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Ire Maps, plates, charts, etc., may be filmed at different reduction ratios. Those too large to be entirely included in one exposure are filmed beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many frames as required. The following diagrams illustrate the method: Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent Atre filmAs A des taux de reduction diffArents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour Atre reproduit en un seul clichA. 11 est filmA A partir de I'angle supArieur gauche, de gauche A droite. et de haut en bas. en prenant le nombre d'images nAcessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mAthode. y errata 9d to nt ne pelure, i^on A T\ 1 2 3 32X 1 2 3 4 5 6 s LIF] 'UK SOUTIIEY'S LIFE OF NELSON, .11 i-.'Si CJIAPTEUS VJl., Vlll. 6l IX. WITH LIFE OFSOUTllEY, SOUTIIEY'S LITERATURE AN ARTICLE ON PROSE COMPOSITION, NOTES, &c. BY T. C. L. ARMSTRONG, R. A. t FOR THK TTSE OF CANDFDATKS TIlKl'AHIXd FOR UxVIVEUSITV MATKKJIJLATION AND TEACllEHS' CP:1{TIKI(;ATES. li ii AS TORONTO! TiiK (Joi'P, Ci,AHK CoMrANY (I.iMri'KD). i'riii,isiir,i;s, Front Stirut Wont. 1681). 1 "4 hil ■ ' P' 1* Mto Enton-d accordiiiif to Act of tlie Piirliiiinuiit of Catiada, in the year one tliousaiid ei^'ht hunJieJ and uiiflity-six, by TiiK Copi'-Clark Comi-any, (Limited), in tlic Ottice of till! Minister of Ai;riculture. fhs (Icvoi 1)1 dill aii'l < on )ii liini fdlUl cjvrl.v - he CI alsn iiiK 1 T acco )X'iic thouauiid ITEU), in the RoREUT RoTTTiiKY was bom at Bristol, on the 10th of Aiipni'^t, 1774. Hia fatlici' was a small linen drapor of that town, and nianaf^^cd from his business tverend ITerlwrt Hill, English Chaplain at Lisbon. Here ho devoted mor(> of his tinu^ to old books of romance and h^gends than to the r)rdina,ry routiiK' of studies. SiM'nser and Tasso ca)»tivat of Wasliin /ton ; of the fall of the liastile, anerty rising from the grave rtf contmies and bursting her iron fetters. Liberty is of slow growth fv. 1 ! ":!■ VI. LIFE OF SOUTITFY. U: however ; she comoH timidly and reluctiintly to dwell with uum, but peoijli . especially the j'tiniip, did not tlicn rcco^niize this fact. Tlirlr hearts were fidl of enthiisiasin for the iiiiinils<' that would "Kiiij,' out tlie old, ring in thf ni^w," and all l(M)ked for tlic s|M)edy fwlvcnt of a millennial iij;*' of lii^^her and purer existence. Years after, when Southey's heart had l)ocame somewhat sobered by age, he wrote : " 1 left Westminster in a ]« lilous state -a heart full of piety and feeling' a In ad full of liosseau and Werther, and my reli- gious principles shaken l)y (liblMin. Many circumstances t<'ndet'ar lui matriculated int^i I'alliol College. He never liked Oxford, and leanuHl but little during his coursi; tlii're. One book, however, made a deep imi)ression on him this was JOpictetus, the stoic, of which he .afterwards wroU' : "Twelve years ago 1 carried Epictetus iu my jxickc't till my very heart was ingr.aintid with it, and the longer I live and the more 1 learn the more 1 am convinccxl that stoicism, projierly undeistodfl, is the Iwst an(lnol)lest ot Hyst.<'ms.'' The inii)ression then made nevia* wore olf — a. pliilosophic stoicism, mel- lowed in later life by OlniUian faith, ohanict.ut iti tliat very year tli<' t-(arib]e (ixcesses in Paris thicw him into despair. The i'eiiii>\;d of iKaeditirj- I'ulers ha.ge of prejudice, al)use and tyranny w.as not to Ims suddenly repl.a<;egretted it. lie thou'vht at one tiuie of studying meclicine, but his mind was too stiongly ))iasse 1 toward litt'iature and was full of Utopian dreams. Ameriea was, he tlnmglit, th(^ oidy jilace in which he could live, liis Ar- c.adi.an life of cultured inmK'enee ; and meeting, about tliis time, anothei' ITtopi.an |)]c. ■art.s were iiig in tlic liglier iind HOUlCWllllt e -a heart id my reli- 'i tf) give uiIcHomest his fathfr <■ i>r(is|)tct luit by Ills lie (uitimni urs(! therp. JO])ict('tus, I ] ciinicd it, iuid the t .stoicism, ici.sm, inel- ■ last. Wo )S with his how(!ver. a nsificd and (xni of Aro, and h.'itied thii'w him 1 the ifjfnor- |ii'fjii",t of Arc, and a series of lectures by Southey and Coleridge still fail'v-h' t<» raise mcmey, Southey jiccepted his uncle's invitation to spend six months in Lisbon, a step which highly offended Coleridge. l?efore going he secretly married his Edith ; but pantisocracy was dead ; the Susquehanna uas allowed to roll its sleepy waters through vales of unenlightened dark- ness. The revolutionary ardour of the young autlior of Jihdi of Arc and iViit Tyhr was from this day merged in the embryo Toryism of the futiu-e jioet laureate. On his return from Lisbon he took up the study of law, but devoted his time to his poem Mitdoc, which he had now begun. H<^ also wrote regularly for several magazines. In 1800, he again went to Portugal, where he utilized his visit by collecting materials for a Hixtory of Portuyal, wliich, however, was nev<'r HnisluHl, and a Histor/i of Jiiuzil, which he afterwards published. He also whih' there prepared Thalahd for the press. On returning to Britain he became Secretary to Mr. Corry, Chancellor of the ExcluMpier for Irciland, but soon resigned the ixist and, in 1803, took up his residence with Coleridge, at Exeter Hall, near Keswick, in the lake district. Keswick, from this time forward, became his home; with him lived Cole- lidge, and near him lived Wordsworth ; hence the three were called by .lelfrey the Lake School, but there was little in connnon among them to constitute a school of poets. The chief revenue for Exeter Hall came from Southey's busy pen, as- sisted by an annuity of £1(W, which liad been given him by his college friend Wynn. He now d(!Votd Scotland and si)ent three days with Scott, where he mot Lord Jeffrey, the critic of the Edinhiiry Itcview. This n agazine was hi' coming t(M) liberal for Scott and Southey, and a new one, the Quarterly, was .