believe what he said; and that she would tell him what was the matter with him; that he was longing to get at these French and Spanish fleets; that he considered them as his property, and would be miserable if any other man but himself did the business; that he must have them as the price and reward of his long watching, and two years uncomfortable situation in the Mediterranean; and finished by saying 'Nelson, however we may lament your absence, and your so speedily leaving us, offer your services immediately to go off Cadiz: they will be accepted, and you will gain a quiet heart by it. You will have a glorious victory; and then you may come here, have your otium cum dignitate, and be happy.' He looked at her ladyship for some moments; and, with tears in his eyes, exclaimed "brave Emma! good Emma! if there were more Emmas, there would be more Nelsons. You have penetrated my thoughts. I wish all you say, but was afraid to trust even myself with reflecting on the subject. However, I will go to town.' He went accordingly, next morning, accompanied by her ladyship, and his sisters. They left him at the admiralty, on the way to lady Hamilton's house in Clarges-street; and soon after received a note, informing them that the Victory was telegraphed not to go into port, and begging they would prepare every thing for his departure. This," says the biographer, "is the true history of that affecting affair. Her ladyship feels, most severely, that she was the cause of his going: but as she loved his glory, she could not resist giving him such advice."

Now, in all this "true history," as the writer has the audacity to call it, there is not one particle of truth; for captain Blackwood called at Merton by appointment, to apprise him of the news; immediately on which, and before lady Hamilton knew any thing of the matter, his lordship expressed his satisfaction at the intelligence, being convinced that he should now be able to give Villeneuve a drabbing.

He accordingly began to arrange matters for his speedy departure; having, indeed, already held consultations with the admiralty on the subject. Bound, as Nelson was, in the fascinating arms of his Dalilah, he had not lost his sense of public duty, nor his love of glory. But though he cannot, in justice, be deprived of the merit of having acted with perfect freedom of mind, in following the call of honour to the last wreath which it procured him, yet a melancholy evidence appeared under his own hand to prove how completely his affections remained spell-bound to the last day of his existence. In the morning, when he was preparing for action, with the enemy in view, he drew up the following very extraordinary statement, as a kind of testamentary bequest.

"Whereas the eminent services of Emma Hamilton, widow of the right honourable sir William Hamilton, have been of the very greatest service to our king and country, to my knowledge, without her 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 inclination 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 afforded, 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 command 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 being supplied with every thing, should they put into any port in Sicily. We put into Syracuse, and received every supply; went to Egypt, and destroyed the French fleet.

66 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 Hamilton, therefore, a legacy to my king and country; that they will give her an ame ple provision to maintain her rank in life.

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

66

'These are the only favours I ask of my king and country, at this moment, when I am going to fight their battle. May God bless my king and country, and all those I hold dear! My relations it is needless to mention; they will, of course, be amply provided for."

That his lordship felt the truth of what is stated in this paper cannot be questioned; but it has been already seen, that her ladyship's merits, even as here represented, were shamefully overrated; and that, in reality, she had no claims at all for acts which her husband ought to have performed; while of the first it may be said, that however adroitly it was managed, it had in it more art than honesty.

When it was ascertained that the wound which Nelson received was mortal, his thoughts fluctuated wholly between his glory and his love: "I am going fast," said he : "it will be all over with me soon. Let my dear lady Hamilton have my hair, and all other things belonging to me." Afterwards he observed, "what would become of poor lady Hamilton if she knew my situation!" On being informed of the number of ships captured, he expressed his satisfaction, and then reverting again to the subject most interesting to his mind, he said, "take care of my dear lady Hamilton, Hardy; take care of poor lady Hainilton." Among his last words were these: " doctor, remember me to lady Hamilton, remember me to Horatia! Tell her I have made a will, and left her a legacy to my country."

Thus fell that illustrious commander, of whom, if we

have been compelled to relate some circumstances that cast a shade over his private character, it has solely risen from the necessity of obeying the voice of truth, and of doing justice to the cause of injured virtue; not from a wish to wound the feelings of the living, or to disparage the real merits of the dead.

CHAPTER XVI.

When you are liberal of your loves and counsels,
Be sure you are not loose: those you make friends,
And give your hearts to, when they once perceive
The least rub in your fortunes, fall away

Like water from ye, never found again,

But where they mean to sink ye......Shakspeare.

THOUGH lady Hamilton had some satisfaction in finding that her influence over the great naval chief remained undiminished to the last moment of his existence, that pleasure was soon abated, on perceiving a marked change in the deportment of those who had in his lifetime been most desirous of securing his favour by cultivating her acquaintance. She now felt the difference between that attachment which is the effect of esteem, and that which is procured by interest. The manner in which lord Nelson remembered her in his will had a powerful effect, no doubt, in consoling her mind under the loss she had sustained by his death; and the neglect which it produced on the part of those who out of complaisance to him had been accustomed to treat her with superabundant kindness, was somewhat alleviated by the conviction that her dominion over him was not shaken even by the terrors of dissolution.

Her picture, and that of Horatia, adorned his cabin, and

these objects were contemplated by him with as much enthusiastic delight, as the representations of saints are beheld by the devout worshippers of the church of Rome. Here let us close the catalogue of Nelson's infirmities, and the mournful display of his inexcusable failings; but before the curtain is drawn over the weak part of his character, it is necessary, for the great end of moral instruction, that a caveat should be entered against that unpardonable, but too common, error of making the splendour of great actions and transcendent talents an excuse for aberrations from the line of private duty, and the still more shameful practice of setting off occasional fits of devotion, and some eminent instances of liberality, as a kind of atonement for habitual adultery. That this extraordinary man had a general reverence for religion, and that he possessed many excellent qualities, both of the heart and understanding, cannot be denied; yet, amidst all this, it must with justice be said of him that he was not so much a virtuous man as an admirer of virtue, and that religion in him was not an active operating principle, but a fluctuating sentiment of mental feeling.

It is greatly to be lamented that few, if any, exertions were made by those who enjoyed his confidence to draw him from that perilous situation into which he had suffered himself to be deluded; while, on the contrary, it seemed to be the study of them all to encourage him in his folly, by redoubling their attentions to the enchantress who had bewitched him, in proportion as they saw that he was gratified by these courtesies. His nearest relations, instead of being scandalized by the connexion which he had formed, were eager to gain his favour by courting the smiles of his mistress; and while his unoffending wife was left to pick up the casual pity and consolations of strangers, the woman who had succeeded in exiling her from the house and the heart of her lord revelled in luxury, surrounded by all the branches of the family of both