  he  could  not  get  over.  "  I  wonder,  child," 
said  the  old  lady  when  she  saw  him,  "  that  hunger 
and  fear  did  not  drive  you  home." — "  Fear  !  grand- 
mamma," replied  the  future  hero,  "  I  never  saw 
fear  : — What  is  it  ?"  Once,  after  the  winter  holi- 
days, when  he  and  his  brother  William  had  set  off 
on  horseback  to  return  to  school,  they  came  back, 
because  there  had  been  a  fall  of  snow ;  and  Wil- 
liam, v,'ho  did  not  much  like  the  journey,  said  it 
was  too  deep  for  them  to  venture  on.  "  If  that  be 
the  case,"  said  the  father,  "  you  certainly  shall  not 
go ;  but  make  another  attempt,  and  I  will  leave  it 
to  your  honour.  If  the  road  is  dangerous,  you 
may  return :  but  remember,  boys,  I  leave  it  to  your 
honour!"  The  snow  was  deep  enough  to  have 
afforded  them  a  reasonable  excuse  ;  but  Horatio 
was  not  to  be  prevailed  upon  to  turn  back.  "  We 
must  go  on,"  said  he:  "  remember,  brother,  it  was 
left  to  our  honour !" — ^There  were  some  fine  pears 
growing  in  the  schoolmaster's  garden,  which  the 
boys  regarded  as  lawful  booty,  and  in  the  highest 
degree  tempting  ;  but  the  boldest  among  them 
were  afraid  to  venture  for  the  prize.  Horatio 
volunteered  upon  this  service  :  he  was  lowered 
down  at  night  from  the  bedroom  window  by  some 
sheets,  plundered  the  tree,  was  drawn  up  with  the 
pears,  and  then  distributed  them  among  his  school- 
fellows without  reserving  any  for  himself. — "  He 
only  took  them,"  he  said,  "  because  every  other 
boy  was  afraid." 


6  LIFE  OF  NELSON'.  [1771. 

Early  on  a  cold  and  dark  spring  morning  Mr. 
Nelson's  servant  arrived  at  this  school,  at  North 
Walsham,  with  the  expected  summons  for  Horatio 
to  join  his  ship.  The  parting  from  his  brother 
William,  who  had  been  for  so  many  years  his  play- 
mate and  bed-fellow,  was  a  painful  effort,  and  was 
the  beginning  of  those  privations  which  are  the 
sailor's  lot  through  life.  He  accompanied  his  father 
to  London.  The  Raisonnable  was  lying  in  the  Med- 
way.  He  was  put  into  the  Chatham  stage,  and 
on  its  arrival  was  set  down  with  the  rest  of  the 
passengers,  and  left  to  find  his  way  on  board  as 
he  could.  After  wandering  about  in  the  cold, 
■without  being  able  to  reach  the  ship,  an  officer 
observed  the  forlorn  appearance  of  the  boy,  ques- 
tioned him  ;  and,  happening  to  be  acquainted  with 
his  uncle,  took  him  home,  and  gave  him  some 
refreshments. — When  he  got  on  board,  Capt.  Suck- 
ling was  not  in  the  ship,  nor  had  any  person  been 
apprized  of  the  boy's  coming.  He  paced  the  deck 
the  whole  remainder  of  the  dav,  without  beinc: 
noticed  by  any  one  ;  and  it  was  not  till  the  second 
day  that  somebody,  as  he  expressed  it,  "  took 
compassion  on  him."  The  pain  which  is  felt  when 
we  are  first  transplanted  from  our  native  soil,  when 
the  living  branch  is  cut  from  the  parent  tree, — is 
one  of  the  most  poignant  which  we  have  to  endure 
through  life.  There  are  after  griefs  which  wound 
more  deeply,  which  leave  behind  them  scars  never 
to  be  effaced,  which  bruise  the  spirit,  and  some- 
times break  the  heart :  but  never  do  we  feel  so 
keenly  the  want  of  love,  the  necessity  of  being 
loved,  and  the  sense  of  utter  desertion,  as  when 
we  first  leave  the  haven  of  home,  and  are,  as  it 
were,  pushed  off  upon  the  stream  of  life.     Added 


1771.]  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  7 

to  these  feelings,  the  sea-boy  has  to  endure  phy- 
sical hardships,  and  the  privation  of  every  comfort, 
even  of  sleep.  Nelson  had  a  feeble  body  and  an 
affectionate  heart,  and  he  remembered  through  life 
his  first  days  of  wretchedness  in  the  service. 

The  Raisonnable  having  been  commissioned  on 
account  of  the  dispute  respecting  the  Falkland 
Islands,  was  paid  off  as  soon  as  the  difference  with 
the  court  of  Spain  was  accommodated,  and  Capt. 
Suckling  was  removed  to  the  Triumph,  seventy- four, 
then  stationed  as  a  guardship  in  the  Thames.    This 
was  considered  as  too  inactive  a  life  for  a  boy,  and 
Nelson  was  therefore  sent  a  voyage  to  the  West 
Indies  in  a  merchant  ship,  commanded  by  Mr.  John 
Rathbone,  an  excellent  seaman,  who  had  served 
as  master's  mate  under  Capt.   Suckling,  in  the 
Dreadnought.     He  returned  a  practical  seaman, 
but  with  a  hatred  of  the  king's  service,  and  a  say- 
ing then  common  among  the  sailors — "  aft  the 
most  honour;    forward  the  better  man."     Rath- 
bone  had  probably  been  disappointed  and  disgusted 
in  the  navy ;    and,  with  no  unfriendly  intentions, 
warned  Nelson  against  a  profession  which  he  him- 
self had  found  hopeless.     His  uncle  received  him 
on  board  the  Triumph  on  his  return,  and  discover- 
ing his  dislike  to  the  navy,  took  the  best  means  of 
reconciling  him  to  it.     He  held  it  out  as  a  reward, 
that  if  he  attended  well  to  his  navigation,  he  should 
go  in  the  cutter  and  decked  long  boat,  which  was 
attached  to  the  commanding  officer's  ship  at  Chat- 
ham.    Thus  he  became  a  good  pilot  for  vessels-  of 
that  description,  from  Chatham  to  the  ToAver,  and 
down  the  Swin  Channel  to  the  North  Foreland, 
and  acquired  a  confidence  among  rocks  and  sands, 
of  which  he  often  felt  the  value. 


8  LIFE  OF  XELSOK.  [1772. 

Nelson  had  not  been  many  months  on  board  the 
Triumph,  when  his  love  of  enterprise  was  excited 
by  hearing  that  two  ships  were  fitting  out  for  a 
voyage  of  discovery  towards  the  North  Pole.  In 
consequence  of  the  difficulties  which  were  expected 
on  such  a  service,  these  vessels  were  to  take  out 
effective  men  instead  of  the  usual  number  of  boys. 
This,  however,  did  not  deter  him  from  soliciting  to 
be  received,  and,  by  his  uncle's  interest,  he  was 
admitted  as  coxswain  under  Capt.  Lutwidge,  second 
in  command.  The  voyage  was  undertaken  in  com- 
pliance with  an  application  from  the  Royal  Society. 
The  Hon.  Capt.  Constantine  John  Phipps,  eldest 
son  of  Lord  Mulgrave,  volunteered  his  services. 
The  Racehorse  and  Carcass  bombs  were  selected, 
as  the  strongest  ships,  and,  therefore,  best  adapted 
for  such  a  voyage ;  and  they  were  taken  into  dock 
and  strengthened,  to  render  them  as  secure  as  pos- 
sible against  the  ice.  Two  masters  of  Greenland- 
men  were  employed  as  pilots  for  each  ship.  No 
expedition  was  ever  more  carefully  fitted  out ;  and 
the  first  Lord  of  the  Admiralty,  Lord  Sandwich, 
with  a  laudable  solicitude,  went  on  board  himself, 
before  their  departure,  to  see  that  every  thing  had 
been  completed  to  the  wish  of  the  officers.  The 
ships  were  provided  with  a  simple  and  excellent 
apparatus  for  distilling  fresh  from  salt  water,  the 
invention  of  Dr.  Irvine:,  who  accompanied  the  ex- 
pedition. It  consisted  merely  in  fitting  a  tube  to 
the  ship's  kettle,  and  applying  a  wet  mop  to  the 
surface,  as  the  vapour  was  passing.  By  these 
means,  from  thirty-four  to  forty  gallons  were  pro- 
duced every  day. 

They  sailed  from  the  Nore  on  the  4th  of  June : 
on  the  6th  of  the  .following  month  they  were  in 


1773.]  LIFE  OF  NELSOX.  9 

lat.  79°  5Q'  39" ;  long.  9°  43'  30"  E.  The  next 
day,  about  the  place  where  most  of  the  old  dis- 
coverers had  been  stopped,  the  Racehorse  was  beset 
with  ice ;  but  they  hove  her  through  with  ice 
anchors.  Capt.  Phipps  continued  ranging  along 
the  ice,  northward  and  westward,  till  the  24th ; 
he  then  tried  to  the  eastward.  On  the  30th  he 
was  in  lat.  80°  13';  long.  18°  48'  E.  among  the 
islands  and  in  the  ice,  with  no  appearance  of  an 
opening  for  the  ships.  The  weather  was  exceed- 
ingly fine,  mild,  and  unusually  clear.  Here  they 
were  becalmed  in  a  large  bay,  with  three  apparent 
openings  between  the  islands  which  formed  it ;  but 
every  where,  as  far  as  they  could  see,  surrounded 
with  ice.  There  was  not  a  breath  of  air,  the  water 
was  perfectly  smooth,  the  ice  covered  with  snow, 
low  and  even,  except  a  few  broken  pieces,  near 
the  edge ;  and  the  pools  of  water  in  the  middle  of 
the  ice-fields  just  crusted  over  with  young  ice. 
On  the  next  day  the  ice  closed  upon  them,  and 
no  opening  was  to  be  seen  any  where,  except  a 
hole  or  lake,  as  it  might  be  called,  of  about  a  mile 
and  half  in  circumference,  where  the  ships  lay  fast 
to  the  ice  with  their  ice  anchors.  They  filled 
their  casks  with  water  from  these  ice-fields,  which 
was  very  pure  and  soft.  The  men  were  playing 
on  the  ice  all  day ;  but  the  Greenland  pilots,  who 
were  further  than  they  had  ever  been  before,  and 
considered  that  the  season  was  far  advancing,  were 
alarmed  at  being  thus  beset. 

The  next  day  there  was  not  the  smallest  open- 
ing, the  ships  were  within  less  than  two  lengths  of 
each  other,  separated  by  ice,  and  neither  having 
room  to  turn.     The  ice,  which  the  day  before  had 

c 


lU  LI  IE  OF  NELSON.  [1773. 

been  flat,  and  almost  level  with  the  water's  edge, 
was  now,  in  many  places  forced  higher  than  the 
mainyard,  by  the  pieces  squeezing  together.  A 
day  of  thick  fog  followed  :  it  was  succeeded  by 
clear  weather ;  but  the  passage  by  which  the  ships 
had  entered  from  the  westward  was  closed,  and  no 
open  water  was  in  sight,  either  in  that  or  any  other 
quarter.  By  the  pilots'  advice  the  men  were  set 
to  cut  a  passage  and  warp  through  the  small  open- 
ings to  the  westward.  They  sawed  through  pieces 
of  ice  twelve  feet  thick  ;  and  this  labour  continued 
the  whole  day,  during  which  their  utmost  efforts 
did  not  move  the  ship  above  three  hundred  yards  ;■ 
while  they  were  driven,  together  with  the  ice,  far 
to  the  N.  E.  and  E.  by  the  current.  Sometimes 
a  field  of  several  acres  square  would  be  lifted  up 
between  two  larger  islands,  and  incorporated  with 
them ;  and  thus  these  larger  pieces  continued  to 
grow  by  aggregation.  Another  day  passed,  and 
there  seemed  no  probability  of  getting  the  ships 
out,  without  a  strong  E.  or  N.  E.  wind.  The 
season  was  far  advanced,  and  every  hour  lessened 
the  chance  of  extricating  themselves.  Young  as 
he  was,  Nelson  was  appointed  to  command  one  of 
the  boats  which  were  sent  out  to  explore  a  passage 
into  the  open  water.  It  was  the  means  of  saving 
a  boat  belonging  to  the  Racehorse  from  a  singular 
but  imminent  danger.  Some  of  the  officers  had 
fired  at  and  wounded  a  walrus.  As  no  other  ani- 
mal has  so  human-like  an  expression  in  its  counte- 
nance, so  also  is  there  none  that  seems  to  possess 
more  of  the  passions  of  humanity.  The  wounded 
animal  dived  immediately,  and  brought  up  a  num- 
ber of  its  companions  ;  and  they  all  joined  in  an 


1773.] 


LIFE  OF  NELSON. 


11 


attack  upon  the  boat.  They  \yrested  an  oar  from 
one  of  the  men ;  and  it  was  with  the  utmost  diffi- 
culty that  the  crew  could  prevent  them  from  staving 
or  upsetting  her,  till  the  Carcass's  boat  came  up : 
and  the  walruses,  finding  their  enemies  thus  rein- 
forced, dispersed.  Young  Nelson  exposed  himself 
in  a  more  daring  manner.  One  night,  during  the 
mid-watch,  he  stole  from  the  ship  with  one  of  his 
comrades,  taking  advantage  of  a  rising  fog,  and 
set  ofi^  over  the  ice  in  pursuit  of  a  bear.  It  was 
not  long  before  they  were  missed.  The  fog  thick- 
ened, and  Capt.  Lutwidge  and  his  officers  became 
exceedingly  alarmed  for  their  safety.  Between 
three  and  four  in  the  morning  the  weather  cleared, 
and  the  two  adventurers  were  seen,  at  a  consider-' 
able  distance  from  the  ship,  attacking  a  huge  bear. 
The  signal   for  them   to  return  was  immediately 


12  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  [1773. 

made :  Nelson's  comrade  called  upon  him  to  obey 
it,  but  in  vain  ;  his  musket  had  flashed  in  the  pan  ; 
their  ammunition  was  expended  ;  and  a  chasm  in 
the  ice,  which  divided  him  from  the  bear,  probably 
preserved  his  life.  "  Never  mind,"  he  cried  ;  "  do 
but  let  me  ^et  a  blow  at  this  devil  with  the  but- 
end  of  my  musket,  and  we  shall  have  him."  Capt. 
Lutwidge,  however,  seeing  his  danger,  fired  a  gun, 
which  had  the  desired  effect  of  frightening  the 
beast ;  and  the  boy  then  returned,  somewhat  afraid 
of  the  consequences  of  his  trespass.  The  captain 
reprimanded  him  sternly  for  conduct  so  unworthy 
of  the  office  which  he  filled,  and  desired  to  know 
what  motive  he  could  have  for  hunting  a  bear. 
"  Sir,"  said  he  pouting  his  lip,  as  he  was  wont  to 
do  when  agitated,  "  I  wished  to  kill  the  bear,  that 
I  might  carry  the  skin  to  my  father." 

A  party  were  now  sent  to  an  island,  about 
twelve  miles  off  (named  ^Valden's  Island  in  the 
charts,  from  the  midshipman  who  was  intrusted 
with  this  service),  to  see  where  the  open  water  lay. 
They  came  back  with  information,  that  the  ice, 
though  close  all  about  them,  was  open  to  the  west- 
ward, round  the  point  by  which  they  came  in. 
They  said  also,  that  upon  the  island  they  had  had 
a  fresh  east  wind.  This  intelligence  considerably 
abated  the  hopes  of  the  crew  ;  for  where  they  lay 
it  had  been  almost  calm,  and  their  main  de- 
pendence had  been  upon  the  effect  of  an  easterly 
wind  in  clearing  the  bay.  There  was  but  one 
alternative ;  either  to  wait  the  event  of  the  wea- 
ther upon  the  ships,  or  to  betake  themselves  to 
the  boats.  The  likelihood  that  it  might  be  neces- 
sary to  sacrifice  the  ships  had  been  foreseen ;  the 


1773.]  LIFE  OF  XELSOX.  13 

boats,  accordingly,  were  adapted,  both  in  number 
and  size,  to  transport,  in  case  of  emergency,  the 
whole  crew ;  and  there  were  Dutch  whalers  upon 
the  coast,  in  which  they  could  all  be  conveyed 
to  Europe.  As  for  wintering  where  they  were, 
that  dreadful  experiment  had  been  already  tried 
too  often.  No  time  was  to  be  lost;  the  ships 
had  driven  into  shoal  water,  having  but  fourteen 
fathoms.  Should  they,  or  the  ice  to  which  they 
were  fast,  take  the  ground,  they  must  inevitably 
be  lost :  and  at  this  time  they  were  driving  fast 
toward  some  rocks  on  the  N.  E.  Capt.  Phipps 
sent  for  the  officers  of  both  ships,  and  told  them 
his  intention  of  preparing  the  boats  for  going  away. 
They  were  immediately  hoisted  out,  and  the  fitting 
begun.  Canvas  bread-bags  were  made,  in  case  it 
should  be  necessary  suddenly  to  desert  the  vessels  ; 
and  men  were  sent  with  the  lead  and  line  to  the 
northward  and  eastward,  to  sound  wherever  they 
found  cracks  in  the  ice,  that  they  might  have 
notice  before  the  ice  took  the  ground  ;  for,  in  that 
case,  the  ships  must  instantly  have  been  crushed, 
or  overset. 

On  the  7th  of  August  they  began  to  haul  the 
boats  over  the  ice.  Nelson  having  command  of  the 
four-oared  cutter.  The  men  behaved  excellently 
well,  like  true  British  seamen  :  they  seemed  recon- 
ciled to  the  thought  of  leaving  the  ships,  and  had 
full  confidence  in  their  officers.  About  noon,  the 
ice  appeared  rather  more  open  near  the  vessels  ; 
and  as  the  wind  was  easterly,  though  there  was 
but  little  of  it,  the  sails  were  set,  and  they  got 
about  a  mile  to  the  westward.  They  moved  very 
slowly,  and  were  not  now  nearly  so  far  to  the 

D 


14  LIFE  OF  XELSOX.  [1773. 

westward  as  when  they  were  first  beset.  How- 
ever, all  sail  was  kept  upon  them,  to  force  them 
through  whenever  the  ice  slacked  the  least.  What- 
ever exertions  were  made,  it  could  not  be  possible 
to  get  the  boats  to  the  water  edge  before  the  14th; 
and  if  the  situation  of  the  ships  should  not  alter 
by  that  time,  it  would  not  be  justifiable  to  stay 
longer  by  them.  The  commander  therefore  re- 
solved to  cari-y  on  both  attempts  together,  moving 
the  boats  constantly,  and  taking  every  opportunity 
of  getting  the  ships  through.  A  party  was  sent 
out  next  day  to  the  westward,  to  examine  the  state 
of  the  ice  :  they  returned  with  tidings  that  it  was 
very  heavy  and  close,  consisting  chiefly  of  large 
fields.  The  ships,  however,  moved  something, 
and  the  ice  itself  was  drifting  westward.  There 
was  a  thick  fog,  so  that  it  was  impossible  to  ascer- 
tain what  advantage  had  been  gained.  It  con- 
tinued on  the  9th ;  but  the  ships  were  moved  a 
little  through  some  very  small  openings :  the  mist 
cleared  off  in  the  afternoon ;  and  it  was  then  per- 
ceived that  they  had  driven  much  more  than  could 
have  been  expected  to  the  westward,  and  that  the 
ice  itself  had  driven  still  farther.  In  the  course  of 
the  day  they  got  past  the  boats,  and  took  them  on 
board  again.  On  the  morrow  the  wind  sprang  up 
to  the  N.  N.  E.  All  sail  was  set,  and  the  ships 
forced  theif  way  through  a  great  deal  of  very 
heavy  ice.  They  frequently  struck,  and  with  such 
force,  that  one  stroke  broke  the  shank  of  the 
Race-horse's  best  bower  anchor :  but  the  vessels 
made  way  ;  and  by  noon  they  had  cleared  the 
ice,  and  were  out  at  sea.  The  next  day  they 
anchored  in  Smeerenberg  Harbour,  close  to  that 


1773.]  LIFE  OF  N'ELSOX.  15 

island  of  which  the  westernmost  point  is  called 
Hakluyt's  Headland,  in  honour  of  the  great  pro- 
moter and  compiler  of  our  English  voyages  of 
discovery. 

Here  they  remained  a  few  days,  that  the  men 
might  rest  after  their  fatigue.  No  insect  was  to  be 
seen  in  this  dreary  country,  nor  any  species  of  rep- 
tile— not  even  the  common  earth-worm.  Large 
bodies  of  ice,  called  ice-bergs,  filled  up  the  val- 
leys between  high  mountains,  so  dark,  as,  when 
contrasted  with  the  snow,  to  appear  black.  The 
colour  of  the  ice  was  a  lively  light  green.  Oppo- 
site to  the  place  where  they  fixed  their  observatory 
was  one  of  these  ice-bergs,  above  three  hundred 
feet  high  :  its  side  towards  the  sea  was  nearly  per- 
pendicular, and  a  stream  of  water  issued  from  it. 
Large  pieces  frequently  broke  off,  and  rolled  down 
into  the  sea.  There  was  no  thunder  nor  lightning 
during  the  whole  time  they  were  in  these  latitudes. 
The  sky  was  generally  loaded  with  hard  white 
clouds,  from  which  it  was  never  entirely  free  even 
in  the  clearest  weather.  They  always  knew  when 
they  were  approaching  the  ice,  long  before  they 
saw  it,  by  a  bright  appearance  near  the  horizon, 
which  the  Greenlandmen  called  the  blink  of  the 
ice.  The  season  was  now  so  far  advanced,  that 
nothing  more  could  have  been  attempted,  if  indeed 
any  thing  had  been  left  untried  :  but  the  summer 
had  been  unusually  favourable,  and  they  had  care- 
fully surveyed  the  wall  of  ice  extending  for  more 
than  twenty  degrees  between  the  latitudes  of  80° 
and  81°,  without  the  smallest  appearance  of  any 
opening. 

The  ships  were  paid  off"  shortly  after  their  return 


16  LIFE  OF  NELSON'.  [1776. 

to  England ;  and  Nelson  was  then  placed  by  his 
uncle  with  Capt.  Farmer,  in  the  Seahorse,  of  twenty 
guns,  then  going  out  to  the  East  Indies  in  the 
squadron  under  Sir  Edward  Hughes.  He  was 
stationed  in  the  foretop  at  watch  and  watch.  His 
good  conduct  attracted  the  attention  of  the  master 
(afterwards  Capt.  Surridge)  in  whose  watch  he 
was;  and,  upon  his  recommendation,  the  captain 
rated  him  as  midshipman.  At  this  time  his  coun- 
tenance was  florid,  and  his  appearance  rather 
stout  and  athletic :  but,  when  he  had  been  about 
eighteen  months  in  India,  he  felt  the  effects  of  that 
climate,  so  perilous  to  European  constitutions. 
The  disease  baffled  all  power  of  medicine ;  he  was 
reduced  almost  to  a  skeleton ;  the  use  of  his  limbs 
was  for  some  time  entirely  lost ;  and  the  only  hope 
that  remained,  was  from  a  voyage  home.  Ac- 
cordingly he  was  brought  home  by  Capt.  Pigot,  in 
the  Dolphin  :  and  had  it  not  been  for  the  attentive 
and  careful  kindness  of  that  officer  on  the  way, 
Nelson  would  never  have  lived  to  reach  his  native 
shores.  He  had  formed  an  acquaintance  with  Sir 
Charles  Pole,  Sir  Thomas  Troubridge,  and  other 
distinguished  officers,  then,  like  himself,  begin- 
ning their  career :  he  had  left  them  pursuing  that 
career  in  full  enjoyment  of  health  and  hope,  and 
was  returning  from  a  country,  in  which  all  things 
were  to  him  new  and  interesting,  with  a  body 
broken  down  by  sickness,  and  spirits  which  had 
sunk  with  his  strength.  Long  afterwards,  when 
the  name  of  Nelson  was  known  as  widely  as  that 
of  England  itself,  he  spoke  of  the  feelings  which 
he  at  this  time  endured.  "  I  felt  impressed," 
said  he,  "  with  a  feeling  that  I  should  never  rise  in 


1776.]  LIFE  OF  XELSOX.  17 

my  profession.  My  mind  was  staggered  with  a 
view  of  the  difficulties  I  had  to  surmount,  and  the 
little  interest  I  possessed,  I  could  discover  no 
means  of  reaching  the  object  of  my  ambition. 
After  a  long  and  gloomy  reverie,  in  which  I  almost 
wished  myself  overboard,  a  sudden  glow  of  patri- 
otism was  kindled  within  me,  and  presented  my 
king  and  country  as  my  patron.  Well,  then,"  I 
exclaimed,  "  I  will  be  a  hero !  and,  confiding  in 
providence,  I  will  brave  every  danger !" 

Long  afterwards  Nelson  loved  to  speak  of  the 
feeling  of  that  moment :  and  from  that  time,  he 
often  said,  a  radiant  orb  was  suspended  in  his 
mind's  eye,  which  urged  him  onward  to  renown. 
The  state  of  mind  in  which  these  feelings  began, 
is  what  the  mystics  mean  by  their  season  of  dark- 
ness and  desertion.  If  the  animal  spirits  fail,  they 
represent  it  as  an  actual  temptation.  The  enthu- 
siasm of  Nelson's  nature  had  taken  a  different 
direction,  but  its  essence  was  the  same.  He  knew 
to  what  the  previous  state  of  dejection  was  to  be 
attributed ;  that  an  enfeebled  body,  and  a  mind 
depressed,  had  cast  this  shade  over  his  soul :  but 
he  always  seemed  willing  to  believe,  that  the  sun- 
shine which  succeeded  bore  with  it  a  prophetic 
glory,  and  that  the  light  which  led  him  on,  was 
"  light  from  heaven." 

His  interest,  however,  was  far  better  than  he 
imagined.  During  his  absence,  Capt.  Suckling 
had  been  made  comptroller  of  the  navy  ;  his  health 
had  materially  improved  upon  the  voyage  ;  and,  as 
soon  as  the  Dolphin  was  paid  off,  he  was  appoint- 
ed acting  lieutenant  in  the  Worcester,  sixty-four, 
Capt.  Mark  Robinson,  then  going  out  with  convoy 


18  LIFE  OF  XELSO.V.  [1778. 

to  Gibraltar.  Soon  after  his  return,  on  the  8th  of 
April,  1777,  he  passed  his  examination  for  a  lieu- 
tenancy. Capt.  Suckling  sat  at  the  head  of  the 
board  ;  and,  when  the  examination  had  ended,  in 
a  manner  highly  honourable  to  Nelson,  rose  from 
his  seat,  and  introduced  him  to  the  examining 
captains  as  his  nephew.  They  expressed  their 
wonder  that  he  had  not  informed  them  of  this  re- 
lationship before ;  he  replied,  that  he  did  not  wish 
the  younker  to  be  favoured ;  he  knew  his  nephew 
would  pass  a  good  examination,  and  he  had  not 
been  deceived.  The  next  day  Nelson  received  his 
commission  as  second  lieutenant  of  the  Lowestoffe 
frigate,  Capt.  William  Locker,  then  fitting  out  for 
Jamaica. 

American,  and  French  privateers  under  Ameri- 
can colours,  were  at  that  time  harassing  our  trade 
in  the  West  Indies :  even  a  frigate  was  not  suffi- 
ciently active  for  Nelson,  and  he  repeatedly  got 
appointed  to  the  command  of  one  of  the  Lowe- 
stofFe's  tenders.  During  one  of  their  cruizes  the 
Lowestoffe  captured  an  American  letter-of-marque : 
it  was  blowing  a  gale,  and  a  heavy  sea  running. 
Tha  first  lieutenant  being  ordered  to  board  the 
prize,  went  below  to  put  on  his  hanger.  It  hap- 
pened to  be  mislaid  ;  and,  while  he  was  seeking  it, 
Capt.  Locker  came  on  deck.  Perceiving  the  boat 
still  alongside,  and  in  danger  every  moment  of 
being  swamped,  and  being  extremely  anxious  that 
the  privateer  should  be  instantly  taken  in  charge, 
because  he  feared  that  it  would  otherwise  founder, 
he  exclaimed,  "  Have  I  no  officer  in  the  shij)  who 
can  board  the  prize  ?"  Nelson  did  not  offiijr  him- 
self immediately,  waiting,  with  his  usual  sense  of 


h 


1779.]  LIFE  OF  XELSO^T.  19 

propriety,  for  the  first  lieutenant's  return ;  but, 
hearing  the  master  volunteer,  he  jumped  into  the 
boat,  saying,  "  It  is  my  turn  now ;  and  if  I  come 
back,  it  is  yours."  The  American,  who  had  car- 
ried a  heavy  press  of  sail,  in  hope  of  escaping,  was 
so  completely  water-logged,  that  the  LowestofFe's 
boat  went  in  on  deck,  and  out  again  with  the  sea. 
About  this  time  he  lost  his  uncle.  Capt.  Locker, 
however,  who  had  perceived  the  excellent  qualities 
of  Nelson,  and  formed  a  friendship  for  him,  which 
continued  during  his  life,  recommended  him  warmly 
to  Sir  Peter  Parker,  then  commander-in-chief  upon 
that  station.  In  consequence  of  this  recommen- 
dation he  was  removed  into  the  Bristol  flag-ship, 
and  Lieutenant  Cuthbert  Collingwood,  who  had 
long  been  in  habits  of  great  friendship  with  him, 
succeeded  him  in  the  Lowestoffe.  Sir  Peter  Parker 
was  the  friend  of  both,  and  thus  it  happened  that 
whenever  Nelson  got  a  step  in  rank,  Collingwood 
succeeded  him.  The  former  soon  became  first 
lieutenant;  and,  on  the  8th  of  December,  1778, 
was  appointed  commander  of  the  Badger  brig ; 
Collingwood  taking  his  place  in  the  Bristol. 
While  the  Badger  was  lying  in  Montego  Bay, 
Jamaica,  the  Glasgow  of  twenty  guns  came  in  and 
anchored  there,  and  in  two  hours  was  in  flames, 
the  steward  having  set  fire  to  her  while  stealing 
rum  out  of  the  after-hold.  Her  crew  were  leaping 
into  the  water,  when  Nelson  came  up  in  his  boats, 
made  them  throw  their  powder  overboard,  and 
point  their  guns  upward  :  and,  by  his  presence  of 
mind  and  personal  exertions,  prevented  the  loss  of 
life  which  would  otherwise  have  ensued.  On  the 
11th  of  June,  1779,  he  was  made  post  into  the 


20  LIFE  OF  XELSOK.  [1779. 

Hinchinbrook,  of  twenty-eight  guns,  an  enemy's 
merchant-man,  sheathed  with  wood,  which  had 
been  taken  into  the  service.  Collingwood  was  then 
made  commander  into  the  Badger.  A  short  time 
after  he  left  the  LowestofFe,  that  ship,  with  a  small 
squadron,  stormed  the  fort  of  St.  Fernando  de 
Omoa,  on  the  south  side  of  the  Bay  of  Honduras, 
and  captured  some  register  ships  which  were  lying 
under  its  guns.  Two  hundred  and  fifty  quintals 
of  quicksilver,  and  three  millions  of  piastres,  were 
the  reward  of  this  enterprise :  and  it  is  charac- 
teristic of  Nelson,  that  the  chance  by  which  he 
missed  a  share  in  such  a  prize,  is  never  mentioned 
in  any  of  his  letters ;  nor  is  it  likely  that  it  ever 
excited  even  a  momentary  feeling  of  vexation. 

Nelson  was  fortunate  in  possessing  good  interest 
at  the  time  when  it  could  be  most  serviceable  to 
him  :  his  promotion  had  been  almost  as  rapid  as  it 
could  be ;  and  before  he  had  attained  the  age  of 
twenty-one  he  had  gained  that  rank  which  brought 
all  the  honours  of  the  service  within  his  reach.  No 
opportunity,  indeed,  had  yet  been  given  him  of 
distinguishing  himself;  but  he  was  thoroughly 
master  of  his  profession,  and  his  zeal  and  ability 
were  acknowledged  wherever  he  was  known.  Count 
d'Estaing,  with  a  fleet  of  one  hundred  and  twenty- 
five  sail,  men  of  war  and  transports,  and  a  reputed 
force  of  five  and  twenty  thousand  men,  threatened 
Jamaica  from  St.  Domingo.  Nelson  offered  his 
services  to  the  Admiral  and  to  Governor  General 
Bailing,  and  was  appointed  to  command  the  batte- 
ries of  Fort  Charles,  at  Port  Royal.  Not  more 
than  seven  thousand  men  could  be  mustered  for 
the  defence  of  the  island, — a  number  wholly  in- 


1779.]  LtFE  OF  NELSOX.  21 

adequate  to  resist  the  force  which  threatened  them. 
Of  this  Nelson  was  so  well  aware,  that  when  he 
wrote  to  his  friends  in  England,  he  told  them  they 
must  not  be  surprised  to  hear  of  his  learning  to 
speak  French.  D'Estaing,  however,  was  either 
not  aware  of  his  own  superiority,  or  not  equal  to 
the  command  with  which  he  was  intrusted ;  he 
attempted  nothing  with  this  formidable  armament ; 
and  General  Bailing  was  thus  left  to  execute  a 
project  which  he  had  formed  against  the  Spanish 
colonies. 

This  project  was,  to  take  Fort  San  Juan  on  the 
river  of  that  name,  which  flows  from  Lake  Nicara- 
gua into  the  Atlantic  ;  make  himself  master  of  the 
lake  itself,  and  of  the  cities  of  Granada  and  Leon  ; 
and  thus  cut  off  the  communication  of  the  Spani- 
ards between  their  northern  and  southern  posses- 
sions in  America.  Here  it  is  that  a  canal  between 
the  two  seas  may  most  easily  be  formed ; — a  work 
more  important  in  its  consequences  than  any  which 
has  ever  yet  been  effected  by  human  power.  Lord 
George  Germaine,  at  that  time  secretary  of  state  for 
the  American  department,  approved  the  plan  :  and 
as  discontents  at  that  time  were  known  to  prevail 
in  the  Nuevo  Reyno,  in  Popayan,  and  in  Peru, 
the  more  sanguine  part  of  the  English  began  to 
dream  of  acquiring  an  empire  in  one  part  of  Ame- 
rica more  extensive  than  that  which  they  were  on 
the  point  of  losing  in  another.  General  Balling's 
plans  were  well  formed  ;  but  the  history  and  the 
nature  of  the  country  had  not  been  studied  as 
accurately  as  its  geography :  the  difficulties  which 
occurred  in  fitting  out  the  expedition  delayed  it 
till  the  season  was  too  far  advanced ;  and  the  men 

£ 


22  LIFE  OF  XELSOX.  [1780. 

were  thus  sent  to  adventure  themselves,  not  so 
much  against  an  enemy,  whom  they  would  have 
beaten,  as  against  a  climate,  which  would  do  the 
enemy's  work. 

Early  in  the  year  1780,  five  hundred  men,  des- 
tined for  this  service,  were  convoyed  by  Nelson 
from  Port  Royal  to  Cape  Gracias  a  Dios,  in  Hon- 
duras. Not  a  native  was  to  be  seen  when  they 
landed :  they  had  been  taught  that  the  English 
came  with  no  other  intent  than  that  of  enslaving 
them,  and  sending  them  to  Jamaica.  After  a 
while,  however,  one  of  them  ventured  down,  con- 
fiding in  his  knowledge  of  one  of  the  party ;  and 
by  his  means  the  neighbouring  tribes  were  con- 
ciliated with  presents,  and  brought  in.  The  troops 
were  encamped  on  a  swampy  and  unwholesome 
plain,  where  they  were  joined  by  a  party  of  the 
seventy-ninth  regiment,  from  Black  River,  who 
were  already  in  a  deplorable  state  of  sickness. 
Having  remained  here  a  month,  they  proceeded, 
anchoring  frequently,  along  the  Mosquito  shore, 
to  collect  their  Indian  allies,  who  were  to  furnish 
proper  boats  for  the  river,  and  to  accompany  them. 
They  reached  the  river  San  Juan,  March  24th : 
and  here,  according  to  his  orders,  Nelson's  ser- 
vices were  to  terminate ;  but  not  a  man  in  the 
expedition  had  ever  been  up  the  river,  or  knew  the 
distance  of  any  fortification  from  its  mouth  :  and 
he,  not  being  one  who  would  turn  back  when  so 
much  was  to  be  done,  resolved  to  carry  the  sol- 
diers up.  About  two  hundred,  therefore,  were 
embarked  in  the  Mosquito  shore  craft,  and  in  two 
of  the  Hinchinbrook's  boats,  and  they  began  their 
voyage.     It  was  the  latter  end  of  the  dry  season, 


1780.]  LIFE  OF  XELSOK.  23 

the  worst  time  for  such  an  expedition ;  the  river 
was  consequently  low :  Indians  were  sent  forward 
through  narrow  channels  between  shoals  and  sand 
banks,  and  the  men  were  frequently  obliged  to 
quit  the  boats,  and  exert  their  utmost  strength  to 
drag  or  thrust  them  along.  This  labour  continued 
for  several  days :  when  they  came  into  deeper  water, 
they  had  then  currents  and  rapids  to  contend  with, 
which  would  have  been  insurmountable,  but  for  the 
skill  of  the  Indians  in  such  difficulties.  The  brunt 
of  the  labour  was  borne  by  them  and  by  the  sailors 
— men  never  accustomed  to  stand  aloof  when  any 
exertion  of  strength  or  hardihood  is  required.  The 
soldiers,  less  accustomed  to  rely  upon  themselves, 
were  of  little  use.  But  all  equally  endured  the 
violent  heat  of  the  sun^  rendered  more  intense  by 
being  reflected  from  the  white  shoals,  while  the 
high  woods,  on  both  sides  of  the  river,  were  fre- 
quently so  close,  as  to  prevent  any  refreshing  circu^ 
lation  of  air;  and  during  the  night  all  were  equally 
exposed  to  the  heavy  and  unwholesome  dews. 

On  the  9th  of  April  they  reached  an  island  in 
the  river,  called  St.  Bartolomeo,  which  the  Spaniards 
had  fortified,  as  an  out-post,  with  a  small  semicir- 
cular battery,  mounting  nine  or  ten  swivels,  and 
manned  with  sixteen  or  eighteen  men.  It  com- 
manded the  river  in  a  rapid  and  difficult  part  of 
the  navigation.  Nelson,  at  the  head  of  a  few  of 
his  seamen,  leaped  upon  the  beach.  The  ground 
upon  which  he  sprung  was  so  muddy,  that  he  had 
some  difficulty  in  extricating  himself,  and  lost  his 
shoes:  bare-footed,  however,  he  advanced,  and,  in 
his  own  phrase,  boarded  the  battery.  In  this  re- 
solute attempt  he  was  bravely  supported  by  Des- 


24 


LIFE  OF  XEI.SOX. 


[1781. 


pard,  at  that  time  a  captain  in  the  army,  afterward 
unhappily  known  for  his  schemes  of  revolutionary 
treason.  The  castle  of  St.  Juan  is  situated  about 
sixteen  miles  higher  up:  the  stores  and  ammunition, 
however,  were  landed  a  few  miles  below  the  castle, 
and  the  men  had  to  march  through  woods  almost 
impassable.  One  of  the  men  was  bitten  under  the 
eye  by  a  snake,  which  darted  upon  him  from  the 
bough  of  a  tree.  He  was  unable  to  proceed  from 
the  violence  of  the  pain :  and  when,  after  a  short 
while,  some  of  his  comrades  were  sent  back  to  assist 
him,  he  was  dead,  and  the  body  already  putrid. 
Nelson  himself  narrowly  escaped  a  similar  fate. 
He  had  ordered  his  hammock  to  be  slung  under 
some  trees,  being  excessively  fatigued,  and  was 
sleeping  when  a  monitory  lizard  passed  across  his 
face.     The  Indians  happily  observed  the  reptile, 


1781.]  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  25 

and,  knowing  what  it  indicated,  awoke  him.  He 
started  up,  and  found  one  of  the  deadhest  serpents 
of  the  country  coiled  up  at  his  feet.  He  suffered 
from  poison  of  another  kind ;  for,  drinking  at  a 
spring  in  which  some  boughs  of  the  manchineel 
had  been  thrown,  the  effects  were  so  severe,  as,  in 
the  opinion  of  some  of  his  friends,  to  inflict  a  last- 
ing injury  upon  his  constitution. 

The  castle  of  St.  Juan  is  thirty-two  miles  below 
the  Lake  of  Nicaragua,  from  which  it  issues,  and 
sixty-nine  from  the  mouth  of  the  river.  Boats  reach 
the  sea  from  thence  in  a  day  and  a  half;  but  their 
navigation  back,  even  when  unladen,  is  the  labour 
of  nine  days.  The  English  appeared  before  it  on 
the  11th,  two  days  after  they  had  taken  St.  Barto- 
lomeo.  Nelson's  advice  was,  that  it  should  instantly 
be  carried  by  assault :  but  Nelson  was  not  the 
commander ;  and  it  was  thought  proper  to  observe 
all  the  formalities  of  a  siege.  Ten  days  were  wasted 
before  this  could  be  commenced  :  it  was  a  work 
more  of  fatigue  than  of  danger ;  but  fatigue  was 
more  to  be  dreaded  than  the  enemy  ;  the  rains  set 
in :  and,  could  the  garrison  have  held  out  a  little 
longer,  disease  would  have  rid  them  of  their  in- 
vaders. Even  the  Indians  sunk  under  it,  the  vic- 
tims of  unusual  exertion,  and  of  their  own  excesses. 
The  place  surrendered  on  the  24th.  But  victory 
procured  to  the  conquerors  none  of  that  relief  which 
had  been  expected ;  the  castle  was  worse  than  a 
prison  ;  and  it  contained  nothing  which  could  con- 
tribute to  the  recovery  of  the  sick,  or  the  preserva- 
tion of  those  who  were  yet  unaffected.  The  huts, 
which  served  for  hospitals,  were  surrounded  with 
filth,  and  with  the  putrefying  hides  of  slaughtered 

F 


26  LIFE  OF  NELSON. 


[1781. 


cattle — almost  sufficient  of  themselves  to  have  en- 
gendered pestilence :    and  when,   at  last,   orders 
were  given  to  erect  a  convenient  hospital,  the  con- 
tagion had  become  so  general,  that  there  were  none 
who  could  work  at  it ;   for,  besides  the  few  who 
were  able  to  perform  garrison  duty,  there  were  not 
orderly  men  enough  to  assist  the  sick.     Added  to 
these  evils,  there  was  the  want  of  all  needful  re- 
medies ;  for,  though  the  expedition  had  been  amply 
provided  with  hospital  stores,  river  craft  enough 
had  not  been  procured  for  transporting  the  requisite 
baggage ;   and  when  much  was  to  be  left  behind, 
provision  for  sickness  was  that  which  of  all  things 
men  in  health  would  be  most  ready  to  leave.   Now, 
when  these  medicines  were  required,  the  river  was 
swoln,  and  so  turbulent,  that  its  upward  navigation 
was  almost  impracticable.   At  length  even  the  task 
of  burying  the  dead  was  more  than  the  living  could 
perform,  and  the  bodies  were  tost  into  the  stream, 
or  left  for  beasts  of  prey,  and  for  the  gallinazos^ 
those  dreadful  carrion  birds,  which  do  not  always 
wait  for  death  before  they  begin  their  work.     Five 
months  the  English  persisted  in  what  may  be  called 
this  war  against  nature ;  they  then  left  a  few  men, 
who  seemed  proof  against  the  climate,  to  retain  the 
castle  till  the  Spaniards  should  choose  to  retake  it, 
and   make  them  prisoners.     The  rest  abandoned 
their  baleful   conquest.      Eighteen  hundred   men 
were  sent  to  different  posts  upon  this  wretched  ex- 
pedition :   not  more  than  three  hundred  and  eighty 
ever  returned.     The   Hinchinbrook's  complement 
consisted  of  two  hundred  men  ;   eighty-seven  took 
to  their  beds  in  one  night ;  and  of  the  whole  crew 
not  more  than  ten  survived. 


1781.]  LIFE  OF  XELSOX.  27 

The  transports'  men  all  died,  and  some  of  the 
ships,  having  none  left  to  take  care  of  them,  sunk  in 
the  harbour  :  but  transport  ships  Ave  re  not  wanted, 
for  the  troops  which  they  had  brought  were  no 
more  :  they  had  fallen,  not  by  the  hand  of  an  ene- 
my, but  by  the  deadly  influence  of  the  climate. 

Nelson  himself  was  saved  by  a  timely  removal. 
In  a  few  days  after  the  commencement  of  the  siege 
he  was  seized  with  the  prevailing  dysentery ;  mean- 
time Capt.  Glover  (son  of  the  author  of  Leonidas) 
died,  and  Nelson  was  appointed  to  succeed  him  in 
the  Janus,  of  forty-four  guns ;  CoUingwood  being 
then  made  post  into  the  Hinchinbrook.  He  returned 
to  the  harbour  the  day  before  St.  Juan  surrendered, 
and  immediately  sailed  for  Jamaica  in  the  sloop 
which  brought  the  news  of  his  appointment.  He 
was,  however,  so  greatly  reduced  by  the  disorder, 
that  when  they  reached  Port  Royal  he  was  carried 
ashore  in  his  cot ;  and  finding  himself,  after  a 
partial  amendment,  unable  to  retain  the  command 
of  his  new  ship,  he  was  compelled  to  ask  leave  to 
return  to  England,  as  the  only  means  of  recovery. 
Capt.  (afterwards  Admiral)  Cornwallis  took  him 
home  in  the  Lion ;  and  to  his  care  and  kindness 
Nelson  believed  himself  indebted  for  his  life.  He 
went  immediately  to  Bath,  in  a  miserable  state ; 
so  helpless,  that  he  was  carried  to  and  from  his 
bed ;  and  the  act  of  moving  him  produced  the  most 
violent  pain.  In  three  months  he  recovered,  and 
immediately  hastened  to  London,  and  applied  for 
employment.  After  an  interval  of  about  four  months 
he  was  appointed  to  the  Albemarle,  of  twenty-eight 
guns,  a  French  merchant-man,  which  had  been 
purchased  from  the  captors  for  the  king's  service. 


28  LIFE  OF  NELSOK.  [1782. 

His  health  was  not  yet  thoroughly  reestablished; 
and  while  he  was  employed  in  getting  his  ship 
ready,  he  again  became  so  ill  as  hardly  to  be  able 
to  keep  out  of  bed.  Yet  in  this  state,  still  suffering 
from  the  fatal  effect  of  a  West  Indian  climate,  as 
if,  it  might  almost  be  supposed,  he  said  to  try  his 
constitution,  he  was  sent  to  the  North  Seas,  and 
kept  there  the  whole  winter.  The  asperity  with 
which  he  mentioned  this  so  many  years  afterwards, 
evinces  how  deeply  he  resented  a  mode  of  conduct 
equally  cruel  to  the  individual  and  detrimental  to 
the  service.  It  was  during  the  armed  neutrality; 
and  when  they  anchored  off  Elsineur,  the  Danish 
Admiral  sent  on  board,  desiring  to  be  informed 
what  ships  had  arrived,  and  to  have  their  force 
written  down.  "  The  Albemarle,"  said  Nelson  to 
the  messenger,  "  is  one  of  his  Britannic  Majesty's 
ships :  you  are  at  liberty,  sir,  to  count  the  guns  as 
you  go  down  the  side :  and  you  may  assure  the 
Danish  Admiral,  that,  if  necessary,  they  shall  all 
be  well  served."  During  this  voyage  he  gained  a 
considerable  knowledge  of  the  Danish  coast,  and 
its  soundings  ;  greatly  to  the  advantage  of  his 
country  in  after  times.  The  Albemarle  was  not  a 
good  ship,  and  was  several  times  nearly  overset,  in 
consequence  of  the  masts  having  been  made  much 
too  long  for  her.  On  her  return  to  England  they 
were  shortened,  and  some  other  improvements  made 
at  Nelson's  suggestion.  Still  he  always  insisted 
that  her  first  owners,  the  French,  had  taught  her 
to  run  away,  as  she  was  never  a  good  sailer,  except 
when  going  directly  before  the  wind. 

On  their  return  to  the  Downs,  while  he  was 
ashore  visiting  the  senior  officer,  there  came  on  so 


1782.]  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  29 

heavy  a  gale,  that  almost  all  the  vessels  drove, 
and  a  store  ship  came  athwart-hawse  of  the  Albe- 
marle. Nelson  feared  she  would  drive  on  the 
Goodwin  Sands :  he  ran  to  the  beach ;  but  even 
the  Deal  boatmen  thought  it  impossible  to  get  on 
board,  such  was  the  violence  of  the  storm.  At 
length  some  of  the  most  intrepid  offered  to  make 
the  attempt  for  fifteen  guineas ;  and  to  the  asto- 
nishment and  fear  of  all  the  beholders,  he  em- 
barked during  the  height  of  the  tempest.  With 
great  difficulty  and  imminent  danger  he  succeeded 
in  reaching  her.  She  lost  her  bowsprit  and  fore- 
mast, but  escaped  further  injury.  He  was  now 
ordered  to  Quebec ;  where,  his  surgeon  told  him, 
he  would  certainly  be  laid  up  by  the  climate. 
Many  of  his  friends  urged  him  to  represent  this  to 
Admiral  Keppel :  but,  having  received  his  orders 
from  Lord  Sandwich,  there  appeared  to  him  an 
indelicacy  in  applying  to  his  successor  to  have 
them  altered. 

Accordingly  he  sailed  for  Canada.  Duriag  her 
first  cruize  on  that  station,  the  Albemarle  captured 
a  fishing  schooner,  which  contained,  in  her  cargo, 
nearly  all  the  property  that  her  master  possessed, 
and  the  poor  fellow  had  a  large  family  at  home, 
anxiously  expecting  him.  Nelson  employed  him 
as  a  pilot  in  Boston  Bay,  then  restored  him  the 
schooner  and  cargo,  and  gave  him  a  certificate  to 
secure  him  against  being  captured  by  any  other 
vessel.  The  man  came  off  afterwards  to  the  Albe- 
marle, at  the  hazard  of  his  life,  with  a  present  of 
sheep,  poultry,  and  fresh  provisions.  A  most  valu- 
able supply  it  proved  ;  for  the  scurvy  was  raging  on 
board :  this  was  in  the  middle  of  August,  and  the 


30  LIFE  OF  NELSOX.  [1782. 

ship's  company  had  not  had  a  fresh  meal  since  the 
beginning  of  April.  The  certificate  was  preserved 
at  Boston  in  memory  of  an  act  of  unusual  gene- 
rosity ;  and  now  that  the  fame  of  Nelson  has  given 
interest  to  every  thing  connected  with  his  name,  it 
is  regarded  as  a  relic.  The  Albemarle  had  a  nar- 
row escape  upon  this  cruize.  Four  French  sail  of 
the  line  and  a  frigate,  which  had  come  out  of  Bos- 
ton harbour,  gave  chase  to  her ;  and  Nelson,  per- 
ceiving that  they  beat  him  in  sailing,  boldly  ran 
among  the  numerous  shoals  of  St.  George's  Bank, 
confiding  in  his  own  skill  in  pilotage.  Capt.  Salter, 
in  the  St.  Margaretta,  had  escaped  the  French 
fleet,  by  a  similar  manoeuvre,  not  long  before. 
The  frigate  alone  continued  warily  to  pursue  him ; 
but,  as  soon  as  he  perceived  that  this  enemy  was 
ivnsupported,  he  shortened  sail,  and  hove  to  :  upon 
which  the  Frenchman  thought  it  advisable  to  give 
over  the  pursuit,  and  sail  in  quest  of  his  consorts. 
At  Quebec  Nelson  became  acquainted  with  Alex- 
ander Davison ;  by  whose  interference  he  was  pre- 
vented from  making  what  would  have  been  called 
an  imprudent  marriage.  The  Albemarle  was  about 
to  leave  the  station,  her  captain  had  taken  leave 
of  his  friends,  and  was  gone  down  the  river  to  the 
place  of  anchorage  ;  when,  the  next  morning,  as 
Davison  was  walking  on  the  beach,  to  his  surprise 
he  saw  Nelson  coming  back  in  his  boat.  Upon 
inquiring  the  cause  of  this  reappearance.  Nelson 
took  his  arm,  to  walk  towards  the  town,  and  told 
him  he  found  it  utterly  impossible  to  leave  Quebec 
without  again  seeing  the  woman  whose  society  had 
contributed  so  much  to  his  happiness  there,  and 
offering  her  his  hand. — "  If  you  do,"  said  his  friend. 


1732.]  LIFE  OF  XELSOX.  31 

"  your  utter  ruin  must  inevitably  follow." — "  Then 
let  it  follow,"  cried  Nelson,  "  for  I  am  resolved  to 
do  it." — "  And  I,"  replied  Davison,  "  am  resolved 
you  shall  not."  Nelson,  however,  upon  this  occa- 
sion, was  less  resolute  than  his  friend,  and  suffered 
himself  to  be  led  back  to  the  boat. 

The  Albemarle  was  under  orders  to  convoy  a 
fleet  of  transports  to  New  York. — "  A  very  pretty 
job,"  said  her  captain,  "  at  this  late  season  of  the 
year"  (October  was  far  advanced),  "  for  pur  sails 
are  at  this  moment  frozen  to  the  yards."  On  his 
arrival  at  Sandy  Hook,  he  waited  on  the  com- 
mander-in-chief, Admiral  Digby,  who  told  him  he 
was  come  on  a  fine  station  for  making-  prize-money. 
"  Yes,  sir,"  Nelson  made  answer;  "  but  the  West 
Indies  is  the  station  for  honour,"  Lord  Hood, 
with  a  detachment  of  Rodney's  victorious  fleet, 
was  at  that  time  at  Sandy  Hook  :  he  had  been 
intimate  with  Capt.  Suckling;  and  Nelson,  who 
was  desirous  of  nothing  but  honour,  requested  him 
to  ask  for  the  Albemarle,  that  he  might  go  to 
that  station  where  it  was  most  likely  to  be  ob- 
tained. Admiral  Digby  reluctantly  parted  with 
him.  His  professional  merit  was  already  well 
known  :  and  Lord  Hood,  on  introducing  him  to 
Prince  William  Henry,  as  the  Duke  of  Clarence 
was  then  called,  told  the  prince,  if  he  wished  to 
ask  any  questions  respecting  naval  tactics.  Captain 
Nelson  could  give  him  as  much  information  as  any 
ofiicer  in  the  fleet.  The  Duke,  who,  to  his  own 
honour,  became  from  that  time  the  firm  friend  of 
Nelson,  describes  him  as  appearing  the  meerest 
boy  of  a  captain  he  had  ever  seen,  dressed  in  a 
full   laced   uniform,   an    old    fashioned  waistcoat 


32  LIFE  OF  NELSOX.  [1783. 

with  long  flaps,  and  his  lank  unpowdered  hair  tied 
in  a  stiff  Hessian  tail  of  extraordinary  length  ; 
making,  altogether,  so  remarkable  a  figure,  "  that," 
says  the  duke,  "  I  had  never  seen  any  thing  like 
it  before,  nor  could  I  imagine  who  he  was,  nor 
what  he  came  about.  But  his  address  and  con- 
versation were  irresistibly  pleasing ;  and  when  he 
spoke  on  professional  subjects,  it  was  with  an  en- 
thusiasm that  showed  he  was  no  common  being." 

It  was  expected  that  the  French  would  attempt 
some  of  the  passages  between  the  Bahamas :  and 
Lord  Hood,  thinking  of  this,  said  to  Nelson,  "  I 
suppose,  sir,  from  the  length  of  time  you  were 
cruizing  among  the  Bahama  Keys,  you  must  be  a 
good  pilot  there."  He  replied,  with  that  constant 
readiness  to  render  justice  to  every  man,  which 
was  so  conspicuous  in  all  his  conduct  through  life, 
that  he  was  well  acquainted  with  them  himself, 
but  that  in  that  respect  his  second  lieutenant  was 
far  his  superior.  The  French  got  into  Puerto  Ca- 
bello  on  the  coast  of  Venezuela.  Nelson  was 
cruizing  between  that  port  and  La  Guayra,  under 
French  colours,  for  the  purpose  of  obtaining  infor- 
mation ;  when  a  king's  launch,  belonging  to  the 
Spaniards,  passed  near,  and  being  hailed  in  French, 
came  alongside  without  suspicion,  and  answered 
all  questions  that  were  asked  concerning  the  num- 
ber and  force  of  the  enemy's  ships.  The  crew, 
however,  were  not  a  little  surprised  when  they  were 
taken  on  board,  and  found  themselves  prisoners. 
One  of  the  party  went  by  the  name  of  the  Count 
de  Deux  Fonts.  He  was,  however,  a  prince  of 
the  German  empire,  and  brother  to  the  heir  of  the 
Electorate  of  Bavaria :  his  companions  were  French 


1783.]  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  33 

officers  of  distinction,  and  men  of  science,  who  had 
been  collecting  specimens  in  the  various  branches 
of  natural  history.  Nelson  having  entertained  them 
with  the  best  his  table  could  afford,  told  them  they 
were  at  liberty  to  depart  with  their  boat  and  all 
that  it  contained :  he  only  required  them  to  pro- 
mise that  they  would  consider  themselves  as  pri- 
soners, if  the  commander-in-chief  should  refuse  to 
acquiesce  in  their  being  thus  liberated  : — a  circum- 
stance which  was  not  by  any  means  likely  to  hap- 
pen. Tidings  soon  arrived  that  the  preliminaries 
of  peace  had  been  signed  ;  and  the  Albemarle  re- 
turned to  England,  and  was  paid  off.  Nelson's 
first  business,  after  he  got  to  London,  even  before 
he  went  to  see  his  relations,  was  to  attempt  to  get 
the  wages  due  to  his  men,  for  the  various  ships  in 
which  they  had  served  during  the  war.  "  The 
disgust  of  seamen  to  the  navy,"  he  said,  "  was  all 
owing  to  the  infernal  plan  of  turning  them  over 
from  ship  to  ship ;  so  that  men  could  not  be  at- 
tached to  the  officers,  nor  the  officers  care  the 
least  about  the  men."  Yet  he  himself  was  so  be- 
loved by  his  men,  that  his  whole  ship's  company 
offered,  if  he  could  get  a  ship,  to  enter  for  her 
immediately.  He  was  now,  for  the  first  time,  pre- 
sented at  court.  After  going  through  this  cere- 
mony, he  dined  with  his  friend  Davison,  at  Lincoln's 
Inn.  As  soon  as  he  entered  the  chambers,  he 
threw  off  what  he  called  his  iron-bound  coat ;  and 
putting  himself  at  ease  in  a  dressing-gown,  passed 
the  remainder  of  the  day  in  talking  over  all  that 
had  befallen  them  since  they  parted  on  the  shore 
of  the  River  St.  Lawrence. 


34  LIFE  OF  NELSOX.  [1783. 


CHAPTER  II. 

Nelson  goes  to  France  during  the  peace — Reappointed  to  the 
Boreas,  and  stationed  at  the  Leeward  Islands — His  firm  con- 
duct concerning  the  American  interlopers  and  the  contractors — 
Mairies  and  returns  to  England — Is  on  the  point  of  quitting 
the  service  in  disgust — Manner  of  life  while  unemployed — 
Appointed  to  the  Agamemnon  on  the  breaking  out  of  the  icar 
of  the  French  Bevolution. 

"  I  HAVE  closed  the  war,"  said  Nelson,  in  one  of 
his  letters,  "  without  a  fortune ;  but  there  is  not  a 
speck  in  my  character.  True  honour,  I  hope,  pre- 
dominates in  my  mind  far  above  riches."  He  did 
not  apply  for  a  ship,  because  he  was  not  wealthy 
enough  to  live  on  board  in  the  manner  which  was 
then  become  customary.  Finding  it,  therefore, 
prudent  to  economize  on  his  half  pay  during  the 
peace,  he  went  to  France,  in  company  with  Capt. 
Macnamara,  of  the  navy,  and  took  lodgings  at 
St.  Omer's.  The  death  of  his  favourite  sister, 
Anne,  who  died  in  consequence  of  going  out  of 
the  ball-room,  at  Bath,  when  heated  with  dancing, 
affected  his  father  so  much,  that  it  had  nearly 
occasioned  him  to  return  in  a  few  weeks.  Time, 
however,  and  reason,  and  religion,  overcame  this 
grief  in  the  old  man ;  and  Nelson  continued  at 
St.  Omer's  long  enough  to  fall  in  love  with  the 
daughter  of  an  English  clergyman.  This  second 
attachment  appears  to  have  been  less  ardent  than 
the  first ;  for,  upon  weighing  the  evils  of  a  strait- 
ened income  to  a  married  man,  he  thought  it  better 
to  leave  France,  assigning  to  his  friends  something 


1784.]  LIFE  OF  NELSO^^  35 

in  his  accounts  as  the  cause.  Tiiis  prevented  him 
from  accepting  an  invitation  from  the  Count  of 
Deux  Fonts  to  visit  him  at  Paris,  couched  in  the 
handsomest  terms  of  acknowledgment  for  the  treat- 
ment which  he  had  received  on  board  the  Albe- 
marle. 

The  self-constraint  which  Nelson  exerted  iu  sub- 
duing this  attachment  made  him  naturally  desire 
to  be  at  sea  :  and  when,  upon  visiting  Lord  Howe 
at  the  Admiralty,  he  was  asked  if  he  wished  to  be 
employed,  he  made  answer  that  he  did.  Accord- 
ingly, in  March,  he  was  appointed  to  the  Boreas, 
twenty-eight  guns,  going  to  the  Leeward  Islands, 
as  a  cruiser,  on  the  peace  establishment.  Lady 
Hughes  and  her  family  went  out  with  him  to  Ad- 
miral Sir  Richard  Hughes,  who  commanded  on 
that  station.  His  ship  was  full  of  young  midship- 
men, of  whom  there  were  not  less  than  thirty  on 
board  :  and  happy  were  they  whose  lot  it  was  to 
be  placed  with  such  a  captain.  If  he  perceived 
that  a  boy  was  afraid  at  first  going  aloft,  he  would 
say  to  him,  in  a  friendly  manner :  "  Well,  sir,  I 
am  going  a  race  to  the  mast-head,  and  beg  that  I 
may  meet  you  there."  The  poor  little  fellow  in- 
stantly began  to  climb,  and  got  up  how  he  could, 
— Nelson  never  noticed  in  what  manner ;  but, 
when  they  met  in  the  top,  spoke  cheerfully  to 
him ;  and  would  say,  how  much  any  person  was 
to  be  pitied  who  fancied  that  getting  up  was  either 
dangerous  or  difficult.  Every  day  he  went  into 
the  school-room,  to  see  that  they  were  pursuing 
their  nautical  studies ;  and  at  noon  he  was  always 
the  first  on  deck  with  his  quadrant.  Whenever 
he  paid  a  visit  of  ceremony,  some  of  these  youths 


36  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  [1784. 

accompanied  him  :  and  when  he  went  to  dine  with 
the  governor  at  Barbadoes,  he  took  one  of  them  in 
his  hand,  and  presented  him,  saying,  "  Your 
Excellency  must  excuse  me  for  bringing  one  of  my 
midshipmen.  I  make  it  a  rule  to  introduce  them 
to  all  the  good  company  I  can,  as  they  have  few 
to  look  up  to,  besides  myself,  during  the  time  they 
are  at  sea." 

When  Nelson  arrived  in  the  West  Indies,  he 
found  himself  senior  captain,  and  consequently 
second  in  command  on  that  station.  Satisfactory 
as  this  was,  it  soon  involved  him  in  a  dispute  with 
the  admiral,  which  a  man  less  zealous  for  the  ser- 
vice might  have  avoided.  He  found  the  Latona 
in  English  Harbour,  Antigua,  with  a  broad  pen- 
dant hoisted  ;  and,  upon  inquiring  the  reason,  was 
presented  with  a  written  order  from  Sir  R.  Hughes, 
requiring  and  directing  him  to  obey  the  orders  of 
resident  commissioner  Moutray,  during  the  time  he 
might  have  occasion  to  remain  there ;  the  said  re- 
sident commissioner  being,  in  consequence,  autho- 
rized to  hoist  a  broad  pendant  on  board  any  of  his 
Majesty's  ships  in  that  port  that  he  might  think 
proper.  Nelson  was  never  at  a  loss  how  to  act  in 
any  emergency.  "  I  know  of  no  superior  officers," 
said  he,  "  besides  the  lords  commissioners  of  the 
Admiralty,  and  my  seniors  on  the  post  list."  Con- 
cluding, therefore,  that  it  was  not  consistent  with 
the  service  for  a  resident  commissioner,  who  held 
only  a  civil  situation,  to  hoist  a  broad  pendant,  the 
moment  that  he  had  anchored,  he  sent  an  order  to 
the  captain  of  the  Latona  to  strike  it,  and  return  it 
to  the  dock-yard.  He  went  on  shore  the  same 
day,  dined  with  the  commissioner,  to  show  him 


1784.]  UFE  OF  NELSON.  37 

that  he  was  actuated  by  no  other  motive  than  a 
sense  of  duty,  and  gave  him  the  first  inteUigence 
that  his  pendant  had  been  struck.  Sir  Richard 
sent  an  account  of  this  to  the  Admiralty ;  but  the 
case  could  admit  of  no  doubt,  and  Capt.  Nelson's 
conduct  was  approved. 

He  displayed  the  same  promptitude  on  another 
occasion.  While  the  Boreas,  after  the  hurricane 
months  were  over,  was  riding  at  anchor  in  Nevis 
Roads,,  a  French  frigate  passed  to  leeward,  close 
along  shore.  Nelson  had  obtained  information 
that  this  ship  was  sent  from  Martinico,  with  two 
general  officers  and  some  engineers  on  board,  to 
make  a  survey  of  our  sugar  islands.  This  purpose 
he  was  determined  to  prevent  them  from  executing, 
and  therefore  he  gave  orders  to  follow  them.  The 
next  day  he  came  up  with  them  at  anchor  in  the 
roads  of  St.  Eustatia,  and  anchored  at  about  two 
cables'  length  on  the  frigate's  quarter.  Being 
afterwards  invited  by  the  Dutch  governor  to  meet 
the  French  officers  at  dinner,  he  seized  that  occa- 
sion of  assuring  the  French  captain,  that  under- 
standing it  was  his  intention  to  honour  the  British 
possessions  with  a  visit,  he  had  taken  the  earliest 
opportunity  in  his  power  to  accompany  him,  in  his 
Majesty's  ship  the  Boreas,  in  order  that  such 
attention  might  be  paid  to  the  officers  of  his  Most 
Christian  Majesty,  as  every  Englishman  in  the 
islands  would  be  proud  to  show.  The  French, 
with  equal  courtesy,  protested  against  giving  him 
this  trouble ;  especially,  they  said,  as  they  in- 
tended merely  to  cruize  round  the  islands,  without 
landing  on  any.  But  Nelson,  with  the  utmost 
politeness,  insisted  upon  paying  them  this  compli- 


38  LIFE  OF  NELSOX.  [1784. 

ment,  followed  them  close,  in  spite  of  all  their 
attempts  to  elude  his  vigilance,  and  never  lost 
sight  of  them ;  till,  finding  it  impossible  either  to 
deceive  or  escape  him,  they  gave  up  their  treacher- 
ous purpose  in  despair,  and  beat  up  for  Martinico. 
A  business  of  more  serious  import  soon  engaged 
his  attention.  The  Americans  were  at  this  time 
trading  with  our  islands,  taking  advantage  of  the 
register  of  their  ships,  which  had  been  issued  while 
they  were  British  subjects.  Nelson  knew,  that,  by 
the  navigation  act,  no  foreigners,  directly  or  indi- 
rectly, are  permitted  to  carry  on  any  trade  with 
these  possessions :  he  knew,  also,  that  the  Ameri- 
cans had  made  themselves  foreigners  with  regard 
to  England  ;  they  had  disregarded  the  ties  of  blood 
and  language,  when  they  acquired  the  independence 
which  they  had  been  led  on  to  claim,  unhappily  for 
themselves,  before  they  were  fit  for  it ;  and  he  was  re- 
solved that  they  should  derive  no  profit  from  those 
ties  now.  Foreigners  they  had  made  themselves, 
and  as  foreigners  they  were  to  be  treated.  "If 
once,"  said  he,  "  they  are  admitted  to  any  kind  of 
intercourse  with  our  islands,  the  views  of  the  loy- 
alists, in  settling  at  Nova  Scotia,  are  entirely  done 
away ;  and  when  we  are  again  embroiled  in  a 
French  war,  the  Americans  will  first  become  the 
carriers  of  these  colonies,  and  then  have  possession 
of  them.  Here  they  come,  sell  their  cargoes  for 
ready  money,  go  to  Martinico,  buy  molasses,  and 
so  round  and  round.  The  loyalist  cannot  do  this, 
and  consequently  must  sell  a  little  dearer.  The 
residents  here  are  Americans  by  connexion  and  by 
interest,  and  are  inimical  to  Great  Britain.  They 
are  as  great  rebels  as  ever  were  in  America,  had 


1784. J  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  39 

they  the  power  to  show  it."  In  November,  when 
the  squadron,  having  arrived  at  Barbadoes,  was  to 
separate,  with  no  other  orders  than  those  for  ex- 
amining anchorages,  and  the  usual  inquiries  con- 
cerning wood  and  water,  Nelson  asked  his  friend 
CoUingwood,  then  captain  of  the  Mediator,  whose 
opinions  he  knew  upon  the  subject,  to  accompany 
him  to  the  commander-in-chief,  whom  he  then 
respectfully  asked,  whether  they  were  not  to  attend 
to  the  commerce  of  the  country,  and  see  that  the 
navigation  act  was  respected — that  appearing  to 
him  to  be  the  intent  of  keeping  men  of  war  upon 
this  station  in  time  of  peace  ?  Sir  Richard  Hughes 
replied,  he  had  no  particular  orders,  neither  had 
the  Admiralty  sent  him  any  acts  of  parliament. 
But  Nelson  made  answer,  that  the  navigation  act 
was  included  in  the  statutes  of  the  Admiralty,  with 
which  every  captain  was  furnished,  and  that  act 
was  directed  to  admirals,  captains,  &c.  to  see  it 
carried  into  execution.  Sir  Richard  said,  he  had 
never  seen  the  book.  Upon  this  Nelson  produced 
the  statutes,  read  the  words  of  the  act,  and  appa- 
rently convinced  the  commander-in-chief,  that  men 
of  war,  as  he  said,  "  were  sent  abroad  for  some 
other  purpose  than  to  be  made  a  show  of."  Ac- 
cordingly orders  were  given  to  enforce  the  naviga- 
tion act. 

Major  General  Sir  Thomas  Shirley  was  at  this 
time  governor  of  the  Leeward  Islands ;  and  when 
Nelson  waited  on  him  to  inform  him  how  he  in- 
tended to  act,  and  upon  what  grounds,  he  replied, 
that  "  old  generals  were  not  in  the  habit  of  taking- 
advice  from  young  gentlemen." — "  Sir,"  said  the 
young  officer,  with  that  confidence  in  himself  which 


40  LIFE  OF  NELSOX.  [1784. 

never  carried  him  too  far,  and  always  was  equal 
to  the  occasion,  "  I  am  as  old  as  the  prime  minister 
of  England,  and  think  myself  as  capable  of  com- 
manding one  of  his  majesty's  ships  as  that  minister 
is  of  governing  the  state."  He  was  resolved  to  do 
his  duty,  whatever  might  be  the  opinion  or  conduct 
of  others  :  and  when  he  arrived  upon  his  station 
at  St.  Kitt's,  he  sent  away  all  the  Americans,  not 
choosing  to  seize  them  before  they  had  been  well 
apprized  that  the  act  would  be  carried  into  effect, 
lest  it  might  seem  as  if  a  trap  had  been  laid  for 
them.  The  Americans,  though  they  prudently  de- 
camped from  St.  Kitt's,  were  emboldened  by  the 
support  they  met  with,  and  resolved  to  resist  his 
orders,  alleging  that  king's  ships  had  no  legal 
power  to  seize  them  without  having  deputations 
from  the  customs.  The  planters  were  to  a  man 
against  him ;  the  governors  and  the  presidents  of 
the  different  islands,  with  only  a  single  exception, 
gave  him  no  support:  and  the  admiral,  afraid  to 
act  on  either  side,  yet  wishing  to  oblige  the  plan- 
ters, sent  him  a  note,  advising  him  to  be  guided 
by  the  wishes  of  the  president  of  the  council. 
There  was  no  danger  in  disregarding  this,  as  it 
came  unofficially,  and  in  the  form  of  advice.  But 
scarcely  a  month  after  he  had  shown  Sir  Richard 
Hughes  the  law,  and,  as  he  supposed,  satisfied 
him  concerning  it,  he  received  an  order  from  him, 
stating  that  he  had  now  obtained  good  advice  upon 
the  point,  and  the  Americans  were  not  to  be  hin- 
dered from  coming,  and  having  free  egress  and 
regress,  if  the  governor  chose  to  permit  them.  An 
order  to  the  same  purport  had  been  sent  round  to 
the  different  governors  and  presidents ;  and  Gene- 


1785.]  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  41 

ral  Shirley  and  others  informed  him,  in  an  authori- 
tative manner,  that  they  chose  to  admit  American 
ships,  as  the  commander-in-chief  had  left  the  de- 
cision to  them.  These  persons,  in  his  own  words, 
he  soon  "  trimmed  up,  and  silenced;"  but  it  was 
a  more  dehcate  business  to  deal  with  the  admiral. 
"  I  must  either,"  said  he,  "  disobey  my  orders,  or 
disobey  acts  of  parliament.  I  determined  upon 
the  former,  trusting  to  the  uprightness  of  my  in- 
tentions, and  believing  that  my  country  would  not 
let  me  be  ruined  for  protecting  her  commerce." 
With  this  determination  he  wrote  to  Sir  Richard, 
appealed  again  to  the  plain,  literal,  unequivocal 
sense  of  the  navigation  act ;  and  in  respectful  lan- 
guage told  him,  he  felt  it  his  duty  to  decline  obey- 
ing these  orders  till  he  had  an  opportunity  of  seeing 
and  conversing  with  him.  Sir  Richard's  first  feel- 
ing was  that  of  anger,  and  he  was  about  to  super- 
sede Nelson ;  but  having  mentioned  the  affair  to 
his  captain,  that  officer  told  him  he  believed  all 
the  squadron  thought  the  orders  illegal,  and  there- 
fore did  not  know  how  far  they  were  bound  to 
obey  them.  It  was  impossible,  therefore,  to  bring 
Nelson  to  a  court  martial,  composed  of  men  who 
agreed  with  him  in  opinion  upon  the  point  in  dis- 
pute ;  and  luckily,  though  the  admiral  wanted 
vigour  of  mind  to  decide  upon  what  was  right,  he 
was  not  obstinate  in  wrong,  and  had  even  gene- 
rosity enough  in  his  nature  to  thank  Nelson  after- 
wards for  having  shown  him  his  error. 

CoUingwood,  in  the  Mediator,  and  his  brother, 
Wilfred  CoUingwood,  in  the  Rattler,  actively  co- 
operated with  Nelson.  The  custom-houses  were 
informed,  that  after  a  certain  day  all  foreign  vessels 

G 


42  LIFE  OF  XELSOX.  [1785. 

found  in  the  ports  would  be  seized;  and  many 
were,  in  conseo,uence,  seized,  and  condemned  in 
the  admiralty  court.  When  the  Boreas  arrived 
at  Nevis,  she  found  four  American  vessels  deeply 
laden,  and  what  are  called  the  island  colours  fly- 
ing— white,  with  a  red  cross.  They  were  ordered 
to  hoist  their  proper  flag,  and  depart  within  eight 
and  forty  hours;  but  they  refused  to  obey,  denying 
that  they  were  Americans.  Some  of  their  crews 
were  then  examined  in  Nelson's  cabin,  where  the 
judge  of  admiralty  happened  to  be  present.  The 
case  was  plain  ;  they  confessed  that  they  were 
Americans,  and  that  the  ships,  hull  and  cargo, 
were  wholly  American  property ;  upon  which  he 
seized  them.  This  raised  a  storm :  the  planters, 
the  custom-house,  and  the  governor,  were  all  against 
him.  Subscriptions  were  opened,  and  presently 
filled,  for  the  purpose  of  carrying  on  the  cause  in 
behalf  of  the  American  captains:  and  the  admiral, 
whose  flag  was  at  that  time  in  the  roads,  stood 
neutral.  But  the  Americans  and  their  abettors  were 
not  content  with  defensive  law.  The  marines,  whom 
he  had  sent  to  secure  the  ships,  had  prevented  some 
of  the  masters  from  going  ashore ;  and  those  per- 
sons, by  whose  depositions  it  appeared  that  the 
vessels  and  cargoes  were  American  property,  de- 
clared, that  they  had  given  their  testimony  under 
bodily  fear,  for  that  a  n>an  with  a  drawn  sword  in 
his  hand  had  stood  over  them  the  whole  time.  A 
rascally  lawyer,  whom  the  party  employed,  sug- 
gested this  story ;  and  as  the  sentry  at  the  cabin 
door  was  a  man  with  a  drawn  sword,  the  Americans 
made  no  scruple  of  swearing  to  this  ridiculous 
falsehood,   and  commencing  prosecutions  against 


1785.]  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  43 

him  accordingly.  They  laid  their  damages  at  the 
enormous  amount  of  £40,000 ;  and  Nelson  was 
obliged  to  keep  close  on  board  his  own  ship,  lest 
he  should  be  arrested  for  a  sum  for  which  it  would 
have  been  impossible  to  find  bail.  The  marshal 
frequently  came  on  board  to  arrest  him,  but  was 
always  prevented  by  the  address  of  the  first  lieu- 
tenant, Mr.  Wallis.  Had  he  been  taken,  such  was 
the  temper  of  the  people,  that  it  was  certain  he 
would  have  been  cast  for  the  whole  sum.  One  of 
his  officers,  one  day,  in  speaking  of  the  restraint 
which  he  was  thus  compelled  to  suffer,  happened 
to  use  the  wordpi^y .'  "  Pity!"  exclaimed  Nelson: 
"  Pity!  did  you  say?  I  shall  live,  sir,  to  be  envied! 
and  to  that  point  I  shall  always  direct  my  course." 
Eight  weeks  he  remained  under  this  state  of  duresse. 
During  that  time  the  trial  respecting  these  detained 
ships  came  on  in  the  court  of  admiralty.  He  went 
on  shore  under  a  protection  for  the  day  from  the 
judge  :  but,  notwithstanding  this,  the  marshal  was 
called  upon  to  take  that  opportunity  of  arresting 
him,  and  the  merchants  promised  to  indemnify  him 
for  so  doing.  The  judge,  however,  did  his  duty, 
and  threatened  to  send  the  marshal  to  prison,  if 
he  attempted  to  violate  the  protection  of  the  court. ' 
Mr.  Herbert,  the  president  of  Nevis,  behaved  with 
singular  generosity  upon  this  occasion.  Though 
no  man  was  a  greater  sufferer  by  the  measures  which 
Nelson  had  pursued,  he  offered  in  court  to  become 
his  bail  for  £10,000,  if  he  chose  to  suffer  the  arrest. , 
The  lawyer  whom  he  had  chosen  proved  to  be  an 
able  as  well  as  an  honest  man;  and,  notwithstand- 
ing the  opinions  and  pleadings  of  most  of  the 
counsel  of  the  different  islands,  who  maintained 


44  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  [1786. 

that  ships  of  war  were  not  justified  in  seizing 
American  vessels  without  a  deputation  from  the 
customs,  the  law  was  so  explicit,  the  case  so  clear, 
and  Nelson  pleaded  his  own  cause  so  well,  that  the 
four  ships  were  condemned.  During  the  progress 
of  this  business  he  sent  a  memorial  home  to  the 
king:  in  consequence  of  which,  orders  were  issued 
that  he  should  be  defended  at  the  expense  of  the 
crown.  And  upon  the  representations  which  he 
made  at  the  same  time  to  the  secretary  of  state, 
and  the  suggestions  with  which  he  accompanied 
it,  the  register  act  was  framed.  The  sanction  of 
government,  and  the  approbation  of  his  conduct 
which  it  implied,  were  highly  gratifying  to  him  : 
but  he  was  offended,  and  not  without  just  cause, 
that  the  treasury  should  have  transmitted  thanks 
to  the  commander-in-chief,  for  his  activity  and 
zeal  in  protecting  the  commerce  of  Great  Britain. 
"  Had  they  known  all,"  said  he,  "  I  do  not  think 
they  would  have  bestowed  thanks  in  that  quarter, 
and  neglected  me.  I  feel  much  hurt,  that,  after 
the  loss  of  health  and  risk  of  fortune,  another  should 
be  thanked  for  what  I  did  against  his  orders.  I 
either  deserved  to  be  sent  out  of  the  service,  or  at 
least  to  have  had  some  little  notice  taken  of  what 
I  had  done.  They  have  thought  it  worthy  of  notice, 
and  yet  have  neglected  me.  If  this  is  the  reward 
for  a  faithful  discharge  of  my  duty,  I  shall  be  care- 
ful, and  never  stand  forward  again.  But  I  have 
done  my  duty,  and  have  nothing  to  accuse  myself 
of." 

The  anxiety  which  he  had  suffered  from  the 
harassing  uncertainties  of  law  is  apparent  from 
these  expressions.     He  had,  however,  something 


1787.]  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  45 

to  console  him,  for  he  was  at  this  time  wooing  the 
niece  of  his  friend  the  president,  then  in  her  eigh- 
teenth year,  the  widow  of  Dr.  Nisbet,  a  physician. 
She  had  one  child,  a  son,  by  name  Josiah,  who 
was  three  years  old.  One  day,  Mr.  Herbert,  who 
had  hastened,  half-dressed,  to  receive  Nelson,  ex- 
claimed, on  returning  to  his  dressing-room,  "  Good 
God!  if  I  did  not  find  that  great  little  man,  of 
whom  every  body  is  so  afraid,  playing  in  the  next 
room,  under  the  dining-table,  with  Mrs.  Nisbet's 
child !"  A  few  days  afterwards  Mrs.  Nisbet  her- 
self was  first  introduced  to  him,  and  thanked  him 
for  the  partiality  which  he  had  shown  to  her  little 
boy.  Her  manners  were  mild  and  winning :  and 
the  captain,  whose  heart  was  easily  susceptible  of 
attachment,  found  no  such  imperious  necessity  for 
subduing  his  inclinations  as  had  twice  before  with- 
held him  from  marrying.  They  were  married  on 
March  11,  1787:  Prince  WiUiam  Henry,  who 
had  come  out  to  the  West  Indies  the  preceding 
winter,  being  present,  by  his  own  desire,  to  give 
away  the  bride.  Mr.  Herbert,  her  uncle,  was  at 
this  time  so  much  displeased  with  his  only  daugh- 
ter, that  he  had  resolved  to  disinherit  her,  and 
leave  his  whole  fortune,  which  was  very  great,  to 
his  niece.  But  Nelson,  whose  nature  was  too 
noble  to  let  him  profit  by  an  act  of  injustice,  inter- 
fered, and  succeeded  in  reconciling  the  president 
to  his  child. 

"  Yesterday,"  said  one  of  his  naval  friends,  the 
day  after  the  wedding,  "  the  navy  lost  one  of  its 
greatest  ornaments,  by  Nelson's  marriage.  It  is  a 
national  loss  that  such  an  officer  should  marry  ; 
had  it  not  been  for  this,  Nelson  would  have  be- 


46  LIFE  OF  NELSOX.  [1787. 

come  the  greatest  man  in  the  service."  The  maa 
was  rightly  estimated :  but  he  who  delivered  this 
opinion  did  not  understand  the  effect  of  domestic 
love  and  duty  upon  a  mind  of  the  true  heroic 
stamp. 

"  We  are  often  separate,"  said  Nelson,  in  a 
letter  to  Mrs.  Nisbet,  a  few  months  before  their 
marriage;  "  but  our  affections  are  not  by  any 
means  on  that  account  diminished.  Our  coun- 
try has  the  first  demand  for  our  services ;  and 
private  convenience  or  happiness  must  ever  give 
way  to  the  public  good.  Duty  is  the  great  busi- 
ness of  a  sea  officer  :  all  private  considerations 
must  give  way  to  it,  however  painful."  "  Have 
you  not  often  heard,"  says  he,  in  another  letter, 
"  that  salt  water  and  absence  always  wash  away 
love  ?  Now  I  am  such  a  heretic  as  not  to  believe 
that  article :  for  behold,  every  morning  I  have  had 
six  pails  of  salt  water  poured  upon  my  head,  and 
instead  of  finding  what  seamen  say  to  be  true,  it 
goes  on  so  contrary  to  the  prescription,  that  you 
must,  perhaps,  see  me  before  the  fixed  time." 
More  frequently  his  correspondence  breathed  a 
deeper  strain.  "  To  write  letters  to  you,"  says  he, 
"  is  the  next  greatest  pleasure  I  feel  to  receiving 
them  from  you.  What  I  experience  when  I  read 
such  as  I  am  sure  are  the  pure  sentiments  of  your 
heart,  my  poor  pen  cannot  express  : — nor,  indeed, 
would  I  give  much  for  any  pen  or  head  which 
could  express  feelings  of  that  kind.  Absent  from 
you,  I  feel  no  pleasure  :  it  is  you  who  are  every 
thing  to  me.  Without  you,  I  care  not  for  this 
world ;  for  I  have  found,  lately,  nothing  in  it  but 
vexation  and  trouble.     These  are  my  present  sen- 


1787.]  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  47 

timents.  God  Almighty  grant  they  may  never 
change  !  Nor  do  I  think  they  will.  Indeed  there 
is,  as  far  as  human  knowledge  can  judge,  a  moral 
certainty  that  they  cannot :  for  it  must  be  real 
affection  that  brings  us  together ;  not  interest  or 
compulsion."  Such  were  the  feelings,  and  such 
the  sense  of  duty,  with  which  Nelson  became  a 
husband. 

During  his  stay  upon  this  station  he  had  ample 
opportunity  of  observing  the  scandalous  practices 
of  the  contractors,  prize-agents,  and  other  persons 
in  the  West  Indies  connected  with  the  naval  ser- 
vice. "When  he  was  first  left  with  the  command, 
and  bills  were  brought  him  to  sign  for  money 
which  was  owing  for  goods  purchased  for  the 
nax'y,  he  required  the  original  voucher,  that  he 
might  examine  whether  those  goods  had  been 
really  purchased  at  the  market  price :  but  to  pro- 
duce vouchers  would  not  have  been  convenient, 
and  therefore  was  not  the  custom.  Upon  this 
Nelson  wrote  to  Sir  Charles  Middleton,  then  comp- 
troller of  the  navy,  representing  the  abuses  which 
were  likely  to  be  practised  in  this  manner.  The 
answer  which  he  received  seemed  to  imply  that 
the  old  forms  were  thought  sufficient :  and  thus 
having  no  alternative,  he  was  compelled,  with  his 
eyes  open,  to  submit  to  a  practice  originating  in 
fraudulent  intentions.  Soon  afterwards  two  An- 
tigua merchants  informed  him,  that  they  were 
privy  to  great  frauds,  which  had  been  committed 
upon  government  in  various  departments :  at  An- 
tigua, to  the  amount  of  nearly  £500,000 ;  at 
Lucie,  £300,000;  at  Barbadoes,  £250,000;  at 
Jamaica,  upwards  of  a  million.     The  informers 


48  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  [1787. 

were  both  shrewd,  sensible  men  of  business;  they 
did  not  affect  to  be  actuated  by  a  sense  of  justice, 
but  required  a  per  centage  upon  so  much  as  go- 
vernment should  actually  recover  through  their 
means.  Nelson  examined  the  books  and  papers- 
which  they  produced,  and  was  convinced  that 
government  had  been  most  infamously  plundered. 
Vouchers,  he  found,  in  that  country,  were  no 
check  whatever :  the  principle  was,  that  "  a  thing 
was  always  worth  what  it  would  bring :"  and  the 
merchants  were  in  the  habit  of  signing  vouchers 
for  each  other,  without  even  the  appearance  of 
looking  at  the  articles.  These  accounts  he  sent 
home  to  the  different  departments  which  had  been 
defrauded  :  but  the  peculators  were  too  powerful ; 
and  they  succeeded  not  merely  in  impeding  in- 
quiry, but  even  in  raising  prejudices  against  Nel- 
son at  the  board  of  admiralty,  which  it  was  many 
years  before  he  could  subdue. 

Owing,  probably,  to  these  prejudices,  and  the 
influence  of  the  peculators,  he  was  treated,  on  his 
return  to  England,  in  a  manner  which  had  nearly 
driven  him  from  the  service.  During  the  three 
years  that  the  Boreas  had  remained  upon  a  station 
which  is  usually  so  fatal,  not  a  single  officer  or 
man  of  her  whole  complement  had  died.  This 
almost  unexampled  instance  of  good  health,  though 
mostly,  no  doubt,  imputable  to  healthy  seasons, 
must,  in  some  measure,  also,  be  ascribed  to  the 
wise  conduct  of  the  captain.  He  never  suffered  the 
ships  to  remain  more  than  three  or  four  weeks  at  a 
time  at  any  of  the  islands ;  and  when  the  hurri- 
cane months  confined  him  to  English  Harbour,  he 
encouraged  all  kinds  of  useful  amusements :  music. 


