Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson

“ The ships he had were well equipped, and his confidence in all the officers and men was precisely the same as they themselves felt in their adored commander—he believed them to be absolutely invincible. The ships which accompanied his lordship in this memorable pursuit, were—the Victory of a hundred and ten guns, Vice-Admiral Lord Viscount Nelson, Rear-Admiral Murray, and Captain Hardy ”

“ Whilst I serve, I will serve well, and closely; when I want rest, I will go to Merton.
You know, my dear Emma, that I am never well when it blows hard. Therefore, imagine what a cruize off Toulon is; even in summer time, we have a hard gale every week, and two days heavy swell.
It would kill you; and myself, to see you. Much less possible, to have
Charlotte, Horatia, &c. on board ship!
And I, that have given orders to carry no women to sea in the Victory, to be the first to break them!
And, as to Malta, I may never see it, unless we have an engagement ”

“ Lady Nelson unfortunately regarded all his lordship's relations as the natural enemies of her son; whom she seems, unaccountably, to have considered as the rightful heir of her husband's honours. This improvident young man, however, far from conciliating his father-in-law's esteem, had insulted him with more grossness than his lordship ever experienced from any other person; and, consequently, estranged himself, as much as possible, from his heart. Had any other human being acted exactly in the same manner, it is not improbable that his life might have paid the forfeiture. ”

“ After dinner, Lord Nelson, with admirable address, gave "Captain Foley!" as his toast: a friend and brother officer, he said, than whom there was not a braver or a better man in his majesty's service. He had been with him in all his chief battles; deserved to participate in every honour; and was, his lordship had the pleasure to add, in that respectable company, not only a Welshman, but a native of the county of Pembroke. ”

“ The original of the creation of Lord Viscount Nelson, before Baron of Burnham Thorpe in the county of Norfolk, to the Barony of Hilborough in the same county, is expressed in terms at once so highly honourable to the sovereign from whom they proceeded, and to his lordship, in whose just praise they are thus publicly addressed by his Majesty to the whole world as well as to posterity, that it is judged proper to give a complete and correct copy of this curious and interesting document to the reader, as obtained from the office of the royal signet. ”

“ DEAR SIR, I received your letter by Mr. Campbell. He is lodged with us. We find him a pleasant man; and shall write fully by him. He will tell you a little how we go on, as to our domestic happiness. We are more united and comfortable than ever, in spite of the infamous Jacobin papers, jealous of Lord Nelson's glory, and Sir William's and mine. But we do not mind them. Lord N. is a truly virtuous and great man; and, because we have been fagging, and ruining our health, and sacrificing every comfort, in the cause of loyalty, our private characters are to be stabbed in the dark. ”

“ Woe to the woman who, wedded to a man with superlative merits, whatever they may be, which are acknowledged and admired by all the world, feels alone insensible of her husband's transcendent worth! Where there is genius, the warmth of affection is seldom wanting; if it be not returned with ardour, it kindles into a fierce and dangerous flame. Lady Nelson's ideas were so little congenial with those of his lordship, that she is said never to have asked him a single question relative to that glorious victory which had so astonished the world. ”

“ The weakness of over-zealous friends is often more prejudicial than the most violent efforts of professed enemies. No man 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 John Jervis, than the Earl of St. Vincent. ”

“ Though Lord Nelson was, now, established commander in chief, in some sense for the first time, the dread with which his name inspired the enemy rendered the service far too inactive for his lordship's taste. To watch the motions of a timid enemy, and wait the tedious periods of their venturing out, was to him a most irksome task. He disdained, however, any strict blockade of Toulon: but encouraged the boastful fleet, ignominiously skulking there, to come fairly forward; by always leaving them sufficient sea room ”

“ I have to request, that your excellency will have the goodness to assure their majesties, that I am penetrated with their condescension in noticing this battle; which, I most fervently pray, may add security to their majesties throne, and peace and happiness to all mankind. The hand of God was visibly pressed upon the French; and, I hope, there is not a person in the British fleet, who does not attribute this great victory to the blessing of the Almighty on our exertions in a just cause. With every sentiment of respect, believe, me, your excellency's most obedient,
"Horatio Nelson." ”

“ Lord Nelson often mentioned his progress through South Wales to Milford, as an affecting contrast of the genuine enthusiasm of natural character, to the cold expression of ministerial approbation by which his reception had been marked on his return from the Mediterranean, when Lord Keith was sent to take the chief command of the fleet in those seas. The corporate towns, villages, nobility, and gentry, on the line through which his route was directed, vied with each other to detain him, that their neighbours might participate in the joy they felt on the arrival of the hero. ”

“ Addington had given you the pension; Pitt, and hard-hearted
Grenville, never will.
What a fortune the death of Lord Camelford gives him!
Every thing you tell me about my dear Horatia charms me. I think I see her, hear her, and admire her; but, she is like her dear, dear mother.
I am sorry, if your account of George Martin's wife is correct; he deserved a better fate. But, he is like Foley; gave up a great deal, to marry the relation of a great man: although, in fact, she is no relation to the Duke of Portland.
I wish, I could but be at dear Merton, to assist in making the alterations. ”

“ LETTER LIV. Victory, September 29th, 1804.
This day, my dearest Emma, which gave me birth, I consider as more fortunate than common days; as, by my coming into this world, it has brought me so intimately acquainted with you, who my soul holds most dear. I well know that you will keep it, and have my dear Horatia to drink my health. Forty-six years of toil and trouble! How few more, the common lot of mankind leads us to expect ”