-itartejtl in 180!i, to which Southey became a regular contributor. His Life of Nelson was originally an article in the fifth muuber of the new quarterly. He had by this time become (piite conservative in his views and orthodox in his belief, and although hts could discuss in theory political and social reiiiu au doairuble when the people were prepared for them, lie opiM)8ed the It Vlll. LIFE OF SOrTIIRY. w hi 1 •■ ! ■ r :\ 1 ^ ? Reform r>ill, Free Triidc luul Civtholic Eniiincii'ation a« jj^oiny too far and too fast. He was apjioiiited VovX Laun;ate in 1S1;>, on the deatli of I'yc. The position added tlK) a year to hia income, with which he insured liis life. Other honours came ti> him now. He was piven the degree of LL. I), by Oxford in 1.S2'); elected to Parliament in 1S2(», hut he never sat; he was (.ftVrcd and declined Knighthood in ISiJo, and had insU'ad an anniia! pension of V'AOV conferred upon him by Sir Kolxn-t Peel. But, while tlu'sc public honours were being heai>cd uinm hiui, domestic attliction was darkening his life. In this same year, 1S35, liis wife dietl. His favourite son Herlwrt, and a dauglit^'r had previously died, .'Uid tlie loss of his wife gave his fixculti«'s u blow from which they never fully recovered ; a gloom seemed to settle on him and his mind became gradually weaker. Two years later hi' marrieor, and left him " patting with both hands his books atfectionately lik(^ a child." In this state he continued, with occasional gleams of iutelligejice, but lie gradually sank till his death occurnxl in 1843. Southey as a man had many noble (jualities ; his purity, kind-hearted sym))athy, and self-sacrificing devotion present a jiicturc of a good and true man. He himself lived, as far as lean coidd, the jnu-c ideal he taught in his books, liusj' as his .ife was, he found time to flevote U> others wliose lot w.as worse than his own. At one time we fiufl him efliting Chatt^'rton's poems, after the (lea th of that strange genius, by which he netted OM) tKi assist his sisters, at another time, throvigh sympathetic kindness, editing Kirk White's Remains. In \nanner, he was constitutionally bashful and re- served, qualities that were intensified by his long devotion to retirement and study. He had a large hcnirt, but he cloaked his feeling,! under a studie»', and left .1." In this e jjfradiially ind-heaited d .and true lupht in his •s wliose jet Jhatt^'iton's ted €;{()() t^. ■ss, editing iful and re- rement and •r a studied id ; I covei • mode, l)ut iid not the if the ideal Ai'ise with ' of nature, tain home, SOUTHEYS LITERATURE. PiOi'TilKV's whole life was devotwl to letters, yet his influence on the (•(Hirseiif I''ii;^]ish (iiteratiire has l)een comparatively small. His poetry is chietly of the narrative form, which had been made iK)i)ular by Scott, but with Southe.N' it labours luider the disa caus(i Wius a great national cause, and the feeling was int<'usi(ied hyCenturiew of traditicm, while the incidents were wcmderful in themselves. Ail these aiJjxialed strongly to Southey's nature, yet he t^'lls the stirring tak in eas.v, graceful prose, hia feelings, indeed, at glowing heat throughout, but the style maiTitained in an e(|uable stoic calmness till the impassioned close when, for a moment, it bursts ferth into flame in a tribute of praise and rratitude to the departed hero, The I ix 1 ?. i z. 80UTI1KY.S LITRRATUHE. heroic s])irit. mikI dcvotcil loyalty of Nclsini arc kept ])roiiiiiu'ivt through out tho narrativf of his wonderful achievements in fightinj,' for the safetj and lionour of his country : — ' VI, : I H ' i^i ill'^> t, i m\ W '1 ' I flit il'' " That white-faced shore' Whose foot sirtirns back tho ocean'n roarinj^ tides, — Even that Eiif,'land, hedyed in witli the main. That water-walled bulwark, still secure And conhdent from foreign purijosea," throuf^li the safety PROSE COMPOSITION. m Familiarity with tho bost models and practice in cniTiposition are essen- tial re(|uisit are sutficient if the student is fortunate enough to possess an artistic literary sensiltility that will It'od him to appreciate and imitate the great masters, but in the cvse of each, it iy neverthless true that "True ease in writing comes by art, not chance, As those move easiest who have learned to dance." This art must be acqmred by mdividual effort guided by a knowledge of the principles of rhetoric. A f(nv of thos(> principles, as far as they relate to prose composition, are given below. They are founded on Prof((ssor Gain's Composition and Rhetoric, to which tiie student is directed for a fuller treatment of the aubject. VOCABULARY. The