1787.]  LIFE  OF  NELSOy.  49 

dancing,  and  cudgeling  among  the  men ;  theatri- 
cals among  the  officers  :  any  thing  which  could 
employ  their  attention,  and  keep  their  spirits  cheer- 
ful. The  Boreas  arrived  in  England  in  June.  Nel- 
son who  had  many  times  been  supposed  to  be  con- 
sumptive when  in  the  West  Indies,  and  perhaps 
was  saved  from  consumption  by  that  climate,  was 
still  in  a  precarious  state  of  health ;  and  the  raw 
wet  weather  of  one  of  our  ungenial  summers 
brought  on  cold,  and  sore  throat,  and  fever:  yet 
his  vessel  was  kept  at  the  Nore  from  the  end  of 
June  till  the  end  of  November,  serving  as  a  slop 
and  receiving  ship.  This  unworthy  treatment, 
which  more  probably  proceeded  from  intention  than 
from  neglect,  excited  in  Nelson  the  strongest  in- 
dignation. During  the  whole  five  months  he  sel- 
dom or  never  quitted  the  ship,  but  carried  on  the 
duty  with  strict  and  sullen  attention.  On  the 
morning  when  orders  were  received  to  prepare  the 
Boreas  for  being  paid  off,  he  expressed  his  joy  to 
the  senior  officer  in  the  Medway,  saying,  "  It  will 
release  me  for  ever  from  an  ungrateful  service,  for 
it  is  my  firm  and  unalterable  determination  never 
again  to  set  my  foot  on  board  a  king's  ship.  Im- 
mediately after  my  arrival  in  town  I  shall  wait  on 
the  first  lord  of  the  admiralty,  and  resign  my 
commission."  The  officer  to  whom  he  thus  com- 
municated his  intentions  behaved  in  the  wisest  and 
most  friendly  manner;  for  finding  it  in  vain  to  dis- 
suade him  in  his  present  state  of  feeling,  he 
secretly  interfered  with  the  first  lord  to  save  him 
from  a  step  so  injurious  to  himself,  little  foreseeing 
how  deeply  the  welfare  and  honour  of  England 
were  at  that  moment  at  stake.     This  interference 


50  LIFE  OF  NELSOX.  [1787. 

produced  a  letter  from  Lord  Howe,  the  day  before 
the  ship  was  paid  off,  intimating  a  wish  to  see 
Capt.  Nelson  as  soon  as  he  arrived  in  town  :  when, 
being  pleased  with  his  conversation,  and  perfectly 
convinced,  by  what  was  then  explained  to  him,  of 
the  propriety  of  his  conduct,  he  desired  that  he 
might  present  him  to  the  king  on  the  first  levee 
day :  and  the  gracious  manner  in  which  Nelson 
was  then  received,  effectually  removed  his  resent- 
ment. 

Prejudices  had  been,  in  like  manner,  excited 
against  his  friend,  Prince  William  Henry.  "  No-r 
thing  is  wanting,  sir,"  said  Nelson,  in  one  of  his 
letters,  "  to  make  you  the  darling  of  the  English 
nation,  but  truth.  Sorry  I  am  to  say,  much  to  the 
contrary  has  been  dispersed."  This  was  not  flat- 
tery ;  for  Nelson  was  no  flatterer.  Tlie  letter  in 
which  this  passage  occurs  shows  in  how  wise  and 
noble  a  manner  he  dealt  with  the  prince.  One  of 
his  royal  highness's  officers  had  applied  for  a  court 
martial  upon  a  point  in  which  he  was  unquestion- 
ably wrong.  His  royal  highness,  however,  while 
he  supported  his  own  character  and  authority,  pre- 
vented the  trial,  which  must  have  been  injurious  to 
a  brave  and  deserving  man.  "  Now  that  you  are 
parted,"  said  Nelson,  "  pardon  me,  my  prince, 
when  I  presume  to  recommend  that  he  may  stand 
in  your  royal  favour  as  if  he  had  never  sailed  with 
you,  and  that  at  some  future  day  you  will  serve 
him.  There  only  wants  this  to  place  your  conduct 
in  the  highest  point  of  view.  None  of  us  are  with- 
out failings  ;  his,  was  being  rather  too  hasty  :  but 
that,  put  in  competition  with  his  being  a  good 
officer,  will  not,  I  am  bold  to  say,  be  taken  in  the 


':^ 


1788.]  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  51 

scale  against  him.  More  able  friends  than  myself 
your  royal  highness  may  easily  find,  and  of  more 
consequence  in  the  state ;  but  one  more  attached 
and  affectionate  is  not  so  easily  met  with.  Princes 
seldom,  very  seldom,  find  a  disinterested  person  to 
communicate  their  thoughts  to  :  I  do  not  pretend 
to  be  that  person :  but  of  this  be  assured,  by  a 
man  who,  I  trust,  never  did  a  dishonourable  act, 
that  I  am  interested  only  that  your  royal  highness 
should  be  the  greatest  and  best  man  this  country 
ever  produced." 

Encouraged  by  the  conduct  of  Lord  Howe,  and 
by  his  reception  at  court.  Nelson  renewed  his  at- 
tack upon  the  peculators  with  fresh  spirit.  He 
had  interviews  with  Mr.  Rose,  Mr.  Pitt,  and  Sir 
Charles  Middleton ;  to  all  of  whom  he  satisfac- 
torily proved  his  charges.  In  consequence,  it  is 
said,  these  very  extensive  public  frauds  were  at 
length  put  in  a  proper  train  to  be  provided  against 
in  future  :  his  representations  were  attended  to ; 
and  every  step  which  he  recommended  was  adopted : 
the  investigation  was  put  into  a  proper  course, 
which  ended  in  the  detection  and  punishment  of 
some  of  the  culprits  :  an  immense  saving  was  made 
to  government,  and  thus  its  attention  was  directed 
to  similar  peculation  in  other  parts  of  the  colonies. 
But  it  is  said  also,  that  no  mark  of  commendation 
seems  to  have  been  bestowed  upon  Nelson  for  his 
exertion.  And  it  is  justly  remarked,*  that  the 
spirit  of  the  navy  cannot  be  preserved  so  effectu- 
ally by  the  liberal  honours  bestowed  on  officers, 
when  they  are  worn  out  in  the  service,  as  by  an 

*  Clarke  and  M'Arthur,  vol.  i.  p.  107. 


52  LIFE  OF  NELSON,  [1788. 

attention  to  those  who,  Uke  Nelson  at  this  part  of 
his  life,  have  only  their  integrity  and  zeal  to  bring 
them  into  notice.  A  junior  officer,  who  had  been 
left  with  the  command  at  Jamaica,  received  an 
additional  allowance,  for  which  Nelson  had  ap- 
plied in  vain.  Double  pay  was  allowed  to  every 
artificer  and  seaman  employed  in  the  naval  yard : 
Nelson  had  superintended  the  whole  business  of 
that  yard  with  the  most  rigid  exactness,  and  he 
complained  that  he  was  neglected.  "  It  was  most 
true,"  he  said,  "  that  the  trouble  which  he  took 
to  detect  the  fraudulent  practices  then  carried 
on,  was  no  more  than  his  duty ;  but  he  little 
thought  that  the  expenses  attending  his  frequent 
journeys  to  St.  John's  upon  that  duty  (a  distance 
of  twelve  miles),  would  have  fallen  upon  his  pay 
as  captain  of  the  Boreas."  Nevertheless,  the  sense 
of  what  he  thought  unworthy  usage  did  not  dimi- 
nish his  zeal.  "  I,"  said  he,  "  must  still  buffet 
the  waves  in  search  of — What  ?  Alas  !  that  they 
called  honour  is  now  thought  of  no  more.  My 
fortune,  God  knows,  has  grown  worse  for  the 
service :  so  much  for  serving  my  country.  But 
the  devil,  ever  willing  to  tempt  the  virtuous,  has 
made  me  offer,  if  any  ships  should  be  sent  to  de- 
stroy his  majesty  of  Morocco's  ports,  to  be  there  ; 
and  I  have  some  reason  to  think,  that,  should  any 
more  come  of  it,  my  humble  services  will  be  ac- 
cepted. I  have  invariably  laid  down,  and  followed 
close,  a  plan  of  what  ought  to  be  uppermost  in 
the  breast  of  an  officer, — that  it  is  much  better 
to  serve  an  ungrateful  country,  than  to  give  up 
his  own  fame.  Posterity  will  do  him  justice.  A 
uniform  course  of  honour  and  integrity  seldom 


1788.]  LIFE  OF  KELSON.  53 

fails  of  bringing  a  man  to  the  goal  of  fame  at 
last." 

The  design  against  the  Barbary  pirates,  like  all 
other  designs  against  them,  was  laid  aside ;  and 
Nelson  took  his  wife  to  his  father's  parsonage, 
meaning  only  to  pay  him  a  visit  before  they  went 
to  France  ;  a  project  which  he  had  formed  for  the 
sake  of  acquiring  a  competent  knowledge  of  the 
French  language.  But  his  father  could  not  bear 
to  lose  him  thus  unnecessarily.  Mr.  Nelson  had 
long  been  an  invalid,  suffering  under  paralytic 
and  asthmatic  affections,  which,  for  several  hours 
after  he  rose  in  the  morning,  scarcely  permitted 
him  to  speak.  He  had  been  given  over  by  his 
physicians,  for  this  complaint,  nearly  forty  years 
before  his  death ;  and  was,  for  many  of  his  last 
years,  obliged  to  spend  all  his  winters  at  Bath. 
The  sight  of  his  son,  he  declared,  had  given  him 
new  life.  "  But,  Horatio,"  said  he,  "  it  would 
have  been  better  that  I  had  not  been  thus  cheered, 
if  I  am  so  soon  to  be  bereaved  of  you  again.  Let 
me,  my  good  son,  see  you  whilst  I  can.  My  age 
and  infirmities  increase,  and  I  shall  not  last  long." 
To  such  an  appeal  there  could  be  no  reply.  Nel- 
son took  up  his  abode  at  the  parsonage,  and 
amused  himself  with  the  sports  and  occupations 
of  the  country.  Sometimes  he  busied  himself  with 
farming  the  glebe ;  sometimes  spent  the  greater 
part  of  the  day  in  the  garden,  where  he  would  dig 
as  if  for  the  mere  pleasure  of  wearying  himself. 
Sometimes  he  went  a  birdsnesting,  like  a  boy : 
and  in  these  expeditions  Mrs.  Nelson  always,  by 
his  express  desire,  accompanied  him.  Coursing 
was  his  favourite  amusement.     Shooting,   as  he 


54  LIFE  OF  XELSOX.  [1738. 

practised  it,  was  far  too  dangerous  for  his  compa- 
nions :  for  he  carried  his  gun  upon  the  full  cock, 
as  if  he  were  going  to  board  an  enemv :  and  the 
moment  a  bird  rose,  he  let  fly,  without  ever  putting 
the  fowling-piece  to  his  shoulder.  It  is  not,  there- 
fore, extraordinary,  that  his  having  once  shot  a 
partridge  should  be  remembered  by  his  family 
among  the  remarkable  events  of  his  life. 

But  his  time  did  not  pass  away  thus  without 
some  vexatious  cares  to  ruffle  it.  The  affair  of 
the  American  ships  was  not  yet  over,  and  he  was 
again  pestered  with  threats  of  prosecution.  "  I 
have  written  them  word,"  said  he,  "  that  I  will 
have  nothing  to  do  with  them,  and  they  must  act 
as  they  think  proper.  Government,  I  suppose, 
will  do  what  is  right,  and  not  leave  me  in  the 
lurch.  We  have  heard  enough  lately  of  the  con- 
sequences of  the  navigation  act  to  this  country. 
They  may  take  my  person  ;  but  if  sixpence  would 
save  me  from  a  prosecution,  I  would  not  give  it." 
It  was  his  great  ambition  at  this  time  to  possess  a 
pony  ;  and  having  resolved  to  purchase  one,  he 
went  to  a  fair  for  that  purpose.  During  his  ab- 
sence two  men  abruptly  entered  the  parsonage, 
and  inquired  for  him  :  they  then  asked  for  Mrs. 
Nelson ;  and  after  they  had  made  her  repeatedly 
declare  that  she  was  really  and  truly  the  captain's 
wife,  presented  her  with  a  writ,  or  notification,  on 
the  part  of  the  American  captains,  who  now  laid 
th^ir  damages  at  £20,000,  and  they  charged  her 
to  give  it  to  her  husband  on  his  return.  Nelson 
having  bought  his  pony,  came  home  with  it  in 
high  spirits.  He  called  out  his  wife  to  admire  the 
purchase,  and  listen  to  all  its  excellencies :  nor 


1788.]  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  55 

was  it  till  his  glee  had  in  some  measure  subsided 
that  the  paper  could  be  presented  to  him.  His 
indignation  was  excessive :  and,  in  the  apprehen- 
sion that  he  should  be  exposed  to  the  anxieties  of 
the  suit,  and  the  ruinous  consequences  which  might 
ensue,  he  exclaimed,  "  This  affront  I  did  not  de- 
sei've !  But  I'll  be  trifled  with  no  longer.  I  will 
write  immediately  to  the  treasury  ;  and,  if  govern- 
ment will  not  support  me,  I  am  resolved  to  leave 
the  country."  Accordingly,  he  informed  the  trea- 
sury, that  if  a  satisfactory  answer  were  not  sent 
him  by  return  of  post,  he  should  take  refuge  in 
France.  To  this  he  expected  he  should  be  driven, 
and  for  this  he  arranged  every  thing  with  his  cha- 
racteristic rapidity  of  decision.  It  was  settled  that 
he  should  depart  immediately,  and  Mrs.  Nelson 
follow  under  the  care  of  his  elder  brother,  Mau- 
rice, ten  days  after  him.  But  the  answer  which 
he  received  from  government  quieted  his  fears ;  it 
stated,  that  Captain  Nelson  was  a  very  good  officer, 
and  needed  to  be  under  no  apprehension,  for  he 
would  assuredly  be  supported. 

Here  his  disquietude  upon  this  subject  seems  to 
have  ended.  Still  he  was  not  at  ease  ;  he  wanted 
employment,  and  was  mortified  that  his  applica- 
tions for  it  produced  no  effect.  "  Not  being  a 
man  of  fortune,"  he  said,  "  was  a  crime  which  he 
was  unable  to  get  over,  and  therefore  none  of  the 
great  cared  about  him."  Repeatedly  he  requested 
the  admiralty  that  they  would  not  leave  him  to 
rust  in  indolence.  During  the  armament  which 
was  made  upon  occasion  of  the  dispute  concerning 
Nootka  Sound,  he  renewed  his  application  :  and  his 
steady  friend,  Prince  William,  who  had  then  been 


56  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  [1783. 

created  Duke  of  Clarence,  recommended  him  to 
Lord  Chatham.  The  failure  of  this  recommenda- 
tion wounded  him  so  keenly,  that  he  again  thought 
of  retiring  from  the  service  in  disgust :  a  resolution 
from  which  nothing  but  the  urgent  remonstrances 
of  Lord  Hood  induced  him  to  desist.  Hearing 
that  the  Raisonnable,  in  which  he  had  conimenced 
his  career,  was  to  be  commissioned,  he  asked  for 
her.  This  also  was  in  vain :  and  a  coolness  en- 
sued, on  his  part,  toward  Lord  Hood,  because  that 
excellent  officer  did  not  use  his  influence  with 
Lord  Chatham  upon  this  occasion.  Lord  Hood, 
however,  had  certainly  sufficient  reasons  for  not 
interfering ;  for  he  ever  continued  his  steady  friend. 
In  the  winter  of  1792,  when  we  were  on  the  eve 
of  the  revolutionary  war.  Nelson  once  more  offered 
his  services,  earnestly  requested  a  ship,  and  added, 
that  if  their  lordships  should  be  pleased  to  ap- 
point him  to  a  cockle-boat,  he  should  feel  satisfied. 
He  was  answered  in  the  usual  official  form  :  "  Sir, 
I  have  received  your  letter  of  the  5th  instant,  ex- 
pressing your  readiness  to  serve,  and  have  read 
the  same  to  my  lords  commissioners  of  the  admi- 
ralty." On  the  12th  of  December  he  received  this 
dry  acknowledgment.  The  fresh  mortification  did 
not,  however,  affect  him  long ;  for,  by  the  joint 
interest  of  the  Duke  and  Lord  Hood,  he  was  ap- 
pointed, on  the  30th  of  January  following,  to  the 
Agamemnon,  of  sixty-four  guns. 


1793.]  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  57 


CHAPTER  III. 

The  Agamemnon  sent  to  the  Mediterranean — Commencement 
pf  Nelso7i's  acquaintance  with  Sir  W.  Hamilton — He  is  sent 
to  Corsica,  to  co-operate  with  Paoli — State  of  affairs  in  that 
islarid — Nelson  undertakes  the  siege  of  Bastia,  and  reduces 
it — Takes  a  distinguished  part  in  the  siege  of  Calvi,  where  he 
loses  an  eye — Admiral  Hotham's  action — The  Agamemnon 
ordered  to  Genoa,  to  co-operate  with  the  Austrian  and  Sardi- 
nian forces — Gross  misconduct  of  the  Austrian  General. 

*'  There  are  three  things,  young  gentleman,"  said 
Nelson  to  one  of  his  midshipmen,  "  which  you  are 
constantly  to  bear  in  mind.  First,  you  must  al- 
ways implicitly  obey  orders,  without  attempting  to 
form  any  opinion  of  your  own  respecting  their 
propriety.  Secondly,  you  must  consider  every 
man  your  enemy  who  speaks  ill  of  your  king  :  and, 
thirdly,  you  must  hate  a  Frenchman  as  you  do  the 
devil,"  With  these  feelings  he  engaged  in  the 
war.  Josiah,  his  son-in-law,  went  with  him  as  a 
midshipman. 

The  Agamemnon  was  ordered  to  the  Mediterra- 
nean, under  Lord  Hood.  The  fleet  arrived  in 
those  seas  at  a  time  when  the  south  of  France 
would  willingly  have  formed  itself  into  a  separate 
republic,  under  the  protection  of  England.  But 
good  principles  had  been  at  that  time  perilously 
abused  by  ignorant  and  profligate  men ;  and,  in 
its  fear  and  hatred  of  democracy,  the  English  go- 
vernment abhorred  whatever  was  republican.  Lord 
Hood  could  not  take  advantage  of  the  fair  occa- 
sion which  presented  itself;  and  which,  if  it  had 

H 


58  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  [1793. 

been  seized  with  vigour,  might  have  ended  in  divi- 
ding France  : — but  he  negotiated  with  the  people 
of  Toulon,  to  take  possession  provisionally  of  their 
port  and  city ;  which,  fatally  for  themselves,  was 
done.  Before  the  British  fleet  entered.  Nelson 
was  sent  with  dispatches  to  Sir  William  Hamilton, 
our  envoy  at  the  court  of  Naples.  Sir  William, 
after  his  first  interview  with  him,  told  Lady  Ha- 
milton he  was  about  to  introduce  a  little  man  to 
her,  who  could  not  boast  of  being  very  handsome  ; 
but  such  a  man,  as,  he  believed,  would  one  day 
astonish  the  world.  "  I  have  never  before,"  he 
continued,  "  entertained  an  officer  at  my  house  ; 
but  I  am  determined  to  bring  him  here.  Let  him 
be  put  in  the  room  prepared  for  Prince  Augustus." 
Thus  that  acquaintance  began  which  ended  in  the 
destruction  of  Nelson's  domestic  happiness.  It 
seemed  to  threaten  no  such  consequences  at  its 
commencement.  He  spoke  of  Lady  Hamilton,  in 
a  letter  to  his  wife,  as  a  young  woman  of  amiable 
manners,  who  did  honour  to  the  station  to  which 
she  had  been  raised  :  and  he  remarked,  that  she 
had  been  exceedingly  kind  to  Josiah.  The  activity 
with  which  the  envoy  exerted  himself  in  procuring 
troops  from  Naples,  to  assist  in  garrisoning  Toulon, 
so  delighted  him,  that  he  is  said  to  have  exclaimed  : 
"  Sir  William,  you  arc  a  man  after  my  own  heart! 
— you  do  business  in  my  own  way :"  and  then  to 
have  added,  "  I  am  now  only  a  captain ;  but  I 
will,  if  I  live,  be  at  the  top  of  the  tree."  Here, 
also,  that  acquaintance  with  the  Neapolitan  court 
commenced,  which  led  to  the  only  blot  upon  Nel- 
son's public  character.  The  king,  who  was  sincere 
at  that  time  in  his  enmity  to  the  French,  called 


1793.]  LIFE  OF  NELSOt-r.  59 

the  English  the  saviours  of  Italy,  and  of  his  domi- 
nions in  particular.  He  paid  the  most  flattering 
attentions  to  Nelson,  made  him  dine  with  him, 
and  seated  him  at  his  right  hand. 

Having  accomplished  this  mission,  Nelson  re- 
ceived orders  to  join  Commodore  Linzee,  at  Tunis. 
On  the  way,  five  sail  of  the  enemy  were  discovered 
off  the  coast  of  Sardinia,  and  he  chased  them. 
They  proved  to  be  three  forty-four  gun  frigates, 
with  a  corvette  of  twenty-four,  and  a  brig  of  twelve. 
The  Agamemnon  had  only  three  hundred  and  forty- 
five  men  at  quarters,  having  landed  part  of  her 
crew  at  Toulon,  and  others  being  absent  in  prizes. 
He  came  near  enough  one  of  the  frigates  to  engage 
her,  but  at  great  disadvantage,  the  Frenchman 
manoeuvring  well,  and  sailing  greatly  better,  A 
running  fight  of  three  hours  ensued  ;  during  which 
the  other  ships,  which  were  at  some  distance,  made 
all  speed  to  come  up.  By  this  time  the  enemy 
was  almost  silenced,  when  a  favourable  change  of 
wind  enabled  her  to  get  out  of  reach  of  the  Aga- 
memnon's guns ;  and  that  ship  had  received  so 
much  damage  in  the  rigging,  that  she  could  not 
follow  her.  Nelson  conceiving  that  this  was  but. 
the  forerunner  of  a  far  more  serious  engagement, 
called  his  officers  together,  and  asked  them  if 
the  ship  was  fit  to  go  into  action  against  such  a 
superior  force,  without  some  small  refit  and  re- 
freshment for  the  men  ?  Their  answer  was,  that 
she  certainly  was  not.  He  then  gave  these  or- 
ders:  "Veer  the  ship,  and  "lay  her  head  to  the 
westward  :  let  some  of  the  best  men  bo  employed 
in  refitting  the  rigging,  and  the  carpenter  getting 
crows  and  capstern-bars  to  prevent  our  wounded 


60  LI>E  OF  NELSON.  [1794. 

spars  from  coming;  down  :  and  get  the  wine  up  for 
the  people,  with  some  bread,  for  it  may  be  haif  an 
hour  good  before  we  are  again  in  action."  But 
when  the  French  came  up,  their  comrade  made 
signals  of  distress,  and  they  all  hoisted  out  their 
boats  to  go  to  her  assistance,  leaving  the  Aga- 
memnon unmolested. 

Nelson  found  Commodore  Linzee  at  Tunis, 
where  he  had  been  sent  to  expostulate  with  the 
dey  upon  the  impolicy  of  his  supporting  the  revo- 
lutionary government  of  France.  Nelson  repre- 
sented to  him  the  atrocity  of  that  government. 
Such  arguments  were  of  little  avail  in  Barbary : 
and  when  the  dey  was  told  that  the  French  had 
put  their  sovereign  to  death,  he  drily  i-eplied,  that 
"  Nothing  could  be  more  heinous;  and  yet,  if  his- 
torians told  the  truth,  the  English  had  once  done 
the  same."  This  answer  had  doubtless  been  sug- 
gested by  the  French  about  him  :  they  had  com- 
pletely gained  the  ascendency,  and  all  negotiation 
on  our  part  proved  fruitless.  Shortly  afterward 
Nelson  was  detached  with  a  small  squadron,  to  co- 
operate with  General  Paoli  and  the  Anti-Gallican 
party  in  Corsica. 

Some  thirty  years  before  this  time,  the  heroic 
patriotism  of  the  Corsicans,  and  of  their  leader, 
Paoli,  had  been  the  admiration  of  England.  The 
history  of  these  brave  people  is  but  a  melancholy 
tale.  The  island  which  they  inhabit  has  been 
abundantly  blessed  by  nature :  it  has  many  excel- 
lent harbours;  and  ttfough  the  mal-aria,  or  {:)esti- 
lential  atmosphere,  which  is  so  deadly  in  many 
parts  of  Italy,  and  of  the  Italian  islands,  prevails 
on  the  eastern  coast,  the  greater  part  of  the  coun- 


1794.]  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  61 

try  is  mountainous  and  healthy.  It  is  about  one 
hundred  and  fifty  miles  long,  and  from  forty  to 
fifty  broad  ;  in  circumference,  some  three  hundred 
and  twenty  : — a  countiy  large  enough,  and  suffi- 
ciently distant  from  the  nearest  shores,  to  have 
subsisted  as  an  independent  state,  if  the  welfare 
and  happiness  of  the  human  race  had  ever  been 
considered  as  the  end  and  aim  of  policy.  The 
Moors,  the  Pisans,  the  kings  of  Arragon,  and  the 
Genoese,  successively  attempted,  and  each  for  a 
time  effected  its  conquest.  The  yoke  of  the  Ge- 
noese continued  longest,  and  was  the  heaviest. 
These  petty  tyrants  ruled  with  an  iron  rod  :  and 
when  at  any  time  a  patriot  rose  to  resist  their  op- 
pressions, if  they  failed  to  subdue  him  by  force, 
they  resorted  to  assassination.  At  the  commence- 
ment of  the  last  century  they  quelled  one  revolt  by 
the  aid  of  German  auxiliaries,  whom  the  Emperor 
Charles  VT.  sent  against  a  people  who  had  never 
offended  him,  and  who  were  fighting  for  whatever 
is  most  dear  to  man.  In  1734  the  war  was  re- 
newed ;  and  Theodore,  a  Westphalian  baron,  then 
appeared  upon  the  stage.  In  that  age  men  were 
not  accustomed  to  see  adventurers  play  for  king- 
doms, and  Theodore  became  the  common  talk  of 
Europe.  He  had  served  in  the  French  araiies ; 
and  having  afterwards  been  noticed  both  by  Rip- 
perda  and  Alberoni,  their  example,  perhaps,  in- 
flamed a  spirit  as  ambitious  and  as  unprincipled  as 
their  own.  He  employed  the  whole  of  his  means 
in  raising  money  and  procuring  arms  :  then  wrote 
to  the  leaders  of  the  Corsican  patriots,  to  offer 
them  considerable  assistance,  if  they  would  erect 
Corsica  into  an   independent  kingdom,  and  elect 


62  XlfE  OF  NELSON.  [1794. 

him  king.  Wlien  he  landed  among  them,  they 
were  struck  with  his  stately  person,  his  dignified 
manners,  and  imposing  talents  :  they  believed  the 
•magnificent  promises  of  foreign  assistance  which  he 
held  out,  and  elected  him  king  accordingly.  Had 
his  means  been  as  he  represented  them,  they  could 
not  have  acted  more  wisely,  than  in  thus  at  once 
fixing  the  government  of  their  country,  and  put- 
ting an  end  to  those  rivalries  among  the  leading 
families,  which  had  so  often  proved  pernicious  to 
the  public  weal.  He  struck  money,  conferred 
titles,  blocked  up  the  fortified  towns  which  were 
held  by  the  Genoese,  and  amused  the  people  with 
promises  of  assistance  for  about  eight  months  : 
then,  perceiving  that  they  cooled  in  their  affec- 
tions toward  him,  in  proportion  as  their  expecta- 
tions were  disappointed,  he  left  the  island,  under 
the  plea  of  expediting  himself  the  succours  which 
he  had  so  long  awaited.  Such  was  his  address, 
that  he  prevailed  upon  several  rich  merchants  in 
Holland,  particularly  the  Jews,  to  trust  him  with 
cannon  and  warlike  stores  to  a  great  amount. 
They  shipped  these  under  the  charge  of  a  super- 
cargo. Theodore  returned  with  this  supercargo  to 
Corsica,  and  put  him  to  death  on  his  arrival,  as 
the  shortest  way  of  settling  the  account.  The 
remainder  of  his  life  was  a  series  of  deserved  afl3ic- 
tions.  He  threw  in  the  stores  which  he  had  thus 
fraudulently  obtained :  but  he  did  not  dare  to 
land ;  for  Genoa  had  now  called  in  the  French  to 
their  assistance,  and  a  price  had  been  set  upon  his 
head.  His  dreams  of  royalty  were  now  at  an  end  : 
he  took  refuge  in  London,  contracted  debts,  and 
was  thrown  into  the  King's  Bench.     After  linger- 


1794.]  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  63 

ing  there  many  years,  he  was  released  under  an 
act  of  insolvency  :  in  consequence  of  which,  he 
made  over  the  kingdom  of  Corsica  for  the  use  of 
his  creditors,  and  died  shortly  after  his  deliverance. 
The  French,  who  have  never  acted  a  generous 
part  in  the  history  of  the  world,  readily  entered 
into  the  views  of  the  Genoese,  which  accorded 
with  their  own  policy :  for  such  was  their  ascen- 
dency at  Genoa,  that  in  subduing  Corsica  for  these 
allies,  thev  were  in  fact  subduing  it  for  themselves. 
They  entered  into  the  contest,  therefore,  with  their 
usual  vigour,  and  their  usual  cruelty.  It  was  in 
vain  that  the  Corsicans  addressed  a  most  affecting 
memorial  to  the  court  of  Versailles  ;  that  remorse- 
less government  persisted  in  its  flagitious  project. 
They  poured  in  troops  ;  dressed  a  part  of  them 
like  the  people  of  the  country,  by  which  means 
they  deceived  and  destroyed  many  of  the  patriots  ; 
cut  down  the  standing  corn,  the  vines,  and  the 
olives ;  set  fire  to  the  villages,  and  hung  all  the 
most  able  and  active  men  who  fell  into  their  hands. 
A  war  of  this  kind  may  be  carried  on  with  success 
against  a  country  so  small  and  so  thinly  peopled  as 
Corsica.  Having  reduced  the  island  to  perfect 
servitude,  which  they  called  peace,  the  French 
withdrew  their  forces.  As  soon  as  they  were  gone, 
men,  women,  and  boys,  rose  at  once  against  their 
oppressors.  The  circumstances  of  the  times  were 
now  favourable  to  them ;  and  some  British  ships, 
acting  as  allies  of  Sardinia,  bombarded  Bastia  and 
San  Fiorenzo,  and  delivered  them  into  the  hands 
of  the  patriots.  This  service  was  long  remembered 
with  gratitude :  the  impression  made  upon  our 
own  countrymen  was  less  favourable.      They  had 


64  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  [1794. 

witnessed  the  heart-burning  of  rival  chiefs,  and  the 
dissensions  among  the  patriots ;  and  perceiving 
the  state  of  barbarism  to  which  continual  oppres- 
sion, and  habits  of  lawless  turbulence,  had  reduced 
the  nation,  did  not  recollect  that  the  vices  of  the 
people  were  owing  to  their  unhappy  circumstances  ; 
but  that  the  virtues  which  they  displayed  arose 
from  their  own  nature.  This  feeling,  perhaps,  in- 
fluenced the  British  court,  when,  in  1746,  Corsica 
offered  to  put  herself  under  the  protection  of  Great 
Britain  :  an  answer  was  returned,  expressing  satis- 
faction at  such  a  communication,  hoping  that  the 
Corsicans  would  preserve  the  same  sentiments,  but 
signifying  also  that  the  present  was  not  the  time 
for  such  a  measure. 

These  brave  islanders  then  formed  a  government 
for  themselves,  under  two  leaders,  Gaffori  and 
Matra,  who  had  the  title  of  protectors.  The  latter 
is  represented  as  a  partisan  of  Genoa,  favouring 
the  views  of  the  oppressors  of  his  country  by  the 
most  treasonable  means.  Gaffori  was  a  hero  wor- 
thy of  old  times.  His  eloquence  was  long  remem- 
bered with  admiration.  A  band  of  assassins  was 
once  advancing  against  him ;  he  heard  of  their 
approach,  went  out  to  meet  them ;  and,  with  a 
serene  dignity,  which  overawed  them,  requested 
them  to  hear  him  :  he  then  spake  to  them  so  for- 
cibly of  the  distresses  of  their  country,  her  in- 
tolerable wrongs,  and  the  hopes  and  views  of  their 
brethren  in  arms,  that  the  very  men  who  had  been 
hired  to  murder  him,  fell  at  his  feet,  implored  his 
forgiveness,  and  joined  his  banner.  While  he  was 
besieging  the  Genoese  in  Corte,  a  part  of  the  gar- 
rison perceiving  the  nurse  with  his  eldest  son,  then 


1794.]  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  65 

an  infant  in  arms,  straying  at  a  little  distance  from 
the  camp,  suddenly  sallied  out  and  seized  them. 
The  use  they  made  of  their  persons  was  in  confor- 
mity to  their  usual  execrable  conduct.  When 
Gaffori  advanced  to  batter  the  walls,  they  held  up 
the  child  directly  over  that  part  of  the  wall  at 
which  the  guns  were  pointed.  The  Corsicans 
stopt :  but  GafFori  stood  at  their  head,  and  or- 
dered them  to  continue  the  fire.  Providentially 
the  child  escaped,  and  lived  to  relate,  with  becom- 
ing feeling,  a  fact  so  honourable  to  his  father. 
That  father  conducted  the  affairs  of  the  island  till 
1753,  when  he  was  assassinated  by  some  wretches, 
set  on,  it  is  believed,  by  Genoa;  but  certainly 
pensioned  by  that  abominable  government  after 
the  deed.  He  left  the  country  in  such  a  state, 
that  it  was  enabled  to  continue  the  war  two  years 
after  his  death  without  a  leader :  then  they  found 
one  worthy  of  their  cause  in  Pasquale  de  Paoli. 

Paoli's  father  was  one  of  the  patriots  who 
effected  their  escape  from  Corsica  when  the  French 
reduced  it  to  obedience.  He  retired  to  Naples, 
and  brought  up  this  his  youngest  son  in  the  Nea- 
politan service.  The  Corsicans  heard  of  young 
Paoli's  abilities,  and  solicited  him  to  come  over  to 
his  native  country,  and  take  the  command.  He 
did  not  hesitate  long :  his  father,  who  was  too  far 
advanced  in  years  to  take  an  active  part  himself, 
encouraged  him  to  go ;  and  when  they  separated, 
the  old  man  fell  on  his  neck,  and  kissed  him,  and 
gave  him  his  blessing.  "  My  son,"  said  he,  "  per- 
haps I  may  never  see  you  more  ;  but  in  my  mind 
I  shall  ever  be  present  with  you.  Your  design  is 
great  and  noble ;  and  I  doubt  not  but  God  will 


66  LIFE  OF  NELSOX.  [1794. 

bless  you  in  it.  I  shall  devote  to  your  cause  the 
little  remainder  of  my  life  in  offering  up  my 
prayers  for  your  success."  When  Paoli  assumed 
the  command,  he  found  all  things  in  confusion  : 
he  formed  a  democratical  government,  of  which  he 
was  chosen  chief;  restored  the  authority  of  the 
laws ;  established  a  university ;  and  took  such 
measures,  both  for  repressing  abuses  and  moulding 
the  rising  generation,  that,  if  France  had  not  in- 
terfered, upon  its  wicked  and  detestable  principle 
of  usurpation,  Corsica  miglrt,  at  this  day,  have 
been  as  free,  and  flourishing,  and  happy  a  com- 
monwealth as  any  of  the  Grecian  states  in  the 
days  of  their  prosperity.  The  Genoese  were  at 
this  time  driven  out  of  their  fortified  towns,  and 
must  in  a  short  time  have  been  expelled.  France 
was  indebted  some  millions  of  livres  to  Genoa :  it 
was  not  convenient  to  pay  this  money  ;  so  the 
French  minister  proposed  to  the  Genoese,  that  she 
should  discharge  the  debt  by  sending  six  battalions 
to  serve  in  Corsica  for  four  years.  The  indignation 
which  this  conduct  excited  in  all  generous  hearts, 
was  forcibly  expressed  by  Rousseau,  who,  with  all 
his  errors,  was  seldom  deficient  in  feeling  for  the 
wrongs  of  humanity.  "  You  Frenchmen,"  said 
he,  writing  to  one  of  that  people,  "  are  a  tho- 
roughly servile  nation,  thoroughly  sold  to  tyranny, 
thoroughly  cruel  and  relentless  in  persecuting  the 
unhappy,  if  they  knew  of  a  freeman  at  the  other 
end  of  the  world,  I  believe  they  would  go  thither 
for  the  mere  pleasure  of  extirpating  him." 

The  immediate  object  of  the  French  happened 
to  be  purely  mercenary  :  they  wanted  to  clear  off 
their  debt  to  Genoa  ;  and  as  the  presence  of  their 


1794.]  LIFE  OF  NELSOX.  67 

troops  in  the  island  effected  this,  they  aimed  at 
doing  the  people  no  farther  mischief.  Would  that 
the  conduct  of  England  had  been  at  this  time  free 
from  reproach  !  but  a  proclamation  was  issued  by 
the  English  government,  after  the  peace  of  Paris, 
prohibiting  any  intercourse  with  the  rebels  of  Cor- 
sica. Paoli  said,  he  did  not  expect  this  from  Great 
Britain.  This  great  man  was  deservedly  proud  of 
his  country  : — "  I  defy  Rome,  Sparta,  or  Thebes," 
he  would  say,  "  to  show  me  thirty  years  of  such 
patriotism  as  Corsica  can  boast !"  Availing  him- 
self of  the  respite  which  the  inactivity  of  the 
French,  and  the  weakness  of  the  Genoese  allowed, 
he  prosecuted  his  plans  of  civilizing  the  people. 
He  used  to  say,  that  though  he  had  an  unspeak- 
able pride  in  the  prospect  of  the  fame  to  which  he 
aspired ;  yer,  if  he  could  but  render  his  country- 
men happy,  he  could  be  content  to  be  forgotten. 
His  own  importance  he  never  affected  to  under- 
value. "  We  are  now  to  our  country,"  said  he, 
"  like  the  prophet  Elisha,  stretched  over  the  dead 
child  of  the  Shunamite, — eye  to  eye,  nose  to  nose, 
mouth  to  mouth.  It  begins  to  recover  warmth, 
and  to  revive  :  I  hope  it  will  yet  regain  full  health. 
and  vigour." 

But  when  the  four  years  were  expired,  France 
purchased  the  sovereignty  of  Corsica  from  the 
Genoese  for  forty  millions  of  livres  ;  as  if  the  Ge- 
noese had  been  entitled  to  sell  it ;  as  if  any  bar- 
gain and  sale  could  justify  one  country  in  taking 
possession  of  another  against  the  will  of  the  inha- 
bitants, and  butchering  all  who  oppose  the  usurpa- 
tion !  Among  the  enormities  which  France  has 
committed,  this  action  seems  but  as  a  speck ;  yet 


68  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  [1794. 

the  foulest  murderer  that  ever  suffered  by  the  hand 
of  the  executioner,  has  infinitely  less  guilt  upon 
his  soul  than  the  statesman  who  concluded  this 
treaty,  and  the  monarch  who  sanctioned  and  con- 
firmed it.  A  desperate  and  glorious  resistance  was 
made  ;  but  it  was  in  vain  ;  no  power  interposed  in 
behalf  of  these  injured  islanders,  and  the  French 
poured  in  as  many  troops  as  were  required.  They 
offered  to  confirm  Paoli  in  the  supreme  authority, 
only  on  condition  that  he  would  hold  it  under  their 
government.  His  answer  was,  that  "•  the  rocks 
which  surrounded  him  should  melt  away  before 
he  would  betray  a  cause  which  he  held  in  common 
with  the  poorest  Corsican."  This  people  then  set 
a  price  upon  his  head.  During  two  campaigns 
he  kept  them  at  bay :  they  overpowered  him  at 
length ;  he  was  driven  to  the  shore,  and,  having 
escaped  on  ship-board,  took  refuge  in  England. 
It  is  said  that  Lord  Shelburne  resigned  his  seat  in 
the  cabinet,  because  the  ministry  looked  on,  with- 
out attempting  to  prevent  France  from  succeeding 
in  this  abominable  and  important  act  of  aggran- 
dizement. In  one  respect,  however,  our  country 
acted  as  became  her.  Paoli  was  welcomed  with 
the  honours  which  he  deserved,  a  pension  of  £1200 
was  immediately  granted  him ;  and  provision  was 
liberally  made  for  his  elder  brother  and  his  nephew. 
Above  twenty  years  Paoli  remained  in  England, 
enjoying  the  friendship  of  the  wise,  and  the  admi- 
ration of  the  good.  But  when  the  French  Revo- 
lution began,  it  seemed  as  if  the  restoration  of 
Corsica  was  at  hand.  The  whole  country,  as  if 
animated  by  one  spirit,  rose  and  demanded  liberty  ; 
and  the  national  assembly  passed  a  decree,  recog- 


1794.]  LIFE  OF  NELSOX.  69 

nising  the  island  as  a  department  of  France,  and 
therefore  entitled  to  all  the  privileges  of  the  new 
French  constitution.  This  satisfied  the  Corsicans, 
which  it  ought  not  to  have  done ;  and  Paoli,  in 
whom  the  ardour  of  youth  was  passed,  seeing  that 
his  countrymen  were  contented,  and  believing  that 
they  were  about  to  enjoy  a  state  of  freedom,  natu- 
rally wished  to  return  to  his  native  country.  He 
resigned  his  pension  in  the  year  1790,  and  ap- 
peared at  the  bar  of  the  assembly  with  the  Corsican 
deputies,  when  they  took  the  oath  of  fidelity  to 
France.  But  the  course  of  events  in  France  soon 
dispelled  those  hopes  of  a  new  and  better  order  of 
things,  which  Paoli,  in  common  with  so  many  of 
the  friends  of  humankind,  had  indulged  :  and  per- 
ceiving, after  the  execution  of  the  king,  that  a 
civil  war  was  about  to  ensue,  of  which  no  man 
could  foresee  the  issue,  he  prepared  to  break  the 
connexion  between  Corsica  and  the  French  re- 
public. The  convention  suspecting  such  a  design, 
and  perhaps  occasioning  it  by  their  suspicions,  or- 
dered him  to  their  bar.  That  way,  he  well  knew, 
led  to  the  guillotine ;  and,  returning  a  respectful 
answer,  he  declared  that  he  would  never  be  found 
wanting  in  his  duty,  but  pleaded  age  and  infirmity 
as  a  reason  for  disobeying  the  summons.  Their 
second  order  was  more  summary  :  and  the  French 
troops,  who  were  in  Corsica,  aided  by  those  of  the 
natives,  who  were  either  influenced  by  hereditary 
party  feelings,  or  who  were  sincere  in  jacobinism, 
took  the  field  against  him.  But  the  people  were 
with  him.  He  repaired  to  Corte,  the  capital  of 
the  island,  and  was  again  invested  with  the  autho- 
rity which  he  had  held  in  the   noonday   Of  his 


70  LIFE  OF  NELSOX.  [1794. 

fame.  The  convention  upon  this  denounced  him 
as  a  rebel,  and  set  a  price  upon  his  head.  It  was 
not  the  first  time  that  France  had  proscribed  Paoli. 
Paoli  now  opened  a  correspondence  with  Lord 
Hood,  promising,  if  the  Enghsh  would  make  an 
attack  upon  St.  Fiorenzo  from  the  sea,  he  would, 
at  the  same  time,  attack  it  by  land.  This  promise 
he  was  unable  to  perform  :  and  Commodore  Lin- 
zee,  who,  in  reliance  upon  it,  was  sent  upon  this 
service,  was  repulsed  with  some  loss.  Lord  Hood, 
who  had  now  been  compelled  to  evacuate  Toulon, 
suspected  Paoli  of  intentionally  deceiving  him. 
Tliis  was  an  injurious  suspicion.  Shortly  after- 
ward he  despatched  Lieutenant-Colonel  (afterward 
Sir  John)  Moore  and  Major  Koehler  to  confer  with 
him  upon  a  plan  of  operations.  Sir  Gilbert  Elliot 
accompanied  them:  and  it  was  agreed  upon,  that, 
in  consideration  of  the  succours,  both  military  and 
naval,  which  his  Britannic  majesty  should  aftbrd 
for  the  purpose  of  expelling  the  French,  the  island 
of  Corsica  should  be  delivered  into  the  immediate 
possession  of  his  majesty,  and  bind  itself  to  acqui- 
esce in  any  settlement  he  might  approve  of  con- 
cerning its  government  and  its  future  relation  with 
Great  Britain.  While  this  negotiation  vras  going 
on,  Nelson  cruised  off  the  island  with  a  small 
squadron,  to  prevent  the  enemy  from  throwing  in 
supplies.  Close  to  St.  Fiorenzo  the  French  had 
a  store-house  of  flour,  near  their  only  mill :  he 
watched  an  opportunity,  and  landed  one  hundred 
and  twenty  men,  who  threw  the  flour  into  the  sea, 
burnt  the  mill,  and  re-embarked  before  one  thou- 
sand men,  who  were  sent  against  him,  could  occa- 
sion them  the  loss  of  a  single  man.     While  he 


1794.]  LIFE  OF  VELSOX.  71' 

exerted  himself  thus,  keeping  out  all  supplies,  in- 
tercepting despatches,  attacking  their  out-posts 
and  forts,  and  cutting  out  vessels  from  the  bay, — . 
a  species  of  warfare  which  depresses  the  spirit  of 
an  enemy  even  more  than  it  injures  them,  because 
of  the  sense  of  individual  superiority  which  it  in- 
dicates in  the  assailants, — troops  were  lauded,  and 
St.  Fiorenzo  was  besieged.  The  French,  finding 
themselves  unable  to  maintain  that  post,  sunk  one 
of  their  frigates,  burnt  another,  and  retreated  to 
Bastia.  Lord  Hood  submitted  to  General  Dundas, 
who  commanded  the  land  forces,  a  plan  for  the 
reduction  of  this  place :  the  general  declined  co- 
op'erating,  thinking  the  attempt  impracticable, 
without  a  reinforcement  of  two  thousand  men, 
which  he  expected  from  Gibraltar.  Upon  this 
Lord  Hood  determined  to  reduce  it  with  the  naval 
force  under  his  command  ;  and  leaving  part  of  his 
fleet  otF  Toulon,  he  came  with  the  rest  to  Bastia. 

He  showed  a  proper  sense  of  respsct  for  Nelson's 
services,  and  of  confidence  in  his  talents,  by  taking 
care  not  to  bring  with  him  any  older  captain.  A 
few  days  before  their  arrival,  Nelson  had  had  what 
he  called  a  brush  with  the  enemy.  "  If  I  had 
had  with  me  five  hundred  troops,"  he  said,  "  to  a 
certainty  I  should  have  stormed  the  town  ;  and  I 
believe  it  might  have  been  carried.  Armies  go  so 
slow,  that  seamen  think  they  never  mean  to  get 
forward  :  but  I  dare  say  they  act  on  a  surer  prin- 
ciple, although  we  seldom  fail."  During  this  par- 
tial action  our  army  appeared  upon  the  heights ; 
and  having  reconnoitred  the  place,  returned  to  St. 
F'iorenzo.  "  What  the  general  could  have  seen 
to  make  a  retreat  necessary,"  said  Nelson,   "  I 


72  LIFE  OF  XELSOX.  [1794. 

cannot  comprehend.  A  thousand  men  would  cer- 
tainly take  Bastia ;  with  five  hundred  and  Aga- 
memnon I  would  attempt  it.  My  seamen  are  now 
what  British  seamen  ought  to  be — almost  invin- 
cible. They  really  mind  shot  no  more  than  peas." 
General  Dundas  had  not  the  same  confidence. 
"  After  mature  consideration,"  he  said  in  a  letter 
to  Lord  Hood,  "  and  a  personal  inspection  for  seve- 
ral days  of  all  circumstances,  local  as  well  as 
others,  I  consider  the  siege  of  Bastia,  with  our 
present  means  and  force,  to  be  a  most  visionary 
and  rash  attempt :  such  as  no  officer  would  be 
justified  in  undertaking."  Lord  Hood  replied, 
that  nothing  would  be  more  gratifying  to  his  feel- 
ings than  to  have  the  whole  responsibility  upon 
himself;  and  that  he  was  ready  and  willing  to 
undertake  the  reduction  of  the  place  at  his  own 
risk,  with  the  force  and  means  at  present  there. 
General  d'Aubant,  who  succeeded  at  this  time  to 
the  command  of  the  army,  coincided  in  opinion 
with  his  predecessor,  and  did  not  think  it  right  to 
furnish  his  lordship  with  a  single  soldier,  cannon, 
or  any  stores.  Lord  Hood  could  only  obtain  a  few 
artillery -men ;  and  ordering  on  board  that  part  of 
the  troops  who,  having  been  embarked  as  marines, 
were  borne  on  the  ships'  books  as  part  of  their 
respective  complements,  he  began  the  siege  with 
eleven  hundred  and  eighty-three  soldiers,  artillery- 
men, and  marines,  and  two  hundred  and  fifty 
sailors.  "  We  are  but  few,"  said  Nelson,  "  but 
of  the  right  sort ;  our  general  at  St.  Fiorenzo  not 
giving  us  one  of  the  five  regiments  he  has  there 
lying  idle." 

These  men  were  landed  on  the  4th  of  April, 


1794.]  UTE  OF  NELSON.  73 

under  Lieutenant-Colonel  Villettes  and  Nelson, 
who  had  now  acquired  from  the  army  the  title  of 
brigadeir.  Guns  were  dragged  by  the  sailors  up 
heights  where  it  appeared  almost  impossible  to 
convey  them; — a  work  of  the  greatest  difficulty  ; 
and  which  Nelson  said  could  never,  in  his  opinion, 
have  been  accomplished  by  any  but  British  seamen. 
The  soldiers,  though  less  dexterous  in  such  service, 
because  not  accustomed,  like  sailors,  to  habitual 
dexterity,  behaved  with  equal  spirit.  "  Their  zeal," 
said  the  brigadier,  "  is  almost  unexampled.  There 
is  not  a  man  but  considers  himself  as  personally 
interested  in  the  event,  and  deserted  by  the  general. 
It  has,  I  am  persuaded,  made  them  equal  to  double 
their  numbers."  This  is  one  proof,  of  many,  that 
for  our  soldiers  to  equal  our  seamen,  it  is  only 
necessary  for  them  to  be  equally  well  commanded. 
They  have  the  same  heart  and  soul,  as  well  as  the 
same  flesh  and  blood.  Too  much  may,  indeed,  be 
exacted  from  them  in  a  retreat ;  but  set  their  face 
toward  a  foe,  and  there  is  nothing  within  the  reach 
of  human  achievement  which  they  cannot  perform. 
The  French  had  improved  the  leisure  which  our 
military  commander  had  allowed  them ;  and  before 
Lord  Hood  commenced  his  operations,  he  had  the 
mortification  of  seeing  that  the  enemy  were  every 
day  erecting  new  works,  strengthening  old  ones, 
and  rendering  the  attempt  more  difficult.  La  Combe 
St.  Michel,  the  commissioner  from  the  national 
convention,  who  was  in  the  city,  replied  in  these 
terms  to  the  summons  of  the  British  admiral :  "  I 
have  hot  shot  for  your  ships,  and  bayonets  for  your 
troops.  When  two-thirds  of  our  men  are  killed,  I 
will  then  trust  to  the  generosity  of  the  English." 

I 


74  LIFE  OF  NELSOX.  [1794. 

The  siege,  however,  was  not  sustained  with  the 
firmness  which  such  a  reply  seemed  to  aug'ur.  On 
the  19th  of  May  a  treaty  of  capitulation  was  begun : 
that  same  evening  the  troops  from  St.  Fiorenzo 
made  their  appearance  on  the  hills ;  and,  on  the 
following  morning,  General  D'Aubant  arrived  with 
the  whole  army  to  take  possession  of  Bastia. 

The  event  of  the  siege  had  justified  the  confidence 
of  the  sailors ;  but  they  themselves  excused  the 
opinion  of  the  generals,  when  they  saw  what  they 
had  done.  "  I  am  all  astonishment,"  said  Nel- 
son, "  when  I  reflect  on  what  we  have  achieved ; 
one  thousand  regulars,  fifteen  hundred  national 
guards  and  a  large  party  of  Corsican  troops, 
four  thousand  in  all,  laying  down  their  aiTns  to 
twelve  hundred  soldiers,  marines,  and  seamen !  I 
always  was  of  opinion,  have  ever  acted  up  to  it, 
and  never  had  any  reason  to  repent  it,  that  one 
Englishman  was  equal  to  three  Frenchmen.  Had 
this  been  an  English  town,  I  am  sure  it  would 
not  have  been  taken  by  them."  When  it  had 
been  resolved  to  attack  the  place,  the  enemy  were 
supposed  to  be  far  inferior  in  number ;  and  it  was 
not  till  the  whole  had  been  arranged,  and  the 
siege  publicly  undertaken,  that  Nelson  received 
certain  information  of  the  great  superiority  of  the 
garrison.  This  intelligence  he  kept  secret,  fearing 
lest,  if  so  fair  a  pretext  were  aflPorded,  the  attempt 
would  be  abandoned.  "  My  own  honour,"  said 
he  to  his  wife,  "  Lord  Hood's  honour,  and  the 
honour  of  our  country,  must  have  been  sacrificed, 
had  I  mentioned  what  I  knew :  therefore  you  will 
believe  what  must  have  been  my  feelings  during 
the  whole  siege,  when  I  had  often  proposals  made 


1794,]  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  75 

to  me  to  write  to  Lord  Hood  to  raise  it."  Those 
very  persons,  who  thus  advised  him,  were  rewarded 
for  their  conduct  at  the  siege  of  Bastia :  Nelson, 
by  whom  it  may  truly  be  affirmed  that  Bastia  was 
taken,  received  no  reward.  Lord  Hood's  thanks 
to  him,  both  public  and  private,  were,  as  he  him- 
self said,  the  handsomest  which  man  could  give : 
but  his  signal  merits  were  not  so  mentioned  in  the 
despatches,  as  to  make  them  sufficiently  known  to 
the  nation,  nor  to  obtain  for  him  from  government 
those  honours  to  which  they  so  amply  entitled  him. 
This  could  only  have  arisen  from  the  haste  in  which 
the  despatches  were  written ;  certainly  not  from 
any  deliberate  purpose,  for  Lord  Hood  was  uni- 
formly his  steady  and  sincere  friend. 

One  of  the  cartel's  ships,  which  carried  the  gar- 
rison of  Bastia  to  Toulon,  brought  back  intelligence 
that  the  French  were  about  to  sail  from  that  port ; 
— such  exertions  had  they  made  to  repair  the 
damage  done  at  the  evacuation,  and  to  fit  out  a 
fleet.  The  intelligence  was  speedily  verified.  Lord 
Hood  sailed  in  quest  of  them  toward  the  islands  of 
Hieres.  The  Agamemnon  was  with  him.  "  I  pray 
God,"  said  Nelson,  writing  to  his  wife,  "  that  we 
may  meet  their  fleet.  If  any  accident  should  happen 
to  me,  I  am  sure  mv  conduct  will  be  such  as  will 
entitle  you  to  the  royal  favour; — not  that  I  have 
the  least  idea  but  I  shall  return  to  you,  and  full  of 
honour: — if  not,  the  Lord's  will  be  done.  My  name 
shall  never  be  a  disgrace  to  those  who  may  belong 
to  me.  The  little  I  have,  I  have  given  to  you, 
except  a  small  annuity ;  I  wish  it  was  more ;  but 
I  have  never  got  a  farthing  dishonestly : — it  de- 
scends from  clean  hands.     Whatever  fate  awaits 


76  LIFE  OF  NELSON ;  [1794. 

me,  I  pray  God  to  bless  you,  and  preserve  you,  for 
your  son's  sake."  With  a  mind  thus  prepared,  and 
thus  confident,  his  hopes  and  wishes  seemed  on  the 
point  of  being  gratified,  when  the  enemy  were  dis- 
covered close  under  the  land,  near  St.  Tropez.  The 
wind  fell,  and  prevented  Lord  Hood  from  getting 
between  them  and  the  shore,  as  he  designed :  boats 
came  out  from  Antibes  and  other  places,  to  their 
assistance,  and  towed  them  within  the  shoals  in 
Gourjean  roads,  where  they  were  protected  by  the 
batteries  on  isles  St.  Honore  and  St.  Marguerite, 
and  on  Cape  Garousse.  Here  the  English  admiral 
planned  a  new  mode  of  attack,  meaning  to  double 
on  five  of  the  nearest  ships ;  but  the  wind  again 
died  away,  and  it  was  found  that  they  had  anchored 
in  compact  order,  guarding  the  only  passage  for 
large  ships.  There  was  no  way  of  effecting  this 
passage,  except  by  towing  or  warping  the  vessels ; 
and  this  rendered  the  attempt  impracticable.  For 
this  time  the  enemy  escaped  :  but  Nelson  bore  in 
mind  the  admirable  plan  of  attack  which  Lord 
Hood  had  devised,  and  there  came  a  day  when 
they  felt  its  tremendous  effects. 

The  Agamemnon  was  now  despatched  to  co- 
operate at  the  siege  of  Calvi  with  General  Sir 
Charles  Stuart ;  an  officer  who,  unfortunately  for 
his  country,  never  had  an  adequate  field  allotted 
him  for  the  display  of  those  eminent  talents,  which 
were,  to  all  who  knew  him,  so  conspicuous  *. 
Nelson  had  less  responsibility  here  than  at  Bastia; 
and  was  acting  with  a  man  after  his  own  heart, 

•  Lord  Melville  was  fully  sensible  of  tliese  talents,  and 
bore  testimony  to  them  in  the  handsomest  manner  after  Sir 
Charles's  death. 


1794.]  LIFE  OF  NELSOX.  77 

who  was  never  sparing  of  himself,  and  slept  every 
night  in  the  advanced  battery.  But  the  service 
was  not  less  hard  than  that  of  the  former  siege. 
"  We  will  fag  ourselves  to  death,"  said  he  to  Lord 
Hood,  "  before  any  blame  shall  lie  at  our  doors. 
I  trust  it  will  not  be  forgotten,  that  twenty-five 
pieces  of  heavy  ordnance  have  been  dragged  to  the 
different  batteries,  mounted,  and,  all  but  three, 
fought  by  seamen,  except  one  artillery-man  to 
point  the  guns."  The  climate  proved  more  des- 
tructive than  the  service ;  for  this  was  during  the 
lion  sun,  as  they  there  call  our  season  of  the  dog- 
days.  Of  two  thousand  men,  above  half  were  sick, 
and  the  rest  like  so  many  phantoms.  Nelson  des- 
cribed himself  as  the  reed  among  the  oaks,  bowing 
before  the  storm  when  they  were  laid  low  by  it. 
"  All  the  prevailing  disorders  have  attacked  me," 
said  he,  "  but  I  have  not  strength  enough  for  them 
to  fasten  on."  The  loss  from  the  enemy  was  not 
great ;  but  Nelson  received  a  serious  injury:  a  shot 
struck  the  gi'ound  near  him,  and  drove  the  sand 
and  small  gravel  into  one  of  his  eyes.  He  spoke 
of  it  slightly  at  the  time :  writing  the  same  day  to 
Lord  Hood,  he  only  said,  that  he  got  a  little  hurt 
that  morning,  not  much  ;  and  the  next  day,  he 
said,  he  should  be  able  to  attend  his  duty  in  the 
evening.  In  fact,  he  suffered  it  to  confine  him 
only  one  day ;  but  the  sight  was  lost. 

After  the  fall  of  Calvi,  his  services  were,  by  a 
strange  omission,  altogether  overlooked  ;  and  his 
name  was  not  even  mentioned  in  the  list  of  wounded. 
This  was  no  ways  imputable  to  the  admiral,  for  he 
sent  home  to  government  Nelson's  journal  of  the 
aiege,  that  they  might  fully  understand  the  nature 


78  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  [1794. 

of  his  indefatigable  and  unequalled  exertions.  If 
those  exertions  were  not  rewarded  in  the  conspicuous 
manner  which  they  deserved,  the  fault  was  in  the 
administration  of  the  day,  not  in  Lord  Hood. 
Nelson  felt  himself  neglected.  "  One  hundred  and 
ten  days,"  said  he,  "  I  have  been  actually  engaged, 
at  sea  and  on  shore,  against  the  enemy  ;  three 
actions  against  ships,  two  against  Bastia  in  my 
ship,  four  boat  actions,  and  two  villages  taken,  and 
twelve  sail  of  vessels  burnt.  I  do  not  know  that 
any  one  has  done  more.  I  have  had  the  comfort 
to  be  always  applauded  by  my  commander-in-chief, 
but  never  to  be  rewarded :  and,  what  is  more  mor- 
tifying, for  services  in  which  I  have  been  wounded, 
others  have  been  praised,  who,  at  the  same  time, 
were  actually  in  bed,  far  from  the  scene  of  action. 
They  have  not  done  me  justice.  But,  never  mind, 
I'll  have  a  gazette  of  my  own."  How  amply  was 
this  second  sight  of  glory  realized ! 

The  health  of  his  ship's  company  had  now,  in 
his  own  words,  been  miserably  torn  to  pieces  by  as 
hard  service  as  a  ship's  crew  ever  performed  :  one 
hundred  and  fifty  were  in  their  beds  when  he  left 
Calvi ;  of  them  he  lost  fifty;  and  believed  that  the 
constitutions  of  the  rest  were  entirely  destroyed. 
He  was  now  sent  with  despatches  to  Mr.  Drake, 
at  Genoa,  and  had  his  first  interview  with  the  doge. 
The  French  had,  at  this  time,  taken  possession  of 
Vado  Bay,  in  the  Genoese  territoi"y ;  and  Nelson 
foresaw,  that  if  their  thoughts  were  bent  on  the 
invasion  of  Italy,  they  would  accomplish  it  the 
ensuing  spring.  "  The  allied  powers,"  he  said, 
"  were  jealous  of  each  other;  and  none  but  Eng- 
land was  hearty  in  the  cause."     His  wish  was  for 


1794.]  UFE  OF  NELSON.  79 

peace,  on  fair  terms,  because  England,  he  thought, 
was  draining  herself,  to  maintain  aUies  who  would 
not  fight  for  themselves.  Lord  Hood  had  now  re- 
turned to  England,  and  the  command  devolved  on 
Admiral  Hotham.  The  affairs  of  the  Mediterranean' 
wore  at  this  time  a  gloomy  aspect.  The  arts,  as 
well  as  the  arms  of  the  enemy,  were  gaining  the 
ascendency  there.  Tuscany  concluded  peace,  re- 
lying upon  the  faith  of  France,  which  was,  in  fact, 
placing  itself  at  her  mercy.  Corsica  was  in  danger. 
We  had  taken  that  island  for  ourselves,  annexed 
it  formally  to  the  crown  of  Great  Britain,  and  given 
it  a  constitution  as  free  as  our  own.  This  was  done 
with  the  consent  of  the  majority  of  the  inhabitants: 
and  no  transaction  between  two  countries  was  ever 
more  fairly  or  legitimately  conducted  :  yet  our 
conduct  was  unwise ; — the  island  is  large  enough 
to  form  an  independent  state,  and  such  we  should 
have  made  it,  under  our  protection,  as  long  as  pro- 
tection might  be  needed ;  the  Corsicans  would  then 
have  felt  as  a  nation ;  but,  when  one  party  had 
given  up  the  country  to  England,  the  natural  con- 
sequence was,  that  the  other  looked  to  France. 
The  question  proposed  to  the  people  was,  to  which 
would  they  belong?  Our  language  and  our  religion 
were  against  us ;  our  unaccommodating  manners, 
it  is  to  be  feared,  still  more  so.  The  French  were 
better  politicians.  In  intrigue  they  have  ever  been 
unrivalled ;  and  it  now  became  apparent,  that,  in 
spite  of  old  wrongs,  which  ought  never  to  have 
been  forgotten  or  forgiven,  their  partisans  were 
daily  acquiring  strength.  It  is  part  of  the  policy 
of  France,  and  a  wise  policy  it  is,  to  impress  upon 
other  powers  the  opinion  of  its  strength,  by  lofty 


80  'life  of  NELSOX.  [1794. 

language,  and  by  threatening  before  it  strikes ;  a 
system  which,  while  it  keeps  up  the  spirit  of  its 
allies,  and  perpetually  stimulates  their  hopes,  tends 
also  to  dismay  its  enemies.  Corsica  was  now  loudly 
"threatened.  The  French,  who  had  not  yet  been 
taught  to  feel  their  own  inferiority  upon  the  seas, 
braved  us,  in  contempt,  upon  that  element.  They 
had  a  superior  fleet  in  the  Mediterranean,  and  they 
sent  it  out  with  express  orders  to  seek  the  English 
and  engage  them.  Accordingly,  the  Toulon  fleet, 
consisting  of  seventeen  ships  of  the  line,  and  five 
smaller  vessels,  put  to  sea.  Admiral  Hotham  re- 
ceived this  information  at  Leghorn,  and  sailed  im- 
mediately in  search  of  them.  He  had  with  him 
fourteen  sail  of  the  line,  and  one  Neapolitan 
seventy-four;  but  his  ships  were  only  half  manned^ 
containing  but  seven  thousand  six  hundred  and 
fifty  men,  whereas  the  enemy  had  sixteen  thousand 
nine  hundred.  He  soon  came  in  sight  of  them  :  a 
general  action  was  expected ;  and  Nelson,  as  was 
his  custom  on  such  occasions,  wrote  a  hasty  letter 
to  his  wife,  as  that  which  might  possibly  contain 
his  last  farewell.  "  The  lives  of  all,"  said  he,  "  are 
in  the  hand  of  Him  who  knows  best  whether  to 
preserve  mine  or  not ;  my  character  and  good  name 
are  in  my  own  keeping." 

But  however  confident  the  French  government 
might  be  of  their  naval  superiority,  the  oflScers  had 
no  such  feeling;  and  after  manoeuvring  for  a  day, 
in  sight  of  the  English  fleet,  they  suttered  them- 
selves to  be  chased.  One  of  their  ships,  the  (^a 
Ira,  of  eighty-four  guns,  can'ied  away  her  main 
and  fore  top-masts.  The  Inconstant  frigate  fired  at 
the  disabled  ship,  but  received  so  many  shot,  that 


1795.]  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  81 

she  was  obliged  to  leave  her.  Soon  afterwards  a 
French  frigate  took  the  ^a  Ira  in  tow;  and  the 
Sans-Culottes,  one  hundred  and  twenty,  and  the 
Jean  Barras,  seventy-four,  kept  about  gunshot  dis- 
tance on  her  weather  bow.  The  Agamemnon  stood 
towards  her,  having  no  ship  of  the  line  to  support 
her  within  several  miles.  As  she  drew  near,  the 
^a  Ira  fired  her  stern  guns  so  truly,  that  not  a 
shot  missed  some  part  of  the  ship,  and,  latterly, 
the  masts  were  struck  by  every  shot.  It  had  been 
Nelson's  intention  not  to  fire  before  he  touched  her 
stern ;  but  seeing  how  impossible  it  was  that  he 
should  be  supported,  and  how  certainly  the  Aga- 
memnon must  be  severely  cut  up,  if  her  masts  were 
disabled,  he  altered  his  plan  according  to  the  oc- 
casion. As  soon,  therefore,  as  he  was  within  a 
hundred  yards  of  her  stern,  he  ordered  the  helm  to 
be  put  a-starboard,  and  the  driver  and  after-sails 
to  be  brailed  up  and  shivered  ;  and,  as  the  ship 
fell  off,  gave  the  enemy  her  whole  broadside.  They 
instantly  braced  up  the  after-yards,  put  the  helm 
a-port,  and  stood  after  her  again.  This  manoeuvre 
he  practised  for  two  hours  and  a  quarter,  never 
allowing  the  ^a  Ira  to  get  a  single  gun  from  either 
side  to  bear  on  him ;  and  when  the  French  fired 
their  after-guns  now,  it  was  no  longer  with  coolness 
and  precision,  for  every  shot  went  far  a-head.  By 
this  time  her  sails  were  hanging  in  tatters,  her 
mizen-top-mast,  mizen-top-sail,  and  cross-jack- 
yards,  shot  away.  But  the  frigate  which  had  her 
in  tow  hove  in  stays,  and  got  her  round.  Both 
these  French  ships  now  brought  their  guns  to  bear, 
and  opened  their  fire.  The  Agamemnon  passed 
them  within  half  pistol-shot ;    almost  every  shot 


82  LIFE  OF  NELSOX.  [1795. 

passed  over  her,  for  the  French  had  elevated  their 
guns  for  the  rigging,  and  for  distant  firing,  and  did 
not  think  of  altering  the  elevation.  As  soon  as  the 
Agamemnon's  after-guns  ceased  to  bear,  she  hove 
in  stays,  keeping  a  constant  fire  as  she  came  round ; 
and  being  worked,  said  Nelson,  with  as  much  ex- 
actness as  if  she  had  been  turning  into  Spithead. 
On  getting  round,  he  saw  that  the  Sans-Culottes, 
which  had  wore,  with  many  of  the  enemy's  ships, 
was  under  his  lee  bow,  and  standing  to  leeward. 
The  admiral,  at  the  same  time,  made  the  signal  for  the 
van  ships  to  join  him.  Upon  this  Nelson  bore  away, 
and  prepared  to  set  all  sail ;  and  the  enemy,  having 
saved  their  ship,  hauled  close  to  the  wind,  and 
opened  upon  him  a  distant  and  ineffectual  fire. 
Only  seven  of  the  Agamemnon's  men  were  hurt — 
a  thing  which  Nelson  himself  remarked  as  won- 
derful :  her  sails  and  rigging  were  very  much  cut, 
and  she  had  many  shots  in  her  hull,  and  some  be- 
tween wind  and  water.  The  ^a  Ira  lost  one  hun- 
dred and  ten  men  that  day,  and  was  so  cut  up, 
that  she  could  not  get  a  top-mast  aloft  during  the 
night. 

At  daylight,  on  the  following  morning,  the  Eng- 
lish ships  were  taken  aback  with  a  fine  breeze  at 
N.  W.  while  the  enemy's  fleet  kept  the  southerly 
wind.  The  body  of  their  fleet  was  about  five  miles 
distant ;  the  <^a  Ira,  and  the  Censeur,  seventy-four, 
which  had  her  in  tow,  about  three  and  a  half.  All 
sail  was  made  to  cut  these  ships  off;  and,  as  the 
French  attempted  to  save  them,  a  partial  action 
was  brought  on.  The  Agamemnon  was  again  en- 
gaged with  her  yesterday's  antagonist;  but  she  had 
to  fight  on  both  sides  the  ship  at  the  same  time. 


1795.]  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  83 

The  <Ja  Ira  and  the  Censeur  fought  most  gallantly : 
the  first  lost  nearly  three  hundred  men,  in  addition 
to  her  former  loss ;  the  last,  three  hundred  and 
fifty.  Both  at  last  struck :  and  Lieutenant  An- 
drews, of  the  Agamemnon,  brother  to  the  lady  to 
whom  Nelson  had  become  attached  in  France,  and, 
in  Nelson's  own  words,  "  as  gallant  an  officer  as 
ever  stepped  a  quarter-deck,"  hoisted  English 
colours  on  board  them  both.  The  rest  of  the 
enemy's  ships  behaved  very  ill.  As  soon  as  these 
vessels  had  struck.  Nelson  went  to  Admiral  Hotham, 
and  proposed  that  the  two  prizes  should  be  left  with 
the  Illustrious  and  Courageux,  which  had  been 
crippled  in  the  action,  and  with  four  frigates,  and 
that  the  rest  of  the  fleet  should  pursue  the  enemy, 
and  follow  up  the  advantage  to  the  utmost.  But 
his  reply  was — "  We  must  be  contented :  we  have 
done  very  well." — "  Now,"  said  Nelson,  "  had  we 
taken  ten  sail,  and  allowed  the  eleventh  to  escape, 
when  it  had  been  possible  to  have  got  at  her,  I 
could  never  have  called  it  well  done.*  Goodall 
backed  me :  I  got  him  to  write  to  the  admiral ; 
but  it  would  not  do.  We  should  have  had  such  a 
day  as,  I  believe,  the  annals  of  England  never 
produced."  In  this  letter,  the  character  of  Nelson 
fully  manifests  itself.  "  I  wish,"  said  he,  "  to  be 
an  admiral,  and  in  the  command  of  the  English 
fleet ;  I  should  very  soon  either  do  much,  or  be 
ruined  :  my  disposition  cannot  bear  tame  and  slow 

•  "  I  can,  entre  nous,"  says  Sir  William  Hamilton,  in  a 
letter  to  Nelson,  "  perceive  that  my  old  friend,  Hotham,  is 
not  quite  awake  enough  for  such  a  command  as  that  of  the 
king's  fleet  in  the  Mediterranean,  although  he  appears  the  best 
creature  imaginable.'^ 


84  XIFE  OF  NELSOX.  [1795. 

measures.  Sure  I  am,  had  I  commanded  on  the 
14th,  that  either  the  whole  French  fleet  would  have 
graced  my  triumph,  or  I  should  have  been  in  a 
confounded  scrape."  What  the  event  would  have 
been,  he  knew  from  his  prophetic  feelings  and  his 
own  consciousness  of  power :  and  we  also  know  it 
now,  for  Aboukir  and  Trafalgar  have  told  it  us. 
I.  The  ^a  Ira  and  Censeur  probably  defended 
themselves  with  more  obstinacy  in  this  action, 
from  a  persuasion  that,  if  they  struck,  no  quarter 
would  be  given ;  because  they  had  fired  red  hot 
shot,  and  had  also  a  preparation  sent,  as  they  said, 
by  the  convention  from  Paris,  which  seems  to  have 
been  of  the  nature  of  the  Greek  fire  ;  for  it  became 
liquid  when  it  was  discharged,  and  water  would 
not  extinguish  its  flames.  This  combustible  was 
concealed  with  great  care  in  the  captured  ships ; 
like  the  red  hot  shot,  it  had  been  found  useless  in 
battle.  Admiral  Hotham's  action  saved  Corsica 
for  the  time  ;  but  the  victory  had  been  incomplete, 
and  the  arrival  at  Toulon  of  six  sail  of  the  line,  two 
frigates,  and  two  cutters  from  Brest,  gave  the  French 
a  superiority  which,  had  they  known  how  to  use 
it,  would  materially  have  endangered  the  British 
Mediterranean  fleet.  That  fleet  had  been  greatly 
neglected  during  Lord  Chatham's  administration 
at  the  admiralty ;  and  it  did  not,  for  some  time, 
feel  the  beneficial  effect  of  his  removal.  Lord 
Hood  had  gone  home  to  represent  the  real  state 
of  affairs,  and  solicit  reinforcements  adequate  to 
the  exigencies  of  the  time,  and  the  importance  of 
the  scene  of  action.  But  that  fatal  error  of  under- 
proportioning  the  force  to  the  service ;  that  ruinous 
economy,  which,  by  sparing  a  little,  renders  all 


1795.]  I-IFE  OF  IfELSOX.  85 

that  is  spent  useless,  infected  the  British  councils  ; 
and  Lord  Hood,  not  being  able  to  obtain  such 
reinforcements  as  he  knew  were  necessary,  resigned 
the  command.  "  Surely,"  said  Nelson,  "  the 
people  at  home  have  forgotten  us."  Another  Nea- 
politan seventy-four  joined  Admiral  Hotham,  and 
Nelson  observed  with  sorrow,  that  this  was  matter 
of  exultation  to  an  English  fleet.  When  the  store- 
ships  and  victuallers  irom  Gibraltar  arrived,  their 
escape  from  the  enemy  was  thought  wonderful ; 
and  yet,  had  they  not  escaped,  "  the  game,"  said 
Nelson,  '*  was  up  here.  At  this  moment  our  ope- 
rations are  at  a  stand  for  want  of  ships  to  support 
the  Austrians  in  getting  possession  of  the  sea-coast 
of  the  king  of  Sardinia ;  and  behold  our  admiral 
does  not  feel  himself  equal  to  show  himself,  much 
less  to  give  assistance  in  their  operations."  It 
was  reported  that  the  French  were  again  out  with 
eighteen  or  twenty  sail.  The  combined  British 
and  Neapolitan  were  but  sixteen ;  should  the 
enemy  be  only  eighteen,  Nelson  made  no  doubt 
of  a  complete  victory ;  but  if  they  were  twenty, 
he  said,  it  was  not  to  be  expected;  and  a  battle, 
without  complete  victory,  would  have  been  de- 
struction, because  another  mast  was  not  to  be  got 
on  that  side  Gibraltar.  At  length  Admiral  Man 
arrived  with  a  squadron  from  England.  "  What 
they  can  mean  by  £c:nding  him  with  only  five  sail 
of  the  line,"  said  Nelson,  "  is  truly  astonishing : 
but  all  men  are  alike,  and  we  in  this  country  do 
not  find  any  amendment  or  alteration  from  the 
old  board  of  admiralty.  They  should  know  that 
half  the  ships  in  the  fleet  require  to  go  to  England  ; 
and  that  long  ago  they  ought  to  have  reinforced 
us." 


86  LIFE  OF  NELSOX.  :  [1795. 

About  this  time  Nelson  was  made  colonel  of 
marines : — a  mark  of  approbation  which  he  had 
long  wished  for  rather  than  expected.  It  came 
in  good  season,  for  his  spirits  were  oppressed  by 
the  thought  that  his  services  had  not  been  acknow- 
ledged as  they  deserved ;  and  it  abated  the  resent- 
ful feeling  which  would  else  have  been  excited  by 
the  answer  to  an  application  to  the  war-office. 
During  his  four  months'  land  service  in  Corsica, 
he  had  lost  all  his  ship  furniture,  owing  to  the 
movements  of  a  camp.  Upon  this  he  wrote  to  the 
secretary  at  war,  briefly  stating  what  his  services 
on  shore  had  been,  and  saying,  he  trusted  it  was 
not  asking  an  improper  thing  to  request  that  the 
same  allowance  might  be  made  to  him  which  would 
be  made  to  a  land  officer  of  his  rank,  which,  situ- 
ated as  he  was,  would  be  that  of  a  brigadier-general : 
if  this  could  not  be  accorded,  he  hoped  that  his 
additional  expenses  would  be  paid  him.  The  an- 
swer which  he  received  was,  that  "  no  pay  had 
ever  been  issued  under  the  direction  of  the  war- 
office  to  officers  of  the  navy  serving  with  the  army 
on  shore." 

He  now  entered  upon  a  new  line  of  service. 
The  Austrian  and  Sardinian  armies,  under  General 
de  Vins,  required  a  British  squadron  to  cooperate 
with  them  in  driving  the  French  from  the  Riviera 
di  Genoa,  and  as  Nelson  had  been  so  much  in  the 
habit  of  soldiering,  it  was  immediately  fixed  that 
the  brigadier  should  go.  He  sailed  from  St.  Fio- 
renzo  on  this  destination ;  but  fell  in,  off  Cape 
del  Mele,  with  the  enemy's  fleet,  who  immediately 
gave  his  squadron  chase.  The  chase  lasted  four- 
and-twenty  hours ;  and,  owing  to  the  fickleness  of 


1795.]  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  87 

the  wind,  the  British  ships  were  sometimes  hard 
pressed  :  but  the  want  of  skill  on  the  part  of  the 
French  gave  them  many  advantages.  Nelson  bent 
his  way  back  to  St.  Fiorenzo,  where  the  fleet, 
which  was  in  the  midst  of  watering  and  refitting, 
had,  for  seven  hours,  the  mortification  of  seeing 
him  almost  in  possession  of  the  enemy,  before  the 
wind  would  allow  them  to  put  out  to  his  assist- 
ance. The  French,  however,  at  evening,  went  off, 
not  choosing  to  approach  nearer  the  shore.  During 
the  night.  Admiral  Hotham,  by  great  exertions, 
got  under  weigh ;  and,  having  sought  the  enemy 
four  days,  came  in  sight  of  them  on  the  fifth. 
Baffling  winds,  and  vexatious  calms,  so  common 
in  the  Mediterranean,  rendered  it  impossible  to 
close  with  them ;  only  a  partial  action  could  be 
brought  on :  and  then  the  firing  made  a  perfect 
calm.  The  French  being  to  windward,  drew  in 
shore ;  and  the  English  fleet  was  becalmed  six  or 
seven  miles  to  the  westward.  L'Alcide,  of  seventy- 
four  guns,  struck ;  but  before  she  could  be  taken 
possession  of,  a  box  of  combustibles  in  her  fore-top 
took  fire,  and  the  unhappy  crew  experienced  how 
far  more  perilous  their  inventions  were  to  them- 
selves than  to  their  enemies.  So  rapid  was  the 
conflagration,  that  the  French  in  their  official  ac- 
count say,  the  hull,  the  masts  and  sails,  all  seemed 
to  take  fire  at  the  same  moment ;  and  though  the 
English  boats  were  put  out  to  the  assistance  of 
the  poor  wretches  on  board,  not  more  than  two 
hundred  could  be  saved.  The  Agamemnon,  and 
Captain  Rowley,  in  the  Cumberland,  were  just 
getting  into  close  action  a  second  time,  when  the 
admiral   called   them   off,   the   wind   now  being 


88  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  [1795. 

directly  into  the  gulf  of  Frejus,  where  the  enemy 
anchored  after  the  evening  closed. 

Nelson  now  proceeded  to  his  station  with  eight 
sail  of  frigates  under  his  command.  Arriving  at 
Genoa,  he  had  a  conference  with  Mr.  Drake,  the 
British  envoy  to  that  state ;  the  result  of  which 
was,  that  the  object  of  the  British  must  be,  to  put 
an  entire  stop  to  all  trade  between  Genoa,  Franca, 
and  the  places  occupied  by  the  French  troops; 
for,  unless  this  trade  were  stopped,  it  would  be 
scarcely  possible  for  the  allied  armies  to  hold  their 
situation,  and  impossible  for  them  to  make  any 
progress  in  driving  the  enemy  out  of  the  Riviera 
di  Genoa.  Mr.  Drake  was  of  opinion,  that  even 
Nice  might  fall  for  want  of  supplies,  if  the  trade 
with  Genoa  were  cut  off.  This  sort  of  blockade 
Nelson  could  not  carry  on  without  great  risk  to 
himself.  A  captain  in  the  navy,  as  he  represented 
to  the  envoy,  is  liable  to  prosecution  for  detention 
and  damages.  This  danger  was  increased  by  an 
order  which  had  then  lately  been  issued ;  by  which, 
when  a  neutral  ship  was  detained,  a  complete  spe- 
cification of  her  cargo  was  directed  to  be  sent  to 
the  secretary  of  the  admiralty,  and  no  legal  process 
instituted  against  her  till  the  pleasure  of  that  board 
should  be  communicated.  This  was  requiring  an 
impossibility.  The  cargoes  of  ships  detained  upon 
this  station,  consisting  chiefly  of  corn,  would  be 
spoiled  long  before  the  orders  of  the  admiralty 
could  be  known  ;  and  then,  if  they  should  happen 
to  release  the  vessel,  the  owners  would  look  to 
the  captain  for  damages.  Even  the  only  precau- 
tion which  could  be  taken  against  this  danger, 
involved   another  danger  not    less  to  be   appre- 


1795.]  LIFE  OF  NELSOy.  89 

hended  :  for,  if  the  captain  should  direct  the  cargo 
to  be  taken  out,  the  freight  paid  for,  and  the  vessel 
released,  the  agent  employed  might  prove  fraudu- 
lent, and  become  bankrupt ;  and  in  that  case  the 
captain  became  responsible.  Such  things  had 
happened  :  Nelson  therefore  required,  as  the  only 
means  for  carrying  on  that  service,  which  was 
judged  essential  to  the  common  cause,  without 
exposing  the  officers  to  ruin,  that  the  British  envoy 
should  appoint  agents  to  pay  the  freight,  release 
the  vessels,  sell  the  cargo,  and  hold  the  amount 
till  process  was  had  upon  it :  government  thus 
securing  its  officers.  "  I  am  acting,"  said  Nelson, 
"  not  only  without  the  orders  of  my  commander- 
in-chief,  but,  in  some  measure,  contrary  to  him. 
However,  I  have  not  only  the  support  of  his  ma- 
jesty's ministers,  both  at  Turin  and  Genoa,  but  a 
consciousness  that  I  am  doing  what  is  right  and 
prof>er  for  the  service  of  our  king  and  country. 
Political  courage,  in  an  officer  abroad,  is  as  highly 
necessary  as  military  courage." 

This  quality,  which  is  as  much  rarer  than  military 
courage  as  it  is  more  valuable,  and  without  which 
the  soldier's  bravery  is  often  of  little  avail.  Nelson 
possessed  in  an  eminent  degree.  His  representa- 
tions were  attended  to  as  they  deserved.  Admiral 
Hotham  commended  him  for  what  he  had  done ; 
and  the  attention  of  government  was  awakened  to 
the  injury  which  the  cause  of  the  allies  continually 
suft'ered  from  the  frauds  of  neutral  vessels.  "  What 
changes  in  my  life  of  activity  !"  said  this  indefati- 
gable man.  "  Here  I  am ;  having  commenced  a 
co-operation  with  an  old  Austrian  general,  almost 
fancying  myself  charging  at  the  head  of  a  troop  of 

K 


90  LIFE  OF  NELSOTS-.  [1795. 

horse !  I  do  not  write  less  than  from  ten  to  twenty 
letters  every  day ;  which,  with  the  Austrian  gene- 
ral and  aide-de-camps,  and  my  own  little  squadron, 
fully  employ  my  time.  This  I  like ; — active  ser- 
vice, or  none."  It  was  Nelson's  mind  which  sup- 
ported his  feeble  body  through  these  exertions. 
He  was  at  this  time  almost  blind,  and  wrote  with 
very  great  pain.  "  Poor  Agamemnon,"  he  some- 
times said,  "  was  as  nearly  worn  out  as  her  captain  : 
and  both  must  soon  be  laid  up  to  repair." 

When  Nelson  first  saw  General  de  Vins,  he 
thought  him  an  able  man,  who  was  willing  to  act 
with  vigour.     The  general  charged  his  inactivity 
upon  the  Piedmontese  and  Neapolitans,  whom,  he 
said,  nothing  could  induce  to  act ;  and  he  con- 
certed a  plan  with  Nelson,  for  embarking  a  part  of 
the  Austrian  army,  and  landing  it  in  the  rear  of 
the  French.      But  the   English  commodore  soon 
began  to  suspect  that  the  Austrian   general  was 
little  disposed  to  any  active  operations.     In  the 
hope  of  spurring  him  on,  he  wrote  to  him,  telling 
him  that  he  had  surveyed  the  coast  to  the  west- 
ward as  far  as  Nice,  and  would  undertake  to  em- 
bark four  or  five  thousand  men,  with  their  arms 
and  a  few  days'  provisions,  on  board  the  squadron, 
and  land  them  within  two  miles  of  St.  Remo,  with 
their  field  pieces.     Respecting  farther  provisions 
for  the  Austrian  army,  he  would  provide  convoys, 
that  they  should  arrive  in  safety ;  and,  if  a  re- 
embarkation  should  be  found  necessary,  he  would 
cover  it  with  the  squadron.     The  possession  of  St. 
Remo,  as  head-quarters  for  magazines  of  every 
kind,  would  enable  the  Austrian  general  to  turn 
his  aimy  to  the  eastward  or  westward.    The  enemy 


1795.]  LIFE  OF  XELSOX.  91 

at  Oneglia  would  be  cut  off  from  provisions,  and 
men  could  be  landed  to  attack  that  place  when- 
ever it  was  judged  necessary.  St.  Remo  was  the 
only  place  between  Vado  and  Ville  Franche  where 
the  squadron  could  lie  in  safety,  and  anchor  in 
almost  all  winds.  The  bay  was  not  as  good  as 
Vado  for  large  ships ;  but  it  had  a  mole,  which 
Vado  had  not,  where  all  small  vessels  could  lie, 
and  load  and  unload  their  cargoes.  This  bay  be- 
ing in  possession  of  the  allies,  Nice  could  be  com- 
pletely blockaded  by  sea.  General  de  Vins  affect- 
ing, in  his  reply,  to  consider  that  Nelson's  proposal 
had  no  other  end  than  that  of  obtaining  the  bay  of 
St.  Remo  as  a  station  for  the  ships,  told  him,  what 
he  well  knew,  and  had  expressed  before,  that  Vado 
Bay  was  a  better  anchorage  ;  nevertheless,  if  Mon- 
sieur le  Commandant  Nelson  was  well  assured  that 
part  of  the  fleet  could  winter  there,  there  was  no 
risk  to  which  he  would  not  expose  himself  with 
pleasure,  for  the  sake  of  procuring  a  safe  station 
for  the  vessels  of  his  Britannic  Majesty.  Nelson 
soon  assured  the  Austrian  commander,  that  this 
was  not  the  object  of  his  memorial.  He  now  be- 
gan to  suspect  that  both  the  Austrian  court  and 
their  general  had  other  ends  in  view  than  the 
cause  of  the  allies.  "  This  army,"  said  he,  "  is 
slow  beyond  all  description  ;  and  I  begin  to  think 
that  the  emperor  is  anxious  to  touch  another  four 
millions  of  English  money.  As  for  the  German 
generals,  war  is  their  trade,  and  peace  is  ruin  to 
them  ;  therefore  we  cannot  expect  that  they  should 
have  any  wish  to  finish  the  war.  The  politics  of 
courts  are  so  mean,  that  private  people  would  be 
ashamed  to  act  in  the  same  way ;  all  is  trick  and 
finesse,  to  which  the  common  cause  is  sacrificed. 


92  LIFE  OF  NELSOX.  [1795. 

The  general  wants  a  loophole  ,  it  has  for  some  time 
appeared  to  me  that  he  means  to  go  no  farther 
than  his  present  position,  and  to  lay  the  miscarriag-e 
of  the  enterprise  against  Nice,  which  has  always 
been  held  out  as  the  great  object  of  his  army,  to 
the  non- cooperation  of  the  British  fleet,  and  of  the 
Sardinians." 

To  prevent  this  plea,  Nelson  again  addressed  de 
Vins,  requesting  only  to  know  the  time,  and  the 
number  of  troops  ready  to  embark ;  then  he  would, 
he  said,  despatch  a  ship  to  Admiral  Hotham,  re- 
questing transports,  having  no  doubt  of  obtaining 
them,  and  trusting  that  the  plan  would  be  successful 
to  its  fullest  extent.  Nelson  thought  at  the  time, 
that  if  the  whole  fleet  were  offered  him  for  trans- 
ports, he  would  find  some  other  excuse :  and  Mr. 
Drake,  who  was  now  appointed  to  reside  at  the 
Austrian  head-quarters,  entertained  the  same  idea 
of  the  general's  sincerity.  It  was  not,  however, 
put  so  clearly  to  the  proof  as  it  ought  to  have  been. 
He  replied,  that  as  soon  as  Nelson  could  declare 
himself  ready  with  the  vessels  necessary  for  con- 
veying ten  thousand  men,  with  their  artillery  and 
baggage,  he  would  put  the  army  in  motion.  But 
Nelson  was  not  enabled  to  do  this :  Admiral 
Hotham,  who  was  highly  meritorious  in  leaving 
such  a  man  so  much  at  his  own  discretion,  pursued 
a  cautious  system,  ill  according  with  the  bold  and 
comprehensive  views  of  Nelson,  who  continually 
regretted  Lord  Hood,  saying,  that  the  nation  had 
suffered  much  by  his  resignation  of  the  Mediter- 
ranean command.  The  plan  which  had  been  con- 
certed, he  said,  would  astonish  the  French,  and 
perhaps  the  English. 