“ The Duke of Clarence, previously to Lord Nelson's departure, took a dinner with him at Merton; when his lordship, pointing to his nephews, nieces, &c. who were seated at a separate table, observed: to his royal highness, that the sight of these young persons associated under his roof constituted the chief bliss of his life.
Among this amiable and interesting group, was Miss Horatia Nelson Thompson, Lord Nelson's adopted daughter, then an infant about five years of age. What real affinity, if any, that charming child may bear to his lordship, is a secret at present known by few ”

“ In fact, the exertions of Lord Nelson, during the whole of this arduous and perplexing service, were inconceivably great. He had, besides the usual cares of a commander in chief, the very difficult task of conciliating a variety of discordant states, from whom he was under the necessity of drawing constant supplies of fresh provisions and other requisites, which they were deterred from affording by the dread of a powerful and unprincipled enemy, perpetually menacing them with destruction, whatever degrees of amity they might either possess, or profess, for this country. ”

“ Three letters were this day written by Lord Nelson to the Earl of St. Vincent; one of them has a conclusion so forcibly interesting, on several accounts, that it must on no account be omitted. What a picture it affords, of a contrariety of contending passions, struggling, at the same moment, in the bosom of this wonderful man; ever, as it should seem, feeling with too much energy, for the stability of it's own prolonged peace!
"All in this house have been ill, and are still. Our great queen, who truly admires you; our dear, invaluable Lady Hamilton; our good Sir William ”

“ Scarcely a day now passed, that Lord Nelson did not send some information to Captain Ball, for the purpose of inspiriting his depressed hopes in the conduct of this arduous undertaking; and, certainly, the indefatigability of his lordship, in labouring to obtain every requisite aid for the accomplishment of this important object, was impossible to be surpassed, and has probably never been equalled. Every risk, the purity of his heroic mind was prepared to encounter; every honour, it's dignified humility was desirous of yielding to all who should assist in the enterprize. ”

“ It is by no means pretended, that the captors of rich prizes, the possessors of advantageous stations, and commanders in chief, are not all of them justly and most honourably entitled to the vast wealth they have often the good fortune to acquire; it is only lamented, that our hero was, in these respects, constantly so peculiarly unfortunate. After the Earl of St. Vincent left the Mediterranean command, Lord Nelson was soon superceded by the arrival of Lord Keith; and, when Sir Hyde Parker returned home, after the battle of Copenhagen, his lordship almost immediately followed. ”

“ Lord Nelson had, also, on his return to Palermo, received a letter from his friend, Lord Minto; which, he observed in his answer, gave equal pleasure to Sir William, Lady Hamilton, and himself. "Yesterday," says his lordship, writing on the 24th, "your whole letter was read to the queen. I am charged to say every thing which is grateful, and thankful, on her majesty's behalf. But, I know, I need not say much; as she intends, I believe, to write you herself. We all have the most affectionate regard for your public and private character ”

“ Though Lord Nelson was much gratified by this capture, which reduced the number of French ships that had escaped at the battle off the Nile to the single one of Le Guillaume Tell, then blocked up at Malta, his health appeared daily on the decline. Still, however, his spirits seem to have remained lively; for, in writing on the occasion, to Palermo, he desires Prince Leopold will tell his august father, that he is, he believes, the first Duke of Bronte who ever took a French seventy-four. ”

“ Captain Nelson continued actively employed in the West Indies, till the Peace of 1783; but Lord Rodney's famous victory of the 12th of April 1782, which led finally to that event, had so completely damped the ardour of the enemy, that little or nothing farther occurred, worthy of particular notice. At the conclusion of the war, he had the honour of attending his Royal Highness the Duke of Clarence on a visit which he paid to the Governor of the Havannah; a circumstance which contributed still more powerfully to cement their mutual friendship. ”

“ I have much to do, being the last day on board; but ever, my dearest friend, believe me your truly affectionate
NELSON & BRONTE.
I am literally starving with cold; but my heart is warm.
I suppose I shall dine with Lutwidge: but I am not very desirous of it; for I shall have Sutton, Bedford, and Hardy, with me.
You must prepare Banti's mother, as it is a peace, for some other line of life than the navy. Yesterday, he sold a pair of silver buckles; he would soon ruin poor Charles, who is really a well-disposed boy.
I never shall get warm again, I believe. I cannot feel the pen. ”

“ The Fellow ought to be kicked, for his impudence."
This French governor, it seems, with true Gallic insolence, had the audacity to require, among other unreasonable conditions, that they should embark horses for France, as well as carry away all the pillaged property; but Lord Nelson was not thus to be trifled with. "The greatest care," said his lordship, in a letter of the 3d of August, to Captain Darby, "is to be taken that no property, which they did not bring with them into the country can be theirs, or is suffered to be carried away. We are to send them to France: and will, properly ”

“ Lord Nelson informed Earl Spencer, in a private letter, as well as the Admiralty Board in a public one to Mr. Nepean, that he had desired Commodore Troubridge to send extracts of all his letters to him, as temporary commander in chief of the Mediterranean fleet, with the terms on which the French evacuated the Roman state. "I sincerely congratulate your lordship," concludes Lord Nelson to Earl Spencer, "on this event, so honourable to our country; for the French would treat with no country but Britain." ”

“ It is, I thank God, only six days before I shall be with you, and to be shewn all the beauties of Merton. I shall like it, leaves or no leaves.
No person there 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 the best.
I have a letter from Mr. Trevor, begging me to recommend a youngster for him; but, none before your Charles.
Banti, I suppose, must return; but, at present, we know not what ships are to be kept in commission. ”