student should cultivate the habit of carefully selecting the proper wcnda and phrases to express his thoughts. Our language is rich in synony- mous terms, owing largely to the fact tliat our stock of words lias come to us from various other languages. This iwculiarity mscessitates a thoroiigh knowledge of the meaning and use of each word, and often requires nice taste in selecting the most suitable word. It affords us also a means f)f varying our diction to suit the language to the subject or to the nature of the thoughts. Our diction and phraseology thus differ in conversation and oratory, in conunon prose and in impassioned prose, while i)oetry differs from all prose in nuich of its diction and phras(M)logy. A correct taste in the use of words, i)hraseM and idioms should, tlierefore, bo cultivated, and the student cannot begin too early in acquiring the habit of neatness and accuracy of expression. The habit once formed will " grow by what it feeds on," and may help to develop in the student the keen sensibility that marks the cultured mind. THE SENTENCE. As the sentence is the foimdation of comiK)sition, great care should be taken in its formation. Skill in sentence building requires a knowledge of the princii)les of rhetoric as far as they relate to th(> order and the number of words used, the melody and rhythm of their sounds, and the various kinds of [xi.l i^ : XU. PROSE rOMPORITION. snntonccs — th(> looso, the [>'iii>'lic, the baliuiced iinrl thr coiiflciiscd— all n) whicli iirc very im|M>rtiUit, hut '.> 'youd the.su<>i>i' of tlicstj notii.s ; a. few gciioiiil jtriiiciplHa iu scnteiico .structure, howjver, are the fullowiug : — 1. A serioH of long or of short sentences is tiresome. 2. Words, phrases anrl clauses should be st) placed that their gnirii- matical relation may Vw n^adily soon. 3. The begiiiiiinf!: and the end are th( emphatic i)la<'es in a .sentence, and it is a ceninion rhetorical (expedient to empliiusize important wordii or pluases by transf(,'rrinK them from their natural p'hico to the beginning or the end of the Bontencr. 4. A sentence .-ihoiild have unity; one main tl.ought should !>(> promi nent thnnighout. This unity may'be jneserved by the following means : — (1) Do not shift the scene in the course of a sentence. (2) Do not croud into one HentoiTco heterog(!neous ideas. (;}) Avoid excess of parentheses. (4) Add nothing aftor a full and i)orfect close. THE PARAGRAPH. The present tcnrlency of l"]nglish jtrose \vrit<'rs is to make suhjfHJtH prominent and distinct by exactness in pamgrai)hi7ig. Our prose has vv- diMM'd sentence structure t,o a scii-nce, but the [laragraph has been (!onii)ara- tively negh'cted up to the present. Like the s(>ntence, it was formerly long and disjf)int<'d, and like the .sentence, it is now made shorter, jnain'a rules for the paragrajth are the following: — 1. It should have unity of .subject matter, and should Ihj free from digressions or irrelevant sentenci's. 2. The ojK'uing scTitence, unless oliviously preparatory, should indicate with lU'ominence the subject of the paragraidi. ,S. The iM'iuing of (^ach sent^-nce ui>on what pri'cc^des should lif- (\yplicit and nnmistakabl(!. This is most important. The relation of one sentence or of ont^ paragraph to another, -hoMld be dearly shown by the careful use of the lU'ojM^r conjunctions or phra.ses. 4. A paragraph should 1«> consecutive. The thnijul of thought ought to run through it without intM and narration. sc;l— Jill ,,f tiwgcnoiiil itciipc, .lllfl or phrases or tllf v.ur] Im' jirniiii inciiiis : — 'os(( hiis re- '11 fMiiiiiuiia riiicrly loiij,' )n' (vmiiiaot Dllowing: — 3 free from ilcl indieate bo nxplicit \\v snitciicr careful \isi\ lit oupfht to ' Hamc idoa, I callfd tho L-ati! should ^ul)ordillat(' ii'diiifj; to itH riptii'M and PROSR COMPOSITIOX. Xlll. fn description, the ohjtvt is U> jm sent a dehnite iiioture to the niinil by iiU'iiMs of words. The art heri' is to follow s(»iiie geiujral jilan, so as to avoid Cdiifusint,' the mind witli a inultiplicity of details A ^eiu^ral outline ia aonietinies taken, and the details are methodically till(!vents to be conducted. These must be carefully ilistinguished ; tlie transitions from oiu^ to the other must Im,' clearly indicated, and the memory should lie occasionally refreshed by introductory summaries. Ifistory recounting the grand stream of human or national life admits of ;i certain elevation of style, and of many of the arts of jMK'try, lint Southey's easy narrative has little embellishment. He followed liis own directions as t (!()t («) 1 SOUTIIEY'S LIFE OF NELSON. \ \A 1. Nklson W!is woloonu'd in Eniifland with evory mark of populai' honour. At Yarmouth, wlici-o he. lanrliul, ovory ship olours. Th(>. mayor and corpora- the fr<'('(loMi of the town in th(i h.-irlnmr lioistcid he upon him witii tioii waited upon him witii tlie Ttu'cdoui ot tne town, aiu aocompanit'd him in procossion to church, with all the, naval olHcers on shon; and tlu; jtriiu'lpal inhalntants. Boniirjs and illuminations concluded the; day; and on the mor-ow the volunhM^r cavalry drew up and saluted him as he; dei)arted, and followed tin; cairiaj^e to the Ix^-ders of th(i county. At Tpswich tlu! p(M)pl(; came out to mcn-t him, drew liim a mile into the town and threci miU's out. (n) When lie was in tlio Af/nmcinnoiiho. \\\i>\\vd to rejn'cseut this place in ]'arliament, and some of his fri(Mids had consulted the leadinur nuMv of tlie (corporation; the result was not successful, and .Nelson, obsi^rv- inij; that Ik? would (Uideavour Ui rind out a pref(^ral)le j)ath into Pai'lia.ment, said tluin? mij.,dit come a time wIkmi tlie people of rpswich would think it an honour to have h.