There  was  no  unity  in  the  views  of  the  allied  powers, 


1795.]  LIFE  OF  XELSON.  93 

no  cordiality  in  their  co-operation,  no  energy  in  their 
councils.  The  neutral  powers  assisted  France  more 
effectually  than  the  allies  assisted  each  other.  The 
Genoese  ports  were  at  this  time  filled  with  French 
privateers,  which  swarmed  out  every  night,  and 
covered  the  gulf;  and  French  vessels  were  allowed 
to  tow  out  of  the  port  of  Genoa  itself,  board  vessels 
which  were  coming  in,  and  then  return  into  the 
mole.  This  was  allowed  without  a  remonstrance  ; 
while,  though  Nelson  abstained  most  carefully  from 
offering  any  offence  to  the  Genoese  territory  or  flag, 
complaints  were  so  repeatedly  made  against  his 
squadron,  that,  he  says,  it  seemed  a  trial  who 
should  be  tired  first ;  they  of  complaining,  or  he 
of  answering  their  complaints.  But  the  question 
of  neutrality  was  soon  at  an  end.  An  Austrian 
commissary  was  travelling  from  Genoa  towards 
Vado  ;  it  was  known  that  he  was  to  sleep  at  Vol- 
tri,  and  that  he  had  £10,000  with  him  ;  a  booty 
which  the  French  minister  in  that  city,  and  the 
captain  of  a  French  frigate  in  that  port,  considered 
as  far  more  important  than  the  word  of  honour  of 
the  one,  the  duties  of  the  other,  and  the  laws  of 
neutrality.  The  boats  of  the  frigate  went  out  with 
some  privateers,  landed,  robbed  the  commissary, 
and  brought  back  the  money  to  Genoa.  The  next 
day  men  were  publicly  enlisted  in  that  city  for  the 
French  army:  seven  hundred  men  were  embarked, 
with  seven  thousand  stand  of  arms,  on  board  the 
frigates  and  other  vessels,  who  were  to  land  between 
Voltri  and  Savona  : — there  a  detachment  from  the 
French  army  was  to  join  them,  and  the  Genoese 
peasantry  were  to  be  invited  to  insurrection, — a 
measure  for  which  every  thing  had  been  prepared. 


94  LIFE  OF  NELSOX.  [1795. 

The  night  of  the  13th  was  fixed  for  the  saihng  of 
this  expedition  :  the  Austrians  called  loudly  for 
Nelson  to  prevent  it  ;  and  he,  on  the  evening  of 
the  13th,  arrived  at  Genoa.  His  presence  checked 
the  plan  ;  the  frigate,  knowing  her  deserts,  got 
within  the  merchant-ships,  in  the  inner  mole  ;  and 
the  Genoese  government  did  not  now  even  demand 
of  Nelson  respect  to  the  neutral  port,  knowing  that 
they  had  allowed,  if  not  connived  at,  a  flagrant 
breach  of  neutrality,  and  expecting  the  answer 
which  he  was  prepared  to  return,  that  it  was  useless 
and  impossible  for  him  to  respect  it  longer. 

But  though  this  movement  produced  the  imme- 
diate effect  which  was  designed,  it  led  to  ill  conse- 
quences, which  Nelson  foresaw,  but,  for  want  of 
sufficient  force,  was  unable  to  prevent.  His  squad- 
ron was  too  small  for  the  service  which  it  had  to 
perform.  He  required  two  seventy-fours,  and  eight 
or  ten  frigates  and  sloops;  but  when  he  demanded 
this  reinforcement.  Admiral  Hotham  had  left  the 
command  ;  Sir  Hyde  Parker  succeeded  till  the 
new  commander  should  arrive  ;  and  he  immediate- 
ly reduced  it  almost  to  nothing,  leaving  him  only 
one  frigate  and  a  brig.  This  was  a  fatal  error. 
While  the  Austrian  and  Sardinian  troops,  whether 
from  the  imbecility  or  the  treachery  of  their  leaders, 
remained  inactive,  the  French  were  preparing  for 
the  invasion  of  Italy.  Not  many  days  before  Nel- 
son was  thus  summoned  to  Genoa,  he  chased  a 
large  convoy  into  Alassio.  Twelve  vessels  he  had 
formerly  destroyed  in  that  port,  though  two  thou- 
sand French  troops  occupied  the  town :  this  former 
attack  had  made  them  take  new  measures  of  de- 
fence ;  and  there  were  now  above  one  hundred  sail 


1795.]  UFE  OF  NELSOX.  95 

of  victuallers,  gun-boats,  and  ships  of  war.  Nelson 
represented  to  the  admiral  how  important  it  was  to 
destroy  these  vessels;  and  offered,  with  his  squad- 
ron of  frigates,  and  the  Culloden  and  Courageaux, 
to  lead  himself  in  the  Agamemnon,  and  take  or 
destroy  the  whole.  The  attempt  was  not  permitted : 
but  it  was  Nelson's  belief,  that,  if  it  had  been  made, 
it  would  have  prevented  the  attack  upon  the  Aus- 
trian army,  which  took  place  almost  immediately 
afterwards. 

General  de  Vins  demanded  satisfaction  of  the 
Genoese  government  for  the  seizure  of  his  commis- 
sary ;  and  then,  without  waiting  for  their  reply, 
took  possession  of  some  empty  magazines  of  the 
French,  and  pushed  his  sentinels  to  the  very  gates 
of  Genoa.  Had  he  done  so  at  first,  he  would  have 
found  the  magazines  full ;  but,  timed  as  the  mea- 
sure was,  and  useless  as  it  was  to  the  cause  of  the 
allies,  it  was  in  character  with  the  whole  of  the 
Austrian  general's  conduct :  and  it  is  no  small 
proof  of  the  dexterity  with  which  he  served  the 
enemy,  that  in  such  circumstances  he  could  so  act 
with  Genoa,  as  to  contrive  to  put  himself  in  the 
wrong.  Nelson  was  at  this  time,  according  to  his 
own  expression,  placed  in  a  cleft  stick,  Mr.  Drake, 
the  Austrian  minister,  and  the  Austrian  general, 
all  joined  in  requiring  him  not  to  leave  Genoa  :  if 
he  left  that  port  unguarded,  they  said,  not  only  the 
imperial  troops  at  St.  Pier  d' Arena  and  Voltri 
would  be  lost,  but  the  French  plan  for  taking  post 
between  Voltri  and  Savona  would  certainly  suc- 
ceed :  if  the  Austrians  should  be  worsted  in  the 
advanced  posts,  the  retreat  by  the  Bocchetta  would 
be  cut  off ;    and,  if  this  happened,  the  loss  of  the 


96  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  [1795. 

army  would  be  imputed  to  him,  for  having  left 
Genoa.  On  the  other  hand,  he  knew,  that  if  he 
were  not  at  Pietra,  the  enemy's  gun-boats  would 
harass  the  left  flank  of  the  Austrians,  who,  if  they 
were  defeated,  as  was  to  be  expected,  from  the 
spirit  of  all  their  operations,  would,  very  probably, 
lay  their  defeat  to  the  want  of  assistance  from  the 
Agamemnon.  Had  the  force  for  which  Nelson 
applied  been  given  him,  he  could  have  attended  to 
both  objects;  and  had  he  been  permitted  to  attack 
the  convoy  in  Alassio,  he  would  have  disconcerted 
the  plans  of  the  French,  in  spite  of  the  Austrian 
general.  He  had  foreseen  the  danger,  and  pointed 
out  how  it  might  be  prevented  ;  but  the  means  of 
preventing  it  were  withheld.  The  attack  was  made, 
as  he  foresaw ;  and  the  gun-boats  brought  their 
fire  to  bear  upon  the  Austrians.  It  so  happened, 
however,  that  the  left  flank,  which  was  exposed  to 
them,  was  the  only  part  of  the  army  that  behaved 
well ;  this  division  stood  its  ground  till  the  centre 
and  the  right  wing  fled,  and  then  retreated  in  a 
soldierlike  manner.  General  de  Vins  gave  up  the 
command  in  the  middle  of  the  battle,  pleading  ill 
health.  "  From  that  moment,"  says  Nelson,  "  not 
a  soldier  staid  at  his  post : — it  was  the  devil  take 
the  hindmost.  Many  thousands  ran  away  who  had 
never  seen  the  enemy  ;  some  of  them  thirty  miles 
from  the  advanced  posts.  Had  I  not,  though,  I 
own,  against  my  inclination,  been  Icept  at  Genoa, 
from  eight  to  ten  thousand  men  would  have  been 
taken  prisoners,  and,  amongst  the  number,  General 
de  Vins  himself:  but,  by  this  means,  the  pass  of 
the  Bocchetta  was  kept  open.  The  purser  of  the 
ship,  who  was  at.  Vado,  ran  with  the  Austrians 


1795.]  LIFE  OF  XELSOX.  97 

eighteen  miles  without  stopping  ;  the  men  without 
arms,  officers  without  soldiers,  \vomen  without  as- 
sistance. The  oldest  officer,  say  they,  never  heard 
of  so  complete  a  defeat,  and  certainly  without  any 
reason.  Thus  has  ended  my  campaign. — We  have 
established  the  French  republic  ;  which,  but  for 
us,  I  verily  believe,  would  never  have  been  settled 
by  such  a  volatile,  changeable  people.  I  hate  a 
Frenchman  :  they  are  equally  objects  of  my  detes- 
tation, whether  royalists  or  republicans :  in  some 
points,  I  believe,  the  latter  are  the  best."  Nelson 
had  a  lieutenant  and  two  midshipmen  taken  at 
Vado :  they  told  him,  in  their  letter,^  that  few  of 
the  French  soldiers  were  more  than  three  or  four 
and  twenty  years  old,  a  great  many  not  more  than 
fourteen,  and  all  were  nearly  naked  :  they  were 
sure,  they  said,  his  barge's  crew  could  have  beat  a 
hundred  of  them  ;  and  that,  had  he  himself  seen 
them,  he  would  not  have  thought,  if  the  world  had 
been  covered  with  such  people,  that  they  could  have 
beaten  the  Austrian  army. 

The  defeat  of  General  de  Vins  gave  the  enemy 
possession  of  the  Genoese  coast  from  Savona  to 
Voltri ;  and  it  deprived  the  Austrians  of  their  direct 
communication  with  the  English  fleet.  The  Asra- 
memnon,  therefore,  could  no  longer  be  useful  on 
this  station,  and  Nelson  sailed  for  Leghorn  to  refit. 
When  his  ship  went  into  dock,  there  was  not  a 
mast,  yard,  sail,  or  any  part  of  the  rigging,  but 
what  stood  in  need  of  repair,  having  been  cut  to 
pieces  with  shot.  The  hull  was  so  damaged,  that 
it  had  for  some  time  been  secured  by  cables,  which 
were  served  or  thrapped  round  it. 


98  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  [1795. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

Sir  J.  JeiTU  takes  the  command — Genoa  joins  the  French — Buo- 
naparte begins  his  career  —  Evacuatiun  of  Corsica  —  Kelson 
hoists  his  broad  pendant  in  the  Minei've — Action  tcith  the 
Sabina — Battle  off  Cape  St.  Vincent — Xelso7i  commands  the 
inner  Squadron  at  the  blockade  of  Cadiz — Boat  Action  in  the 
Bay  of  Cadiz — Expedition  against  Teneriffe — Kelson  loses  an 
Arm — His  sufferings  in  England,  and  Recovery. 

Sir  John  Jervis  had  now  arrived  to  take  the 
command  of  the  Mediterranean  fleet.     Tlie  Aga- 
memnon having,  as  her  captain  said,  been  made  as 
fit  for  sea  as  a  rotten  ship  could  be,  Nelson  sailed 
from  Leghorn,  and  joined  the  admiral  in  Fiorenzo 
Bay.    "  I  found  him,"  said  he,  "■  anxious  to  know 
many  things,  which  I  was  a  good  deal  surprised  to 
find  had  not  been  communicated  to  him  by  others 
in  the  fleet;    and  it  would  appear  that  he  was  so 
well  satisfied  with  my  opinion  of  what  is  likely  to 
happen,  and  the  means  of  prevention  to  be  taken, 
that  he  had  no  reserve  with  me  respecting  his  infor- 
mation and  ideas  of  what  is  likely  to  be  done." 
The  manner  in  which  Nelson  was  received  is  said 
to  have  excited  some  envy.     One  captain  observed 
to  him:    "  You  did  just  as  you  pleased  in  Lord 
Hood's  time,  the  same  in  Admiral  Hotham's,  and 
now  again  with  Sir  John  Jervis :   it  makes  no  dif- 
ference to  you  who   is  commander-in-chief."     A 
higher  compliment  could  not  have  been  paid  to  any 
commander-in-chief,  than  to  say  of  him,  that  he 
understood  the  merits  of  Nelson,  and  left  him,  as 
far  as  possible,  to  act  upon  his  own  judgment. 

Sir  John  Jervis  offered  him  the  St.  George,  ninety, 
or  the  Zealous,  seventy-four,  and  asked  if  he  should 


1796.]  LIFE  OF  NELSOX.  99 

have  any  objection  to  serve  under  him  with  his  flag'. 
He  replied,  that  if  the  Agamemnon  were  ordered 
home,  and  his  flag  were  not  arrived,  he  should,  on 
many  accounts,  wish  to  return  to  England  :  still,  if 
the  war  continued,  he  should  be  very  proud  of 
hoisting  his  flag  under  Sir  John's  command.  "  We 
cannot  spare  you,"  said  Sir  John,  "  either  as  cap- 
tain or  admiral."  Accordingly,  he  resumed  his 
station  in  the  Gulf  of  Genoa.  The  French  had 
not  followed  up  their  successes  in  that  quarter 
with  their  usual  celerity.  Scherer,  who  commanded 
there,  owed  his  advancement  to  any  other  cause 
-than  his  merit :  he  was  a  favourite  of  the  directory  ; 
but,  for  the  present,  through  the  influence  of  Bar- 
ras,  he  was  removed  from  a  command  for  which 
his  incapacity  was  afterwards  clearly  proved,  and 
Buonaparte  was  appointed  to  succeed  him.  Buo- 
naparte had  given  indications  of  his  military  talents 
at  Toulon,  and  of  his  remorseless  nature  at  Paris  : 
but  the  extent,  either  of  his  ability  or  his  wicked- 
ness, was  at  this  time  known  to  none ;  and,  per- 
haps, not  even  suspected  by  himself. 

Nelson  supposed,  from  the  information  which 
he  had  obtained,  that  one  column  of  the  French 
army  would  take  possession  of  Port  Especia ;  either 
penetrating  through  the  Genoese  territory,  or  pro- 
ceeding coastways  in  light  vessels;  our  ships  of 
war  not  being  able  to  approach  the  coast,  because 
of  the  shallowness  of  the  water.  To  prevent  this, 
he  said,  two  things  were  necessary  ;  the  possession 
of  Vado  Bay,  and  the  taking  of  Port  Especia ;  if 
either  of  these  points  were  secured,  Italy  would 
be  safe  from  any  attack  of  the  French  by  sea. 
General  Beaulieu,  who  had  now  superseded  de  Vins 


100  LIFE  OF  XELSOX.  [1796. 

in  the  command  of  the  allied  Austrian  and  Sardi- 
nian army,  sent  his  nephew  and  aide-de-camp  to 
communicate  with  Nelson,  and  inquire  wjiether  he 
could  anchor  in  any  other  place  than  Vado  Bay. 
Nelson    replied,   that  Vado   was   the    only   place 
where  the  British  fleet  could  lie  in  safety  :  but  ^11 
places  would  suit  his  squadron  ;  and  wherever  the 
general   came    down   to    the    sea-coast,   there    he 
should  find  it.     The  Austrian  repeatedly  asked,  if 
there  was  not  a  risk  of  losing  the  squadron  ?  and 
was  constantly  answered,  that  if  these  ships  should 
be  lost,  the  admiral  would  find  others.     But  all 
plans  of  co-operation  with  the  Austrians  were  soori 
frustrated  by  the  battle  of  Montenotte.     Beaulieu 
ordered  an  attack  to  be  made  upon  the  post  of 
Voltri : — it  was  made  twelve  hours  before  the  time 
which  he  had  fixed,  and  before  he  arrived  to  direct 
it.     In  consequence,  the  French  were  enabled  to 
effect  their  retreat,  and  fall  back  to  Montenotte; 
thus  giving  the  troops  there  a  decisive  superiority 
in  number  over  the  division  which  attacked  them. 
This  drew  on  the  defeat  of  the  Austrians.     Buo- 
naparte, with   a  celerity  which  had  never  before 
been  witnessed  in  modern  war,  pursued  his  advan- 
tages ;  and,  in  the  course  of  a  fortnight,  dictated 
to  the  court  of  Turin  terms  of  peace,  or  rather  of 
submission ;  by  which  all  the  strongest  places  of 
Piedmont  were  put  into  his  hands. 

On  one  occasion,  and  only  on  one.  Nelson  was 
able  to  impede  the  progress  of  this  new  conqueror. 
Six  vessels,  laden  with  cannon  and  ordnance-stores 
for  the  siege  of  Mantua,  sailed  from  Toulon  for 
St.  Pier  d' Arena.  Assisted  by  Capt.  Cockburn, 
in  the  Meleager,  he  drove  them  under  a  battery, 


1796.]  LIFE  OF  XELSOX.  101 

pursued  them,  silenced  the  batteries,  and  captured 
the  whole.     Military  books,  plans,  and  maps  of 
Italy,  with  the  different  points  marked  upon  them 
where  former  battles  had  been  fought,  sent  by  the 
directory  for  Buonaparte's  use,  were  found  in  the 
convoy.     The  loss  of  this  artillery  was  one  of  the 
chief  causes  which  compelled  the  French  to  raise 
the  siege  of  Mantua  :  but  there  was  too  much  trea- 
chery, and  too  much  imbecility,  both  in  the  coun- 
cils and  armies  of  the  allied  powers,  for  Austria  to 
improve   this    momentary    success.       Buonaparte 
perceived  that  the  conquest  of  all  Italy  was  within 
his  reach :   treaties,  and  the  rights  of  neutral  or 
of  friendly  powers,  were  as  little  regarded  by  him 
as    by  the   government  for  which   he   acted :    in 
open  contempt  of  both  he  entered  Tuscany,  and 
took  possession   of  Leghorn.     In  consequence  of 
this  movement,  Nelson  blockaded  that  port,  and 
landed  a  British  force  in  the  Isle  of  Elba,  to  secure 
Porto  Ferrajo.    Soon  afterwards  he  took  the  island 
of  Capraja,  which  had  formerly  belonged  to  Cor- 
sica, being  less  than  forty  miles  distant  from  it ;   a 
distance,  however,  short  as  it  was,  which  enabled 
the  Genoese  to  retain  it,  after  their  infamous  sale 
of  Corsica  to  France.     Genoa  had  now  taken  part 
with   France :    its   government  had  long  covertly 
assisted  the  French,  and  now  willingly  yielded  to 
the  first  compulsory  menace  which  required  them 
to  exclude  the  English  from  their  ports.     Capraja 
was  seized,  in  consequence  :  but  this  act  of  vigour 
was  not  followed  up  as  it  ought  to  have  been. 
England  at  that  time  depended  too  much  upon 
the  feeble  governments  of  the  continent,  and  too 
little  upon  itself.    It  was  determined  by  the  British 


102  LIFE  OF  XELSOX.  [1796. 

cabinet  to  evacuate  Corsica,  as  soon  as  Spain 
should  form  an  offensive  alliance  with  France. 
This  event,  which,  from  the  moment  that  Spain 
had  been  compelled  to  make  peace,  was  clearly 
foreseen,  had  now  taken  place  ;  and  orders  for  the 
evacuation  of  the  island  were  immediately  sent 
out.  It  was  impolitic  to  annex  this  island  to  the 
British  dominions ;  but,  having  done  so,  it  was 
disgraceful  thus  to  abandon  it.  The  disgrace 
would  have  been  spared,  and  every  advantage 
which  could  have  been  derived  from  the  possession 
of  the  island  secured,  if  the  people  had  at  first 
been  left  to  form  a  government  for  themselves, 
and  protected  by  us  in  the  enjoyment  of  their  in- 
dependence. 

The  viceroy,  Sir  Gilbert  Elliott,  deeply  felt  the 
impolicy  and  ignominy  of  this  evacuation.  The 
fleet  also  was  ordered  to  leave  the  Mediterranean. 
This  resolution  was  so  contrary  to  the  last  instruc- 
tions which  had  been  received,  that  Nelson  ex- 
claimed : — "  Do  his  majesty's  ministers  know  their 
own  minds?  They  at  home,"  said  he,  "  do  not 
know  what  this  fleet  is  capable  of  performing — any 
thing  and  every  thing.  Much  as  I  shall  rejoice  to 
see  England,  I  lament  our  present  orders  in  sack- 
cloth and  ashes,  so  dishonourable  to  the  dignity  of 
England,  whose  fleets  are  equal  to  meet  the  world 
in  arms :  and  of  all  the  fleets  I  ever  saw,  I  never 
beheld  one,  in  point  of  officers  and  men,  equal  to 
Sir  John  Jervis's,  who  is  a  commander-in-chief  able 
to  lead  them  to  glory."  Sir  Gilbert  Elliott  be- 
lieved that  the  great  body  of  the  Corsicans  were 
perfectly  satisfied,  as  they  had  good  reason  to  be, 
with  the  British  government,  sensible  of  its  advan- 


1796.]  LIFE  OF  NELSON .  103 

tages,  and  attached  to  it.    However  this  may  have 
been,  when  they  found  that  the  Enghsh  intended 
to  evacuate  the  island,  they  naturally  and  necessa- 
rily sent  to  make  their  peace  with   the  French, 
The   partisans  of  France  found   none  to  oppose 
them.     A  committee  of  thirty  took  upon  them  the 
government  of    Bastia,   and    sequestered   all  the 
British  property  :  armed  Corsicans  mounted  guard 
at  every  place,  and  a  plan  was  laid  for  seizing  the 
viceroy.     Nelson,  who  was  appointed  to  superin- 
tend the  evacuation,  frustrated  these  projects.     At 
a  time  when  every  one  else  despaired  of  saving 
stores,  cannon,  provisions,  or  property  of  any  kind, 
and  a  privateer  was  moored  across  the  mole-head 
to  prevent  all  boats  from  passing,  he  sent  word  to 
the  committee,  that  if  the  slightest  opposition  were 
made  to  the  embarkment  and  removal  of  British 
property,  he  would  batter  the  town  down.     The 
privateer  pointed  her  guns  at  the  officer  who  car- 
ried this  message,  and  muskets  were  levelled  against 
his  boats  from  the  mole-head.     Upon  this,  Capt. 
Sutton,  of  the  Egmont,  pulling  out  his  watch,  gave 
them  a  quarter  of  an  hour  to  deliberate  upon  their 
answer.     In   five  minutes  after  the  expiration  of 
that  time,  the  ships,  he  said,  would  open  their  fire. 
Upon  this  the  very  sentinels  scampered  off,  and 
every  vessel  came  out  of  the  mole.     A  ship-owner 
complained   to  the  commodore,  that  the  munici- 
pality refused  to  let  him  take  his  goods  out  of  the 
custom-house.     Nelson  directed  him  to  say,  that 
unless   they  were  instantly   delivered,    he    would 
open  his  fire.     The  committee  turned  pale ;  and, 
without  answering  a  word,  gave  him  the  keys. 
Their  last  attempt  was  to  levy  a  duty  lapon  the 


104  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  [1796. 

things  that  were  re-embarked.  He  sent  them 
word,  that  he  would  pay  them  a  disagreeable  visit, 
if  there  were  any  more  complaints.  The  com- 
mittee then  finding  that  they  had  to  deal  with  a 
man  who  knew  his  own  power,  and  was  deter- 
mined to  make  the  British  name  respected,  de- 
sisted from  the  insolent  conduct  which  they  had 
assumed:  and  it  was  acknowledged,  that  Bastia 
never  had  been  so  quiet  and  orderly  since  the 
English  were  in  possession  of  it.  This  was  on  the 
I4th  of  October:  during  the  five  following  days 
the  work  of  embarkation  was  carried  on,  the  pri- 
vate property  was  saved,  and  public  stores  to  the 
amount  of  £200,000.  The  French,  favoured  by 
the  Spanish  fleet,  which  was  at  that  time  within 
twelve  leagues  of  Bastia,  pushed  over  troops  from 
Leghorn,  who  landed  near  Cape  Corse  on  the  18th; 
and,  on  the  20th,  at  one  in  the  morning,  entered 
the  citadel,  an  hour  only  after  the  British  had 
spiked  the  guns,  and  evacuated  it.  Nelson  em- 
barked at  day-break,  being  the  last  person  who  left 
the  shore ;  having  thus,  as  he  said,  seen  tlie  first 
and  the  last  of  Corsica.  Provoked  at  the  conduct 
of  the  municipality,  and  the  disposition  which  the 
populace  had  shown  to  profit  by  the  confusion,  he 
turned  toward  the  shore,  as  he  stepped  into  his 
boat,  and  exclaimed :  "  Now,  John  Corse,  follow 
the  natural  bent  of  your  detestable  character — 
plunder  and  revenge."  This,  however,  was  not 
Nelson's  deliberate  opinion  of  the  people  of  Cor- 
sica; he  knew  that  their  vices  were  the  natural 
consequences  of  internal  anarchy  and  foreign  op- 
pression, such  as  the  same  causes  would  produce 
in  any  people  :  and  when  he  saw,  that  of  all  those 


1796.]  LIFE  OF  KELSON.  105 

who  took  leave  of  the  viceroy,  there  was  not  one 
who  parted  from  him  without  tears,  he  acknow- 
ledged, that  they  manifestly  acted  not  from  dislike 
of  the  English,  but  from  fear  of  the  French.  Eng- 
land then  might,  with  more  reason,  reproach  her 
own  rulers  for  pusillanimity,  than  the  Corsicans  for 
ingratitude. 

Having  thus  ably  effected  this  humiliating  ser- 
vice, Nelson  was  ordered  to  hoist  his  broad  pendant 
on  board  the  Minerve  frigate,  CJapt.  George  Cock- 
bum,  and,  with  the  Blanche  under  his  command, 
proceed  to  Porto  Ferrajo,  and  superintend  the 
evacuation  of  that  place  also.  On  his  way,  he  fell 
in  with  two  Spanish  frigates,  the  Sabina  and  the 
Ceres.  The  Minerve  engaged  the  former,  which 
was  commanded  by  D.  Jacobo  Stuart,  a  descen- 
dant of  the  Duke  of  Berwick.  After  an  action  of 
three  hours,  during  which  the  Spaniards  lost  one 
hundred  and  sixty-four  men,  the  Sabina  struck. 
The  Spanish  captain,  who  was  the  only  surviving 
officer,  had  hardly  been  conveyed  on  board  the 
Minerve,  when  another  enemy's  frigate  came  up, 
compelled  her  to  cast  off  the  prize,  and  brought 
her  a  second  time  to  action.  After  half  an  hour's 
trial  of  strength,  this  new  antagonist  wore  and 
hauled  off:  but  a  Spanish  squadron  of  two  ships 
of  the  line  and  two  frigates  came  in  sight.  The 
Blanche,  from  which  the  Ceres  had  got  off,  was 
far  to  windward,  and  the  Minerv'e  escaped  only  by 
the  anxiety  of  the  enemy  to  recover  their  own  ship. 
As  soon  as  Nelson  reached  Porto  Ferrajo,  he  sent 
his  prisoner  in  a  flag  of  truce  to  Carthagena,  having 
returned  him  his  sword ;  this  he  did  in  honour  of 
the  gallantry  which  D.  Jacobo  had  displayed,  and 


106  LIFE  OF  NELSOX.  [1796. 

not  without  some  feeling  of  respect  for  his  ancestry. 
"  I  felt  it,"  said  he,  "  consonant  to  the  dignity  of 
my  country,  and  1  always  act  as  I  feel  right,  with- 
out regard  to  custom  :  he  was  reputed  the  best 
officer  in  Spain,  and  his  men  were  worthy  of  such 
a  commander."  By  the  same  flag  of  truce  he  sent 
back  all  the  Spanish  prisoners  at  Porto  Ferrajo ; 
in  exchange  for  whom  he  received  his  own  men 
who  had  been  taken  in  the  prize. 

General  de  Burgh,  who  commanded  at  the  Isle 
of  Elba,  did  not  think  himself  authorized  to  aban- 
don the  place,  till  he  had  received  specific  instruc- 
tions from  England  to  that  effect ;  professing  that 
he  was  unable  to  decide  between  the  contradictory 
orders  of  government,  or  to  guess  at  what  their 
present  intentions  might  be  :  but  he  said,  his  only 
motive  for  urging  delay  in  this  measure  arose  from 
a  desire  that  his  own  conduct  might  be  properly 
sanctioned,  not  from  any  opinion  that  Porto  Ferrajo 
ought  to  be  retained.  But  Naples  having  made 
peace,  Sir  J.  Jervis  considered  his  business  with 
Italy  as  concluded ;  and  the  protection  of  Portu- 
gal was  the  point  to  which  he  was  now  instructed 
to  attend.  Nelson,  therefore,  whose  orders  were 
perfectly  clear  and  explicit,  withdrew  the  whole 
naval  establishment  from  that  station,  leaving  the 
transports  victualled,  and  so  arranged,  that  all  the 
troops  and  stores  could  be  embarked  in  three  days. 
He  was  now  about  to  leave  the  Mediterranean. 
Mr.  Drake,  who  had  been  our  minister  at  Genoa, 
expressed  to  him,  on  this  occasion,  the  very  high 
opinion  which  the  allies  entertained  of  his  conspi- 
cuous merit ;  adding,  that  it  was  impossible  for 
any  one,  who  had  the  honour  of  co-operating  with 


1797.]  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  107 

him,  not  to  admire  the  activity,  talents,  and  zeal 
which  he  had  so  eminently  and  constantly  displayed. 
In  fact,  during  this  long  course  of  services  in  the 
Mediterranean,  the  whole  of  his  conduct  had  exhi- 
bited the  same  zeal,  the  same  indefatigable  energy, 
the  same  intuitive  judgment,  the  same  prompt  and 
unerring  decision,  which  characterised  his  after- 
career  of  glory.  His  name  was  as  yet  hardly  known 
to  the  English  public ;  but  it  was  feared  and  re- 
spected throughout  Italy.  A  letter  came  to  him, 
directed  "  Horatio  Nelson,  Genoa:"  and  the  wri- 
ter, when  he  was  asked  how  he  could  direct  it  so 
vaguely,  replied,  "  Sir,  there  is  but  one  Horatio 
Nelson  in  the  world."  At  Genoa,  in  particular, 
where  he  had  so  long  been  stationed,  and  where 
the  nature  of  his  duty  first  led  him  to  continual 
disputes  with  the  government,  and  afterwards  com- 
pelled him  to  stop  the  trade  of  the  port,  he  was 
equally  respected  by  the  doge  and  by  the  people  : 
for,  while  he  maintained  the  rights  and  interests 
of  Great  Britain  with  becoming  firmness,  he  tem- 
pered the  exercise  of  power  with  courtesy  and 
humanity,  wherever  duty  would  permit.  "  Had 
all  my  actions,"  said  he,  writing  at  this  time  to  his 
wife,  "  been  gazetted,  not  one  fortnight  would  have 
passed,  during  the  whole  war,  without  a  letter  from 
me.  One  day  or  other  I  will  have  a  long  gazette 
to  myself.  I  feel  that  such  an  opportunity  will 
be  given  me.  I  cannot,  if  I  am  in  the  field  of  glory, 
be  kept  out  of  sight :  wherever  there  is  any  thing 
to  be  done,  there  Providence  is  sure  to  direct  my 
steps." 

These  hopes  and  anticipations  were  soon  to  be 
fulfilled.     Nelson's  mind  had  long  been  irritated 


108  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  [1797. 

and  depressed  by  the  fear  that  a  general  action 
would  take  place  before  he  could  join  the  fleet. 
At  length  he  sailed  from  Porto  Ferrajo  with  a  con- 
voy for  Gibraltar ;  and  having  reached  that  place, 
proceeded  to  the  westward  in  search  of  the  admiral. 
Off  the  mouth  of  the  Straits  he  fell  in  with  the 
Spanish  fleet;  and,  on  the  13th  of  February,  reach- 
ing the  station  off  Cape  St.  Vincent's,  communi- 
cated this  intelligence  to  Sir  John  Jervis-  He  was 
now  directed  to  shift  his  broad  pendant  on  board 
the  Captain,  seventy-four,  Capt.  R.  W.  Miller ; 
and,  before  sunset,  the  signal  was  made  to  prepare 
for  action,  and  to  keep,  during  the  night,  in  close 
order.  At  daybreak  the  enemy  were  in  sight.  The 
British  force  consisted  of  two  ships  of  one  hundred 
guns,  two  of  ninety-eight,  two  of  ninety,  eight  of 
seventy- four,  and  one  sixty-four:  fifteen  of  the  line 
in  all ;  with  four  frigates,  a  sloop,  and  a  cutter. 
The  Spaniards  had  one  four-decker,  of  one  hundred 
and  thirty-six  guns ;  six  three-deckers,  of  one  hun- 
dred and  twelve ;  two  eighty-fours ;  eighteen  se- 
venty-fours ;  in  all,  twenty-seven  ships  of  the  line, 
with  ten  frigates  and  a  brig.  Their  admiral,  D. 
Joseph  de  Cordova,  had  learnt  from  an  American, 
on  the  5th,  that  the  English  had  only  nine  ships, 
which  was  indeed  the  case  when  his  informer  had 
seen  them ;  for  a  reinforcement  of  five  ships  from 
England,  under  Admiral  Parker,  had  not  then 
joined,  and  the  CuUoden  had  parted  company. 
Upon  this  information,  the  Spanish  commander, 
instead  of  going  into  Cadiz,  as  was  his  intention 
when  he  sailed  from  Carthagena,  determined  to 
seek  an  enemy  so  inferior  in  force ;  and  relying, 
with  fatal  confidence,  upon  the  American  account, 


1797.]  LIFE  OF  NELSOX.  109 

he  suffered  his  ships  to  remain  too  fai"  dispersed, 
and  in  some  disorder.  When  the  morning  of  the 
14th  broke,  and  discovered  the  Enghsh  fleet,  a  fog 
for  some  time  concealed  their  number.  That  fleet 
had  heard  their  signal  guns  during  the  night,  the 
weather  being  fine,  though  thick  and  hazy ;  soon 
after  daylight  they  were  seen  very  much  scattered, 
while  the  British  ships  were  in  a  compact  little  body. 
The  look-out  ship  of  the  Spaniards  fancying  that 
her  signal  was  disregarded,  because  so  little  notice 
seemed  to  be  taken  of  it,  made  another  signal,  that 
the  English  force  consisted  of  forty  sail  of  the  line. 
The  captain  afterwards  said,  he  did  this  to  rouse 
the  admiral :  it  had  the  effect  of  perplexing  him, 
and  alarming  the  whole  fleet.  The  absurdity  of 
such  an  act  shows  what  was  the  state  of  the^Spanish 
navy  under  that  miserable  government,  by  which 
Spain  was  so  long  oppressed  and  degraded,  and 
finally  betrayed.  In  reality,  the  general  incapacity 
of  the  naval  officers  was  so  well  known,  that  in  a 
pasquinade,  which  about  this  time  appeared  at 
Madrid,  wherein  the  different  orders  of  the  state 
were  advertised  for  sale,  the  greater  part  of  the  sea 
officers,  with  all  their  equipments,  were  offered  as 
a  gift ;  and  it  was  added,  that  any  person  who 
would  please  to  take  them,  should  receive  a  hand- 
some gratuity.  When  the  probability  that  Spain 
would  take  part  in  the  war,  as  an  ally  of  France, 
was  first  contemplated.  Nelson  said  that  their  fleet, 
if  it  were  no  better  than  when  it  acted  in  alliance 
with  us,  would  "  soon  be  done  for." 

Before  the  enemy  could  form  a  regular  order  of 
battle,  Sir  J.  Jervis,  by  carrying  a  press  of  sail, 


110  LIFE  OF  XELSON.  [1797. 

came  up  with  them,  passed  through  their  fleet, 
then  tacked,  and  thus  cut  off  nine  of  their  ships 
from  the  main  body.  These  ships  attempted  to 
form  on  the  larboard  tack,  either  with  a  design  of 
passing  through  the  British  line,  or  to  leeward  of 
it,  and  thus  rejoining  their  friends.  Only  one  of 
them  succeeded  in  this  attempt ;  and  that  only 
because  she  was  so  covered  with  smoke,  that  her 
intention  was  not  discovered  till  she  had  reached 
the  rear  :  the  others  were  so  warmly  received,  that 
they  put  about,  took  to  flight,  and  did  not  appear 
again  in  the  action  till  its  close.  The  admiral 
was  now  able  to  direct  his  attention  to  the  enemy's 
main  body,  which  was  still  superior  in  number  to 
his  whole  fleet,  and  more  so  in  weight  of  metal. 
He  made  signal  to  tack  in  succession.  Nelson, 
whose  station  was  in  the  rear  of  the  British  line, 
perceived  that  the  Spaniards  were  bearing  up  be- 
fore the  wind,  with  an  intention  of  forming  their 
line,  going  large,  and  joining  their  separated  ships; 
or  else,  of  getting  off  without  an  engagement.  To 
prevent  either  of  these  schemes,  he  disobeyed  the 
signal  without  a  moment's  hesitation,  and  ordered 
his  ship  to  be  wore.  This  at  once  brought  him 
into  action  with  the  Santissima  Trinidad,  one  hun- 
dred and  thirty-six,  the  San  Joseph,  one  hundred 
and  twelve,  the  Salvador  del  Mundo,  one  hundred 
and  twelve,  the  St.  Nicolas,  eighty,  the  San  Isidro, 
seventy-four,  another  seventy-four,  and  another  first 
rate.  Trowbridge,  in  the  CuUoden,  immediately 
joined,  and  most  nobly  supported  him ;  and  for 
nearly  an  hour  did  the  CuUoden  and  Captain  main- 
tain what  Nelson  called  *'  this  apparently,  but  not 


1797.]  LIFE  OF  NELSOir.  Ill 

really,  unequal  contest;" — such  was  the  advantage 
of  skill  and  discipline,  and  the  confidence  which 
brave  men  derive  from  them.  The  Blenheim  then 
passing  between  them  and  the  enemy,  gave  them  a 
respite,  and  poured  in  her  fire  upon  the  Spaniards. 
Tlie  Salvador  del  Mundo  and  S.  Isidro  dropped 
a-stern,  and  were  fired  into,  in  a  masterly  style,  by 
the  Excellent,  Capt.  CoUingwood.  The  S.  Isidro 
struck ;  and  Nelson  thought  that  the  Salvador  struck 
also ;  "  but  CoUingwood,"  says  he,  "  disdaining 
the  parade  of  taking  possession  of  beaten  enemies, 
most  gallantly  pushed  up,  with  every  sail  set,  to 
save  his  old  friend  and  messmate,  who  was,  to  ap- 
pearance, in  a  critical  situation  ;"  for  the  Captain 
was  at  this  time  actually  fired  upon  by  three  first- 
rates,  by  the  S.  Nicolas,  and  by  a  seventy-four, 
within  about  pistol-shot  of  that  vessel.  The  Blen- 
heim was  a-head,  the  CuUoden  crippled  and  a-stern. 
CoUingwood  ranged  up,  and  hauling  up  his  main- 
sail just  a-stern,  passed  within  ten  feet  of  the  S. 
Nicolas,  giving  her  a  most  tremendous  fire,  then 
passed  on  for  the  Santissima  Trinidad.  The  S. 
Nicolas  lufiing  up,  the  S.  Joseph  fell  on  board  her, 
and  Nelson  resumed  his  station  a-breast  of  them, 
and  close  along-side.  The  Captain  was  now  inca- 
pable of  farther  service,  either  in  the  line  or  in  chase : 
she  had  lost  her  foretop-mast ;  not  a  sail,  shroud, 
or  rope  was  left,  and  her  wheel  was  shot  awav. 
Nelson,  therefore,  directed  Capt.  Miller  to  put  the 
helm  a-starboard,  and,  calling  for  the  boarders, 
ordered  them  to  board. 

Capt.  Berry,  who  had  lately  been  Nelson's  first 
lieutenant,  was  the  first  man  who  leaped  into  the 


112  LIFE  OF  NELSOX.  [1797. 

enemy's  mizen  chains.  Miller,  when  in  the  very 
act  of  going,  was  ordered  by  Nelson  to  remain. 
Berry  was  supported  from  the  sprit-sail-yard,  which 
locked  in  the  S.  Nicolas's  main  rigging,  A  soldier 
of  the  sixty-ninth  broke  the  upper  quarter-gallery 
window,  and  jumped  in,  followed  by  the  commo- 
dore himself,  and  by  others  as  fast  as  possible. 
The  cabin  doors  were  fastened,  and  the  Spanish 
officers  fired  their  pistols  at  thqm  through  the  win- 
dow :  the  doors  were  soon  forced,  and  the  Spanish 
brigadier  fell  while  retreating  to  the  quarter-deck. 
Nelson  pushed  on,  and  found  Berry  in  possession 
of  the  poop,  and  the  Spanish  ensign  hauling  down. 
He  passed  on  to  the  forecastle,  where  he  met  two 
or  three  Spanish  officers,  and  received  their  swords. 
The  English  were  now  in  full  possession  of  every 
part  of  the  ship ;  and  a  fire  of  pistols  and  musque- 
try  opened  upon  them  from  the  admiral's  stern 
gallery  of  the  San  Joseph.  Nelson  having  placed 
sentinels  at  the  diflPerent  ladders,  and  ordered  Capt. 
Miller  to  send  more  men  into  the  prize,  gave  orders 
for  boarding  that  ship  from  the  San  Nicolas.  It 
was  done  in  an  instant,  he  himself  leading  the 
way,  and  exclaiming — "  Westminster  Abbey  or 
victory  !"  Berry  assisted  him  into  the  main-chains; 
and  at  that  moment  a  Spanish  officer  looked  over 
the  quarter-deck-rail,  and  said  they  surrendered. 
It  was  not  long  before  he  was  on  the  quarter-deck, 
where  the  Spanish  captain  presented  to  him  his 
sword,  and  told  him  the  admiral  was  below,  dying 
of  his  wounds.  There,  on  the  quarter-deck  of  an 
enemy's  first-rate,  he  received  the  swords  of  the 
officers ;  giving  them,  as  they  were  delivered,  one 


1797.] 


LlFi:  OF  NELSON. 


13 


by  one,  to  William  Feamey,  one  of  his  old  Aga- 
memnon's, who,  with  the  utmost  coolness,  put  them 
under  his  arm  ;  "  bundling  them  up,"  in  the  lively 
expression  of  Colling\vood,  "  with  as  much  com- 
posure as  he  would  have  made  a  faggot,  though 
twenty-two  sail  of  their  line  were  still  within  gun- 
shot." One  of  his  sailors  came  up,  and,  with  an 
Englishman's  feeling,  took  him  by  the  hand,  saying, 
he  might  not  soon  have  such  another  place  to  do 
it  in,  and  he  was  heartily  glad  to  see  him  there. 
Twenty-four  of  the  Captain's  men  were  killed,  and 
fifty-six  wounded ;  a  fourth  part  of  the  loss  sus- 
tained by  the  whole  squadron  falling  upon  this  ship. 
Nelson  received  only  a  few  bruises. 

The  Spaniards  had  still  eighteen  or  nineteen  ships, 
which  had  suffered  little  or  no  injury  :  that  part  of 
the  fleet  which  had  been  separated  from  the  main 

M 


114  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  [1797. 

body  in  the  morning  was  now  coming  up,  and  Sir 
John  Jei"vis  made  signal  to  bring  to.  His  ships 
could  not  have  formed  without  abandoning  those 
which  they  had  captured,  and  running  to  leeward  : 
the  Captain  was  lying  a  perfect  wreck  on  board 
her  two  prizes  ;  and  many  of  the  other  vessels  were 
so  shattered  in  their  masts  and  rigging,  as  to  be 
wholly  unmanageable.  TTie  Spanish  admiral  mean- 
time, according  to  his  official  account,  being  alto- 
gether undecided  in  his  own  opinion  respecting  the 
state  of  the  fleet,  inquired  of  his  captains  whether 
it  was  proper  to  renew  the  action :  nine  of  them 
answered  explicitly,  that  it  was  not ;  others  replied 
that  it  was  expedient  to  delay  the  business.  The 
Pelayo  and  the  Principe  Conquistador  were  the  only 
ships  that  were  for  fighting. 

As  soon  as  the  action  was  discontinued,  Nelson 
went  on  board  the  admiral's  ship.  Sir  John  Jervis 
received  him  on  the  quarter-deck,  took  him  in  his 
arms,  and  said  he  could  not  sufficiently  thank  him. 
For  this  victory  the  commander-in-chief  was  re- 
warded with  the  title  of  Earl  St.  Vincent.*    Nelson, 

•  In  the  official  letter  of  Sir  John  Jervis,  Nelson  was  not 
mentioned.  It  is  said,  that  the  admiral  had  seen  an  instance 
of  the  ill  consequence  of  such  selections,  after  Lord  Howe's 
victory  ;  and,  therefore,  would  not  name  any  individual,  think- 
ing it  proper  to  speak  to  the  public  only  in  terms  of  general 
approbation.  His  private  letter  to  the  first  lord  of  the  admiralty, 
was,  with  his  consent,  published,  for  the  first  time,  in  a  Life  of 
Nelson,  by  Mr.  Harrison.  Here  it  is  said,  that  "  Commodore 
Nelson,  who  was  in  the  rear,  on  the  starboard  tack,  took  the 
lead  on  the  larboard,  and  contributed  very  much  to  tlie  fortune 
of  the  day."  It  is  also  said,  that  he  boarded  the  two  Spanish 
ships  successively ;  but  the  fact,  that  Nelson  wore  without 
orders,  and  thus  planned  as  well  as  accomplished  the  victory, 
is  not  explicitly  stated.     Perhaps  it  was  thought  proper  to  pass 


1797.]  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  1  15 

who,  before  the  action  was  known  in  England,  had 
been  advanced  to  the  rank  of  rear-admiral,  had 
the  Order  of  the  Bath  given  him.  The  sword  of 
the  Spanish  rear-admiral,  which  Sir  John  Jervis 
insisted  upon  his  keeping,  he  presented  to  the 
mayor  and  corporation  of  Norwich,  saying,  that 
he  knew  no  place  where  it  could  give  him  or  his 
family  more  pleasure  to  have  it  kept,  than  in  the 
capital  city  of  the  county  where  he  was  born.  -The 
freedom  of  that  city  was  voted  him  on  this  occasion. 
But  of  all  the  numerous  congratulations  which  he 

over  this  part  of  his  conduct  in  silence,  as  a  splendid  fault : 
but  such  an  example  is  not  dangerous.  The  author  of  the 
work  in  which  this  letter  was  first  made  public,  protests  against 
those  over-zealous  friends,  "  who  would  make  the  action  rather 
appear  as  Nelson's  battle,  than  that  of  the  illustrious  command- 
er-in-chief, who  derives  from  it  so  deservedly  his  title.  No 
man,"  he  says,  "  ever  less  needed,  or  less  desired,  to  strip  a 
single  leaf  from  the  honoured  wreath  of  any  other  hero,  with 
the  vain  hope  of  augmenting  his  own,  than  the  immortal  Nelson : 
no  man  ever  more  merited  the  whole  of  that  which  a  generous 
nation  unanimously  presented  to  Sir  J.  Jervis,  than  the  Earl 
of  St.  Vincent." — Certainly  Earl  St.  Vincent  well  deserved 
the  reward  which  he  received  ;  but  it  is  not  detracting  from  his 
merit  to  say,  that  Nelson  is  fully  entitled  to  as  much  fame  from 
this  action  as  the  commander-in-chief;  not  because  the  brunt 
of  the  action  fell  upon  him  ;  not  because  he  was  engaged  with 
all  the  four  ships  which  were  taken,  and  took  two  of  them,  it 
may  almost  be  said,  with  his  own  hand  ;  but  because  the 
decisive  movement,  which  enabled  him  to  perform  all  this,  and 
by  which  the  action  became  a  victory,  was  executed  in  neglect 
of  orders,  upon  his  own  judgment,  and  at  his  peril.  Earl  St. 
Vincent  deserved  his  earldom  :  but  it  is  not  to  the  honour  of 
those,  by  whom  titles  were  distributed  in  those  days,  that  Nel- 
son never  obtained  the  rank  of  earl  for  either  of  those  victories 
which  he  lived  to  enjoy,  though  the  one  was  the  most  complete 
and  glorious  in  the  annals  of  naval  historj-,  and  the  other  the 
most  important  in  its  consequences  of  any  which  was  achieved 
during  the  whole  war. 


1  16  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  [1797. 

received,  none  could  have  affected  him  with  deeper 
delight  than  that  which  came  from  his  venerable 
father.  "  I  thank  my  God,"  said  this  excellent 
man,  "  with  all  the  power  of  a  grateful  soul,  for 
the  mercies  he  has  most  graciously  bestowed  on 
me  in  preserving  you.  Not  only  my  few  acquaint- 
ance here,  but  the  people  in  general,  met  me  at 
every  corner  with  such  handsome  words,  that  I 
was  obliged  to  retire  from  the  public  eye.  The 
height  of  glory  to  which  your  professional  judg- 
ment, united  with  a  proper  degree  of  bravery, 
guarded  by  Providence,  has  raised  you,  few  sons, 
my  dear  child,  attain  to,  and  fewer  fathers  live  to 
see.  Tears  of  joy  have  involuntarily  trickled  down 
my  furrowed  cheeks :  Who  could  stand  the  force 
of  such  general  congratulation  ?  The  name  and 
services  of  Nelson  have  sounded  through  this  city 
of  Bath — from  the  common  ballad  singer  to  the 
public  theatre."  The  good  old  man  concluded  by 
telling  him,  that  the  field  of  glory,  in  which  he 
had  so  long  been  conspicuous,  was  still  open,  and 
by  giving  him  his  blessing. 

Sir  Horatio,  who  had  now  hoisted  his  flag  as 
rear-admiral  of  the  blue,  was  sent  to  bring  away 
the  troops  from  Porto  Ferrajo :  having  performed 
this,  he  shifted  his  flag  to  the  Theseus.  That  ship 
had  taken  part  in  the  mutiny  in  England,  and 
being  just  arrived  from  home,  some  danger  was 
apprehended  from  the  temper  of  the  men.  This 
was  one  reason  why  Nelson  was  removed  to  her. 
He  had  not  been  on  board  many  weeks  before  a 
paper,  signed  in  the  name  of  all  the  ship's  com- 
pany, was  dropped  on  the  quarter-deck,  containing 
these  words:    "Success  attend  Admiral  Nelson! 


I 


1797.] 


LIFE  OF  NELSON. 


117 


God  bless  Capt.  Miller!  We  thank  them  for  the 
officers  they  have  placed  over  us.  We  are  happy 
and  comfortable ;  and  will  shed  every  drop  of 
blood  in  our  veins  to  support  them ;  and  the  name 
of  the  Theseus  shall  be  immortalized  as  high  as 
her  captain's."  Wherever  Nelson  commanded, 
the  men  soon  became  attached  to  him ; — in  ten 
days'  time  he  would  have  restored  the  most  muti- 
nous ship  in  the  navy  to  order.  Whenever  an 
officer  fails  to  win  the  affections  of  those  who  are 
under  his  command,  he  may  be  assured  that  the 
fault  is  chiefly  in  himself. 

While  Sir  Horatio  was  in  the  Theseus,  he  was 
employed  in  the  command  of  the  inner  squadron 
at  the  blockade  of  Cadiz.  During  this  service,  the 
most  perilous  action  occurred  in  which  he  was  ever 
engaged.  Making  a  night  attack  upon  the  Spanish 
gun-boats,  his  barge  was  attacked  by  an  armed 


118  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  [1797. 

launch,  under  their  commander,  D.  Miguel  Tre- 
goyen,  carrying  twenty-six  men.  Nelson  had  with 
him  only  his  ten  bargemen,  Capt.  Freemantle,  and 
his  coxswain,  John  Sykes,  an  old  and  faithful  fol- 
lower, who  twice  saved  the  life  of  his  admiral,  by 
parrying  the  blows  that  were  aimed  at  him,  and, 
at  last,  actually  interposed  his  own  head  to  receive 
the  blow  of  a  Spanish  sabre,  which  he  could  not 
by  any  other  means  avert ; — thus  dearly  was  Nel- 
son beloved.  This  was  a  desperate  service — hand 
to  hand  with  swords :  and  Nelson  always  consi- 
dered that  his  personal  courage  was  more  conspi- 
cuous on  this  occasion  than  on  any  other  during 
his  whole  life.  Notwithstanding  the  great  dispro- 
portion of  numbers,  eighteen  of  the  enemy  were 
killed,  all  the  rest  wounded,  and  their  launch 
taken.  Nelson  would  have  asked  for  a  lieutenancy 
for  Sykes,  if  he  had  served  long  enough  :  his  man- 
ner and  conduct,  he  observed,  were  so  entirely 
above  his  situation,  that  Nature  certainly  intended 
him  for  a  gentleman  :  but  though  he  recovered 
from  the  dangerous  wound  which  he  received  in 
this  act  of  heroic  attachment,  he  did  not  live  to 
profit  by  the  gratitude  and  friendship  of  his  com- 
mander. 

Twelve  days  after  this  rencontre,  Nelson  sailed 
at  the  head  of  an  expedition  against  Teneriffe.  A 
report  had  prevailed  a  few  months  before,  that  the 
viceroy  of  Mexico,  with  the  treasure  ships,  had  put 
into  that  island.  This  had  led  Nelson  to  meditate 
the  plan  of  an  attack  upon  it,  which  he  communi- 
cated to  Earl  St.  Vincent.  He  was  perfectly  aware 
of  the  difficulties  of  the  attempt.  "  I  do  not," 
said  he,  "  reckon  myself  equal  to  Blake  :  but,  if  I 


1797.]  LIFE  OF  XELSOIT.  119 

recollect  right,  he  was  more  obliged  to  the  wind 
coming  off  the  land  than  to  any  exertions  of  his 
own.  The  approach  by  sea  to  the  anchoring  place 
is  under  very  high  land,  passing  three  valleys; 
therefore  the  wind  is  either  in  from  the  sea,  or 
squally  with  calms  from  the  mountains :"  and  he 
perceived,  that  if  the  Spanish  ships  were  won,  the 
object  would  still  be  frastrated,  if  the  wind  did  not 
come  oft'  shore.  The  land  force,  he  thought,  would 
render  success  certain ;  and  there  were  the  troops 
from  Elba,  with  all  necessary  stores  and  artillery, 
already  embarked.  "  But  here,"  said  he  "  soldiers 
must  be  consulted ;  and  I  know,  from  experience, 
they  have  not  the  same  boldness  in  undertaking  a 
a  political  measure  that  we  have :  we  look  to  the 
benefit  of  our  country,  and  risk  our  own  fame 
every  day  to  serve  her ; — a  soldier  obeys  his  orders, 
and  no  more."  Nelson's  experience  at  Corsica 
justified  him  in  this  harsh  opinion : — he  did  not 
live  to  see  the  glorious  days  of  the  British  army 
under  Wellington.  The  army  from  Elba,  consist- 
ing of  three  thousand  seven  hundred  men,  would 
do  the  business,  he  said,  in  three  days,  probably  in 
much  less  time ;  and  he  would  undertake,  with  a 
very  small  squadron,  to  perform  the  naval  part; 
for,  though  the  shore  was  not  easy  of  access,  the 
transports  might  run  in  and  land  the  troops  in  one 
day. 

The  report  concerning  the  viceroy  was  unfounded ; 
but  a  homeward-bound  Manilla  ship  put  into  Santa 
Cruz  at  this  time,  and  the  expedition  was  deter- 
mined upon.  It  was  not  fitted  out  upon  the  scale 
which  Nelson  had  proposed.  Four  ships  of  the 
line,  three  frigates,  and  the  Fox  cutter,  formed  the 


120  UFE  OF  NELSON.  [1797. 

squadron ;  and  he  was  allowed  to  choose  such 
ships  and  officers  as  he  thought  proper.  No  troops 
were  embarked ;  the  seamen  and  marines  of  the 
squadron  being  thought  sufficient.  His  orders 
were,  to  make  a  vigorous  attack ;  but  on  no  ac- 
count to  land  in  person,  unless  his  presence  should 
be  absolutely  necessary.  The  plan  was,  that  the 
boats  should  land  in  the  night,  between  the  fort  on 
the  N.  E.  side  of  Santa  Cruz  bay  and  the  town, 
make  themselves  masters  of  that  fort,  and  then 
send  a  summons  to  the  governor.  By  midnight, 
the  three  frigates,  having  the  force  on  board  which 
was  intended  for  this  debarkation,  approached- 
within  three  miles  of  the  place ;  but,  owing  to  a 
strong  gale  of  wind  in  the  offing,  and  a  strong 
current  against  them  in  shore,  they  were  not  able 
to  get  within  a  mile  of  the  landing  place  before 
day-break ;  and  then  they  were  seen,  and  their 
intention  discovered.  Trowbridge  and  Bowen,  with 
Capt.  Oldfield,  of  the  marines,  went  upon  this  to 
consult  with  the  admiral  what  was  to  be  done ; 
and  it  was  resolved  that  they  should  attempt  to 
get  possession  of  the  heights  above  the  fort.  The 
frigates  accordingly  landed  their  men ;  and  Nelson 
stood  in  with  the  line-of-battle  ships,  meaning  to 
batter  the  fort,  for  the  purpose  of  distracting  the 
attention  of  the  garrison.  A  calm  and  contrary 
current  hindered  him  from  getting  within  a  league 
of  the  shore ;  and  the  heights  were  by  this  time  so 
secured,  and  manned  with  such  a  force,  as  to  be 
judged  impracticable.  Thus  foiled  in  his  plans  by 
circumstances  of  wind  and  tide,  he  still  considered 
it  a  point  of  honour  that  some  attempt  should  be 
made.     This  was  on  the  twenty-second  of  July: 


1797.]  I-IFE  OF  NELSON.  121 

he  re-embarked  his  men  that  night,  got  the  ships, 
on  the  twenty- fourth,  to  anchor  about  two  miles 
north  of  the  town,  and  made  show  as  if  he  intended 
to  attack  the  heights.  At  six  in  the  evening,  sig- 
nal was  made  for  the  boats  to  prepare  to  proceed 
on  the  service  as  previously  ordered. 

When  this  was  done.  Nelson  addressed  a  letter 
to  the  commander-in-chief — the  last  which  was  ever 
written  with  his  right  hand.  "  I  shall  not,"  said 
he,  "  enter  on  the  subject,  why  we  are  not  in  pos- 
session of  Santa  Cruz.  Your  partiality  will  give 
credit,  that  all  has  hitherto  been  done  which  was 
possible;  but,  without  effect.  This  night  I,  hum- 
ble as  I  am,  command  the  whole,  destined  to  land 
under  the  batteries  of  the  town ;  and,  to-morrow, 
my  head  will  probably  be  crowned  either  with  lau- 
rel or  cypress.  I  have  only  to  recommend  Josiah 
Nisbet  to  you  and  my  country.  The  Duke  of 
Clarence,  should  I  fall,  will,  I  am  confident,  take 
a  lively  interest  for  my  son-in-law,  on  his  name 
being  mentioned."  Perfectly  aware  how  desperate 
a  service  this  was  likely  to  prove,  before  he  left  the 
Theseus,  he  called  lieutenant  Nisbet,  who  had  the 
watch  on  deck,  into  the  cabin,  that  he  might  assist- 
in  arranging  and  burning  his  mother's  letters. 
Perceiving  that  the  young  man  was  armed,  he  ear- 
nestly begged  him  to  remain  behind.  "  Should 
we  both  fall,  Josiah,"  said  he,  "  what  would  be- 
come of  your  poor  mother !  The  care  of  the  The- 
seus falls  to  you  :  stay,  therefore,  and  take  charge 
of  her."  Nisbet  replied :  "  Sir,  the  ship  must 
t^ke  care  of  herself;  I  will  go  with  you  to-night, 
if  I  never  go  again." 
:    He  met  his  captains  at  supper  on  board  the  Sea- 


122  LIFE  OF  NELSOTT.  [1797. 

horse,  Capt.  Freemantle,  whose  wife,  whom  he 
had  lately  married  in  the  Mediterranean,  presided 
at  table.  At  eleven  o'clock,  the  boats,  containing 
between  six  and  seven  hundred  men,  with  one 
hundred  and  eighty  on  board  the  Fox  cutter,  and 
from  seventy  to  eighty  in  a  boat  which  had  been 
taken  the  day  before,  proceeded  in  six  divisions 
toward  the  town,  conducted  by  all  the  captains  of 
the  squadron,  except  Freemantle  and  Bowen,  who 
attended  with  Nelson  to  regulate  and  lead  the  way 
to  the  attack.  They  were  to  land  on  the  mole, 
and  thence  hasten,  as  fast  as  possible,  into  the 
great  square;  then  form,  and  proceed,  as  should 
be  found  expedient.  They  were  not  discovered 
till  about  half  past  one  o'clock,  when,  being  within 
half  gun-shot  of  the  landing  place,  Nelson  directed 
the  boats  to  cast  off  from  each  other,  give  a  huzza, 
and  push  for  the  shore.  But  the  Spaniards  were 
excellently  well  prepared  :  the  alarm-bells  answered 
the  huzza,  and  a  fire  of  thirty  or  forty  pieces  of 
cannon,  with  musquetry  from  one  end  of  the  town 
to  the  other,  opened  upon  the  invaders.  Nothing, 
however,  could  check  the  intrepidity  with  which  they 
advanced.  The  night  was  exceedingly  dark  :  most 
of  the  boats  missed  the  mole,  and  went  on  shore 
through  a  raging  surf,  which  stove  all  to  the  left 
of  it.  The  Admiral,  Freemantle,  Thompson,  Bowen, 
and  four  or  five  other  boats,  found  the  mole :  they 
stormed  it  instantly,  and  carried  it,  though  it  was 
defended,  as  they  imagined,  by  four  or  five  hundred 
men.  Its  guns,  which  were  six-and-twenty  pounders, 
were  spiked ;  but  such  a  heavy  fire  of  musquetry 
and  grape  was  kept  up  from  the  citadel,  and  the 
houses  at  the  head  of  the  mole,  that  the  assailants 


1797.]  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  123 

could  not  advance,  and  nearly  all  of  them  were 
killed  or  wounded. 

In  the  act  of  stepping  out  of  the  boat,  Nelson 
received  a  shot  through  the  right  elbow,  and  fell ; 
but,  as  he  fell,  he  caught  the  sword,  which  he  had 
just  drawn,  in  his  left  hand,  determined  never  to 
part  with  it  while  he  lived,  for  it  had  belonged  to 
his  uncle,  Capt.  Suckling,  and  he  valued  it  like  a 
relic.  Nisbet,  who  was  close  to  him,  placed  him 
at  the  bottom  of  the  boat,  and  laid  his  hat  over  the 
shattered  arm,  lest  the  sight  of  the  blood,  which 
gushed  out  in  great  abundance,  should  increase  his 
faintness.  He  then  examined  the  wound,  and 
taking  some  silk  handkerchiefs  from  his  neck, 
bound  them  round  tight  above  the  lacerated  vessels. 
Had  it  not  been  for  this  presence  of  mind  in  his 
son-in-law,  Nelson  must  have  perished.  One  of 
his  bargemen,  by  name  Lovel,  tore  his  shirt  into 
shreds,  and  made  a  sling  with  them  for  the  broken 
limb.  They  then  collected  five  other  seamen,  by 
whose  assistance  they  succeeded,  at  length,  in  get- 
ting the  boat  afloat ;  for  it  had  grounded  with  the 
falling  tide.  Nisbet  took  one  of  the  oars,  and 
ordered  the  steersman  to  go  close  under  the  guns 
of  the  battery,  that  they  might  be  safe  from  its  tre- 
mendous fire.  Hearing  his  voice,  Nelson  roused 
himself,  and  desired  to  be  lifted  up  in  the  boat, 
that  he  might  look  about  him.  Nisbet  raised  him 
up ;  but  nothing  could  be  seen,  except  the  firing 
of  the  guns  on  shore,  and  what  could  be  discerned 
by  their  flashes  upon  the  stormy  sea.  In  a  few 
minutes,  a  general  shriek  was  heard  from  the  crew 
of  the  Fox,  which  had  received  a  shot  under  water, 
and  went  down.     Ninety-seven  men  were  lost  in 


124  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  [1797. 

her;  eighty-three  were  saved,  many  by  Nelson  him- 
self, whose  exertions  on  this  occasion  greatly  in- 
creased the  pain  and  danger  of  his  wound.  The 
first  ship  which  the  boat  could  reach  happened  to 
be  the  Seahorse :  but  nothing*  could  induce  him  to 
go  on  board,  though  he  was  assured  that  if  they 
attempted  to  row  to  another  ship,  it  might  be  at  the 
risk  of  his  life.  "  I  had  rather  suffer  death,"  he 
replied,  "  than  alarm  Mrs.  Freemantle,  by  letting 
her  see  me  in  this  state,  when  I  can  give  her  no 
tidings  whatever  of  her  husband."  They  pushed 
on  for  the  Theseus.  When  they  came  along-side, 
he  peremptorily  refused  all  assistance  in  gettins:  on 
board,  so  impatient  was  he  that  the  boat  should 
return,  in  hopes  that  it  might  save  a  few  more  from 
the  Fox.  He  desired  to  have  only  a  single  rope 
thrown  over  the  side,  which  he  twisted  round  his 
left  hand,  saying,  "  Let  me  alone :  I  have  yet  my 
legs  left  and  one  arm.  Tell  the  surgeon  to  make 
haste  and  get  his  instruments.  I  know  I  must 
lose  my  right  arm ;  so  the  sooner  it  is  off  the 
better."*  The  spirit  which  he  displayed,  in  jump- 
ing up  the  ship's  side,  astonished  every  body. 

Freemantle  had  been  severely  wounded  in  the 
right  arm,  soon  after  the  admiral.     He  was  fortu- 

•  During  the  peace  of  Amiens,  wlien  Nelson  was  passing 
through  Salisbury,  and  received  there  with  those  acclamations 
which  followed  him  every  where,  he  recognised,  amid  the  crowd, 
a  man  who  had  assisted  at  the  amputation,  and  attended  him 
afterwards.  He  beckoned  him  up  the  stairs  of  the  Council 
House,  shook  hands  with  him,  and  made  him  a  present,  in  re- 
membrance of  his  services  at  that  time.  The  man  took  fixim 
his  bosom  a  piece  of  lace,  wluch  he  had  torn  from  the  sleeve  of 
the  amputated  limb,  saying,  he  had  preserved,  and  would  pre- 
serve it  to  the  last  moment,  in  memory  of  his  old  commander. 


1797.]  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  125 

nate  enough  to  find  a  boat  at  the  beach,  and  got 
instantly  to  his  ship.  Thompson  was  wounded  : 
Bowen*  killed,  to  the  great  regret  of  Nelson  ;  as 
was  also  one  of  his  own  officers,  Lieutenant  Wea- 
therhead,  who  had  followed  him  from  the  Agamem- 
non, and  whom  he  greatly  and  deservedly  esteemed. 
Trowbridge,  meantime,  fortunately  for  his  party, 
missed  the  mole  in  the  darkness,  but  pushed  on 
shore  under  the  batteries,  close  to  the  south  end  of 
the  citadel.  Capt.  Waller  of  the  Emerald,  and 
two  or  three  other  boats  landed  at  the  same  time. 
The  surf  was  so  high  that  many  others  put  back. 
The  boats  were  instantly  filled  with  water,  and  stove 
against  the  rocks  ;  and  most  of  the  ammunition  in 
the  men's  pouches  was  wetted.  Having  collected 
a  few  men,  they  pushed  on  to  the  great  square, 
hoping  there  to  find  the  admiral  and  the  rest  of  the 
force.  The  ladders  were  all  lost,  so  that  they 
could  make  no  immediate  attempt  on  the  citadel ; 
but  they  sent  a  sergeant  with  two  of  the  town's- 
people  to  summon  it ;  this  messenger  never  re- 
turned ;  and  Trowbridge  having  waited  about  an 
hour,  in  painful  expectation  of  his  friends,  marched 
to  join  Captains  Hood  and  Miller,  who  had  effected 
their  landing  to  the  south-west.    They  then  endea  - 

*  Captain  Bowen's  gold  seals,  and  chain,  and  sword,  were 
preserved  in  the  town  house  at  Teneriffe  ;  his  watch  and  other 
valuables  had  been  made  booty  of  by  the  populace.  In  1810, 
the  magistrates  of  tlie  island  sent  these  memorials  of  the  dead 
to  his  brother,  commissioner  Bowen,  saying  that  they  conceived 
it  would  be  gratifying  to  his  feelings  to  receive  them,  and 
that  as  the  two  nations  were  now  united  in  a  cause  which  did 
equal  honour  to  both,  they  did  not  wish  to  retain  a  trophy 
which  could  remind  them  that  they  had  ever  been  opposed  to 
each  other. — Naval  Chronicle,  Vol,  24.  p.  393. 


126  LIFE  OF  NELSOX.  [1797. 

voured  to  procure  some  intelligence  of  the  admiral 
and  the  rest  of  the  officers,  but  without  success. 
By  day-break  they  had  gathered  together  about 
eighty  marines,  eighty  pikemen,  and  one  hundred 
and  eighty  small-arm  seamen  ;  all  the  survivors  of 
those  who  had  made  good  their  landing.  They 
obtained  some  ammunition  from  the  prisoners  whom 
they  had  taken,  and  marched  on,  to  try  what  could 
be  done  at  the  citadel  without  ladders.  They  found 
all  the  streets  commanded  by  field-pieces,  and  seve- 
ral thousand  Spaniards,  with  about  a  hundred 
French,  under  arms,  approaching  by  every  avenue. 
Finding  himself  without  provisions,  the  powder  wet, 
and  no  possibility  of  obtaining  either  stores  or  rein- 
forcements from  the  ships,  the  boats  being  lost, 
Trowbridge,  with  great  presence  of  mind,  sent  Capt. 
Samuel  Hood  with  a  flag  of  truce  to  the  governor, 
to  say  he  was  prepared  to  burn  the  town,  and 
would  instantly  set  fire  to  it,  if  the  Spaniards 
approached  one  inch  nearer  : — ^This,  however,  if 
he  were  compelled  to  do  it,  he  should  do  with 
regret,  for  he  had  no  wish  to  injure  the  inhabitants: 
and  he  was  ready  to  treat  upon  these  terms, — that 
the  British  troops  should  re-embark,  with  all  their 
arms,  of  eveiy  kind,  and  take  their  own  boats,  if 
they  were  saved,  or  be  provided  with  such  others 
as  might  be  wanting :  they,  on  their  part,  engaging 
that  the  squadron  should  not  molest  the  town,  nor 
any  of  the  Canary  Islands :  all  prisoners  on  both 
sides  to  be  given  up.  When  these  terms  were  pro- 
posed, the  governor  made  answer,  that  the  English 
ought  to  surrender  as  prisoners  of  war  :  but  Capt. 
Hood  replied,  he  was  instructed  to  say,  that  if  the 
terms  were  not  accepted  in  five  minutes,  Capt. 


1797.]  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  127 

Trowbridge  would  set  the  town  on  fire,  and  attack 
the  Spaniards  at  the  point  of  the  bayonet.  Satis- 
fied with  his  success,  which  was  indeed  sufficiently 
complete,  and  respecting,  like  a  brave  and  honour- 
able man,  the  gallantry  of  his  enemy,  the  Spaniard 
acceded  to  the  proposal,  found  boats  to  re-embark 
them,  their  own  having  all  been  dashed  to  pieces 
in  landing,  and  before  they  parted  gave  every  man 
a  loaf  and  a  pint  of  wine.  "  And  here,"  says 
Nelson  in  his  journal,  "  it  is  right  we  should  notice 
the  noble  and  generous  conduct  of  Don  Juan  An- 
tonio Gutierrez,  the  Spanish  governor.  The  moment 
the  terms  were  agreed  to,  he  directed  our  wounded 
men  to  be  received  into  the  hospitals,  and  all  our 
people  to  be  supplied  with  the  best  provisions  that 
could  be  procured  ;  and  made  it  known,  that  the 
ships  were  at  liberty  to  send  on  shore,  and  purchase 
whatever  refreshments  they  were  in  want  of  during 
the  time  they  might  be  off  the  island.''  A  youth, 
by  name  Don  Bernardo  CoUagon,  stripped  himself 
of  his  shirt,  to  make  bandages  for  one  of  those 
Englishmen,  against  whom,  not  an  hour  before,  he 
had  been  engaged  in  battle.  Nelson  wrote  to  thank 
the  governor  for  the  humanity  which  he  had  dis- 
played. Presents  were  interchanged  between  them. 
Sir  Horatio  offered  to  take  charge  of  his  despatches 
for  the  Spanish  government ;  and  thus  actually  be- 
came the  first  messenger  to  Spain  of  his  own  defeat. 
The  total  loss  of  the  English,  in  killed,  wounded, 
and  drowned,  amounted  to  two  hundred  and  fifty. 
Nelson  made  no  mention  of  his  own  wound  in  his 
official  despatches :  but  in  a  private  letter  to  Lord  St. 
Vincent, — the  first  which  he  Avrote  with  his  left  hand, 
— he  shows  himself  to  have  been  deeply  affected  by 


128  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  [1797. 

the  failure  of  this  enterprise.  "  I  am  become,"  he 
said,  "  a  burthen  to  my  friends,  and  useless  to  my 
counti-y  :  but  by  my  last  letter  you  will  perceive  my 
anxiety  for  the  promotion  of  my  son-in-law,  Josiah 
Nisbet.  When  I  leave  your  command,  I  become 
dead  to  the  world : — '  I  go  hence  and  am  no  more 
seen.'  If  from  poor  Bowen's  loss  you  think  it  proper 
to  oblige  me,  I  rest  confident  you  will  do  it.  The 
boy  is  under  obligations  to  me ;  but  he  repaid  me, 
by  bringing  me  from  the  mole  of  Santa  Cruz.  I 
hope  you  will  be  able  to  give  me  a  frigate,  to  con- 
vey the  remains  of  my  carcass  to  England." — "  A 
left-handed  admiral,"  he  said  in  a  subsequent  let- 
ter, "  will  never  again  be  considered  as  useful ; 
therefore  the  sooner  I  get  to  a  very  humble  cottage 
the  better ;  and  make  room  for  a  sounder  man  to 
serve  the  state."  His  first  letter  to  Lady  Nelson 
was  written  under  the  same  opinion,  but  in  a  more 
cheerful  strain.  "  It  was  the  chance  of  war,"  said 
he,  "  and  I  have  great  reason  to  be  thankful :  and  I 
know  it  will  add  much  to  your  pleasure  to  find  that 
Josiah,  under  God's  providence,  was  principally  in- 
strumental in  saving  my  life.  I  shall  not  be  sur- 
prised if  I  am  neglected  and  forgotten  :  probably  I 
shall  no  longer  be  considered  as  useful :  however, 
shall  feel  rich  if  I  continue  to  enjoy  your  affection.l 
I  beg  neither  you  nor  my  father  will  think  much  oi 
this  mishap  : — my  mind  has  long  been  made  up  tc 
such  an  event." 

His  son-in-law,  according  to  his  wish,  was  im-J 
mediately  promoted ;  and  honours  enough  to  heal.] 
his  wounded  spirit  awaited  him  in  England.     Lret- 
ters  were  addressed  to  him  by  the  first  lord  of  the! 
admiralty,  and  by  his  steady  friend,  the  Duke  ofj 


1797.]  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  129 

Clarence,  to  congratulate  him  on  his  return,  covered 
as  he  was  with  glory.  He  assured  the  duke,  in 
his  reply,  that  not  a  scrap  of  that  ardour,  with 
which  he  had  hitherto  served  his  king,  had  been 
shot  away.  The  freedom  of  the  cities  of  Bristol 
and  London  were  transmitted  to  him :  he  was  in- 
vested with  the  order  of  the  Bath ;  and  received  a 
pension  of  £1000  a  year.  The  memorial  which, 
as  a  matter  of  form,  he  was  called  upon  to  present 
on  this  occasion,  exhibited  an  extraordinary  cata- 
logue of  services  performed  during  the  war.  It 
stated,  that  he  had  been  in  four  actions  with  the 
fleets  of  the  enemy,  and  in  three  actions  with  boats 
employed  in  cutting  out  of  harbour,  in  destroying 
vessels,  and  in  taking  three  towns  :  he  had  served 
on  shore  with  the  army  four  months,  and  com- 
manded the  batteries  at  the  sieges  of  Bastia  and 
Calvi :  he  had  assisted  at  the  capture  of  seven  sail 
of  the  line,  six  frigates,  four  corvettes,  and  eleven 
privateers :  taken  and  destroyed  near  fifty  sail  of 
merchant  vessels  ;  and  actually  been  engaged 
against  the  enemy  upwards  of  a  hundred  and 
twenty  times ;  in  which  service  he  had  lost  his 
right  eye  and  right  arm,  and  been  severely  wounded 
and  bruised  in  his  body. 

His  sufferings  from  the  lost  limb  were  long  and 
painful.  A  nerse  had  been  taken  up  in  one  of 
the  ligatures  at  the  time  of  the  operation  ;  and  the 
ligature,  according  to  the  practice  of  the  French 
surgeons,  was  of  silk,  instead  of  waxed  thread  ;  this 
produced  a  constant  irritation  and  discharge  ;  and 
the  ends  of  the  ligature  being  pulled  every  day,  in 
hopes  of  bringing  it  away,  occasioned  fresh  agony. 
He  had  scarcely  any  intermission  of  pain,  day  or 


130 


LIFE  or  NELSON. 


[1797. 


night,  for  three  months  after  his  return  to  England. 
Lady  Nelson,  at  his  earnest  request,  attended  the 
dressing  his  arm,  till  she  had  acquired  sufficient 
resolution  and  skill  to  dress  it  herself.  One  night, 
during  this  state  of  suffering,  after  a  day  of  con- 
stant pain.  Nelson  retired  early  to  bed,  in  hope  of 
enjoying  some  respite  by  means  of  laudanum.  He 
was  at  that  time  lodging  in  Bond  Street ;  and  tlie 
family  was  soon  disturbed  by  a  mob  knocking 
loudly  and  violently  at  the  door.  The  news  of 
Duncan's  victory  had  been  made  public,  and  the 
house  was  not  illuminated.  But  when  the  mob 
were  told  that  Admiral  Nelson  lay  there  in  bed, 
badly  wounded,  the  foremost  of  them  made  an- 
swer ;  "  You  shall  hear  no  more  from  us  to-night :" 
and,  in  fact,  the  feeling  of  respect  and  sympathy 
was  communicated  from  one  to  another  with  such 
effect,  that,  under  the  confusion  of  such  a  night, 
the  house  was  not  molested  again. 

About  the  end  of  November,  after  a  night  of 
sound  sleep,  he  found  the  arm  nearly  free  from 
pain  :  the  surgeon  was  immediately  sent  for  to 
examine  it ;  and  the  ligature  came  away  with  the 
slightest  touch.  From  that  time  it  began  to  heal. 
As  soon  as  he  thought  his  health  established,  hej 
sent  the  following  form  of  thanksgiving  to  the ' 
minister  of  St.  George's,  Hanover  Square  : — "  An 
officer  desires  to  return  thanks  to  Almighty  God 
for  his  perfect  recovery  from  a  severe  wound,  and 
also  for  the  many  mercies  bestowed  on  him." 

Not  having  been  in  England  till  now,  since  hej 
lost  his  eye,  he  went  to  receive  a  year's  pay,  as 
smart  money  ;  but  could  not  obtain  payment,  be- 
cause he  had  neglected  to  bring  a  certificate  froi 


1797.]  LIFE  OF  KELSON.  131 

a  surgeon,  that  the  sight  was  actually  destroyed. 
A  little  irritated  that  this  form  should  be  insisted 
upon,  because,  though  the  fact  was  not  apparent,  he 
thought  it  was  sufficiently  notorious,  he  procured 
a  certificate,  at  the  same  time,  for  the  loss  of  his  arm ; 
saying,  they  might  just  as  well  doubt  one  as  the 
other.  This  put  him  in  good  humour  with  himself, 
and  with  the  clerk  who  had  offended  him.  On  his 
return  to  the  office,  the  clerk  finding  it  was  only 
the  annual  pay  of  a  captain,  observed,  he  thought 
it  had  been  more.  "  Oh!"  replied  Nelson,  "  this 
is  only  for  an  eye.  In  a  few  days  I  shall  come  for 
an  arm ;  and  in  a  little  time  longer,  God  knows, 
most  probably  for  a  leg."  Accordingly  he  soon 
afterwards  went ;  and  with  perfect  good  humour 
exhibited  the  certificate  of  the  loss  of  his  arm. 


CHAPTER  V. 


Kelson  rejoins  Earl  Si,  Vincent  in  the  Vanguard — Sails  i«  pur- 
iuit  of  the  French  to  Egypt — Returns  to  Sicily,  and  sails  again 
to  Egypt — Battle  of  the  Nile. 

Early  in  the  year  1798,  Sir  Horatio  Nelson  hoisted 
his  flag  in  the  Vanguard,  and  was  ordered  to  rejoin 
Earl  St.  Vincent.  Upon  his  departure,  his  father 
addressed  him  with  that  affectionate  solemnity  by 
which  all  his  letters  were  distinguished,  "  I  trust 
in  the  Lord,"  said  he,  "  that  he  will  prosper  your 
going  out  and  your  coming  in.  I  earnestly  desired 
once  more  to  see  you,  and  that  wish  has  been  heard. 
If  I  should  presume  to  say,  I  hope  to  see  you  again, 


132  LIFE  OF  NELSON'.  [1798. 

the  question  would  l>e  readily  asked,  How  old  art 
thou  ?  Vale  !  vale  !  Dofnine,  vale  .'"  It  is  said, 
that  a  gloomy  foreboding  hung  on  the  spirits  of 
Lady  Nelson  at  their  parting.  This  could  have 
arisen  only  from  the  dread  of  losing  him  by  the 
chance  of  war.  Any  apprehension  of  losing  his 
affections  could  hardly  have  existed  ;  for  all  his 
correspondence  to  this  time  shows  that  he  tliought 
himself  happy  in  his  marriage ;  and  his  private 
character  had  hitherto  been  as  spotless  as  his  pub- 
lic conduct.  One  of  the  last  things  he  said  to  her 
was,  that  his  own  ambition  was  satisfied,  but  that 
he  went  to  raise  her  to  that  rank  in  which  he  had 
long  wished  to  see  her. 

Immediately  on  his  rejoining  the  fleet,  he  was 
despatched  to  the  Mediterranean,  with  a  small 
squadron,  in  order  to  ascertain,  if  possible,  the 
object  of  the  great  expedition  which  at  that  time 
was  fitting  out,  under  Buonaparte,  at  Toulon.  The 
defeat  of  this  armament,  whatever  might  be  its 
destination,  was  deemed  by  the  British  government 
an  object  paramount  to  every  other ;  and  Earl  St;  • 
Vincent  was  directed,  if  he  thought  it  necessary, 
to  take  his  whole  force  into  the  Mediterranean,  to 
relinquish,  for  that  purpose,  the  blockade  of  the 
Spanish  fleet,  as  a  thing  of  inferior  moment  :  but, 
if  he  should  deem  a  detachment  sufiicient,  "  I 
think  it  almost  unnecessary,"  said  the  first  lord  ofj 
the  admiralty,  in  his  secret  instructions,  "  to  sug- 
gest to  you  the  propriety  of  putting  it  under  Sir 
Horatio  Nelson."  It  is  to  the  honour  of  Earl  St. 
Vincent,  that  he  had  already  made  the  same  choice. 
Tliis  appointment  to  a  service  in  which  so  muchj 
honour  might  be  acquired  gave  great  offence  tc 


1798.]  LIFE  OF  XELSOX.  133 

the  senior  admirals  of  the  fleet.  Sir  William  Par-» 
ker,  who  was  a  very  excellent  officer,  and  as  gallant 
a  man  as  any  in  the  navy ;  and  Sir  John  Orde, 
who  on  all  occasions  of  service  had  acquitted  him- 
self with  great  honour,  each  wrote  to  Lord  Spencer, 
complaining  that  so  marked  a  preference  should 
have  been  given  to  a  junior  of  the  same  fleet. 
This  resentment  is  what  most  men  in  a  like  case 
would  feel ;  and  if  the  preference  thus  given  to 
Nelson  had  not  originated  in  a  clear  perception 
that  (as  his  friend  Collingwood  said  of  him  a  little 
while  before)  his  spirit  was  equal  to  all  undertakings, 
and  his  resources  fitted  to  all  occasions,  an  injus- 
tice would  have  been  done  to  them  by  his  appoint- 
ment. But  if  the  services  were  conducted  with 
iindeviating  respect  to  sincerity,  the  naval  and 
military  character  would  soon  be  brought  down  to 
the  dead  level  of  mediocrity. 

The  armament  at  Toulon  consisted  of  thirteen 
ships  of  the  line,  seven  forty  gun  frigates,  with 
twenty-four  smaller  vessels  of  war,  and  nearly  two 
hundred  transports.  Mr.  Udney,  our  consul  at 
Leghorn,  was  the  first  person  who  procured  certain 
inteUigence  of  the  enemy's  design  against  Malta ; 
and,  from  his  own  sagacity,  foresaw  that  Egypt 
must  be  their  after  object.  Nelson  sailed  from 
Gibraltar  on  the  9th  of  May,  with  the  Vanguard, 
Orion,  and  Alexander,  seventy-fours  ;  the  Caroline, 
Flora,  Emerald,  and  Terpsichore  frigates  ;  and  the 
Bonne  Citoyenne  sloop  of  war ;  to  watch  this  for- 
midable armament.  On  the  19th,  when  they  were 
in  the  Gulf  of  Lyons,  a  gale  came  on  from  the  N. 
W.  It  moderated  so  much  on  the  20th,  as  to  en- 
able them  to  get  their  top-gallant-masts  and  yards 


134  LIFE  OF  NELSOX.  [1798. 

aloft.  After  dark,  it  again  began  to  blow  strong : 
but  the  ships  had  been  prepared  for  a  gale,  and 
therefore  Nelson's  mind  was  easy.  Shortly  after 
midnight,  however,  his  main-top-mast  went  over 
the  side,  and  the  mizen-top-mast  soon  afterward. 
The  night  was  so  tempestuous,  that  it  was  imf>ossi- 
ble  for  any  signal  either  to  be  seen  or  heard ;  and 
Nelson  determined,  as  soon  as  it  should  be  day- 
break, to  wear,  and  scud  before  the  gale  :  but  at 
half-past  three  the  foremast  went  in  three  pieces, 
and  the  bowsprit  was  found  to  be  sprung  in  three 
places.  When  day  broke,  they  succeeded  in  wear- 
ing the  ship  with  a  remnant  of  the  spritsail :  this 
was  hardly  to  have  been  expected  :  the  Vanguard 
was  at  that  time  twenty-five  leagues  south  of  the 
islands  of  Hieres,  with  her  head  lying  to  the  N.  E. 
and  if  she  had  not  wore,  the  ship  must  have  drifted 
to  Corsica.  Capt.  Ball,  in  the  Alexander,  took 
her  in  tow;  to  carry  her  into  the  Sardinian  harbour 
of  St.  Pietro,  Nelson,  apprehensive  that  this  at- 
tempt might  endanger  both  vessels,  ordered  him  to 
cast  off:  but  that  excellent  officer,  with  a  spirit 
like  his  commander's,  replied,  he  was  confident  he 
could  save  the  Vanguard,  and  by  God's  help  he 
would  do  it.  There  had  been  a  previous  coolness 
between  these  great  men ;  but  from  this  time  Nel- 
son became  fully  sensible  of  the  extraordinary 
talents  of  Capt.  Ball,  and  a  sincere  friendship  sub- 
sisted between  them  during  the  remainder  of  their 
lives.  "  I  ousht  not,"  said  the  admiral,  writing 
to  his  wife, — "  I  ought  not  to  call  what  has  hap- 
pened to  the  Vanguard  by  the  cold  name  of  acci- 
dent: I  believe  firmly  it  was  the  Almighty's  good- 
ness, to  check  my  consummate  vanity.     I  hope  it 


( 


1798.]  LIFE  OF  XELSOX.  135 

has  made  me  a  better  officer,  as  I  feel  confident  it 
lias  made  me  a  better  man.  Figure  to  yourself,  on 
Sunday  evening,  at  sunset,  a  vain  man  walking  in 
his  cabin,  with  a  squadron  around  him,  who  looked 
up  to  their  chief  to  lead  them  to  glory,  and  in 
whom  their  chief  placed  the  firmest  reliance  that 
the  proudest  ships  of  equal  numbers  belonging  to 
France  would  have  lowered  their  flags  ; — figure  to 
yourself,  on  Monday  morning,  when  the  sun  rose, 
this  proud  man,  his  ship  dismasted,  his  fleet  dis- 
persed, and  himself  in  such  distress,  that  the  mean- 
est frigate  out  of  France  would  have  been  an 
unwelcome  guest."  Nelson  had,  indeed,  more 
reason  to  refuse  the  cold  name  of  accident  to  this 
tempest,  than  he  was  then  aware  of;  for  on  that 
very  day  the  French  fleet  sailed  from  Toulon,  and 
must  have  passed  within  a  few  leagues  of  his  little 
squadron,  which  was  thus  preserved  by  the  thick 
weather  that  came  on. 

The  British  government  at  this  time,  with  a 
becoming  spirit,  gave  orders,  that  any  port  in  the 
Mediterranean  should  be  considered  as  hostile, 
where  the  governor,  or  chief  magistrate,  should 
refuse  to  let  our  ships  of  war  procure  supplies  of 
provisions,  or  of  any  article  which  they  might 
require. 

In  these  orders  the  ports  of  Sardiniawere  excepted. 
The  continental  possessions  of  the  King  of  Sardinia 
were  at  this  time  completely  at  the  mercy  of  the 
French,  and  that  prince  was  now  discovering,  when 
too  late,  that  the  terms  to  which  he  had  consented, 
for  the  purpose  of  escaping  immediate  danger,  ne- 
cessarily involved  the  loss  of  the  dominions  which 
they  were  intended   to  preserve.     The  citadel  of 


136  LIFE  OF  KEL30N.  [17fl8. 

Turin  was  now  occupied  by  French  troops ;  and 
his  wretched  court  feared  to  afford  the  common 
rights  of  humanity  to  British  ships,  lest  it  should 
give  the  French  occasion  to  seize  on  the  remainder 
of  his  dominions : — ^a  measure  for  which,  it  was 
certain,  they  would  soon  make  a  pretext,  if  they 
did  not  find  one.  Nelson  was  informed,  that  he 
could  not  be  permitted  to  enter  the  port  of  St. 
Pietro.  Regardless  of  this  interdict,  wlWch,  under 
his  circumstances,  it  would  have  been  an  act  of 
suicidal  folly  to  have  regarded,  he  anchored  in  the 
harbour;  and,  by  the  exertions  of  Sir  James  Sau- 
marez,  Capt,  Ball,  and  Capt.  Berry,  the  Vanguard 
was  refitted  in  four  days ;  months  would  have  been 
employed  in  refitting  her  in  England.  Nelson, 
with  that  proper  sense  of  merit,  wherever  it  was 
found,  which  proved  at  once  the  goodness  and  the 
greatness  of  his  character,  especially  recommended 
to  Earl  St.  Vincent  the  carpenter  of  the  Alexander, 
under  whose  directions  the  ship  had  been  repaired  ; 
stating,  that  he  was  an  old  and  faithful  servant  of 
the  crown,  who  had  been  nearly  thirty  years  a 
warrant  carpenter ;  and  begging  most  earnestly 
that  the  commander-in-chief  would  recommend  him 
to  the  particular  notice  of  the  board  of  admiralty. 
He  did  not  leave  the  harbour  without  expressing 
his  sense  of  the  treatment  which  he  had  received 
there,  in  a  letter  to  the  Viceroy  of  Sardinia. — 
"  Sir,"  it  said,  "  having,  by  a  gale  of  wind,  sus- 
tained some  trifling  damages,  I  anchored  a  small 
part  of  his  majesty's  fleet  under  my  orders  off  this 
island,  and  was  surprised  to  hear,  by  an  officer  sent 
by  the  governor,  that  admittance  was  to  be  refused 
to  the  flag  of  his  Britannic  majesty  into  this  port. 


\t(\8.]  -tlFE  OF  NELSO:rf.  137 

When  I  reflect,  that  my  most  gracious  sovereign  is 
the  oldest,  I  believe,  and  certainly  the  most  faithful 
ally  which  the  King  of  Sardinia  ever  had,  I  could 
feel  the  sorrow  which  it  must  have  been  to  his 
majesty  to  have  given  such  an  order ;  and  also  for 
your  excellency,  who  had  to  direct  its  execution. 
I  cannot  but  look  at  the  African  shore,  where  the 
followers  of  Mahomet  are  performing  the  part  of 
the  good  Samaritan,  which  I  look  for  in  vain  at 
St.  Peter's,  where  it  is  said  the  Christian  religion  is 
professed." 

The  delay  which  was  thus  occasioned  was  useful 
to  him  in  many  respects  :  it  enabled  him  to  com- 
plete his  supply  of  water,  and  to  receive  a  rein- 
forcement, which  Earl  St.  Vincent,  being  himself 
reinforced  from  England,  was  enabled  to  send  him. 
It  consisted  of  the  best  ships  of  his  fleet ;  the  Cul- 
loden,  seventy-four,  Capt.  T.  Trowbridge  ;  Goliath, 
seventy-four,  Capt.  T.  Foley;  Minotaur,  seventy- 
four,  Capt.  T.  Louis  ;  Defence,  seventy-four,  Capt. 
John  Peyton  ;  Bellerophon,  seventy-four,  Capt.  H. 
D.  E.  Darby  ;  Majestic,  seventy-four,  Capt.  G.  B. 
Westcott ;  Zealous,  seventy-four,  Capt.  S.  Hood; 
Swiftsiu-e,  seventy-four,  Capt.  B.  Hallowell ;  The- 
seus, seventy-four,  Capt.  R.W.  MiUer;  Audacious, 
seventy-four,  Capt.  Davidge  Gould.  The  Leander, 
fifty,  Capt.  T.  B.  Thompson,  was  afterward  added. 
These  ships  were  made  ready  for  the  service  as  soon 
as  Earl  St.  Vincent  received  advice  from  England 
that  he  was  to  be  reinforced.  As  soon  as  the  rein- 
forcement was  seen  from  the  mast-head  of  the  ad- 
miral's ship,  off  Cadiz  bay,  signal  was  immediately 
made  to  Capt.  Trowbridge  to  put  to  sea ;  and  he 
was  out  of  sight  before  the  ships  from  home  cast 


138  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  [1798. 

anchor  in  the  British  station.  Trowbridge  took  with 
him  no  instructions  to  Nelson  as  to  the  course  he 
was  to  steer,  nor  any  certain  account  of  the  enemy's 
destination  :  every  thing  was  left  to  his  own  judg- 
ment. Unfortunately,  the  frigates  had  been  sepa- 
rated from  him  in  the  tempest,  and  had  not  been 
able  to  rejoin :  they  sought  him  unsuccessfully  in 
the  Bay  of  Naples,  where  they  obtained  no  tidings 
of  his  course ;  and  he  sailed  without  them. 

The  first  news  of  the  enemy's  armament  was, 
that  it  had  surprised  Malta.  Nelson  formed  a  plan 
for  attacking  it  while  at  anchor  at  Gozo ;  but  on 
the  22d  of  June  intelligence  reached  him  that  the 
French  had  left  that  island  on  the  16th,  the  day 
after  their  arrival.  It  was  clear  that  their  destina- 
tion was  eastward — he  thought  for  Egypt — and  for 
Egypt,  therefore,  he  made  all  sail.  Had  the  frigates 
been  with  him  he  could  scarcely  have  failed  to  gain 
information  of  the  enemy :  for  want  of  them,  he 
only  spoke  three  vessels  on  the  way ;  two  came 
from  Alexandria,  one  from  the  Archipelago ;  and 
neither  of  them  had  seen  any  thing  of  the  French. 
He  arrived  off  Alexandria  on  the  28th,  and  the 
enemy  were  not  there,  neither  was  there  any  account 
of  them ;  but  the  governor  was  endeavouring  to 
put  the  city  in  a  state  of  defence,  having  received 
advice  from  Leghorn,  that  the  French  expedition 
was  intended  against  Egypt,  after  it  had  taken 
Malta.  Nelson  then  shaped  his  course  to  the  north- 
ward, for  Caraniania,  and  steered  from  thence  along 
the  southern  side  of  Candia,  carrying  a  press  of 
sail,  both  night  and  day,  with  a  contrary  wind.  It 
would  have  been  his  delight,  he  said,  to  have  tried 
Buonaparte  on  a  wind.     It  would  have  been  the 


1798.]  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  139 

delight  of  Europe,  too,  and  the  blessing-  of  the 
world,  if  that  fleet  had  been  overtaken  with  its 
general  on  board.  But  of  the  myriads  and  mil- 
lions of  human  beings  who  would  have  been  pre- 
served by  that  day's  victory,  there  is  not  one  to 
whom  such  essential  benefit  would  have  resulted, 
as  to  Buonaparte  himself.  It  would  have  spared 
him  his  defeat  at  Acre — his  only  disgrace ;  for  to 
have  been  defeated  by  Nelson  upon  the  seas  would 
not  have  been  disgraceful :  it  would  have  spared 
him  all  his  after  enormities.  Hitherto  his  career 
had  been  glorious  ;  the  baneful  principles  of  his 
heart  had  never  yet  passed  his  lips :  history  would 
have  represented  him  as  a  soldier  of  fortune,  who 
had  faithfully  served  the  cause  in  which  he  en- 
gaged ;  and  whose  career  had  been  distinguished 
by  a  series  of  successes,  unexampled  in  modern 
times.  A  romantic  obscurity  would  have  hung 
over  the  expedition  to  Egypt,  and  he  v/ould  have 
escaped  the  perpetration  of  those  crimes  which  have 
incarnadined  his  soul  with  a  deeper  dye  than  that 
of  the  purple  for  which  he  committed  them ; — those 
acts  of  perfidy,  midnight  murder,  usurpation,  ancl 
remorseless  tyranny,  which  have  consigned  his  name 
to  universal  execration,  now  and  for  ever. 

Conceiving  that  when  an  officer  is  not  successful 
in  his  plans  it  is  absolutely  necessary  that  he  should 
explain  the  motives  upon  which  they  were  founded, 
Nelson  wrote  at  this  time  an  account  and  vindica- 
tion of  his  conduct  for  having  carried  the  fleet  to 
Egypt.  The  objection  which  he  anticipated  was, 
that  he  ought  not  to  have  made  so  long  a  voyage 
without  more  certain  information.  "  My  answer," 
said  he,  "  is  ready — Who  was  I  to  get  it  from? 


140  LIFE  OF  XELSOX.  [1798. 

The  governments  of  Naples  and  Sicily  either  knew 
not,  or  chose  to  keep  me  in  ignorance.     Was  I  to 
wait  patiently  until  I  heard  certain  accounts?     If 
Egypt  were  their  object,  before   I  could  hear  of 
them  they  would  have  been  in  India.   To  do  nothing 
was  disgraceful ;    therefore  I  made  use  of  my  un- 
derstanding.    I   am  before  your  lordships'  judg- 
ment; and  if,  under  all  circumstances,  it  is  decided 
that  I   am  wrong,   I  ought,   for  the  sake  of  our 
country  to  be   superseded ;    for  at  this  moment, 
when  I  know  the  French  are  not  in  Alexandria,  I 
hold  the  same  opinion  as  off  Cape  Passaro, — that, 
under  all  circumstances,  I  was  right  in  steering  for 
Alexandria :  and  by  that  opinion  I  must  stand  or 
fall."     Capt,  Ball,  to  whom  he  showed  this  paper, 
told  him,  he  should  recommend  a  friend  never  to 
begin    a    defence  of  his   conduct   before    he   was 
accused  of  error  :  he  might  give  the  fullest  reasons 
for  what  he  had  done,  expressed  in  such  terms  as 
would  evince  that  he  had  acted  from  the  strongest 
conviction  of  being  right ;    and  of  course  he  must 
expect  that  the  public  would  view  it  in  the  same 
light.     Capt.   Ball  judged   rightly  of  the  public, 
whose  first  impulses,  though  from  want  of  sufficient 
information  they  must  frequently  be  erroneous,  are 
generally   founded   upon   just   feelings.     But    the 
public   are   easily   misled,    and   there  are   always 
persons  ready  to  mislead  them.     Nelson  had  not 
yet  attained  that  fame  which  compels  envy  to  be 
silent ;    and  when  it  was  known  in  England  that 
he  had  returned  after  an  unsuccessful  pursuit,  it 
was  said  that  he  deserved  impeachment ;  and  Earl 
St.  Vincent  was  severely  censured  for  having  sent 
so  young  an  officer  upon  so  important  a  service. 


17G8.]  LIFE  OF  NELSON,  141 

Baffled  in  his  pursuit,  he  returned  to  Sicily. 
The  NeapoHtan  ministry  had  determined  to  give 
his  squadron  no  assistance,  being  resolved  to  do 
nothing  which  could  possibly  endanger  their  peace 
with  the  French  directory  :  by  means,  however,  of 
Lady  Hamilton's  influence  at  court,  he  procured 
secret  orders  to  the  Sicilian  governors  ;  and,  under 
those  orders,  obtained  every  thing  which  he  wanted 
at  SjTacuse  : — a  timely  supply  ;  without  which,  he 
always  said,  he  could  not  have  recommenced  his 
pursuit  with  any  hope  of  success.  "  It  is  an  old 
saying,"  said  he  in  his  letter,  "  that  the  devil's 
children  have  the  devil's  luck.  I  cannot  to  this 
moment  learn,  beyond  vague  conjecture,  where  the 
French  fleet  are  gone  to  ;  and  having  gone  a  round 
of  six  hundred  leagues  at  this  season  of  the  year, 
with  an  expedition  incredible,  here  I  am,  as  igno- 
rant of  the  situation  of  the  enemy  as  I  was  twenty- 
seven  days  ago.  Every  moment  I  have  to  regret 
the  frigates  having  left  me  ;  had  one  half  of  them 
been  with  me,  I  could  not  have  wanted  information. 
Should  the  French  be  so  strongly  secured  in  port 
that  I  cannot  get  at  them,  I  shall  immediately  shift 
my  flag  into  some  other  ship,  and  send  the  Van- 
guard to  Naples  to  be  refitted  ;  for  hardly  any  per- 
son but  myself  would  have  continued  on  service  so 
long  in  such  a  wretched  state."  Vexed,  however,  and 
disappointed  as  he  was.  Nelson,  with  the  true  spirit 
of  a  hero,  was  still  full  of  hope.  "  Thanks  to  your 
exertions,"  said  he,  "  writing  to  Sir  W.  and  Lady 
Hamilton,  "  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 


142  LIFE  OF  NELSOX.  [1798. 

laurel,  or  covered  with  cypress."  Earl  St.  Vincent 
he  assured,  that  if  the  French  were  above  water,  he 
would  find  them  out : — he  still  held  his  opinion  that 
they  were  bound  for  Eg'ypt:  "  but,"  said  he  to  the 
first  lord  of  the  admiralty,  "  be  they  bound  to  the 
Antipodes,  your  lordship  may  rely  that  I  will  not 
lose  a  moment  in  brinsrinor  them  to  action." 

On  the  •25th  of  July  he  sailed  from  Syracuse  for 
the  Morea.  Anxious  beyond  measure,  and  irritated 
that  the  enemy  should  so  long  have  eluded  him, 
the  tediousness  of  the  nights  made  him  impatient ; 
and  the  officer  of  the  watch  was  repeatedly  called 
on  to  let  him  know  the  hour,  and  convince  him, 
who  measured  time  by  his  own  eagerness,  that  it 
was  not  yet  day-break.  The  squadron  made  the 
gulf  of  Coron  on  the  28th.  Trowbridge  entered  the 
port,  and  returned  with  intelligence  that  the  French 
had  been  seen  about  four  weeks  before  steering  to 
the  S.  E.  from  Candia.  Nelson  then  determined 
immediately  to  return  to  Alexandria :  and  the  Bri- 
tish fleet  accordingly,  with  every  sail  set,  stood  once 
more  for  the  coast  of  Egypt.  On  the  1st  of  August, 
about  ten  in  the  morning,  they  came  in  sight  of 
Alexandria ;  the  port  had  been  vacant  and  solitary 
when  they  saw  it  last :  it  was  now  crowded  with 
ships  ;  and  they  perceived,  with  exultation,  that  the 
tri-colour  flag  was  flying  upon  the  walls.  At  four 
in  the  afternoon,  Capt.  Hood,  in  the  Zealous,  made 
the  signal  for  the  enemy's  fleet.  For  many  pre- 
ceding days  Nelson  had  hardly  taken  either  sleep 
or  food :  he  now  ordered  his  dinner  to  be  served, 
while  preparations  were  making  for  battle ;  and 
when  his  officers  rose  from  table,  and  went  to  their 
separate  stations,  he  said  to  them,  "  Before  this 


1798.]  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  143 

time  to-morrow  I  shall  have  gained  a  peerage,  or 
Westminster  Abbey." 

The  French,  steering  direct  for  Candia,  had 
made  an  angular  passage  for  Alexandria ;  whereas 
Nelson,  in  pursuit  of  them,  made  straight  for  that 
place,  and  thus  materially  shortened  the  distance. 
The  comparative  smallness  of  his  force  made  it 
necessary  to  sail  in  close  order,  and  it  covered  a 
less  space  than  it  would  have  done  if  the  frigates 
had  been  with  him :  the  weather  also  was  con- 
stantly hazy.  These  circumstances  prevented  the 
English  from  discovering  the  enemy  on  the  way  to 
Egypt,  though  it  appeared,  upon  examining  the 
journals  of  the  French  officers  taken  in  the  action, 
that  the  two  fleets  must  actually  have  crossed  on 
the  night  of  the  twenty-second  of  June.  During 
the  return  to  Syracuse,  the  chances  of  falling  in 
with  them  were  fewer. 

Why  Buonaparte,  having  effected  his  landing, 
should  not  have  suffered  the  fleet  to  return,  has 
never  yet  been  explained.  Thus  much  is  certain, 
that  it  was  detained  by  his  command ;  though, 
with  his  accustomed  falsehood,  he  accused  Admiral 
Brueys,  after  that  officer's  death,  of  having  lingered 
on  the  coast,  contrary  to  orders.  The  French  fleet 
arrived- at  Alexandria  on  the  1st  of  July;  and 
Brueys,  not  being  able  to  enter  the  port,  which 
time  and  neglect  had  ruined,  moored  his  ships  in 
Aboukir  Bay,  in  a  strong  and  compact  line  of 
battle  ;  the  headmost  vessel,  according  to  his  own 
account,  being  as  close  as  possible  to  a  shoal  on 
the  N.  W.  and  the  rest  of  the  fleet  forming  a 
kind  of  curve  along  the  line  of  deep  water,  so  as 
not  to  be  tjurned  by  any  means  in  the  S.  W.     By 


144  LIFE  OF  XELSOy.  [1798. 

Buonaparte's  desire  he  had  offered  a  reward  of 
10,000  livres  to  any  pilot  of  the  country  who 
would  carry  the  squadron  in ;  but  none  could  be 
found  who  would  venture  to  take  charge  of  a  single 
vessel  drawing  more  than  twenty  feet.  He  had 
therefore  made  the  best  of  his  situation,  and  cho- 
sen the  strongest  position  which  he  could  possibly 
take  in  an  open  road.  The  commissary  of  the 
fleet  said,  they  were  moored  in  such  a  manner  as 
to  bid  defiance  to  a  force  more  than  double  their 
own.  This  presumption  could  not  then  be  thought 
unreasonable.  Admiral  Barrington,  when  moored 
in  a  similar  manner  off  St.  Lucia,  in  the  year  1778, 
beat  off  the  Comte  d'Estaign  in  three  several  at- 
tacks, though  his  force  was  inferior  by  almost  one 
third  to  that  which  assailed  it.  Here,  the  advan- 
tage of  numbers,  both  in  ships,  guns,  and  men,  was 
in  favour  of  the  French.  They  had  thirteen  ships 
of  the  line  and  four  frigates,  carrying  eleven  hun- 
dred and  ninety-six  guns,  and  eleven  thousand 
two  hundred  and  thirty  men.  The  English  had 
the  same  number  of  ships  of  the  line,  and  one  fifty 
gun  ship,  carrying  ten  hundred  and  twelve  guns, 
and  eight  thousand  and  sixty-eight  men.  The 
English  ships  were  all  seventy-fours :  the  French 
had  three  eighty  gun  ships,  and  one  three-decker 
of  one  hundred  and  twenty. 

During  the  whole  pursuit,  it  had  been  Nelson's 
practice,  whenever  circumstances  would  permit,  to 
have  his  captains  on  board  the  Vanguard,  and 
explain  to  them  his  own  ideas  of  the  different  and 
best  modes  of  attack,  and  such  plans  as  he  pro- 
posed to  execute,  on  falling  in  with  the  enemy, 
whatever  their  situation  might  be.     There  is  no 


]798.]  LIFE  OF  NELSOX.  145 

possible  position,  it  is  said,  which  he  did  not  take 
into  calculation.  His  officers  were  thus  fully  ac- 
quainted with  his  principles  of  tactics :  and  such 
was  his  confidence  in  their  abilities,  that  the  only 
thing  determined  upon,  in  case  they  should  find 
the  French  at  anchor,  was  for  the  ships  to  form  as 
most  convenient  for  their  mutual  support,  and  to 
anchor  by  the  stern.  "  First  gain  the  victory,"  he 
said,  "  and  then  make  the  best  use  of  it  you  can." 
The  moment  he  perceived  the  position  of  the 
French,  that  intuitive  genius,  with  which  Nelson 
was  endowed,  displayed  itself;  and  it  instantly 
struck  him,  that  where  there  was  room  for  an  ene- 
my's ship  to  swing,  there  was  room  for  one  of  ours 
to  anchor.  The  plan  which  he  intended  to  pursue, 
therefore,  was  to  keep  entirely  on  the  outer  side  of 
the  French  line,  and  station  his  ships,  as  far  as  he 
was  able,  one  on  the  outer  bow,  and  another  on 
the  outer  quarter,  of  each  of  the  enemy's.  This 
plan  of  doubling  on  the  enemy's  ships  was  pro- 
jected by  Lord  Hood,  when  he  designed  to  attack- 
the  French  fleet  at  their  anchorage  in  Gourjean 
Road.  Lord  Hood  found  it  impossible  to  make  the 
attempt ;  but  the  thought  was  not  lost  upon  Nel- 
son, who  acknowledged  himself,  on  this  occasion, 
indebted  for  it  to  his  old  and  excellent  commander. 
Capt.  Berry,  when  he  comprehended  the  scope  of 
the  design,  exclaimed  with  transport,  "  If  we  suc- 
ceed, what  will  the  world  say  '." — "  There  is  no  if 
in  the  case,"  replied  the  admiral :  "  that  we  shall 
succeed,  is  certain  :  who  may  live  to  tell  the  story, 
is  a  very  different  question." 

As  the  squadron  advanced,  they  were  assailed  by 
a  shower  of  shot  and  shells  from  the  batteries  on  the 


146  LIFE  OF  ^-ELSON.  [1798. 

island,  and  the  enemy  opened  a  steady  fire  from 
the  starboard  side  of  their  whole  line,  within  half 
gun  shot  distance,  full  into  the  bows  of  our  van 
ships.  It  was  received  in  silence  :  the  men  on 
board  every  ship  were  employed  aloft  in  furling 
sails,  and  below  in  tending  the  braces,  and  making 
ready  for  anchoring.  A  miserable  sight  for  the 
French ;  who,  with  all  their  skill,  and  all  their 
courage,  and  all  their  advantages  of  numbers  and 
situation,  were  upon  that  element,  on  which,  when 
the  hour  of  trial  comes,  a  Frenchman  has  no  hope. 
Admiral  Brueys  was  a  brave  and  able  man ;  yet 
the  indelible  character  of  his  country  broke  out  in 
one  of  his  letters,  wherein  he  delivered  it  as  his 
private  opinion,  that  the  English  had  missed  him, 
because,  not  being  superior  in  force,  they  did  not 
think  it  prudent  to  try  their  strength  with  him. — 
The  moment  was  now  come  in  which  he  was  to  be 
undeceived. 

A  French  brig  was  instructed  to  decoy  the  Eng- 
lish, by  manoeuvring  so  as  to  tempt  them  toward  a 
shoal  lying  off  the  island  of  Bekier;  but  Nelson 
either  knew  the  danger,  or  suspected  some  deceit ; 
and  the  lure  was  unsuccessful.  Ca{>t.  Foley  led 
the  way  in  the  Goliath,  out-sailing  the  Zealous, 
which  for  some  minutes  disputed  this  post  of  honour 
with  him.  He  had  long  conceived  that  if  the  ene- 
my were  moored  in  line  of  battle  in  with  the  land, 
the  best  plan  of  attack  would  be,  to  lead  between 
them  and  the  shore,  because  the  French  guns  on 
that  side  were  not  likely  to  be  manned,  nor  even 
ready  for  action.  Intending,  therefore,  to  fix  him- 
self on  the  inner  bow  of  the  Guerrier,  he  kept  as 
jiear  the  edge  of  the  bank  as  the  depth  of  watei- 


1798.]  LIFE  or  NELSON.  147 

would  admit;  but  his  anchor  hung,  and  having 
opened  his  fire,  he  drifted  to  the  second  ship,  the 
Conquerant,  before  it  was  clear;  then  anchored  by 
the  stern,  inside  of  her,  and  in  ten  minutes  shot 
away  her  mast.  Hood,  in  the  Zealous,  perceiving 
this,  took  the  station  which  the  Goliath  intended 
to  have  occupied,  and  totally  disabled  the  Guerrier 
in  twelve  minutes.  The  third  ship  which  doubled 
the  enemy's  van  was  the  Orion,  Sir  J.  Saumarez ; 
she  passed  to  windward  of  the  Zealous,  and  opened 
her  larboard  guns  as  long  as  they  bore  on  the 
Guerrier ;  then  passing  inside  the  Goliath,  sunk  a 
frigate  which  annoyed  her,  hauled  round  toward 
the  French  line,  and  anchoring  inside,  between  the 
fifth  and  sixth  ships  from  the  Guerrier,  took  her 
station  on  the  larboard  bow  of  the  Franklhi,  and 
the  quarter  of  the  Peuple  Souverainy  receiving  and 
returning  the  fire  of  both.  The  sun  was  now 
nearly  down.  The  Audacious,  Capt.  Gould,  pour- 
ing a  heavy  fire  into  the  Guerrier  and  the  Conque- 
rant, fixed  herself  on  the  larboard  bow  of  the 
latter;  and  when  that  ship  struck,  passed  on  to 
the  Peuple  Souveraiii.  The  Theseus,  Capt.  Miller, 
followed,  brought  down  the  Guerrier  s  remaining 
main  and  mizen  masts,  then  anchored  inside  of  the 
Spartiate,  the  third  in  the  French  line. 

While  these  advanced  ships  doubled  the  French 
line,  the  Vanguard  was  the  first  that  anchored  on 
the  outer  side  of  the  enemy,  within  half-pistol-shot 
of  their  third  ship,  the  Spartiate.  Nelson  had  six 
colours  flying  in  different  parts  of  his  rigging,  lest 
they  should  be  shot  away; — that  they  should  be 
struck,  no  British  admiral  considers  as  a  possibility. 
He  veered  half  a  cable,  and  instantly  opened  a 


148  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  [1798. 

tremendous  fire ;  under  cover  of  which  the  other 
four  ships  of  his  division,  the  Minotaur,  Bellero- 
phon,  Defence,  and  Majestic,  sailed  on  ahead  of 
the  admiral.  In  a  few  minutes,  every  man  sta- 
tioned at  the  first  six  guns  in  the  fore  part  of  the 
Vanguard's  deck  was  killed  or  wounded : — these 
guns  were  three  times  cleared.  Capt.  Louis,  in 
the  Minotaur,  anchored  next  ahead,  and  took  off 
the  fire  of  the  Aquilon,  the  fourth  in  the  enemy's 
line.  The  Bellerophon,  Capt.  Darby,  passed  ahead, 
and  dropt  her  stern  anchor  on  the  starboard  bow  of 
the  Orient,  seventh  in  the  line,  Brueys'  own  ship, 
of  one  hundred  and  twenty  guns,  whose  difference 
of  force  was  in  proportion  of  more  than  seven  to 
three,  and  whose  weight  of  ball,  from  the  lower 
deck  alone,  exceeded  that  from  the  whole  broadside 
of  the  Bellerophon.  Capt.  Peyton,  in  the  Defence, 
took  his  station  ahead  of  the  Minotaur,  and  engaged 
the  Franklin,  the  sixth  in  the  line ;  by  which  judi- 
cious movement  the  British  line  remained  unbroken. 
The  Majestic,  Capt.  Westcott,  got  entangled  with 
the  main  rigging  of  one  of  the  French  ships  astern 
of  the  Orient,  and  suffered  dreadfully  from  that 
three-decker's  fire  :  but  she  swung  clear,  and  close- 
ly engaging  the  Heureux,  the  ninth  ship  on  the 
starboard  bow,  received  also  the  fire  of  the  Tonnant, 
which  was  the  eighth  in  the  line.  The  other  four 
ships  of  the  British  squadron,  having  been  detached 
previous  to  the  discovery  of  the  French,  were  at  a 
considerable  distance  when  the  action  began.  It 
commenced  at  half  after  six  ;  about  seven,  night 
closed,  and  there  was  no  other  light  than  that  from 
the  fire  of  the  contending  fleets. 

Trowbridge,  in  the  Culloden,  then  foremost  of 


1798.}  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  149 

the  remaining  ships,  was  two  leagues  astern.  He 
came  on  sounding,  as  the  others  had  done  :  as  he 
advanced,  the  increasing  darkness  increased  the 
difficulty  of  the  navigation ;  and  suddenly,  after 
having  found  eleven  fathoms  water,  before  the  lead 
could  be  hove  again,  he  was  fast  aground ;  nor 
could  all  his  own  exertions,  joined  to  those  of  the 
Leander  and  the  Mutine  brig,  which  came  to  his 
assistance,  get  him  off  in  time  to  bear  a  part  in  the 
action.  His  ship,  however,  served  as  a  beacon  to 
the  Alexander  and  Swiftsure,  which  would  else, 
from  the  course  which  they  were  holding,  have 
gone  considerably  farther  on  the  reef,  and  must 
inevitably  have  been  lost.  These  ships  entered  the 
bay,  and  took  their  stations,  in  the  darkness,  in  a 
manner  still  spoken  of  with  admiration  by  all  who 
remembered  it.  Capt.  Hallowell,  in  the  Swiftsure, 
as  he  was  bearing  down,  fell  in  with  what  seemed 
to  be  a  strange  sail :  Nelson  had  directed  his  ships 
to  hoist  four  lights  horizontally  at  the  mizen-peak, 
as  soon  as  it  became  dark ;  and  this  vessel  had  no 
such  distinction.  Hallowell,  however,  with  great 
judgment,  ordered  his  men  not  to  fire :  if  she  was 
an  enemy,  he  said,  she  was  in  too  disabled  a  state  to 
escape ;  but,  from  her  sails  being  loose,  and  the 
way  in  which  her  head  was,  it  was  probable  she 
might  be  an  English  ship.  It  was  the  Bollerophon, 
overpowered  by  the  huge  Orient :  her  lights  had 
gone  overboard,  nearly  two  hundred  of  her  crew 
were  killed  or  wounded,  all  her  masts  and  cables 
had  been  shot  away ;  and  she  was  drifting  out  of 
the  line,  toward  the  lee  side  of  the  bay.  Her  sta- 
tion, at  this  important  time,  was  occupied  by  the 
Swiftsure,  which  opened  a  steady  fire  on  the  quar- 


150  LIFE  OF  NELSOK.  fl798. 

ter  of  the  Franklin  and  the  bows  of  the  French 
admiral.  At  the  same  instant,  Capt.  Ball,  with  the 
Alexander,  passed  under  his  stern,  and  anchored 
within  side  on  his  larboard  quarter,  raking  him, 
and  keeping  up  a  severe  fire  of  musquetry  upon 
his  decks.  The  last  ship  which  arrived  to  com- 
plete the  destruction  of  the  enemy  was  the  Leander. 
Capt.  Thompson,  finding  that  nothing  could  be 
done  that  night  to  get  off  the  Culloden,  advanced 
with  the  intention  of  anchoring  athwart-hawse  of 
the  Orient.  The  Franklin  was  so  near  her  ahead, 
that  there  was  not  room  for  him  to  pass  clear  of 
the  two ;  he  therefore  took  his  station  athwart- 
hawse  of  the  latter,  in  such  a  position  as  to  rake 
both. 

The  two  first  ships  of  the  French  line  had  been 
dismasted  within  a  quarter  of  an  hour  after  the 
commencement  of  the  action  ;  and  the  others  had 
in  that  time  suffered  so  severely,  that  victory  was 
already  certain.  The  third,  fourth,  and  fifth,  were 
taken  possession  of  at  half  past  eight.  Meantime 
Nelson  received  a  severe  wound  on  the  head  from  a 
piece  of  langridge  shot.  Capt.  Berry  caught  him 
in  his  arms  as  he  was  falling.  The  great  effusion 
of  blood  occasioned  an  apprehension  that  the  wound 
was  mortal :  Nelson  himself  thought  so ;  a  large 
flap  of  the  skin  of  the  forehead,  cut  from  the  bone, 
had  fallen  over  one  eye  :  and  the  other  being  blind, 
he  was  in  total  darkness.  When  he  was  carried 
down,  the  surgeon,  —  in  the  midst  of  a  scene 
scarcely  to  be  conceived  by  those  who  have  never 
seen  a  cockpit  in  time  of  action,  and  the  heroism 
which  is  displayed  amid  its  horrors, — with  a  na- 
tural and  pardonable  eagerness,  quitted  the  poor 


1798.}  LIFK  OF  KELSON.  151 

fellow  then  under  his  hands,  that  he  might  instantly 
attend  the  admiral.  "  No  !"  said  Nelson,  "  I  will 
take  my  turn  with  my  brave  fellows."  Nor  would 
he  suffer  his  own  wound  to  be  examined  till  every 
man  who  had  been  previously  wounded  was  pro- 
perly attended  to.  Fully  believing  that  the  wound 
was  mortal,  and  that  he  was  about  to  die,  as  he  had 
ever  desired,  in  battle  and  in  victory,  he  called  the 
chaplain,  and  desired  him  to  deliver  what  he  sup- 
posed to  be  his  dying  remembrance  to  Lady  Nelson : 
he  then  sent  for  Capt.  Louis  on  board  from  the 
Minotaur,  that  he  might  thank  him  personally  for 
the  great  assistance  which  he  had  rendered  to  the 
Vanguard  ;  and  ever  mindful  of  those  who  deserved 
to  be  his  friends,  appointed  Capt.  Hardy  from  the 
brig  to  the  command  of  his  own  ship,  Capt.  Berry 
having  to  go  home  with  the  news  of  the  victory. 
When  the  surgeon  came  in  due  time  to  examine  his 
wound,  (for  it  was  in  vain  to  entreat  him  to  let  it 
be  examined  sooner,)  the  most  anxious  silence  pre- 
vailed ;  and  the  joy  of  the  wounded  men,  and  of 
the  whole  crew,  when  they  heard  that  the  hurt  was 
merely  superficial,  gave  Nelson  deeper  pleasure, 
than  the  unexpected  assurance  that  his  life  was  in 
no  danger.  The  surgeon  requested,  and  as  far  as 
he  could,  ordered  him  to  remain  quiet :  but  Nelson 
could  not  rest.  He  called  for  his  secretary,  Mr. 
Campbell,  to  write  the  despatches.  Campbell  had 
himself  been  wounded  ;  and  was  so  affected  at  the 
blind  and  suflering  state  of  the  admiral,  that  he 
was  unable  to  write.  The  chaplain  was  then  sent 
for;  but,  before  he  came,  Nelson,  with  his  charac- 
teristic eagerness,  took  the  pen,  and  contrived  to 
trace  a  few  words,  marking  his  devout  sense  of  the 


152  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  [1798. 

success  which  had  already  been  obtained.  He  was 
now  left  alone  ;  when  suddenly  a  cry  was  heard  on 
the  deck,  that  the  Orient  was  on  fire.  In  the  con- 
fusion, he  found  his  way  up,  unassisted  and  unno- 
ticed ;  and,  to  the  astonishment  of  every  one, 
appeared  on  the  quarter-deck,  where  he  immedi- 
ately gave  order  that  boats  should  be  sent  to  the 
relief  of  the  enemy. 

It  was  soon  after  nine  that  the  fire  on  board  the 
Orient  broke  out.  Brueys  was  dead :  he  had 
received  three  wounds,  yet  would  not  leave  his 
post :  a  fourth  cut  him  almost  in  two.  He  de- 
sired not  to  be  carried  below,  but  to  be  left  to  die 
upon  deck.  The  flames  soon  mastered  his  ship. 
Her  sides  had  just  been  painted  ;  and  the  oil-jars, 
and  paint-bucket,  were  lying  on  the  poop.  By 
the  prodigious  light  of  this  conflagration,  the  situa- 
tion of  the  two  fleets  could  now  be  perceived,  the 
colours  of  both  being  clearly  distinguishable. 
About  ten  o'clock  the  ship  blew  up,  with  a  shock 
which  was  felt  to  the  very  bottom  of  every  vessel. 
Many  of  her  officers  and  men  jumped  overboard, 
some  clinging  to  the  spars  and  pieces  of  wreck 
with  which  the  sea  was  strewn,  others  swimming  to 
escape  from  the  destruction  which  they  momently 
dreaded.  Some  were  picked  up  by  our  boats; 
and  some  even  in  the  heat  and  fury  of  the  action 
were  dragged  into  the  lower  ports  of  the  nearest 
British  ships  by  the  British  sailors.  The  greater 
part  of  her  crew,  however,  stood  the  danger  till  the 
last,  and  continued  to  fire  from  the  lower  deck. 
This  tremendous  explosion  was  followed  by  a  silence 
not  less  awful  :  the  firing  immediately  ceased  on 
both  sides;   and  tlie  first  sound  whiclx  broke  the 


1798.] 


LIFE  OF  NELSON. 


153 


Q 


1798.]  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  155 

silence,  was  the  dash  of  her  shattered  masts  and 
yards,  faUing  into  the  water  from  the  vast  height 
to  which  they  had  been  exploded.  It  is  upon  re- 
cord, that  a  battle  between  two  armies  was  once 
broken  otf  by  an  earthquake : — such  an  event  would 
be  felt  like  a  miracle  ;  but  no  incident  in  war,  pro- 
duced by  human  means,  has  ever  equalled  the 
sublimity  of  this  co-instantaneous  pause,  and  all 
its  circumstances. 

About  seventy  of  the  Orienfs  crew  were  saved 
by  the  English  boats.  Among  the  many  hundreds 
who  perished,  were  the  Commodore,  Casa-Bianca, 
and  his  son,  a  brave  boy,  only  ten  years  old.  They 
were  seen  floating  on  a  shattered  mast  when  the 
ship  blew  up.  She  had  money  on  board  (the 
plunder  of  Malta)  to  the  amount  of  £600,000  ster- 
ling. The  masses  of  burning  wreck,  which  were 
scattered  by  the  explosion,  excited  for  some  mo- 
ments apprehensions  in  the  English  which  they 
had  never  felt  from  any  other  danger.  Two  large 
pieces  fell  into  the  main  and  fore-tops  of  the  Swift- 
sure  without  injuring  any  person.  A  port  fire  also 
fell  into  the  main-royal  of  the  Alexander :  the  fire 
which  it  occasioned  was  speedily  extinguished. 
Capt.  Ball  had  provided,  as  far  as  human  foresight 
could  provide,  against  any  such  danger.  All  the 
shrouds  and  sails  of  his  ship,  not  absolutely  neces- 
sary for  its  immediate  management,  were  tho- 
roughly wetted,  and  so  rolled  up,  that  they  were 
as  hard  and  as  little  inflammable  as  so  many  solid 
cylinders. 

The  firing  recommenced  with  the  ships  to  lee- 
ward of  the  centre,  and  continued  till  about  three 
At  day-break,  the  Guillaume  Tell,  and  the  Gme- 


156  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  [1798. 

reux,  the  two  rear  ships  of  the  enemy,  were  the 
only  French  ships  of  the  line  which  had  their  co- 
lours flying  :  they  cut  their  cables  in  the  forenoon, 
not  having  been  engaged,  and  stood  out  to  sea, 
and  two  frigates  with  them.  The  Zealous  pursued ; 
but  as  there  was  no  other  ship  in  a  condition  to 
support  Capt.  Hood,  he  was  recalled.  It  was  ge- 
nerally believed  by  the  officers,  that  if  Nelson  had 
not  been  wounded,  not  one  of  these  ships  could  have 
escaped :  the  four  certainly  could  not,  if  the  Cul- 
loden  had  got  into  action :  and  if  the  frigates  be- 
longing to  the  squadron  had  been  present,  not  one 
of  the  enemy's  fleet  would  have  left  Abbukir  Bay. 
These  four  vessels,  however,  were  all  that  escaped ; 
and  the  victory  was  the  most  complete  and  glorious 
in  the  annals  of  naval  history.  "  Victory,"  said 
Nelson,  '*  is  not  a  name  strong  enough  for  such  a 
scene;"  he  called  it  a  conquest.  Of  thirteen  sail 
of  the  line  nine  were  taken  and  two  burnt :  of  the 
four  frigates,  one  was  sunk,  another,  the  Artemise, 
was  burnt  in  a  villanous  manner  by  her  captain, 
M.  Estandlet,  who  having  fired  a  broadside  at  the 
Theseus,  struck  his  colours,  then  set  fire  to  the 
ship,  and  escaped  with  most  of  his  crew  to  shore. 
The  British  loss,  in  killed  and  wounded,  amounted 
to  eight  hundred  and  ninety-five.  Westcott  was 
the  only  captain  who  fell ;  three  thousand  one 
hundred  and  five  of  the  French,  including  the 
wounded,  were  sent  on  shore  by  cartel,  and  five 
thousand  two  hundred  and  twenty-five  perished. 

As  soon  as  the  conquest  was  completed,  Nelson 
sent  orders  through  the  fleet,  to  return  thanks- 
giving in  every  ship  for  the  victory  with  which 
Almighty  God  had   blessed   his  majesty's   arms. 


1798.]  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  157 

The  French  at  Rosetta,  who  with  miserable  fear 
beheld  the  engagement,  were  at  a  loss  to  under- 
stand the  stillness  of  the  fleet  during  the  perform- 
ance of  this  solemn  duty  ;  but  it  seemed  to  affect 
many  of  the  prisoners,  officers  as  well  as  men  :  and 
graceless  and  godless  as  the  officers  were,  some  of 
them  remarked,  that  it  was  no  wonder  such  order 
was  preserved  in  the  British  navy,  when  the  minds 
of  our  men  could  be  impressed  with  such  senti- 
ments after  so  great  a  victory,  and  at  a  moment  of 
such  confusion. — The  French  at  Rosetta,  seeing 
their  four  ships  sail  out  of  the  bay  unmolested, 
endeavoured  to  persuade  themselves  that  they  were 
in  possession  of  the  place  of  battle.  But  it  was  in 
vain  thus  to  attempt,  against  their  own  secret  and 
certain  conviction,  to  deceive  themselves  :  and  even 
if  they  could  have  succeeded  in  this,  the  bonfires 
which  the  Arabs  kindled  along  the  whole  coast, 
and  over  the  country,  for  three  following  nights, 
would  soon  have  xuideceived  them.  Thousands 
of  Arabs  and  Egyptians  lined  the  shore,  and  co- 
vered the  house  tops  during  the  action,  rejoicing 
in  the  destruction  which  had  overtaken  their  inva- 
ders. Long  after  the  battle,  innumerable  bodies 
were  seen  floating  about  the  bay,  in  spite  of  all 
the  exertions  which  were  made  to  sink  them,  as 
well  from  fear  of  pestilence,  as  from  the  loathing  ' 
and  horror  which  the  sight  occasioned.  Great 
numbers  were  cast  up  upon  the  Isle  of  Bekier 
(Nelson's  Island,  as  it  has  since  been  called,)  and 
our  sailors  raised  mounds  of  sand  over  them.  Even 
after  an  interval  of  nearly  three  years  Dr.  Clarke 
saw  them,  and  assisted  in  interring  heaps  of  hu- 
man bodies,  which  having  been  thrown  up  by  the  sea, 

R 


158  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  [1798. 

where  there  were  no  jackals  to  devour  them,  pre- 
sented a  sight  loathsome  to  humanity.  The  shore, 
for  an  extent  of  four  leagues,  was  covered  with 
wreck  ;  and  the  Arabs  found  employment  for  many 
days  in  burning  on  the  beach  the  fragments  which 
were  cast  up,  for  the  sake  of  the  iron.*  Part  of 
the  Orient's  main-mast  was  picked  up  by  the 
Swiftsure.  Capt.  Hallowell  ordered  his  carpenter 
to  make  a  coffin  of  it ;  the  iron,  as  well  as  wood 
was  taken  from  the  wreck  of  the  same  ship  :  it  was 
finished  as  well  and  handsomely  as  the  workman's 
skill  and  materials  would  permit ;  and  Hallowell 
then  sent  it  to  the  admiral  with  the  following  letter. 
— "  Sir,  I  have  taken  the  liberty  of  presenting  you 
a  coffin  made  from  the  main-mast  of  VOrient,  that 
when  you  have  finished  your  military  career  in  this 
world,  you  may  be  buried  in  one  of  your  trophies. 
But  that  that  period  may  be  far  distant,  is  the  ear- 
nest wish  of  your  sincere  friend,  Benjamin  Hallo- 
well."— An  oiFering  so  strange,  and  yet  so  suited 
to  the  occasion,  was  received  by  Nelson  in  the 
spirit  with  which  it  was  sent.  As  if  he  felt  it  good 
for  him,  now  that  he  was  at  the  summit  of  his 
wishes,  to  have  death  before  his  eyes,  he  ordered 
the  coffin  to  be  placed  upright  in  his  cabin.  Such 
a  piece  of  furniture,  however,  was  more  suitable  to 
his  own  feelings  than  to  those  of  his  guests  and 
attendants  ;  and  an  old  favourite  servant  entreated 
him  so  earnestly  to  let  it  be  removed,  that  at  length 

*  During  his  long  subsequent  cruize  off  Alexandria,  Capt. 
Hallowell  kept  his  crew  employed  and  amused  in  fishing  up 
the  small  anchors  in  liic  road,  which,  with  the  iron  found  on  the 
leasts,  was  afterwards  sold  at  Rhodes,  and  the  produce  applied 
to  purchase  vegetables  and  tobacco  for  the  ship's  company. 


r798.]  LIFE  OF  XELSOX.  159 

he  consented  to  have  the  coffin  carried  below ;  but 
he  gave  strict  orders  that  it  should  be  safely  stowed, 
and  reserved  for  the  purpose  for  which  its  brave 
and  worthy  donor  had  designed  it. 

The  victory  was  complete  ;  but  Nelson  could 
not  pursue  it  as  he  would  have  done,  for  want  of 
means.  Had  he  been  provided  with  small  craft, 
nothing  could  have  prevented  the  destruction  of 
the  storeships  and  transports  in  the  port  of  Alex- 
andria :  four  bomb-vessels  would  at  that  time  have 
burnt  the  whole  in  a  few  hours.  "  Were  I  to  die 
tliis  moment,"  said  he  in  his  despatches  to  the  ad- 
miralty, "  want  of  frigates  would  be  found  stamped 
on  my  heart !  No  words  of  mine  can  express  what 
I  have  suffered,  and  am  suffering,  for  want  of 
them."  He  had  also  to  bear  up  against  great 
bodily  suflfering :  the  blow  had  so  shaken  his  head, 
that  from  its  constant  and  violent  aching,  and  the 
perpetual  sickness  which  accompanied  the  pain,  he 
could  scarcely  persuade  himself  that  the  skull  was 
not  fractured.  Had  it  not  been  for  Trowbridge, 
Ball,  Hood,  and  Hallowell,  he  declared  that  he 
should  have  sunk  under  the  fatigue  of  refitting  the 
squadron.  "  All,"  he  said,  "  had  done  well ;  but 
these  officers  were  his  supporters."  But,  amidst 
his  sufferings  and  exertions.  Nelson  could  yet  think 
of  all  the  consequences  of  his  victory  ;  and  that  no 
advantage  from  it  might  be  lost,  he  despatched  an 
officer  over  land  to  India,  with  letters  to  the  gover- 
nor of  Bombay,  informing  him  of  the  arrival  of  the 
French  in  Egypt,  the  total  destruction  of  their  fleet, 
and  the  consequent  preservation  of  India  from  any 
attempt  against  it  on  the  part  of  this  formidable 
armament.     "  He  knew  that  Bombay,"  he  said, 


160  LTFE  or    NELSON.  i;i798 

"was  their  first  object,  if  they  could  get  there; 
but  he  trusted  that  Almighty  God  would  overthrow 
ill  Egypt  these  pests  of  the  human  race.  Buona- 
parte had  never  yet  had  to  contend  with  an  English 
officer,  and  he  would  endeavour  to  make  him  res- 
pect us."  This  despatch  he  sent  upon  his  own 
responsibility,  with  letters  of  credit  upon  the  East 
India  Company,  addressed  to  the  British  consuls, 
vice-consuls,  and  merchants  on  his  route ;  Nelson 
saying,  "  that  if  he  had  done  wrong,  he  hoped  the 
bills  would  be  paid,  and  he  would  repay  the  Com- 
pany :  for,  as  an  Englishman,  he  should  be  proud 
that  it  had  been  in  his  power  to  put  our  settlements 
on  their  guard."  The  information  which  by  this 
means  reached  India  was  of  great  importance.  Or- 
ders had  just  been  received  for  defensive  prepara- 
tions, upon  a  scale  proportionate  to  the  apprehended 
danger;  and  the  extraordinary  expenses  v.'hich  would 
otherwise  have  been  incurred,  were  thus  prevented. 
Nelson  was  now  at  the  summit  of  glory :  con- 
gratulations, rewards,  and  honours  were  showered 
upon  him  by  all  the  states,  and  princes,  and  powers 
to  whom  his  victory  gave  a  respite.  The  first  com- 
munication of  this  nature  which  he  received  was 
iVom  the  Turkish  sultan  ;  who,  as  soon  as  the  in- 
vasion of  Egypt  was  known,  had  called  upon  '*  all 
true  believers  to  take  arms  against  those  swinish 
infidels  the  French,  that  they  might  deliver  these 
blessed  habitations  from  their  accursed  hands;" 
and  who  had  ordered  his  "  pashas  to  turn  night 
into  day  in  their  efforts  to  take  vengeance."  The 
present  of  "  his  imperial  majesty,  the  powerful,  for- 
midable, and  most  magnificent  Grand  Seignior," 
was  a  pelisse  of  sables,  with  broad  sleeves,  valued 


1798.]  LITE  OF  NELSON',  161 

at  five  thousand  dollars ;  and  a  diamond  aigrette, 
valued  at  eighteen  thousand  :  the  most  honourable 
badge  among  the  Turks  ;  and  in  this  instance  more 
especially  honourable,  because  it  was  taken  from 
one  of  the  roval  turbans.  "  If  it  were  worth  a  mil- 
lion,"  said  Nelson  to  his  wife,  "  my  pleasure  would 
be  to  see  it  in  your  possession."  The  sultan  also 
sent,  in  a  spirit  worthy  of  imitation,  a  purse  of  two 
thousand  sequins,  to  be  distributed  among  the 
wounded.  The  mother  of  the  sultan  sent  him  a 
box,  set  with  diamonds,  valued  at  one  thousand 
pounds.  The  czar  Paul,  in  whom  the  better  part 
of  his  strangely  compounded  nature  at  this  time 
predominated,  presented  him  with  his  portrait,  set 
in  diamonds,  in  a  gold  box,  accompanied  with  a 
letter  of  congiatulation,  ^^Titten  by  his  own  hand. 
The  king  of  Sardinia  also  wrote  to  him,  and  sent  a 
gold  box,  set  with  diamonds.  Honours  in  profusion 
were  awaiting  him  at  Naples.  In  his  own  country 
the  king  granted  these  honourable  augmentations 
to  his  amiorial  ensign  ;  a  chief  undulated,  argent ; 
thereon  waves  of  the  sea ;  from  which  a  palm  tree 
issuant,  between  a  disabled  ship  on  the  dexter,  and 
a  ruinous  battery  on  the  sinister,  all  proper :  and 
for  his  crest,  on  a  naval  crown,  or,  the  chelengk, 
or  phmie,  presented  to  him  by  the  Turk,  with  the 
motto,  Palmam  qui  meruit  ferat*     And  to  his 

*  It  has  been  erroneously  said  that  the  motto  was  selected 
hy  the  King: — it  was  fixed  on  by  Lord  Grenville,  and  taken 
from  an  otle  of  Jortin's.  'Ihe  application  was  singularly  fortu- 
nate ;  and  the  ode  itself  breathes  a  spirit,  in  which  no  man 
ever  more  truly  sympathized  than  Nelson : 

Concurrant  paribus  cvm  rutibus  rates, 
Spectent  numina  poiiti,  et 
Palmam  qui  meruit  fevat. 


162  LIFE  OF  XELSOX.  {lldi. 

supporters,  being  a  sailor  on  the  dexter,  and  a  lion 
on  the  sinister,  were  given  these  honourable  aug- 
mentations :  a  palm  branch  in  the  sailor's  hand, 
and  another  in  the  paw  of  the  lion,  both  proper; 
with  a  tri-coloured  flag  and  staff  in  the  lion's  mouth. 
He  was  created  Baron  Nelson  of  the  Nile,  and  of 
Burnham  Thorpe,  with  a  pension  of  £2000  for  his 
own  life,  and  those  of  his  two  immediate  successors. 
When  the  grant  was  moved  in  the  house  of  com- 
mons, General  Walpole  expressed  an  opinion,  that 
a  higher  degree  of  rank  ought  to  be  conferred. 
Mr.  Pitt  made  answer,  that  he  thought  it  needless 
to  enter  into  that  question.  "  Admiral  Nelson's 
fame,"  he  said,  "  would  be  coequal  with  the  British 
name ;  and  it  would  be  remembered  that  he  had 
obtained  the  greatest  naval  victory  on  record,  when 
no  man  would  think  of  asking.  Whether  he  had 
been  created  a  baron,  a  viscount,  or  an  earl  ?"  It 
was  strange  that,  in  the  very  act  of  conferring  a 
title,  the  minister  should  have  excused  himself  for 
not  having  conferred  a  higher  one,  by  representing 
all  titles,  on  such  an  occasion,  as  nugatory  and 
superfluous.  True,  indeed,  whatever  title  had  been 
bestowed,  whether  viscount,  earl,  marquis,  duke, 
or  prince,  if  our  laws  had  so  permitted,  he  who 
received  it  would  have  been  Nelson  still.  That 
name  he  had  ennobled  beyond  all  addition  of  no- 
bility :  it  was  the  name  by  which  England  loved 
him,  France  feared  him,  Italy,  E^pt,  and  Turkey 
celebrated  him ;  and  by  which  he  will  continue  to 
be  known  while  the  present  kingdoms  and  languages 
of  the  world  endure,  and  as  long  as  their  history 
after  them  shall  be  held  in  remembrance.  It  de- 
pended upon  the  degree  of  rank  what  should  be  the 


1798.]  LIFE  OF  NELSOy.  163 

fashion  of  his  coronet,  in  what  page  of  the  red  book 
his  name  was  to  be  inserted,  and  what  precedency 
should  be  allowed  his  lady  in  the  drawing-room 
and  at  the  ball.  That  Nelson's  honours  were  af- 
fected thus  far,  and  no  farther,  might  be  conceded 
to  Mr.  Pitt  and  his  colleagues  in  administration  : 
but  the  degree  of  rank  which  they  thought  proper 
to  allot,  was  the  measure  of  their  gratitude,*  though 
not  of  his  services.  This  Nelson  felt ;  and  this  he 
expressed,  with  indignation,  among  his  friends. 

Whatever  may  have  been  the  motives  of  the 
ministry,  and  whatever  the  formalities  with  which 
they  excused  their  conduct  to  themselves,  the  im- 
portance and  magnitude  of  the  victory  were  univer7 
sally  acknowledged.  A  grant  of  £10,000  was 
voted  to  Nelson  by  the  East  India  Company ;  the 
Turkish  Company  presented  him  with  a  piece  of 
plate ;  the  City  of  London  presented  a  sword  to 
him,  and  to  each  of  his  captains  ;  gold  medals  were 
distributed  to  the  captains,  and  the  first  lieutenants 

*  3Ir.  Windham  must  be  excepted  from  this  well-deserved 
censure.  He,  whose  fate  it  seems  to  have  been  almost  always 
to  think  and  feel  more  generously  than  those  with  whom  he 
acted,  declared,  when  he  contended  against  his  own  party  for 
Lord  Wellington's  peerage,  that  he  always  thought  Lord  Nel- 
son had  been  inadequately  rewarded.  The  case  was  the  more 
flagrant,  because  an  earldom  had  so  lately  been  granted  for  the 
battle  of  St.  Vincent's  ;  an  action  which  could  never  be  com- 
pared with  the  baitle  of  the  Nile,  if  the  very  different  manner 
in  which  it  was  rewarded  did  not  necessarily  force  a  comparison  ; 
especially  when  the  part  which  Nelson  bore  in  it  was  consider- 
ed.— Lords  Duncan  and  St.  Vincent  had  each  a  pension  of 
£1000  from  the  Irish  government.  This  was  not  granted  to 
Nelson,  in  consequence  of  the  Union  ;  though,  surely,  it  would 
be  more  becoming  to  increase  the  British  grant,  than  to  save  a 
thousand  a  year  by  the  Union  in  such  cases. 


164  LIFE  OF  XELSOV.  [1798. 

of  all  the  ships  were  promoted,  as  had  been  done 
after  Lord  Howe's  victory.  Nelson  was  exceedingly 
anxious  that  the  captain  and  first  lieutenant  of  the 
Culloden  should  not  be  passed  over  because  of 
their  misfortune.  To  Trowbridge  himself  he  said, 
"Let  us  rejoice  that  the  ship  which  got  on  shore 
was  commanded  by  an  officer  whose  character  is  so 
tliorouohlv established."  To  the  admiralty  he  stated, 
that  Capt.  Trowbridge's  conduct  was  as  fully  enti- 
tled to  praise  as  that  of  any  one  officer  in  the 
squadron,  and  as  highly  deserving  of  reward.  "  It 
was  Trowbridge,"  said  he,  "  who  equipped  the 
squadron  so  soon  at  Syracuse  :  it  was  Trowbridge 
who  exerted  himself  for  me  after  the  action :  it 
was  Trowbridge  who  saved  the  Culloden,  when 
none  that  I  know  in  the  service  would  have  at- 
tempted it."  The  gold  medal,  therefore,  by  the 
king's  express  desire,  was  given  to  Capt.  Trowbridge 
"  for  his  services  both  before  and  since,  and  for  the 
great  and  wonderful  exertion  which  he  made  at  the 
time  of  the  action,  in  saving  and  getting  off  his 
ship."  The  private  letter  from  the  admiralty  to 
Nelson  informed  him,  that  the  first  lieutenants  of 
all  the  ships  engaged  were  to  be  promoted.  Nelson 
instantly  wrote  to  the  commander-in-chief. — "  I 
sincerely  hope,"  said  he,  "  this  is  not  intended  to 
exclude  the  first  lieutenant  of  the  Culloden. — For 
Heaven's  sake, — for  my  sake, — if  it  be  so,  get  it 
altered.  Our  dear  friend  Trowbridge  has  endured 
enough.  His  sufferings  were,  in  every  respect, 
more  than  any  of  us."  To  the  admiralty  he  wrote 
in  terms  equally  warm.  "  I  hope,  and  believe,  the 
word  engaged  is  not  intended  to  exclude  the  Cullo- 
den.    Tlie  merit  of  that  ship,  and  her  gallant  cap- 


1798.]  I-IFE  or  NELSON.  t65 

tain,  are  too  well  known  to  benefit  by  any  thing  I 
could  say.  Her  misfortune  was  great  in  getting  a- 
ground,  while  her  more  fortunate  companions  were 
in  the  full  tide  of  happiness.  No ;  I  am  confident 
that  my  good  Lord  Spencer  will  never  add  misery 
to  misfortune.  Capt.  Trowbridge  on  shore  is  su- 
perior to  captains  afloat :  in  the  midst  of  his  great 
misfortunes  he  made  those  signals  which  prevented 
certainly  the  Alexander  and  Swiftsure  from  running 
on  the  shoals.  I  beg  your  pardon  for  writing  on  a 
subject  which,  1  verily  believe,  has  never  entered 
your  lordship's  head  ;  but  my  heart,  as  it  ought  to 
be,  is  warm  to  my  gallant  friends."  Thus  feelingly 
alive  was  Nelson  to  the  claims,  and  interests,  and 
feelings  of  others.  The  admiralty  replied,  that  the 
exception  was  necessary,  as  the  ship  had  not  been 
in  action :  but  they  desired  the  commander-in-chief 
to  promote  the  lieutenant  upon  the  first  vacancy 
which  should  occur. 

Nelson,  in  remembrance  of  an  old  and  uninter- 
rupted friendship,  appointed  Alexander  Davison 
sole  prize  agent  for  the  captured  ships  :  upon  which 
Davison  ordered  medals  to  be  struck  in  gold,-  for 
the  captains ;  in  silver,  for  the  lieutenants  and  war- 
rant officers ;  in  gilt  metal,  for  the  petty  officers  ; 
and  in  copper,  for  the  seamen  and  marines.  The 
cost  of  this  act  of  liberality  amounted  nearly  to 
£2000.  It  is  worthy  of  record  on  another  account; 
— -for  some  of  the  g-allant  men,  who  received  no 
other  honorary  badge  of  their  conduct  on  that  me- 
morable day,  than  this  copper  medal,  from  a  private 
individual,  years  afterwards,  when  they  died  upon 
a  foreign  station,  made  it  their  last  request,  thaf 
the  medals  might  carefully  be  sent  home  to  their- 


166  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  [1798 

respective  friends. — So  sensible  are  brave  men  of 
honour,  in  whatever  rank  they  may  be  placed. 

Three  of  the  frigates,  whose  presence  would  have 
been  so  essential  a  few  weeks  sooner,  joined  the 
squadron  on  the  twelfth  day  after  the  action.  Tlie 
fourth  joined  a  few  days  after  them.  Nelson  thus 
received  despatches,  which  rendered  it  necessary 
for  him  to  return  to  Naples.  Before  he  left  Egypt 
he  burnt  three  of  the  prizes  :  they  could  not  have 
been  fitted  for  a  passage  to  Gibraltar  in  less  than  a 
month,  and  that  at  a  great  expense,  and  with  the 
loss  of  the  service  of  at  least  two  sail  of  the  line. 
"  I  rest  assured,"  he  said  to  the  admiralty,  "  that 
they  will  be  paid  for,  and  have  held  out  that  assu- 
rance to  the  squadron.  For  if  an  admiral,  after  a 
victory,  is  to  look  after  the  captured  ships,  and  not 
to  the  distressing  of  the  enemy,  very  dearly,  indeed, 
must  the  nation  pay  for  the  prizes.  I  trust  that 
£60,000  will  be  deemed  a  very  moderate  sum  for 
them  :  and  when  ihe  services,  time,  and  men,  with 
the  expense  of  fitting  the  three  ships  for  a  voyage 
to  England,  are  considered,  government  will  save 
nearly  as  much  as  they  are  valued  at. — Paying  for 
prizes,"  he  continued,  "  is  no  new  idea  of  mine, 
and  would  often  prove  an  amazing  saving  to  the 
state,  even  without  taking  into  calculation  what 
the  nation  loses  by  the  attention  of  admirals  to  the 
property  of  the  captors;  an  attention  absolutely 
necessary,  as  a  recompense  for  the  exertions  of  the 
oflficers  and  men.  An  admiral  may  be  amply 
rewarded  by  his  own  feelings,  and  by  the  approba- 
tion of  his  superiors ;  but  what  reward  have  the 
inferior  officers  and  men, but  the  value  of  the  prizes? 
If  an  admiral  takes  that  from  them,  on  any  consi- 


i 


1798.]  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  167 

deration,  he  cannot  expect  to  be  well  supported." 
To  Earl  St.  Vincent  he  said,  "  If  he  could  have 
been  sure  that  government  would  have  paid  a  rea- 
sonable value  for  them,  he  would  have  ordered  two 
of  the  other  prizes  to  be  burnt :  for  they  would  cost 
more  in  refitting,  and  by  the  loss  of  ships  attending 
them  than  they  were  worth." 

Having  sent  the  six  remaining  prizes  forward, 
under  Sir  James  Saumarez,  Nelson  left  Capt. 
Hood,  in  the  Zealous,  off  Alexandria,  with  the 
Swiftsure,  Goliath,  Alcmene,  Zealous,  and  Emer- 
ald, and  stood  out  to  ssa  himself  on  the  seven- 
teenth day  after  the  battle.* 

*  "  Some  French  officers,  during  the  blockade  of  Alexandria, 
were  sent  cfF  to  Capt.  Hallowell  to  offer  a  supplj^  of  vegetables, 
and  observe,  of  course,  the  state  of  the  blockading  squadron. 
They  were  received  with  all  possible  civility  ; — in  the  course 
of  conversation,  after  dinner,  one  of  them  remarked  that  we 
had  made  use  of  unfair  weapons  during  the  action,  by  which, 
probably,  the  Orient  was  burnt ;  and  that  General  Buona- 
parte had  expressed  great  indignation  at  it.  In  proof  of  this 
assertion  he  stated  that  in  the  late  gun-boat  attacks,  their  camp 
had  twice  been  set  on  fire  by  balls  of  unextinguishable  matter 
which  were  fired  from  one  of  the  English  boats.  Capt.  Hallo- 
well  instantly  ordered  the  gunner  to  bring  up  some  of  those  balls, 
and  asked  him  from  whence  he  had  them.  To  the  confusion 
of  the  accusers  he  related  that  they  were  found  on  board  of  the 
Spartiate,  one  of  the  ships  captured  on  the  1st  of  August ;  as 
these  balls  were  distinguished  by  particular  marks,  though,  in 
other  respects  alike,  the  captain  ordered  an  experiment  to  be 
made,  in  order  to  ascertain  the  nature  of  them.  The  ne,\t 
moyuing,  says  Mr.  Willyams,  I  accompanied  IMr.  Parr,  the 
gunner,  to  the  island ;  the  firstwe  tried  proved  to  be  a  fire-ball, 
but  of  what  materials  composed  we  could  not  ascertain.  As  it 
did  not  explode  (which  at  first  we  apprehended),  we  rolled  it 
into  the  sea,  where  it  continued  to  burn  under  water ;  a  black 
pitchy  substance  exuding  from  it  till  only  an  iron  skeleton  of  a 
shell  remained.     The  whole  had  been  carefully  crusted  over 


168  LIFE  OF  NELSON-.  [1798. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

Kelson  returns  to  Naples — State  of  that  Court  and  Kingdom — 
Getieral  Mack — The  French  approach  Naples  —  Flight  of  the 
Royal  Family — Successes  of  the  Allies  in  Italy — Trajtsactions 
in  the  Bay  of  Naples — Expulsion  of  the  French  from  the  Nea- 
politan and  Roman  States — Nelson  is  made  Duke  of  Bronte 
—  He  leaves  the  Mediterranean  and  returns  to  England. 

Nelson's  health  had  suffered  greatly  while  he  was 
in  the  Agamemnon.  "  My  complaint,"  he  said, 
"  is  as  if  a  girth  were  buckled  taut  over  my  breast; 
and  my  endeavour  in  the  night  is  to  get  it  loose." 
After  the  battle  of  Cape  St.  Vincent  he  felt  a  little 
rest  to  be  so  essential  to  his  recovery,  that  he  de- 
clared he  would  not  continue  to  serve  longer  than 
the  ensuing  summer,  unless  it  should  be  absolutely 
necessary  :  for,  in  his  own  strong  language,  he  had 
then  been  four  years  and  nine  months  without  one 
moment's  repose  for  body  or  mind.  A  few  months' 
intermission  of  labour  he  had  obtained — not  of  rest, 
for  it  was  purchased  with  the  loss  of  a  limb ;  and 
the  greater  part  of  the  time  had  been  a  season  of 

with  a  substance  that  gave  it  the  appearance  of  a  perfect  shell. 
On  setting  fire  to  the  fusee  of  the  other,  which  was  difTereatly 
marked,  it  burst  into  many  pieces  :  though  somewhat  alarmed, 
fortunately  none  of  us  were  hurt.  People  account  differently  fbr 
the  fire  that  happened  on  boaid  of  the  French  admiral :  but 
why  may  it  not  have  arisen  from  some  of  these  fire-balls  left, 
perhaps,  carelessly  on  the  poop,  or  cabin,  when  it  first  broke 
out  J  and  what  confirms  my  opinion  on  this  head  is,  that  several 
pieces  of  such  shells  were  found  sticking  in  the  Bellerophon, 
which  she  most  probably  received  from  the  first  fire  of  L'Onent.'' 
Willyams's  Voyage  in  the  Mediterranean,  p.  145. 


1798.]  LlipE  OF  XELSON.  1<39 

constant  pain.  As  soon  as  his  shattered  frame  had 
sufficiently  recovered  for  him  to  resume  his  duties, 
he  was  called  to  services  of  greater  importance  than 
any  on  which  he  had  hitherto  been  employed,  and 
they  brought  with  them  commensurate  fatigue  and 
care.  The  anxiety  which  he  endured  during  his 
long  pursuit  of  the  enemy,  was  rather  changed  in 
its  direction,  than  abated  by  their  defeat :  and  this 
constant  wakefulness  of  thought,  added  to  the  ef- 
fect of  his  wound,  and  the  exertions  from  which  it 
was  not  possible  for  one  of  so  ardent  and  wide- 
reaching  a  mind  to  spare  himself,  nearly  proved 
fatal.  On  his  way  back  to  Italy  he  was  seized  with 
fever.  For  eighteen  hours  his  life  was  despaired  of; 
and  even  when  the  disorder  took  a  favourable  turn, 
and  he  was  so  far  recovered  as  again  to  appear  on 
deck,  he  himself  thought  that  his  end  was  approach- 
ing,— such  was  the  weakness  to  which  the  fever 
and  cough  had  reduced  him.  Writing  to  Earl  St. 
Vincent,  on  the  passage,  he  said  to  him,  "  I  never 
expect,  my  dear  lord,  to  see  your  face  again.  It 
may  please  God  that  this  will  be  the  finish  to  that 
fever  of  anxiety  which  I  have  endured  from  the 
middle  of  June:  but  be  that  as  it  pleases  his  good- 
ness.    I  am  resigned  to  his  will." 

The  kindest  attentions  of  the  warmest  friendship 
were  awaiting  him  at  Naples.  "  Come  here,"  said 
Sir  William  Hamilton,  "  for  God's  sake,  my  dear 
friend,  as  soon  as  the  service  will  permit  you.  A 
pleasant  apartment  is  ready  for  you  in  ray  house, 
and. Emma  is  looking  out  for  the  softest  pillows  to 
repose  the  few  wearied  limbs  you  have  left."  Happy 
would  it  have  been  for  Nelson  if  warm  and  careful 
friendship  had  been  all  that  awaited  him  there ! 


]  70  LIFE  OF  XELSOX.  [1798. 

He  himself  saw  at  that  time  the  character  of  the 
Neapolitan  court,  as  it  first  struck  an  Englishman, 
in  its  true  light :  and  when  he  was  on  the  way,  he 
declared  that  he  detested  the  voyage  to  Naples,  and 
tiiat  nothing  but  necessity  could  have  forced  him  to 
it.  But  never  was  any  hero,  on  his  return  from 
victory,  welcomed  with  more  heartfelt  joy.  Before 
the  battle  of  Aboukir  the  court  of  Naples  had  been 
trembling  for  its  existence.  The  language  which 
the  directory  held  towards  it,  was  well  described  by 
Sir  William  Hamilton,  as  being  exactly  the  lan- 
guage of  a  highwayman.  The  Neapolitans  were 
told,  that  Benevento  might  be  added  to  their  do- 
minions, provided  they  would  pay  a  large  sum, 
sufficient  to  satisfy  the  directory ;  and  they  were 
warned,  that  if  the  proposal  were  refused,  or  even 
if  there  were  any  delay  in  accepting  it,  the  French 
would  revolutionize  all  Italy.  The  joy,  therefore, 
of  the  court,  at  Nelson's  success,  was  in  proportion 
to  the  dismay  from  which  that  success  relieved 
them.  The  queen  was  a  daughter  of  Maria  Theresa, 
and  sister  of  Marie  Antoinette.  Had  she  been  the 
wisest  and  gentlest  of  her  sex,  it  would  not  have 
been  possible  for  her  to  have  regarded  the  French 
without  hatred  and  horror :  and  the  progress  of 
revolutionary  opinions,  while  it  perpetually  reminded 
her  of  her  sister's  fate,  excited  no  unreasonable  ap- 
prehensions for  her  own.  Her  feelings,  naturally 
ardent,  and  little  accustomed  to  restraint,  were  ex- 
cited to  the  highest  pitch  when  the  news  of  the 
victory  arrived.  Lady  Hamilton,  her  constant  friend 
and  favourite,  who  was  present,  says,  '*  It  is  not 
possible  to  describe  her  transports :  she  wept,  she 
kissed  her  husband,  her  children,  walked  franticly 


1798.]  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  171 

about  the  room,  burst  into  tears  again,  and  again 
kissed  and  embraced  every  person  near  her ;  ex- 
claiming, '  O  brave  Nelson !  O  God !  bless  and 
protect  our  brave  deliverer !  O  Nelson  !  Nelson  ! 
what  do  we  not  ovv'e  you !  O  conqueror — saviour  of 
Italy  !  O  that  my  swoln  heart  could  now  tell  him 
personally  what  we  owe  to  him.' "  She  herself  wrote 
to  the  Neapolitan  ambassador  at  London  upon  the 
occasion,  in  terms  which  show  the  fulness  of  her 
joy,  and  the  height  of  the  hopes  which  it  had  ex- 
cited. "  I  wish  I  could  give  wings,"  said  she, 
"  to  the  bearer  of  the  news,  and,  at  the  same  time, 
to  our  most  sincere  gratitude.  The  whole  of  the 
sea-coast  of  Italy  is  saved ;  and  this  is  owing  alone 
to  the  generous  English.  This  battle,  or  to  speak 
more  correctly,  this  total  defeat  of  the  regicide 
squadron,  was  obtained  by  the  valour  of  this  brave 
admiral,  seconded  by  a  navy  which  is  the  terror  of 
its  enemies.  The  victory  is  so  complete,  that  I  can 
still  scarcely  believe  it :  and  if  it  were  not  the 
brave  English  nation,  which  is  accustomed  to  per- 
form prodigies  by  sea,  I  could  not  persuade  myself 
that  it  had  happened.  It  would  have  moved  you 
to  have  seen  all  my  children,  boys  and  girls,  hang- 
ing on  my  neck,  and  crying  for  joy  at  the  happy 
news. — Recommend  the  hero  to  his  master  :  he  has 
filled  the  whole  of  Italy  with  admiration  of  the 
English,  Great  hopes  were  entertained  of  some 
advantages  being  gained  by  his  bravery,  but  no 
one  could  look  for  so  total  a  destruction.  All  here 
are  drunk  with  joy." 

Such  being  the  feelings  of  the  royal  family,  it 
may  well  be  supposed  with  what  delight,  and  with 
what  honours,  Nelson  would  be  welcomed.     Early 


172  LIFE  OF  NELSOX.  [1798. 

on  the  22d  of  September,  the  poor  wretched  Van- 
guard, as  he  called  his  shattered  vessel,  appeared 
in  sight  of  Naples.     The  CuUoden  and  Alexander 
had  preceded  her  by  some  days,  and  given  notice 
of  her  approach.    Many  hundred  boats  and  barges 
were  ready  to  go  forth  and  meet  him,  with  music 
and  streamers,  and  every  demonstration  of  joy  and 
triumph.     Sir  William  and  Lady  Hamilton  led  the 
way  in  their  state  barge.     They  had  seen  Nelson 
only  for  a  few  days,  four  years  ago,  but  they  then 
perceived  in  him  that  heroic  spirit  which  was  now 
so  fully  and  gloriously  manifested  to  the  world. 
Emma   Lady   Hamilton,  who  from  this  time  so 
greatly  influenced  his  future  life,  was  a  woman 
whose  personal  accomplishments  have  seldom  been 
equalled,  and  whose  powers  of  mind  were  not  less 
fascinating  than  her  person.    She  was  passionately 
attached  to  the  queen:  and  by  her  influence  the 
British  fleet  had  obtained  those  supplies  at  Syra- 
cuse, without  which.  Nelson  always  asserted,  the 
battle  of  Aboukir  could   not  have  beeu   fought. 
During  the  long  interval  which  passed  before  any 
tidings  were  received,  her  anxiety  had  been  hardly 
less  than  that  of  Nelson  himself,  while  pursuing 
an  enemy  of  whom  he  could  obtain  no  informa- 
tion :  and  when  the  tidings  were  brought  her  by  a 
joyful  bearer,  open-mouthed,  its  effect  was  such, 
that  she  fell  like  one  who  had  been  shot.    She  and 
Sir  William  had  literally  been  made   ill  by  their 
hopes,  and  fears,  and  joy  at  a  catastrophe  so  far 
exceeding  all  that  they  had  dared  to  hope  for. 
Their  admiration  for  the  hero  necessarily  produced 
a  degree  of  proportionate  gratitude  and  affection ; 
and  when  their  barge  came  alongside  t.he  Van- 


1798.]  LIFE  OF  NELSO>^  173 

guard,  at  the  sight  of  Nelson,  Lady  Hamilton 
sprang  up  the  ship's  side,  and  exclaiming,  "  O 
God !  is  it  possible !"  fell  into  his  arms,  more,  he 
says,  like  one  dead  than  alive.  He  described  the 
meeting  as  "  terribly  affecting."  These  friends 
had  scarcely  recovered  from  their  tears,  when  the 
king,  who  went  out  to  meet  him  three  leagues  in 
the  royal  barge,  came  on  board  and  took  him  by 
the  hand,  calling  him  his  deliverer  and  preserver  ; 
from  all  the  boats  around  he  was  saluted  with 
the  same  appellations ;  the  multitude  who  sur- 
rounded him  when  he  landed,  repeated  the  same 
enthusiastic  cries;  and  the  lazzaroni  displayed 
their  joy  by  holding  up  birds  in  cages,  and  giving 
them  their  liberty  as  he  passed. 

His  birth-day,  which  occurred  a  week  after  his 
arrival,  was  celebrated  with  one  of  the  most  splen- 
did fetes  ever  beheld  at  Naples.  But,  notwith- 
standing the  splendour  with  which  he  was  encir- 
cled, and  the  flattering  honours  with  which  all 
ranks  welcomed  him.  Nelson  was  fully  sensible  of 
the  depravity,  as  well  as  weakness,  of  those  by 
whom  he  was  surrounded.  "  What  precious  ino- 
ments,"  said  he,  "  the  courts  of  Naples  and  Vien- 
na are  losing  !  Three  months  would  liberate  Italy  ! 
but  this  court  is  so  enervated,  that  the  happy  mo- 
ment will  be  lost.  I  am  very  unwell ;  and  their 
miserable  conduct  is  not  likely  to  cool  my  irritable 
temper.  It  is  a  country  of  fiddlers  and  poets, 
whores  and  scoundrels."  This  sense  of  their  ruin- 
ous weakness  he  always  retained  ;  nor  was  he  ever 
blind  to  the  mingled  folly  and  treachery  of  the 
Neapolitan  ministers,  and  the  complication  of  ini- 
cjuities  under  which  the  country  groaned :  but  he 


174  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  [1798. 

insensibly,  under  the  influence  of  Lady  Hamilton, 
formed  an  affection  for  the  court,  to  whose  mis- 
government  the  miserable  condition  of  the  country 
was  so  greatly  to  be  imputed.  By  the  kindness  of 
her  nature,  as  well  as  by  her  attractions,  she  had 
won  his  heart.  Earl  St.  Vincent,  writing  to  her  at 
this  time,  says,  "  Ten  thousand  most  grateful 
thanks  are  due  to  your  ladyship  for  restoring  the 
health  of  our  invaluable  friend  Nelson,  on  whose 
life  the  fate  of  the  remaining  governments  in  Eu- 
rope, whose  system  has  not  been  deranged  by  these 
devils,  depends.  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."  But  this  was  addressed  to  the  very 
person  from  whom  he  was  in  danger. 

The  state  of  Naples  may  be  described  in  few 
words.  The  king  was  one  of  the  Spanish  Bour- 
bons. As  the  Caesars  have  shown  us  to  what 
wickedness  the  moral  nature  of  princes  may  be 
perverted,  so  in  this  family,  the  degradation  to 
which  their  intellectual  nature  can  be  reduced,  has 
been  not  less  conspicuously  evinced.  Ferdinand, 
like  the  rest  of  his  race,  was  passionately  fond  of 
field  sports,*  and  cared  for  nothing  else.      His 

•  Sir  William  Hamilton's  letters  give  the  history  of  one  of 
this  sovereign's  campaigns  against  the  wolves  and  boars. 
"  Our  first  chase  has  not  succeeded  ;  tlie  king  would  direct 
how  we  should  beat  the  wood,  and  began  at  the  wrong  end,  by 
which  the  wolves  and  boars  escaped.  The  king's  face  is  very 
long  at  this  moment,  but,  I  dare  say,  to-morrow's  good  sport 
will  shorten  it  again." — "  No  sport  again  !  He  has  no  other 
comfort  to-day,  than  having  killed  a  wild  cat,  and  his  face  is 
a  yard  long.  However,  his  majesty  has  vowed  vengeance  on 
the  boars  to-morrow,  and  will  go  according  to  his  own  fancy. 


1798.]  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  175 

queen  had  all  the  vices  of  the  house  of  Austria, 
with  little  to  mitigate,  and  nothing-  to  ennoble  them  ; 
— provided  she  could  have  her  pleasures,  and  the 
king  his  sports,  they  cared  not  in  what  manner 
the  revenue  was  raised  or  administered.  Of  course 
a  system  of  favouritism  existed  at  court,  and  the 
vilest  and  most  impudent  corruption  prevailed  in 
every  department  of  state,  and  in  every  branch  of 
administration,  from  the  highest  to  the  lowest.  It 
is  only  the  institutions  of  Christianity,  and  the 
vicinity  of  better  regulated  states,  which  prevent 
kingdoms,  under  such  circumstances  of  misrule, 
from  sinking  into  a  barbarism  like  that  of  Turkey. 
A  sense  of  better  things  was  kept  alive  in  some  of 

and  I  dare  say  there  will  be  a  terrible  slaughter." — "  To-day 
has  been  so  tlioroughly  bad  that  we  have  not  been  able  to  stir 
out,  and  the  king,  of  course,  in  bad  humour." — "  The  king 
has  killed  twenty-one  boars  to-day,  and  is  quite  happy." — 
"  We  have  had  a  miserable  cold  day,  but  good  sport.  I  killed 
two  boars  and  a  doe  ;  the  king  nineteen  boars,  two  stags,  two 
does,  and  a  porcupine.  He  is  happy  beyond  expression." — 
"  Only  think  of  his  not  being  satisfied  with  killing  more  than 
thirty  yesterday  !  He  said,  if  the  wind  had  favoured  him,  he 
should  have  killed  sixty  at  least." — "  The  king  has  killed 
eighty-one  animals  of  one  sort  or  other  to-day,  and  amongst 
them  a  wolf  and  some  stags.  He  fell  asleep  in  the  coach  : 
and  waking,  told  me  he  had  been  dreaming  of  shooting.  One 
would  have  thought  he  had  shed  blood  enough." — "  It  is  a 
long-faced  day  with  the  king.  We  went  far  ;  the  weather  was 
bad  ;  and,  after  all,  met  wdth  little  or  no  game.  Yesterday, 
when  we  brought  home  all  we  killed,  it  filled  the  house  com- 
pletely, and  to-day  they  are  obliged  to  whitewash  the  walls  to 
take  away  the  blood.  There  were  more  than  four  hundred 
boars,  deer,  stags  and  all.  To-morrow  we  are  to  have  another 
slaughter ;  and  not  a  word  of  reason  or  common  sense  do  I 
meet  with  the  whole  day,  till  1  retire  to  my  volumes  of  the 
old  Gentleman's  Magazine,  which  just  keeps  my  mind  from 
starving. 


176  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  [1798. 

the  Neapolitans  by  literature,  and  by  their  inter- 
course with  happier  countries.  These  persons  na- 
turally looked  to  France,  at  the  commencement  of 
the  revolution ;  and,  during  all  the  horrors  of  that 
revolution,  still  cherished  a  hope,  that,  by  the  aid 
of  France,  they  might  be  enabled  to  establish  a 
new  order  of  things  in  Naples.  They  were  griev- 
ously mistaken  in  supposing  that  the  principles  of 
liberty  would  ever  be  supported  by  France,  but 
they  were  not  mistaken  in  believing  that  no  govern- 
ment could  be  worse  than  their  own  ;  and,  there- 
fore, they  considered  any  change  as  desirable.  In 
this  opinion  men  of  the  most  different  characters 
agreed.  Many  of  the  nobles,  ■who  were  not  in 
favour,  wished  for  a  revolution  that  they  might  ob- 
tain the  ascendency  to  which  they  thought  them- 
selves entitled  :  men  of  desperate  fortunes  desired 
it,  in  the  hope  of  enriching  themselves ;  knaves 
and  intriguers  sold  themselves  to  the  French,  to 
promote  it;  and  a  few  enlightened  men,  and  true 
lovers  of  their  country,  joined  in  the  same  cause, 
from  the  purest  and  noblest  motives.  All  these 
were  confounded  under  the  common  name  of  Ja- 
cobins ;  and  the  Jacobins  of  the  continental  king- 
doms were  regarded  by  the  English  with  more  hatred 
than  they  deserved.  They  were  classed  with  Phi- 
lippe Egalite,  Marat,  and  Hebert ; — whereas  they 
deserved  rather  to  be  ranked,  if  not  with  Locke, 
and  Sidney,  and  Russel,  at  least  with  Argyle  and 
Monmouth,  and  those  who,  having  the  same  object 
as  the  prime  movers  of  our  own  revolution,  failed 
in  their  premature,  but  not  unworthy  attempt. 

No  circumstances  could  be  more  unfavourable 
to  the  best  interests  of  Europe,  than  those  which 


1798.] 


LIFE  OF  NELSON.  177 


placed  England  in  strict  alliance  with  the  super- 
annuated and  abominable  governments  of  the  con- 
tinent. The  subjects  of  those  governments  who 
wished  for  freedom,  thus  became  enemies  to  Eng- 
land, and  dupes  and  agents  of  France.  They 
looked  to  their  own  grinding  grievances,  and  did 
not  see  the  danger  with  which  the  liberties  of  the 
world  were  threatened  :  England,  on  the  other 
hand,  saw  the  danger  in  its  true  magnitude,  but 
was  blind  to  these  grievances,  and  found  herself 
compelled  to  support  systems  which  had  formerly 
been  equally  the  object  of  her  abhorrence  and  her 
contempt.  This  was  the  state  of  Nelson's  mind  : 
he  knew  that  there  could  be  nt)  peace  for  Europe 
till  the  pride  of  France  was  humbled,  and  her 
strength  broken ;  and  he  regarded  all  those  who 
were  the  friends  of  France  as  traitors  to  the  com- 
mon cause,  as  well  as  to  their  own  individual  sove- 
reigns. There  are  situations  in  which  the  most 
opposite  and  hostile  parties  ms.y  mean  equally  well, 
and  yet  act  equally  wrong.  The  court  of  Naples, 
unconscious  of  committing  any  crime  by  continuing 
the  system  of  misrule  to  which  they  had  succeeded, 
conceived  that,  in  maintaining  things  as  they  were, 
they  were  maintaining  their  own  rights,  and  pre- 
serving the  people  from  such  horrors  as  had  been 
perpetrated  in  France.  The  Neapolitan  revolu- 
tionists thought  that,  without  a  total  change  of 
system,  any  relief  from  the  present  evils  was  im- 
possible, and  they  believed  themselves  justified  in 
bringing  about  that  change  by  any  means.  Both 
parties  knew  that  it  was  the  fixed  intention  of  the 
French  to  revolutionize  Naples.  The  revolutionists 
supposed  that  it  was  for  the  purpose  of  establishing 


178  LIFE  OF  XELSON.  [1798. 

a  free  government :  the  court,  and  all  disinterested 
persons,  were  perfectly  aware  that  the  enemy  had 
no  other  object  than  conquest  and  plunder. 

The  battle  of  the  Nile  shook  the  power  of  France. 
Her  most  successful  general,  and  her  finest  army, 
were  blocked  up  in  Egypt, — hopeless,  as  it  ap- 
peared, of  return ;  and  the  government  was  in  the 
hands  of  men  without  talents,  without  character, 
and  divided  among  themselves.  Austria,  whom 
Buonaparte  had  terrified  into  a  peace,  at  a  time 
when  constancy  on  her  part  would  probably  have 
led  to  his  destruction,  took  advantage  of  the  crisis 
to  renew  the  war.  Russia  also  was  preparing  to 
enter  the  field  with  unbroken  forces ;  led  by  a 
general,  whose  extraordinary  military  genius  would 
have  entitled  him  to  a  high  and  honourable  rank 
in  history,  if  it  had  not  been  sullied  by  all  the 
ferocity  of  a  barbarian.  Naples,  seeing  its  destruc- 
tion at  hand,  and  thinking  that  the  only  means  of 
averting  it  was  by  meeting  the  danger,  after  loni^ 
vacillations,  which  were  produced  by  the  fears  and 
weakness  and  treachery  of  its  council,  agreed  at 
last  to  join  this  new  coalition  with  a  numerical 
force  of  eighty  thousand  men.  Nelson  told  the 
king,  in  plain  terms,  that  he  had  his  choice,  either 
to  advance,  trusting  to  God  for  his  blessing  on  a 
just  cause,  and  prepared  to  die  sword  in  hand, — or 
to  remain  quiet,  and  be  kicked  out  of  his  kingdom  : 
— one  of  these  things  must  happen.  The  king 
made  answer,  he  would  go  on,  and  trust  fn  God 
and  Nelson;  and  Nelson,  who  would  else  have 
returned  to  Egypt,  for  the  purpose  of  destroying 
the  French  shipping  in  Alexandria,  gave  up  his 
intention  at  the  desire  of  the  Neapolitan  court,  and 


1798.]  LIFE  OF  NELSOX.  179 

resolved  to  remain  on  that  station,  in  the  hope  that 
he  might  be  useful  to  the  movements  of  the  army. 
He  suspected  also,  with  reason,  that  the  continu- 
ance of  his  fleet  was  so  earnestly  requested,  because 
the  royal  family  thought  their  persons  would  be 
safer,  in  case  of  any  mishap,  under  the  British  flag, 
than  under  their  own. 