-id liim for their representatives. In Fxindon he was fofusted by the City, drawn hy the ]«)pulace from Ludj^ati! Hill to Ouildiiall, and received the thaidcs of the (Jonmion Council for his ^'reat victory, (b) and a ixolden-hilt^^d sword atudd(;d with diamonds. Nelson had every earthly bUissiiif; exc(?j)t domestic happin(!.ss: he had forfinted (c) that for ever. I'efore he had been thnie months in l^ni^land he separat«'d from Lady Nelson. Some of his la.st words to hei' were: "I call («od to witness there is nothinuj in you or your conduct that I wish otherwise." (f/) This was tUo (^onsecpience of his infatua e(i attachment to f^ady Hamilton, (o) It hikd Ix'fore I'aused a (juarnO with his son-in-law, and (/) [1 ] ' ! 2 SOUTH KYS LIFE OF NELSON. occasioned reinoiistiaiiccs from his truest frioncb?, wliiclt produced no other eflect than that of niakiiii^ liim displeased with them and more dissatisiied witli himself. 2. The (rt) Addington administration was just at this time formed, arid Nelson, who had solicited employment, and been made vice-admiral of the (h) hlue, was sent to the Baltic, as second in command under Sir Hyde Parker, by (c) Earl Ht. Vincent, the uv,\v Fii-st Lord of the Admiralty. The three nortlici'n Courts had fornunl a confederacy for making' England resign hvv (d) naval riglits. Of these Courts, Kussia was guided by the i)as)5ions of its empei'or, Paul, a man not without iits of gcMierosity and some natural goodness, but ssu'^joct to the wildest humours of caprice, and (e) crazed by tlie porhaps innocently possessed by weak {/) humanity. Deiniiark w,\s (ination fonnid- :lex.'isioji OW(^V<(|', 111 tVoni southey's life of nelson. 3 appointing Nelson to the command. The public pi-oporly murmured at seeing it entrusted to another; and he himself .said to Earl St. Vinecmt, that, circumstanced as \m was, this ('xpurable; so mild a winter had not lieen known in the Baltic for many years. When Nelson joined the fleet at Yarmouth he found the ad- miral "a little nervous about dark nights and fields of ice." •' i)ut we must brace up," (a) said he; "these are not times for nervous systems. I hope we sliall give our northern 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 cainiot take it from us, if our wooden walls have fair play." Before the fleet left Yarmouth it was sulliciently known that its destination was against Denmark. Some Danes, who })elong(Hl to the Aninzfyti fi"igate, went to Captain Riou, and telling him what they had heard, l>egged that he would get them cx(!hanged into a ship bound on some other destination. "They hiul no wisli," they said, "to quit the British service; hut they (uitreated that they might not be forced to fight against their own country." There wiis not in our whole navy M man who had a higher and more chivalrous sense of duty than Uiou. Tears came into his eyes while the men were s})eaking; without making any reply, he instantly ordeirtnl liis l)oat, and did not return to the Amazon until ho could tell them tliat tlunr wish was eflected. 4. The gat, he had rec(uved no ollicial couimuiiication whatevtu- of the intended operations. His own mind had Ikh;!! matl(> up ujk)ii them with its accustomed decision. "All 1 have gath(^r(>d ot our first plans,'' said lu;, "1 disapprove most exceedingly. JEonour may arise from themj good cannot. I luiJir wi; are likely to anchor outsidt^ of (Ji'ouenbui'g Castle, instd up iiis head." T). Ml'. Vansittart left the ileet at tlie Scaw, and preceded it in a frigate with a ilag of tiaice. Precious time was lo.st by this dcilay, whicli was to 1)0 pui'cha.s(>d by the dearest l)l(K)d of Britain and J)enmai'k: according to the Dailes them.wht^s, flu^ int^'lligence that a British Ileet was seen oil" the Sound pro next day addressed a letter to him worthy of himself and of the (xscasion. Mr. V^msittart's re[)ort had tlu'u Imhmi rcMteiscd. It represented th(^ Danish Govei'nment as in the highest degree liostile, and their state of tion as excecHlini; what our prep >pi>os possible; for ]>eeii given her. "The moro 1 lia\e reilccted," said Nelson to liis commander, "the; iiy other for the liis tinip, tllO llfH't (J.-lttcifflt, f of the up U})Oll IxTcd of 'cdiiigly. ir W(! arc ist(!a damage might be done among tiu^ masts and yards, though [u'rliaps not one on(i of them l)ut would be ser\ iceable again. "If the wind be fair," said he, "and you d(>termine to attack the ships and Ci'own Islands, you must exix'ct the natuial issu(> of such a battle — ships crij)i)led, and perhaps one or two lost, for the wind which carries you in will most proba])ly not bring out a cri})pled ship. Tiiis method I Ciill taking tlic bull by the horns. It, however, will not pnn'cMit the Ilevel ships or the Swinles from joining the Danes; and to prevent this is, in my humble opinion, a measure absolutely ne-'essary, and still t^) attack Copenhagen." Eor this he pro- posed two modes. One was to pass Cronenburg, taking the risk of danger, take the dei^pest and straightest chann(^l along the Middle Urounds, and then coming down the Garbar, or King's Channel, attack the Danish lino of iloating batteries and shi})s as might be found convenient. This would pr(!V(Mit a junction, and might giv(! an oi)i)ortunity of bond)arding Copenhagen. Or to take the passage of the Dc^lt, which might ))(^ accomplished in four or five diiys, and then the attack ])y i)raco might l)e made and the junction of tlu; llussians pre\ ented. ! : l.ll 1 'H wi4 i I !^t y Ml 6 SOITTIIKY S LIFK OF NELSON. .Supposini^ thorn throu<^h tlic Bolt, ho proposod tluit a dotihjh iiuiut of the ilc(3t should be sent to destroy the Russian sijutuhou at Revel, and that the l)usiTi(>ss at Cop<'nhagen sliould 1k' at- toinptod with the rfinaindor. "The nionsui-c," he said, "niiyjit l)o thoucfht lK)]d ; but the l)oldost nioasuro.s are the safest." 7. The pilots, as men who had nothing but safety to think of, were ttn-ritied by the formidable report of the })attories of Elsinore, and the (a) tremendous preparations wliich our negotiators, wlio woi-e now returned fi'oni their fruitless missioTi, had witnessed. They therefore persuaded Sir Hyde to prefet t\w passage of the B(;lt. "Let it be by the Sound, liy the Belt, or anyhow," ciied Nelson; "only lose not an hour !' On the 2C)t]i they s liled for the llelt: such was the habitujil ri'servc of Sir Hyde that his own captain, the (/>) cai)taiu of the llt, did not know wliicli course lie had resolved to take till the fleet wore getting under (c) weigh. WIkmi Ca})tain Domett was thus apjM'ised of it, he felt it his duty to rej)resent t/o ( lie admii'al his iK'Iief that, if that course were persevered in, the ultimate object would be totally di^fe.'vted. It was liable to long d(>lavs and to [(I) accidents of ships grounding. In th(* whole lleet there were only one captaiii and one pilot who knew anything of this forinidible passage (as it wfis then deenuHl), and their knowUnlge was very slight, Theii- instructions did not authorize them to att(Mnpt it. Supposing them safe through the Belts, the heavy ships could not come over the Grounds to attack Copenhagen, and light ve.ssels would have no efiect on such a line of dtifence as had been prepared against them. Domett urged these i"(>a,sons so foi'cibly that Sir Jlyd(»'s opinion was sha.k(M», and he cons(M»ted to l)ring the fleet to, anrl, send for Nelson on boai'd. Thei-e can l>e litth^ doubt [e) but that the (expedition would htixv, failed if C-iptain Domett had not thus timely and eai'iu^stly given his advice. Nelson entir(;ly agreed with him, and it was finally determined t-o take th(^ piu.sago of tiie Sound, and the lleet I'oturned to its fonuer antihoraye. SOUTH EYS LIKK OF NKLSOX. S. Tlio next clay was n')rc idly cxju'iidcd in dospatcliiii^ a [lilt; of truce to tlio g(jveruor of Cioncnbur;^ Castle, to ask whothef 1- had received orders to tii-(! at tin; IJritish ileet, as the admiral must considei- the lirst gun to l)0 a declaration of war on the part of Denmark. A soldic^r-likci and Ix'coming answer w.is returned to this formality. The governor said tliat the British Minist-er hful not becui sent away from C()j)enliagen, Init had obtained a passport at his own demand. He himself, •us a soldier, could not meddle with ]X)litics, but he was not at lilx'rty to suffer a fleet, of which the intention wjuj not yet known, to approach th(^ guns of the castle which he had the honour to ci)n!mand, and ho recjuested, if the British admiral should think projKJ!' to make any proposals to the King of Deiimaik, that he might be apprised of it Ixifore tlui fleet ai)proiich«!d nisu'er. During this intercourse a Dane, who i;;inie on l)0!ird the commanders ship, ha\ing occasion to express his business in writing, found tlu; pen blunt, and holding it up, sarcastically said, "If your guns are not l^etter point^'d than your pens, you will make little impression on Copenhagen!" 9. On that day intelligence reach the admiral of the loss of one of his fleet, the Iiwincifde, seventy-four, wrecked on a saiiflbank as she was coming out of Yarujouth: 400 of her men i>eris)ioxcc[»t (Jojxjuliagen the most il(miishing of the; Danish towns. Evtay vessi^l which passes lowers her toi)-gallant-sails and pays toll at ii^lsinore, a toll which is believed to iiave had its origin in the consent of the traders to that sea, Denmark taking upon itself the charge of constructing lighthouses and erecting signals to mark tin; shoals and rocks from the Cattegat to the Daltic; and they on their pai-t agre(nng that all ships should pass this way in order that all nnght pay their shares; none from that time using the passage of the Belt, lx^'au.se it was not fitting that they who enjoyed the lx3nelit of the beacons in dark and stormv weather should made contributing to them in fair seasons and summer nights. Of late years al)out ten thousand vessels had annually paid this contribution in time of peace. Adjoining Elsinore, and at the edge of the peninsular i)romontory, u[>on the (a) ntmrest point of land to the Swedisli coast, stands Oronenburg Castle, built after (b) Tycho IJralie's design, a magniiic(uit pile — at '^nce a palace and fortress and state prison, with its spires and towers, and V)attlenu;nts and batteri(^s. On the left of tlu^ strait is the old Swedish (dty of Helsinburg, at the foot and on the .side of a hill. To the nf)i'th of Ilelsinbuiir the shores are steep and rocky ; they lower to the .south, and the distant spires of Landscrona, Lund, and Mahnoe are seen SOUTIIKYS UVK OF NKLSON. 