His  first  object  was  the  recovery  of  Malta ;  an. 
island  which  the  King  of  Naples  pretended  to  claim. 
The  Maltese,  whom  the  villainous  knights  of  their 
order  had  betrayed  to  France,  had  taken  up  arms 
against  their  rapacious  invaders,  with  a  spirit  and 
unanimity  worthy  the  highest  praise.    They  block- 
aded the  French  garrison  by  land,  and  a  small 
squadron,  under  Capt.  Ball,  began  to  blockade 
them  by  sea,  on  the  12th  of  October.     Twelve  days 
afterward  Nelson  arrived,  "  It  is  as  I  suspected," 
he  says :  "  the  ministers  at  Naples  know  nothing 
of  the  situation  of  the  island.     Not  a  house  or 
bastion  of  the  town  is  in  possession  of  the  islanders  : 
and  the  Marquis  de  Niza  tells  us,  they  want  arms, 
victuals,  and  support.    He  does  not  know  that  any 
Neapolitan  officers  are  in  the  island  ;  perhaps,  al- 
though I  have  their  names,  none  are  arrived ;  and 
it  is  very  certain,  by  the  marquis's  account,  that 
no  supplies  have  been  sent  by  the  governors  of 
Syracuse  or  Messina."     The  little  island  of  Gozo, 
dependent  upon  Malta,  which  had  also  been  seized 
and   garrisoned  by  the  French,  capitulated   soon 
after  his  arrival,  and  was  taken  possession  of  by 
the  British,  in  the  name  of  his  Sicilian  Majesty, — 
a  power  who  had  no  better  claim  to  it  than  France. 
Havmg  seen  this  effected,  and  reinforced  Capt. 
Ball,  he  left  that  able  officer  to  perform  a  most 


180  LIFE  OF  N-EI-SOV.  [1798. 

arduous  and  important  part,  and  returned  himself 
to  co-operate  with  the  intended  movements  of  the 
Neapolitans. 

General  Mack  was  at  the  head  of  the  Neapolitan 
troops : — all  that  is  now  doubtful  concerning  this 
man  is,  whether  he  was  a  coward  or  a  traitor : — at 
that  time  he  was  assiduously  extolled  as  a  most 
consummate  commander,  to  whom  Europe  might 
look  for  deliverance  :  and  when  he  was  introduced 
by  the  king  and  queen  to  the  British  admiral,  the 
queen  said  to  him,  "  Be  to  us  by  land,  general, 
what  my  hero  Nelson  has  been  by  sea."  Mack, 
on  his  part,  did  not  fail  to  praise  the  force  which 
he  was  appointed  to  command  :  "  It  was,"  he  said, 
"  the  finest  army  in  Europe."  Nelson  agreed  with 
him  that  there  could  not  be  finer  men  :  but  when 
the  general,  at  a  review,  so  directed  the  operations 
of  a  mock  fight,  that,  by  an  unhappy  blunder,  his 
own  troops  were  surrounded  instead  of  those  of  the 
enemy,  he  turned  to  his  friends,  and  exclaimed,  with 
bitterness,  that  the  fellow  did  not  understand  his 
business.  Another  circumstance,  not  less  charac- 
teristic, confirmed  Nelson  in  his  judgment.  "  Ge- 
neral Mack,"  said  he,  in  one  of  his  letters,  "  can- 
not move  without  five  carriages  !  I  have  formed  my 
opinion.     I  heartily  pray  I  may  be  mistaken." 

While  Mack,  at  the  head  of  thirty-two  thousand 
men,  marched  into  the  Roman  state,  five  thousand 
Neapolitans  were  embarked  on  board  the  British 
and  Portuguese  squadron,  to  take  possession  of  Leg- 
horn. This  was  effected  without  opposition ;  and 
the  Grand  Duke  of  Tuscany,  whose  neutrality  had 
been  so  outrageously  violated  by  the  French,  was 
better  satisfied  with  the  measure  than  some  of  the 


1798.]  LIFE  OF  NELSON".  181 

Neapolitans  themselves.      Naselli,   their   general, 
refused   to  seize   the  French  vessels  at  Leghorn, 
because  he,  and  the   Duke  di  Sangro,  who  was 
ambassador  at  the  Tuscan  court,  maintained  that 
the  King  of  Naples  was  not  at  war  with  France. 
"  What !"    said  Nelson,   "  has  not  the  king  re- 
ceived, as  a  conquest  made  by  him,  the  republican 
flag  taken  at  Gozo  ?     Is  not  his  own  flag  flying 
there,  and  at  Malta,  not  only  by  his  permission, 
but  by  his  order  ?     Is  not  his  flag  shot  at  every 
day  by  the  French,  and  their  shot  returned  from 
batteries  which  bear  that  flag  ?    Are  not  two  fri- 
gates and  a  corvette  placed  under  my  orders  ready 
to  fight  the  French,  meet  them  where  they  may  ? 
Has  not  the  king  sent  publicly  from  Naples,  guns, 
mortars,  &c.  with  officers  and  artillery,  against  the 
French  in  Malta  ?  If  these  acts  are  not  tantamount 
to  any  written  paper,  I  give  up  all  knowledge  of 
what  is  war."     This  reasoning  was  of  less  avail 
than  argument  addressed  to  the  general's  fears. — 
Nelson  told  him,  that  if  he  permitted  the  many 
hundred  French  who  were  then  in  the  mole  to  re- 
main neutral,  till  they  had  a  fair  opportunity  of 
being  active,  they  had  one   sure   resource,  if  all 
other  schemes  failed,  which  was  to  set  one  vessel 
on  fire  ;  the  mole  would  be  destroyed,  probably  the 
I   town  also ;  and  the  port  ruined  for  twenty  years. 
!  This  representation  made  Naselli  agree  to  the  half 
i  measure  of  laying  an  embargo  on  the  vessels  ; — 
I  among  them  were  a  great  number  of  French  pri- 
!  vateers,  some  of  which  were  of  such  force  as  to 
I  threaten  the  greatest  mischief  to  our  commerce, 
'  and  about  seventy  sail  of  vessels  belonging  to  the 
Ligurian  republic,  as  Genoa  was  now  called,  laden 

T 


182  LIFE  OF  NELSOX.  [1798. 

with  corn,  and  ready  to  sail  for  Genoa  and  France; 
where  their  arrival  would  have  expedited  the  en- 
trance of  more  French  troops  into  Italy.  "  The 
general,"  said  Nelson,  "  saw,  I  believe,  the  conse- 
quence of  permitting;  these  vessels  to  depart  in  the 
same  light  as  myself:  but  there  is  this  difference 
between  us :  he  prudently,  and  certainly  safely, 
waits  the  orders  of  his  court,  taking  no  responsibi- 
lity upon  himself;  I  act  from  the  circumstances  of 
the  moment,  as  I  feel  may  be  most  advantageous  for 
the  cause  which  I  serve,  taking  all  responsibility 
on  myself."  It  was  in  vain  to  hope  for  any  thing 
vigorous  or  manly  from  such  men  as  Nelson  was 
compelled  to  act  with.  The  crews  of  the  French 
ships  and  their  allies  were  ordered  to  depart  in  two 
days.  Four  days  elapsed,  and  nobody  obeyed  the 
order ;  nor,  in  spite  of  the  representations  of  the 
British  minister,  Mr.  Wyndham,  were  any  means 
taken  to  enforce  it : — the  true  Neapolitan  shuffle, 
as  Nelson  called  it,  took  place  on  all  occasions. 
After  an  absence  of  ten  days,  he  returned  to  Na- 
ples :  and  receiving  intelligence  there,  from  Mr. 
AVyndham,  that  the  privateers  were  at  last  to  be 
disarmed,  the  corn  landed,  and  the  crews  sent  away, 
he  expressed  his  satisfaction  at  the  news  in  charac- 
teristic language,  saying,  "  So  far  I  am  content. 
The  enemy  will  be  distressed  ;  and,  thank  God,  I 
shall  get  no  money.  The  world,  I  know,  think 
that  money  is  our  god  ;  and  now  they  will  be  un- 
deceived as  far  as  relates  to  us.  Down,  down 
with  the  French !  is  my  constant  prayer." 

Odes,  sonnets,  and  congratulatory  poems,  of 
every  description,  were  poured  in  upon  Nelson,  on 
•his  arrival  at  Naples.     An  Irish  Franciscan,  who 


1798.]  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  183 

was  one  of  the  poets,  not  being;  content  with  pane- 
gyric upon  this  occasion,  ventured  upon  a  flight 
oi" prophecy,  and  predicted,  that  Lord  Nelson  would 
take  Rome  with  his  ships.  His  Lordship  re- 
minded Father  M'Cormick,  that  ships  could  not 
ascend  the  Tiber  :  but  the  father,  who  had  pro- 
bably forgotten  this  circumstance,  met  the  objec- 
tion with  a  bold  front,  and  declared  he  saw  that  it 
would  come  to  pass  notwithstanding.  Rejoicings 
of  this  kind  were  of  short  duration.  The  King  of 
Naples  was  with  the  army  which  had  entered  Rome  ; 
but  the  castle  of  St.  Angelo  was  held  by  the  French, 
and  thirteen  thousand  French  were  strongly  posted 
in  the  Roman  states  at  Castallana.  Mack  had 
marched  against  them  with  twenty  thousand  men. 
Nelson  saw  that  the  event  was  doubtful ; — or  rather 
that  there  could  be  very  little  hope  of  the  result. 
But  the  immediate  fate  of  Naples,  as  he  well  knew, 
hung  upon  the  issue.  "  If  Mack  is  defeated,"  said 
he,  "  in  fourteen  days  this  country  is  lost;  for  the 
emperor  has  not  yet  moved  his  army,  and  Naples 
has  not  the  power  of  resisting  the  enemy.  It  was 
not  a  case  for  choice,  but  of  necessity,  which  in- 
duced the  king  to  march  out  of  his  kingdom,  and 
not  wait  till  the  French  had  collected  a  force  suffi- 
cient to  drive  him  out  of  it  in  a  week."  He  had  no 
reliance  upon  the  Neapolitan  officers;  who,  as  he 
described  them,  seemed  frightened  at  a  drawn 
sword  or  a  loaded  gun  ;  and  he  was  perfectly  aware 
of  the  consequences  which  the  sluggish  movements 
and  deceitful  policy  of  the  Austrians  were  likely  to 
bring  down  upon  themselves,  and  all  their  conti- 
nental allies.  "  A  delayed  war  on  the  part  of  the 
emperor,"  said  he,  writing  to  the  British  minister 


184  LIFE  OF  NELSOX.  [1793. 

at  Vienna,  "  will  be  destructive  to  this  monarchy 
of  Naples  ;  and,  of  course,  to  the  newly-acquired 
dominions  of  the  emperor  in  Italy.  Had  the  war 
commenced  in  September  or  October,  all  Italy 
would,  at  this  moment,  have  been  liberated.  This 
month  is  worse  than  the  last :  the  next  will  render 
the  contest  doubtful ;  and,  in  six  months,  when 
the  Neapolitan  republic  will  be  organized,  armed, 
and  with  its  numerous  resources  called  forth,  the 
emperor  will  not  only  be  defeated  in  Italy,  but  will 
totter  on  his  throne  at  Vienna.  Down,  down  with 
the  French  !  ought  to  be  written  in  the  council- 
room  of  every  country  in  the  world  :  and  may 
Almighty  God  give  right  thoughts  to  every  sove- 
reign, is  my  constant  prayer  !"  His  perfect  fore- 
sight of  the  immediate  event  was  clearly  shown  in 
this  letter,  when  he  desired  the  ambassador  to 
assure  the  empress,  (who  was  a  daughter  of  the 
house  of  Naples)  that,  notwithstanding  the  councils 
which  had  shaken  the  throne  of  her  father  and 
mother,  he  would  remain  there,  ready  to  save  their 
persons,  and  her  brothers  and  sisters  ;  and  that  he 
had  also  left  ships  at  Leghorn,  to  save  the  lives  of 
the  grand  duke  and  her  sister  :  "  For  all,"  said  he, 
"  must  be  a  republic,  if  the  emperor  does  not  act 
with  expedition  and  vigour." 

His  fears  were  soon  verified.  "  The  Neapolitan 
officers,"  said  Nelson,  "  did  not  lose  much  honour, 
for  God  knows  they  had  not  much  to  lose ;  but 
they  lost  all  they  had."  General  St.  Philip  com- 
manded the  right  wing,  of  nineteen  thousand  men. 
He  fell  in  with  three  thousand  of  the  enemy  ;  and, 
as  soon  as  he  came  near  enough,  deserted  to  them. 
One  of  his  men  had  virtue  enough  to  level  a  nius- 


1798.]  LIFE  OF  XELSOX.  185 

ket  at  him,  and  shot  him  through  the  arm ;  but 
the  wound  was  not  sufficient  to  prevent  him  from 
joining  with  the  French  in  pursuit  of  his  own  coun- 
trymen. Cannon,  tents,  baggage,  and  miUtary 
chest,  were  all  forsaken  by  the  runaways,  though 
they  lost  only  forty  men  :  for  the  French,  having 
put  them  to  flight,  and  got  possession  of  every  thing, 
did  not  pursue  an  army  of  more  than  three  times 
their  own  number.  The  main  body  of  the  Neapo- 
litans, under  Mack,  did  not  behave  better.  The 
king  returned  to  Naples,  where  every  day  brought 
with  it  the  tidings  of  some  new  disgrace  from  the 
army,  and  the  discovery  of  some  new  treachery  at 
home  ;  till,  four  days  after  his  return,  the  general 
sent  him  advice,  that  there  was  no  prospect  of 
stopping  the  progress  of  the  enemy,  and  that  the 
royal  family  must  look  to  their  own  personal  safety. 
The  state  of  the  public  mind  at  Naples  was  such, 
at  this  time,  that  neither  the  British  minister,  nor 
the  British  admiral,  thought  it  prudent  to  appear  at 
court.  Their  motions  were  watched  ;  and  the  re- 
volutionists had  even  formed  a  plan  for  seizing  and 
detaining  them  as  hostages,  to  prevent  any  attack 
on  the  city  after  the  French  should  have  taken 
possession  of  it.  A  letter,  which  Nelson  addressed 
at  this  time  to  the  first  lord  of  the  admiralty,  shows 
in  what  manner  he  contemplated  the  possible  issue 
of  the  storm.  It  was  in  these  words  : — "  My  dear 
lord,  There  is  an  old  saying,  that  when  things  are 
at  the  worst  they  must  mend : — now  the  mind  of 
man  cannot  fancy  things  worse  than  they  are  here. 
But,  thank  God  !  my  health  is  better,  my  mind  never 
firmer,  and  my  heart  in  the  right  trim  to  comfort, 
relieve,  and  protect  those  whom  it  is  my  duty  to 


186  LIFE  OF  NELSOX.  [1798. 

afford  assistance  to.  Pray,  my  lord,  assure  our 
graf'ious  sovereign,  that,  while  I  live,  I  will  support 
his  glory  ;  and  that,  if  I  fall,  it  shall  be  in  a  manner 
worthy  of  your  lordship's  faithful  and  obliged 
Nelson.  I  must  not  write  more.  Every  word  may 
be  a  text  for  a  long  letter." 

Meantime  Lady  Hamilton  arranged  every  thing 
for  the  removal  of  the  royal  family.  This  was 
conducted,  on  her  part,  with  the  greatest  address, 
and  without  suspicion,  because  she  had  been  in 
habits  of  constant  correspondence  with  the  queen. 
It  was  known,  that  the  removal  could  not  be 
effected  without  danger ;  for  the  mob,  and  espe- 
cially the  lazzaroni,  were  attached  to  the  king : 
and  as,  at  this  time,  they  felt  a  natural  presump- 
tion in  their  own  numbers  and  strength,  they  in- 
sisted that  he  should  not  leave  Naples.  Several 
persons  fell  victims  to  their  fury :  among  others 
was  a  messenger  from  Vienna,  whose  body  was 
dragged  under  the  windows  of  the  palace  in  the 
king's  sight.  The  king  and  queen  spoke  to  the 
mob,  and  pacified  them ;  but  it  would  not  have 
been  safe,  while  they  were  in  this  agitated  state, 
to  have  embarked  the  effects  of  the  royal  family 
openly.  Lady  Hamilton,  like  a  heroine  of  modern 
romance,  explored,  with  no  little  danger,  a  sub- 
terraneous passage,  leading  from  the  palace  to  the 
sea-side:  through  this  passage,  tlie  royal  treasures, 
the  choicest  pieces  of  painting  and  sculpture,  and 
other  property,  to  the  amount  of  two  millions  and 
a  half,  were  conveyed  to  the  shore,  and  stowed 
safely  on  board  the  English  ships.  On  the  night 
of  the  21st,  at  half-past  eight,  Nelson  landed, 
brought  out  the  whole  royal  family,  embarked  them 


1799.]  LIFE  OF  NELSOJf.  187 

in  three- barges,  and  carried  them  safely,  through  a 
tremendous  sea,  to  the  Vanguard.  Notice  was 
then  immediately  given  to  the  British  merchants, 
that  they  would  be  received  on  board  any  ship  in  the 
squadron.  Their  property  had  previously  been 
embarked  in  transports.  Two  days  were  passed 
in  the  bay,  for  the  purpose  of  taking  such  persons 
on  board  as  required  an  asylum;  and,  on  thenight 
of  the  23d,  the  fleet  sailed.  The  next  day  a  more 
violent  storm  arose  than  Nelson  had  ever  before 
encountered.  On  the  25th,  the  youngest  of  the 
princes  was  taken  ill,  and  died  in  Lady  Hamilton's 
arms.  During  this  whole  trying  season,  Lady 
Hamilton  waited  upon  the  royal  family  with  the 
zeal  of  the  most  devoted  servant,  at  a  time  when, 
except  one  man,  no  person  belonging  to  the  court 
assisted  them. 

On  the  morning  of  the  26th  the  royal  family 
were  landed  at  Palermo.  It  was  soon  seen  that 
their  flight  had  not  been  premature.  Prince  Pig- 
natelli,  who  had  been  left  as  vicar- general  and 
viceroy,  with  orders  to  defend  the  kingdom  to  the 
last  rock  in  Calabria,  sent  plenipotentiaries  to  the 
French  camp  before  Capua;  and  they,  for  the  sake 
of  saving  the  capital,  signed  an  armistice,  by  which 
the  greater  part  of  the  kingdom  was  given  up  to 
the  enemy :  a  cession  that  necessarily  led  to  the 
loss  of  the  whole.  This  was  on  the  10th  of  Ja- 
nuary. The  French  advanced  towards  Naples. 
Mack,  under  pretext  of  taking  shelter  from  the 
fury  of  the  lazzaroni,  fled  to  the  French  general 
Championet,  who  sent  him  under  an  escort  to 
Milan  :  but,  as  France  hoped  for  farther  services 
from  this  wretched  traitor,  it  was  thought  prudent 


188'  ■'  UFE  OF  NELSOX.  [1799. 

to  treat  him  apparently  as  a  prisoner  of  war.  The 
Neapolitan  army  disappeared  in  a  few  days:  of 
the  men,  some  following  their  officers,  deserted  to 
the  enemy :  the  greater  part  took  the  opportunity 
of  disbanding  themselves.  The  lazzaroni  proved 
true  to  their  country  :  they  attacked  the  enemy's 
advanced  posts,  drove  them  in,  and  were  not  dis- 
pirited by  the  murderous  defeat  which  they  suffered 
from  the  main  body.  Flying  into  the  city,  they 
continued  to  defend  it,  even  after  the  French  had 
planted  their  artillery  in  the  principal  streets.  Had 
there  been  a  man  of  genius  to  have  directed  their 
enthusiasm,  or  had  there  been  any  correspondent 
feelings  in  the  higher  ranks,  Naples  might  have  set 
a  glorious  example  to  Europe,  and  have  proved  the 
grave  of  every  Frenciiman  who  entered  it.  But  the 
vices  of  the  government  had  extinguished  all  other 
patriotism  than  that  of  a  rabble,  who  had  no  other 
virtue  than  that  sort  of  loyalty,  which  was  like  the 
fidelity  of  a  dog  to  its  master.  This  fidelity  the 
French  and  their  adherents  counteracted  by  another 
kind  of  devotion :  the  priests  affirmed,  that  St.  Ja- 
nuarius  had  declared  in  favour  of  the  revolution. 
The  miracle  of  his  blood  was  performed  with  the 
usual  success,  and  more  than  usual  effect,  on  the 
very  evening  when,  after  two  days  of  desperate 
fighting,  the  French  obtained  possession  of  Naples. 
A  French  guard  of  honour  was  stationed  at  his 
church.  Championet  gave,  "  Respect  for  St.  Ja- 
nuarius  !"  as  the  word  for  the  army;  and  the  next 
day  Te  Deum  was  sung  by  the  archbishop,  in  the 
cathedral ;  and  the  inhabitants  were  invited  to  at- 
tend the  ceremony,  and  join  in  thanksgiving  for 
the  glorious  entry  of  the  French ;  who,  it  was  said, 


1799. J  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  189 

being  under  the  peculiar  protection  of  Providence, 
had  regenerated  the  Neapolitans,  and  were  come  to 
establish  and  consolidate  their  happiness. 

It  seems  to  have  been  Nelson's  opinion,  that  the 
Austrian  cabinet  regarded  the  conquest  of  Naples 
with  complacency,  and  that  its  measures  were  di- 
rected so  as  designedly  not  to  prevent  the  French 
from  overrunning  it.  That  cabinet  was,  assuredly 
capable  of  any  folly  and  of  any  baseness  :  and  it  is 
not  improbable  that,  at  this  time,  calculating  upon 
the  success  of  the  new  coalition,  it  indulged  a 
dream  of  adding  extensively  to  its  former  Italian 
possessions ;  and,  therefore,  left  the  few  remaining 
powers  of  Italy  to  be  overthrown,  as  a  means  which 
would  facilitate  its  own  ambitious  views.  The  King 
of  Sardinia,  finding  it  impossible  longer  to  endure 
the  exactions  of  France,  and  the  insults  of  the 
French  commissary,  went  to  Leghorn,  embarked  on 
board  a  Danish  frigate,  and  sailed,  under  British 
protection,  to  Sardinia — that  part  of  his  dominions, 
which  the  maritime  supremacy  of  England  ren- 
dered a  secure  asylum.  On  his  arrival  he  published 
a  protest  against  the  conduct  of  France ;  declaring, 
upon  the  faith  and  word  of  a  king,  that  he  had 
never  infringed,  even  in  the  slightest  degree,  the 
treaties  which  he  had  made  with  the  French  re- 
public. Tuscany  was  soon  occupied  by  French 
troops  :  a  fate  which  bolder  policy  might,  perhaps, 
have  failed  to  avert,  but  which  its  weak  and  timid 
neutrality  rendered  inevitable.  Nelson  began  to 
fear  even  for  Sicily.  "  Oh,  my  dear  sir,"  said  he, 
writing  to  Commodore  Duckworth,  "one  thousand 
English  troops  would  save  Messina, — and  I  fear 
General  Stuart  cannot  give  me  men  to  save  this 


190  LIFE  07  NELSON.  [1799. 

most  important  island!"  But  his  representations 
were  not  lost  upon  Sir  Charles  Stuart :  this  officer 
hastened  immediately  from  Minorca,  with  a  thou- 
sand men,  assisted  in  the  measures  of  defence  which 
were  taken,  and  did  not  return  before  he  had  satis- 
fied himself,  that  if  the  Neapolitans  were  excluded 
from  the  management  of  affairs,  and  the  spirit  of 
the  peasantry  properly  directed,  Sicily  was  safe. 
Before  his  coming,  Nelson  had  offered  the  king,  if 
no  resources  should  arrive,  to  defend  Messina  with 
the  ship's  company  of  an  English  man  of  war. 

Russia  had  now  entered  into  the  war.  Corfu 
surrendered  to  a  Russian  and  Turkish  fleet,  acting 
now,  for  the  first  time,  in  strange  confederacy;  yet 
against  a  power  which  was  certainly  the  common 
and  worst  enemy  of  both.  Trowbridge  having  given 
up  the  blockade  of  Alexandria  to  Sir  Sidney  Smith, 
joined  Nelson,  bringing  with  him  a  considerable 
addition  of  strength  ;  and  in  himself,  what  Nelson 
valued  more,  a  man,  upon  whose  sagacity,  indefa- 
tigable zeal,  and  inexhaustible  resources,  he  could 
place  full  reliance.  Trowbridge  was  intrusted  to 
commence  the  operations  against  the  French  in  the 
bay  of  Naples  : — meantime  Cardinal  Ruffo,  a  man 
of  questionable  character,  but  of  a  temper  fitted 
for  such  times,  having  landed-  in  Calabria,  raised 
what  he  called  a  Christian  army,  composed  of  the 
best  and  the  vilest  materials ;  loyal  peasants,  en- 
thusiastic priests  and  friars,  galley  slaves,  the  emp- 
tying of  the  jails,  and  banditti.  The  islands  in  the 
bay  of  Naples  were  joyfully  delivered  by  the  inha- 
bitants, who  were  in  a  state  of  famine  already^ 
from  the  effect  of  this  baleful  revolution.  Trow- 
bridge distributed  among  them  all  his  flour ;  and 


1799.]  LIFE  OF  KELSON.  191 

Nelson  pressed  the  Sicilian  court  incessantly  for 
supplies;  telling  them,  that  £10,000  given  away 
in  provisions,  would,  at  this  time,  purchase  a  king- 
dom. Money,  he  was  told,  they  had  not  to  give  ; 
and  the  wisdom  and  integrity  which  might  have 
Supplied  its  want,  were  not  to  be  found.  "  There 
is  nothing,"  said  he,  "which  I  propose,  that  is  not 
as  far  as  orders  go,  implicitly  complied  with  :  but 
the  execution  is  dreadful,  and  almost  makes  me 
mad.  My  desire  to  serve  their  majesties  faithfully, 
as  is  my  duty,  has  been  such,  that  I  am  almost 
blind  and  worn  out ;  and  cannot,  in  my  present 
state,  hold  much  longer." 

Before  any  government  can  be  overthrown  by  the 
consent  of  the  people,  the  government  must  be  in- 
tolerably oppressive,  or  the  people  thoroughly  cor- 
rupted. Bad  as  the  misrule  at  Naples  had  been, 
its  consequences  had  been  felt  far  less  there  than  in 
Sicily  ;  and  the  peasantry  had  that  attachment  to 
the  soil,  which  gives  birth  to  so  many  of  the  noblest, 
as  well  as  of  the  happiest  feelings.  In  all  the 
islands  the  people  were  perfectly  frantic  with  joy, 
when  they  saw  the  Neapolitan  colours  hoisted.  At 
Procida,  Trowbridge  could  not  procure  even  a  rag 
of  the  tri-coloured  flag  to  lay  at  the  king's  feet: — 
it  was  rent  into  ten  thousand  pieces  by  the  inhabi- 
tants, and  entirely  destroyed.  "The  horrid  treat- 
ment of  the  French,"  he  said,  "  had  made  them 
mad."  It  exasperated  the  ferocity  of  a  character, 
which  neither  the  laws  nor  the  religion  under  which 
theiy  lived  tended  to  mitigate.  Their  hatred  was 
especially  directed  against  the  Neapolitan  revolu- 
tionists ;  and  the  fishermen,  in  concert  among 
themselves,  chose  each  his  own  victim,  whom  he 


192  LIFE  OF  XELSOX.  [1799. 

would  Stiletto  when  the  day  of  vengeance  should 
arrive.  The  head  of  one  was  sent  off  one  morningr 
to  Trowbridge,  with  his  basket  of  grapes  for  break- 
fast; — and  a  note  from  the  Italian,  who  had,  what 
he  called,  the  glory  of  presenting  it;  saying,  he  had 
killed  the  man  as  he  was  running  away,  and  beg- 
ging his  excellency  to  accept  the  head,  and  consider 
it  as  a  proof  of  the  writer's  attachment  to  the  crown. 
With  the  first  successes  of  the  court  the  work  of 
punishment  began.  The  judge  at  Ischia  said  it 
was  necessary  to  have  a  bishop  to  degrade  the 
traitorous  priests  before  he  could  execute  them  : 
upon  which  Trowbridge  advised  him  to  hang  them 
first,  and  send  them  to  him  afterwards,  if  he  did 
not  think  that  degradation  suflficient.  This  was 
said  with  the  straight-forward  feeling  of  a  sailor, 
who  cared  as  little  for  canon  law  as  he  knew  about 
it :  but  when  he  discovered  that  the  judge's  orders 
were  to  go  through  the  business  in  a  summary  man- 
ner, under  his  sanction,  he  told  him  at  once,  that 
could  not  be,  for  the  prisoners  were  not  British  sub- 
jects; and  he  declined  having  any  thing  to  do  with 
it.  There  were  manifestly  persons  about  the  court, 
who,  while  they  thirsted  for  the  pleasure  of  ven- 
geance, were  devising  how  to  throw  the  odium  of  it 
upon  the  English.  They  wanted  to  employ  an 
English  man  of  war  to  carry  the  priests  to  Palermo, 
for  degradation,  and  then  bring  them  back  for  ex- 
ecution ; — and  they  applied  to  Trowbridge  for  a 
hangman,  which  he  indignantly  refused.  He,  mean- 
time, was  almost  heart-broken  by  the  situation  in 
which  he  found  himself.  He  had  promised  relief 
to  the  islanders,  relying  upon  the  queen's  promise 
to  him.     He  had  distributed  the  whole  of  his  pri- 


1799.]  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  193 

vate  stock, — there  was  plenty  of  grain  at  Palermo, 
and  in  its  neighbourhood,  and  yet  none  was  sent 
him  :  the  enemy,  he  complained,  had  more  interest 
there  than  the  king:  and  the  distress  for  bread, 
which  he  witnessed,  was  such,  he  said,  that  it  would 
move  even  a  Frenchman  to  pity. 

Nelson's  heart  too  was  at  this  time  ashore.  "  To 
tell  you,"  he  says,  writing  to  Lady  Hamilton,  "  how 
.  dreary  and  uncomfortable  the  Vanguard  appears,  is 
only  telling  yovi  what  it  is  to  go  from  the  pleasantest 
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." 

His  mind  was  not  in  a  happier  state  respect- 
ing public    affairs.      "  As  to  politics,"    said   he, 
"  at  this  time  they  are  my  abomination  :  the  minis- 
ters of  kings  and  princes  are  as  great  scoundrels  as 
ever  lived.     The  brother   of  the  emperor  is  just 
going  to  marry  the  great  Something  of  Russia,  and 
it  is  more  than  expected  that  a  kingdom  is  to  be 
found  for  him  in  Italy,  and  that  the  King  of  Naples 
will  be  sacrificed."     Had  there  been  a  wise  and 
manly  spirit  in  the  Italian  states,  or  had  the  con- 
duct of  Austria  been  directed  by  any  thing  like  a 
principle  of  honour,  a  more  favourable  opportunity 
could  not  have  been  desired,  for  restoring  order 
and  prosperity  in  Europe,  than  the  misconduct  of 
the  French  directory  at  this  time  afforded.     But 
Nelson  saw  selfishness  and  knavery  wherever  he 
looked  ;  and  even  the  pleasure  of  seeing  a  cause 
prosper,  in  which  he  was  so    zealously  engaged, 


194  LU'E  OF  NELSOX.  [1799. 

was  poisoned  by  his  sense  of  the  rascality  of  those 
with  whom  he  was  compelled  to  act.  At  this  junc- 
ture intelligence  arrived  that  the  French  fleet  had 
escaped  from  Brest,  under  cover  of  a  fog,  passed 
Cadiz  unseen  by  Lord  Keith's  squadron,  in  hazy 
weather,  and  entered  the  Mediterranean.  It  was 
said  to  consist  of  twenty-four  sail  of  the  line,  six 
frigates,  and  three  sloops.  The  object  of  the  French 
was  to  liberate  the  Spanish  fleet,  form  a  junction 
with  them,  act  against  Minorca  and  Sicily,  and 
overpower  our  naval  force  in  the  Mediterranean,  by 
falling  in  with  detached  squadrons,  and  thus  destroy- 
ing it  in  detail.  When  they  arrived  ofl"  Carthagena, 
they  requested  the  Spanish  ship  to  make  sail  and 
join  ;  but  the  Spaniards  replied,  they  had  not  men 
to  man  them.  To  this  it  was  answered,  that  the 
French  had  men  enough  on  board  for  that  purpose. 
But  the  Spaniards  seem  to  have  been  apprehensive 
of  delivering  up  their  ships  thus  entirely  into  the 
power  of  such  allies,  and  refused  to  come  out.  The 
fleet  from  Cadiz,  however,  consisting  of  from  seven- 
teen to  twenty  sail  of  the  line,  got  out,  under  Ma- 
saredo,  a  man  who  then  bore  an  honourable  name, 
which  he  has  since  rendered  infamous  by  betraying 
his  countrv.  They  met  with  a  violent  storm  ofl' 
the  coast  of  Oran,  which  dismasted  many  of  their 
ships,  and  so  effectually  disabled  them,  as  to  pre- 
vent the  junction,  and  frustrate  a  well-planned 
expedition. 

Before  this  occurred,  and  while  the  junction  was 
as  probable  as  it  would  have  been  formidable. 
Nelson  was  in  a  state  of  the  greatest  anxiety. 
"  What  a  state  am  I  in  !"  said  he  to  Earl  St. 
Vincent.     "  If  I  go,  I  risk,  and  more  than  risk. 


1799.]  I'IFE  OF  NELSON.  19.'5 

Sicily,  for  we  know,  from  experience,  that  more 
depends  upon  opinion  than  upon  acts  themselves  : 
and  as  I  stay,  my  heart  is  breaking."  His  first 
business  was  to  summon  Trowbridge  to  join  him, 
with  all  the  ships  of  the  line  under  his  command, 
and  a  frigate,  if  possible.  Then  hearing  that  the 
French  had  entered  the  Mediterranean,  and  expect- 
ing them  at  Palermo,  where  he  had  only  his  own 
ship  ; — with  that  single  ship  he  prepared  to  make 
all  the  resistance  possible.  Trowbridge  having 
joined  him,  he  left  Capt.  E.  J.  Foote,  of  the  Sea- 
horse, to  command  the  smaller  vessels  in  the  bav 
of  Naples,  and  sailed  with  six  ships;  one  a  Portu- 
guese, and  a  Portuguese  corvette  ;  telling  Earl  St. 
Vincent  that  the  squadron  should  never  fall  into 
the  hands  of  the  enemy  ;  "  And  before  we  are 
destroyed,"  said  he,  "  I  have  little  doubt  but  they 
will  have  their  wings  so  completely  clipped,  that 
they  may  be  easily  overtaken."  It  was  just  at  this 
time  that  he  received  from  Capt.  Hallowell  the 
present  of  the  coffin.  Such  a  present  was  regarded 
by  the  men  with  natural  astonishment  :  one  of  his 
old  shipmatesin  the  Agamemnon  said — "  We  shall 
have  hot  work  of  it  indeed  !  You  see  the  admiral 
intends  to  fight  till  he  is  killed  ;  and  there  he  is  to 
be  buried."  Nelson  placed  it  upright  against  the 
bulkhead  of  his  cabin,  behind  his  chair,  where  he 
sat  at  dinner.  The  gift  suited  him  at  this  time. 
It  is  said  that  he  was  disappointed  in  the  son-in- 
law,  whom  he  had  loved  so  dearly  from  his  child- 
hood, and  who  had  saved  his  life  atTeneriffe :  and 
it  is  certain  that  he  had  now  formed  an  infatuated 
attachment  for  Lady  Hamilton,  which  totally  weaned 
his  affections  from  his  wife.     Farther  than  tlus. 


196  LIFE  OF  XELSOX.  [1799. 

there  is  no  reason  to  believe  tliat  this  most  unfor- 
tunate attachment  was  criminal :  but  this  was  cri- 
minality enough,  and  it  brought  with  it  its  punish- 
ment. Nelson  was  dissatisfied  with  himself;  and, 
therefore,  weary  of  the  world.  This  feeHng  he  now 
frequently  expressed.  "  There  is  no  true  happiness 
in  this  life,"  said  he;  "  and  in  my  present  state  I 
could  quit  it  with  a  smile."  And  in  a  letter  to  his 
old  friend  Davison,  he  said  :  "  Believe  me,  my  only 
wish  is  to  sink  with  honour  into  the  grave  ;  and- 
when  that  shall  please  God,  I  shall  meet  death 
with  a  smile.  Not  that  I  am  insensible  to  the 
honours  and  riches  my  king  and  country  have 
heaped  upon  me, — so  much  more  than  any  officer 
could  deserve ;  yet  am  I  ready  to  quit  this  world 
of  trouble,  and  envy  none  but  those  of  the  estate 
six  feet  by  two." 

Well  had  it  been  for  Nelson  if  he  had  made  no 
other  sacrifices  to  this  unhappy  attachment  than 
his  peace  of  mind  ;  but  it  led  to  the  only  blot  upon 
his  public  character.  While  he  sailed  from  Pa- 
lermo, with  the  intention  of  collecting  his  whole 
force,  and  keeping  off  Maretimo,  either  to  receive 
reinforcements  there,  if  the  French  were  bound 
upwards,  or  to  hasten  to  Minorca,  if  that  should 
be  their  destination ;  Capt.  Foote,  in  the  Sea- 
horse, with  the  Neapolitan  frigates,  and  some  small 
vessels,  under  his  command,  was  left  to  act  with 
a  land  force  consisting  of  a  few  regular  troops,  of 
four  different  nations,  and  with  the  armed  rabble 
which  Cardinal  Ruffo,  called  the  Christian  army. 
His  directions  were  to  co-operate  to  the  titmost  of 
his  power  wilh  the  royalists,  at  whose  head  Ruffo 
had  been  placed,  and  he  had  no  other  instructions 


1799.]  LIFE  OF  XELSON.  197 

whatever.  RufFo  advancing,  without  any  plan, 
but  relying  upon  the  enemy's  want  of  numbers, 
which  prevented  them  from  attempting  to  act  upon 
the  offensive,  and  ready  to  take  advantage  of  any 
accident  which  might  occur,  approached  Naples. 
Fort  St.  Elmo,  which  commands  the  town,  was 
wholly  garrisoned  by  the  French  troops  ;  the  castles 
of  Uovo  and  Nuovo,  which  commanded  the  an- 
chorage, were  chiefly  defended  by  Neapolitan  revo- 
lutionists, the  powerful  men  among  them  having 
taken  shelter  there.  If  these  castles  were  taken, 
the  reduction  of  Fort  St.  Elmo  would  be  greatly 
expedited.  They  were  strong  places,  and  there 
was  reason  to  apprehend  that  the  French  fleet 
might  arrive  to  relieve  them.  RufFo  proposed  to 
the  garrison  to  capitulate,  on  condition  that  their 
persons  and  property  should  be  guaranteed,  and 
that  they  should,  at  their  own  option,  either  be 
sent  to  Toulon,  or  remain  at  Naples,  without  being 
molested  either  in  their  persons  or  families.  This 
capitulation  was  accepted  :  it  was  signed  by  the 
cardinal,  and  the  Russian  and  Turkish  comman- 
ders ;  and,  lastly,  by  Capt.  Foote,  as  commander 
of  the  British  force.  About  six  and  thirty  hours 
afterwards  Nelson  arrived  in  the  bay,  with  a  force, 
which  had  joined  him  during  his  cruise,  consisting 
of  seventeen  sail  of  the  line,  with  seventeen  hun- 
dred troops  on  board,  and  the  prince  royal  of 
Naples  in  the  admiral's  ship.  A  flag  of  truce  was 
flying  on  the  castles,  and  on  board  the  Seahorse. 
Nelson  made  a  signal  to  annul  the  treaty;  de- 
claring that  he  would  grant  rebels  no  other  terras 
than  those  of  unconditional  submission.  The  car- 
dinal objected  to  this  :  nor  could  all  the  arguments 

u 


198  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  [1799. 

of  Nelson,  Sir  W.  Hamilton,  and  Lady  Hamilton, 
who  took  an  active  part  in  the  conference,  con- 
vince him  that  a  treaty  of  such  a  nature,  solemnly 
concluded,  could  honourably  be  set  aside.  He  " 
retired  at  last,  silenced  by  Nelson's  authority,  but 
not  convinced.  Capt.  Foote  was  sent  out  of  the 
bay ;  and  the  garrisons,  taken  out  of  the  castles, 
under  pretence  of  carrying  the  treaty  into  effect, 
were  delivered  over  as  rebels  to  the  vengeance  of 
the  Sicilian  court. — A  deplorable  transaction  !  a 
stain  upon  the  memory  of  Nelson,  and  the  honour 
of  England  !  To  palliate  it  would  be  in  vain  ;  to 
justify  it  woald  be  wicked  :  there  is  no  alternative, 
for  one  who  will  not  make  himself  a  participator  in 
guilt,  but  to  record  the  disgraceful  story  *  with  sor- 
row and  with  shame. 

Prince  Francesco  Caraccioli,  a  younger  branch 
of  one  of  tke  noblest  Neapolitan  families,  escaped 
from  one  of  these  castles  before  it  capitulated.    He 
was  at  the  head  of  the  marine,  and  was  nearly 
seventy  years  of  age,  bearing  a  high  character,      I 
both  for  professional  and  personal  merit.     He  had      | 
iaccompanied  the  court  to  Sicily  ;  but  when  the  re-      [ 
volutionary  government,  or  Parthenopeeau  Repub-      I 
lie,  as  it  was  called,  issued  an  edict,  ordering  all 
absent  Neapolitans  to  return,  on  pain  of  confisca- 
tion of  their  property,  he  solicited  and  obtained 
permission  of  the  king  to  return,  his  estates  being 
very   great.     It   is  said  that  the   king,  when   he 
granted  him  this  permission,  warned  'him  not  to 

"  la  one  of  his  letters  to  Lady  Hamilton,  written  a  few 
months  before  this  fatal  transaction,  Nelson  says,  speaking  of 
the  queen,  "  1  declare  to  God,  my  whole  study  is  how  to  best      , 
meet  her  approbation." 


1799.]  LIFE  OF  NELSOX.  199 

take  any  part  in  politics ;  expressing,  at  the  same 
time,  his  own  persuasion  that  he  should  recover  his 
kingdom.  But  neither  the  king,  nor  he  himself, 
ought  to  have  imagined  that,  in  such  times,  a  man 
of  such  reputation  would  be  permitted  to  remain 
inactive  ;  and  it  soon  appeared  that  Caraccioli  was 
again  in  command  of  the  navy,  and  serving  under 
the  republic  against  his  late  sovereign.  The  sailors 
reported  that  he  was  forced  to  act  thus :  and  this 
was  believed,  till  it  was  seen  that  he  directed  ably 
the  offensive  operations  of  the  revolutionists,  and 
did  not  avail  himself  of  opportunities  for  escaping, 
when  they  offered.  When  the  recovery  of  Naples 
was  evidently  near,  he  applied  to  Cardinal  Ruffo, 
and  to  the  Duke  of  Calvirrano,  for  protection  ;  ex- 
pressing his  hope,  that  the  few  days  during  which 
he  had  been  forced  to  obey  the  French,  would  not 
outweigh  forty  years  of  faithful  services:  —  but, 
perhaps  not  receiving  such  assurances  as  he  wished, 
and  knowing  too  well  the  temper  of  the  Sicilian 
court,  he  endeavoured  to  secrete  himself,  and  a 
price  was  set  upon  his  head.  More  unfortunately 
for  others  than  for  himself,  he  was  brought  in  alive, 
having  been  discovered  in  the  disguise  of  a  pea- 
sant, and  caiTied  one  morning  on  board  Lord  Nel- 
son's ship,  with  his  hands  tied  behind  him. 

Caraccioli  was  well  known  to  the  British  officers, 
and  had  been  ever  highly  esteemed  by  all  who 
knew  him.  Capt.  Hardy  ordered  him  immediately 
to  be  unbound,  and  to  be  treated  with  all  those 
attentions  which  he  felt  due  to  a  man  who,  when 
last  on  board  the  Foudroyant,  had  been  received 
as  an  admiral  and  a  prince.  Sir  William  and 
Lady  Hamilton  were  in  the  ship ;  but  Nelson,  it  is 


200  LIF£  OF  XELSOK.  [1799. 

affirmed,  saw  no  one,  except  his  own  officers, 
during  the  tragedy  which  ensued.  His  own  deter- 
mination was  made ;  and  he  issued  an  order  to  the 
NeapoUtan  commodore,  Count  Thurn,  to  assemble 
a  court-martial  of  Neapolitan  officers,  on  board  the 
British  flag-ship,  proceed  immediately  to  try  the 
prisoner,  and  report  to  him,  if  the  charges  were 
proved,  what  punishment  he  ought  to  suffer.  These 
proceedings  were  as  rapid  as  possible ;  Caraccioli 
was  brought  on  board  at  nine  in  the  forenoon,  and 
the  trial  began  at  ten.  It  lasted  two  hours :  he 
averred  in  his  defence,  that  he  had  acted  under 
compulsion,  having  been  compelled  to  serve  as  a 
common  soldier,  till  he  consented  to  take  com- 
mand of  the  fleet.  This,  the  apologists  of  Lord 
Nelson  say,  he  failed  in  proving.  They  forget 
that  the  possibility  of  proving  it  was  not  allowed 
him ;  for  he  was  brought  to  trial  within  an  hour 
after  he  was  legally  in  arrest ;  and  how,  in  that 
time,  was  he  to  collect  his  witnesses  ?  He  was 
found  guilty,  and  sentenced  to  death  ;  and  Nelson 
gave  orders  that  the  sentence  should  be  carried 
into  effect  that  evening,  at  five  o'clock,  on  board 
the  Sicilian  frigate.  La  Minerva,  by  hanging  him 
at  the  fore-yard-arm  till  sunset ;  when  the  body 
was  to  be  cut  down,  and  thrown  into  the  sea.  Ca- 
raccioli requested  Lieutenant  Parkinson,  under 
whose  custody  he  was  placed,  to  intercede  witli 
Lord  Nelson  for  a  second  trial, — for  this,  among 
other  reasons,  that  Count  Thurn,  who  presided  at 
the  court-martial,  was  notoriously  his  pei"sonal 
enemy.  Nelson  made  answer,  that  the  prisoner 
had  been  fairly  tried  by  the  officers  of  his  own 
country,   and  he  could   not  interfere :    forgetting 


1799.]  '  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  201 

that,  if  he  felt  himself  justified  in  ordering  the 
trial  and  the  execution,  no  human  being  could  ever 
have  questioned  the  propriety  of  his  interfering  on 
the  side  of  mercy.  Caraccioli  then  entreated  that 
he  might  be  shot. — "  I  am  an  old  man,  sir,"  said 
he  :  "I  leave  no  family  to  lament  me,  and  there- 
fore cannot  be  supposed  to  be  very  anxious  about 
prolonging  my  life ;  but  the  disgrace  of  being 
hanged  is  dreadful  to  me."  When  this  was  re- 
peated to  Nelson,  he  only  told  the  lieutenant,  with 
much  agitation,  to  go  and  attend  his  duty.  As  a 
last  hope,  Caraccioli  asked  the  lieutenant.  If  he 
thought  an  application  to  Lady  Hamilton  would 
be  beneficial  ?  Parkinson  went  to  seek  her :  she 
was  not  to  be  seen  on  this  occasion, — but  she  was 
present  at  the  execution.  She  had  the  most  de- 
voted attachment  to  the  Neapolitan  court ;  and 
the  hatred  which  she  felt  against  those  whom  she 
regarded  as  its  enemies,  made  her,  at  this  time,  for- 
get what  was  due  to  the  character  of  her  sex,  as 
well  as  of  her  country.  Here,  also,  a  faithful  his- 
torian is  called  upon  to  pronounce  a  severe  and 
unqualified  condemnation  of  Nelson's  conduct. 
Had  he  the  authority  of  his  Sicilian  Majesty  for 
proceeding  as  he  did  ?  If  so,  why  was  not  that 
authority  produced  ?  If  not,  why  were  the  pro- 
ceedings hurried  on  without  it?  Why  was  the 
trial  precipitated,  so  that  it  was  impossible  for  the 
prisoner,  if  he  had  been  innocent,  to  provide  the 
witnesses,  who  might  have  proved  him  so  ?  Why 
was  a  second  trial  refused,  when  the  known  ani- 
mosity of  the  president  of  the  court  against  the 
prisoner  was  considered  ?  Why  was  the  execution 
liastened  so  as  to  preclude  any  appeal  for  mercy, 


202  LIFE  OF  XELSOX.  '  [1799. 

and  render  the  prerogative  of  mercy  useless  ? — 
Doubtless,  the  British  Admiral  seemed  to  himself 
to  be  acting  under  a  rigid  sense  of  justice  ;  but,  to 
all  other  persons,  it  was  obvious,  that  he  was  influ- 
enced by  an  infatuated  attachment — a  baneful 
passion,  which  destroyed  his  domestic  happiness, 
and  now,  in  a  second  instance,  stained  ineffaceably 
his  public  character. 

The  body  was  carried  out  to  a  considerable  dis- 
tance, and  sunk  in  the  bay,  with  three  double- 
headed  shot,  weighing  two  hundred  and  fifty 
pounds,  tied  to  its  legs.  Between  two  and  three 
weeks  afterward,  when  the  king  was  on  board  the 
Foudroyant,  a  Neapolitan  fisherman  came  to  the 
ship,  and  solemnly  declared,  that  Caraccioli  had 
risen  from  the  bottom  of  the  sea,  and  was  coming, 
as  fast  as  he  could,  to  Naples,  swimming  half  out 
of  the  water.  Such  an  account  was  listened  to 
like  a  tale  of  idle  credulity.  The  day  being  fair, 
Nelson,  to  please  the  king,  stood  out  to  sea;  but 
the  ship  had  not  proceeded  far  before  a  body  was 
distinctly  seen,  upright  in  the  water,  and  approach- 
ing them.  It  was  soon  recognized  to  be,  indeed, 
the  corpse  of  Caraccioli,  which  had  risen,  and 
floated,  while  the  great  weights  attached  to  the 
legs  kept  the  body  in  a  position  like  that  of  a  living 
man.  A  fact  so  extraordinary  astonished  the  king, 
and  perhaps  excited  some  feeling  of  superstitious 
fear,  akin  to  regret.  He  gave  permission  for  the 
body  to  be  taken  on  shore,  and  receive  Christian 
burial.  It  produced  no  better  effect.  Naples  ex- 
hibited more  dreadful  scenes  than  it  had  witnessed 
in  the  days  of  Massaniello.  After  the  mob  had 
had  their  fill  of  blood  and  plunder,  the  reins  were 


1799.]  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  203 

given  to  justice — if  that  can  be  called  justice  which 
annuls  its  own  stipulations,  looks  to  the  naked  facts 
alone,  disregarding  all  motives  and  all  circum- 
stances ;  and  without  considering  character  or  sci- 
ence, or  sex,  or  youth,  sacrifices  its  victims,  not 
for  the  public  weal,  but  for  the  gratification  of 
greedy  vengeance. 

The  castles  of  St.  Elmo,  Gaieta,  and  Capua,  re- 
mained to  be  subdued.  On  the  land  side,  there 
was  no  danger  that  the  French  in  these  garrisons 
should  be  relieved,  for  Suvorof  was  now  beginning 
to  drive  the  enemy  before  him  ;  but  Nelson  thought 
his  presence  necessary  in  the  bay  of  Naples :  and 
when  Lord  Keith,  having  received  intelligence  that 
the  French  and  Spanish  fleets  had  formed  a  junction, 
and  sailed  for  Carthagena,  ordered  him  to  repair  to 
Minorca,  with  the  whole,  or  the  greater  part  of  his 
force,  he  sent  Admiral  Duckworth  with  a  small 
part  only.  This  was  a  dilemma  which  he  had 
foreseen.  "  Should  such  an  order  come  at  this 
moment,"  he  said,  in  a  letter  previously  written  to 
the  admiralty,  "  it  would  be  a  case  for  some  con- 
sideration, whether  Minorca  is  to  be  risked,  or  the 
two  kingdoms  of  Naples  and  Sicily:  I  rather  think 
my  decision  would  be  to  risk  the  former."  And, 
after  he  had  acted  upon  this  opinion,  he  wrote  in 
these  terms  to  the  Duke  of  Clarence,  with  whose 
high  notions  of  obedience  he  was  well  acquainted  : 
"  I  am  well  aware  of  the  consequences  of  disobeying 
my  orders  ;  but  as  I  have  often  before  risked  my 
life  for  the  good  cause,  so  I,  with  cheerfulness,  did 
my  commission  ;  for,  although  a  military  tribunal 
may  think  me  criminal,  the  world  will  approve  of 
my  conduct :  and  I  regard  not  my  own  safety, 
when  the  honour  of  my  king  is  at  stake." 


204  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  [1799. 

Nelson  was  right  in  his  judgment :  no  attempt 
was  made  upon  Minorca  ;  and  the  expulsion  of  the 
French  from  Naples  may  rather  be  said  to  have 
been  effected,  than  accelerated,  by  the  English  and 
Portuguese  of  the  allied  fleet,  acting  upon  shore, 
under  Trowbridge.  The  French  commandant  at 
St.  Elmo,  relying  upon  the  strength  of  the  place, 
and  the  nature  of  the  force  which  attacked  it,  had 
insulted  Capt.  Foote  in  the  grossest  terms :  biit 
citoyen  Mejan  was  soon  taught  better  manners, 
when  Trowbridge,  in  spite  of  every  obstacle,  opened 
five  batteries  upon  the  fort.  He  was  informed, 
that  none  of  his  letters,  with  the  insolent  printed 
words  at  the  top.  Liberie,  Egalite,  Guerre  aux 
Tyrans,  See.  would  be  received  ;  but  that,  if  he 
wrote  like  a  soldier  and  a  gentleman,  he  should  be 
answered  in  the  same  style.  The  Frenchman  then 
began  to  flatter  his  antagonist  upon  the  bienfaisance 
and  humanitc,  which,  he  said,  were  the  least  of  the 
many  virtues  which  distinguished  Monsieur  Trow- 
bridge. Monsieur  Trowbridge's  bienfaisance  was, 
at  this  time,  thinking  of  mining  the  fort. — "  If  we 
can  accomplish  that,"  said  he,  "  I  am  a  strong 
advocate  to  send  them,  hostages  and  all,  to  Old 
Nick,  and  surprise  him  with  a  group  of  nobility 
and  republicans.  Meantime,"  he  added,  "  it  was 
some  satisfaction  to  perceive  that  the  shells  fell 
well,  and  broke  some  of  their  shins."  Finally,  to 
complete  his  character,  Mejan  offered  to  surrender 
for  150,000  ducats.  Great  Britain,  perhaps,  has 
made  but  too  little  use  of  this  kind  of  artillery, 
which  France  has  found  so  effectual  towards  sub- 
jugating the  continent :  but  Trowbridge  had  the 
prey  within  his  reach  ;  and,  in  the  course  of  a  few 
days,  his  last  battery,  "  after  much  trouble  and 


1799.]  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  205 

palaver,"  as  he  said,  "  brought  the  vagabonds  to 
their  senses." 

Trowbridge  had  more  difficulties  to  overcome  in 
this  siege,  from  the  character  of  the  Neapolitans 
who  pretended  to  assist  him,  and  whom  he  made 
useful,  than  even  from  the  strength  of  the  place 
and  the  skill  of  the  French.  "  Such  damned  cow- 
ards and  villains,"  he  declared,  "  he  had  never  seen 
before."  The  men  at  the  advanced  posts  carried  on, 
what  he  called,  "  a  diabolical  good  understanding" 
with  the  enemy,  and  the  workmen  would  sometimes 
take  fright  and  run  away.  "  I  make  the  best  I  can," 
said  he,  "  of  the  degenerate  race  I  have  to  deal 
with ;  the  whole  means  of  guns,  ammunition,  pio- 
neers, &c.  with  all  materials,  rest  with  them.  With 
fair  promises  to  the  men,  and  threats  of  instant 
death  if  I  find  any  one  erring,  a  little  spur  has  been 
given."  Nelson  said  of  him,  with  truth,  upon  this 
occasion,  that  he  was  a  first-rate  general.  "  I  find, 
Sir,"  said  he  afterwards  in  a  letter  to  the  Duke  of 
Clarence,  "  that  General  Koehler  does  not  approve 
of  such  irregular  proceedings  as  naval  officers  at- 
tacking and  defending  fortifications.  We  have  but 
one  idea, — to  get  close  alongside.  None  but  a 
sailor  would  have  placed  a  battery  only  one  hun- 
dred and  eighty  yards  from  the  castle  of  St.  Elmo  : 
a  soldier  must  have  gone  according  to  art,  and  the 
-~"—  way.  My  brave  Trowbridge  went  straight 
on,  for  we  had  no  time  to  spare." 

Trowbridge  then  proceeded  to  Capua,  and  took 
the  command  of  the  motley  besieging  force.  One 
thousand  of  the  best  men  in  the  fleet  were  sent  to 
assist  in  the  siege.  Just  at  this  time  Nelson  re- 
ceived a  peremptory  order  from  Lord  Keith,  to  sail 


206  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  [1799. 

with  the  whole  of  his  force  for  the  protection  of 
Minorca ;  or,  at  least,  to  retain  no  more  than  was 
absolutely  necessary  at  Sicily,  "  You  will  easily 
conceive  my  feelings,"  said  he,  in  communicating 
this  to  Earl  St.  Vincent :  "  but  my  mind,  as  your 
lordship  knows,  was  perfectly  prepared  for  this 
order;  and  it  is  now,  more  than  ever,  made  up. 
At  this  moment  I  will  not  part  with  a  single  ship  ; 
as  I  cannot  do  that  without  drawing  a  hundred  and 
twenty  men  from  each  ship,  now  at  the  siege  of 
Capua.  I  am  fully  aware  of  the  act  I  have  com- 
mitted ;  but  I  am  prepared  for  any  fate  which  may 
await  my  disobedience.  Capua  and  Gaieta  will  soon 
fall ;  and  the  moment  the  scoundrels  of  Frencli 
are  out  of  this  kingdom  I  shall  send  eight  or  nine 
ships  of  the  line  to  Minorca.  I  have  done  what  I 
thought  right :  others  may  think  differently  :  but 
it  will  be  my  consolation  that  I  have  gained  a  king- 
dom, seated  a  faithful  ally  of  his  majesty  firmly 
on  his  throne,  and  restored  happiness  to  millions." 
At  Capua,  Trowbridge  had  the  same  difficulties 
as  at  St.  Elmo  ;  and  being  farther  from  Naples, 
and  from  the  fleet,  was  less  able  to  overcome  them. 
The  powder  was  so  bad  that  he  suspected  treachery: 
and  when  he  asked  Nelson  to  spare  him  forty  casks 
from  the  ships,  he  told  him  it  would  be  necessary 
that  some  Englishmen  should  accompany  it,  or 
they  would  steal  one  half,  and  change  the  other. 
"  Every  man  you  see,"  said  he,  "  gentle  and  sim- 
ple, are  such  notorious  villains,  that  it  is  misery  to 
be  with  them."  Capua,  however,  soon  fell,  Gaieta 
immediately  afterwards  surrendered  to  Capt  Louis 
of  the  Minotaur.  Here  the  commanding  officer 
acted  more  unlike  a  Frenchman,  Capt.  Louis  said, 


1799.1  ^^^^  °^  NELSON.  207 

than  any  one  he  had  ever  met ;  meaning  that  he 
acted  like  a  man  of  honour.  He  required,  how- 
ever, that  the  garrison  should  carry  away  their 
horses,  and  other  pillaged  property  ;  to  which  Nel- 
son replied,  "That  no  property  which  they  did  not 
bring  with  them  into  the  country  could  be  theirs  ; 
and  that  the  greatest  care  should  be  taken  to  pre- 
vent them  from  carrying  it  away." — "  I  am  sorry," 
said  he  to  Capt.  Louis,  "  that  you  have  entered 
into  any  altercation.  There  is  no  way  of  dealing 
with  a  Frenchman  but  to  knock  him  down  :  to  be 
civil  to  them  is  only  to  be  laughed  at,  when  they 
are  enemies." 

The  whole  kingdom  of  Naples  was  thus  delivered 
by  Nelson  from  the  French.  The  admiralty,  how- 
ever, thought  it  expedient  to  censure  him  for  dis- 
obeying Lord  Keith's  orders,  and  thus  hazarding 
Minorca,  without,  as  it  appeared  to  them,  any 
sufficient  reason ;  and  also  from  having  landed 
seamen  for  the  siege  of  Capua,  to  form  part  of  an 
army  employed  in  operations  at  a  distance  from 
the  coast :  where,  in  case  of  defeat,  they  might 
have  been  prevented  from  returning  to  their  ships  ; 
and  they  enjoined  him,  "  not  to  employ  the  seamen 
in  like  manner  in  future."  This  reprimand  was  is- 
sued before  the  event  was  known  ;  though,  indeed, 
the  event  would  not  affect  the  principle  upon  which 
it  proceeded.  When  Nelson  communicated  the 
tidings  of  his  complete  success,  he  said,  in  his  pub- 
lic letter,  "  that  it  would  not  be  the  less  accept- 
able for  having  been  principally  brought  about  by 
British  sailors."  His  judgment  in  thus  employing 
them  had  been  justified  by  the  result ;  and  his  joy 
was  evidently  heightened  by  the  gratification  of  a 


208  LIFE  OF  XELSOX.  [1799. 

professional  and  becoming  pride.  To  the  first  lord 
he  said,  at  the  same  time,  "  I  certainly,  from  hav- 
ing only  a  left  hand,  cannot  enter  into  details  which 
may  explain  the  motives  that  actuated  my  con- 
duct. My  principle  is,  to  assist  in  driving  the 
French  to  the  devil,  and  in  restoring  peace  and 
happiness  to  mankind.  I  feel  that  I  am  fitter  to 
do  the  action  than  to  describe  it."  He  then  added, 
that  he  would  take  care  of  Minorca. 

In  expelling  the  French  from  Naples,  Nelson 
had,  with  characteristic  zeal  and  ability,  discharged 
his  duty ;  but  he  deceived  himself  when  he  ima- 
gined that  he  had  seated  Ferdinand  firmly  on  his 
throne,  and  that  he  had  restored  happiness  to  mil- 
lions. These  objects  might  have  been  accom- 
plished if  it  had  been  possible  to  inspire  virtue  and 
wisdom  into  a  vicious  and  infatuated  court ;  and 
if  Nelson's  eyes  had  not  been  as  it  were  spell- 
bound, by  that  unhappy  attachment,  which  had 
now  completely  mastered  him,  he  would  have  seen 
things  as  they  were  ;  and  might,  perhaps,  have 
awakened  the  Sicilian  court  to  a  sense  of  their  in- 
terest, if  not  of  their  duty.  That  court  employed 
itself  in  a  miserable  round  of  folly  and  festivity, 
while  the  prisons  of  Naples  were  filled  with  groans, 
and  the  scafiblds  streamed  with  blood.  St  Janua- 
rius  was  solemnly  removed  from  his  rank  as  patron 
saint  of  the  kingdom,  having  been  convicted  of 
Jacobinism  ;  and  St.  Antonio  as  solemnly  installed 
in  his  place.  The  king,  instead  of  re-establishing 
order  at  Naples  by  his  presence,  speedily  returned 
to  Palermo,  to  indulge  in  his  favourite  amuse- 
ments. Nelson,  and  the  ambassador's  family,  ac-  . 
companied  the  court ;  and  Trowbridge  remained, 


1799,]  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  209 

g^ioaning  over  the  villany  and  frivolity  of  those 
with  whom  he  was  compelled  to  deal.  A  party  of 
officers  applied  to  him  for  a  passage  to  Palermo, 
to  see  the  procession  of  St.  Rosalia : — he  recom- 
mended them  to  exercise  their  troops,  and  not  be- 
have like  children.  It  was  grief  enough  for  him 
that  the  court  should  be  busied  in  these  follies, 
and  Nelson  involved  in  them.  "  I  dread,  my 
lord,"  said  he,  "  all  the  feasting,  &c.  at  Palermo. 
I  am  sure  your  health  will  be  hurt.  If  so,  all  their 
saints  will  be  damned  by  the  navy.  The  king 
would  be  better  employed  digesting  a  good  govern- 
ment :  every  thing  gives  way  to  their  pleasures. 
Tlie  money  spent  at  Palermo  gives  discontent  here  : 
fifty  thousand  people  are  unemployed,  trade  dis- 
couraged, manufactures  at  a  stand.  It  is  the  in- 
terest of  many  here  to  keep  the  king  away  ; — they 
all  dread  reform  : — their  villanies  are  so  deeply 
rooted,  that,  if  some  method  is  not  taken  to  dig 
them  out,  this  government  cannot  hold  together. 
Out  of  twenty  millions  of  ducats,  collected  as  the 
revenue,  only  thirteen  millions  reach  the  treasury ; 
and  the  king  pays  four  ducats  where  he  should  pay 
one.  He  is  surrounded  by  thieves ;  and  none  of 
them  have  honour  or  honesty  enough  to  tell  him 
the  real  and  true  state  of  things."  In  another 
letter,  he  expressed  his  sense  of  the  miserable  state 
of  Naples.  "  There  are  upwards  of  forty  thousand 
families,"  said  he  "  who  have  relations  confined.  If 
some  act  of  oblivion  is  not  passed,  there  will  be  no  end 
of  persecution  ;  for  the  people  of  this  country  have 
no  idea  of  any  thing  but  revenge  ;  and,  to  gain  a 
point,  would  swear  ten  thousand  false  oaths.  Con- 
stant efforts  are  made  to  get  a  man  taken  up  in 


"210  LIFE  OF  NELSOX.  [1799. 

order  to  rob  him.  The  confiscated  property  does 
not  reach  the  king's  treasury. — All  thieves  !  It  is 
selling  for  nothing.  His  own  people,  whom  he 
employs,  are  buying  it  up,  and  the  vagabonds 
pocket  the  whole.  I  should  not  be  surprised  to 
hear  that  they  brought  a  bill  of  expenses  against 
him  for  the  sale." 

The  Sicilian  court,  however,  were  at  this  time 
duly  sensible  of  the  services  which  had  been  ren- 
dered them  by  the  British  fleet,  and  their  gratitude 
to  Nelson  was  shown  with  proper  and  princely 
munificence.  They  gave  him  the  dukedom  and 
domain  of  Bronte,  worth  about  £3000  a  year.  It 
was  some  days  before  he  could  be  persuaded  to 
accept  it:  the  argument  which  finally  prevailed,  is 
said  to  have  been  suggested  by  the  queen,  and 
urged,  at  her  request,  by  Lady  Hamilton  upon  her 
knees.  "  He  considered  his  own  honour  too 
much,"  she  said,  "  if  he  persisted  in  refusing  what 
the  king  and  queen  felt  to  be  absolutely  neces- 
sary for  the  preservation  of  theirs."  The  king 
himself,  also,  is  said  to  have  addressed  him  in 
words,  which  show  that  the  sense  of  rank  will 
sometimes  confer  a  virtue  upon  those  who  seem  to 
be  most  unworthy  of  the  lot  to  which  they  have 
been  born :  "  Lord  Nelson,  do  you  wish  that  your 
name  alone  should  ))ass  with  honour  to  posterity ; 
and  that  I,  Ferdinand  Bourbon,  should  appear  un- 
grateful ?"  He  gave  him  also,  when  the  clukedoni 
was  accepted,  a  diamond-hilted  sword,  which  his 
father,  Charles  HI.  of  Spain,  had  given  him,  on 
his  accession  to  the  throne  of  the  two  Sicilies. 
Nelson  said,  "  The  reward  was  magnificent,  and 
worthy  of  a  king,  and  he  was  determined  that  the 


1799.]  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  211 

inhabitants  on  the  domain  should  be  the  happiest 
in  all  his  Sicilian  majesty's  dominions. — Yet,"  said 
he,  speaking  of  these  and  the  other  remunerations 
which  were  made  him  for  his  services,  "  these  pre- 
sents, rich  as  they  are,  do  not  elevate  me.  My 
pride  is,  that,  at  Constantinople,  from  the  grand 
seignior  to  the  lowest  Turk,  the  name  of  Nelson  is 
familiar  in  their  mouths ;  and  in  this  country  I  am 
every  thing  which  a  grateful  monarch  and  people 
can  call  me."  Nelson,  however,  had  a  pardonable 
pride  in  the  outward  and  visible  signs  of  honour, 
which  he  had  so  fairly  won.  He  was  fond  of  his 
Sicilian  title ;  the  signification,  perhaps,  pleased 
him ; — Duke  of  Thunder  was  what  in  Dahomy 
would  be  called  a  strong  name ;  it  was  to  a  sailor's 
taste ;  and,  certainly,  to  no  man  could  it  ever  be 
more  applicable.  But  a  simple  offering,  which  he 
received,  not  long  afterwards,  from  the  island  of 
Zante,  affected  him  with  a  deeper  and  finer  feeling. 
The  Greeks  of  that  little  community  sent  him  a 
golden-headed  sword  and  a  truncheon,  set  round 
with  all  the  diamonds  that  the  island  could  furnish, 
in  a  single  row.  They  thanked  him  "  for  having, 
by  his  victory,  preserved  that  part  of  Greece  from 
the  horrors  of  anarchy ;  and  prayed  that  his  ex- 
ploits might  accelerate  the  day,  in  which,  amidst 
the  glory  and  peace  of  thrones,  the  miseries  of  the 
human  race  would  cease."  This  unexpected  tri- 
bute touched  Nelson  to  the  heart.  "  No  officer," 
he  said,  "  had  ever  received  from  any  country  a 
higher  acknowledgment  of  his  services." 
•  Tlie  French  still  occupied  the  Roman  states ; 
from  which,  according  to  their  own  admission,  they 
had  extorted  in  jewels,  plate,  specie,  and  requi- 


•212  LIFE  OF  NELSOX.  [1799. 

sitions  of  every  kind,  to  the  enormous  amount 
of  eight  millions  sterling  :  yet  they  affected  to  ap- 
pear as  deliverers  among  the  people  whom  they 
were  thus  cruelly  plundering ;  and  they  distributed 
portraits  of  Buonaparte,  with  the  blasphemous  in- 
scription— "  This  is  the  true  likeness  of  the  holy 
saviour  of  the  world  !"  The  people,  detesting  the 
impiety,  and  groaning  beneath  the  exactions  of 
these  perfidious  robbers,  were  ready  to  join  any 
regular  force  that  should  come  to  their  assistance ; 
but  they  dreaded  Cardinal  Ruffo's  rabble,  and  de- 
clared they  would  resist  him  as  a  banditti,  who  came 
only  for  the  purpose  of  pillage.  Nelson  perceived 
that  no  object  was  now  so  essential  for  the  tranquillity 
of  Naples  as  the  recovery  of  Rome  ;  which,  in  the 
present  state  of  things,  when  Suvarof  was  driving 
the  French  before  him,  would  complete  the  deliver- 
ance of  Italy.  He  applied,  therefore,  to  Sir  James 
St.  Clair  Erskine,  who,  in  the  absence  of  General 
Fox,  commanded  at  Minorca,  to  assist  in  this  great 
object  with  twelve  hundred  men.  "  The  field  of 
glory,"  said  he,  *•'  is  a  large  one,  and  was  never 
more  open  to  any  one,  than  at  this  moment  to  you. 
Rome  would  throw  open  her  gates  and  receive  you 
as  her  deliverer ;  and  the  pope  would  owe  his  res- 
toration to  a  heretic."  But  Sir  James  Erskine 
looked  only  at  the  difficulties  of  the  undertaking. 
"  Twelve  hundred  men,  he  thought,  would  be  too 
small  a  force  to  be  committed  in  such  an  enterprise ; 
for  Civita  Vecchia  was  a  regular  fortress ; — the 
local  situation  and  climate  also  were  such,  that, 
even  if  this  force  were  adequate,  it  would  be  pro- 
per to  delay  the  expedition  till  October.  General 
Fox,  too,  was  soon  expected ;  and  during  his  ab- 


1799.]  LIFE  OF  XELSON.  213 

sence,  and  under  existing  circumstances,  he  did 
not  feel  justified  in  sending  away  such  a  detach- 
ment. 

What  this  general  thought  it  imprudent  to  at- 
tempt, Nelson  and  Trowbridge  effected  without  his 
assistance,  by  a  small  detachment  from  the  fleet. 
Trowbridge  first  sent  Capt.  Hallowell  to  Civita 
Vecchia,  to  offer  the  garrison  there,  and  at  Castle 
St.  Angelo,  the  same  terms  which  had  been  granted 
to  Gaieta.  Hallowell  perceived,  by  the  overstrained 
civility  of  the  officers  who  came  off  to  him,  and 
the  compliments  which  they  paid  to  the  English 
nation,  that  they  were  sensible  of  their  own  weak- 
ness, and  their  inability  to  offer  any  effectual  re- 
sistance; but  the  French  know,  that  while  they  are 
in  a  condition  to  serve  their  government,  they  can 
rely  upon  it  for  every  possible  exertion  in  their  sup- 
port ;  and  this  reliance  gives  them  hope  and  con- 
fidence to  the  last.  Upon  Hallowell's  report,  Trow- 
bridge, who  had  now  been  made  Sir  Thomas  for 
his  services,  sent  Capt.  Louis,  with  a  squadron,  to 
enforce  the  terms  which  he  had  offered ;  and,  as 
soon  as  he  could  leave  Naples,  he  himself  followed. 
The  French,  who  had  no  longer  any  hope  from  the 
fate  of  arms,  relied  upon  their  skill  in  negotiation, 
and  proposed  terms  to  Trowbridge  with  that  effron- 
tery which  characterizes  their  public  proceedings  ; 
but  which  is  as  often  successful  as  it  is  impudent. 
They  had  a  man  of  the  right  stamp  to  deal  with. 
Their  ambassador  at  Rome  began  by  saying,  that 
the  Roman  territory  was  the  property  of  the  French 
by  right  of  conquest.  The  British  commodore 
settled  that  point,  by  replying,  "  It  is  mine  by  re- 
conquest."    A  capitulation  was  soon  concluded  for 

X 


•214  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  [1799. 

all  the  Roman  states,  and  Capt.  Louis  rowed  up 
Tiber  in  his  barge,  hoisted  English  colours  on  the 
Capitol,  and  acted,  for  the  time,  as  governor  of 
Rome.  The  prophecy  of  the  Irish  poet  was  thus 
accomplished,  and  the  friar  reaped  the  fruits  :  for 
Nelson,  who  was  struck  with  the  oddity  of  the  cir- 
cumstance, and  not  a  little  pleased  with  it,  obtained 
preferment  for  him  from  the  King  of  Sicily,  and 
recommended  him  to  the  pope. 

Having  thus  completed  his  work  upon  the  con- 
tinent of  Italy,  Nelson's  whole  attention  was  di- 
rected towards  Malta;  where  Capt.  Ball,  with  most 
inadequate  means,  was  besieging  the  French  gar- 
rison. Never  was  any  officer  engaged  in  a  more 
anxious  and  painful  service :  the  smallest  reinforce- 
ment from  France  would,  at  any  moment,  have 
turned  the  scale  against  him :  and  had  it  not  been 
for  his  consummate  ability,  and  the  love  and  vene- 
ration with  which  the  Maltese  regarded  him,  Malta 
must  have  remained  in  the  hands  of  the  enemy. 
Men,  money,  food;  all  things  were  wanting.  The 
garrison  consisted  of  five  thousand  troops ; — the 
besieging  force  of  five  hundred  English  and  Portu- 
guese marines,  and  about  fifteen  hundred  armed 
peasants.  Long  and  repeatedly  did  Nelson  solicit 
troops  to  eft'ect  the  reduction  of  this  important 
place.  "  It  has  been  no  fault  of  the  navy,"  said 
he,  "  that  Malta  has  not  been  attacked  by  land  : 
but  we  have  neither  the  means  ourselves,  nor  in- 
fluence with  those  who  have."  The  same  causes 
of  demurral  existed  which  prevented  British  troops 
from  assisting  in  the  expulsion  of  the  French  from 
Rome  Sir  James  Erskine  was  expecting  General 
Fox,  he  could  not  act  without  orders ;  and  not 


1799.]  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  215 

having,  like  Nelson,  that  lively  spring  of  hope 
within  him,  which  partakes  enough  of  the  nature 
of  faith  to  work  miracles  in  war,  he  thought  it 
"  evident,  that  unless  a  respectable  land  force,  in 
numbers  sufficient  to  undertake  the  siege  of  such  a 
garrison,  in  one  of  the  strongest  places  of  Europe, 
and  supplied  with  proportionate  artillery  and  stores, 
were  sent  against  it,  no  reasonable  hope  could  be 
entertained  of  its  surrender." — Nelson  groaned  over 
the  spirit  of  over-reasoning  caution,  and  unreason- 
ing obedience.  "  My  heart,"  said  he,  "  is  almost 
broken.  If  the  enemy  gets  supplies  in,  we  may 
bid  adieu  to  Malta  : — all  the  force  we  can  collect 
would  then  be  of  little  use  against  the  strongest 
place  in  Europe. — To  say  that  an  officer  is  never, 
for  any  object,  to  alter  his  orders,  is  what  I  cannot 
comprehend.  The  circumstances  of  this  war  so 
often  vary,  that  an  officer  has  almost  every  moment 
to  consider,  what  would  my  superiors  direct,  did 
they  know  what  is  passing  under  my  nose.  But, 
sir,"  said  he,  writing  to  the  Duke  of  Clarence,  "  I 
find  few  think  as  I  do.  To  obey  orders  is  all  per- 
fection. To  serve  my  king,  and  to  destroy  the 
French,  I  consider  as  the  great  order  of  all,  from 
which  little  ones  spring :  and  if  one  of  these  mili- 
tate against  it  (for  who  can  tell  exactly  at  a  dis- 
tance), I  go  back,  and  obey  the  great  order  and 
object,  to  down, — down  with  the  damned  French 
villains ! — My  blood  boils  at  the  name  of  French- 
man !" 

At  length  Gen.  Fox  arrived  at  Minorca, — and, 
at  length,  permitted  Col.  Graham  to  go  to  Malta, 
but  with  means  miserably  limited.  In  fact  the  ex- 
pedition was  at  a  stand  for  want  of  money  ;  when 


216  LIFE  OF  NELSO^'^,  [17S9. 

Trowbridge  arriving  at  Messina,  to  co-operate  in  it, 
and  finding  this  fresh  delay,  immediately  offered 
all  that  he  could  command  of  his  own.  "  I  pro- 
cured him,  my  lord,"  said  he  to  Nelson,  "  fifteen 
thousand  of  my  cobs  : — every  farthing,  and  every 
atom  of  me  shall  be  devoted  to  the  causs." — 
"  What  can  this  mean,"  said  Nelson,  when  he 
learnt  that  Col.  Graham  wsls  ordered  not  to  incur 
any  expense  for  stores,  or  any  articles  except  pro- 
visions ! — "  the  cause  cannot  stand  still  for  want 
of  a  little  money.  If  nobody  will  pay  it,  I  will  sell 
Bronte,  and  the  Emperor  of  Russia's  box."  And 
he  actually  pledged  Bronte  for  £6600  if  there 
should  be  any  difficulty  about  paying  the  bills. 
The  long  delayed  expedition  was  thus,  at  last,  sent 
forth :  but  Trowbridge  little  imagined  in  what  scenes 
of  misery  he  was  to  bear  his  part.  He  looked  to 
Sicily  for  supplies :  it  was  the  interest,  as  well  as 
the  duty,  of  the  Sicilian  government  to  use  every 
exertion  for  furnishing  them  :  and  Nelson,  and  the 
British  ambassador,  were  on  the  spot  to  press  upon 
them  the  necessity  of  exertion.  But,  though  Nel- 
son saw  with  vi'hat  a  knavish  crew  the  Sicilian 
court  was  surrounded,  he  was  blind  to  the  vices  of 
the  court  itself;  and  resigning  himself  wholly  to 
Lady  Hamilton's  influence,  never  even  suspected 
the  crooked  policy  which  it  was  remorselessly  pur- 
suing. The  Maltese  and  the  British  in  Malta,  se- 
verely felt  it.  Trowbridge,  who  had  the  truest 
affection  for  Nelson,  knew  his  infatuation,  and 
feared  that  it  might  prove  injurious  to  his  cha- 
racter, as  well  as  fatal  to  an  enterprise,  which  had 
begun  so  well,  and  been  carried  on  so  patiently. 
"  My  lord,"  said  he ,  writing  to  him  from  the 


1800.]  LIFE  OF  XELSOX.  217 

siege,  "  we  are  dying  off  fast  for  want.  I  learn 
that  Sir  William  Hamilton  says  Prince  Luzzi  re- 
fused corn  some  time  ago,  and  Sir  William  does 
not  think  it  worth  while  making  another  applica- 
tion. If  that  be  the  case,  I  wish  he  commanded 
this  distressing  scene  instead  of  me.  Puglia  had 
an  immense  harvest;  near  thirty  sail  left  Messina, 
before  I  did,  to  load  corn.  Will  they  let  us  have 
any  ?  if  not,  a  short  time  will  decide  the  business. 
The  German  interest  prevails.  I  wish  I  was  at 
your  lordship's  elbow  for  an  hour. — All,  all  will 
be  thrown  on  you  ! — I  will  parry  the  blow  as  much 
as  in  my  power:  I  foresee  much  mischief  brewing. 
— God  bless  your  lordship ;  I  am  miserable,  I 
cannot  assist  your  operations  more.  Many  happy 
returns  of  the  day  to  you — (it  was  the  first  of  the 
new  year) — I  never  spent  so  miserable  a  one.  I 
am  not  very  tender  hearted;  but  really  the  dis- 
tress here  would  even  move  a  Neapolitan."  Soon 
afterwards  he  wrote :  "I  have  this  day  sa\ed 
thirty  thousand  people  from  starving ;  but  with 
this  day  my  ability  ceases.  As  the  government 
are  bent  on  starving  us,  I  see  no  alternative,  but 
to  leave  these  poor  unhappy  people  to  perish,  with- 
out our  being  witnesses  of  their  distress.  I  curse 
the  day  I  ever  served  the  Neapolitan  government. 
— We  have  characters,  my  lord,  to  lose ;  these 
people  have  none.  Do  not  suffer  their  infamous 
conduct  to  fall  on  us.  Our  country  is  just,  but 
severe.  Such  is  the  fever  of  my  brain  this  minute, 
that  I  assure  you,  on  my  honour,  if  the  Palermo 
traitors  were  here,  I  would  shoot  them  first,  and 
then  myself.  Girgenti  is  full  of  corn  ;  the  money 
is  ready  to  pay  for  it ;  we  do  not  ask  it  as  a  gift. 


218  LIFE  OF  XELSOX.  [1800. 

Oh  !  could  you  see  the  horrid  distress  I  daily  ex- 
perience, something  would  be  done. — Some  engine 
is  at  work  against  us  at  Naples ;  and  I  believe  I 
hit  on  the  proper  person.  If"  you  complain,  he 
will  be  immediately  promoted,  agreeably  to  the 
Neapolitan  custom.  All  I  write  to  you  is  known 
at  the  queen's. — For  my  own  part,  I  look  upon  the 
Neapolitans  as  the  worst  of  intriguing  enemies : 
every  hour  shows  me  their  infamy  and  duplicity. 
I  pray  your  lordship  be  cautious :  your  honest, 
open  manner  of  acting  will  be  made  a  handle  of. 
When  I  see  you,  and  tell  of  their  infamous  tricks, 
you  will  be  as  much  surprised  as  I  am.  The  whole 
will  fall  on  you." 

Nelson  was  not,  and  could  not  be  insensible  to 
the  distress  which  his  friend  so  earnestly  repre- 
sented. He  begged,  almost  on  his  knees,  he  said, 
small  supplies  of  money  and  corn,  to  keep  the 
Maltese  from  starving.  And  when  the  court  granted 
a  small  supply,  protesting  their  poverty,  he  be- 
lieved their  protestations,  and  was  satisfied  with 
their  professions,  instead  of  insisting  that  the  res- 
trictions upon  the  exportation  of  corn  should  be 
withdrawn.  The  anxiety,  however,  which  he  en- 
dured, affected  him  so  deeply,  that  he  said  it  had 
broken  his  spirit  for  ever.  Happily  all  that  Trow- 
bridge, with  so  much  reason,  foreboded,  did  not 
come  to  pass.  For  Capt.  Ball,  with  more  decision 
than  Nelson  himself  would  have  shown  at  that 
time,  and  upon  that  occasion,  ventured  upon  a 
resolute  measure,  for  which  his  name  would  deserve 
always  to  be  held  in  veneration  by  the  Maltese, 
even  if  it  had  no  other  claims  to  the  love  and  re- 
verence of  a  grateful  people.     Finding  it  hopeless 


1800.]  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  219 

longer  to  look  for  succour,  or  common  humanity, 
from  the  deceitful  and  infatuated  court  of  Sicily, 
which  persisted  in  prohibiting,  by  sanguinary 
edicts,  the  exportation  of  supplies,  at  his  own  risk 
he  sent  his  first  lieutenant  to  the  port  of  Girgenti, 
with  orders  to  seize  and  bring  with  him  to  Malta 
the  ships  which  were  there  lying  laden  with  corn  ; 
of  the  number  of  which  he  had  received  accurate 
information.  These  orders  were  executed  to  the 
great  delight  and  advantage  of  the  ship-owners 
and  proprietors ;  the  necessity  of  raising  the  siege 
was  removed,  and  Capt.  Ball  waited,  in  calmness, 
for  the  consequences  to  himself.  The  Neapolitan 
government  complained  to  the  English  ambassador, 
and  the  complaint  was  communicated  to  Nelson, 
who,  in  return,  requested  Sir  William  Hamilton 
would  fully  and  plainly  state  that  the  act  ought 
not  to  be  considered  as  any  intended  disrespect  to 
his  Sicilian  Majesty,  but  as  of  the  most  absolute 
and  imperious  necessity ;  the  alternation  being 
either  of  abandoning  Malta  to  the  French,  or  of 
anticipating  the  king's  orders  for  carrying  the  corn 
in  those  vessels  to  Malta.  "  I  trust,"  he  added, 
"  that  the  government  of  the  country  will  never 
again  force  any  of  our  royal  master's  servants  to 
so  unpleasant  an  alternative."  Thus  ended  the 
complaint  of  the  Neapolitan  court.  "  The  sole 
result  was,"  says  Mr.  Coleridge,  "  that  the  governor 
of  Malta  became  an  especial  object  of  its  hatred, 
its  fear,  and  its  respect." 

Nelson,  himself,  at  the  beginning  of  February, 
sailed  for  that  island.  On  the  way  he  fell  in  with 
a  French  squadron,  bound  for  its  relief,  and  consist- 
ing of  the  Genereux  seventy-four,  three  frigates,  and 


220  LIFE  OF  NELSOX.  [1800. 

a  corvette.  One  of  these  frigates,  and  the  line  of 
battle  ship,  were  taken  ;  the  others  escaped,  but 
failed  in  their  purpose  of  reaching  La  Valette. 
This  success  was  peculiarly  gratifying  to  Nelson, 
for  many  reasons.  During  some  months  he  had 
acted  as  commander-in-chief  in  the  Mediterranean, 
while  Lord  Keith  was  in  England.  Lord  Keith 
was  now  returned;  and  Nelson  had,  upon  his  own 
plan,  and  at  his  own  risk,  left  him,  to  sail  for 
Malta, — "  for  which,"  said  he,  "  if  I  had  not  suc- 
ceeded, I  might  have  been  broke ; — and,  if  I  had  not 
acted  thus,  the  Genereux  never  would  have  been 
taken."  This  ship  was  one  of  those  which  had  es- 
caped from  Aboukir.  Two  frigates,  and  the  Guill- 
aume  Tell,  eighty-six,  were  all  that  now  remained  of 
the  fleet  which  Buonaparte  had  conducted  to  Egypt. 
The  Guillaume  Tell  was  at  this  time  closely  watched 
in  the  harbour  of  La  Valette  :  and  shortly  after- 
wards, attempting  to  make  her  escape  from  thence, 
was  taken  after  an  action,  in  which  greater  skill 
was  never  displayed  by  British  ships,  nor  greater 
gallantry  by  an  enemy.  She  was  taken  by  the 
Foudroyant,  Lion,  and  Penelope  frigate.  Nelson 
rejoicing  at  what  he  called  this  glorious  finish  to  the 
whole  French  Mediterranean  fleet ;  rejoiced  also  that 
he  was  not  present  to  have  taken  a  sprig  of  these 
brave  men's  laurels.  "  They  are,"  said  he,  "  and  I 
glory  in  them,  my  children  :  they  served  in  my 
school ;  and  all  of  us  caught  our  professional  zeal 
and  fire  from  the  great  and  good  Earl  St.  Vincent. 
What  a  pleasure,  what  happiness,  to  have  the  Nile 
fleet  all  taken,  under  my  orders  and  regulations  !" — 
The  two  frigates  still  remained  in  La  Valette :  be- 
fore its  surrender  they  stole  out :  cue  was  taken  in 


1800.]  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  221 

the  attempt ;  the  other  was  the  only  ship  of  the 
whole  fleet  which  escaped  capture  or  destruction. 

Letters  were  found  on  board  the  Guillaume  Tell 
showing  that  the  French  were  now  become  hopeless 
of  preserving  the  conquest  which  they  had  so  foully 
acquired.  Trowbridge  and  his  brother  officers  were 
anxious  that  Nelson   should  have  the  honour  of 
signing  the  capitulation.    They  told  him,  that  they 
absolutely,   as  far  as  they  dared,  insisted  on  his 
staying  to  do  this  :  but  their  earnest  and  affectionate 
intreaties  were  vain.     Sir  William  Hamilton  had 
just  been  superseded :    Nelson  had  no  feeling  of 
cordiality  towards  Lord  Keith;  and  thinking,  that, 
after  Earl  St.  Vincent,  no  man  had  so  good  a  claim 
to  the  command  in  the   Mediterranean  as  himself, 
he  applied  for  permission  to  return  to  England ; 
telling  the  first  lord  of  the  admiralty,  that  his  spirit 
could  not  submit  patiently,  and  that  he  was  a  bro- 
ken-hearted  man.     From  the  time  of  his  return 
from  Egypt,  amid  all  the  honours  which  were  show- 
ered upon  him,  he  had   suffered  many  mortifica- 
tions.    Sir  Sidney  Smith  had  been  sent  to  Egypt, 
with  orders  to  take  under  his  command  the  squadron 
which  Nelson  had  left  there.     Sir  Sidney  appears 
to  have  thought  that  this  command  was  to  be  inde- 
pendent of  Nelson  :  and  Nelson  himself  thinking 
so,  determined  to  return,  saying  to  Earl  St.  Vincent, 
*'  I  do  feel,  for  I  am  a  man,  that  it  is  impossible 
for  me  to  serve  in  these  seas  with  a  squadron  under 
a  junior  officer."     Earl  St.  Vincent  seems  to  have 
dissuaded  him  from  this  resolution :  some  heart- 
burnings, however,  still  remained,  and  some  incau- 
tious expressions  of  Sir  Sidney's  were  noticed  by 
liim  in  terms  of  evident  displeasure.     But  this  did 


222  LIFE  OF  XELSOX.  [1800. 

not  continue  long,  as  no  man  bore  more  willing  tes- 
timony than  Nelson  to  the  admirable  defence  of 
Acre. 