9 fe ,<;oii('r;iII_y I'lioiiiiii.itccl, \>wn only to f the woi'UI. tflO (llUliiji. [•iiiid ohjirts y^t is the of art ;incl t:oii.si(]ei(!(l ilmut throo tod, except 'IS. Every pays toll .-it i.Min ill the upon itselt ■T simniiiis to '•'iltie; aiul ss this wjiy i» that time fitting that iiul stoi'iiiv oasous and vessels had Adjoiiii'iu toiy, uiwn 'St, stands Jesigzi, a itc prison, Ties. On inhuri,', at relsinbuiir f^uth, and 8 are seen III the Hat (;ounti'y. The Danish shonis consist (/•) ]»ai'tly of ridyiis of santl, but more fi-iMjuently tlunr slopes are cov('i"(!d with ricii wood, and v'illag(!s and villas, denoting the vicinity of a ifreat c;i]>ital. The islands of Huen, Satholm, and Amak apix-ar in the wid(uiing cliannel ; and at the distance of twenty miles fi'om Elsinore stands Copeidiai^en, in full view — the b(!st city of tlui North, and one of the (iiiest capitals of Europe, visible, with its strahe. Here most of his discov(iries were made, and here the ruins are to be seen of his ol)sei'vatoi'y, and of the mansion wlujre he was visitcid by princes, and where, with a princely spirit, he ih^ciuvckI and (!nt(!i'tain(!d all comers from all pjirts, and promoted scienee by his liberality as well as by his labours. (<() Elsinoi-c; is a name familial- to i']uglisii ears, IxMng inseparably associated with Handet, and one of the nol)lest works of human genius. Cronenburg had been the .scene of dcieper tragedy : here (c) Queen Matilda was contincul, the victim of afoul and murderous Court intrigue. Here, amid heart-breaking griefs, she found consolation in nursing lK>r infant. Here she took her everlasting leave of that infant, when, by tin; interfei-ence of England, l>er own deliverance was obtained, and as the ship bore her away from a country wiiere the v(uial indiscr(^tions of youth and unsuspicious gaiety hiid been so ci'U(;lly punished, upon these towers she tixed her eyes, and stood upon the deck, obstinately gazing towards them till the last .sp(!ck had disappeared. 11. The Sound l)eing the only frecjueuted entrance to the Baltic, the great Mediterv anean of the North, few parts of the sea dis[)lay so fre*juent a navigation. In th(^ lunght of tlio season not fewer than a luuidred vessels pass every four and-twenty hours for many weeks in succession; but never (a) had so busy ' ; I ? ;; ). ' m !■* ?l: I H 10 SOUTH KY S LIFE OF NKI.SON. or so splendid a scene Ixumi «!\liil»ite(l tliei-e us on this day, when the lii-itish tlecst prewired to forco that passai^fe whore till now ,ill sliips had vailod their top-sails to the flaiL? of Dennmrk. The wliolc foi'ce consisted of lifty-one sail of various de'seriptions, of which sixteen were of the line. The j^veater part of the boom and gun vessels took their st^ions olVCronenbur/.,' Castle, to cover the fleet ; while othisrs, on the larboard, were ready to ;Mi,ifa_ij;e the Swedish shore. Tlu; l>anes havin<( improved every moiiKMit which ill-timed nej.(otiation and b.itllini^ weather gavi; them, had lined tlieir h\\o\v with batti'ries ; and jus soon as the Afonarch, which was the leading ship, came abreast of tlieiu, a tire was opencul from about a hundred piein^s of cannon and mortars : our light vessels imnuidiately, in return, opened their lire upon the castle. Here were all the (h) pompous circum- stance and exciting reality of war without its eliects ; for this ostentatious disj)lay was but a bloodh^ss prelude to th(^ wide and sw(>eping destruction wfiich was s(M:>n to follow. The enemy's shot (c) tell near enough to splash thc^ water on board our shijjs : not relying upon any forl)earance of the Sw(>des. {(/) Ihey meant to h.ave kc^pt the mid-channel ; but wlien they per- ceivwl that not a shot was tired from ih^l.sinburg, and that no l)atterics were to be .seen on tlie Swedish shore, they inclined to tliat side, so as («) completely to get out of reach of tiie Danish guns. The uninterrupted blaze wl)ich was ke})t up from them till the fleet had passed .served only to exhilarate our sailors, and afibrd them niatter for jtist, 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 Uiading ships till tluiy perceived its inutility ; this, however, occasioned the only bloodshed of the day, somt>, of our men b(ung killed and wounded by the bursting of a gun. As .soon as the main body had passed, tlie gun-vessels followi^l, de-sisting fiom tUoiv btmi- bardment, which had l)een as (/') innoctMit as that of thc^ enemy ; and about midday the vvliole lloet anchored between tlie island t(^n SOUTIIEYS LIFE OF NELSON. 11 !■«' til] 11,)^ l>eiiiiiaHv. •^'•'•iptioiis, |i'-t of tlio •■;,' Custle, [e rt\-idy to ^'<'cl e\'('iy it her ^iivv, ooii as the ^ f>f tJieni, "iioii and iH'd their i.s eiivuiij- ; for this th(( wide low. The on hoard tliey jk;,.. and that / inclined 'f> of the 't up xhilaratc ot fell in A f(>M- till thoy ;lio only led and tin body '"ii- boin- en«Miiy ; - island )f ITiKMi and CopeuliaLjen. Sir Hyde, with Nelson, Admiral (jrraves, some of the senior captains, and tlie commanding otlicers of tlu! artillery and tlie troops, then proceeded in a lug- ger to reconnoitre the en(Mny's means of defence — a formidable line of ships, radeaus, po.'itoons, galleys, fire-shi[)s and gun- Ixiats, Hanked and supi^oited l)y extensive batteries, and occupying, from one extreme point to the other, an extent of nearly four miles. 12. A (jouncil of war was held in the afternoon. It was ap- parent that the Danes could not be attacked without great dilliculty and risk ; and some of the members of tlie council spoke of the numb(M' of the Swedes and the Russians whom they should aft(M'waj'ds have to engage as a consid(>ration which ought to bo borne in mind. Nelson, who kept pacing the cabin, impatient as he ever was of anything which savoui-ed of ir- lesolution, repeatedly said, "The more numerous the bc^tter : f wish th(>y were twice as many— the (>asier the victory, depend OTi it." The plan upon which he had d(>termined, if ovei- it should be his fortune to br!ng a Baltic fleet to action, was to attack the head of their line, and confuse their movemrything to his judgment. 13. The enemy's force was not the only nor the greate.st ob- .stacle with which the P>ritish ileet had to contend ; there was another to overcome before they could come in contact with it. The channel was littk; known and extremely intj-icate ; all the Inioys had been removed, and the Danes considenul (a) this dilHculty as almost insupei'al)le, thinking the channel impractic- abl(> for so large a fleet. Nelson himself saw the soundings maii(l- inj; alontif its whole sea front. The Kini^'s Channel, wliei'(^ there is deep water, is between this shoal and the town, and hei'c the Danes had ai'ran o'clock, rcturnin*;- to his own ship, tllr(^w out the signal to weii^di. It was recei\ed 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 l)een accurately buoyinl ; tlui small crnft i)()inte(l out the course* distinctly ; Hiou led the way ; the whol(> di\ ision coasted along tin* outer edge of the shoal, doubled its further exti-emity, and ancliored there oil' Draco I'oiut, ju.st as the darkness clo.sed — the; heiultnost of the enemy's line not b(>ing more tliaii two miles distant. Th(> signal to {.>repai'(* for JU'tion hitd been made early in th(> cNcning. and, as his own anchor dropped, Nelson called out: "1 will dcu'ii," )„, •■'-'ly I'csist- o .'ui jittai'k «soutli(>rly, t \v;i.s dctcr- «• On t,l,o OVcd to MM Ix'foce tlio Hid o>;t( 'l;iiik('(i, ;if whicli \v(.,.,, 'ost foniiifi- >iiiit, sixty- '<'<'t li!i\iii<.- lis last ex- tuiriiiio' to s rccoixofl >>ln'(l with twccn tlu! lec'ii ivitcly <'ly; Ilioii )Ut(M' P(|;j;(. >|<'(I then' I d most of Mt. Tl„- ('\('iiiiiti^. •• 1 will SOUTirKY S LIFE OP NELSON. 18 fifjlit thorn the moment I have a fair wind." It had been ar- i;iH"-ed that Sir Hyde, with the remaining shij)s, should weigh on the following morning at the same time as Nelson,to menace the Crown Batteries on liis side, and the foiii' ships of the line wliich lay at th(! (Mitrant'(^ of the ai'senal, and to cover our own (li^aliltHl ships ;is they came out of ixction. if). The Danes, meantime, had not been idle ; no sooner did the guns of Cronenlmrg make it known to tiie (a) whole city that all negotiatioti was at end, that the IJritish fleet was pas- sing the Hound, and tliat the dispute between the two crowns must now be decided by arms, than a spirit displayed its(;lf, most honoural)le to the Danish character. All raidcs oflered thems(;lves to the servicii of their country ; the university fur- nished a corps of twelve hundred youths, the flower of ])en- mark : it was one of those emergencies in which little drilling or discipline is nect^ssary to render courage available ; they had nothing to learn but how to manage the guns, and were em- ployed day and night in practising them. When the move- ments of Nelson's scpuidron were pei-ceived, 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 Avhole attention of the Danes been directed to strengthen their (b) own means of d(^fence, they might most materially have annoyed the invading stpiadron, and po'haps frustrated the impending attack, for the British ships were crowded in an anchoring ground of little extent ; it was calm, so that mortar boats might have acted against them to the ut- most advantage, and they were within range of shells from Amak Island. A few ieW an»ong them, but tlie enemy soon c(;ased to fire. It was learnt afterwards that, fortunately for the fleet, the bed of the mortar luul given way, and tlie Dan(;s eitlier could not g(^t it replaced, or in the darkness lost the direction. 