He  differed  from  Sir  Sidney  as  to  the  policy 
which  ought  to  be  pursued  toward  the  French  in 
Egypt;  and  strictly  commanded  him,  in  the  strong- 
est language,  not,  on  any  pretence,  to  permit  a 
single  Frenchman  to  leave  the  country,  saying,  that 
he  considered  it  nothing  short  of  madness  to  per- 
mit that  band  of  thieves  to  return  to  Europe. 
"  No,"  said  he,  "  to  Egypt  they  went  with  their 
own  consent,  and  there  they  shall  remain,  while 
Nelson  commands  this  squadron  :  for  never,  never, 
will  he  consent  to  the  return  of  one  ship  or  French- 
man.— I  wish  them  to  perish  in  Egypt,  and  give  an 
awful  lesson  to  the  world  of  the  justice  of  the  Al- 
mighty." If  Nelson  had  not  thoroughly  understood 
the  character  of  the  enemy  against  whom  he  was 
engaged,  their  conduct  in  Egypt  would  have  dis- 
closed it.  After  the  battle  of  the  Nile  he  had 
landed  all  his  prisoners,  upon  a  solemn  engagement 
made  between  Trowbridge  on  one  side,  and  Capt. 
Barre  on  the  other,  that  none  of  them  should  ser\e 
till  regularly  exchanged. — They  were  no  sooner  on 
shore,  than  part  of  them  were  drafted  into  the  dif- 
ferent regiments,  and  the  remainder  formed  into  a 
corps,  called  the  nautic  legion.  This  occasioned 
Capt.  Hallowell  to  say,  that  the  French  had  for- 
feited all  claim  to  respect  from  us.  "The  army 
of  Buonaparte,"  said  he,  "  are  entirely  destitute  of 
every  principle  of  honour :  they  have  always  acted 
like  licentious  thieves."  Buonaparte's  escape  was 
the  more  regretted  by  Nelson,  because,  if  he  had 
had  sufficient  force,  he  thought  it  would  certainly 


1800.]  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  223 

have  been  prevented.  He  wished  to  keep  ships 
upon  the  v^^atch,  to  intercept  any  thing  coming  from 
Egypt :  but  the  admiralty  calculated  upon  the  as- 
sistance ot"  the  Russian  fleet,  which  failed  when  it 
was  most  wanted.  The  ships  which  should  have 
been  thus  employed  were  then  required  for  more 
pressing  services ;  and  the  bloody  Corsican  was 
thus  enabled  to  reach  Europe  in  safety ;  there  to 
become  the  guilty  instrument  of  a  wider-spreading 
destruction  than  any  with  which  the  world  had  ever 
before  been  visited. 

Nelson  had  other  causes  of  chagrin.  Earl  St. 
Vincent,  for  whom  he  felt  such  high  respect,  and 
whom  Sir  John  Orde  had  challenged,  for  having 
nominated  Nelson  instead  of  himself  to  the  com- 
mand of  the  Nile  squadron,  laid  claim  to  prize 
money,  as  commander-in-chief,  after  he  had  quitted 
the  station.  The  point  was  contested,  and  decided 
against  him.  Nelson,  perhaps,  felt  this  the  more, 
because  his  own  feelings,  with  regard  to  money, 
were  so  different.  An  opinion  had  been  given  by 
Dr.  Lawrence,  which  would  have  excluded  the 
junior  flag  officers  from  prize  money.  When  this 
was  made  known  to  him,  his  reply  was  in  these 
words  :  "  Notwithstanding  Dr.  Lawrence's  opinion, 
I  do  not  believe  I  have  any  right  to  exclude  the 
junior  flag  officers  :  and  if  I  have,  I  desire  that  no 
such  claim  may  be  made  : — no,  not  if  it  were  sixty 
times  the  sum, — and,  poor  as  I  am,  I  were  never  to 
see  prize  money." 

A  ship  could  not  be  spared  to  convey  him  to 
England  ;  he  therefore  travelled  through  Germany 
to  Hamburgh,  in  company  with  his  inseparable 
friends,  Sir  William   and   Lady  Hamilton.     The 


224  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  [1800.  I 

Queen  of  Naples  went  with  them  to  Vienna.  Wliile 
they  were  at  Leghorn,  upon  a  report  that  the  French 
were  approaching,  (for,  through  the  folly  of  weak 
courts,  and  the  treachery  of  venal  cabinets,  they 
had  now  recovered  their  ascendancy  in  Italy,)  the 
people  rose  tumultuously,  and  would  fain  have 
persuaded  Nelson  to  lead  them  against  the  enemy. 
Public  honours,  and  yet  more  gratifying  testimo- 
nials of  public  admiration,  awaited  Nelson  wherever 
he  went.  The  Prince  of  Esterhazy  entertained 
him  in  a  style  of  Hungarian  magnificence — a  hun- 
dred grenadiers,  each  six  feet  in  height,  constantly 
waiting  at  table.  At  Magdeburgh,  the  master  of 
the  hotel  where  he  was  entertained  contrived  to 
show  him  for  money  ; — admitting  the  curious  to 
mount  a  ladder,  and  peep  at  him  through  a  small 
window.  A  wine  merchant  at  Hamburgh,  who  was 
above  seventy  years  of  age,  requested  to  speak 
-with  Lady  Hamilton ;  and  told  her  he  had  some 
Rhenish  wine,  of  the  vintage  of  1625,  which  had 
been  in  his  own  possession  more  than  half  a  cen- 
tury :  he  had  preserved  it  for  some  extraordinary 
occasion  ;  and  that  which  had  now  arrived  was  far 
beyond  any  that  he  could  ever  have  expected. 
His  request  was,  that  her  ladyship  would  prevail 
upon  Lord  Nelson  to  accept  six  dozen  of  this  incom- 
parable wine  :  part  of  it  would  then  have  the  honour 
to  flow  into  the  heart's  blood  of  that  immortal  hero  ; 
and  this  thought  would  make  him  happy  during 
the  remainder  of  his  life.  Nelson,  when  this  sin- 
gular request  was  reported  to  him,  went  into  the 
room,  and  taking  the  worthy  old  gentleman  kindly 
by  the  hand,  consented  to  receive  six  bottles,  pro- 
vided the  donor  would  dine  with  him  next  day. 


1800.]  LIFE  or  NELSON.  225 

Twelve  were  sent ;  and  Nelson  saying,  that  he 
hoped  yet  to  win  half  a  dozen  more  great  victories, 
promised  to  lay  by  six  bottles  of  his  Hamburgh 
friend's  wine,  for  the  purpose  of  drinking  one  after 
each. — A  German  pastor,  between  seventy  and 
eighty  years  of  age,  travelled  forty  miles,  with  the 
Bible  of  his  parish  church,  to  request  that  Nelson 
would  write  his  name  on  the  first  leaf  of  it.  He 
called  him  the  saviour  of  the  Christian  world.  The 
old  man's  hope  deceived  him.  There  was  no  Nel- 
son upon  shore,  or  Europe  would  have  been  saved; 
but,  in  his  foresight  of  the  horrors  with  which  all 
Germany  and  all  Christendom  were  threatened  by 
France,  the  pastor  could  not  possibly  have  appre- 
hended more  than  has  actually  taken  place. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

Nelson  separates  himself  from  his  wife — Northern  Coifederacif — 
•     He  goes  to  the  Baltic,  under  Sir  Hyde  Parker — Battle  of 

Copenhagen,  and  subseque^it  Negotiation — Nelson  is  made  a 

Viscount. 

Nelson  was  welcomed  in  England  with  every 
mark  of  popular  honour.  At  Yarmouth,  where  he 
landed,  every  ship  in  the  harbour  hoisted  her 
colours.  The  mayor  and  corporation  waited  upon 
him  with  the  freedom  of  the  town,  and  accompanied 
him  in  procession  to  church,  with  all  the  naval 
officers  on  shore,  and  the  principal  inhabitants. 
Bontires  and  illuminations  concluded  the  day;  and, 
on  the  morrow,  the  volunteer  cavalry  drew  up  and 


226  LIFE  OF  XELSON.  [1800. 

saluted  him  as  he  departed,  and  followed  the  car- 
riage to  the  borders  of  the  county.  At  Ipswich, 
the  people  came  out  to  meet  him,  drew  him  a  mile 
into  the  town,  and  three  miles  out.  When  he  was 
in  the  Agamemnon,  he  wished  to  represent  this 
place  in  parliament,  and  some  of  his  friends  had 
consulted  the  leading  men  of  the  corporation  ;  the 
result  was  not  successful :  and  Nelson  observing, 
that  he  would  endeavour  to  find  out  a  preferable 
path  into  parliament,  said  there  might  come  a  time 
when  the  people  of  Ipswich  would  think  it  an  honour 
to  have  had  him  for  their  representative.  In  Lon- 
don, he  was  feasted  by  the  city,  drawn  by  the 
populace  from  Ludgate-hill  to  Guildhall,  and  re- 
ceived the  thanks  of  the  common  council  for  his 
great  victory,  and  a  golden-hilted  sword  studded 
with  diamonds.  Nelson  had  every  earthly  blessing, 
except  domestic  happiness  :  he  had  forfeited  that 
for  ever.  Before  he  had  been  three  months  in 
England  he  separated  from  Lady  Nelson.  Some 
of  his  last  words  to  her  were  :  "  I  call  God  to 
witness,  there  is  nothing  in  you,  or  your  conduct, 
that  I  wish  otherwise."  This  was  the  consequence 
of  his  infatuated  attachment  to  Lady  Hamilton. 
It  had  before  caused  a  quarrel  with  his  son-in-law, 
and  occasioned  remonstrances  from  his  truest 
friends  ;  which  produced  no  other  effect  than  that 
of  making  him  displeased  with  them,  and  more 
dissatisfied  with  himself. 

The  Addington  administration  was  'ust  at  this 
time  formed  ;  and  Nelson,  who  had  s6licit3d  em- 
ployment, and  been  made  vice-admii-al  of  the  blue, 
was  sent  to  the  Baltic,  as  second  in  command, 
under  Sir  Hyde  Parker,  by  Earl  St.  Vincent,  the 


1800.]  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  227 

new  first  lord  of  the  admiralty.  The  three  northern 
courts  had  formed  a  confederacy  for  making  Eng- 
land resign  her  naval  rights.  Of  these  courts, 
Russia  was  guided  by  the  passions  of  its  Emperor, 
Paul,  a  man  not  without  fits  of  generosity,  and 
some  natural  goodness,  but  subject  to  the  wildest 
humours  of  caprice,  and  crazed  by  the  possession 
of  greater  power  than  can  ever  be  safely,  or  perhaps 
innocently  possessed  by  weak  humanity.  Denmark 
was  French  at  heart :  ready  to  co-operate  in  all  the 
views  of  France,  to  recognise  all  her  usurpations, 
and  obey  all  her  injunctions.  Sweden,  under  a 
king  whose  principles  were  right,  and  whose  feelings 
were  generous,  but  who  had  a  taint  of  hereditary 
insanity,  acted  in  acquiescence  with  the  dictates  of 
two  powers  whom  it  feared  to  ofiend.  The  Danish 
navy,  at  this  time,  consisted  of  twenty-three  ships 
of  the  line,  with  about  thirty-one  frigates  and 
smaller  vessels,  exclusive  of  guard  ships.  The 
Swedes  had  eighteen  ships  of  the  line,  fourteen 
frigates  and  sloops,  seventy-four  galleys  and  smaller 
vessels,  besides  gun  boats ;  and  this  force  was  in  a 
far  better  state  of  equipment  than  the  Danish.  The 
Russians  had  eighty-two  sail  of  the  line  and  forty 
frigates.  Of  these  there  were  forty-seven  sail  of 
the  line  at  Cronstadt,  Revel,  Petersburgh,  and 
Archangel :  but  the  Russian  fleet  was  ill  manned, 
ill  officered,  and  ill  equipped.  Such  a  combination 
under  the  influence  of  France  would  soon  have 
become  formidable  :  and  never  did  the  British 
cabinet  display  more  decision  than  in  instantly 
preparing  to  crush  it.  They  erred,  however,  in 
permitting  any  petty  consideration  to  prevent  them 
from  appointing  Nelson  to  the  command.     The 


228  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  [1801. 

public  properly  murmured  at  seeing  it  entrusted  to 
another :  and  he  himself  said  to  Earl  St.  Vincent, 
that  circumstanced  as  he  was,  this  expedition 
would  probably  be  the  last  service  that  he  should 
ever  perform.  The  earl  in  reply,  besought  him, 
for  God's  sake,  not  to  suffer  himself  to  be  carried 
away  by  any  sudden  impulse. 

The  season  happened  to  be  unusually  favourable, 
so  mild  a  winter  had  not  been  known  in  the  Baltic 
for  many  years.  When  Nelson  joined  the  fleet  at 
Yarmouth,  he  found  the  admiral  "  a  little  nervous 
about  dark  nights  and  fields  of  ice." — "  But  we 
must  brace  up,"  said  he  ;  "  these  are  not  times  for 
nervous  systems. — I  hope  we  shall  give  our  north- 
ern enemies  that  hailstorm  of  bullets,  which  gives 
our  dear  country  the  dominion  of  the  sea.  We 
have  it,  and  all  the  devils  in  the  north  cannot  take 
it  from  us,  if  our  wooden  walls  have  fair  play." 
Before  the  fleet  left  Yarmouth,  it  was  sufficiently 
known  that  its  destination  was  against  Denmark. 
Some  Danes,  who  belonged  to  the  Amazon  frigate, 
went  to  Capt.  Riou,  and  telling  him  what  they  had 
heard,  begged  that  he  would  get  them  exchanged 
into  a  ship  bound  on  some  other  destination. — 
"  They  had  no  wish,"  they  said,  "  to  quit  the  Bri- 
tish service  ;  but  they  entreated  that  they  might 
not  be  forced  to  fight  against  their  own  country." 
There  was  not  in  our  whole  navy  a  man  who  had 
a  higher  and  more  chivalrous  sense  of  duty  than 
Riou.  Tears  came  into  his  eyes  while  the  men 
were  speaking:  without  making  any  reply,  he  in- 
stantly ordered  his  boat,  and  did  not  return  to  the 
Amazon  till  he  could  tell  tliem  that  their  wish  was 
effected. 


1801.]  i-iFE  OF  nelson;  229 

The  fleet  sailed  on  the  12th  of  March.  Mr; 
Vansittart  sailed  in  it ;  the  British  cabinet  still 
hoping  to  obtain  its  end  by  negotiation.  It  was  well 
for  England,  that  Sir  Hyde  Parker  placed  a  fuller 
confidence  in  Nelson  than  the  government  seems 
to  have  done  at  this  most  important  crisis.  Her 
enemies  might  well  have  been  astonished  at  learn- 
ing, that  any  other  man  should  for  a  moment  have 
been  thought  of  for  the  command.  But  so  little 
deference  was  paid,  even  at  this  time,  to  his  intui- 
tive and  all-commanding  genius,  that  when  the  fleet 
had  reached  its  first  rendezvous,  at  the  entrance  of 
the  Cattegat,  he  had  received  no  oflScial  commu- 
nication whatever  of  the  intended  operations.  His 
own  mind  had  been  made  up  upon  them  with  its 
accustomed  decision.  "  All  I  have  gathered  of  our 
first  plans,"  said  he,  "  I  disapprove  most  exceed- 
ingly. Honour  may  arise  from  them ;  good  cannot. 
I  hear  we  are  likely  to  anchor  outside  of  Cronen- 
burgh  Castle,  instead  of  Copenhagen,  which  would 
give  weight  to  our  negotiation.  A  Danish  minister 
would  think  twice  before  he  would  put  his  name  to 
war  with  England,  when  the  next  moment  he  would 
probably  see  his  master's  fleet  in  flames,  and  his 
capital  in  ruins.  The  Dane  should  see  our  flag 
every  moment  he  lifted  up  his  head." 

Mr.  Vansittart  left  the  fleet  at  the  Scav/,  and 
preceded  it  in  a  frigate,  with  a  flag  of  truce.  Pre- 
cious time  was  lost  by  this  delay,  which  was  to  be 
purchased  by  the  dearest  blood  of  Britain  and  Den- 
mark :  according  to  the  Danes  themselves,  the  in- 
telligence that  a  British  fleet  was  seen  off  the  Sound 
produced  a  much  more  general  alarm  in  Copenha- 
gen than  its  actual  arrival  in  the  Roads ;  for  their 

Y 


230  LIFE  OF  KELSOy.  [1801. 

means  of  defence  were,  at  that  time,  in  such  a  state, 
that  they  could  hardly  hope  to  resist,  still  less  to 
repel,  an  enemy.  On  the  21st  Nelson  had  a  long 
conference  with  Sir  Hyde ;  and  the  next  day  ad- 
dressed a  letter  to  him,  worthy  of  himself  and  of 
the  occasion.  Mr.  Vansittart's  report  had  then  been 
received.  It  represented  the  Danish  government 
as  in  the  highest  degree  hostile ;  and  their  state 
of  preparation  as  exceeding  what  our  cabinet  had 
supposed  possible  :  for  Denmark  had  profited,  with 
all  activity,  of  the  leisure  which  had  so  impoliticly 
been  given  her.  "The  more  I  have  reflected,"  said 
Nelson  to  his  commander,  "  the  more  I  am  con- 
firmed in  opinion,  that  not  a  moment  should  be 
lost  in  attacking  the  enemy.  They  will  every  day 
and  every  hour  be  stronger :  we  shall  never  be  so 
good  a  match  for  them  as  at  this  moment.  The 
only  consideration  is,  how  to  get  at  them  with  the 
least  risk  to  our  ships. — Here  you  are,  with  almost 
the  safety,  certainly  with  the  honour,  of  England, 
more  intrusted  to  you,  than  ever  yet  fell  to  the  lot 
of  any  British  officer.  On  your  decision  depends 
whether  our  country  shall  be  degraded  in  the  eyes 
of  Europe,  or  whether  she  shall  rear  her  head 
higher  than  ever.  Again,  I  do  repeat,  never  did 
our  country  depend  so  much  upon  the  success  of 
any  fleet  as  on  this.  How  best  to  honour  her,  and 
abate  the  pride  of  her  enemies,  must  be  the  subject 
of  your  deepest  consideration." 

Supposing  him  to  force  the  passage  of  the  Sound, 
Nelson  thought  some  damage  might  be  done 
among  the  masts  and  yards  ;  though,  perhaps, 
not  one  of  them  but  would  be  serviceable  again. 
"  If  the  wind  be  fair,"  said  he,  "  and  you  deter- 


1801.]  riFE  OF  NELSON.  231 

mine  to  attack  the  ships  and  Crown  Islands,  you 
must  expect  the  natural  issue  of  such  a  battle — 
ships  crippled,  and,  perhaps,  one  or  two  lost ;  for 
the  wind  which  cairies  you  in,  will  most  probably 
not  bring  out  a  crippled  ship.  This  mode  I  call 
taking  the  bull  by  the  horns.  It,  however,  will  not 
prevent  the  Revel  ships,  or  the  Swedes,  from  join- 
ing the  Danes  :  and  to  prevent  this,  is,  in  my  hum- 
ble opinion,  a  measure  absolutely  necessary ;  and 
still  to  attack  Copenhagen."  For  this  he  proposed 
two  modes.  One  was,  to  pass  Cronenburgh,  taking 
the  risk  of  danger ;  take  the  deepest  and  straight- 
est  channel  along  the  Middle  Grounds ;  and  then 
coming  down  the  Garbar,  or  King's  Channel,  at- 
tack the  Danish  line  of  floating  batteries  and  ships, 
as  might  be  found  convenient.  This  would  prevent 
a  junction,  and  might  give  an  opportunity  of  bom- 
barding Copenhagen.  Or  to  take  the  passage  of 
the  Belt,  which  might  be  accomplished  in  four  or 
five  days  ;  and  then  the  attack  by  Draco  might  be 
made,  and  the  junction  of  the  Russians  prevented. 
Supposing  them  through  the  Belt,  he  proposed  that 
a  detachment  of  the  fleet  should  be  sent  to  destroy 
the  Russian  squadron  at  Revel ;  and  that  the  bu- 
siness at  Copenhagen  should  be  attempted  with  the 
remainder.  "  The  measure,"  he  said,  "  might  be 
thought  bold  :  but  the  boldest  measures  are  the 
safest." 

The  pilots,  as  men  who  had  nothing  but  safety 
to  think  of,  were  terrified  by  the  formidable  report 
of  the  batteries  of  Elsineur,  and  the  tremendous 
preparations  which  our  negotiators,  who  were  now 
returned  from  their  fruitless  mission,  had  witnessed. 
They,  therefore,  persuaded  Sir  Hyde  to  prefer  the 


232  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  [1801. 

passage  of  the  Belt.  "  Let  it  be  by  the  Sound, 
by  the  Belt,  or  any  how,"  cried  Nelson,  "  only  lose 
not  an  hour!"  On  the  26th  they  sailed  for  the 
Belt :  such  was  the  habitual  reserve  of  Sir  Hyde, 
that  his  own  captain,  the  captain  of  the  fleet,  did 
not  know  which  course  he  had  resolved  to  take  till 
the  fleet  were  getting  under  weigh.  When  Capt. 
Domett  was  thus  apprized  of  it,  he  felt  it  his  duty 
to  represent  to  the  admiral  his  belief  that  if  that 
course  were  persevered  in,  the  ultimate  object  would 
be  totally  defeated :  it  was  liable  to  long  delays, 
and  to  accidents  of  ships  grounding  ;  in  the  whole 
fleet  there  were  only  one  captain,  and  one  pilot, 
who  knew  any  thing  of  this  formidable  passage,  (as 
it  was  then  deemed)  and  their  knowledge  was  very 
slight  :  their  instructions  did  not  authorize  them 
to  attempt  it; — supposing  them  safe  through  the 
Belts,  the  heavy  ships  could  not  come  over  the 
Grounds  to  attack  Copenhagen  ;  and  light  vessels 
would  have  no  effect  on  such  a  line  of  defence  as 
had  been  prepared  against  them.  Domett  urged 
these  reasons  so  forcibly  that  Sir  Hyde's  opinion 
was  shaken,  and  he  consented  to  bring  the  fleet  to. 
and  send  for  Nelson  on  board.  There  can  be  little 
doubt  but  that  the  expedition  would  have  failed,  if 
Capt.  Domett  had  not  thus  timely  and  earnestly 
given  his  advice. — Nelson  entirely  agreed  with  him ; 
and  it  was  finally  determined  to  take  the  passage 
of  the  Sound, — and  the  fleet  returned  to  its  former 
anchorage. 

The  next  day  was  more  idly  expended  in  des- 
patching a  flag  of  truce  to  the  governor  of  Cronen- 
burgh  Castle,  to  ask  whether  he  had  received  orders 
to  fire  at  the  British  fleet;   as  the  admiral  must 


1801.1  LIFE  OF  NELSOX.  233 

consider  the  first  gun  to  be  a  declaration  of  war  on 
the  part  of  Denmark.  A  soldier-hke  and  becoming 
answer  was  returned  to  this  formality.  The  go^  ernor 
said,  that  the  British  minister  had  not  been  sent 
away  from  Copenhagen,  but  had  obtained  a  passport 
at  his  own  demand.  He  himself,  as  a  soldier, 
could  not  meddle  with  politics ;  but  he  was  not  at 
liberty  to  suffer  a  fleet,  of  which  the  intention  was 
not  yet  known,  to  approach  the  guns  of  the  castle 
which  he  had  the  honour  to  command  :  and  he  re- 
quested, if  the  British  admiral  should  think  proper 
to  make  any  proposals  to  the  King  of  Denmark, 
that  he  might  be  apprized  of  it  before  the  fleet 
approached  nearer.  During  this  intercourse,  a 
Dane,  who  came  on  board  the  commander's  ship, 
having  occasion  to  express  his  business  in  writing, 
found  the  pen  blunt ;  and,  holding  it  up,  sarcasti- 
cally said,  "If  your  guns  are  not  better  pointed 
than  your  pens,  you  will  make  little  impression  on 
Copenhagen  !" 

On  that  day  intelligence  reached  the  admiral  of 
the  loss  of  one  of  his  fleet,  the  Invincible,  seventy- 
four,  wrecked  on  a  sand  bank,  as  she  was  coming 
out  of  Yarmouth  ;  four  hundred  of  her  men  perished 
in  her.  Nelson,  who  was  now  appointed  to  lead 
the  van,  shifted  his  flag  to  the  Elephant,  Capt. 
Foley — a  lighter  ship  than  the  St.  George,  and, 
therefore,  fitter  for  the  expected  operations.  The 
two  following  days  were  calm.  Orders  had  been 
given  to  pass  the  Sound  as  soon  as  the  wind  would 
permit ;  and,  on  the  afternoon  of  the  29th,  the  ships 
were  cleared  for  action,  with  an  alacrity  characteris- 
tic of  British  seamen.  At  daybreak,  on  theSOth,  it 
blew  a  top-sail  breeze  from  N.  W.     The  signal  was 


234  LIFE  OF  XELSOV.  [1801, 

made,  and  the  fleet  moved  on  in  order  of  battle; 
Nelson's  division  in  the  van,  Sir  Hyde's  in  the 
centre,  and  Admiral  Graves'  in  the  rear. 

Great  actions,  whether  military  or  naval,  have 
generally  given  celebrity  to  the  scenes  from  whence 
they  are  denominated  ;  and  thus  petty  villages,  and 
capes,  and  bays,  known  only  to  the  coasting  trader, 
become  associated  with  mighty  deeds,  and  their 
names  are  made  conspicuous  in  the  histoiy  of  the 
world.  Here,  however,  the  scene  was  every  way 
worthy  of  the  drama.  The  political  importance  of 
the  Sound  is  such,  that  grand  objects  are  not  needed 
there  to  impress  the  imagination  ;  yet  is  the  channel 
full  of  grand  and  interesting  objects,  both  of  art 
and  nature.  This  passage,  which  Denmark  had  so 
long  considered  as  the  key  of  the  Baltic,  is,  in  its 
narrowest  part,  about  three  miles  wide  ;  and  here 
the  city  of  Elsineur  is  situated ;  except  Copenhagen, 
the  most  flourishing  of  the  Danish  towns.  Every 
vessel  which  passes  lowers  her  top-gallant-sails,  and 
pays  toll  at  Elsineur :  a  toll  which  is  believed  to 
have  had  its  origin  in  the  consent  of  the  traders  to 
that  sea,  Denmark  taking  upon  itself  the  charge  of 
constructing  light-houses,  and  erecting  signals,  to 
mark  the  shoals  and  rocks  from  the  Cattegat  to  the 
Baltic :  and  they,  on  their  part,  agreeing  that  all 
ships  should  pass  this  way,  in  order  that  all  might 
pay  their  shares  :  none  from  that  time  using  the 
passage  of  the  Belt;  because  it  was  not  fitting  that 
they,  who  enjoyed  the  benefit  of  the  beacons  in 
dark  and  stormy  weather,  should  evade  contributing 
to  them  in  fair  seasons  and  summer  nights.  Of 
late  years  about  ten  thousand  vessels  had  annually 
paid  this  contribution  in  time  of  peace.    Adjoining 


1301.]  tIFE  OF  NELSON.  235 

Elsineur,  and  at  the  edge  of  the  peninsular  pro- 
montory, upon  the  nearest  point  of  land  to  the 
Swedish  coast,  stands  Cronenburgh  Castle,  built 
after  Tycho  Brahe's  design  ;  a  magnificent  pile — 
at  once  a  palace,  and  fortress,  and  state-prison, 
with  its  spires  and  towers,  and  battlements  and 
batteries.  On  the  left  of  the  strait  is  the  old  Swedish 
city  of  Helsinburg  ;  at  the  foot,  and  on  the  side  of 
a  hill.  To  the  north  of  Helsinburg  the  shores  are 
steep  and  rocky  ;  they  lower  to  the  south  ;  and  the 
distant  spires  of  Landscrona,  Lund,  and  Malmoe, 
are  seen  in  the  flat  country.  The  Danish  shores 
consist  partly  of  ridges  of  sand ;  but,  more  fre- 
quently, they  are  diversified  with  corn-fields,  mea- 
dows, slopes,  and  are  covered  with  rich  wood,  and 
villages  and  villas,  and  summer  palaces  belonging 
to  the  king  and  the  nobility,  and  denoting  the 
vicinity  of  a  great  capital.  The  isles  of  Huen, 
Statholm,  and  Amak,  appear  in  the  widening  chan- 
nel ;  and,  at  the  distance  of  twenty  miles  from 
Elsineur,  stands  Copenhagen,  in  full  view ;  the 
best  city  of  the  north,  and  one  of  the  finest  capitals 
of  Europe  ;  visible,  with  its  stately  spires,  far  off". 
Amid  these  magnificent  objects  there  are  some 
which  possess  a  peculiar  interest  for  the  recollections 
which  they  call  forth.  The  isle  of  Huen,  a  lovely 
domain,  about  six  miles  in  circumference,  had  been 
the  munificent  gift  of  Frederick  the  Second  to  Tycho 
Brahe.  It  has  higher  shores  than  the  near  coast 
of  Zealand,  or  than  the  Swedish  coast  in  that  part. 
Here  most  of  his  discoveries  were  made  ;  and  here 
the  ruins  are  to  be  seen  of  his  observatory,  and  of 
the  mansion  where  he  was  visited  by  princes  ;  and 
where,  with  a  princely  spirit,  he  received  and  en- 


236  LIFE  OF  XEI-SOX.  [1801. 

tertained  all  comers  from  all  parts,  and  promoted 
science  by  his  liberality,  as  well  as  by  his  labours. 
Elsineur  is  a  name  familiar  to  English  ears,  being 
inseparably  associated  with  Hamlet,  and  one  of  the 
noblest  works  of  human  genius.  Cronenburgh  had 
been  the  scene  of  deeper  tragedy :  here  Queen 
Matilda  was  confined,  the  victim  of  a  foul  and 
murderous  court  intrigue.  Here,  amid  heart-break- 
ing griefs,  she  found  consolation  in  nursing  her  infant. 
Here  she  took  her  everlasting  leave  of  that  infant, 
when  by  the  interference  of  England,  her  own  deli- 
verance was  obtained  ;  and,  as  the  ship  bore  her 
away  from  a  country,  where  the  venial  indiscretions 
of  youth,  and  unsuspicious  gaiety  had  been  so 
cruelly  punished,  upon  these  towers  she  fixed  her 
eyes,  and  stood  upon  the  deck,  obstinately  gazing 
toward  them  till  the  last  speck  had  disappeared. 

The  Sound  being  the  only  frequented  entrance 
to  the  Baltic,  the  great  Mediterranean  of  the 
North,  few  parts  of  the  sea  display  so  frequent  a 
navigation.  In  the  height  of  the  season  not  fewer 
than  an  hundred  vessels  pass  every  four-and-twenty 
hours,  for  many  weeks  in  succession  :  but  never 
had  so  busy  or  so  splendid  a  scene  been  exhibited 
there  as  on  this  day,  when  the  British  fleet  pre- 
pared to  force  that  passage,  where,  till  now,  all 
ships  had  vailed  their  top-sails  to  the  flag  of  Den- 
mark. The  whole  force  consisted  of  fifty-one  sail 
of  various  descriptions  ;  of  which  sixteen  were  of 
the  line.  The  greater  part  of  the  bomb  and  gun 
vessels  took  their  stations  off  Cronenburgh  Castle, 
to  cover  the  fleet ;  while  others  on  the  larboard, 
were  ready  to  engage  the  Swedish  shore.  The 
Danes,  having  improved  every  moment  which  ilU 


1801.]  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  237 

timed  negotiation  and  baffling  weather  gave  them, 
had  Hned  their  shore  with  batteries ;  and  as  soon 
as  the  Monarch,  which  was  the  leading  ship,  came 
abreast  of  them,  a  fire  was  opened  from  about  a 
hundred  pieces  of  cannon  and  mortars  :  our  light 
vessels  immediately,  in  return,  opened  their  fire 
upon  the  castle.  Here  was  all  the  pompous  cir- 
cumstance, and  exciting  reality  of  war,  without  its 
effects ;  for  this  ostentatious  display  was  but  a 
bloodless  prelude  to  the  wide  and  sweeping  des- 
truction which  was  soon  to  follow.  The  enemies' 
shot  fell  near  enough  to  splash  the  water  on  board 
our  ships :  not  relying  upon  any  forbearance  of  the 
Swedes,  they  meant  to  have  kept  the  mid  channel ; 
but,  when  they  perceived  that  not  a  shot  was  fired 
from  Helsingburg,  and  that  no  batteries  were  to  be 
seen  on  the  Swedish  shore,  they  inclined  to  that 
side,  so  as  completely  to  get  out  of  reach  of  the 
Danish  guns.  The  uninterrupted  blaze  which  was 
kept  up  from  them  till  the  fleet  had  passed,  served 
only  to  exhilarate  our  sailors,  and  afford  them 
matter  for  jest,  as  the  shot  fell  in  showers  a  full 
cable's  length  short  of  its  destined  aim.  A  few 
rounds  were  returned  from  some  of  our  leading 
ships  till  they  perceived  its  inutility  : — this,  how- 
ever, occasioned  the  only  bloodshed  of  the  day, 
some  of  our  men  being  killed  and  wounded  by  the 
bursting  of  a  gun.  As  soon  as  the  main  body  had 
passed,  the  gun  vessels  followed  desisting  from 
their  bombardment,  which  had  been  as  innocent 
as  that  of  the  enemy ;  and,  about  mid-day,  the 
whole  fleet  anchored  between  the  island  of  Huen 
and  Copenhagen.  Sir  Hyde,  with  Nelson,  Ad- 
miral Graves,  some  of  the  senior  captains,  and  the 


238  LIFE  OF  XELSOy.  [1801. 

commanding  officers  of  the  artillery  and  the  troops, 
then  proceeded  in  a  lugger,  to  reconnoitre  the  ene- 
my's means  of  defence;  a  formidable  line  of  ships, 
radeaus,  pontoons,  galleys,  fire-ships,  and  gun- 
boats, flanked  and  supported  by  extensive  batteries, 
and  occupying,  from  one  extreme  point  to  the 
other,  an  extent  of  nearly  four  miles. 

A  council  of  war  was  held  in  the  afternoon.  It 
was  apparent  that  the  Danes  could  not  be  attacked 
without  great  difficulty  and  risk ;  and  some  of  the 
members  of  the  council  spoke  of  the  number  of  the 
Swedes  and  the  Russians  whom  they  should  after- 
wards have  to  engage,  as  a  consideration  which 
ought  to  be  borne  in  mind.  Nelson,  who  kept 
pacing  the  cabin,  impatient  as  he  ever  was  of  any 
thing  which  savoured  of  irresolution,  repeatedly 
said,  "  The  more  numerous  the  better,  I  wish  they 
were  twice  as  many, — the  easier  the  victory,  depend 
on  it."  The  plan  upon  which  he  had  determined, 
if  ever  it  should  be  his  fortune  to  bring  a  Baltic 
fleet  to  action,  was,  to  attack  the  head  of  their  line, 
and  confuse  their  movements. — "  Close  with  a 
Frenchman,"  he  used  to  say,  "  but  outmanoeuvre 
a  Russian."  He  offered  his  services  for  the  attack, 
requiring  ten  sail  of  the  line,  and  the  whole  of  the 
smaller  craft.  Sir  Hyde  gave  him  two  more  line 
of  battle  ships  than  he  asked,  and  left  every  thing 
to  his  judgment. 

The  enemy's  force  was  not  the  only,  nor  tlie 
greatest,  obstacle  with  which  the  British  fleet  had 
to  contend  :  there  was  another  to  be  overcome  be- 
fore they  could  come  in  contact  with  it.  The  chan- 
nel was  little  known,  and  extremely  intricate ;  all 
the  buoys  had  been  removed :  and  the  Danes  con- 


1801.]  I-IFE  OF  NELSOIf.  239 

sidered  this  difficulty  as  almost  insuperable,  think- 
ing the  channel  impracticable  for  so  large  a  fleet. 
Nelson  himself  saw  the  soundings  made,  and  the 
buoys  laid  down,  boating  it  upon  this  exhausting 
service,  day  and  night,  till  it  was  effected.  When 
this  was  done,  he  thanked  God  for  having  enabled 
him  to  get  through  this  difficult  part  of  his  duty. 
"  It  had  worn  him  down,"  he  said,  "  and  was  in- 
finitely more  grievous  to  him  than  any  resistance 
which  he  could  experience  from  the  enemy. 

At  the  first  council  of  war,  opinions  inclined  to 
an  attack  from  the  eastward :  but  the  next  day, 
the  wind  being  southerly,  after  a  second  examina- 
tion of  the  Danish  position,  it  was  determined  to 
attack  from  the  south,  approaching  in  the  manner 
which  Nelson  had  suggested  in  his  first  thoughts. 
On  the  morning  of  the  1st  of  April  the  whole  fleet 
removed  to  an  anchorage  within  two  leagues  of  the 
town,  and  off"  the  N.  W.  end  of  the  Middle  Ground ; 
a  shoal  lying  exactly  before  the  town,  at  about 
three  quarters  of  a  mile  distance,  and  extending 
along  its  whole  sea  front.  The  King's  Channel, 
where  there  is  deep  water,  is  between  this  shoal 
and  the  town  ;  and  here  the  Danes  had  arranged 
their  line  of  defence,  as  near  the  shore  as  possible; 
nineteen  ships  and  floating  batteries,  flanked,  at 
the  end  nearest  the  town,  by  the  Crown  Batteries, 
which  were  two  artificial  islands,  at  the  mouth  of 
the  harbour — most  formidable  works ;  the  larger 
one  having,  by  the  Danish  account,  sixty-six  guns; 
but,  as  Nelson  believed,  eighty-eight.  The  fleet 
having  anchored,  Nelson,  with  Riou,  in  the  Ama- 
zon, made  his  last  examination  of  the  ground ;  and, 
about  one  o'clock,  returning  to  his  own  ship,  threw 


240  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  [1801. 

out  the  signal  to  weigh.  It  was  received  with  a 
shout  throughout  the  whole  division ;  they  weighed 
with  a  light  and  favourable  wind :  the  narrow 
channel  between  the  island  of  Saltholm  and  the 
Middle  Ground  had  been  accurately  buoyed ;  the 
small  craft  pointed  out  the  course  distinctly ;  Riou 
led  the  way  :  the  whole  division  coasted  along  the 
outer  edge  of  the  shoal,  doubled  its  farther  extre- 
mity, and  anchored  there  off  Draco  Point,  just  as 
the  darkness  closed — the  headmost  of  the  enemy's 
line  not  being  more  than  two  miles  distant.  The 
signal  to  prepare  for  action  had  been  made  early  in 
the  evening  ;  and,  as  his  own  anchor  dropt.  Nelson 
called  out,  "  I  will  fight  them  the  moment  I  have 
a  fair  wind."  It  had  been  ag-reed  that  Sir  Hvde, 
with  the  remaining  ships,  should  weigh  on  the  fol- 
lowing morning,  at  the  same  time  as  Nelson,  to 
menace  the  Crown  Batteries  on  his  side,  and  the 
four  ships  of  the  line  which  lay  at  the  entrance  of 
the  arsenal ;  and  to  cover  our  own  disabled  ships 
as  they  came  out  of  action. 

The  Danes,  meantime,  had  not  been  idle  :  no 
sooner  did  the  guns  of  Cronenburgh  make  it  known 
to  the  whole  city  that  all  negotiation  was  at  an 
end,  that  the  British  fleet  was  passing  the  Sound, 
and  that  the  dispute  between  the  two  crowns  must 
now  be  decided  by  arms,  than  a  spirit  displayed 
itself  most  honourable  to  the  Danish  character. 
All  ranks  offered  themselves  to  the  service  of  their 
country  ;  the  university  furnished  a  corps  of  twelve 
hundred  youths,  the  flower  of  Denmark : — it  was 
one  of  those  emergencies  in  which  little  drilling  or 
discipline  is  necessary  to  render  courage  available ; 
they  had  nothing  to  learn  but  how  to  manage  the 


1801.]  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  241 

guns,  and  day  and  night  were  employed  in  prac- 
tising them.  When  the  movements  of  Nelson's 
squadron  were  perceived,  it  was  known  when  and 
where  the  attack  was  to  be  expected,  and  the  line 
of  defence  was  manned  indiscriminately  by  soldiers, 
sailors,  and  citizens.  Had  not  the  whole  attention 
of  the  Danes  been  directed  to  strengthen  their  own 
means  of  defence,  they  might  most  materially  have 
annoyed  the  invading  squadron,  and,  perhaps,  frus- 
trated the  impending  attack  ;  for  the  British  ships 
were  crowded  in  an  anchoring  ground  of  little  ex- 
tent: —  it  was  calm,  so  that  mortar-boats  might 
have  acted  against  them  to  the  utmost  advantage  ; 
and  they  were  within  range  of  shells  from  Amak 
Island.  A  few  fell  among  them ;  but  the  enemy 
soon  ceased  to  fire.  It  was  learnt  afterwards,  that, 
fortunately  for  the  fleet,  the  bed  of  the  mortar  had 
given  way ;  and  the  Danes  either  could  not  get  it 
replaced,  or,  in  the  darkness,  lost  the  direction. 

This  was  an  awful  night  for  Copenhagen, — far 
more  so  than  for  the  British  fleet,  where  the  men 
were  accustomed  to  battle  and  victory,  and  had 
none  of  those  objects  before  their  ej'^es,  which  ren- 
der death  terrible.  Nelson  sat  down  to  table  with 
a  large  party  of  his  officers  :  he  was,  as  he  was  ever 
wont  to  be  when  on  the  eve  of  action,  in  high  spi- 
rits, and  drank  to  a  leading  wind,  and  to  the  suc- 
cess of  the  morrow.  After  supper  they  returned  to 
their  respective  ships,  except  Riou,  who  remained 
to  arrange  the  order  of  battle  with  Nelson  and 
Foley,  and  to  draw  up  instructions  :  Hardy,  mean- 
time, went  in  a  small  boat  to  examine  the  channel 
between  them  and  the  enemy ;  approaching  so 
near,  that  he  sounded  round  their  leading  ship  with 


242  LIFE  OF  KELSON.  [1801. 

a  pole,  lest  the  noise  of  throwing  the  lead  should 
discover  him.  The  incessant  fatigue  of  body,  as 
well  as  mind,  which  Nelson  had  undergone  during 
the  last  three  days,  had  so  exhausted  him,  that  he 
was  earnestly  urged  to  go  to  his  cot ;  and  his  old 
servant,  Allen,  using  that  kind  of  authority,  which 
long  and  affectionate  services  entitled  and  enabled 
him  to  assume  on  such  occasions,  insisted  upon  his 
complying.  The  cot  was  placed  on  the  floor,  and 
he  continued  to  dictate  from  it.  About  eleven 
Hardy  returned,  and  reported  the  practicability  of 
the  channel,  and  the  depth  of  water  up  to  the  ene- 
my's line.  About  one,  the  orders  were  completed  ; 
and  half  a  dozen  clerks,  in  the  foremost  cabin,  pro- 
ceeded to  transcribe  them  :  Nelson  frequently  call- 
ing out  to  them  from  his  cot  to  hasten  their  work, 
for  the  wind  was  becoming  fair.  Instead  of  at- 
tempting to  get  a  few  hours'  sleep,  he  was  con- 
stantly receiving  reports  on  this  important  point. 
At  daybreak  it  was  announced  as  becoming  per- 
fectly fair.  The  clerks  finished  their  work  about 
six.  Nelson,  who  was  already  up,  breakfasted, 
and  made  signal  for  all  captains.  The  land  forces, 
and  five  hundred  seamen,  under  Capt.  Freemantle 
and  the  Hon.  Col.  Stewart,  were  to  storm  the 
Crown  Battery  as  soon  as  its  fire  should  be  silenced : 
and  Riou — whom  Nelson  had  never  seen  till  this 
expedition,  but  whose  worth  he  had  instantly  per- 
ceived, and  appreciated  as  it  deserved — had  the 
Blanche  and  Alcmene  frigates,  the  Dart  and  Arrow 
sloops,  and  the  Zephyr  and  Otter  fire-ships,  given 
him,  with  a  special  command  to  act  as  circum- 
stances might  require  : — every  other  ship  had  its 
station  appointed. 


1801.]  LIFE  OF  KELSON".  243 

Between  eight  and  nine,  the  pilots  and  masters 
were  ordered  on  board  the  admiral's  ships.  The 
pilots  were  mostly  men  who  had  been  mates  in 
Baltic  traders  ;  and  their  hesitation  about  the  bear- 
ing of  the  east  end  of  the  shoal,  and  the  exact  line 
of  deep  water,  gave  ominous  warning  of  how  little 
their  knowledge  was  to  be  trusted.  The  signal  for 
action  had  been  made,  the  wind  was  fair — not  a 
moment  to  be  lost.  Nelson  urged  them  to  be 
steady, — to  be  resolute,  and  to  decide :  but  they 
wanted  the  only  ground  for  steadiness  and  decision 
in  such  cases ;  and  Nelson  had  reason  to  regret 
that  he  had  not  trusted  to  Hardy's  single  report. 
This  was  one  of  the  most  painful  moments  of  his 
life ;  and  he  always  spoke  of  it  with  bitterness. 
"  I  experienced  in  the  Sound,"  said  he,  "  the 
misery  of  having  the  honour  of  our  country  in- 
trusted to  a  set  of  pilots,  who  have  no  other  thought 
than  to  keep  the  ships  clear  of  danger,  and  their 
own  silly  heads  clear  of  shot.  Every  body  knows 
what  I  must  have  suffered :  and  if  any  merit 
attaches  itself  to  me,  it  was  for  combating  the  dan- 
gers of  the  shallows  in  defiance  of  them."  At 
length  Mr.  Bryerly  the  master  of  the  Bellona,  de- 
clared that  he  was  prepared  to  lead  the  fleet :  his 
judgment  was  acceded  to  by  the  rest :  they  re- 
turned to  their  ships ;  and,  at  half-past  nine,  the 
signal  was  made  to  weigh  in  succession. 

Capt.  Murray,  in  the  Edgar,  led  the  way  ;  the 
Agamemnon  was  next  in  order ;  but,  on  the  first 
attempt  to  leave  her  anchorage,  she  could  not 
weather  the  edge  of  the  shoal ;  and  Nelson  had  the 
grief  to  see  his  old  ship,  in  which  he  had  performed 
so  many  years'  gallant  services,  immovably  aground, 


244  LIFE  OF  NELSOX.  [1801. 

at  a  moment  when  her  help  was  so  greatly  required. 
Signal  was  then  made  for  the  Polyphemus :  and 
this  change  in  the  order  of  sailing  was  executed 
with  the  utmost  promptitude :  yet  so  much  delay 
had  thus  been  unavoidably  occasioned,  that  the 
Edgar  was  for  some  time  unsupported  :  and  the 
Polyphemus,  whose  place  should  have  been  at  the 
end  of  the  enemy's  line,  where  their  strength  was 
the  greatest,  could  get  no  further  than  the  begin- 
ning, owing  to  the  difficulty  of  the  channel :  there 
she  occupied,  indeed,  an  efficient  station,  but  one 
where  her  presence  was  less  required.  The  Isis  fol- 
lowed, with  better  fortune,  and  took  her  own  birth. 
The  Bellona,  Sir  Thomas  Boulden  Thompson,  kept 
too  close  on  the  starboard  shoal,  and  grounded 
abreast  of  the  outer  ship  of  the  enemy :  this  was 
the  more  vexatious,  inasmuch  as  the  wind  was  fair, 
the  room  ample,  and  three  ships  had  led  the  way. 
The  Russell,  following  the  Bellona,  grounded  in 
like  manner:  both  were  within  reach  of  shot;  but 
their  absence  from  their  intended  stations  was  se- 
verely felt.  Each  ship  had  been  ordered  to  pass 
her  leader  on  the  starboard  side,  because  the  water 
was  supposed  to  shoal  on  the  larboard  shore.  Nel- 
son, who  came  next  after  these  two  ships,  thought 
they  had  kept  too  far  on  the  starboard  direction, 
and  made  signal  for  them  to  close  with  the  enemy, 
not  knowing  that  they  were  aground  :  but,  when  he 
perceived  that  they  did  not  obey  the  signal,  he  or- 
dered the  Elephant's  helm  to  starboard,  and  went 
within  these  ships :  thus  quitting  the  appointed 
order  of  sailing,  and  guiding  those  which  were  to 
follow.  The  greater  part  of  the  fleet  were  probably, 
by  this  act  of  promptitude  on  his  part,  saved  from 


1801.]  LIFE  OF  NELSON,  245 

going  on  shore.  Each  ship,  as  she  arrived  nearly 
opposite  to  her  appointed  station,  let  her  anchor  go 
by  the  stem,  and  presented  her  broadside  to  the 
Danes.  The  distance  between  each  was  about  half 
a  cable.  The  action  was  fought  nearly  at  the  dis- 
tance of  a  cable's  length  from  the  enemy.  This, 
which  rendered  its  continuance  so  long,  was  owing 
to  the  ignorance  and  consequent  indecision  of  the 
pilots.  In  pursuance  of  the  same  error  which  had 
led  the  Bellona  and  the  Russell  aground,  they, 
when  the  lead  was  at  a  quarter  less  five,  refused  to 
approach  nearer,  in  dread  of  shoaling  their  water 
on  the  larboard  shore  :  a  fear  altogether  erroneous, 
for  the  water  deepened  up  to  the  very  side  of  the 
enemy's  line. 

At  five  minutes  after  ten  the  action  began.  The 
first  half  of  our  fleet  was  engaged  in  about  half  an 
hour;  and,  by  half-past  eleven,  the  battle  became 
general.  The  plan  of  the  attack  had  been  complete : 
but  seldom  has  any  plan  been  more  disconcerted 
by  untoward  accidents.  Of  twelve  ships  of  the  line, 
one  was  entirely  useless,  and  two  others  in  a  situa- 
tion where  they  could  not  render  half  the  service 
which  was  required  of  them.  Of  the  squadron  of 
gun-brigs  only  one  could  get  into  action  ;  the  rest 
were  prevented,  by  baffling  cuiTents,  from  weather- 
ing the  eastern  end  of  the  shoal ;  and  only  two  of 
the  bomb- vessels  could  reach  their  station  on  the 
Middle  Ground,  and  open  their  mortars  on  the  ar- 
senal, firing  over  both  fleets.  Riou  took  the  vacant 
station  against  the  Crown  Battery,  with  his  frigates; 
attempting,  with  that  unequal  force,  a  service  in 
which  three  sail  of  the  line  had  been  directed  to 
assist. 


246  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  [1801. 

Nelson's  agitation  had  been  extreme  when  he 
saw  himself,  before  the  action  begun,  deprived  of  a 
fourth  part  of  his  ships  of  the  line  ;  but  no  sooner 
was  he  in  battle,  where  his  squadron  was  received 
with  the  fire  of  more  than  a  thousand  guns,  than, 
as  if  that  artillery,  like  music,  had  driven  away  all 
care  and  painful  thoughts,  his  countenance  bright- 
ened ;  and,  as  a  bystander  describes  him,  his  con- 
versation became  joyous,  animated,  elevated,  and 
delightful.  The  commander-in-chief  meantime, 
near  enough  to  the  scene  of  action  to  know  the  un- 
favourable accidents  which  had  so  materially  weak- 
ened Nelson,  and  yet  too  distant  to  know  the  real 
state  of  the  contending  parties,  suffered  the  most 
dreadful  anxiety.  To  get  to  his  assistance  was  im- 
possible ;  both  wind  and  current  were  against  him. 
Fear  for  the  event,  in  such  circumstances,  would 
naturally  preponderate  in  the  bravest  mind;  and, 
at  one  o'clock,  perceiving  that,  after  three  hours' 
endurance,  the  enemy's  fire  was  unslackened,  he 
began  to  despair  of  success.  "  I  will  make  the 
signal  of  recal,"  said  he  to  his  captain,  "  for  Nel- 
son's sake.  If  he  is  in  a  condition  to  continue  the 
action  successfully,  he  will  disregard  it ;  if  he  is  not, 
it  will  be  an  excuse  for  his  retreat,  and  no  blame 
can  be  imputed  to  him."  Captain  Domett  urged 
him  at  least  to  delay  the  signal,  till  he  could  com- 
municate with  Nelson;  but,  in  Sir  Hyde's  opinion, 
the  danger  was  too  pressing  for  delay: — "The 
fire,"  he  said,  "  was  too  hot  for  Nelson  to  oppose ; 
a  retreat  he  thought  must  be  made, — he  was  aware 
of  the  consequences  to  his  own  personal  reputation,' 
but  it  would  be  cowardly  in  him  to  leave  Nelson  to 
bear  the  whole  shame  of  the  failure,  if  shame  it 


1801.]  LIFE  OF  NELSOX.  247 

should  be  deemed."  Under  a  mistaken  judgment,* 
therefore,  but  with  this  disinterested  and  generous 
feeling,  he  made  the  signal  for  retreat. 

Nelson  was  at  this  time,  in  all  the  excitement  of 
action,  pacing  the  quarter-deck.  A  shot  through 
the  mainmast  knocked  the  splinters  about;  and  he 
observed  to  one  of  his  officers  with  a  smile,  "  It  is 
warm  work  ;  and  this  day  maybe  the  last  to  any  of 
us  at  a  moment :" — and  then  stopping  short  at  the 
gangway,  added,  with  emotion — "  But  mark  you  ! 
I  would  not  be  elsewhere  for  thousands."  About  this 
time  the  signal  lieutenant  called  out,  that  number 
thirty-nine,  (the  signal  for  discontinuing  the  action) 
was  thrown  out  by  the  commander-in-chief.  He 
continued  to  walk  the  deck,  and  appeared  to  take 
no  notice  of  it.  The  signal  officer  met  him  at  the 
next  turn,  and  asked  if  he  should  repeat  it.  "  No," 
he  replied;  "  acknowledge  it."  Presently  he  called 
after  him  to  know  if  the  signal  for  close  action  was 
still  hoisted ;  and  being  answered  in  the  affirmative, 
said  "  Mind  you  keep  it  so."  He  now  paced  the 
deck,  moving  the  stump  of  his  lost  arm  jn  a  man- 
ner which  always  indicated  great  emotion.  "  Do 
you  know,"  said  he  to  Mr.  Ferguson,"  what  is  shown 
on  board  the  commander-in-chief  ?  Number  thirty- 
nine  '."  Mr.  Ferguson  asked  what  that  meant. — 
"  Why,  to  leave  off  action !"  Then,  shrugging  up 
his  shoulders,  he  repeated  the  words — "  Leave  off 
action  ?  Now,  damn  me  if  I  do !  You  know,  Foley," 
turning  to  the  captain,  "  I  have  only  one  eye, — 

*  I  have  great  pleasure  in  rendering  this  justice  to  Sir  Hyde 
Parker's  reasoning.  The  fact  is  here  stated  upon  the  highest 
and  most  unquestionable  authority. 


248  LIFE  OF  XELSOIf.  [1801. 

I  have  a  right  to  be  blind  sometimes :" — and  then, 
putting  the  glass  to  his  blind  eye,  in  that  mood  of 
mind  which  sports  with  bitterness,  he  exclaimed, 
''  I  really  do  not  see  the  signal !"    Presently  he  ex- 
claimed, "  Damn  the  signal  "  Keep  mine  for  closer 
battle  flying !  That's  the  way  I  answer  such  signals ! 
Nail  mme  to  the  mast !"    Admiral  Graves,  who  was 
so  situated  that  he  could  not  discern  what  was 
done  on  board  the  Elephant,  disobeyed  Sir  Hyde's 
signal  in  like  manner :  whether  by  fortunate  mis- 
take, or  by  a  like  brave  intention,  has  not  been 
made  known.    The  other  ships  of  the  line,  looking 
only  to  Nelson,  continued  the  action.     The  signal 
however,  saved  Riou's  little  squadron,  but  did  not 
save  its  heroic  leader.     This  squadron,  which  was 
nearest  the  commander-in-chief,  obeyed,  and  hauled 
off.     It  had  suffered  severely  in  its  most  unequal 
contest.     For  a  long  time  the  Amazon  had  been 
firing,  enveloped  in  smoke,  when  Riou  desired  his 
men  to  stand  fast,  and  let  the  smoke  clear  off,  that 
they  might  see  what  they  were  about.     A  fatal 
order ;  for  the  Danes  then  got  clear  sight  of  her 
from  the  batteries,  and  pointed  their  guns  with  such 
tremendous  effect,  that  nothing  but  the  signal  for 
retreat  saved  this  frigate  from  destruction.    "What 
will  Nelson  think  of  us  !"  was  Riou's  mournful  ex- 
clamation, when  he  unwillingly  drew  off.     He  had 
been  wounded  in  the  head  by  a  splinter,  and  was 
sitting  on  a  gun,  encouraging  his  men,  when,  just 
as  the  Amazon  showed  her  stern  to  the  Trekroner 
battery,  his  clerk   was   killed  by  his  side ;    and 
another  shot  swept  away  several  marines,  who  were 
hauling  in  the  main  brace.     "Come,  then,  my 
boys!"  cried  Riou;  "  let  us  die  all  together!"   The 


1801:]  LIFE  OF  XELSON.-  249 

words  had  scarcely  been  uttered,  before  a  raking 
shot  cut  him  in  two.  Except  it  had  been  Nelson 
himself,  the  British  navy  could  not  have  suffered 
a  severer  loss. 

The  action  continued  along  the  line  with  una- 
bated vigour  on  our  side,  and  with  the  most  deter- 
mined resolution  on  the  part  of  the  Danes.  They 
fought  to  great  advantage,  because  most  of  the 
vessels  in  their  line  of  defence  were  without  masts  : 
the  few  which  had  any  standing  had  their  top-masts 
struck,  and  the  hulls  could  not  be  seen  at  intervals. 
The  Isis  must  have  been  destroyed  by  the  superior 
weight  of  her  enemy's  fire,  if  Capt.  Inman,  in  the 
Desiree  frigate,  had  not  judiciously  taken  a  situa- 
tion which  enabled  him  to  rake  the  Dane,  and  if 
the  Polyphemus  had  not  also  relieved  her.  Both 
in  the  Bellona  and  the  Isis  many  men  were  lost 
by  the  bursting  of  their  guns.  The  former  ship 
was  about  forty  years  old,  and  these  guns  were 
believed  to  be  the  same  which  she  had  first  taken 
to  sea :  they  were,  probably,  originally  faulty,  for 
the  fragments  were  full  of  little  air-holes.  The 
Bellona  lost  seventy-five  men ;  the  Isis,  one  hun- 
dred and  ten  ;  the  Monarch,  two  hundred  and  ten. 
She  was,  more  than  any  other  line  of  battle  ship, 
exposed  to  the  great  battery:  and,  supporting  at 
the  same  time  the  united  fire  of  the  Holstein  and 
the  Zealand,  her  loss  this  day  exceeded  that  of 
any  single  ship  during  the  whole  war.  Amid  the 
tremendous  carnage  in  this  vessel,  some  of  the 
men  displayed  a  singular  instance  of  coolness  ;  the 
pork  and  peas  happened  to  be  in  the  kettle  ;  a  shot 
knocked  its  contents  about ; — they  picked  up  the 
pieces,  and  ate  and  fought  at  the  same  time. 


250  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  [1801. 

The  prince  royal  had  taken  his  station  upon  one 
of  the  batteries,  from  whence  he  beheld  the  action, 
and  issued  his  orders.  Denmark  had  never  been 
engaged  in  so  arduous  a  contest,  and  never  did  the 
Danes  more  nobly  display  their  national  courage : 
— a  courage  not  more  unhappily,  than  impoliticly 
exerted  in  subserviency  to  the  interest  of  France. 
Capt.  Thura,  of  the  Indfoedsretten,  fell  early  in 
the  action ;  and  all  his  officers,  except  one  lieu 
tenant  and  one  marine  officer,  were  either  killed  oi 
wounded.  In  the  confusion,  the  colours  were 
either  struck,  or  shot  away ;  but  she  was  moored 
athwart  one  of  the  batteries  in  such  a  situation, 
that  the  British  made  no  attempt  to  board  her ; 
and  a  boat  was  despatched  to  the  prince,  to  inform 
him  of  her  situation.  He  turned  to  those  about 
him,  and  said,  "  Gentlemen,  Thura  is  killed; 
which  of  you  will  take  the  command  '."  Schroeder- 
see,  a  captain  who  had  lately  resigned,  on  account 
of  extreme  ill  health,  answered,  in  a  feeble  voice, 
"  I  will!"  and  hastened  on  board.  The  crew, 
perceiving  a  new  commander  coming  alongside, 
hoisted  their  colours  again,  and  fired  a  broadside. 
Schroedersee,  when  he  came  on  deck,  found  him- 
self surrounded  by  the  dead  and  wounded,  and 
called  to  those  in  the  boat  to  get  quickly  on  board  : 
a  ball  struck  him  at  that  moment.  A  lieutenant, 
who  had  accompanied  him,  then  took  the  com- 
mand, and  continued  to  fight  the  ship.  A  youth 
of  seventeen,  by  name  Villemoes,  particularly  dis- 
tinguished himself  on  this  memorable  day.  He 
had  volunteered  to  take  the  command  of  a  floating 
battery  ;  which  was  a  raft,  consisting  merely  of  a 
number  of  beams  nailed  together,  with  a  flooring 


1801.]  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  251 

to  support  the  guns  :  it  was  square,  with  a  breast- 
work full  of  port-holes,  and  without  masts, — car- 
rying' twenty-four  guns,  and  one  hundred  and 
twenty  men.  With  this  he  got  under  the  stern  of 
the  Elephant,  below  the  reach  of  the  stern-chasers; 
and,  under  a  heavy  fire  of  small  arms  from  the 
marines,  fought  his  raft,  till  the  truce  was  an- 
nounced, with  such  skill,  as  well  as  courage,  as  to 
excite  Nelson's  warmest  admiration. 

Between  one  and  two  the  fire  of  the  Danes 
slackened ;  about  two  it  ceased  from  the  greater 
part  of  their  line,  and  some  of  their  lighter  ships 
were  adrift.  It  was,  however,  difficult  to  take  pos- 
session of  those  who  struck,  because  the  batteries 
on  Amak  Island  protected  them ;  and  because  an 
irregular  fire  was  kept  up  from  the  ships  them- 
selves as  the  boats  approached.  This  arose  from 
the  nature  of  the  action ;  the  crews  were  continu- 
ally reinforced  from  the  shore  :  and  fresh  men  com- 
ing on  board,  did  not  inquire  whether  the  flag  had 
been  struck,  or,  perhaps,  did  not  heed  it ; — many, 
or  most  of  them  never  having  been  engaged  in  war 
before, — knowing  nothing,  therefore,  of  its  laws, 
and  thinking  only  of  defending  their  country  to 
the  last  extremity.  The  Danbrog  fired  upon  the 
Elephant's  boats  in  this  manner,  though  her  com- 
modore had  removed  her  pendant  and  deserted  her, 
though  she  had  struck,  and  though  she  was  in 
flames.  After  she  had  been  abandoned  by  the 
commodore,  Braun  fought  her  till  he  lost  his  right 
hand,  and  then  Capt.  Lemming  took  the  command. 
This  unexpected  renewal  of  her  fire  made  the  Ele- 
phant and  Glatton  renew  theirs,  till  she  was  not 
only  silenced,  but  nearly  every  man  in  the  praams, 
ahead  and  astern  of  her,  was  killed.     When  the 


252  LIFE  OF  NELSOK.  [1801 

smoke  of  their  guns  died  away,  she  was  seen  drift- 
ing in  flames  before  the  wind  :  those  of  her  crew>, 
who  remained  alive,  and  able  to  exert  themselves, 
throwing  themselves  out  at  her  port-holes.  Capt. 
Bertie  of  the  Ardent  sent  his  launch  to  their  assist- 
ance, and  saved  three  and  twenty  of  them. 

Capt.  Rothe  commanded  the  Nyeborg  praam ; 
and,  perceiving  that  she  could  not  much  longer  be 
kept  afloat,  made  for  the  inner  road.  As  he  passed 
the  line,  he  found  the  Aggershuus  praam  in  a 
more  miserable  condition  than  his  own ;  her  masts 
had  all  gone  by  the  board,  and  she  was  on  the 
point  of  sinking.  Rothe  made  fast  a  cable  to  her 
stern,  and  towed  her  off:  but  he  could  get  her  no 
further  than  a  shoal,  called  Stubben,  when  she 
sunk  :  and  soon  after  he  had  worked  the  Nyeborg 
up  to  the  landing  place,  that  vessel  also  sunk  to 
the  gunwale.  Never  did  any  vessel  come  out  of 
action  in  a  more  dreadful  plight.  The  stump  of 
her  foremast  was  the  only  stick  standing ;  her 
cabin  had  been  stove  in  ;  every  gun,  except  a  sin- . 
gle  one,  was  dismounted ;  and  her  deck  was  co- 
vered with  shattered  limbs  and  dead  bodies. 

By  half-past  two  the  action  had  ceased  along 
that  part  of  the  line  which  was  astern  of  the  Ele- 
phant, but  not  with  the  ships  ahead  and  the  Crown 
Batteries.  Nelson,  seeing  the  manner  in  which 
his  boats  were  fired  upon,  when  they  went  to  take 
possession  of  the  prizes,  became  angry,  and  said, 
he  must  either  send  on  shore  to  have  this  irregular 
proceeding  stopt,  or  send  a  fire  ship  and  burn  them. 
Half  the  shot  from  the  Trekroner,  and  from  the 
batteries  at  Amak  at  this  time,  struck  the  surren- 
dered ships,  four  of  which  had  got  close  together ; 
and  the  fire  of  the  English,  in  return,  was  equally 


1801.] 


LIFE  OF  NELSOl^. 


253 


or  even  more  destructive  to  these  poor  devoted 
Danes.  Nelson,  who  vpas  as  humane  as  he  weis 
brave,  was  shocked  at  this  massacre, — for  such  he 
called  it :  and,  with  a  presence  of  mind  peculiar  to 
himself,  and  never  more  signally  displayed  than 
now,  he  retired  into  the  stem  gallery,  and  wrote 
thus  to  the  Crown  Prince :  "  Vice- Admiral  Lord 
Nelson  has  been  commanded  to  spare  Denmark, 
when  she  no  longer  resists.  The  line  of  defence 
which  covered  her  shores  has  struck  to  the  British 
flag :  but  if  the  firing  is  continued  on  the  part  of 
Denmark,  he  must  set  on  fire  all  the  prizes  that  he 
has  taken,  without  having  the  power  of  saving  the 
men  who  have  so  nobly  defended  them.  The  brave 
Danes  are  the  brothers,  and  should  never  be  the 
enemies,  of  the  English."  A  wafer  was  given 
him ;  but  he  ordered  a  candle  to  be  brought  from 


.\  A 


254  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  [1801. 

the  cockpit,  and  sealed  the  letter  with  wax,  affixing 
a  larger  seal  than  he  ordinarily  used.  "  This," 
said  he,  "  is  no  time  to  appear  hurried  and  in- 
formal." Capt.  Sir  Frederic  Thesiger,  who  acted 
as  his  aid-de-camp,  carried  this  letter  with  a  flag 
of  truce.  Meantime,  the  fire  of  the  ships  ahead, 
and  the  approach  of  the  Ramillies  and  Defence, 
from  Sir  Hyde's  division,  which  had  now  worked 
near  enough  to  alarm  the  enemy,  though  not  to 
injure  them,  silenced  the  remainder  of  the  Danish 
line  to  the  eastward  of  the  Trekroner.  That  bat- 
tery, however,  continued  its  fire.  This  formidable 
work,  owing  to  the  want  of  the  ships  which  had 
been  destined  to  attack  it,  and  the  inadequate  force 
of  Riou's  little  squadron,  was  comparatively  unin- 
jured :  towards  the  close  of  the  action  it  had  been 
manned  with  nearly  fifteen  hundred  men ;  and  the 
intention  of  storming  it,  for  which  every  preparation 
had  been  made,  was  abandoned  as  impracticable. 

During  Thesiger's  absence.  Nelson  sent  for  Free- 
mantle,  from  the  Ganges,  and  consulted  with  him 
and  Foley,  whether  it  was  advisable  to  advance, 
with  those  ships  which  had  sustained  least  damage, 
against  the  yet  uninjured  part  of  the  Danish  line. 
They  were  decidedly  of  opinion,  that  the  best  thing 
which  could  be  done  was,  while  the  wind  continued 
fair,  to  remove  the  fleet  out  of  the  intricate  channel, 
from  which  it  had  to  retreat.  In  somewhat  more 
than  half  an  hour  after  Thesiger  had  been  des- 
patched, the  Danish  Adjutant-General  Lindholm 
came,  bearing  a  flag  of  truce ;  upon  which  the,,, 
Trekroner  ceased  to  fire,  and  the  action  closed, 
after  four  hours'  continuance.  He  brought  an  in- 
quiry from  tlie  prince,  What  was  the  object  of 


1801.]  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  255 

Nelson's  note  ?  The  British  admiral  wrote  in  re- 
ply :  "  Lord  Nelson's  object  in  sending  the  flag  of 
truce  was  humanity :  he  therefore  consents  that 
hostilities  shall  cease,  and  that  the  wounded  Danes 
may  be  taken  on  shore.  And  Lord  Nelson  will 
take  his  prisoners  out  of  the  vessels,  and  burn  or 
carry  off  his  prizes  as  he  shall  think  fit.  Lord 
Nelson,  with  humble  duty  to  his  royal  highness  the 
prince,  will  consider  this  the  greatest  victory  he  has 
ever  gained,  if  it  may  be  the  cause  of  a  happy  recon- 
ciliation and  union  between  his  own  most  gracious 
sovereign  and  his  majesty  the  king  of  Denmark." 
— Sir  Frederic  Thesiger  was  despatched  a  second 
time  with  the  reply;  and  the  Danish  adjutant- 
general  was  referred  to  the  commander-in-chief  for 
a  conference  upon  this  overture.  Lindholm  as- 
senting to  this,  proceeded  to  the  London,  which 
was  riding  at  anchor  full  four  miles  off;  and  Nel- 
son, losing  not  one  of  the  critical  moments  which 
he  had  thus  gained,  made  signal  for  his  leading 
ships  to  weigh  in  succession  : — they  had  the  shoal 
to  clear,  they  were  much  crippled,  and  their  course 
was  immediately  under  the  guns  of  the  Trekroner. 
The  Monarch  led  the  way.  This  ship  had  re- 
ceived six  and  twenty  shot  between  wind  and  water. 
She  had  not  a  shroud  standing ;  there  was  a  double- 
headed  shot  in  the  heart  of  her  foremast,  and  the 
slightest  wind  would  have  sent  every  mast*  over 
her  side.    The  imminent  danger  from  which  Nelson 


*o^ 


•  It  would  have  been  well  if  the  fleet,  before  they  went 
under  the  batteries,  had  left  their  spare  spars  moored  out  of 
reach  of  shot.  Many  would  have  been  saved  which  were 
destroyed  lying  on  the  booms,  and  the  hurt  done  by  their 
splinters  would  have  been  saved  also.    Small  craft  could  have 


256  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  [1801. 

had  extricated  himself  soon  became  apparent :  the 
Monarch  touched  immediately  upon  a  shoal,  over 
which  she  was  pushed  by  the  Ganges  taking  her 
amid  ships  ;  the  Glatton  went  clear  ;  but  the  other 
two,  the  Defiance  and  the  Elephant,  grounded  about 
a  mile  from  the  Trekroner,  and  there  remained  fixed, 
for  many  hours,  in  spite  of  all  the  exertions  of  their 
wearied  crews.     The  Desiree  frigate  also,  at  the 
other  end  of  the  line,  having  gone  toward  the  close 
of  the  action  to  assist  the  Bellona,  became  fast  on 
the  same  shoal.     Nelson  left  the  Elephant,  soon 
after  she  took  the   ground,  to  follow  Lindholm. 
The  heat  of  action  was  over  ;  and  that  kind  of 
feeling,  which  the  surrounding  scene  of  havock  was 
so  well  fitted  to  produce,  pressed  heavily  upon  his 
exhausted  spirits.     The  sky  had  suddenly  become 
overcast ;  white  flags  were  waving  from  the  mast- 
heads of  so  many  shattered  ships  : — the  slaughter 
had  ceased,  but  the  grief  was  to  come  ;  for  the 
account  of  the  dead  was  not  yet  made  up,  and  no 
man  could  tell  for  what  friends  he  might  have  to 
mourn.     The  very  silence  which  follows  the  cessa- 
tion of  such  a  battle  becomes  a  weight  upon  the 
heart  at  first,  rather  than  a  relief;  and  though  the 
work  of  mutual  destruction  was  at  an  end,  the  Dan- 
brog  was,  at  this  time,  drifting  about  in  flames  : 
presently  she  blew  up  ;  while  our  boats,  which  had 
put  off  in  all  directions  to  assist  her,  were  endea- 
vouring to  pick  up  her  devoted  crew,  few  of  whom 
could  be  saved.     The  fate  of  these  men,  after  the 

towed  them  up  when  they  were  required :  and ,  after  such  an  action , 
so  many  must  necessarily  be  wanted,  that,  if  those  which  were 
not  in  use  were  wounded,  it  might  thus  have  rendered  it  impos- 
sible to  refit  the  ships. 


1801.]  LIFE  OF  XELSOX.  257 

gallantry  which  they  had  displayed,  particularly 
aflFected  Nelson  :  for  there  was  nothing  in  this  action 
of  that  indignation  against  the  enemy,  and  that 
impression  of  retributive  justice,  which  at  the  Nile 
had  given  a  sterner  temper  to  his  mind,  and  a  sense 
of  austere  delight,  in  beholding  the  vengeance  of 
which  he  was  the  appointed  minister.  The  Danes 
were  an  honourable  foe  ;  they  were  of  English 
mould  as  well  as  English  blood  ;  and  now  that  the 
battle  had  ceased,  he  regarded  them  rather  as  bre- 
thren than  as  enemies.  There  was  another  reflec- 
tion also,  which  mingled  with  these  melancholy 
thoughts,  and  predisposed  him  to  receive  them. 
He  was  not  here  master  of  his  own  movements,  as 
at  Egypt ;  he  had  won  the  day  by  disobeying  his 
orders;  and  in  so  far  as  he  had  been  successful, 
had  convicted  the  commander-in-chief  of  an  error 
in  judgment.  "  Well,"  said  he,  as  he  left  the  Ele- 
phant, "  I  have  fought  contrary  to  orders,  and  T 
shall  perhaps  be  hanged.  Never  mind  :  let  them!" 
This  was  the  language  of  a  man,  who,  while  he 
is  giving  utterance  to  an  uneasy  thought,  clothes 
it  half  in  jest,  because  he  half  repents  that  it  has 
been  disclosed.  His  services  had  been  too  eminent 
on  that  day.  His  judgment  too  conspicuous,  his 
success  too  signal,  for  any  commander,  however 
jealous  of  his  own  authority,  or  envious  of  another's 
merits,  to  express  any  thing  but  satisfaction  and 
gratitude :  which  Sir  Hyde  heartily  felt,  and  sin- 
cerely expressed.  It  was  speedily  agreed  that  there 
should  be  a  suspension  of  hostilities  for  four  and 
twenty  hours  ;  that  all  the  prizes  should  be  surren- 
dered, and  the  wounded  Danes  carried  on  shore. 
There  was  a  pressing  necessity  for  this  ;   for  the 

B    B 


258  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  [1801. 

Danes,  either  from  too  much  confidence  in  the 
strength  of  their  position,  and  the  difficulty  of  the 
channel ;  or,  supposing  that  the  wounded  might  be 
carried  on  shore  during  the  action,  which  was  found 
totally  impracticable  ;  or,  perhaps,  from  the  confu- 
sion which  the  attack  excited,  had  provided  no 
surgeons :  so  that,  when  our  men  boarded  the 
captured  ships,  they  found  many  of  the  mangled 
and  mutilated  Danes  bleeding  to  death,  for  want 
of  proper  assistance  :  a  scene,  of  all  others,  the  most 
shocking  to  a  brave  man's  feelings. 

The  boats  of  Sir  Hyde's  division  were  actively 
employed  all  night  in  bringing  out  the  prizes,  and 
in  getting  afloat  the  ships  which  were  on  shore.  At 
daybreak.  Nelson,  who  had  slept  in  his  own  ship, 
the  St.  George,  rowed  to  the  Elephant;  and  his 
delight  at  finding  her  afloat  seemed  to  give  him 
new  life.  There  he  took  a  hasty  breakfast,  prais- 
ing the  men  for  their  exertions,  and  then  pushed  off 
to  the  prizes,  which  had  not  yet  been  removed. 
The  Zealand,  seventy-four,  the  last  which  struck, 
had  drifted  on  the  shoal  under  the  Trekroner  ;  and 
relying,  as  it  seems,  upon  the  protection  which  that 
battery  might  have  afforded,  refused  to  acknowledge 
herself  captured  ;  saying,  that  though  it  was  true 
her  flag  was  not  to  be  seen,  her  pendant  was  still 
flying.  Nelson  ordered  one  of  our  brigs  and  three 
long-boats  to  approach  her,  and  rowed  up  himself 
to  one  of  the  enemy's  ships,  to  communicate  with 
the  commodore.  "This  officer  proved  to  be  an  old 
accpiaintance,  whom  he  had  known  in  the  West 
Indies  :  so  he  invited  himself  on  board  ;  and,  with 
that  urbanity,  as  well  as  decision,  which  always 
characterised  him,  urged  his  claim  to  the  Zealand 


1801.]  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  259 

SO  well,  that  it  was  admitted.  The  men  from  the 
boats  lashed  a  cable  round  her  bowsprit,  and  the 
gun-vessel  towed  her  away.  It  is  affirmed,  and 
probably  with  truth,  that  the  Danes  felt  more  pain 
at  beholding  this,  than  at  all  their  misfortunes  on 
the  preceding  day  :  and  one  of  the  officers,  Com- 
modore Steen  Bille,  went  to  theTrekroner  battery, 
and  asked  the  commander  why  he  had  not  sunk 
the  Zealand,  rather  than  suffer  her  thus  to  be  car- 
ried off  by  the  enemy  ? 

This  was,  indeed,  a  mournful  day  for  Copen- 
hagen !  It  was  Good  Friday  ;  but  the  general  agi- 
tation, and  the  mourning  which  was  in  every  house, 
made  all  distinction  of  days  be  forgotten.  There 
were,  at  that  hour,  thousands  in  that  city,  who 
felt,  and  more,  perhaps,  who  needed,  the  consola- 
tions of  Christianity  ; — but  few  or  none  who  could 
be  calm  enough  to  think  of  its  observances.  The 
English  were  actively  employed  in  refitting  their 
own  ships,  securing  the  prizes,  and  distributing  the 
prisoners ;  the  Danes,  in  carrying  on  shore  and 
disposing  of  the  wounded  and  the  dead. — It  had 
been  a  murderous  action.  Our  loss,  in  killed  and 
wounded,  was  nine  hundred  and  fifty-three.  Part 
of  this  slaughter  might  have  been  spared.  The 
commanding  officer  of  the  troops  on  board  one  of 
our  ships  asked  where  his  men  should  be  stationed  ? 
He  was  told  that  they  could  be  of  no  use ;  that 
they  were  not  near  enough  for  musquetry,  and  were 
not  wanted  at  the  guns  ;  they  had,  therefore,  better 
go  below.  This,  he  said,  was  impossible, — it  would 
be  a  disgrace  that  could  never  be  wiped  away. 
They  were,  therefore,  drawn  up  upon  the  gangway, 
to  satisfy  this  ciiuel  point  of  honour;  and  there, 


260  LIFE  OF  NELSOX.  [1801. 

without  the  possibility  of  annoying  the  enemy,  they 
were  mowed  down  !  The  loss  of  the  Danes,  in- 
cluding prisoners,  amounted  to  about  six  thousand. 
The  negotiations,  meantime,  went  on ;  and  it  was 
agreed  that  Nelson  should  have  an  inteniew  with 
the  prince  the  following  day.  Hardy  and  Free- 
mantle  landed  with  him.  This  was  a  thing  as 
unexampled  as  the  other  circumstances  of  the 
battle.  A  strong  guard  was  appointed  to  escort 
him  to  the  palace,  as  much  for  the  purpose  of 
security  as  of  honour.  The  populace,  according  to 
the  British  account,  showed  a  mixture  of  admira- 
tion, curiosity,  and  displeasure,  at  beholding  that 
man  in  the  midst  of  them  who  had  inflicted  .such 
wounds  u|X)n  Denmark.  But  there  were  neither 
acclamations  nor  murmurs.  "  The  people,"  says 
a  Dane,  "  did  not  degrade  themselves  with  the 
former,  nor  disgrace  themselves  with  the  latter : 
the  admiral  was  received  as  one  brave  enemy  ever 
ought  to  receive  another : — he  was  received  with 
respect."  The  preliminaries  of  the  negotiation 
were  adjusted  at  this  interview.  During  the  repast 
which  followed,  Nelson,  with  all  the  sincerity  of 
his  character,  bore  willing  testimony  to  the  valour 
of  his  foes.  He  told  the  prince  that  he  had  been 
in  a  hundred  and  five  engagements,  but  that  this 
was  the  most  tremendous  of  all.  "  The  French," 
he  said,  "  fought  bravely  ;  but  they  could  not  have 
stood  for  one  hour,  the  fight  which  the  Danes  had 
supported  for  four."  He  requested  that  Villemoes 
might  be  introduced  to  him  ;  and,  shaking  hands 
with  the  youth,  told  the  prince  that  he  ought  to 
be  made  an  admiral.  The  prince  replied  ;  "  If,  my 
lord,  I  am  to  make  all  my  brave  x)fficers  admirals, 


1801.]  LIFE  OF  NELSOX.  261 

1  should  have  no  captains  or  lieutenants  in  my 
service." 

The  sympathy  of  the  Danes  for  their  country- 
men, who  had  bled  in  their  defence,  was  not 
weakened  by  distance  of  time  or  place  in  this 
instance.  Things  needful  for  the  service,  or  the 
comfort  of  the  wounded,  were  sent  in  profusions 
to  the  hospitals,  till  the  superintendants  gave  public 
notice  that  they  could  receive  no  more.  On  the 
third  day  after  the  action  the  dead  were  buried  in 
the  naval  churchyard  :  the  ceremony  was  made  as 
public  and  as  solemn  as  the  occasion  required ; — 
such  a  procession  had  never  before  been  seen  in 
that,  or,  perhaps,  in  any  other  city.  A  public 
monument  was  erected  upon  the  spot  where  the 
slain  were  gathered  together.  A  subscription  was 
opened  on  the  day  of  the  funeral  for  the  relief  of 
the  sufferers,  and  collections  in  aid  of  it  made 
throughout  all  the  churches  in  the  kingdom.  This 
appeal  to  the  feelings  of  the  people  was  made  with 
circumstances  which  gave  it  full  effect.  A  monu- 
ment was  raised  in  the  midst  of  the  church,  sur- 
mounted by  the  Danish  colours  :  young  maidens, 
dressed  in  white,  stood  round  it,  with  either  one  who 
had  been  wounded  in  the  battle,  or  the  widow  and 
orphans  of  some  one  who  had  fallen  :  a  suitable 
oration  was  delivered  from  the  pulpit,  and  patriotic 
hymns  and  songs  were  afterwards  performed.  Me- 
dals were  distributed  to  all  the  officers,  and  to  the 
men  who  had  distinguished  themselves.  Poets 
and  painters  vied  with  each  other  in  celebrating 
a  battle,  which,  disastrous  as  it  was,  had  yet  been 
honourable  to  their  country  :  some,  with  pardonable 
sophistry,  represented  the  advantage  of  the  day  as 


262  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  [1801. 

on  their  own  side.  One  writer  discovered  a  more 
curious,  but  less  disputable  ground  of  satisfaction, 
in  the  reflection,  that  Nelson,  as  may  be  inferred 
from  his  name,  was  of  Danish  descent,  and  his 
actions,  therefore,  the  Dane  argued,  were  attribu- 
table to  Danish  valour. 

The  negotiation  was  continued  during  the  five 
following  days ;  and,  in  that  interval,  the  prizes 
were  disposed  of,  in  a  manner  which  was  little  ap- 
proved by  Nelson.  Six  line  of  battle  ships  and 
eight  praams  had  been  taken.  Of  these  the  Hol- 
stein,  sixty-four,  was  the  only  one  which  was  sent 
home.  The  Zealand  was  a  finer  ship  :  but  the 
Zealand,  and  all  the  others,  were  burnt,  and  their 
brass  battering  cannon  sunk  with  the  hulls  in  such 
shoal  water,  that,  when  the  fleet  returned  from 
Revel,  they  found  the  Danes,  with  craft  over  the 
wrecks,  employed  in  getting  the  guns  up  again. 
Nelson,  though  he  forbore  from  any  public  expres- 
sion of  displeasure  at  seeing  the  proofs  and  trophies 
of  his  victory  destroyed,  did  not  forget  to  represent 
to  the  admiralty  the  case  of  those  who  were  thus 
deprived  of  their  prize  money.  "  Whether,"  said 
he  to  Earl  St.  Vincent,  "  Sir  Hyde  Parker  may 
mention  the  subject  to  you,  I  know  not ;  for  he  is 
rich  and  does  not  want  it:  nor  is  it,  you  will  be- 
lieve me,  any  desire  to  get  a  few  hundred  pounds 
that  actuates  me  to  address  this  letter  to  you ;  but 
justice  to  the  brave  officers  and  men  who  fought  on 
that  day.  It  is  true  our  opponents  were  in  hulks 
and  floats,  only  adapted  for  the  position  they  were 
in ;  but  that  made  our  battle  so  much  the  harder, 
and  victory  so  much  the  more  difficult  to  obtain. 
Believe   me,   I   have  weighed  all   circumstances; 


1801.]  LIFE  OF  NELSOX.  263 

and,  in  my  conscience,  I  think  that  the  king^  should 
send  a  gracious  message  to  the  house  of  commons 
for  a  gift  to  this  fleet :  for  what  must  be  the  natu- 
ral feelings  of  the  officers  and  men  belonging  to  it, 
to  see  their  rich  commander-in-chief  burn  all  the 
fruits  of  their  victory, — which  if  fitted  up  and  sent 
to  England,  (as  many  of  them  might  have  been  by 
dismantling  part  of  our  fleet,)  would  have  sold  for 
a  good  round  sum." 

On  the  9th  Nelson  landed  again,  to  conclude 
the  terms  of  the  armistice.  During  its  continuance 
the  armed  ships  and  vessels  of  Denmark  were  to 
remain  in  their  then  actual  situation,  as  to  arma- 
ment, equipment,  and  hostile  position ;  and  the 
treaty  of  armed  neutrality,  as  far  as  related  to  the 
co-operation  of  Denmark,  was  suspended.  The 
prisoners  were  to  be  sent  on  shore ;  an  acknow- 
ledgment being  given  for  them,  and  for  the 
wounded  also,  that  they  might  be  carried  to  Great 
Britain's  credit  in  the  account  of  war  in  case  hos- 
tilities should  be  renewed.  The  British  fleet  was 
allowed  to  provide  itself  with  all  things  requisite 
for  the  health  and  comfort  of  its  men.  A  difficulty 
arose  respecting  the  duration  of  the  armistice. 
The  Danish  commissioners  fairly  stated  thsir  fears 
of  Russia  ;  and  Nelson,  with  that  frankness,  which 
sound  policy  and  the  sense  of  power  seem  often  to 
require  as  well  as  justify  in  diplomacy,  told  them, 
his  reason  for  demandinor  a  long;  term  was,  that  he 
might  have  time  to  act  against  the  Russian  fleet, 
and  then  return  to  Copenhagen.  Neither  party 
would  yieldupon  this  point ;  and  one  of  the  Danes 
hinted  at  the  renewal  of  hostilities.  "  Renew  hos- 
tilities !"  cried  Nelson  to  one  of  his  friends, — for 


264  LIFE  OF  XELSOK.  [1801. 

he  understood  French  enough  to  comprehend  what 
was  said,  though  not  to  answer  it  in  the  same  lan- 
guage;— "  tell  him  we  are  ready  at  a  moment! — 
Ready  to  bombard  this  very  night !" — The  confe- 
rence, however,  proceeded  amicably  on  both  sides  ; 
and  as  the  commissioners  could  not  agree  upon  this 
head,  they  broke  up,  leaving  Nelson  to  settle  it 
with  the  prince.  A  levee  was  held  forthwith  in 
one  of  the  state  rooms ;  a  scene  well  suited  for 
such  a  consultation  :  for  all  these  rooms  had  been 
stript  of  their  furniture,  in  fear  of  a  bombardment. 
To  a  bombardment  also  Nelson  was  looking  at  this 
time :  fatigue  and  anxiety,  and  vexation  at  the 
dilatory  measures  of  the  commander-in-chief,  com- 
bined to  make  him  irritable  :  and  as  he  was  on  the 
way  to  the  prince's  dining-room,  he  whispered  to 
the  officer  on  whose  arm  he  was  leaning,  "  Though 
I  have  only  one  eye,  I  can  see  that  all  this  will  burn 
well."  After  dinner  he  was  closeted  with  the 
prince ;  and  they  agreed  that  the  armistice  should 
continue  fourteen  weeks ;  and  that,  at  its  termina- 
tion, fourteen  days'  notice  should  be  given  before 
the  recommencement  of  hostilities. 

An  official  account  of  the  battle  was  published 
by  Olfert  Fischer,  the  Danish  commander-in-chief, 
in  which  it  was  asserted  that  our  force  was  greatly 
superior  ;  nevertheless,  that  two  of  our  ships  of  the 
line  had  struck,  that  the  others  were  so  weakened, 
and  especially  Lord  Nelson's  own  ship,  as  to  fire 
only  single  shots  for  an  hour  before  the  end  of  the 
action ;  and  that  this  hero  himself,  in  the  middle 
and  very  heat  of  the  conflict,  sent  a  flag  of  truce  on 
shore,  to  propose  a  cessation  of  hostilities.  For 
the  truth  of  this  account  the  Dane  appealed  to  the 


1801.]  LIFE  OF  NELSON".  265 

prince,  and  all  those  who,  like  him,  had  been  eye- 
witnesses of  the  scene.  Nelson  was  exceedingly- 
indignant  at  such  a  statement,  and  addressed  a  let- 
ter, in  confutation  of  it,  to  the  Adjutant-General 
Lindholm ;  thinking  this  incumbent  upon  him,  for 
the  information  of  the  prince,  since  his  royal  high- 
ness had  been  appealed  to  as  a  witness  :  "  Other- 
wise," said  he,  "  had  Commodore  Fischer  confined 
himself  to  his  own  veracity,  I  should  have  treated 
his  official  letter  with  the  contempt  it  deserved,  and 
allowed  the  world  to  appreciate  the  merits  of  the 
two  contending  officers."  After  pointing  out  and 
detecting  some  of  the  mistatements  in  the  account, 
he  proceeds :  "  As  to  his  nonsense  about  victory, 
his  royal  highness  will  not  much  credit  him.  I 
sunk,  burnt,  captured,  or  drove  into  the  harbour, 
the  whole  line  of  defence  to  the  southward  of  the 
Crown  Islands.  He  says  he  is  told  that  two  Bri- 
tish ships  struck.  Why  did  he  not  take  possession 
of  them  ?  I  took  possession  of  his  as  fast  as  they 
struck.  The  reason  is  clear,  that  he  did  not  be- 
lieve it :  he  must  have  known  the  falsity  of  the 
report. — He  states,  that  the  ship  in  which  I  had 
the  honour  to  hoist  my  flag,  fired  latterly  only 
single  guns.  It  is  true  ;  for  steady  and  cool  were 
my  brave  fellows,  and  did  not  wish  to  throw  away 
a  single  shot.  He  seems  to  exult  that  I  sent  on 
shore  a  flag  of  truce. — You  know,  and  his  royal 
highness  knows,  that  the  guns  fired  from  the  shore 
could  only  fire  through  the  Danish  ships  which 
had  surrendered ;  and  that,  if  I  fired  at  the  shore, 
it  could  only  be  in  the  same  manner.  God  forbid 
that  I  should  destroy  an  unresisting  Dane !  When 
they  became  my  prisoners  I  becai^nie  their  protector." 

c  c 


266  LIFE  OF  NELSOX.  [1801. 

This  letter  was  written  in  terms  of  great  asperity 
against  the  Danish  commander.  Liudholm  rephed 
in  a  manner  every  way  honourable  to  himself.  He 
vindicated  the  commodore  in  some  points,  and  ex- 
cused him  in  others  ;  reminding  Nelson,  that  every 
commander-in-chief  was  liable  to  receive  incorrect 
xeports.  With  a  natural  desire  to  represent  the 
action  in  a  most  favourable  light  to  Denmark,  he 
took  into  the  comparative  strength  of  the  two  par- 
ties the  ships  which  were  aground,  and  which  could 
not  get  into  action ;  and  omitted  the  Trekroner 
and  the  batteries  upon  Amak  Island.  He  dis- 
claimed all  idea  of  claiming  as  a  victory  '*  what  to 
every  intent  and  purpose,"  said  he,  "  was  a  defeat, 
— but  not  an  inglorious  one.  As  to  your  lordship's 
motive  for  sending  a  flag  of  truce,  it  never  can  be 
misconstrued ;  and  your  subsequent  conduct  has 
sufficiently  shown  that  humanity  is  always  the 
companion  of  true  valour.  You  have  done  more ; 
you  have  shown  yourself  a  friend  to  the  re-establish- 
ment of  peace  and  good  harmony  between  this 
country  and  Great  Britain.  It  is,  therefore,  with 
the  sincerest  esteem  I  shall  always  feel  myself  at- 
tached to  your  lordship."  Thus  handsomely  wind- 
ing up  his  reply  he  soothed  and  contented  Nelson  ; 
who,  drawing  up  a  memorandum  of  the  compara- 
tive force  of  the  two  parties,  for  his  own  satisfac- 
tion, assured  Lmdholm,  that  if  the  commodore's 
statement  had  been  in  the  same  manly  and  honour- 
able strain,  he  would  have  been  the  last  man  to 
have  noticed  any  little  inaccuracies  which  might 
get  into  a  commander-in-chief's  public  letter. 

For  the  battle  of  Copenhagen,  Nelson  was  raised 
to  the  rank  of  viscount : — an  inadequate  mark  of 


1801.]  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  267 

reward  for  services  so  splendid  and  of  such  para- 
mount importance  to  the  dearest  interests  of  Eng- 
land. There  was,  however,  some  prudence  in  deal- 
ing out  honours  to  him  step  by  step  :  had  he  lived 
long  enough,  he  would  have  fought  his  way  up  to 
a  dukedom. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


Sir  Hyde  Parher  is  recalled,  and  Nelson  appointed  Commander 
— He  goes  to  Revel — Settlement  of  Affairs  in  the  Baltic — 
Unsuccessful  Attempt  upon  the  Flotilla  at  Boulogne — Peace 
if  Amiens — Nelson  takes  the  Command  in  the  Mediterranean 
on  the  Renewal  of  the  War — Escape  of  the  Toulon  Fleet — 
Nelson  chases  them  to  the  West  Indies,  and  back — Delivers  up 
his  Squadron  to  Admiral  Cornwallis,  and  lands  in  England. 

When  Nelson  informed  Earl  St.  Vincent  that  the 
armistice  had  been  concluded,  he  told  him  also, 
without  reserve,  his  own  discontent  at  the  dilatori- 
ness  and  indecision  which  he  witnessed,  and  could 
not  remedy.  "  No  man,"  said  he,  "  but  those  who 
are  on  the  spot,  can  tell  what  I  have  gone  through, 
and  do  suffer.  I  make  no  scruple  in  saying,  that  I 
would  have  been  at  Revel  fourteen  days  ago  !  that, 
without  this  armistice,  the  fleet  would  never  have 
gone,  but  by  order  of  the  Admiralty  ;  and  with  it, 
I  dare  say,  we  shall  not  go  this  week.  I  wanted 
Sir  Hyde  to  let  me,  at  least,  go  and  cruise  ofl' 
Carlscrona,  to  prevent  the  Revel  ships  from  getting 
in,  I  said  I  would  not  go  to  Revel  to  take  any  of 
those  laurels,  which  I  was  sure  he  would  reap 
there.     Think  for  me,   my  dear  lord ; — and  if  I 


268  LIFE  OF  NELSOX.  [1801, 

have  deserved  well,  let  me  return  :  if  ill,  fori 
Heaven's  sake  supersede  me, — for  I  cannot  exist! 
in  this  state." 

Fatigue,  incessant  anxiety,  and  a  climate  littl^l 
suited  to  one  of  a  tender  constitution,  which  had| 
now  for  many  years  been  accustomed  to  more  ge- 
nial latitudes,  made  him  at  this  time,  seriously  de- 
termine upon  returning  home.     "  If  the  northern] 
business  were   not  settled,"  he  said,   "  they  mustj 
send  more  admirals ;  for  the  keen  air  of  the  northj 
had   cut  him  to  the  heart."     He  felt  the  Avant  of 
activity  and  decision  in  the    commander-in-chief 
more  keenly  ;    and  this  affected  his  spirits,  and,! 
consequently  his  health,  more  than  the  inclemency! 
of  the  Baltic.    Soon  after  the  armistice  was  signed,] 
Sir  Hyde  proceeded  to  the  eastward,  with  such! 
ships  as  were  fit  for  service,  leaving  Nelson  to  follow! 
with  the  rest,  as  soon  as  those  which  had  received! 
slight  damages  should  be  repaired,  and  the  resq 
sent  to  England.     In  passing  between  the  isles  of^ 
Amak  and  Saltholm,  most  of  the  ships  touched' 
the  ground,  and  some  of  them  stuck  fast  for  a 
while ;  no  serious  injury,  however,  was  sustained. 
It  was  intended  to  act  against  the  Russians  first, 
before  the  breaking  up  of  the  frost  should  enable 
them  to  leave  Revel ;  but  learning  on  the  way,  that 
the  Swedes  had  put  to  sea  to  effect  a  junction  with 
them.  Sir  Hyde  altered  his  course,  in  hopes  of  in- 
tercepting this  part  of  the  enemy's  force.     Nelson 
had,  at  this  time,  provided  for  the  more  pressing 
emergencies  of  the  service,  and  prepared,  on  the 
18th,  to  follow  the  fleet.     The  St.  George  drew  too 
much  water  to  pass  the  channel  between  the  isles 
without  being  lightened  :  ^'^-^  guns  were  therefore 


1801.]  LIFE  OF  XELSOX.  269 

taken  out,  and  put  on  board  an  American  vessel : 
a  contrary  wind,  however,  prevented  Nelson  from 
moving ;  and  on  that  same  evening,  while  he  was 
thus  delayed,  information  reached  him  of  the  rela- 
tive situation  of  the  Swedish  and  British  fleets,  and 
the  probability  of  an  action.  The  fleet  was  nearly 
ten  leagues  distant ;  and  both  wind  and  current 
contrary  ;  but  it  was  not  possible  that  Nelson  could 
wait  for  a  favourable  season  under  such  an  expec- 
tation. He  ordered  his  boat  immediately,  and 
stept  into  it.  -  Night  was  setting  in, — one  of  the 
cold  spring  nights  of  the  north,  and  it  was  disco- 
vered soon  after  they  had  left  the  ship,  that  in 
their  haste,  they  had  forgotten  to  provide  him  with 
a  boat-cloak.  He,  however,  forbade  them  to  re- 
turn for  one :  and  when  one  of  his  companions 
offered  his  own  great  coat,  and  urged  him  to  make 
use  of  it,  he  replied ;  "I  thank  you  very  much, — 
but,  to  tell  you  the  truth,  my  anxiety  keeps  me 
sufficiently  warm  at  present." 

"  Do  you  think,"  said  he,  presently,  that  our 
fleet  has  quitted  Bomholm  ?  If  it  has,  we  must 
follow  it  to  Carlscrona.  About  midnight  he  reached 
it,  and  once  more  got  on  board  the  Elephant.  On 
the  following  morning  the  Swedes  were  discovered ; 
as  soon,  however,  as  they  perceived  the  English 
approaching,  they  retired,  and  took  shelter  in 
Carlscrona,  behind  the  batteries  on  the  island,  at 
the  entrance  of  that  port.  Sir  Hyde  sent  in  a  flag 
of  truce,  stating,  that  Denmark  had  concluded  an 
armistice,  and  requiring  an  explicit  declaration  from 
the  court  of  Sweden,  Whether  it  would  adhere  to, 
or  abandon  the  hostile  measures  which  it  had  taken 
against  the  rights  and  interests  of  Great  Britain  ? 


270  LIFE  OF  XELSOX.  [1801, 

The  commander,  Vice-Admiral  Cronstadt,  replied, 
"  That  he  could  not  answer  a  question  which  did 
not  come  within  the  particular  circle  of  his  duty ; 
but  that  the  king  was  then  at  Maloe,  and  would 
soon  be  at  Carlscrona."  Gustavus  shortly  after- 
wards arrived,  and  an  answer  was  then  returned  to 
this  effect:  "  That  his  Swedish  majesty  would  not, 
for  a  moment,  fail  to  fulfil,  with  fidelity  and  since- 
rity, the  engagements  he  Had  entered  into  with  his 
allies ;  but  he  would  not  refuse  to  listen  to  equi- 
table proposals  made  by  deputies  furnished  with 
proper  authority  by  the  King  of  Great  Britain  to 
the  united  northern  powers."  Satisfied  with  this 
answer,  and  with  the  known  disposition  of  the 
Swedish  court,  Sir  Hyde  sailed  for  the  Gulf  of 
Finland ;  but  he  had  not  proceeded  far,  before  a 
despatch  boat,  from  the  Russian  ambassador  at 
Copenhagen,  arrived,  bringing  intelligence  of  the 
death  of  the  Emperor  Paul :  and  that  his  successor, 
Alexander,  had  accepted  the  offer  made  by  England 
to  his  father,  of  terminating  the  dispute  by  a  con- 
vention ;  the  British  admiral  was  therefore  re- 
quired to  desist  from  all  further  hostilities." 

It  was  Nelson's  maxim,  that,  to  negotiate  with 
erffect,  force  should  be  at  hand,  and  in  a  situation 
to  act.  The  fleet,  having  been  reinforced  from 
England,  amounted  to  eighteen  sail  of  the  line ; 
and  the  wind  was  fair  for  Revel.  There  he  would 
have  sailed  immediately  to  place  himself  between 
that  division  of  the  Russian  fleet  and  the  squadron 
at  Cronstadt,  in  case  this  offer  should  prove  insin- 
cere. Sir  Hyde,  on  the  other  hand,  believed  that 
the  death  of  Paul  had  effected  all  which  was  ne- 
cessary.    The  manner  of  that  death,  indeed,  reu- 


1801.]  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  271 

dered  it  apparent,  that  a  change  of  policy  would 
take  place  in  the  cabinet  of  Petersburgh : — but 
Nelson  never  trusted  any  thing  to  the  uncertain 
events  of  time,  which  could  possibly  be  secured  by 
promptitude  or  resolution.  It  was  not,  therefore, 
without  severe  mortification,  that  he  saw  the  com- 
mander-in-chief return  to  the  coast  of  Zealand,  and 
anchor  in  Kioge  Bay ;  there  to  wait  patiently  for 
what  might  happen. 

There  the  fleet  remained,  till  despatches  arrived 
from  home,  on  the  5th  of  May,  recalling  Sir  Hyde, 
and  appointing  Nelson  commander-in-chief. 

Nelson  wrote  to  Earl  St.  Vincent  that  he  was 
unable  to  hold  this  honourable  station.  Admiral 
Graves  also  was  so  ill,  as  to  be  confined  to  his  bed; 
and  he  entreated  that  some  person  might  come  out 
and  take  the  command.  "  I  will  endeavour,"  said 
he,  "  to  do  my  best  while  I  remain :  but,  my  dear 
lord,  I  shall  either  soon  go  to  heaven  I  hope,  or 
must  rest  quiet  for  a  time.  If  Sir  Hyde  were  gone, 
I  would  now  be  under  sail."  On  the  day  when 
this  was  written  he  received  news  of  his  appoint- 
ment. Not  a  moment  was  now  lost.  His  first 
signal,  as  commander-in-chief,  was  to  hoist  in  all 
launches,  and  prepare  to  weigh:  and  on  the  7th  he 
sailed  from  Kioge.  Part  of  his  fleet  was  left  at 
Bornholm,  to  watch  the  Swedes :  from  whom  he 
required  and  obtained  an  assurance,  that  the  Bri- 
tish trade  in  the  Cattegat,  and  in  the  Baltic,  should 
not  be  molested ;  and  saying  how  inipleasant  it 
would  be  to  him  if  any  thing  should  happen  which 
might,  for  a  moment,  disturb  the  returning  harmony 
between  Sweden  and  Great  Britain,  he  apprized 
them  that  he  was  not  directed  to  abstain  from  hos 


272  LIFE  OF  NELSON'.  [1801. 

tilities  should  he  meet  with  the  Swedish,  fleet  at 
sea.  Meantime,  he  himself,  with  ten  sail  of  the 
line,  two  frigates,  a  brig,  and  a  schooner,  made  for 
the  Gulf  of  Finland.  Paul,  in  one  of  the  freaks 
of  his  tyranny,  had  seized  upon  all  the  British 
effects  in  Russia,  and  even  considered  British  sub- 
jects as  his  prisoners.  "  I  will  have  all  the  Eng- 
lish shipping  and  property  restored,"  said  Nelson 
"  but  I  will  do  nothing  violently, — neither  commit 
the  affairs  of  my  country,  nor  suffer  Russia  to  mix 
the  affairs  of  Denmark  or  Sweden  with  the  deten- 
tion of  our  ships."  The  wind  was  fair,  and  carried 
him  in  four  days  to  Revel  Roads.  But  the  bay  had 
been  clear  of  firm  ice  on  the  29th  of  April,  while 
the  English  were  lying  idly  at  Kioge.  The  Rus- 
sians had  cut  through  the  ice  in  the  mole  six  feet 
thick,  and  their  whole  squadron  had  sailed  for 
Cronstadt  on  the  third.  Before  that  time  it  had 
lain  at  the  mercy  of  the  English. — "  Nothing," 
Nelson  said,  "  if  it  had  been  right  to  make  the  at- 
tack, could  have  saved  one  ship  of  them  in  two 
hours  after  our  entering  the  bay." 

It  so  happened  that  there  was  no  cause  to  regret 
the  opportunity  which  had  been  lost,  and  Nelson 
immediately  put  the  intentions  of  Russia  to  the 
proof.  He  sent  on  shore,  to  say,  that  he  came 
with  friendly  views,  and  was  ready  to  return  a 
salute.  On  their  part  the  salute  was  delayed,  till 
a  message  was  sent  to  them  to  inquire  for  what 
reason :  and  the  ofHcer,  whose  neglect  had  occa- 
sioned the  delay,  was  put  under  arrest.  Nelson 
wrote  to  the  emperor,  proposing  to  wait  on  him 
personally,  and  congratulate  him  on  his  accession, 
and  urged  the  immediate  release  of  British  subjects, 
and  restoration  of  British  property. 


1801.]  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  273 

The  answer  arrived  on  the  16th  :  Nelson,  mean- 
time, had  exchanged  visits  with  the  governor,  and 
the  most  friendly  intercourse  had  subsisted  between 
the  ships  and  the  shore.  Alexander's  ministers, 
in  their  reply,  expressed  their  surprise  at  the  arrival 
of  a  British  fleet  in  a  Russian  port,  and  their  wish 
that  it  should  return  :  they  professed,  on  the  part 
of  Russia,  the  most  friendly  disposition  towards 
Great  Britain ;  but  declined  the  personal  visit  of 
Lord  Nelson,  unless  he  came  in  a  single  ship. 
There  was  a  suspicion  implied  in  this,  which  stung 
Nelson  :  and  he  said  the  Russian  ministers  would 
never  have  written  thus  if  their  fleet  had  been  at 
Revel.  He  wrote  an  immediate  reply,  expressing 
what  he  felt  :  he  told  the  court  of  Petersburgh, 
"  That  the  word  of  a  British  admiral,  when  given 
in  explanation  of  any  part  of  his  conduct,  was 
as  sacred  as  that  of  any  sovereign's  in  Europe." 
And  he  repeated,  "  that,  under  other  circumstances, 
it  would  have  been  his  anxious  wish  to  have  paid 
his  personal  respects  to  the  emperor,  and  signed 
with  his  own  hand  the  act  of  amity  between  the 
two  countries."  Having  despatched  this,  he  stood 
out  to  sea  immediately,  leaving  a  brig  to  bring  off 
the  provisions  which  had  been  contracted  for,  and 
to  settle  the  accounts.  "  I  hope  all  is  right,"  said 
he,  writing  to  our  ambassador  at  Berlin  ;  but  sea- 
men are  but  bad  negotiators  ;  for  we  put  to  issue 
in  five  minutes  what  diplomatic  forms  would  be 
five  months  doing." 

On  his  way  down  the  Baltic,  however,  he  met 
the  Russian  Admiral  Tchitchagof,  whom  the  em- 
peror, in  reply  to  Sir  Hyde's  overtures,  had  sent  to 
communicate  personally  with   the    British  com- 


274  LIFE  OF  XELSON-.  [1801. 

mander-in-chief.  The  reply  was  such  as  had  been 
wished  and  expected  :  and  these  negotiators  going, 
seamen-like,  straight  to  their  object,  satisfied  each 
other  of  the  friendly  intentions  of  their  respective 
governments.  Nelson  then  anchored  off  Rostock  : 
and  there  he  received  an  answer  to  his  last  des- 
patch from  Revel,  in  which  the  Russian  court  ex- 
pressed their  regret  that  there  should  have  been 
any  misconception  between  them  ;  informed  him, 
that  the  British  vessels  which  Paul  had  detained, 
were  ordered  to  be  liberated,  and  invited  him  to 
Petersburgh  in  whatever  mode  might  be  most 
agreeable  to  himself.  Other  honours  awaited  him  : 
— the  Duke  of  Mecklenburgh  Strelitz,  the  queen's 
brother,  came  to  visit  him  on  board  his  ship ;  and 
towns  of  the  inland  parts  of  Mecklenburgh  sent 
deputations,  with  their  public  books  of  record,  that 
they  might  have  the  name  of  Nelson  in  them  written 
by  his  own  hand. 

From  Rostock  the  fleet  returned  to  Kioge  Bav. 
Nelson  saw  that  the  temper  of  the  Danes  towards 
England  was  such  as  naturally  arose  from  the 
chastisement  which  they  had  so  recently  received. 
"  In  this  nation,"  said  he,  **  we  shall  not  be  forgiven 
for  having  the  upper  hand  of  them  : — I  only  thank 
God  we  have,  or  they  would  try  to  humble  us  to  the 
dust."  He  saw  also  that  the  Danish  cabinet  was 
completely  subservient  to  France :  a  French  officer 
was  at  this  time  the  companion  and  counsellor  of 
the  Crown  Prince ;  and  things  were  done  in  such 
open  violation  of  the  armistice,  that  Nelson  thought 
a  second  infliction  of  vengeance  would  soon  be 
necessary.  He  wrote  to  the  admiralty,  requesting 
a  clear  and  explicit  reply  to  his  inquiry.  Whether 


i 

I 


1801.]  LIFE  or  NELSON.  275 

the  commander-in-chief  was  at  liberty  to  hold  the 
language  becoming  a  British  admiral  ? — "  Which, 
very  probably,"  said  he,  "  if  I  am  here,  will  break 
the  armistice,  and  set  Copenhagen  in  a  blaze. — 
I  S2e  every  thing  which  is  dirty  and  mean  going 
on,  and  the  Prince  Royal  at  the  head  of  it.  Ships 
have  been  masted,  guns  taken  on  board,  floating 
batteries  prepared,  and  except  hauling  out  and 
completing  their  rigging,  every  thing  is  done  in 
defiance  of  the  treaty. — My  heart  burns  at  seeing 
the  word  of  a  prince,  nearly  allied  to  our  good 
king,  so  falsified  :  but  his  conduct  is  such,  that  he 
will  lose  his  kingdom  if  he  goes  on ;  for  Jacobins 
rule  in  Denmark.  I  have  made  no  representations 
yet,  as  it  would  be  useless  to  do  so  until  I  have  the 
power  of  correction.  All  I  beg,  in  the  name  of 
the  future  commander-in-chief,  is,  that  the  orders 
may  be  clear ;  for  enough  is  done  to  break  twenty 
treaties,  if  it  should  be  wished,  or  to  make  the 
Prince  Royal  humble  himself  before  British  gerve- 
rosity." 

Nelson  was  not  deceived  in  his  judgment  of  the 
Danish  cabinet,  but  the  battle  of  Copenhagen  had 
crippled  its  power.  The  death  of  the  Czar  Paul 
had  broken  the  confederacy :  and  that  cabinet, 
therefore,  was  compelled  to  defer,  till  a  more  con- 
venient season,  the  indulgence  of  its  enmity  towards 
Great  Britain,  Soon  afterwards,  Admiral  Sir  Charles 
Maurice  Pole  arrived  to  take  the  command.  The 
business,  military  and  political,  had  by  that  time 
been  so  far  completed,  that  the  presence  of  the 
British  fleet  soon  became  no  longer  necessary.  Sir 
Charles,  however,  made  the  short  time  of  his  com- 
mand memorable,  by  passing  the  Great  Belt,  for 


276  LIFE  OF  XELSON.  [1801. 

the  first  time,  with  line  of  battle  ships ;  working 
through  the  channel  against  adverse  winds.  When 
Nelson  left  the  fleet,  this  speedy  termination  of  the 
expedition,  though  confidently  expected,  was  not 
certain  ;  and  he,  in  his  unwillingness  to  weaken 
the  British  force,  thought  at  one  time  of  traversing 
Jutland  in  his  boat,  by  the  canal,  to  Tonningen 
on  the  Eyder,  and  finding  his  way  home  from 
thence.  This  intention  was  not  executed  :  but  he 
returned  in  a  brig,  declining  to  accept  a  frigate  ; 
which  few  admirals  would  have  done  ;  especially  if, 
like  him,  they  suffered  from  sea-sickness  in  a  small 
vessel.  On  his  arrival  at  Yarmouth,  the  first  thing 
he  did  was  to  visit  the  hospital,  and  see  the  men 
who  had  been  wounded  in  the  late  battle  : — that 
victory,  which  had  added  new  glory  to  the  name 
of  Nelson,  and  which  was  of  more  importance, 
even  than  the  battle  of  the  Nile,  to  the  honour, 
the  strength,  and  security  of  England. 

The  feelings  of  Nelson's  friends,  upon  the  news 
of  his  great  victory  at  Copenhagen,  were  highly 
described  by  Sir  Wm.  Hamilton,  in  a  letter  to  hira. 
"  We  can  only  expect,"  he  says,  "  what  we  know 
well,  and  often  said  before,  that  Nelson  teas,  is, 
and  to  the  last  will  ever  be  the  Jirst.  Emma  did 
not  know  whether  she  was  on  her  head  or  heels,  — 
in  such  a  hurry  to  tell  your  great  news,  that  she 
could  utter  nothing  but  tears  of  joy  and  tenderness. 

went  to  Davison,  and  found  hira  still  in  bed, 
having  had  a  severe  fit  of  the  gout,  and  with  your 
letter,  which  he  had  just  received  ;  and  he  cried 
like  a  child  :  but  what  was  very  extraordinary, 
assured  me  that,  from  the  instant  he  had  read  your 
letter,  all  pain  had  left  him,  and  that  he  felt  him- 


1801.]  LIFE  OF  XELSOX.  277 

self  able  to  get  up  and  walk  about.  Your  brother, 
Mrs.  Nelson,  and  Horace,  dined  with  us.  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.  In  short,  except  myself 
(and  your  lordship  knows  that  I  have  some  phlegm,) 
all  the  company,  which  was  considerable  after  din- 
ner, were  mad  with  joy.  But  I  am  sure  that  no 
one  really  rejoiced  more  at  heart  than  I  did.  I  have 
lived  too  long  to  have  ecstasies  !  But  with  calm 
reflection,  I  felt  for  my  friend  having  got  to  the  very 
summit  of  glory  !  the  ne  plus  ultra  !  that  he  has 
had  another  opportunity  of  rendering  his  country 
the  most  important  service ;  and  manifesting  again 
his  judgment,  his  intrepidity,  and  humanity." 

He  had  not  been  many  weeks  on  shore  before 
he  was  called  upon  to  undertake  a  service,  for 
which  no  Nelson  was  required.  Buonaparte,  who 
was  now  first  consul,  and  in  reality  sole  ruler  of 
France,  was  making  preparations,  upon  a  great 
scale,  for  invading  England  ;  but  his  schemes  in 
the  Baltic  had  been  baffled  ;  fleets  could  not  be 
created  as  they  were  wanted ;  and  his  armies, 
therefore,  were  to  come  over  in  gun-boats,  and 
such  small  craft,  as  could  be  rapidly  built  or  col- 
lected for  the  occasion.  From  the  former  govern- 
ments of  France  such  threats  have  only  been  mat- 
ter of  insult  and  policy  :  in  Buonaparte  they  were 
sincere  :  for  this  adventurer,  intoxicated  with  suc- 
cess, already  began  to  imagine  that  all  things  were 
to  be  submitted  to  his  fortune.  We  had  not  at 
that  time  proved  the  superiority  of  our  soldiers 
over  the  French  ;  and  the  unreflecting  multitude 


278  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  [1801. 

were  not  to  be  persuaded  that  an  invasion  could 
only  be  effected  by  numerous  and  powerful  fleets. 
A  general  alarm  was  excited ;  and,  in  condescen- 
sion to  this  unworthy  feeling,  Nelson  was  appointed 
to  a  command,  extending  from  Orfordness  to  Beachy 
Head,  on  both  shores  : — a  sort  of  service,  he  said, 
for  which  he  felt  no  other  ability  than  what  might 
be  found  in  his  zeal. 

To  this  service,  however,  such  as  it  was,  he  ap- 
plied with  his  wonted  alacrity  ;  though  in  no  cheer- 
ful frame  of  mind.  To  Lady  Hamilton,  his  only 
female  correspondent,  he  says  at  this  time, — "  I 
am  not  in  very  good  spirits;  and  except  that  our 
country  demands  all  our  services  and  abilities  to 
bring  about  an  honourable  peace,  nothing  should 
prevent  my  being  the  bearer  of  my  own  letter. 
But  my  dear  friend,  I  know  you  are  so  true  and 
loyal  an  Englishwoman,  that  you  would  hate  th^se 
who  would  not  stand  forth  in  defence  of  our  king, 
laws,  religion,  and  all  that  is  dear  to  us. — It  is 
your  sex  that  makes  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. 
It  is  your  sex  that  rewards  us,  it  is  your  sex  who 
cherish  our  memories  ;  and  you,  my  dear  honoured 
friend,  are,  believe  me,  the  Jirst,  the  best  of  your  sex. 
I  have  been  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  you.  You 
know  how  to  reward  virtue,  honour,  and  courage, 
and  never  to  ask  if  it  is  placed  in  a  prince,  duke, 
lord,  or  peasant."  Having  hoisted  his  flag  in  the 
Medusa  frigate,  he  went  to  reconnoitre  Boulogne; 
the  point    rom  which  it  was  supposed  the  great 


1801.]  LIFE  OF  KELSON.  279 

attempt  would  be  made,  and  which  the  French, 
in  fear  of  an  attack  themselves,  were  fortifying 
with  all  care.  He  approached  near  enough  to  sink 
two  of  their  floating  batteries,  and  destroy  a  few 
gun-boats,  which  were  without  the  pier  :  what 
damage  was  done  within  could  not  be  ascertained. 
"  Boulogne,"  he  said,  "  was  certainly  not  a  very 
pleasant  place  that  morning  : — but,"  he  added, 
"  it  is  not  my  wish  to  injure  the  poor  inhabitants  ; 
and  the  town  is  spared  as  much  as  the  nature  of 
the  service  will  admit."  Enough  was  done  to  show 
the  enemy  that  they  could  not,  with  impunity, 
come  outside  their  own  ports.  Nelson  was  satisfied, 
by  w4iat  he  saw,  that  they  meant  to  make  an  at- 
tempt fi'om  this  place,  but  that  it  was  impracticable  ; 
for  the  least  wind  at  W.  N.  W,  and  they  were  lost. 
The  ports  of  Flushing  and  Flanders  were  better 
points  :  there  we  could  not  tell  by  our  eyes  what 
means  of  transport  were  provided.  From  thence, 
therefore,  if  it  came  forth  at  all,  the  expedition 
would  come  : — "  And  what  a  forlorn  undertaking !" 
said  he:  "consider  cross  tides,  <fec.  As  for  row- 
ing, that  is  impossible.  It  is  perfectly  right  to  be 
prepared  for  a  mad  government ;  but  with  the 
active  force  which  has  been  given  me,  I  may  pro- 
nounce it  almost  impracticable." 

That  force  had  been  got  together  with  an  alacrity 
which  has  seldom  been  equalled.  On  the  twenty- 
eighth  of  July,  we  were,  in  Nelson's  own  words, 
literally  at  the  foundation  of  our  fabric  of  defence  : 
and  twelve  days  afterwards  we  were  so  prepared  on 
the  enemy's  coast,  that  he  did  not  believe  they 
could  get  three  miles  from  their  ports.  The  Medusa, 
returning  to  our  own  shores,  anchored  in  the  rolling 


280  LIFE  OF  XELSOK.  [1801. 

ground  off  Harwich  ;  and,  when  Nelson  wished  to 
get  to  the  Nore  in  her,  the  wind  rendered  it  impos- 
sible to  proceed  there  by  the  usual  channel.  In 
haste  to  be  at  the  Nore,  remembering'  that  he  had 
been  a  tolerable  pilot  for  the  mouth  of  the  Thames 
in  his  younger  days,  and  thinking  it  necessary  that 
he  should  know  all  that  should  be  known  of  the 
navigation,  he  requested  the  maritime  surveyor  of 
tlie  coast,  Mr.  Spence,  to  get  him  into  the  Swin, 
by  any  channel ;  for  neither  the  pilots  which  he 
had  on  board,  nor  the  Harwich  ones,  would  take 
charge  of  the  ship.  No  vessel  drawing  more  than 
fourteen  feet  had  ever  before  ventured  over  the 
Naze.  Mr.  Spence,  however,  who  had  surveyed 
the  channel,  carried  her  safely  through.  The  chan- 
nel has  since  been  called  Nelson's,  though  he  him- 
self wished  it  to  be  named  after  the  Medusa :  his 
name  needed  no  new  memorial. 

Nelson's  eye  was  upon  Flushing, — "  To  take  pos- 
session of  that  place,"  he  said,  "  would  be  a  week's 
expedition  for  four  or  five  thousand  troops."  This, 
however,  required  a  consultation  with  the  admiralty ; 
and  that  something  might  be  done  meantime,  he  re- 
solved upon  attacking  the  flotilla  in  the  mouth  of 
Boulogne  harbour.  This  resolution  was  made  in 
deference  to  the  opinion  of  others,  and  to  the  pub- 
lic feeling  'which  was  so  preposterously  excited. 
He  himself  scrupled  not  to  assert,  that  the  French 
army  would  never  embark  at  Boulogne  for  the  in- 
vasion of  England;  and  he  owned,  that  this  boat- 
warfare  was  not  exactly  congenial  to  his  feelings. 
Into  Helvoet  or  Flushing,  he  should  be  happy  to 
lead,  if  government  turned  their  thoughts  that  way. 
"  While  I  serve,"  said  he,  "  I  will  do  it  actively, 


1801.]  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  281 

and  to  the  very  best  of  my  abilities. — I  require 
nursing  like  a  child,"  he  added;  "  my  mind  carries 
me  beyond  my  strength,  and  will  do  me  up  : — but 
such  is  my  nature." 

The  attack  was  made  by  the  boats  of  the  squad- 
ron in  five  divisions,  under  Captains  Somerville, 
Parker,  Cotgrave,  Jones,  and  Conn.  The  previous 
essay  had  taught  the  French  the  weak  parts  of  their 
position ;  and  they  omitted  no  means  of  strengthen- 
ing it,  and  of  guarding  against  the  expected  at- 
tempt. The  boats  put  off  about  half  an  hour  before 
midnight ;  but,  owing  to  the  darkness,  and  tide 
and  half  tide,  which  must  always  make  night  at- 
tacks so  uncertain  on  the  coasts  of  the  channel,  the 
divisions  separated.  One  could  not  arrive  at  all; 
another  not  till  near  daybreak.  The  others  made 
their  attack  gallantly;  but  the  enemy  were  fully 
prepared :  every  vessel  was  defended  by  long  poles, 
headed  with  iron  spikes,  projecting  from  their  sides ; 
strong  nettings  were  braced  up  to  their  lower  yards ; 
they  were  moored  by  the  bottom  to  the  shore  :* 
they  were  strongly  manned  with  soldiers,  and  pro- 
tected by  land  batteries,  and  the  shore  was  lined 
with  troops.    Many  were  taken  possession  of;  and, 

*  In  the  former  editions  I  had  stated,  upon  what  appeared 
authentic  information,  that  the  boats  were  chained  one  to  ano- 
ther. Nelson  himself  believed  this.  But  I  have  been  assured 
that  it  was  not  the  case,  by  M.  de  Bercet,  who,  when  I  had 
the  pleasure  of  seeing  him  in  1825,  was  (and  I  hope  still  is) 
Commandant  of  Boulogne.  The  word  of  this  brave  and  loyal 
soldier  is  as  little  to  be  doubted  as  his  worth.  lie  is  the  last 
survivor  of  Charette's  band  ;  and  his  own  memoirs,  could  he  be 
persuaded  to  write  them  (a  duty  which  he  owes  to  his  country 
as  well  as  to  himself)  would  form  a  redeeming  episode  in  the 
history  of  the  French  Revolution. 

D   D 


283  LIFE  OF  KELSON.  [1801. 

though  they  could  not  have  been  brought  out, 
would  have  been  burnt,  had  not  the  French  resorted 
to  a  mode  of  offence,  which  they  have  often  used, 
but  which  no  other  people  have  ever  been  wicked 
enough  to  employ.  The  moment  the  firing  ceased 
on  board  one  of  their  own  vessels  they  fired  upon 
it  from  the  shore,  perfectly  regardless  of  their  own 
men. 

The  commander  of  one  of  the  French  divisions 
acted  like  a  generous  enemy.  He  hailed  the  boats 
as  they  approached,  and  cried  out  in  English  : 
"  Let  me  advise  you,  my  brave  Englishmen,  to  keep 
your  distance  :  you  can  do  nothing  here  ;  and  it  is 
only  uselessly  shedding  the  blood  of  brave  men 
to  make  the  attempt."  The  French  official  account 
boasted  of  the  victory.  "  The  combat,"  it  said, 
"  took  place  in  sight  of  both  countries  ;  it  was  the 
first  of  the  kind,  and  the  historian  would  have 
cause  to  make  this  remark."  They  guessed  our  loss 
at  four  or  five  hundred  : — it  amounted  to  one  hun- 
dred and  seventy-two.  In  his  private  letters  to  tlie 
admiralty  Nelson  affirmed,  that  had  our  force  ar- 
rived as  he  intended,  it  was  not  all  the  chains  in 
France  which  could  have  prevented  our  men  from 
bringing  off  the  whole  of  the  vessels.  There  had 
been  no  error  committed,  and  never  did  English- 
men display  more  courage.  Upon  this  point  Nelson 
was  fully  satisfied  ;  but  he  said  he  should  never 
bring  himself  again  to  allow  any  attack,  wherein  he 
was  not  personally  concerned  ;  and  that  his  mind 
suffered  more  than  if  he  had  had  a  leg  shot  off  in 
the  affair.  He  grieved  particularly  for  Capt.  Parker, 
— an  excellent  officer,  to  whom  he  was  greatly  at- 
tached, and  who  had  an  aged  father  looking  to  him 


1801.}  MFE  OF  NELSOX.  283 

for  assistance.  His  thigh  was  shattered  in  the  ac- 
tion; and  the  wound  proved  mortal,  after  some 
weeks  of  suffering;  and  manly  resignation.  During 
this  interval,  Nelson's  anxiety  was  very  great. — 
"  Dear  Parker  is  my  child,"  said  he;  "  for  I  found 
him  in  distress."  And  when  he  received  the  tidings 
of  his  death,  he  replied: — "  You  will  judge  of  my 
feelings  :  God's  will  be  done.  I  beg  that  his  hair 
may  be  cut  off  and  given  me; — it  shall  be  buried  in 
my  grave.  Poor  Mr.  Parker  !  "What  a  son  has  he 
lost !  If  I  were  to  say  I  was  content,  I  should  lie  ; 
but  I  shall  endeavour  to  submit  Avith  all  the  forti- 
tude in  my  power. — His  loss  has  made  a  wound  in 
my  heart,  which  time  will  hardly  heal." 

"  You  ask  me,  my  dear  friend,"  he  says  to  Lady 
Hamilton,  "if  I  am  going  on  more  expeditions? 
and  even  if  I  was  to  forfeit  your  friendship,  which  is 
dearer  to  me  than  all  the  world,  I  can  tell  you 
nothing.  For,  I  go  out :  I  see  the  enemy  and  can  get 
at  them,  it  is  my  duty :  and  you  would  naturally  hate 
me,  if  I  kept  back  one  moment. — I  long  to  pay 
them,  for  their  tricks  t'other  day,  the  debt  of  a  drub- 
bing, which  surely  I'll  pay:  but  when,  where,  or 
how,  it  is  impossible,  your  own  good  sense  must 
tell  you,  for  me  or  mortal  man  to  say." — Yet 
he  now  wished  to  be  relieved  from  this  service.  The 
country,  he  said,  had  attached  a  confidence  to 
his  name,  which  he  had  submitted  to.  and  therefore 
had  cheerfully  repaired  to  the  station; — but  this 
boat  business,  though  it  might  be  part  of  a  great 
plan  of  invasion,  could  never  be  the  only  one,  and 
he  did  not  think  it  was  a  command  for  a  vice- 
admiral.  It  was  not  that  he  wanted  a  more  lucrative 
situation; — for,  seriously  indisposed  as  he  was,  and 


284  LIFE  OF  NELSOX.  [1801. 

low  spirited  from  private  considerations,  he  did  not 
know  if  tile  Mediterranean  were  vacant,  that  he 
should  be  equal  to  undertake  it.  He  was  offended 
with  the  admiralty  for  refusing  him  leave  to  go  to 
town  Avhen  he  had  solicited ;  in  reply  to  a  friendly 
letter  from  Trowbridge  he  says,  "  I  am  at  this  mo- 
ment as  firmly  of  opinion  as  ever,  that  Lord  St. 
Vincent  and  yourself  should  have  allowed  of  my 
coming  to  town  for  my  own  affairs,  for  every  one 
knows  I  left  it  without  a  thought  for  myself."  His 
letters  at  this  time  breathe  an  angry  feeling  toward 
Trowbridge,  who  was  now  become,  he  said,  one  of  his 
lords  and  masters. — "  I  have  a  letter  from  him,"  he 
says,  "  recommending  me  to  wear  flannel  shirts. 
Does  he  care  for  me?  no  :  but  never  mind.  They 
shall  work  hard  to  get  me  again. — The  cold  has 
settled  in  my  bowels.  I  wish  the  admiralty  had  my 
complaint :  but  they  have  no  bowels,  at  least  for 
me. — I  dare  say  Master  Trowbridge  is  grown  fat. 
1  know  I  am  grown  lean  with  my  complaint, 
which,  but  for  their  indifference  about  my  health, 
could  never  have  happened ;  or,  at  least,  I  should 
liave  got  well  long  ago  in  a  warm  room,  with  a 
good  fire  and  sincere  friend."  In  the  same  tone  of 
bitterness,  he  complained  that  he  was  not  able  to 
promote  those  whom  he  thought  deserving:  "Trow- 
bridge," he  says,  "  has  so  completely  prevented  my 
ever  mentioning  any  body's  service,  that  1  am  be- 
come a  cypher,  and  he  has  gained  a  victory  over 
Nelson's  spirit.  I  am  kept  here,  for  what  ? — he 
may  be  able  to  tell,  I  cannot.  But  long  it  cannot, 
shall  not  be."  An  end  was  put  to  this  uncomfort- 
able state  of  mind  when,  fortunately  (on  that  ac- 
count) for  him,  as  well  as  happily  for  the  nation, 


1801.]  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  285 

the  peace  of  Amiens  was,  just  at  this  time,  signed. 
Nelson  rejoiced  that  the  experiment  was  made,  but 
was  well  aware  that  it  was  an  experiment :  he  saw 
what  he  called  the  misery  of  peace,  unless  the  ut- 
most vigilance  and  prudence  were  exerted :  and  he 
expressed,  in  bitter  terms,  his  proper  indignation  at 
the  manner  in  which  the  mob  of  London  welcomed 
the  French  general,  who  brought  the  ratification ; 
saying,  "  that  they  made  him  ashamed  of  his 
country." 

He  had  purchased  a  house  and  estate  at  Merton, 
in  Surry ;  meaning  to  pass  his  days  there  in  the 
society  of  Sir  William  and  Lady  Hamilton.  He  had 
indulged  in  pleasant  dreams  when  looking  on  to  this 
as  his  place  of  residence  and  rest.  "  To  be  sure," 
he  says,  "  we  shall  employ  the  tradespeople  of  our 
village  in  preference  to  any  others,  in  what  we  want 
for  common  use,  and  give  them  every  encourage- 
ment to  be  kind  and  attentive  to  us." — "  Have  we 
a  nice  church  at  Merton  ?  We  will  set  an  example 
of  goodness  to  the  under-parishioners.  I  admire  the 
pigs  and  poultry.  Sheep  are  certainly  most  be- 
neficial to  eat  off"  the  grass.  Do  you  get  paid  for 
them,  and  take  care  that  they  are  kept  on  the  pre- 
mises all  night,  for  that  is  the  time  they  do  good 
to  the  land.  They  should  be  folded.  Is  your  head 
man  a  good  person,  and  true  to  our  interest  ?  I 
intend  to  have  a  farming-book.  I  expect  that  all 
animals  will  increase  where  you  are,  for  I  never 
expect  that  you  will  suffer  any  to  be  killed. — No 
person  can  take  amiss  our  not  visiting.  The  answer 
from  me  will  always  be  very  civil  thanks,  but  that 
I  wish  to  live  retired.  We  shall  have  our  sea- 
friends  ;  and  I  know  Sir  William  thinks  they  are 


286  LIFE  OF  yELSOX.  [1801. 

the  best."  This  place  he  had  never  seen,  till  he 
was  now  welcomed  there  by  the  friends  to  whom  he 
had  so  passionately  devoted  himself,  and  who  were 
not  less  sincerely  attached  to  him.  The  place,  and 
every  thing  which  Lady  Hamilton  had  done  to  it, 
delighted  him  ;  and  he  declared  that  the  longest 
liver  should  possess  it  all.  Here  he  amused  him- 
self with  angling  in  the  Wandle,  having  been  a  good 
fly-fisher  in  former  days,  and  learning  now  to  prac- 
tise with  his  left  hand,*  what  he  could  no  longer 
pursue  as  a  solitary  diversion.  His  pensions  for 
his  victories,  and  for  the  loss  of  his  eye  and  arm, 
amounted  with  his  half-pay  to  about  £3,400  a  year. 
From  this  he  gavef  l,800'to  Lady  Nelson,  £200  to 
a  brother's  widow,  and  £150  for  the  education  of 
his  children  ;  and  he  paid  £500  interest  for  bor- 
rowed money ;  so  that  Nelson  was  comparatively  a 
poor  man  ;  and  though  much  of  the  pecuniary 
embarrassment  which  he  endured,  was  occasioned 
by  the  separation  from  his  wife — even  if  that  cause 
had  not  existed,  his  income  would  not  have  been 
sufficient  for  the  rank  which  he  held,  and  the  claims 
which  would  necessarily  be  made  upon  his  bounty. 
The  depression  of  spirits  under  which  he  had  long 
lalioured,  arose  partly  from  this  state  of  his  circum- 
stances, and  partly  from  the  other  disquietudes  in 
which  his  connexion  with  Lady  Hamilton  had  in- 
volved him  :  a  connexion  which  it  was  not  possible 

*  This  is  mentioned  on  the  aiithority,  and  by  the  desire  of 
Sir  Humphrey  Davy.t  whose  name  I  write  with  the  respect  to 
whicli  it  is  so  justly  entitled  ;  and,  calling  to  mind  the  time 
when  we  were  in  habits  of  daily  and  intimate  intercourse  with 
affectionate  regret. 

t  Salmonia.  p.  6. 


1801.]  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  287 

his  father  could  behold  without  sorrow  and  dis- 
pleasure. Mr.  Nelson,  however,  was  soon  persuaded 
that  the  attachment,  which  Lady  Nelson  regarded 
with  natural  jealousy  and  resentment,  did  not,  in 
reality,  pass  the  bounds  of  ardent  and  romantic 
admiration  :  a  passion  which  the  manners  and  ac- 
complishments of  Lady  Hamilton,  fascinating  as 
they  were,  would  not  have  been  able  to  excite,  if 
they  had  not  been  accompanied  by  more  uncom- 
mon intellectual  endowments,  and  by  a  character 
which,  both  in  its  strength  and  in  its  weakness, 
resembled  his  own.  It  did  not,  therefore,  require 
much  explanation  to  reconcile  him  to  his  son  ; — an 
event  the  more  essential  to  Nelson's  happiness,  be- 
cause, a  few  months  afterwards,  the  good  old  man 
died  at  the  age  of  seventy-nine. 

Soon  after  the  conclusion  of  peace,  tidings  ar- 
rived of  our  final  and  decisive  successes  in  Egypt : 
in  consequence  of  which,  the  common  council 
voted  their  thanks  to  the  army  and  navy  for  bring- 
ing the  campaign  to  so  glorious  a  conclusion. 
When  Nelson,  after  the  action  of  Cape  St.  Vincent, 
had  been  entertained  at  a  city  feast,  he  had  observed 
to  the  lord  mayor,  *'  that,  if  the  city  continued  its 
generosity,  the  navy  would  ruin  them  in  gifts." 
To  which  the  lord  mayor  replied,  putting  his  hand 
upon  the  admiral's  shoulder :  "  Do  you  find  vic- 
tories, and  we  will  find  rewards."  Nelson,  as  he 
said,  had  kept  his  word, — had  doubly  fulfilled  his 
part  of  the  contract, — but  no  thanks  had  been  voted 
for  the  battle  of  Copenhagen;  and,  feeling  that  he  and 
his  companions  in  that  day's  glory,  had  a  fair  and 
honourable  claim  to  this  reward,  he  took  the  present 
opportunity  of  addressing  a  letter  to  the  lord  mayor, 


288  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  [1801. 

complaining  of  the  omission  and  the  injustice. 
"  The  smallest  services,"  said  he,  "rendered  by  the 
army  or  navy  to  the  country,  have  always  been  no- 
ticed by  the  great  city  of  London  with  one  excep- 
tion : — the  glorious  2nd  of  April : — a  day,  when  the 
greatest  dangers  of  navigation  were  overcome  ;  and 
the  Danish  force,  which  they  thought  impregnable, 
totally  taken  or  destroyed,  by  the  consummate  skill 
of  our  commanders,  and  by  the  undaunted  bravery 
of  as  gallant  a  band  as  ever  defended  the  rights  of 
this  country.  For  myself,  if  I  were  only  personally 
concerned,  I  should  bear  the  stigma,  attempted  to 
be  now  first  placed  upon  my  brow,  with  humility. 
But,  my  lord,  I  am  the  natural  guardian  of  the  fame 
of  all  the  officers  of  the  navy,  army,  and  marines, 
who  fought,  and  so  profusely  bled,  under  my  com- 
mand on  that  day.  Again,  I  disclaim  for  myself 
more  merit  than  naturally  falls  to  a  successful  com- 
mander ;  but  when  I  am  called  upon  to  speak  of  the 
merits  of  the  captains  of  his  majesty's  ships,  and  of 
the  officers  and  men,  whether  seamen,  marines,  or 
soldiers,  whom  I  that  day  had  the  happiness  to  com- 
mand, I  then  say,  that  never  was  the  glory  of  this 
country  upheld  with  more  determined  bravery  than 
on  that  occasion : — and,  if  I  may  be  allowed  to  give  an 
opinion  as  a  Briton  ;  then  I  say,  that  more  important 
service  was  never  rendered  to  our  king  and  country. 
It  is  my  duty,  my  lord,  to  prove  to  the  brave  fellows, 
my  companions  in  danger,  that  I  have'  not  failed, 
at  every  proper  place,  to  represent,  as  well  as  I  am 
able,  their  bravery  and  meritorious  conduct." 

Another  honour,  of  greater  import,  was  withheld 
from  the  conquerors.  The  king  had  given  medals 
to  those  captains  who  were  engaged  in  the  battles 


1803.]  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  289 

of  the  1st  of  June,  of  Cape  St.  Vincent,  of  Cam- 
perdown,  and  of  the  Nile.  Then  came  the  victory 
at  Copenhagen  :  which  Nelson  truly  called,  the 
most  difficult  achievement,  the  hardest  fought  bat- 
tle, the  most  glorious  result,  that  ever  graced  the 
annals  of  our  country.  He,  of  course,  expected 
the  medal  :  and,  in  writing  to  Earl  St.  Vincent, 
said  :  "  He  longed  to  have  it,  and  would  not  give 
it  up  to  be  made  an  English  duke."  The  medal, 
however,  was  not  given  : — "  For  what  reason," 
said  Nelson,  "  Lord  St.  Vincent  best  knows." — 
Words  plainly  implying  a  suspicion,  that  it  was 
withheld  by  some  feeling  of  jealousy  :  and  that 
suspicion  estranged  him,  during  the  remaining  part 
of  his  life,  from  one  who  had  at  one  time  been 
essentially,  as  well  as  sincerely,  his  friend  ;  and  of 
whose  professional  abilities  he  ever  entertained  the 
highest  opinion. 

The  happiness  which  Nelson  enjoyed  in  the  so- 
ciety of  his  chosen  friends,  was  of  no  long  conti- 
nuance. Sir  William  Hamilton,  who  was  far  ad- 
vanced in  years,  died  early  in  1803;  a  mild, 
amiable,  accomplished  man,  who  has  thus,  in  a 
letter,  described  his  own  philosophy  : — "  My  study 
of  antiquities,"  he  says,  *'  has  kept  me  in  constant 
thought  of  the  perpetual  fluctuation  of  every  thing. 
The  whole  art  is  really  to  live  all  the  days  of  our 
life ;  and  not  with  anxious  care  disturb  the  sweet- 
est hour  that  life  affords, — which  is  the  present. 
Admire  the  Creator,  and  all  his  works,  to  us  incom- 
prehensible ;  and  do  all  the  good  you  can  upon 
earth:  and  take  the  chance  of  eternity  without 
dismay."  He  expired  in  his  wife's  arms,  holding 
Nelson  by  the  hand  ;  and  almost  in  his  last  words 


•290  LIFE  OF  NELSOX.  [1803. 

left  her  to  his  protection  ;  requesting  him  that  he 
would  see  justice  done  her  by  the  government,  as 
he  knew  what  she  had  done  for  her  country.  He 
left  him  her  portrait  in  enamel,  calling  him  his 
dearest  friend  ;  the  most  virtuous,  loyal,  and  truly 
brave  character  he  had  ever  known.  The  codicil, 
containing  this  bequest,  concluded  with  these  words : 
"  God  bless  him,  and  shame  fall  on  those  who  do 
not  say  amen."  Sir  William's  pension,  of  fl'iOO 
a  year,  ceased  with  his  death.  Nelson  applied  to 
Mr.  Aldington  in  Lady  Hamilton's  behalf,  stating 
the  important  service  which  she  had  rendered  to 
the  fleet  at  Syracuse:  and  Mr.  Addington,  it  is 
said,  acknowledged  that  she  had  a  just  claim  upon 
the  gratitude  of  the  country.  This  barren  acknow- 
ledgment was  all  that  was  obtained  :  but  a  sum, 
equal  to  the  pension  which  her  husband  had  en- 
joyed, was  settled  on  her  by  Nelson,  and  paid  in 
monthly  payments  during  his  life.  A  few  weeks 
after  this  event,  the  war  was  renewed ;  and,  the 
day  after  his  majesty's  message  to  parliament. 
Nelson  departed  to  take  the  command  of  the  Medi- 
terranean fleet.  The  war,  he  thought,  could  not 
be  long;  just  enougli  to  make  him  independent  in 
pecuniary  matters. 

He  took  his  station  immediately  off  Toulon  ;  and 
there,  with  incessant  vigilance,  waited  for  the  com- 
ing out  of  the  enemy.  The  expectation  of  acquiring 
a  competent  fortune  did  not  last  long.  "  Somehow," 
he  says,  "  my  mind  is  not  sharp  enough  for  prize- 
money.  Lord  Keith  would  have  made  £20,000, 
and  I  have  not  made  £6000."  More  than  once  he 
says  that  the  prizes  taken  in  the  Mediterranean 
had  not  paid  his  expenses :  and  once  he  expresses 


1803.]  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  291 

himself  as  if  it  were  a  consolation  to  think  that 
some  ball  might  soon  close  all  his  accounts  with 
this  world  of  care  and  vexation.  At  this  time  the 
widow  of  his  brother,  being  then  blind  and  advanced 
in  years,  was  distressed  for  money,  and  about  to 
sell  her  plate  ;  he  wrote  to  Lady  Hamilton,  request- 
ing of  her  to  find  out  what  her  debts  were,  and 
saying,  that  if  the  amount  was  within  his  power  he 
would  certainly  pay  it,  and  rather  pinch  himself 
than  that  she  should  want.  Before  he  had  finished 
the  letter,  an  account  arrived  that  a  sum  was  pay- 
able to  him  for  some  neutral  taken  four  years  before, 
which  enabled  him  to  do  this  without  being  the 
poorer :  and  he  seems  to  have  felt  at  the  moment 
that  what  is  thus  disposed  of  by  a  cheerful  giver, 
shall  be  paid  to  him  again. — One  from  whom  he 
had  looked  for  a  very  different  conduct,  had  com- 
pared his  own  wealth  in  no  becoming  manner  with 
Nelson's  limited  means.  "  I  know,"  said  he  to 
Lady  Hamilton,  "  the  full  extent  of  the  obligation 
I  owe  him,  and  he  may  be  useful  to  me  again ;  but 
I  can  never  forget  his  unkindness  to  you.  But,  I 
guess  many  reasons  influenced  his  conduct  in  brag- 
ging of  his  riches  and  my  honourable  poverty  ;  but 
as  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  got  what  I  have  with  my 
pure  blood,  from  the  enemies  of  my  country.  Our 
house,  my  own  Emma,  is  built  upon  a  solid  foun- 
dation ;  and  will  last  to  us,  when  his  house  and 
lands  may  belong  to  others  than  his  children." 

His  hope  was  that  peace  might  soon  be  made,  or 
that  he  should  be  relieved  from  his  command,  and 
retire  to  Merton,  where   at  that  distance  he  was 


292  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  [1803. 

planning  and  directing  improvements.  On  his  birth- 
day he  writes,  ''This  day,  my  dearest  Emma,  I  con- 
sider as  more  fortunate  than  common  days,  as  by 
my  coming  into  this  world  it  has  brought  me  so 
intimately  acquainted  with  you.  I  well  know  that 
you  will  keep  it,  and  have  my  dear  Horatio  to  drink 
my  health.  Forty-six  years  of  toil  and  trouble  ! 
How  few  more  the  common  lot  of  mankind  leads  us 
to  expect !  and  therefore  it  is  almost  time  to  think 
of  spending  the  few  last  years  in  peace  and  quiet- 
ness." It  is  painful  to  think  that  this  language  was 
not  addressed  to  his  wife,  but  to  one  with  whom  he 
promised  himself  "  many,  many  happy  years,  when 
that  impediment,"  as  he  calls  her,  "  shall  be  re- 
moved, if  God  pleased ;"  and  they  might  be  sur- 
rounded by  their  children's  children. 

When  he  had  been  fourteen  months  off  Toulon, 
he  received  a  vote  of  thanks  from  the  city  of  Lon- 
don, for  his  skill  and  perseverance  in  blockading 
that  port,  so  as  to  prevent  the  French  from  putting 
to  sea.  Nelson  had  not  forgotten  the  wrong  which 
the  city  had  done  to  the  Baltic  fleet  by  their  omis- 
sion, and  did  not  lose  the  opportunity  which  this 
vote  afforded  of  recurring  to  that  point.  "  I  do 
assure  your  lordship,"  said  he,  in  his  answer  to  the 
lord  mayor,  "  that  there  is  not  that  man  breathing 
who  sets  a  higher  value  upon  the  thanks  of  his 
fellow-citizens  of  London  than  myself;  but  I  should 
feel  as  much  ashamed  to  receive  them  for  a  parti- 
cular service,  marked  in  the  resolution,  if  I  felt  that 
I  did  not  come  within  that  line  of  service,  as  I 
should  feel  hurt  at  having  a  great  victory  passed 
over  without  notice.  I  beg  to  infonn  your  lordship, 
that  the  port  of  Toulon  has  never  been  blockaded 


1803.]  LIFE  OF  NELSOX.  293 

by  me  :  quite  the  reverse.  Every  opportunity  has 
been  offered  the  enemy  to  put  to  sea  :  for  it  is  there 
that  we  hope  to  reaUze  the  hopes  and  expectations 
of  our  country."  Nelson  then  remarked,  that  the 
junior  flag  officers  of  his  fleet  had  been  omitted  in 
this  vote  of  thanks ;  and  his  surprise  at  the  omis- 
sion was  expressed  with  more  asperity,  perhaps, 
than  an  offence,  so  entirely  and  manifestly  unin- 
tentional, deserved :  but  it  arose  from  that  generous 
regard  for  the  feelings  as  well  as  interests  of  all 
who  were  under  his  command,  which  made  him  as 
much  beloved  in  the  fleets  of  Britain,  as  he  was 
dreaded  in  those  of  the  enemy. 

Never  was  any  commander  more  beloved.  He 
governed  men  by  their  reason  and  their  affections ; 
they  knew  that  he  was  incapable  of  caprice  or 
tyranny ;  and  they  obeyed  him  with  alacrity  and 
joy,  because  he  possessed  their  confidence  as  well 
as  their  love.  "  Oar  Nel,"  they  used  to  say,  "  is 
as  brave  as  a  lion,  and  as  gentle  as  a  lamb."  Se- 
vere discipline  he  detested,  though  he  had  been 
bred  in  a  severe  school :  he  never  inflicted  cor- 
poral punishment,  if  it  were  possible  to  avoid  it, 
and  when  compelled  to  enforce  it,  he,  who  was 
familiar  with  wounds  and  death,  suffered  like 
a  woman.  In  his  whole  life  Nelson  was  never 
known  to  act  unkindly  towards  an  officer.  If  he 
was  asked  to  prosecute  one  for  ill-behaviour,  he 
used  to  answer:  "  That  there  was  no  occasion  for 
him  to  ruin  a  poor  devil,  who  was  sufficiently  his 
own  enemy  to  ruin  himself."  But  in  Nelson  there 
was  more  than  the  easiness  and  humanity  of  a 
happy  nature :  he  did  not  merely  abstain  from  in- 
jury; his  was  an  active  and  watchful  benevolence, 


294  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  [1803. 

ever  desirous  not  only  to  render  justice,  but  to  do 
good.  During  the  peace,  he  had  spoken  in  parlia- 
ment upon  the  abuses  respecting  prize-money ;  and 
had  submitted  plans  to  government  for  more  easily 
manning  the  navy,  and  preventing  desertion  from 
it,  by  bettering  the  condition  of  the  seamen.  He 
proposed  that  their  certificates  should  be  registered, 
and  that  every  man  vpho  had  served,  with  a  good 
character,  five  years  in  war,  should  receive  a  bounty 
of  two  guineas  annually  after  that  time,  and  of 
four  guineas  after  eight  years.  "  This,"  he  said, 
"  might,  at  first  sight,  appear  an  enormous  sum 
for  the  state  to  pay ;  but  the  average  life  of  sea- 
men is,  from  hard  service,  finished  at  forty-five:  he 
cannot,  therefore,  enjoy  the  annuity  many  years ; 
and  the  interest  of  the  money  saved  by  their  not 
deserting,  would  go  far  to  pay  the  whole  expense." 
To  his  midshipmen  he  ever  showed  the  most 
winning  kindness,  encouraging  the  diffident,  tem- 
pering the  hasty,  counselling  and  befriending  both. 
"  Recollect,"  he  used  to  say,  "that  you  must  be  a 
Seaman  to  be  an  officer;  and  also,  that  you  cannot 
be  a  good  officer  without  being  a  gentleman." — A 
lieutenant  wrote  to  him  to  say,  that  he  was  dissa- 
tisfied with  his  captain.  Nelson's  answer  was  in 
that  spirit  of  perfect  wisdom  and  perfect  goodness, 
which  regulated  his  whole  conduct  toward  those 
who  were  under  his  command.  "  I  have  just  re- 
ceived your  letter ;  and  I  am  truly  sorry  that  any 
difference  should  arise  between  your  captain,  who 
has  the  reputation  of  being  one  of  the  bright 
officers  of  the  service,  and  yourself,  a  very  young 
ftian,  and  a  very  young  officer,  who  must  naturally 
h;ive  much  to  learn  :  therefore,  the  chance  is,  that 


1803.]  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  295 

you  are  perfectly  wrong  in  the  disagreement.  How- 
ever, as  your  present  situation  must  be  veiy  disa- 
greeable, I  will  certainly  take  an  early  opportunity 
of  removing  you,  provided  your  conduct  to  your 
present  captain  be  such,  that  another  may  not  re- 
fuse to  receive  you."  The  gentleness  and  benignity 
of  his  disposition  never  made  him  forget  what  was 
due  to  discipline.  Being  on  one  occasion  applied 
to,  to  save  a  young  officer  from  a  court-martial, 
which  he  had  provoked  by  his  misconduct,  his  re- 
ply was,  "  That  he  would  do  every  thing  in  his 
power  to  oblige  so  gallant  and  good  an  officer  as 
Sir  John  Warren,"  in  whose  name  the  intercession 
had  been  made: — "  But  what,"  he  added,  "  would 
he  do  if  he  were  here  ? — Exactly  what  I  have  done, 
and  am  still  willing  to  do.  The  young  man  must 
write  such  a  letter  of  contrition  as  would  be  an  ac- 
knowledgment of  his  great  fault ;  and,  with  a  sin- 
cere promise,  if  his  captain  will  intercede  to  prevent 
the  impending  court-martial,  never  to  so  misbehave 
again.  On  his  captain's  enclosing  me  such  a  letter, 
with  a  request  to  cancel  the  order  for  the  trial,  I 
might  be  induced  to  do  it :  but  the  letters  and  re- 
primand will  be  given  in  the  public  order-book  of 
the  fleet,  and  read  to  all  the  officers.  The  young 
man  has  pushed  himself  forward  to  notice,  and  he 
must  take  the  consequence. — It  was  upon  the 
quarter-deck,  in  the  face  of  the  ship's  company, 
that  he  treated  his  captain  with  contempt ;  and  I 
am  in  duty  bound  to  support  the  authority  and 
consequence  of  every  officer  under  my  command. 
A  poor  ignorant  seaman  is  for  ever  punished  for 
contempt  to  his  superiors." 

A  dispute  occurred  in  the  fleet,  while  it  was  off 


296  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  [1803. 

Toulon,  which  called  forth  Nelson's  zeal  for  the 
rights  and  interest  of  the  navy.  Some  young  artil- 
lery officers,  serving  on  board  the  bomb  vessels,  re- 
fused to  let  their  men  perform  any  other  duty  but 
what  related  to  the  mortars.  They  wished  to  have 
it  established,  that  their  corps  was  not  subject  to 
the  captain's  authority.  The  same  pretensions  were 
made  in  the  channel  fleet  about  the  same  time; 
and  the  artillery  rested  their  claims  to  separate  and 
independent  authority  on  board,  upon  a  clause  in 
the  act,  which  they  interpreted  in  their  favour. 
Nelson  took  up  the  subject  with  all  the  earnestness 
which  its  importance  deserved. — "  There  is  no  real 
happiness  in  this  world,"  said  he,  writing  to  Earl 
St.  Vincent,  as  first  lord.  "  With  all  content,  and 
smiles  around  me,  up  start  these  artillery  boys  (I 
understand  they  are  not  beyond  that  age),  and  set 
us  at  defiance ;  speaking  in  the  most  disrespectful 
manner  of  the  navy,  and  its  commanders.  I  know 
you,  my  dear  lord,  so  well,  that,  with  your  quick- 
ness, the  matter  would  have  been  settled,  and  per- 
haps some  of  them  been  broke.  I  am,  perhaps, 
more  patient ;  but  I  do  assure  you,  not  less  resolved, 
if  my  plan  of  conciliation  is  not  attended  to.  You 
and  I  are  on  the  eve  of  quitting  the  theatre  of  our 
exploits ;  but  we  hold  it  due  to  our  successors, 
never,  whilst  we  have  a  tongue  to  speak,  or  a  hand 
to  write,  to  allow  the  navy  to  be,  in  the  smallest 
degree,  injured  in  its  discipline  by  our  conduct." 
To  Trowbridge  he  wrote  in  the  same  spirit. — "  It 
is  the  old  history,  trying  to  do  away  the  act  of 
parliament :  but  I  trust  they  will  never  succeed ; 
for,  when  they  do,  farewell  to  our  naval  superiority, 
We  should  be  prettily  commanded !     Let  them  once 


1803.]  LIFE  OF  NELSOX.  297 

gain  the  step  of  being  independent  of  the  navy  on 
board  a  ship,  and  they  will  soon  have  the  other, 
and  command  us. — But,  thank  God !  my  dear 
Trowbridge,  the  king  himself  cannot  do  away  the 
act  of  parliament.  Although  my  career  is  nearly 
run,  yet  it  would  embitter  my  future  days,  and  ex- 
piring moments,  to  hear  of  our  navy  being  sacrificed 
to  the  army."  As  the  surest  way  of  preventing  such 
disputes,  he  suggested  that  the  navy  should  have 
its  own  corps  of  artillery ;  and  a  corps  of  marine 
artillery  was  accordingly  established. 

Instead  of  lessening  the  power  of  the  commander. 
Nelson  would  have  wished  to  see  it  increased  :  it 
was  absolutely  necessary,  he  thought,  that  merit 
should  be  rewarded  at  the  moment,  and  that  the 
officers  of  the  fleet  should  look  up  to  the  com- 
mander-in-chief for  their  reward.  He  himself  was 
never  more  happy  than  when  he  could  promote 
those  who  were  deserving  of  promotion.  Many 
were  the  services  which  he  thus  rendered  unsoli- 
cited :  and  frequently  the  officer,  in  whose  behalf 
he  had  interested  himself  with  the  admiralty,  did 
not  know  to  whose  friendly  interference  he  was  in- 
debted for  his  good  fortune. — He  used  to  say,  "  I 
wish  it  to  appear  as  a  God-send."  The  love  which 
he  bore  the  navy  made  him  promote  the  interests, 
and  honour  the  memory,  of  all  who  had  added  to 
its  glories.  "  The  near  relations  of  brother  offi- 
cers," he  said,  '^  he  considered  as  legacies  to  the 
service."  Upon  mention  being  made  to  him  of 
a  son  of  Rodney,  by  the  Duke  of  Clarence,  his 
reply  was :  "I  agree  with  your  royal  highness 
most  entirely,  that  the  son  of  a  Rodney  ought  to 
be  the  protege  of  every  person  in  the  kingdom,  and 

£  E 


298  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  [1803. 

particularly  of  the  sea  officers.  Had  I  known  that 
there  had  been  this  claimant,  some  of  my  own 
lieutenants  must  have  given  way  to  such  a  name, 
and  he  should  have  been  placed  in  the  Victoi-y  :  she 
is  full,  and  I  liave  twenty  on  ray  list;  but,  what- 
ever numbers  I  have,  the  name  of  Rodney  must 
cut  many  of  them  out."  Such  was  the  proper 
sense  which  Nelson  felt  of  what  was  due  to  splen- 
did services  and  illustrious  names.  His  feelings 
toward  the  brave  men  who  had  served  with  him,  are 
shown  by  a  note  in  his  diary,  which  was  probably 
not  intended  for  any  other  eye  than  his  own. — 
"  Nov.  7.  I  had  the  comfort  of  making  an  old 
Agamemnon,  George  Jones,  a  gunner  into  the 
Chameleon  brig." 

When  Nelson  took  the  command,  it  was  ex- 
pected that  the  Mediterranean  would  be  an  active 
scene.  Nelson  well  understood  the  character  of 
the  perfidious  Corsican,  who  was  now  sole  tyrant 
of  France ;  and  knowing  that  he  was  as  ready  to 
attack  his  friends  as  his  enemies,  knew,  therefore, 
that  nothing  could  be  more  uncertain  than  the  di- 
rection of  the  fleet  from  Toulon,  whenever  it  should 
put  to  sea: — "  It  had  as  many  destinations,"  he 
said,  "  as  there  were  countries."  The  momentous 
revolutions  of  the  last  ten  years  had  given  him 
ample  matter  for  reflection,  as  well  as  opportunities 
for  observation  :  the  film  was  cleared  from  his  eyes  ; 
and  now,  when  the  French  no  longer  went  abroad 
with  the  cry  of  liberty  and  equality,  he  saw  that 
the  oppression  and  misrule  of  the  powers  which  had 
been  opposed  to  them,  had  been  the  main  causes  of 
their  success,  and  that  those  causes  would  still  pre- 
pare the  way  before  them.     Even  in  Sicily,  where, 


1803.]  LIFE  OF  NELSOX.  299 

if  it  had  been  possible  longer  to  blind  himself, 
Nelson  would  willingly  have  seen  no  evil ;  he  per- 
ceived that  the  people  wished  for  a  change,  and 
acknowledged  that  they  had  reason  to  wish  for  it. 
In  Sardinia  the  same  burden  of  misgovernment  was 
felt;  and  the  people,  like  the  Sicilians,  were  im- 
poverished by  a  government  so  utterly  incompetent 
to  perform  its  first  and  most  essential  duties,  tliat 
it  did  not  protect  its  own  coasts  from  the  Barbary 
pirates.  He  would  fain  have  had  us  purchase  this 
island  (the  finest  in  the  Mediterranean)  from  its 
sovereign,  who  did  not  receive  £5000  a  year  from 
it,  after  its  wretched  establishment  was  paid.  There 
was  reason  to  think  that  France  was  preparing  to 
possess  herself  of  this  important  point,  which  af- 
forded our  fleet  facilities  for  watching  Toulon,  not 
to  be  obtained  elsewhere.  An  expedition  was  pre- 
paring at  Corsica  for  the  purpose  ;  and  all  the 
Sardes,  who  had  taken  part  with  revolutionary 
France,  were  ordered  to  assemble  there.  It  was 
certain  that,  if  the  attack  were  made,  it  would  suc- 
ceed. Nelson  thought  that  the  only  means  to  pre- 
vent Sardinia  from  becoming  French,  was  to  make 
it  English,  and  that  half  a  million  would  give  the 
king  a  rich  price,  and  England  a  cheap  purchase. 
A  better,  and  therefore  a  wiser  policy,  would  have 
been  to  exert  our  influence  in  removing  the  abuses 
of  the  government :  for  foreign  dominion  is  always, 
in  some  degree,  an  evil :  and  allegiance  neither  can 
nor  ought  to  be  made  a  thing  of  bargain  and  sale. 
Sardinia,  like  Sicily  and  Corsica,  is  large  enough 
to  form  a  separate  state.  Let  us  hope  that  these 
islands  may  one  day  be  made  free  and  independent. 
Freedom  and  independence  will  bring  with  them 


300  LIFE  OF  NELSON .  [1803. 

industry  and  prosperity ;  and  wherever  these  are 
found,  arts  and  letters  will  flourish,  and  the  im- 
provement of  the  human  race  proceed.  -r' 
The  proposed  attack  was  postponed.     Views  of 
wider  ambition  were  opening  upon   Buonaparte, 
who  now  almost  undisguisedly  aspired  to  make 
himself  master  of  the  continent  of  Europe ;   and 
Austria  was  preparing-  for  another  struggle,  to  be 
conducted  as  weakly  and  terminated  as  miserably 
&s  the  former.     Spain,  too,  was  ouce  more  to  be 
involved  in   war,  by  the  policy  of  France :   that 
perfidious  government  having  in  view  the  double 
object  of  employing  the  Spanish  resources  against 
England,  and  exhausting  them,  in  order  to  render 
Spain  herself  finally  its  prey.     Nelson,  who  knew 
that  England  and  the  Peninsula  ought  to  be  in 
alliance,  for  the  common   interest  of  both,   fre- 
quently expressed  his  hopes  that  Spain  might  re- 
sume her  natural  rank  among  the  nations.     "  We 
ought,"  he  said,  "  by  mutual  consent,  to  be  the 
very  best  friends,  and  both  to  be  ever  hostile  to 
France."     But  he  saw  that  Buonaparte  was  medi- 
tating the  destruction  of  Spain ;  and  that,  while 
the  wretched  court  of  Madrid  professed  to  remain 
neutral,  the  appearances  of  neutrality  were  scarcely 
preserved.     An  order  of  the  year  1771,  excluding 
British  ships  of  war  from  the  Spanish  ports,  ^as 
revived,  and  put  in  force  ;  while  French  privateers, 
from  these  very  ports,  annoyed  the  British  trade, 
carried  their  prizes  in,  and  sold  them  even  at  Bar- 
celona.   Nelson  complained  of  this  to  the  captain- 
general  of  Catalonia,  informinghim, that  he  claimed, 
for  every  British  ship  or  squadron,  the  right  of 
lying,  as  long  as  it  pleased,  in  the  ports  of  Spain, 


1803.]  ■    LIFE  OF  NELSON.  301 

while  that  right  was  allowed  to  other  powers.  To 
the  British  ambassador  he  said :  "  I  am  ready  to 
make  large  allowances  for  the  miserable  situation 
Spain  has  placed  herself  in  ;  but  there  is  a  certain 
line,  beyond  which  I  cannot  submit  to  be  treated 
with  disrespect.  We  have  given  up  French  vessels 
taken  within  gun-shot  of  the  Spanish  shore,  and 
yet  French  vessels  are  permitted  to  attack  our  ships 
from  the  Spanish  shore.  Your  excellency  may 
assure  the  Spanish  government,  that  in  whatever 
place  the  Spaniards  allow  the  French  to  attack  us, 
in  that  place  I  shall  order  the  French  to  be  at- 
tacked." 

During  this  state  of  things,  to  which  the  weak- 
ness of  Spain,  and  not  her  will,  consented,  the' 
enemy's  fleet  did  not  venture  to  put  to  sea.  Nel- 
son watched  it  with  unremitting  and  almost  unex- 
ampled perseverance.  The  station  off  Toulon  he 
called  his  home.  "  We  are  in  the  right  fighting 
trim,"  said  he:  "  let  them  come  as  soon  as  they 
please.  I  never  saw  a  fleet,  altogether,  so  well 
officered  and  manned :  would  to  God  the  ships 
were  half  as  good  ! — The  finest  ones  in  the  service 
would  soon  be  destroyed  by  such  terrible  weather. 
I  know  well  enough',  that  if  I  were  to  go  into 
Malta  I  should  save  the  ships  during  this  bad  sea- 
son :  but,  if  I  am  to  watch  the  French,  I  must  be 
at  sea ;  and,  if  at  sea,  must  have  bad  weather : 
and  if  the  ships  are  not  fit  to  stand  bad  weather, 
they  are  useless."  Then  only  he  was  satisfied,  and 
at  ease,  when  he  had  the  enemy  in  view.  Mr. 
Elliot,  our  minister  at  Naples,  seems,  at  this  time, 
to  have  proposed  to  send  a  confidential  Frenchman 
to   him   with   information.      "  I   should  be  very 


302  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  [1803. 

happy,"  he  repUed,  "  to  receive  authentic  inteUi- 
gence  of  the  destination  of  the  French  squadron, 
their  route,  and  time  of  sailing. — Any  thing  short 
of  this  is  useless ;  and  I  assure  your  excellency, 
that  I  would  not,  upon  any  consideration,  have  a 
Frenchman  in  the  fleet,  except  as  a  prisoner.  I 
put  no  confidence  in  them.  You  think  yours 
good ;  the  queen  thinks  the  same  :  I  believe  they 
are  all  alike.  Whatever  information  you  can  get 
me,  I  shall  be  very  thankful  for ;  but  not  a  French- 
man comes  here.  Forgive  me,  but  my  mother 
hated  the  French." 

M.  Latouche  Treville,  who  had  commanded  at 
Boulogne,  commanded  now  at  Toulon.  "  He  was 
sent  for  on  purpose,"  said  Nelson,  "  as  he  beat  me 
at  Boulogne,  to  beat  me  again :  but  he  seems  very 
loath  to  try."  One  day,  while  the  main  body  of 
our  fleet  was  out  of  sight  of  land,  Rear-Admiral 
Campbell,  reconnoitring  with  the  Canopus,  Donne- 
gal,  and  Amazon,  stood  in  close  to  the  port ;  and 
M.  Latouche,  taking  advantage  of  a  breeze  which 
sprung  up,  pushed  out,  with  four  ships  of  the  line 
and  three  heavy  frigates,  and  chased  him  about 
four  leagues.  The  Frenchman,  delighted  at  having 
found  himself  in  so  novel  a  situation,  published  a 
boastful  account;  affirming,  that  he  had  given 
chase  to  the  whole  British  fleet,  and  that  Nelson 
had  fled  before  him  !  Nelson  thought  it  due  to  the 
admiralty  to  send  home  a  copy  of  the  Victory's  log 
upon  this  occasion.  "  As  for  himself,"  he  said, 
"  if  his  character  was  not  established  by  that  time 
for  not  being  apt  to  run  away,  it  was  not  worth  his 
while  to  put  the  world  right." — "  If  this  fleet  gets 
fairly  up  with  M.  Latouche,"  said  he  to  one  of  his 


1803.]  LIFE  or  XELSOX.  303 

correspondents,  "  his  letter,  with  all  his  ingenuity, 
must  be  different  from  his  last.  We  had  fancied 
that  we  chased  him  into  Toulon ;  for,  blind  as  I 
am,  I  could  see  his  water  line,  when  he  clued  his 
topsails  up,  shutting  in  Sepet.  But,  from  the  time 
of  his  meeting  Capt.  Hawker,  in  the  Isis,  I  never 
heard  of  his  acting  otherwise  than  as  a  poltroon  and 
a  liar.  Contempt  is  the  best  mode  of  treating  such 
a  miscreant."  In  spite,  however,  of  contempt,  the 
impudence  of  this  Frenchman  half  angered  him. 
He  said  to  his  brother :  "  You  wnll  have  seen  La- 
touche's  letter ;  how  he  chased  me,  and  how  I  ran. 
f  keep  it :  and  if  I  take  him,  by  God  he  shall  eat  it." 
Nelson,  who  used  to  say,  that  in  sea  affairs  no- 
thing is  impossible,  and  nothing  improbable,  feared 
the  more  that  this  Frenchman  might  get  out  and 
elude  his  vigilance ;  because  he  was  so  especially 
desirous  of  catching  him,  and  administering  to  him 
his  own  lying  letter  in  a  sandwich.  M.  Latouche, 
however,  escaped  him  in  another  way.  He  died, 
according  to  the  French  papers,  in  consequence  of 
walking  so  often  up  to  the  signal  post  upon  Sepet, 
to  watch  the  British  fleet.  "  I  always  pronounced 
that  would  be  his  death,"  said  Nelson.  "  If  he  had 
come  out  and  fought  me,  it  would,  at  least,  have 
added  ten  years  to  my  life."  The  patience  with 
which  he  had  watched  Toulon,  he  spoke  of,  truly, 
as  a  perseverance  at  sea  which  had  never  been 
surpassed.  From  May,  1803,  to  August,  1805,  he 
himself  went  out  of  his  ship  but  three  times  ;  each 
of  those  times  was  upon  the  king's  service,  and 
neither  time  of  absence  exceeded  an  hour.  In 
1804  the  Swift  cutter  going  out  with  despatches 
was  taken,  and  all  the  despatches  and  letters  fell 


304  LIFE  or  NELSON,  [1803. 

into  the  hands  of  the  enemy.  "  A  very  pretty 
piece  of  work !"  says  Nelson,  "  I  am  not  sur- 
prised at  the  capture,  but  am  very  much  so  that 
any  despatches  should  be  sent  in  a  vessel  with 
twenty-three  men,  not  equal  to  cope  with  any  row- 
boat  privateer.  The  loss  of  the  Hindostan  was 
great  enough ;  but  for  importance  it  is  lost,  in 
comparison  to  the  probable  knowledge  the  enemy 
will  obtain  of  our  connections  with  foreign  coun- 
tries. Foreigners  for  ever  say,  and  it  is  true,  we 
dare  not  trust  England  :  one  way  or  other  we  are 
sure  to  be  committed."  In  a  subsequent  letter,  he 
says,  speaking  of  the  same  capture :  "  I  find,  my 
dearest  Emma,  that  your  picture  is  very  much  ad- 
mired by  the  French  Consul  at  Barcelona;  and 
that  he  has  not  sent  it  to  be  admired,  which  I  am 
sure  it  would  be,  by  Buonaparte.  They  pretend 
that  there  were  three  pictures  taken.  I  wish  I  had 
them  :  but  they  are  all  gone  as  irretrievably  as  the 
despatches ;  unless  we  may  read  them  in  a  book, 
as  we  printed  their  correspondence  from  Egypt. 
But  from  us  what  can  they  find  out?  That  I 
love  you  most  dearly,  and  hate  the  French  most 
damnably.  Dr.  Scott  went  to  Barcelona  to  try  to 
get  the  private  letters ;  but  I  fancy  they  are  all 
gone  to  Paris.  The  Swedish  and  American  Con- 
suls told  him,  that  the  French  Consul  had  your 
picture  and  read  your  letters :  and  the  Doctor  thinks 
one  of  them,  probably,  read  the  letters.  By  the 
master's  account  of  the  cutter,  I  would  not  have 
trusted  an  old  pair  of  shoes  in  her.  He  tells  me 
she  did  not  sail,  but  was  a  good  sea  boat.  I  hope 
Mr.  Marsden  will  not  trust  any  more  of  my  private 
letters  in  such  a  conveyance :  if  they  choose  to 


1803.]  LirE  OF  XELSOX.  305 

trust  the  aflPairs  of  the  public  in  such  a  thing,  I 
cannot  help  it." 

While  he  was  on  this  station,  the  weather  had 
been  so  unusually  severe,  that  he  said,  the  Medi- 
terranean seemed  altered.  It  was  his  rule  never 
to  contend  with  the  gales ;  but  either  run  to  the 
southward,  to  escape  their  violence,  or  furl  all  the 
sails,  and  make  the  ships  as  easy  as  possible.  The 
men,  though  he  said  flesh  and  blood  could  hardly 
stand  it,  continued  in  excellent  health,  which  he 
ascribed  in  great  measure,  to  a  plentiful  supply  of 
lemons  and  onions.  For  himself,  he  thought  he 
could  only  last  till  the  battle  was  over.  One  battle 
more  it  was  his  hope  that  he  might  fight, — "  How- 
ever," said  he,  "  whatever  happens  I  have  run  a 
glorious  race." — "  A  few  months'  rest,"  he  says, 
"  I  must  have  very  soon.  If  I  am  in  my  grave, 
what  are  the  mines  of  Peru  to  me  ?  But  to  say  the 
truth,  I  have  no  idea  of  killing  myself.  I  may, 
with  care,  live  yet  to  do  good  service  to  the  state. 
My  cough  is  very  bad,  and  my  side,  where  I  was 
struck  on  the  14th  of  February,  is  very  much 
swelled ;  at  times  a  lump  as  large  as  my  fist, 
brought  on  occasionally  by  violent  coughing.  But 
I  hope  and  beheve  my  lungs  are  yet  safe."  He 
was  afraid  of  blindness  ;  and  this  was  the  only  evil 
which  he  could  not  contemplate  without  unhappi- 
ness.  More  alarming  symptoms  he  regarded  with 
less  apprehension  ;  describing  his  own  "  shattered 
carcass,"  as  in  the  worst  plight  of  any  in  the  fleet : 
and  he  says ;  "  I  have  felt  the  blood  gushing  up 
the  left  side  of  my  head  ;  and,  the  moiRent  it 
covers  the  brain,  I  am  fast  asleep."  The  fleet  was 
in  worse  trim  than  the  men :  but  when  he  com- 


306  LIFE   OF    XELSO.V.  [1803. 

pared  it  with  the  enemy's,  it  was  with  a  right 
English  feehng.  "  The  French  fleet  yesterday," 
said  he,  in  one  of  his  letters,  "  was  to  appearance 
in  high  feather,  and  as  fine  as  paint  could  make 
them  : — but  when  they  may  sail,  or  where  they 
may  go,  I  am  very  sorry  to  say  is  a  secret  I  am  not 
acquainted  with.  Our  weather-beaten  ships,  I  have 
no  fear,  will  make  their  sides  like  a  plumpud- 
ding."  "  Yesterday,"  he  says,  on  another  occasion, 
"  a  rear  admiral  £^nd  seven  sail  of  ships  put  their 
nose  outside  the  harbour.  If  they  go  on  playing 
this  game,  some  day  we  shall  lay  salt  upon  their 
tails." 

Hostilities  at  length  commenced  between  Great 
Britain  and  Spain.  That  country,  whose  miserable 
government  made  her  subservient  to  France,  was 
jonce  more  destined  to  lavish  her  resources  and  her 
blood  in  furtherance  of  the  designs  of  a  perfidious 
ally.  The  immediate  occasion  of  the  war  was  the 
seizure  of  four  treasure  ships  by  the  English. — The 
act  was  perfectly  justifiable ;  for  those  treasures 
were  intended  to  furnish  means  for  France  ;  but  the 
circumstances  which  attended  it  were  as  unhappy 
as  they  were  unforeseen.  Four  frigates  had  been 
despatched  to  intercept  them.  They  met  with  an 
equal  force.  Resistance,  therefore,  became  a  point  of 
honour  on  the  part  of  the  Spaniards,  and  one  of 
their  ships  soon  blew  up,  with  all  on  board.  Had 
a  stronger  squadron  been  sent,  this  deplorable  ca- 
tastrophe might  have  been  spared :  a  catastrophe 
which  excited  not  more  indignation  in  Spain,  than 
it  did  grief  in  those  who  were  its  unwilling  instru- 
ments, in  the  English  government,  and  in  the  En- 
glish people.  On  the  fifth  of  October  this  unhappy 


1804.]  LIFE    OF    NELSOy.  307 

affair  occurred,  and  Nelson  was  not  apprized  of  it 
till  the  twelfth  of  the  ensuing  month.  He  had,  in- 
deed, sufficient  mortification  at  the  breaking  out  of 
this  Spanish  war;  an  event  which,  it  might  reason- 
ably have  been  supposed^  would  amply  enrich  the 
officers  of  the  Mediterranean  fleet,  and  repay  them 
for  the  severe  and  unremitting  duty  on  which  they 
had  been  so  long  employed.  But  of  this  harvest 
they  were  deprived ;  for  Sir  John  Orde  was  sent 
with  a  small  squadron,  and  a  separate  command, 
to  Cadiz.  Nelson's  feelings  were  never  wounded 
so  deeply  as  now.  "  I  had  thought,"  said  he,  wri- 
ting in  the  first  flow  and  freshness  of  indignation; 
"  I  fancied, — ^but,  nay;  it  must  have 'been  a  dream, 
an  idle  dream  ; — yet,  I  confess  it,  I  did  fancy  that  I 
had  done  my  country  service ;  and  thus  they  use  me ! 
' — And  under  what  circumstances,  and  with  what 
pointed  aggravation ! — Yet,  if  I  know  my  own 
thoughts,  it  is  not  for  myself,  or  on  my  own  account 
chiefly,  that  I  feel  the  sting  and  the  disappointment. 
No !  it  is  for  my  brave  officers ;  for  my  noble-minded 
friends  and  comrades.  Such  a  gallant  set  of  fellows ! 
Such  a  band  of  brothers !  My  heart  swells  at  the 
thought  of  them." 

War  between  Spain  and  England  was  now  de- 
clared; and,  on  the  eighteenth  of  January,  the 
Toulon  fleet,  having  the  Spaniards  to  co-operate 
with  them,  put  to  sea.  Nelson  was  at  anchor  off 
the  coast  of  Sardinia,  where  the  Madelena  islands 
form  one  of  the  finest  harbours  in  the  world,  when, 
at  three  in  the  afternoon  of  the  nineteenth,  the  Active 
and  Seahorse  frigates  brought  this  long-hoped  for 
intelligence.  They  had  been  close  to  the  enemy  at 
ten  on  the  preceding  night,  but  lost  sight  of  them  in 


308  LIFE   OF    NELSON.  [1804. 

about  four  hours.   The  fleet  immediately  unmoored 
and   weighed,    and    at   six    in    the   evening    ran 
through  the  strait  between  Biche  aud  Sardinia :  a 
passage  so  narrow,  that  the  ships  could  only  pass 
one  at  a  time,  each  following  the  stem  lights  of  its 
leader.  From  the  position  of  the  enemy,  when  they 
were  last  seen,  it  was  inferred,  that  they  must  be 
bound  round  the  southern  end  of  Sardinia.    Signal 
was  made  the  next  morning  to  prepare  for  battle. 
Bad  weather  came  on,  baffling  the  one  fleet  in  its 
object,  and  the  other  in  its  pursuit.     Nelson  beat 
about  the  Sicilian  seas  for  ten  days,  without  obtain- 
ing any  other  information  of  the  enemy,  than  that 
one  of  their  ships  had  put  into  Ajaccio,  dismasted ; 
and  having  seen  that  Sardinia,  Naples,  and  Sicily, 
were  safe,  believing  Egypt  to  be  their  destination,  for 
Egypt  he  ran.     The  disappointment  and  distress 
which  he  had  experienced  in  his  former  pursuits  of 
the  French  through  the  same  seas  were  now  re- 
newed: but  Nelson,  while  he  endured  these  anxious 
and  unhappy  feelings,  was  still  consoled  by  the 
same  confidence  as  on  the  former  occasion — that, 
though  his  judgment  might  be  erroneous,  under  all 
circumstances  he  was  right  in  having  formed  it. 
"  I  have  consulted  no  man,"  said  he,  to  the  admi- 
ralty; "  therefore,  the  whole  blame  of  ignorance  in 
forming  my  judgment  must  test  with  me.    I  would 
allow  no  man  to  take  from  me  an  atom  of  my  glory 
had  I  fallen  in  with  the  French  fleet ;  nor  do  I  de- 
sire any  man  to  partake  any  of  the  responsibility. 
All  is  mine,  right  or  wrong."     Then  stating  the 
grounds  upon  which  he  had  proceeded,  he  added  : 
"  At  this  moment  of  sorrow,  I  still  feel  that  I  have 
acted  right."     In   the  same  spirit  he  said  to  Sir 


1805.]  LIFE    OF    NELSOX.  309 

Alexander  Ball:  "When  I  call  to  remembrance  all 
the  circumstances,  I  approve,  if  nobody  else  does, 
of  my  own  conduct." 

Baffled  thus,  he  bore  up  for  Malta,  and  met  in- 
telligence from  Naples  that  the  French,  having  been 
dispersed  in  a  gale,  had  put  back  to  Toulon.  From 
the  same  quarter  he  learnt,  that  a  great  number  of 
saddles  and  muskets  had  been  embarked ;  and  this 
confirmed  him  in  his  opinion  that  Egypt  was  their 
destination.  That  they  should  have  put  back  in 
consequence  of  storms,  which  he  had  weathered, 
gave  him  a  consoling  sense  of  British  superiority.^ 
"  These  gentlemen,"  said  he,  "  are  not  accustomed 
to  a  gulf  of  Lyons'  gale  :  we  have  buffeted  them 
for  one  and  twenty  months,  and  not  carried  away 
a  spar."  He,  however,  who  had  so  often  braved 
these  gales,  was  now,  though  not  mastered  by  them, 
vexatiously  thwarted  and  impeded  :  and,  on  Feb- 
ruary 27,  he  was  compelled  to  anchor  in  PuUa 
Bay,  in  the  Gulf  of  Cagliari.  From  the  2 1st  of 
January  the  fleet  had  remained  ready  for  battle, 
without  a  bulk  head  up,  night  or  day.  He  anchored 
here,  that  he  might  not  be  driven  to  leeward.  As 
soon  as  the  weather  moderated  he  put  to  sea  again ; 
and,  after  again  beating  about  against  contrary 
winds,  another  gale  drove  him  to  anchor  in  the 
cGulph  of  Palma,  on  the  8th  of  March.  This  he 
made  his  rendezvous ;  he  knew  that  the  French 
troops  still  remained  embarked,  and,  wishing  to 
lead  them  into  a  belief  that  he  was  stationed  upon 
,the  Spanish  coast,  he  made  his  appearance  off  Bar- 
celona with  that  intent.  About  the  end  of  the 
month,  he  began  to  fear  that  the  plan  of  the  expe- 
dition was  abandoned  ;  and,  sailing  once  more  to- 


310  LIFE   OF    NELSON.  [1805. 

wards  his  old  station  off  Toulon,  on  the  4th  of 
April,  he  met  the  Phcebe,  with  news  that  Ville- 
neuve  had  put  to  sea  on  the  last  of  March  with 
eleven  ships  of  the  line,  seven  frigates,  and  two 
brigs.  When  last  seen,  they  were  steering  toward 
the  coast  of  Africa.  Nelson  first  covered  the  chan- 
nel between  Sardinia  and  Barbary,  so  as  to  satisfy 
himself  that  Villeneuve  was  not  taking  the  same 
route  for  Egypt  which  Gantheaume  had  taken 
before  him,  when  he  attempted  to  carry  reinforce- 
ments there.  Certain  of  this,  he  bore  up  on  the 
7th  for  Palermo,  lest  the  French  should  pass  to  the 
north  of  Corsica,  and  he  despatched  cruisers  in  all 
directions.  On  the  11th,  he  felt  assured  that  they 
were  not  gone  down  the  Mediterranean  ;  and  send- 
ing off  frigates  to  Gibraltar,  to  Lisbon,  and  to  Ad- 
miral Gornwallis,  who  commanded  the  squadron 
off  Brest,  he  endeavoured  to  get  to  the  westward, 
beating  against  westerly  winds.  After  five  days,  a 
neutral  gave  intelligence  that  the  French  had  been 
seen  oft^  Cape  de  Gatte  on  the  7th.  It  was  soon 
after  ascertained,  that  they  had  passed  the  Straits 
of  Gibraltar  on  the  day  following  ; — and  Nelson, 
knowing  that  they  might  already  be  half  way  to 
Ireland,  or  to  Jamaica,  exclaimed,  that  he  was  mi- 
serable. One  gleam  of  comfort  only  came  across 
him  in  the  reflection,  that  his  vigilance  had  rendered 
it  impossible  for  them  to  undertake  any  expedition 
in  the  Mediterranean. 

Eight  days  after  this  certain  intelligence  had 
been  obtained,  he  described  his  state  of  mind  thus 
forcibly,  in  writing  to  the  governor  of  Malta :  "  My 
good  fortune,  my  dear  Ball,  seems  flown  away.  I 
cannot  get  a  fair  wind,  or  even  a  side  wind.     Dead 


1805.]  LIFE  or  XELSON.  311 

foul ! — Dead  foul ! — But  my  mind  is  fully  made  up 
what  to  do  when  I  leave  the  Straits,  supposing 
there  is  no  certain  account  of  the  enemy's  destina- 
tion.— I  believe  this  ill-luck  will  go  near  to  kill 
me;  but,  as  these  are  times  for  exertion,  I  must 
not  be  cast  down,  whatever  I  may  feel."  In  spite 
of  every  exertion  which  could  be  made  by  all  the 
zeal  and  all  the  skill  of  British  seamen,  he  did  not 
get  in  sight  of  Gibraltar  till  the  30th  of  April ; 
and  the  wind  was  then  so  adverse,  that  it  was  im- 
possible to  pass  the  Gut.  He  anchored  in  Mazari 
Bay,  on  the  Barbary  shore ;  obtained  supplies  from 
Tetuan ;  and  when,  on  the  5th,  a  breeze  from  the 
eastward  sprang  up  at  last,  sailed  once  more,  hoping 
to  hear  of  the  enemy  from  Sir  John  Orde,  who 
commanded  off  Cadiz,  or  from  Lisbon.  "  If  no- 
thing is  heard  of  them,"  said  he  to  the  admiralty, 
"'  I  shall  probably  think  the  rumours  which  have 
been  spread  are  true,  that  their  object  is  the  West 
Indies :  and,  in  that  case,  I  think  it  my  duty  to 
follow  them, — or  to  the  Antipodes,  should  I  believe 
that  to  be  their  destination."  At  the  time  when 
this  resolution  was  taken,  the  physician  of  the  fleet 
had  ordered  him  to  return  to  England  before  the 
hot  months. 

Nelson  had  formed  his  judgment  of  their  desti- 
nation, and  made  up  his  mind  accordingly,  when 
Donald  Campbell,  at  that  time  an  admiral  in  the 
Portuguese  service,  the  same  person  who  had  given 
important  tidings  to  Earl  St.  Vincent  of  the  move- 
ments of  that  fleet  from  which  he  won  his  title,  a 
second  time  gave  timely  and  momentous  intelli- 
gence to  the  flag  of  his  country.  He  went  on 
board  the  Victory,  and  communicated  to  Nelson 


312  LIFE  OF  NELSOX.  [1805. 

his  certain  knowledge  that  the  combined  Spanish 
and  French  fleets  were  bound  for  the  West  Indies. 
— Hitherto  all  things  had  favoured  the  enemy. 
While  the  British  commander  was  beating  up 
against  strong  southerly  and  westerly  gales,  they 
had  wind  to  their  wish  from  the  N.  E. ;  and  had 
done  in  nine  days  what  he  was  a  whole  month  in 
accomplishing.  Villeneuve,  finding  the  Spaniards 
at  Carthagena  were  not  in  a  state  of  equipment  to 
join  him,  dared  not  wait,  but  hastened  on  to  Cadiz. 
Sir  John  Orde  necessarily  retired  at  his  approach. 
Admiral  Gravina,  with  six  Spanish  ships  of  the 
line  and  two  French,  came  out  to  him,  and  they 
sailed  without  a  moment's  loss  of  time.  They  had 
about  three  thousand  French  troops  on  board,  and 
fifteen  hundred  Spanish : — six  hundred  were  under 
orders,  expecting  them  at  Martinique,  and  one 
thousand  at  Guadaloupe.  General  Lauriston  com- 
manded the  troops.  The  combined  fleet  now  con- 
sisted of  eighteen  sail  of  the  line,  six  forty-four 
gun  frigates,  one  of  twenty-six  guns,  three  corvettes, 
and  a  brig.  They  were  joined  afterwards  by  two 
new  French  line  of  battle  ships,  and  one  forty-four. 
Nelson  pursued  them  with  ten  sail  of  the  line  and 
three  frigates.  "  Take  you  a  Frenchman  apiece," 
said  he  to  his  captains,  "  and  leave  me  the  Spani- 
ards : — when  I  haul  down  my  colours,  I  expect 
you  to  do  the  same, — and  not  till  then." 

The  enemy  had  five  and  thirty  days'  start ; 
but  he  calculated  that  he  should  gain  eight  or  ten 
days  upon  them  by  his  exertions.  May  1.5th  he 
made  Madeira,  and  on  June  4th  reached  Barbadoes, 
whither  he  had  sent  despatches  before  him ;  and 
where  he  found  Admiral  Cochrane,  with  two  ships, 


1805.]  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  313 

part  of  our  squadron  in  those  seas  being  at  Jamaica. 
He  found  here  also  accounts  that  the  combined 
fleets  had  been  seen  from  St.  Lucia  on  the  28th, 
standing  to  the  southward,  and  that  Tobago  and 
Trinidad  were  their  objects.    This  Nelson  doubted  ; 
but  he  was  alone  in  his  opinion,  and  yielded  it 
with  these  foreboding  words — "  If  your  intelligence 
proves  false,  you  lose  me  the  French  fleet."     Sir 
William  Myers  offered  to  embark  here  with  two 
tliousand  troops : — they  were  taken  on  board,  and 
the  next  morning  he  sailed  for  Tobago.     Here  ac- 
cident confirmed  the  false  intelligence  which  had, 
whether  from  intention  or  error,  misled  him.     A 
merchant  at  Tobago,  in  the  general  alarm,  not 
knowing  whether  this  fleet  was  friend  or  foe,  sent 
out  a  schooner  to  reconnoitre,  and  acquaint  him 
by  signal.     The  signal  which  he  had  chosen  hap- 
pened to  be  the  very  one  which  had  been  appointed 
by  Colonel   Shipley  of  the  engineers,   to  signify 
that  the  enemy  were  at  Trinidad  ;  and  as  this  was 
at  the  close  of  day,  there  was  no  opportunity  of 
discovering  the  mistake.     An  American  brig  was 
met  with  about  the  same  time  ;  the  master  of  which, 
with  that  propensity  to  deceive  the  English  and 
assist  the  French  in  any  manner,  which  has  been 
but  too  common  among  his  countrymen,  aflirmed, 
that  he  had  been  boarded  off"  Granada  a  few  days 
before  by  the  French,  who  were  standing  towards 
the  Bocas  of  Trinidad.     This  fresh  intelligence  re- 
moved all  doubts.      The  ships  were  cleared   for 
action   before   daylight,   and   Nelson   entered  the 
Bay  of  Paria  on  the  7th,  hoping  and  expecting  to 
make  the  mouths  of  the  Orinoco  as  famous  in  the 
annals  of  the  British  navy  as  those  of  the  Nile, 

F  F 


314  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  [1805. 

Not  an  enemy  was  there ;  and  it  was  discovered 
that  accident  and  artifice  had  combined  to  lead 
him  so  far  to  leeward,  that  there  could  have  been 
little  hope  of  fetching  to  windward  of  Granada  for 
any  other  fleet.  Nelson,  however,  with  skill  and 
exertions  never  exceeded,  and  almost  unexampled, 
bore  for  that  island. 

Advices  met  him  on  the  way,  that  the  combined 
fleets,  having  captured  the  Diamond  Rock,  were 
then  at  Martinique,  on  the  fourth,  and  were  ex- 
pected to  sail  that  night  for  the  attack  of  Granada. 
On  the  9th  Nelson  arrived  off  that  island ;  and 
there  learnt  that  they  had  passed  to  leeward  of  An- 
tigua the  preceding  day,  and  taken  a  homeward 
bound  convoy.  Had  it  not  been  for  false  informa- 
tion, upon  which  Nelson  had  acted  reluctantly, 
and  in  opposition  to  his  own  judgment,  he  would 
have  been  off  Port  Royal  just  as  they  were  leaving 
it,  and  the  battle  would  have  been  fought  on  the 
spot  where  Rodney  defeated  De  Grasse.  This  he 
remembered  in  his  vexation :  but  he  had  saved  the 
colonies,  and  above  two  hundred  ships  laden  for 
Europe,  which  would  else  have  fallen  into  the 
enemy's  hands;  and  he  had  the  satisfaction  of 
knowing  that  the  mere  terror  of  his  name  had 
effected  this,  and  had  put  to  flight  the  allied 
enemies,  whose  force  nearly  doubled  that  before 
which  they  fled.  That  they  were  flying  back  to 
Europe  he  believed,  and  for  Europe  he  steered  in 
pursuit  on  the  13th,  having  disembarked  the  troops 
at  Antigua,  and  taking  with  him  the  Spartiate, 
seventy-four;  the  only  addition  to  the  squadron 
with  which  he  was  pursuing  so  superior  a  force. 
Five  days  afterwards  the  Amazon  brought  intelli- 


1805.]  LIFE  OF  NELSOX.  315 

gence,  that  she  had  spoke  a  schooner  who  had 
seen  them,  on  the  evening  of  the  15th,  steering  to 
N. ;  and,  by  computation,  eighty-seven  leagues 
off.  Nelson's  diary  at  this  time  denotes  his  great 
anxiety,  and  his  perpetual  and  all  observing  vigi- 
lance.— "  June  21.  Midnight,  nearly  calm,  saw 
three  planks,  which  I  think  came  from  the  French 
fleet.  Very  miserable,  which  is  very  foolish."  On 
the  17th  of  July  he  came  in  sight  of  Cape  St.  Vin- 
cent, and  steered  for  Gibraltar.' — "  June  18th,"  his 
diary  says,  "  Cape  Spartel  in  sight,  but  no  French 
fleet,  nor  any  information  about  them.  How  sor- 
rowful this  makes  me  !  but  I  cannot  help  myself." 
The  next  day  he  anchored  at  Gibraltar;  and  on 
the  20th,  says  he,  "  I  went  on  shore  for  the  first 
time  since  June  16,  1803;  and  from  having  my 
foot  out  of  the  Victory,  two  years,  wanting  ten 
days." 

Here  he  communicated  with  his  old  friend  Col- 
lingwood  ;  who  having  been  detached  with  a  squa- 
dron, when  the  disappearance  of  the  combined  fleets, 
and  of  Nelson  in  their  pursuit,  was  known  in  Eng- 
land, had  taken  his  station  off  Cadiz.  He  thought 
that  Ireland  was  the  enemy's  ultimate  object, — 
that  they  would  now  liberate  the  Ferrol  squadron, 
which  was  blocked  up  by  Sir  Robert  Calder, — call 
for  the  Rochefort  ships,  and  then  appear  off"  Ushant 
.with  three  or  four  and  thirty  sail ;  there  to  be  joined 
by  the  Brest  fleet.  With  this  great  force  he  sup- 
posed they  would  make  for  Ireland, — the  real  mark 
and  bent  of  all  their  operations  :  and  their  flight  to 
the  West  Indies,  he  thought,  had  been  merely  un- 
dertaken to  take  off'  Nelson's  force,  which  was  the 
great  impediment  to  their  undertaking. 


316  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  [1805. 

ColUngwood  was  gifted  with  great  political  pe- 
netration. As  yet,  however,  all  was  conjecture 
concerning  the  enemy ;  and  Nelson,  having  victu- 
alled and  watered  at  Tetuan,  stood  for  Ceuta  on 
the  24th,  still  without  information  of  their  course. 
Next  day  intelligence  arrived  that  the  Curieux  brig 
had  seen  them  on  the  19th,  standing  to  the  north- 
ward. He  proceeded  off  Cape  St.  Vincent,  rather 
cruising  for  intelligence  than  knowing  whither  to 
betake  himself:  and  here  a  case  occurred,  that 
more  than  any  other  event  in  real  history  resembles 
those  whimsical  proofs  of  sagacity  which  Voltaire, 
in  his  Zadig,  has  borrowed  from  the  Orientals. 
One  of  our  frigates  spoke  an  American,  who  a  little 
to  the  westward  of  the  Azores,  had  fallen  in  with 
an  armed  vessel,  appearing  to  be  a  dismasted  pri- 
vateer, deserted  by  her  crew,  which  had  been  run 
on  board  by  another  ship,  and  had  been  set  fire 
to  ;  but  the  fire  had  gone  out.  A  log-book,  and 
a  few  seamen's  jackets  were  fo^nd  in  the  cabin ; 
and  these  were  brought  to  Nelson.  The  log-book 
closed  with  these  words ;  "  Two  large  vessels  in 
the  W.  N.  W. :"  and  this  led  him  to  conclude  that 
the  vessel  had  been  an  English  privateer,  cruising 
off  the  Western  Islands.  But  there  was  in  this 
book  a  scrap  of  dirty  paper,  filled  with  figures. 
Nelson  immediately,  upon  seeing  it,  observed,  that 
the  figures  were  written  by  a  Frenchman  ;  and, 
after  studying  this  for  a  while,  said,  "  I  can  ex- 
plain the  whole.  The  jackets  are  of  French  ma- 
nufacture, and  prove  that  the  privateer  was  in  pos- 
session of  the  enemy.  She  had  been  chased  and 
taken  by  the  two  ships  that  were  seen  in  the  W. 
N.  W.     The  prize-muster,  going  on  board   in  a 


1805.]  LIPE  OF  NELSON.  317 

hurry,  forgot  to  take  with  him  his  reckoning :  there 
is  none  in  the  log-book ;  and  the  dirty  paper  con 
tains  her  work  for  the  number  of  days  since  the 
privateer  last  left  Corvo  ;  with  an  unaccounted-for 
run,  which  I  take  to  have  been  the  chase,  in  his 
endeavour  to  find  out  her  situation  by  back  reck- 
onings.    By    some  mismanagement,    I   conclude, 
she  was  run  on  board  of  by  one  of  the  enemy's 
ships,  and  dismasted.     Not  liking  delay  (for  I  am 
satisfied  that  those  two  ships  were  the  advanced 
ones  of  the  French  squadron),   and  fancying  we 
were  close  at  their  heels,  they  set  fire  to  the  vessel, 
and  abandoned  her  in  a  hurry.     If  this  explanation 
be  correct,  I  infer  from  it,  that  they  are  gone  more 
to  the  northward ;   and  more  to  the  northward  I 
will  look  for  them."     This  course  accordingly  he 
held,  but  still  without  success.     Still  persevering, 
and  still  disappointed,  he  returned  near  enough  to 
Cadiz  to  ascertain  that  they  were  not  there ;  tra- 
versed  the   Bay  of  Biscay ;    and  then,  as  a  last 
hope,  stood  over  for  the  north-west  coast  of  Ire- 
land, against  adverse  winds,  till,  on  the  evening  of 
the  12th  of  August,  he  learnt  that  they  had  not 
been  heard  of  there.     Frustrated   thus  in  all  his 
hopes,  after   a  pursuit,  to  which,   for  its  extent, 
rapidity,  and  perseverance,  no  parallel  can  be  pro- 
duced, he  judged  it  best  to  reinforce  the  channel 
fleet  with  his  squadron,  lest  the  enemy,  as  Colling- 
wood  apprehended,  should  bear  down  upon  Brest 
with  their  whole  collected  force.     On  the  15th  he 
joined  Admiral  Cornwallis  off  Ushant.     No  news 
had  yet  been  obtained  of  the  enemy ;  and  on  the 
same  evening  he  received  orders  to  proceed,  with 
the  Victory  and  Superb,  to  Portsmouth. 


318  LIFE  OF  NELSOX.  [1803. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

Sir  Robert  C  alder  falls  in  with  the  cunibined  Fleets — Tliey  form 
a  Junction  with  the  Ferrol  Squadron,  and  get  into  Cadis — 
Nelson  is  reappointed  to  the  Command — Battle  of  Trafalgar — 
Victory,  and  Death  of  Nelson. 

At  Portsmouth  Nelson,  at  length,  found  news  of  the 
combined  fleet.  Sir  Robert  Calder,  who  had  been 
sent  out  to  intercept  their  return,  had  fallen  in 
with  them  on  the  22d  of  July,  sixty  leagues  west 
of  Cape  Finisterre.  Their  force  consisted  of  twenty 
sail  of  the  line,  three  fifty  gun  ships,  five  frigates, 
and  two  brigs :  his,  of  fifteen  line  of  battle  ships, 
two  frigates,  a  cutter,  and  a  lugger.  After  an 
action  of  four  hours  he  had  captured  an  eighty-four 
and  a  seventy-four,  and  then  thought  it  necessary 
to  bring-to  the  squadron,  for  the  purpose  of  se- 
curing their  prizes.  The  hostile  fleets  remained  in 
sight  of  each  other  till  the  26th,  when  the  enemy 
bore  away.  The  capture  of  two  ships  from  so  su- 
perior a  force  would  have  been  considered  as  no 
inconsiderable  victory  a  few  years  earlier;  but 
Nelson  had  introduced  a  new  aera  in  our  naval 
history;  and  the  nation  felt,  respecting  this  action, 
as  he  had  felt  on  a  somewhat  similar  occasion.  They 
regretted  that  Nelson,  with  his  eleven  ships,  had 
not  been  in  Sir  Robert  Calder's  place ;  and  their 
disappointment  was  generally  and  loudly  expressed. 
Frustrated  as  his  own  hopes  had  been.  Nelson 
had  yet  the  high  satisfaction  of  knowing  that  his 
judgment  had  never  been  more  conspicuously  ap- 
proved, and  that  he  had  rendered  essential  service 
to  his  country,  bv  drivina"  the  enemy  from  those 


1805.]  LirE  OF  XELSOy,  319 

islands,  where  they  expected  there  could  be  no 
force  capable  of  opposing  them.  The  West  India 
merchants  in  London,  as  men  whose  interests  were 
more  immediately  benefited,  appointed  a  deputa- 
tion to  express  their  thanks  for  his  great  and  judi- 
cious exertions.  It  was  now  his  intention  to  rest 
awhile  from  his  labours,  and  recruit  himself,  after 
all  his  fatigues  and  cares,  in  the  society  of  those 
whom  he  loved.  All  his  stores  were  brought  up 
from  the  Victory ;  and  he  found  in  his  house  at 
Merton  the  enjoyment  which  he  had  anticipated. 
Many  days  had  not  elapsed  before  Captain  Black- 
wood, on  his  way  to  London  with  despatches,  called 
on  him  at  five  in  the  morning.  Nelson,  who  was 
already  dressed,  exclaimed,  the  moment  he  saw 
him  :  "I  am  sure  you  bring  me  news  of  the  French 
and  Spanish  fleets !  I  think  I  shall  yet  have  to 
beat  them  !"  They  had  refitted  at  Vigo,  after  the 
indecisive  action  with  Sir  Robert  Calder ;  then 
proceeded  to  Ferrol,  brought  out  the  squadron 
from  thence,  and  with  it  entered  Cadiz  in  safety. 
"  Depend  on  it,  Blackwood,"  he  repeatedly  said, 
"  I  shall  yet  give  M.  Villeneuve  a  drubbing." 
But,  when  Blackwood  had  left  him,  he  wanted  re- 
solution to  declare  his  wishes  to  Lady  Hamilton 
and  his  sisters,  and  endeavoured  to  drive  away  the 
thought. — He  had  done  enouo-h  he  said, — "  Let 
the  man  trudge  it  who  has  lost  his  budget !"  His 
countenance  belied  his  lips ;  and  as  he  was  pacing 
one  of  the  walks  in  the  garden,  which  he  used  to 
call  the  quarter-deck.  Lady  Hamilton  came  up  to 
him,  and  told  him  she  saw  he  was  uneasy.  He 
smiled,  and  said :  "  No,  he  was  as  happy  as  pos- 
sible ;  he  was  surrounded  by  his  family,  his  health 
was  better  since  he  had  been  on  shore,  and  he 


320  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  [1805. 

would  not  give  sixpence  to  call  the  king  his  uncle." 
She  replied,  that  she  did  not  believe  him, — that 
she  knew  he  was  longing  to  get  at  the  combined 
fleets, — that  he  considered  them  as  his  own  pro- 
perty,— that  he  would  be  miserable  if  any  man  but 
himself  did  the  business ;  and  that  he  ought  to 
have  them,  as  the  price  and  reward  of  his  two 
years'  long  watching,  and  his  hard  chase.  "  Nel- 
son," said  she,  "  however  we  may  lament  your 
absence,  offer  your  services ; — they  will  be  ac- 
cepted, and  you  will  gain  a  quiet  heart  by  it : 
you  will  have  a  glorious  victory,  and  then  you  may 
return  here  and  be  happy."  He  looked  at  her  with 
tears  in  his  eyes  : — "  Brave  Emma ! — Good  Emma ! 
— If  there  were  more  Emmas  there  would  be  more 
Nelsons." 

His  services  were  as  willingly  accepted  as  they 
were  offered ;  and  Lord  Barham,  giving  him  the 
list  of  the  navy,  desired  him  to  choose  his  own 
officers.  "  Choose  yourself,  ray  lord,"  was  his 
reply :  "  the  same  spirit  actuates  the  whole  pro- 
fession :  you  cannot  choose  wrong."  Lord  Barham 
then  desired  him  to  say  what  ships,  and  how  many, 
he  would  wish,  in  addition  to  the  fleet  which  he 
was  going  to  command,  and  said  they  should  follow 
him  as  soon  as  each  was  ready.  No  appointment 
was  ever  more  in  unison  with  the  feelings  and 
judgment  of  the  whole  nation.  They,  like  Lady 
Hamilton,  thought  that  the  destruction  of  the 
combined  fleets  ought  properly  to  be  Nelson's 
work  ;  that  he,  who  had  been 

"  Half  around  the  sea-girt  ball, 
The  hunter  of  the  recreant  Gaul,  •" 

•  Songs  of  Trafalgar. 


1805.]  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  321 

ought  to  reap  the  spoils  of  the  chase,  which  he 
had  watched  so  long,  and  so  perseveringly  pursued. 
Unremitting  exertions  were  made  to  equip  the 
ships  which  he  had  chosen,  and  especially  to  refit 
the  Victory,  which  was  once  more  to  bear  his  flag. 
Before  he  left  London  he  called  at  his  upholsterer's, 
where  the  coffin,  which  Capt.  Hallowell  had  given 
him,  was  deposited  ;  and  desired  that  its  history 
might  be  engraven  upon  the  lid,  saying,  that  it  was 
highly  probable  he  might  want  it  on  his  return.  He 
seemed,  indeed,  to  have  been  impressed  with  an 
expectation  that  he  should  fall  in  the  battle.  In  a 
letter  to  his  brother,  written  immediately  after  his 
return,  he  had  said  :  "  We  must  not  talk  of  Sir 
Robert  Calder's  battle — I  might  not  have  done  so 
much  with  my  small  force.  If  I  had  fallen  in  with 
them,  you  might  probably  have  been  a  lord  before 
I  wished  ;  for  I  know  they  meant  to  make  a  dead 
set  at  the  Victory."  Nelson  had  once  regarded  the 
prospect  of  death  with  gloomy  satisfaction  :  it  was 
when  he  anticipated  the  upbraidings  of  his  wife, 
and  the  displeasure  of  his  venerable  father.  The 
state  of  his  feelings  now  was  expressed,  in  his  pri- 
vate journal,  in  these  words  : — "  Friday  night, 
(Sept.  13.)  at  half-past  ten,  I  drove  from  dear,  dear 
Merton  ;  where  I  left  all  which  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  sub- 
mission ;  relying  that  he  will  protect  those  so  dear 


322  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  [1805. 

to  me,  whom  I  may  leave  behind  !  His  will  be 
done.     Amen  !  Amen  !  Amen  !" 

Early  on  the  following  morning  he  reached  Ports- 
mouth ;  and,  having  despatched  his  business  on 
shore,  endeavoured  to  elude  the  populace  by  taking 
a  by-way  to  the  beach  ;  but  a  crowd  collected  in 
his  train,  pressing  forward,  to  obtain  sight  of  his 
face  :  many  were  in  tears,  and  many  knelt  down 
before  him,  and  blessed  him  as  he  passed.  England 
has  had  many  heroes  ;  but  never  one  who  so  entirely 
possessed  the  love  of  his  fellow-countrymen  as 
Nelson.  All  men  knew  that  his  heart  was  as  hu- 
mane as  it  was  fearless ;  that  there  was  not  in  his 
nature  the  slightest  alloy  of  selfishness  or  cupidity  ; 
but,  that  with  perfect  and  entire  devotion,  he  served 
his  country  with  all  his  heart,  and  with  all  his  soul, 
and  with  all  his  strength  ;  and,  therefore,  they  loved 
him  as  truly  and  as  fervently  as  he  loved  England. 
They  pressed  upon  the  parapet,  to  gaze  after  him 
when  his  barge  pushed  off,  and  he  was  returning 
their  cheers  by  waving  his  hat.  The  sentinels,  who 
endeavoured  to  prevent  them  from  trespassing  upon 
this  ground,  were  wedged  among  the  crowd  ;  and 
an  officer,  who,  not  very  prudently  upon  such  an  oc- 
casion, ordered  them  to  drive  the  people  down  with 
their  bayonets,  was  compelled  speedily  to  retreat ; 
for  the  people  would  not  be  debarred  from  gazing, 
till  the  last  moment,  upon  the  hero — the  darling 
hero  of  England  ! 

He  arrived  oft'  Cadiz  on  the  29th  of  September 
— his  birthday.  Fearing  that,  if  the  enemy  knew 
his  force,  they  might  be  deterred  from  venturing  to 
sea,  he  kept  out  of  sight  of  land,  desired  Colling- 
wood  to  fire  no  salute,  and  hoist  no  colours  ;  and 


1805.]  LIFE    OF    XELSOX.  323 

wrote  to  Gibraltar,  to  request  that  the  force  of  the 
fleet  might  not  be  inserted  there  in  the  Gazette. 
His .  reception  in  the  Mediterranean  fleet  was  as 
gratifying  as  the  farewell  of  his  countrymen  at 
Portsmouth  :  the  oflicers,  who  came  on  board  to 
welcome  him,  forgot  his  rank  as  commander,  in 
their  joy  at  seeing  him  again.  On  the  day  of  his 
arrival,  Villeneuve  received  orders  to  put  to  sea  the 
first  opportunity.  Villeneuve,  however,  hesitated, 
when  he  heard  that  Nelson  had  resumed  the  com- 
mand. He  called  a  council  of  war  ;  and  their 
determination  was,  that  it  would  not  be  expedient 
to  leave  Cadiz,  unless  they  had  reason  to  believe 
themselves  stronger  by  one-third  than  the  British 
force.  In  the  public  measures  of  this  country  se- 
crecy is  seldom  practicable, and  seldomer  attempted : 
here,  however,  by  the  precautions  of  Nelson,  and 
the  wise  measures  of  the  admiralty,  the  enemy 
were  for  once  kept  in  ignorance  ;  for,  as  the  ships 
appointed  to  reinforce  the  Mediterranean  fleet  were 
despatched  singly,  each  as  soon  as  it  was  ready, — 
their  collected  number  was  not  stated  in  the  news- 
papers, and  their  arrival  was  not  known  to  the 
enemy.  But  the  enemy  knew  that  Admiral  Louis, 
with  six  sail,  had  been  detached  for  stores  and 
water  to  Gibraltar.  Accident  also  contributed  to 
make  the  French  admiral  doubt  whether  Nelson 
himself  had  actually  taken  the  command.  An 
American,  lately  arrived  from  England,  maintained 
that  it  was  impossible, — for  he  had  seen  him  only 
a  few  days  before  in  London  ;  and,  at  that  time, 
there  was  no  rumour  of  his  2:oing:  asrain  to  sea. 

The  station  which  Nelson  had  chosen  was  some 
fifty  or  sixty  miles  to  the  west  of  Cadiz,  near  Cape 


324  LIFE  OF  XELSON.  [1805. 

St.  Mary's.  At  this  distance  he  hoped  to  decoy 
the  enemy  out,  while  he  guarded  against  the  dan- 
ger of  being  caught  with  a  westerly  wind  near 
Cadiz,  and  driven  within  the  Straits.  The  block- 
ade of  the  port  was  rigorously  enforced,  in  hopes 
that  the  combined  fleet  might  be  forced  to  sea  by 
want.  The  Danish  vessels,  therefore,  which  were 
carrying  provisions  from  the  French  ports  in  the  bay, 
under  the  name  of  Danish  property,  to  all  the  little 
ports  from  Ayamonte  to  Algeziras,  from  whence  they 
were  conveyed  in  coasting  boats  to  Cadiz,  were 
seized.  Without  this  proper  exertion  of  power,  the 
blockade  would  have  been  rendered  nugatory,  by 
the  advantage  thus  taken  of  the  neutral  flag.  The 
supplies  from  France  were  thus  effectually  cut  ofl". 
There  was  now  every  indication  that  the  enemy 
would  speedily  venture  out ;  oflScers  and  men  were 
in  the  highest  spirits  at  the  prospect  of  giving  them 
a  decisive  blow:  such,  indeed,  as  would  put  an  end 
to  all  further  contest  upon  the  seas.  Theatrical 
amusements  were  performed  every  evening  in  most 
of  the  ships :  and  God  Save  the  King  was  the 
hymn  with  which  the  sports  concluded.  "  I  verily 
believe,"  said  Nelson,  (writing  on  the  6th  of  Octo- 
ber), "  that  the  country  will  soon  be  put  to  some 
expense  on  my  account;  either  a  monument,  or 
a  new  pension  and  honours  ;  for  I  have  not  the 
smallest  doubt  but  that  a  very  few  days,  almost 
hours,  will  put  us  in  battle.  The  success  no  man 
can  insure  ;  but  for  the  fighting  them,  if  they  can 
be  got  at,  I  pledge  myself. — ^The  sooner  the  better: 
I  don't  like  to  have  these  things  upon  my  mind." 
At  this  time  he  was  not  without  some  cause  of 
anxiety ;  he  was  in  want  of  frigates, — the  eyes  of 


1805.]  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  325 

tlie  fleet,  as  he  always  called  them  : — to  the  want 
of  which,  the  enemy  before  were  indebted  for  their 
escape,  and  Buonaparte  for  his  arrival  in  Egypt. 
He  had  only  twenty-three  ships, — others  were  on 
the  way, — but  they  might  come  too  late  ;  and, 
though  Nelson  never  doubted  of  victory,  mere  vic- 
tory was  not  what  he  looked  to,  he  wanted  to  an- 
nihilate the  enemy's  fleet.  The  Carthagena squadron 
might  effect  a  junction  with  this  fleet  on  the  one 
side ;  and,  on  the  other,  it  was  to  be  expected  that 
a  similar  attempt  would  be  made  by  the  French 
from  Brest ;  in  either  case  a  formidable  contingency 
to  be  apprehended  by  the  blockading  force.  The 
Rochefort  squadron  did  push  out,  and  had  nearly 
caught  the  Agamemnon  and  I'Aimable,  in  their 
way  to  reinforce  the  British  admiral.  Yet  Nelson 
at  this  time  Aveakened  his  own  fleet.  He  had  the 
unpleasant  task  to  perform  of  sending  home  Sir 
Robert  Calder,  whose  conduct  was  to  be  made  the 
subject  of  a  court-martial,  in  consequence  of  the 
general  dissatisfaction  which  had  been  felt  and 
expressed  at  his  imperfect  victory.  Sir  Robert 
Calder,  and  Sir  John  Orde,  Nelson  believed  to  be 
the  only  two  enemies  whom  he  had  ever  had  in  his 
profession; — and,  from  that  sensitive  delicacy  which 
distinguished  him,  this  made  him  the  more  scrupu- 
lously anxious  to  show  every  possible  mark  of 
respect  and  kindness  to  Sir  Robert.  He  wished  to 
detain  him  till  after  the  expected  action  ;  when  the 
services  which  he  might  perform,  and  the  trium- 
phant joy  which  would  be  excited,  would  leave  no- 
thing to  be  apprehended  from  an  inquiry  into  the 
previous  engagement.  Sir  Robert,  however,  whose  si- 
tuation was  very  painful,  did  not  choose  to  delay  a 


326  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  [1805. 

trial,  from  the  result  of  which  he  confidently  ex- 
pected a  complete  justification:  and  Nelson, instead 
of  sending  him  home  in  a  frigate,  insisted  on  his 
returning  in  his  own  ninety-gun  ship;  ill  as  such  a 
^hip  could  at  that  time  be  spared.  Nothing  could 
be  more  honourable  than  the  feeling  by  which  Nel- 
son was  influenced  ;  but,  at  such  a  crisis,  it  ought 
not  to  have  been  indulged. 

On  the  9th  Nelson  sent  Collingwood  what  he 
called,  in  his  diary,  the  Nelson-touch.  "  I  send 
you,"  said  he,  "  my  plan  of  attack,  as  far  as  a  man 
dare  venture  to  guess  at  the  very  uncertain  position 
the  enemy  may  be  found  in  :  but  it  is  to  place  you 
perfectly  at  ease  respecting  my  intentions,  and  to 
give  full  scope  to  your  judgment  for  carrying  them 
into  effect.  We  can,  my  dear  Coll,  have  no  little 
jealousies.  We  have  only  one  great  object  in  view, 
that  of  annihilating  our  enemies,  and  getting  a 
glorious  peace  for  our  country.  No  man  has  more 
confidence  in  another  than  I  have  in  you ;  and 
no  man  will  render  your  services  more  justice  than 
your  very  old  friend  Nelson  and  Bronte."  The 
order  of  sailing  was  to  be  the  order  of  battle  :  the 
fleet  in  two  lines,  with  an  advanced  squadron  of 
eight  of  the  fastest  sailing  two-deckers.  The  second 
in  command,  having  the  entire  direction  of  his  line, 
was  to  break  through  the  enemy,  about  the  twelfth 
ship  from  their  rear :  he  would  lead  through  the 
centre,  and  the  advanced  squadron  was  to  cut 
off  three  or  four  ahead  of  the  centre.  This  plan 
was  to  be  adapted  to  the  strength  of  the  enemy,  so 
that  they  should  always  be  one  fourth  superior  to 
those  whom  they  cut  off.  Nelson  said,  "That  his 
admirals  and  captains,  knowing  his  precise  object 


1805.]  LIFE   OF    NELSOX.  327 

to  be  that  of  a  close  'and  decisive  action,  would 
supply  any  deficiency  of  signals,  and  act  accord- 
ingly. In  case  signals  cannot  be  seen  or  clearly 
understood,  no  captain  can  do  wrong  if  he  places 
his  ship  alongside  that  of  an  enemy."  One  of  the 
last  orders  of  this  admirable  man  was,  that  the 
name  and  family  of  every  officer,  seaman,  and  ma- 
rine, who  might  be  killed  or  wounded  in  action, 
should  be,  as  soon  as  possible,  returned  to  him,  in 
order  to  be  transmitted  to  the  chairman  of  the  pa- 
triotic fund,  that  the  case  might  be  taken  into  con- 
sideration, for  the  benefit  of  the  sufferer,  or  his 
family. 

.  About  half  past  nine  in  the  morning  of  the  19th, 
the  Mars,  being  the  nearest  to  the  fleet  of  the  ships 
which  formed  the  line  of  communication  with  the 
frigates  in  shore,  repeated  the  signal,  that  the  enemy 
were  coming  out  of  port.  The  wind  was  at  this 
time  very  light,  with  partial  breezes,  mostly  from 
the  S.  S.  W.  Nelson  ordered  the  signal  to  be  made 
for  a  chase  in  the  south-east  quarter.  About  two, 
the  repeating  ships  announced,  that  the  enemy  were 
at  sea.  All  night  the  British  fleet  continued  under 
all  sail,  steering  to  the  south-east.  At  daybreak 
they  were  in  the  entrance  of  the  Straits,  but  the 
enemy  were  not  in  sight.  About  seven,  one  of  the 
frigates  made  signal  that  the  enemy  were  bearing 
north.  Upon  this  the  Victory  hove  to ;  and  shortly 
afterwards  Nelson  made  sail  again  to  the  north- 
ward. In  the  afternoon  the  wind  blew  fresh  from 
the  south-west,  and  the  English  began  to  fear  that 
the  foe  might  be  forced  to  return  to  port.  A  little 
before  sunset,  however,  Blackwood,  in  the  Euryalus, 
telegraphed,  that  they  appeared  determined  to  go 


328  LIFE  OF  XELSOX.  [1805. 

to  the  westward, — "  And  that,"  said  the  admiral 
in  his  diary,  "  they  shall  not  do,  if  it  is  in  the 
power  of  Nelson  and  Bronte  to  prevent  them." 
Nelson  had  signified  to  Blackwood,  that  he  de- 
pended upon  him  to  keep  sight  of  the  enemy. 
They  were  observed  so  well,  that  all  their  motions 
were  made  known  to  him  ;  and,  as  they  wore  twice, 
he  inferred  that  they  were  aiming  to  keep  the  port 
of  Cadiz  open,  and  would  retreat  there  as  soon  as 
they  saw  the  British  fleet :  for  this  reason  he  was 
very  careful  not  to  approach  near  enough  to  be 
seen  by  them  during  the  night.  At  daybreak  the 
combined  fleets  were  distinctly  seen  from  the  Vic- 
tory's deck,  formed  in  a  close  line  of  battle  ahead, 
on  the  starboard  tack,  about  twelve  miles  to  lee- 
ward, and  standing  to  the  south.  Our  fleet  con- 
sisted of  twenty-seven  sail  of  the  line,  and  four 
frigates ;  theirs  of  thirty-three,  and  seven  large 
frigates.  Their  superiority  was  greater  in  size,  and 
weight  of  metal,  than  in  numbers.  They  had  four 
thousand  troops  on  board  ;  and  the  best  riflemen 
who  could  be  procured,  many  of  them  Tyrolese, 
were  dispersed  through  the  ships.  Little  did  the 
Tyrolese,  and  little  did  the  Spaniards,  at  that  day, 
imagine  what  horrors  the  wicked  tyrant  whom  they 
served  was  preparing  for  their  country. 

Soon  after  daylight,  Nelson  came  upon  deck. 
The  21st  of  October  was  a  festival  in  his  family, 
because  on  that  day  his  uncle,  Capt.  Suckling,  in 
the  Dreadnought,  with  two  other  line  of  battle  ships, 
had  beaten  otF  a  French  squadron  of  four  sail  of 
the  line,  and  three  frigates.  Nelson,  with  that 
Bort  of  superstition  from  which  few  persons  are 
entirely  exempt,  had  more  than  once   expressed 


1805.]  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  329 

his  persuasion  that  this  was  to  be  the  day  of  his 
battle  also  ;  and  he  was  well  pleased  at  seeing  his 
prediction  about  to  be  verified.  The  wind  was  now 
from  the  west,  light  breezes,  with  a  long  heavy 
swell.  Signal  was  made  to  bear  down  upon  the 
enemy  in  two  lines  ;  and  the  fleet  set  all  sail. 
Collingwood,  in  the  Royal  Sovereign,  led  the  lee 
line  of  thirteen  ships  ;  the  Victory  led  the  weather 
line  of  fourteen.  Having  seen  that  all  was  as  it 
should  be,  Nelson  retired  to  his  cabin,  and  wrote 
the  following  prayer  : 

"  May  the  great  God,  whom  I  worship,  grant  to 
my  country,  and  for  the  benefit  of  Europe  in  ge- 
neral, a  great  and  glorious  victory,  and  may  no 
misconduct  in  any  one  tarnish  it ;  and  may  huma- 
nity 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  bless- 
ing alight  on  my  endeavours  for  serving  my  coun- 
try faithfully !  To  Him  I  resign  myself,  and  the 
just  cause  which  is  entrusted  to  me  to  defend. 
Amen,  Amen,  Amen." 

Ha^^ngthus  discharged  his  devotional  duties,  he 
annexed,  in  the  same  diary,  the  following  remark- 
able writins: : 


*s 


"  October  21,  1805.— T/ien  in  sight  of  the  com- 
bined fleets  of  France  and  Spain,  distant  about 
ten  miles. 

"  Whereas  the  eminent  services  of  Emma  Ha- 
milton, widow  of  the  Right  Honourable  Sir  Wil- 
liam Hamilton,  have  been  of  the  very  greatest 
service  to  my  king  and  country,  to  my  knowledge, 

G    G 


330  LIFE  OF  NELSOX.  [1805, 

without  ever  receiving  any  reward  from  either  our 
king  or  country. 

"  First,  that  she  obtained  the  King  of  Spain's 
letter,  in  1796,  to  his  brother,  the  King  of  Naples, 
acquainting  him  of  his  intention  to  declare  war 
against  England ;  from  which  letter  the  ministry 
sent  out  orders  to  the  then  Sir  John  Jervis,  to  strike 
a  stroke,  if  opportunity  offered,  against  either  the 
arsenals  of  Spain  or  her  fleets.  That  neither  of 
these  was  done  is  not  the  fault  of  Lady  Hamilton  ; 
the  opportunity  might  have  been  offered. 

"  Secondly  :  The  British  fleet  under  my  com- 
mand could  never  have  returned  the  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's  being  supplied  with  every  thing,  should 
they  put  into  any  port  in  Sicily.  We  put  into  Sy- 
racuse, 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  ;  but  as  that  has  not 
been  in  my  power,  I  leave  Emma  Lady  Hamilton 
therefore  a  legacy  to  my  king  and  country,  that 
they  will  give  her  an  ample  provision  to  maintain 
her  rank  in  life. 

"  I  also  leave  to  the  beneficence  of  my  country 
my  adopted  daughter,  Horatia  Nelson  Thompson  ; 
and  I  desire  she  will  use  in  future  the  name  of 
Nelson  only. 

"  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 


1805.]  -■  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  331 

is  needless  to  mention;    they  will,  of  course,  be 
amply  provided  for. 

"  NELSON  AND  BRONTE." 
«  w>  S  Henry  Blackwood. 

witness,  |t  lyi   Hard  v." 

The  child  of  whom  this  writing-  speaks,  was  be- 
lieved to  be  his  daughter,  and  so,  indeed,  he  called 
her  the  last  time  that  he  pronounced  her  name. 
She  was  then  about  five  years  old,  living  at  Mer- 
ton,  under  Lady  Hamilton's  care.  The  last  mi- 
nutes which  Nelson  passed  at  Merton,  were  em- 
ployed in  praying  over  this  child,  as  she  lay  sleep- 
ing. A  portrait  of  Lady  Hamilton  hung  in  his 
cabin  :  and  no  Catholic  ever  beheld  the  picture  of 
his  patron  saint  with  devouter  reverence.  The 
undisguised  and  romantic  passion  with  which  he 
regarded  it,  amounted  almost  to  superstition  ;  and 
when  the  portrait  was  now  taken  down,  in  clearing 
ibr  action,  he  desired  the  men  who  removed  it,  to 
**  take  care  of  his  guardian  angel."  In  this  man- 
jier  he  frequently  spoke  of  it,  as  if  he  believed 
there  were  a  virtue  in  the  image.  He  wore  a  mi- 
niature of  her,  also,  next  his  heart. 

Blackwood  went  on  board  the  Victory  about 
six.  He  found  him  in  good  spirits,  but  very 
calm ;  not  in  that  exhilaration  which  he  had  felt 
upon  entering  into  battle  at  Aboukir  and  Copen- 
hagen :  he  knew  that  his  own  life  would  be 
particularly  aimed  at,  and  seems  to  have  looked 
for  death  with  almost  as  sure  an  expectation  as  for 
victory.  His  whole  attention  was  fixed  upon  the 
enemy.  They  tacked  to  the  northward,  and  formed 
.their  line  on  the  larboard  tack  ;  thus  bringing  the 


332  LIFE  OF  NELSOV.  [1805. 

shoals  of  Trafalgar  and  St.  Pedro  under  the  lee  of 
the  British,  and  keeping  the  port  of  Cadiz  open 
for  themselves.  This  was  judiciously  done  :  and 
Nelson,  aware  of  all  the  advantages  which  it  gave 
thera,  made  signal  to  prepare  to  anchor. 

Villeneuve  was  a  skilful  seaman  ;  worthy  of  serv- 
ing a  better  master,  and  a  better  cause.  His  plan 
of  defence  was  as  well  conceived,  and  as  original, 
as  the  plan  of  attack.  He  formed  the  fleet  in  a 
double  line ;  every  alternate  ship  being  about  a 
cable's  length  to  windward  of  her  second  ahead 
and  astern.  Nelson,  certain  of  a  triumphant  issue 
to  the  day,  asked  Blackwood  what  he  should  con- 
sider as  a  victory.  That  officer  answered,  that, 
considering  the  handsome  way  in  which  battle  was 
offered  by  the  enemy,  their  apparent  determination 
for  a  fair  trial  of  strength,  and  the  situation  of  the 
land,  he  thought  it  would  be  a  glorious  result  if 
fourteen  were  captured.  He  replied:  "  I  shall 
not  be  satisfied  with  less  than  twenty."  Soon  af- 
terwards he  asked  him,  if  he  did  not  think  there 
was  a  signal  wanting.  Capt.  Blackwood  made  an- 
swer, that  he  thought  the  whole  fleet  seemed  very 
clearly  to  understand  what  they  were  about.  These 
words  were  scarcely  spoken  before  that  signal  was 
made,  which  will  be  remembered  as  long  as  the 
language,  or  even  the  memory  of  England,  shall 
endure; — Nelson's  last  signal: — "  England  ex- 
pects   EVERY    MAN    TO    DO    HIS    DUTY  !"       It  WaS 

received  throughout  the  fleet  with  a  shout  of  an- 
swering acclamation,  made  sublime  by  the  spirit 
which  it  breathed,  and  the  feeling  which  it  ex- 
pressed. "  Now,"  said  Lord  Nelson,  "  I  can  do 
no  more.     We  must  trust  to  the  great  Disposer  of 


1805.]  LIFE  or  XELSOX.  333 

all  events,  and  the  justice  of  our  cause.  I  thank 
God  for  this  great  opportunity  of  doing  my  duty." 
He  wore  that  day,  as  usual,  his  admiral's  frock 
coat,  bearing  on  the  left  breast  four  stars,  of  the 
different  orders  with  which  he  was  invested.  Or- 
naments which  rendered  him  so  conspicuous  a  mark 
for  the  enemy,  were  beheld  with  ominous  apprehen- 
sions by  his  officers.  It  was  known  that  there  were 
riflemen  on  board  the  French  ships ;  and  it  could 
not  be  doubted  but  that  his  life  would  be  particu- 
larly aimed  at.  They  communicated  their  fears  to 
each  other ;  and  the  surgeon,  Mr.  Beatty,*  spoke  to 
the  chaplain,  Dr.  Scott,  and  to  Mr.  Scott,  the 
public  secretary,  desiring  that  some  person  would 
entreat  him  to  change  his  dress,  or  cover  the  stars : 
but  they  knew  that  such  a  request  would  highly 
displease  him.  "  In  honour  I  gained  them,"  he 
had  said,  when  such  a  thing  had  been  hinted  to 
him  formerly,  "  and  in  honour  I  will  die  with  them." 
Mr.  Beatty,  however,  would  not  have  been  deterred 
by  any  fear  of  exciting  his  displeasure,  from  speak- 
ing to  him  himself  upon  a  subject,  in  which  the 
weal  of  England,  as  well  as  the  life  of  Nelson,  was 
concerned, — but  he  was  ordered  from  the  deck 
before  he  could  find  an  opportunity.  This  was  a 
point  upon  which  Nelson's  officers  knew  that  it 
was  hopeless  to  remonstrate  or  reason  with  him ; 
but  both  Blackwood,  and  his  own  captain.  Hardy, 
represented  to  him  how  advantageous  to  the  fleet 
it  would  be  for  him  to  keep  out  of  action  as  long  as 
possible ;  and  he  consented  at  last  to  let  the  Levia- 

•  In  this  part  of  the  work  I  have  chiefly  been  indebted  to 
this  gentleman's  Narrative  of  Lord  Nelson's  Death — a  docu- 
ment as  interesting  as  it  is  authentic. 


J^^ 


334  LIFE  OF  XELSOX.  [1805. 

than  and  the  Temeraire,  which  were  saiUng  abreast 
of  the  Victory,  be  ordered  to  pass  ahead.  Yet  even 
here  the  last  infirmity  of  this  noble  mind  was  in- 
dulged, for  these  ships  could  not  pass  ahead  if  the 
Victory  continued  to  carry  all  her  sail ;  and  so  far 
was  Nelson  from  shortening  sail,  that  it  was  evident 
he  took  pleasure  in  pressing  on,  and  rendering  it 
impossible  for  them  to  obey  his  own  orders.  A 
long  swell  was  setting  into  the  bay  of  Cadiz  :  our 
•ships,  crowding  all  sail,  moved  majestically  before 
it,  with  light  winds  from  the  south-west.  The  sun 
shone  on  the  sails  of  the  enemy;  and  their  well  formed 
line,  with  their  numerous  three-deckers,  made  an 
appearance  which  any  other  assailants  would  have 
thought  formidable  ; — but  the  British  sailors  only 
admired  the  beauty  and  the  splendour  of  the  spec- 
tacle; and,  in  full  confidence  of  winning  what  they 
saw,  remarked  to  each  other,  what  a  fine  sight 
yonder  ships  would  make  at  Spithead  ! 

The  French  admiral,  from  the  Bucentaure,  beheld 
the  new  manner  in  which  his  enemy  was  advanc- 
ing— Nelson  and  Collingwood  each  leading  his 
line ;  and,  pointing  them  out  to  his  officers,  he  is 
said  to  have  exclaimed,  that  such  conduct  could 
not  fail  to  be  successful.  Yet  Villeneuve  had 
made  his  own  dispositions  with  the  utmost  skill, 
and  the  fleets  under  his  command  waited  for  the 
attack  with  perfect  coolness.  Ten  minutes  before 
twelve  they  opened  their  fire.  Eight  or  nine  of  the 
ships  immediately  ahead  of  the  Victory,  and  across 
her  bows,  fired  single  guns  at  her,  to  ascertain 
whether  she  was  yet  within  their  range.  As  soon 
'as  Nelson  perceived  that  their  shot  passed  over 
him,  he  desired  Blackwood,  and  Capt.  Prowse,  of 


1805.]  LIFE  OF  NELSOX.  335 

the  Sirius,  to  repair  to  their  respective  frigates ; 
and,  on  their  way,  to  tell  all  the  captains  of  the 
line  of  battle  ships  that  he  depended  on  their  exer- 
tions; and  that,  if  by  the  prescribed  mode  of  attack 
they  found  it  impracticable  to  get  into  action  im- 
mediately, they  might  adopt  whatever  they  thought 
best,  provided  it  led  them  quickly  and  closely  along- 
side an  enemy.  As  they  were  standing  on  the 
front  of  the  poop,  Blackwood  took  him  by  the 
hand,  saying,  he  hoped  soon  to  return  and  find 
him  in  possession  of  twenty  prizes.  He  replied, 
"  God  bless  you,  Blackwood:  I  shall  never  see  you 
again." 

Nelson's  column  was  steered  about  two  points 
more  to  the  north  than  Collingwood's,  in  order  to 
cut  off  the  enemy's  escape  into  Cadiz  :  the  lee  line, 
therefore,  was  first  engaged.  "  See,"  cried  Nelson, 
pointing  to  the -Royal  Sovereign,  as  she  steered 
right  for  the  centre  of  the  enemy's  line,  cut  through 
it  astern  of  the  Santa  Anna,  three-decker,  and 
engaged  her  at  the  muzzle  of  her  guns  on  the  star- 
board side  :  "  see  how  that  noble  fellow,  Colling- 
wood,  carries  his  ship  into  action  !"  Collingwood, 
delighted  at  being  first  in  the  heat  of  the  fire,  and 
knowing  the  feelings  of  his  commander  and  old 
friend,  turned  to  his  captain,  and  exclaimed  : 
*'  Rotherham,  what  Avould  Nelson  give  to  be  here !" 
Both  these  brave  officers,  perhaps,  at  this  moment 
thought  of  Nelson  with  gratitude,  for  a  circumstance 
which  had  occurred  on  the  preceding  day.  Admiral 
Collingwood,  with  some  of  the  captains,  having 
gone  on  board  the  Victory,  to  receive  instructions, 
Nelson  inquired  of  him,  where  his  captain  was  ? 
and  was  told,  in  reply,  that  they  were  not  upon 


336  LIFE  OF  NELSON".  [1806. 

good  terms  with  each  other.  "  Terms  !"  said 
Nelson  ; — "  good  terms  with  each  other  !"  Imme- 
diately he  sent  a  boat  for  Captain  Rotherham ; 
led  him,  as  soon  as  he  arrived,  to  CoUingwood, 
and  saying, — "  Look  ;  yonder  are  the  enemy  !" 
bade  them  shake  hands  like  Englishmen. 

The  enemy  continued  to  fire  a  gun  at  a  time  at 
the  Victory,  till  they  saw  that  a  shot  had  passed 
through  her  main-top-gallant  sail ;  then  they  opened 
their  broadsides,  aiming  chiefly  at  her  rigging,  in 
the  hope  of  disabling  her  before  she  could  close 
with  them.  Nelson,  as  usual,  had  hoisted  several 
flags,  lest  one  should  be  shot  away.  The  enemy 
showed  no  colours  till  late  in  the  action,  when  they 
began  to  feel  the  necessity  of  having  them  to  strike. 
For  this  reason,  the  Santissima  Trinidad,  Nelson's 
old  acquaintance,  as  he  used  to  call  her,  was  dis- 
tinguishable only  by  her  four  decks;  and  to  the 
bow  of  this  opponent  he  ordered  the  Victory  to  be 
steered.  Meantime  an  incessant  raking  fire  was  kept 
up  upon  the  Victory.  The  admiral's  secretary  was 
one  of  the  first  who  fell;  he  was  killed  by  a  cannon 
shot  while  conversing  with  Hardy.  Capt.  Adair  of 
the  marines,  with  the  help  of  a  sailor,  endeavoured 
to  remove  the  body  from  Nelson's  sight,  who  had  a 
great  regard  for  Mr.  Scott :  but  he  anxiously  asked : 
"Is  that  poor  Scott  that's  gone?"  and  being  in- 
formed that  it  was  indeed  so,  exclaimed:  "Poor 
fellow!"  Presently  a  double-headed  shot  struck  a 
party  of  marines,  who  were  drawn  up  on  the  poop, 
and  killed  eight  of  them  :  upon  which,  Nelson  im«^ 
mediately  desired  Capt.  Adair  to  disperse  his  men 
round  the  ship,  that  they  might  not  suffer  so  much 
from  being  together.     A  few  minutes  afterwards  St 


1805.]  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  337 

shot  struck  the  fore  brace  bits  on  the  quarter  deck, 
and  passed  between  Nelson  and  Hardy,  a  splinter 
from  the  bit  tearing  oflP  Hardy's  buckle  and  bruising 
his  foot.  Both  stopped,  and  looked  anxiously  at 
each  other,  each  supposed  the  other  to  be  wounded. 
Nelson  then  smiled,  and  said,  "  This  is  too  warm 
work,  Hardy,  to  last  long." 

The  Victory  had  not  yet  returned  a  single  gun ; 
fifty  of  her  men  had  been  by  this  time  killed  or 
wounded,  and  her  main-top-mast,  with  all  her  stud- 
ding sails  and  her  booms,  shot  away.     Nelson  de- 
clared, that,  in  all  his  battles,  he  had  seen  nothing 
which  surpassed  the  cool  courage  of  his  crew  on 
this  occasion.       At  four  minutes  after  twelve,  she 
opened  her  fire  from  both  sides  of  her  deck.  It  was 
not  possible  to  break  the  enemy's  line  without  run- 
ning on  board  one  of  their  ships  :  Hardy  informed 
him  of  this,  and  asked  him  which  he  would  prefer. 
Nelson  replied:  "  Take  your  choice.  Hardy,  it  does 
not  signify  much."    The  master  was  ordered  to  put 
the  helm  to  port,  and  the  Victory  ran  on  board  the 
Sedoutable,  just   as   her   tiller    ropes  were    shot 
away.    The  French  ship  received  her  with  a  broad- 
side ;  then  instantly  let  down  her  lower  deck  ports, 
for  fear  of  being  boarded  through  them,  and  never 
afterwards  fired  a  great  gun  during  the  action.   Her 
tops,  like  those  of  all  the  enemy's  ships,  were  filled 
with  riflemen.  Nelson  never  placed  musketry  in  his 
tops;  he  had  a  strong  dislike  to  the  practice;  not 
merely  because  it  endangers  setting  fire  to  the  sails, 
but  also  because  it  is  a  murderous  sort  of  warfare, 
by  which  individuals  may  suffer,  and  a  commander 
now  and  then  be  picked  off,  but  which  never  can 
decide  the  fate  of  a  general  engagement. 

H  H 


^38  LIFE  OF  NELSOK.  [1805. 

Capt.  Harvey,  in  the  T^m^raire,  fell  on  board 
the  Redoutable  on  the  other  side.  Another  enemy 
was  in  like  manner  on  board  the  Temeraire :  so 
that  these  four  ships  formed  as  compact  a  tier  as  if 
they  had  been  moored  together,  their  heads  lying 
all  the  same  way.  The  lieutenants  of  the  Victory, 
seeing  this,  depressed  their  guns  of  the  middle  and 
lower  decks,  and  fired  with  a  diminished  charge, 
lest  the  shot  should  pass  through,  and  injure  the 
Temeraire.  And  because  there  was  danger  that  the 
Redoutable  might  take  fire  from  the  lower-deck 
guns,  the  muzzles  of  which  touched  her  side  when 
they  were  run  out,  the  fire-man  of  each  gun  stood 
ready  with  a  bucket  of  water ;  which,  as  soon  as 
the  gun  was  discharged,  he  dashed  into  the  hole 
made  by  the  shot.  An  incessant  fire  was  kept  up 
from  the  Victory  from  both  sides ;  her  larboard  guns 
playing  upon  the  Bucentaure  and  the  huge  San- 
tissima  Trinidad. 

It  had  been  part  of  Nelson's  prayer,  that  the 
British  fleet  might  be  distinguished  by  humanity  in 
the  victory  which  he  expected.  Setting  an  ex- 
ample himself,  he  twice  gave  orders  to  cease  firing 
upon  the  Redoutable,  supposing  that  she  had 
struck,  because  her  great  guns  were  silent ;  for,  as 
she  carried  no  flag,  there  was  no  means  of  instantly 
ascertaining  the  fact.  From  this  ship,  which  he 
had  thus  twice  spared,  he  received  his  death.  A 
ball  fired  from  her  mizen-top,  which,  in  the  then 
situation  of  the  two  vessels,  was  not  more  than  fif- 
teen yards  from  that  part  of  the  deck  where  he  was 
standing,  struck  the  epaulette  on  his  left  shoulder, 
about  a  quarter  after  one,  just  in  the  heat  of  action. 
He  fell  upon  his  face,  on  the  spot  which  was  co- 


1805.] 


LIFE  or  XELSON. 


339 


1805.]  LIFE  or  NELSON.  341 

vered  with  his  poor  secretary's  blood.    Hardy,  who 
was  a  few  steps  from  him,  turning  round,  saw  three 
men  raising  him  up. — "  They  have  done  for  me  at 
last,  Hardy,"  said  he. — "  I  hope  not,"  cried  Hardy, 
— "  Yes  !"  he  replied  ;   "  my  back-bone  is  shot 
through."     Yet  even  now,  not  for  a  moment  losing 
his  presence  of  mind,  he  observed,  as  they  were 
carrying  him  down  the  ladder,  that  the  tiller  ropes, 
which  had  been  shot  away,  were  not  yet  replaced, 
and  ordered  that  new  ones  should  be  rove  immedi- 
ately : — then,  that  he  might  not  be  seen  by  the 
crew,  he  took  out  his  handkerchief,  and  covered  his 
face  and  his  stars. — Had  he  but  concealed  these 
badges  of  honour  from  the  enemy,  England,  per- 
haps, would  not  have  had  cause  to  receive  with 
sorrow  the  news  of  the  battle  of  Trafalgar.     The 
cockpit  was  crowded  with  wounded  and  dying  men  ; 
over  whose  bodies  he  was  with  some  difficulty  con- 
veyed, and  laid  upon  a  pallet  in  the  midshipmen's 
birth.     It  was  soon  perceived,  upon  examination, 
that  the  wound  was  mortal.     This,  however,  was 
concealed  from  all,  except  Capt.  Hardy,  the  chap- 
lain, and  the  medical  attendants.    He  himself  being 
certain,  from  the  sensation  in  his  back,  and  the 
gush  of  blood  he  felt  rnomently  within  his  breast, 
that  no  human  care  could  avail  him,  insisted  that 
the  surgeon  should  leave  him,  and  attend  to  those 
to  whom  he   might  be  useful ;  "  For,"   said  he, 
"  you  can  do  nothing  for  me." — All  that  could  be 
done  was  to  fan  him  with  paper,  and  frequently  to 
give  him  lemonade  to  alleviate  his  intense  thirst. 
He  was  in  great  pain,  and  expressed  much  anxiety 
for  the  event  of  the  action,  which  now  began  to 
declare  itself.     As  often  as  a  ship  struck,  the  crew 

I  I 


342  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  [1805. 

of  the  Victory  hurraed ;  and  at  every  hurra,  a  visi- 
ble expression  of  joy  gleamed  in  the  eyes,  and 
marked  the  countenance  of  the  dying  hero.  But 
he  became  impatient  to  see  Capt.  Hardy ;  and  as 
that  officer,  though  often  sent  for,  could  not  leave 
the  deck,  Nelson  feared  that  some  fatal  cause  pre- 
vented him,  and  repeatedly  cried :  "  Will  no  one 
bring  Hardy  to  me  ?"  He  must  be  killed  !  He  is 
surely  dead  !" — An  hour  and  ten  minutes  elapsed 
from  the  time  when  Nelson  received  his  wound, 
before  Hardy  could  come  to  him.  They  shook 
hands  in  silence ;  Hai'dy  in  vain  struggling  to  sup- 
press the  feelings  of  that  most  painful  and  yet 
sublimest  moment.  "  Well  Hardy,"  said  Nelson, 
"  how  goes  the  day  with  us?" — "Very  well,"  re- 
plied Hardy ;  "  ten  ships  have  struck,  but  five  of 
the  van  have  tacked,  and  show  an  intention  to  bear 
down  upon  the  Victory.  I  have  called  two  or  three 
of  our  fresh  ships  round,  and  have  no  doubt  of 
giving  them  adrubbing •" — "  I  hope,"  said  Nelson, 
"  none  of  our  ships  have  struck  ?"  Hardy  answered, 
"There  was  no  fear  of  that."  Then,  and  not  till 
then.  Nelson  spoke  of  himself.  "  I  am  a  dead 
man.  Hardy,"  said  he  :  "I  am  going  fast : — it  will 
be  all  over  with  me  soon.  Come  nearer  to  me. 
Let  my  dear  Lady  Hamilton  have  my  hair,  and  all 
other  things  belonging  to  me."  Hardy  observed, 
that  he  hoped  Mr.  Beatty  could  yet  hold  out  some 
prospect  of  life.  "  Oh,  no !"  he  replied  :  "  it  is  im- 
possible. My  back  is  shot  through.  Beatty  will 
tell  you  so."  Capt.  Hardy  then,  once  more,  shook 
hands  with  him  ;  and,  with  a  heart  almost  bursting, 
hastened  upon  deck. 

By  this  time  all  feeling  below  the  breast  was 


1805.]  LIFE  OF  NELSON-.  343 

gone ;  and  Nelson,  having  made  the  surgeon  as- 
certain this,  said  to  him  :  "  You  know  I  am  gone, 
I  know  it.  I  feel  something  rising  in  my  breast," 
— putting  his  hand  on  his  left  side, — "  which  tells 
me  so."  And  upon  Beatty's  inquiring  whether  his 
pain  was  very  great  ?  he  replied,  '*  So  great,  that 
he  wished  he  was  dead.  Yet,"  said  he,  in  a  lower 
voice,  "  one  would  like  to  live  a  little  longer  too  !" 
And  after  a  few  minutes,  in  the  same  under  tone, 
he  added;  "  What  would  become  of  poor  Lady 
Hamilton,  if  she  knew  my  situation  !"  Next  to  his 
country  she  occupied  his  thoughts.  Capt.  Hardy, 
some  fifty  minutes  after  he  had  left  the  cockpit, 
returned  ;  and,  again  taking  the  hand  of  his  dying 
friend  and  commander,  congratulated  him  on  hav- 
ing gained  a  complete  victory.  How  many  of  the 
enemy  were  taken  he  did  not  know,  as  it  was  im- 
possible to  perceive  them  distinctly :  but  fourteen 
or  fifteen  at  least.  "  That's  well,"  cried  Nelson, 
''  but  I  bargained  for  twenty."  And  then,  in  a 
stronger  voice,  he  said :  "  Anchor,  Hardy ;  an- 
chor." Hardy,  upon  this,  hinted  that  Admiral 
Collingwood  would  take  upon  himself  the  direction 
of  affairs.  "  Not  while  I  live,  Hardy,"  said  the 
dying  Nelson,  ineffectually  endeavouring  to  raise 
himself  from  the  bed :  "  Do  you  anchor."  His 
previous  order  for  preparing  to  anchor  had  shown 
how  clearly  he  foresaw  the  necessity  of  this.  Pre- 
sently, calling  Hardy  back,  he  said  to  him  in  a 
low  voice,  "  Don't  throw  me  overboard  : "  and  he 
desired  that  he  might  be  buried  by  his  parents, 
unless  it  should  please  the  king  to  order  otherwise. 
Then  reverting  to  private  feelings :  "  Take  care  of 
my  dear  Lady  Hamilton,  Hardy  :  take  care  of  poor 


344  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  [1805. 

Lady  Hamilton. — Kiss  me,  Hardy,"  said  he.  Hardy 
knelt  down  and  kissed  his  cheek :  and  Nelson 
said,  "  Now  I  am  satisfied.  Thank  God,  I  have 
done  my  duty."  Hardy  stood  over  him  in  silence 
for  a  moment  or  two,  then  knelt  again,  and  kissed 
his  forehead.  "  Who  is  that?"  said  Nelson;  and 
being  informed,  he  replied,  "  God  bless  you,  Har- 
dy."    And  Hardy  then  left  him — for  ever. 

Nelson  now  desired  to  be  turned  upon  his  right 
side,  and  said  :  I  wish  I  had  not  left  the  deck  ;  for 
I  shall  soon  be  gone."  Death  was,  indeed,  rapidly 
approaching.  He  said  to  the  chaplain  :  "  Doctor, 
I  have  not  been  a  great  sinner :"  and  after  a  short 
pause,  "  Remember  that  I  leave  Lady  Hamilton 
and  my  daughter  Horatia  as  a  legacy  to  my 
country."  His  articulation  now  became  difficult ; 
but  he  was  distinctly  heard  to  say,  "  Thank  God,  I 
have  done  my  duty."  These  words  he  repeatedly 
pronounced ;  and  they  were  the  last  words  which 
he  uttered.  He  expired  at  thirty  minutes  after 
four, — three  hours  and  a  quarter  after  he  had  re- 
ceived his  wound. 

Within  a  quarter  of  an  hour  after  Nelson  was 
wounded,  above  fifty  of  the  Victory's  men  fell  by 
the  enemy's  musketry.  They,  however,  on  their 
part  were  not  idle ;  and  it  was  not  long  before 
there  were  only  two  Frenchmen  left  alive  in  the 
mizen-top  of  the  Redoutable.  One  of  them  was 
the  man  who  had  given  the  fatal  wound :  he  did 
not  live  to  boast  of  what  he  had  done.  An  old 
quarter-master  had  seen  him  fire ;  and  easily  re- 
cognised him,  because  he  wore  a  glazed  cocked 
hat  and  a  white  frock.  This  quarter-master  and 
two  midshipmen,  Mr.  CoUingwood  and  Mr.  Pol- 


1805.]  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  345 

lard,  were  the  only  persons  left  in  the  Victory's 
poop  ; — the  two  midshipmen  kept  firing  at  the  top, 
and  he  supplied  them  with  cartridges.  One  of  the 
Frenchmen,  attempting  to  make  his  escape  down 
the  rigging,  was  shot  by  Mr.  Pollard,  and  fell  on 
the  poop.  But  the  old  quarter-master,  as  he  cried 
out,  "  That's  he — that's  he,"  and  pointed  at  the 
other,  who  was  coming  forward  to  fire  again,  re- 
ceived a  shot  in  his  mouth,  and  fell  dead.  Both 
the  midshipmen  then  fired  at  the  same  time,  and 
the  fellow  dropped  in  the  top.  When  they  took 
possession  of  the  prize,  they  went  into  the  mizen- 
top,  and  found  him  dead ;  with  one  ball  through 
his  head,  and  another  through  his  breast. 

The  Redoutable  struck  within  twenty  minutes 
after  the  fatal  shot  had  been  fired  from  her.  Dur- 
ing that  time  she  had  been  twice  on  fire, — in  her 
fore-chains  and  in  her  fore-castle.  The  French, 
as  they  had  done  in  other  battles,  made  use,  in 
this,  of  fire-balls,  and  other  combustibles ;  imple- 
ments of  destruction,  which  other  nations,  from  a 
sense  of  honour  and  humanity,  have  laid  aside ; 
which  add  to  the  sufferings  of  the  wounded,  with- 
out determining  the  issue  of  the  combat :  which 
none  but  the  cruel  would  employ,  and  which  never 
can  be  successful  against  the  brave.  Once  they 
succeeded  in  setting  fire,  from  the  Redoutable,  to 
some  ropes  and  canvass  on  the  Victory's  booms. 
The  cry  ran  through  the  ship,  and  reached  the 
cockpit :  but  even  this  dreadful  cry  produced  no 
confusion  :  the  men  displayed  that  perfect  self- 
possession  in  danger  by  which  English  seamen  are 
characterised ;  they  extinguished  the  flames  on 
board  their  own  ship,  and  then  hastened  to  extin- 


346  LIFE  OF  XELSOX.  [1805. 

guish  them  in  the  enemy,  by  throwing;  buckets  of 
water  from  the  gangway.  When  the  Redoutable 
had  struck,  it  was  not  practicable  to  board  her 
from  the  Victory ;  for,  though  the  two  ships  touched, 
the  upper  works  of  both  fell  in  so  much,  that  there 
was  a  great  space  between  their  gang\vays ;  and 
she  could  not  be  boarded  from  the  lower  or  middle 
decks,  because  her  ports  were  down.  Some  of 
our  men  went  to  Lieutenant  Quilliam,  and  offered 
to  swim  under  her  bows,  and  get  up  there  ;  but  it 
was  thought  unfit  to  hazard  brave  lives  in  this 
manner. 

What  our  men  would  have  done  from  gallantry, 
some  of  the  crew  of  the  Santissima  Trinidad  did  to 
save  themselves.  Unable  to  stand  the  tremendous 
fire  of  the  Victory,  whose  larboard  guns  played 
against  this  great  four  decker,  and  not  knowing 
how  else  to  escape  them,  nor  where  else  to  betake 
themselves  for  protection,  many  of  them  leapt  over- 
board, and  swam  to  the  Victory;  and  were  actually 
helped  up  her  sides  by  the  English  during  the 
action.  The  Spaniards  began  the  battle  with  less 
vivacity  than  their  unworthy  allies,  but  they  conti- 
nued it  with  greater  firmness.  The  Argonauta  and 
Bahama  were  defended  till  they  had  each  lost  about 
four  hundred  men:  the  St.  Juan  Nepomuceno  lost 
three  hundred  and  fifty.  Often  as  the  superiority 
of  British  courage  has  been  proved  against  France 
upon  the  seas,  it  was  never  more  conspicuous  than 
in  this  decisive  conflict.  Five  of  our  ships  were 
engaged  muzzle  to  muzzle  with  five  of  the  French. 
In  all  five,  the  Frenchmen  lowered  their  lower- 
deck  ports,  and  deserted  their  guns ;  while  our 
men  continued  deliberately  to  load  and  fire,  till 
ihcv  had  made  the  victory  secure. 


1805.]  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  347 

Once,  amidst  his  sufferings,  Nelson  had  ex- 
pressed a  wish  that  he  were  dead;  but  immediately 
the  spirit  subdued  the  pains  of  death,  and  he  wished 
to  live  a  little  longer ; — doubtless  that  he  might 
hear  the  completion  of  the  victory  which  he  had 
seen  so  gloriously  begun.  That  consolation — that 
joy — that  triumph,  was  afforded  him.  He  lived  to 
know  that  the  victory  was  decisive ;  and  the  last 
guns  which  were  fired  at  the  flying  enemy  were 
heard,  a  minute  or  two  before  he  expired.  The 
ships  which  were  thus  flying  were  four  of  the 
enemy's  van,  all  French,  under  Rear- Admiral  Du- 
manoir.  They  had  borne  no  part  in  the  action  ; 
and  now,  when  they  were  seeking  safety  in  flight, 
they  fired  not  only  into  the  Victory  and  Royal 
Sovereign  as  they  passed,  but  poured  their  broad- 
sides into  the  Spanish  captured  ships ;  and  they 
were  seen  to  back  their  top-sails,  for  the  purpose 
of  firing  with  more  precision.  The  indignation  of 
the  Spaniards  at  this  detestable  cruelty  from  their 
allies,  for  whom  they  had  fought  so  bravely,  and  so 
profusely  bled,  may  well  be  conceived.  It  was 
such,  that  when,  two  days  after  the  action,  seven 
of  the  ships  which  had  escaped  into  Cadiz  came 
out,  in  hopes  of  retaking  some  of  the  disabled 
prizes,  the  prisoners,  in  the  Argonauta,  in  a  body, 
offered  their  services  to  the  British  prize-master,  to 
man  the  guns  against  any  of  the  French  ships  : 
saying,  that  if  a  Spanish  ship  came  alongside,  they 
would  quietly  go  below ;  but  they  requested  that 
they  might  be  allowed  to  fight  the  French,  in  re- 
sentment for  the  murderous  usage  which  they  had 
suffered  at  their  hands.  Such  was  their  earnest- 
ness, and  such  the  implicit  confidence  which  could 


348  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  [1805. 

be  placed  in  Spanish  honour,  that  the  offer  was 
accepted,  and  they  were  actually  stationed  at  the 
lower  deck  guns.  Dumanoir  and  his  squadron 
were  not  more  fortunate  than  the  fleet  from  whose 
destruction  they  fled:  they  fell  in  with  Sir  Richard 
Strachan,  who  was  cruising  for  the  Rochefort  squa- 
dron, and  were  all  taken.  In  the  better  days  of 
France,  if  such  a  crime  could  then  have  been  com- 
mitted, it  would  have  received  an  exemplary  pu- 
nishment from  the  French  government :  under 
Buonaparte,  it  was  sure  of  impunity,  and,  perhaps, 
might  be  thought  deserving  of  reward.  But,  if  the 
Spanish  court  had  been  independent,  it  would 
have  become  us  to  have  delivered  Dumanoir  and 
his  captains  up  to  Spain,  that  they  might  have 
been  brought  to  trial,  and  hanged  in  sight  of  the 
remains  of  the  Spanish  fleet. 

The  total  British  loss  in  the  battle  of  Trafalgar 
amounted  to  one  thousand  five  hundred  and  eighty- 
seven.  Twenty  of  the  enemy  struck ;  but  it  was 
not  possible*  to  anchor  the  fleet,  as  Nelson  had  en- 
joined;— a  gale  came  on  from  the  south-west;  some 
of  the  prizes  went  down,  some  went  on  shore  ;  one  ef- 

•  In  the  former  editions  it  was  said  that  unhappily  the  fleet 
did  not  anchor  :  implying  an  opinion  that  Nelson's  orders 
ought  to  have  been  followed  by  his  successor.  From  the  re- 
cently published  Memoirs  and  Correspondence  of  Lord  CoHing- 
wood,  it  appears  that  this  was  not  practicable,  and  that  if  it  had, 
and  had  been  done,  the  consequences,  from  the  state  of  the 
weather  (which  Nelson  could  not  foresee),  would,  in  all  likeli- 
hood, iiave  been  more  disastrous  than  they  were. 

Having  thus  referred  to  Lord  CoUingwood's  life,  I  may  be 
allowed  to  say,  that  the  publication  of  that  volume  is  indeed  a 
national  good  ; — it  ought  to  be  in  every  officer's  cabin,  and 
in  every  statesman's  cabinet. 


1805.]  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  349 

fected  its  escape  into  Cadiz  ;  others  were  destroyed ; 
four  only  were  saved,  and  those  by  the  greatest  exer- 
tions. The  wounded  Spaniards  were  sent  ashore, 
an  assurance  being  given  that  they  should  not  serve 
till  regularly  exchanged ;  and  the  Spaniards,  with 
a  generous  feeling,  which  would  not,  perhaps,  have 
been  found  in  any  other  people,  offered  the  use  of 
their  hospitals  for  our  wounded,  pledging  the  honour 
of  Spain  that  they  should  be  carefully  attended 
there.  When  the  storm,  after  the  action,  drove 
some  of  the  prizes  upon  the  coast,  they  declared 
that  the  English,  who  were  thus  thrown  into  their 
hands,  should  not  be  considered  as  prisoners  of 
war ;  and  the  Spanish  soldiers  gave  up  their  own 
beds  to  their  shipwrecked  enemies.  The  Spanish 
vice-admiral,  Alava,  died  of  his  wounds.  Ville- 
neuve  was  sent  to  England,  and  permitted  to  return 
to  France.  The  French  government  say  that  he 
destroyed  himself  on  the  way  to  Paris,  dreading 
the  consequences  of  a  court-martial :  but  there  is 
every  reason  to  believe  that  the  tyrant,  who  never 
acknowledged  the  loss  of  the  battle  of  Trafalgar, 
added  Villeneue  to  the  numerous  victims  of  his 
murderous  policy. 

It  is  almost  superfluous  to  add,  that  all  the 
honours  which  a  grateful  country  could  bestow,  were 
heaped  upon  the  memory  of  Nelson.  His  brother 
was  made  an  earl,  with  a  grant  of  £6000  a  year  ; 
£10,000  were  voted  to  each  of  his  sisters:  and 
£100,000  for  the  purchase  of  an  estate.  A  public 
funeral  was  decreed,  and  a  public  monument. 
Statues  and  monuments  also  were  voted  by  most 
of  our  principal  cities.    The  leaden  coffin,  in  which 

K    K 


350  LIFE  OF  NELSOX.  [1805. 

he  was  brought  home,  was  cut  in  pieces,  which 
were  distributed' as  reUcs  of  Saint  Nelson, — so  the 
gunner  of  the  Victory  called  them  ; — and  when,  at 
his  interment,  his  flag  was  about  to  be  lowered  into 
the  grave,  the  sailors,  who  assisted  at  the  ceremony, 
with  one  accord  rent  it  in  pieces,  that  each  might 
preserve  a  fragment  while  he  lived. 

The  death  of  Nelson  was  felt  in  England  as 
something  more  than  a  public  calamity :  men 
started  at  the  intelligence,  and  turned  pale ;  as  if 
they  had  heard  of  the  loss  of  a  dear  friend.  An 
object  of  our  admiration  and  affection,  of  our 
pride  and  of  our  hopes,  was  suddenly  taken  from 
us ;  and  it  seemed  as  if  we  had  never,  till  then, 
known  how  deeply  we  loved  and  reverenced  him. 
What  the  country  had  lost  in  its  great  naval  hero 
— the  greatest  of  our  own,  and  of  all  former  times, 
was  scarcely  taken  into  the  account  of  grief.  So 
perfectly,  indeed,  had  he  performed  his  part,  that 
the  maritime  war,  after  the  battle  of  Trafalgar,  was 
considered  at  an  end  :  the  fleets  of  the  enemy  were 
not  merely  defeated,  but  destroyed :  new  navies 
must  be  built,  and  a  new  race  of  seamen  reared  for 
them,  before  the  possibility  of  their  invading  our 
shores  could  again  be  contemplated.  It  was  not, 
therefore,  from  any  selfish  reflection  upon  the  mag- 
nitude of  our  loss  that  we  mourned  for  him  :  the 
general  sorrow  was  of  a  higher  character.  The 
people  of  England  grieved  that  funeral  ceremonies, 
and  public  monuments,  and  posthumous  rewards, 
were  all  which  they  could  now  bestow  upon  him, 
whom  the  king,  the  legislature,  and  the  nation, 
would  have  alike  delighted  to  honour ;  whom  every 


1805.]  LIFE  OF  NELSOK,  351 

tongue  would  have  blessed ;  whose  presence  in 
every  village  through  which  he  might  have  passed, 
would  have  wakened  the  church  bells,  have  given 
school-boys  a  holiday,  have  drawn  children  from 
their  sports  to  gaze  upon  him,  and  "  old  men  from 
the  chimney  corner,"  to  look  upon  Nelson  ere  they 
died.  The  victory  of  Trafalgar  was  celebrated, 
indeed,  with  the  usual  forms  of  rejoicing,  but  they 
were  without  joy ;  for  such  already  was  the  glory 
of  the  British  navy,  through  Nelson's  surpassing 
genius,  that  it  scarcely  seemed  to  receive  any  addi- 
tion from  the  most  signal  victory  that  ever  was 
achieved  upon  the  seas :  and  the  destruction  of 
this  mighty  fleet,  by  which  all  the  maritime  schemes 
of  France  were  totally  frustrated,  hardly  appeared 
to  add  to  our  security  or  strength  ;  for,  while  Nel- 
son was  living,  to  watch  the  combined  squadrons 
of  the  enemy,  we  felt  ourselves  as  secure  as  now, 
when  they  were  no  longer  in  existence. 

There  was  reason  to  suppose,  from  the  appear- 
ances upon  opening  the  body,  that,  in  the  course 
of  nature,  he  might  have  attained,  like  his  father, 
to  a  good  old  age.  Yet  he  cannot  be  said  to  have 
fallen  prematurely  whose  work  was  done ;  nor 
ought  he  to  be  lamented,  who  died  so  full  of 
honours,  and  at  the  height  of  human  fame.  The 
most  triumphant  death  is  that  of  the  martyr ;  the 
most  awful  that  of  the  martyred  patriot ;  the  most 
splendid  that  of  the  hero  in  the  hour  of  victory : 
and  if  the  chariot  and  the  horses  of  fire  had  been 
vouchsafed  for  Nelson's  translation,  he  could 
scarcely  have  departed  in  a  brighter  blaze  of  glory. 
He  has  left  us,  not  indeed  his  mantle  of  inspira- 


352  LIFE  OF  NELSON.  [1805. 

tion,  but  a  name  and  an  example,  which  are  at  this 
hour  inspiring  thousands  of  the  youth  of  England  : 
a  name  which  is  our  pride,  and  an  example  which 
will  continue  to  be  our  shield  and  our  strength. 
Thus  it  is  that  the  spirits  of  the  great  and  the  wise 
continue  to  live  and  to  act  after  them ;  verifying, 
in  this  sense,  the  language  of  the  old  mythologist : 

Toi  fiev  caijxovtg  tifft,  Aiog  fiiyaXs  ^la  liaXag 
EffSXoi,  tmxQovioi,  ^vXaKtg  SrvrfTtov  av^pwvuiv. 


THE  END. 


C,  WHITTINUHAM,  TOOKS  COURT,  CHANCERY  LANt.