16. This was an awful night for CopenhagcMi — far more so t]»an for the I'ritish lleet, vvhrn-e the men \V( re accustonaed to \i 14 SOUTIIEVS LIFK OF VKLSOX. mm battle and victory, and had none of tliosii objects bcfoj-c tlicir eyes which render death terrible. Nelson sat down to tabic with a large party of liis oU'khm's ; h(i was, as he was ever wont to 1k! wluni on the eve of action, in high spirits, and drank to a leading wind iMid to tlu; success of the morrow. After supper (a) they returned to their resp(;ctive ships, oxc(;pt Riou, who remained to arrange the oi'der of l)atth^ with N(;lson and Foley, and to draw up instructions; Hardy, nuian^^ime, went in a small lx)at to examine the channel between (6) them and the enemy, apj)i"oaching so n(%'ir tliat he sounded round tlunr lead- ing ship with a pole, lest the noise of throwing the lead should disc()V(!r him. The incessant fafigue of body as well as (c) mind Mdiich Nelson had underg(m(> during tlie last thriHi days had sc exhausted him that he was earnestly urged to go to his cot, and his old .servant, Allen, using that kind of authority wliich long and aHectionati^ services entitled and enabled iiim to assume on such occasions, insisted upon his complying. The cot was pl.'iced on the iloor, and he continued to dictate from it. About eleven. Hardy retui'ned, .and reported the practic- al)ility of th(^ channel, and the depth of water up to the enemy's line. About one the orders were completed, and half-a-do/t^n clerks in tlu^ foi-emost cabin proct'cded to transcribe tluMii, Nelson frecjuently calling out to them from his cot to hasten tluiir work, for tlu^ wind was becoming fair. Instead of at- tempting to gcit a, few hours of sltu^p, ho was constantly receiv- ing reports on this im{)ortant point. At daybreak it was announced as becoming jx'i'fectly fair. TIk^ clerks finished their work about six. Nelson, who was already up, breakfasttnl and made si.;nal for all (;aptains. Tlu; land forces and live hundred s(»a,niei), inider (.'aptain Frcu'mantle and the Honour- able Colomil Stewart, were to .storm the Crown l»attery as .soon as its tire should be sileaeed ; and IMou - wjiom Nelson had n(wer seen till this (expedition, but wiiose worth h(> had in- stantly pereceivcid, and appreciated as it deserved — had thi' I .; M SOUTHEY'S LIFR OP NKLSOX 15 Blanche and Alcmeue frigates, th(> Bart and Arrmn sloops, and the Zephyr and Otter llre-bhi|).s, ason to regi'et tliat lie hiul not trusted to Hardy's single report. This was one of the mohu painful momcMits of his life, and he always .spoke of it with bitterness. "I experienced in the 8ound," said he, "the misery of having the* honour of our country inti'usted to a set of pilots who have no other thought than to keep the ships ck^ar of (liing(M", and tluMr own silly lunuls clear of shot. Evcnybody knows what I must have sulleied, and if any miM-it attaches it.self to me, it was for comb.ifing the dangers of tlie shallows in (lelianee of them." At length Mr. iJi'verly, the ma.ster of the y>«//ona, d(H;lar(d that h(^ was prepared to lead the ileet ; his judgment wvs accediid to by the I'est ; they return(!d to tJKMi' shij>s, and at half-past nine the signal was made to weigh in succession. 18. C.'ii>tain Murray, in the Edgnr, led the way, the Afjnnio.m- non was n(^\t in oi'der, but on the lirst attem[)t to leaver her anchoi-age she could not wc^athor the edg(i of the shoal, and Nelson had the gri(!f to .s{m> his old ship, in which he hiwl por- foi'ined so nuiny years' gallant servic^es, immovably aground at a moment when her help was so greatly rcMpiired. Signal was then mad(( for tlu; /'o/i/phciiiun, and this change in tUv order of iliWI f ''\ f m 11 m ' 'I \- '-x 16 soutiiey's life op nelson. sailing was (5xecutocl with tin; utmost pr.)inptitu(l(', yot so much (hslay had thus birju unavoidably occasioned that tlie Ed'jar was for s')m(! time unsui)port(Hl, and tfie Po/yphemua, wIkiso plaoo should bo at tho ond of th(! on<;iny's line, where tlioir stren";th was tho ui'catest, could uct no farther than the V)eyin- nin_i]f, owin<4' to the dilHculty of the ciiannel ; tliere she occupied indeed an ellicient station, Imt one wliere her presence was l(5ss required. The Isis followed, with Ix^tter fortune, and took her own IxMtli. Th{( liellona, Sir Thomas Boulden Thompson kept too close on the starl)oaid shoal, and grounded abrea,st of the outer slii}) of the enemy ; this Wiis the more vexatious, in- asmuch as the wind was fair, the room amplci, and three ships had led tlie way. The RusscM, following tho Jiellotui, grounded in like manner; l)oth wen; within reach of sliot, but their al).sence from their intended stations was sevc^rely felt. Each sliip had ])e(!n ordei'ed to pass fier leader on the .starl)oard sifl(^, becau.se th(^ water was suppo.sed to shoal on the lai'l>;)ard shore. N(dson, who came next after these two ships, tiiought they had kept too far on the starboard dirix'tion, and m!ul(> signal for them to clo.se with the enemy, not knowing that they wc^re aground, l)ut wIkmi he })ercei\('(l that tluiy did not obey the signal, he ordcMcd the Eltij>Jnnil's ficlni to staiJM)ard, and went within the.se ships ; thus cjuitfing the :ppoint«'d ordei' of s; til ing, and guiding those which were l-o follow. The grcNitei* part of tii(^ lleet were prol)ably, by this act of jtromptit ud(^ on his part, siiAcd from going on shore. Each ship, as she ari'ived ncNirly op|M)sit<.' to hei' ajjpointed station, let her anchor go by the stern, and pi'esented her broadside to the I )anes. The dis- tance Ijetween each was alM)ut half a cal)le. The action was fought nearly at the distance of a, (iabli^'s l(Migth from the oniMuy. This, which I'endered its c()ntinuan('«i .so long, was owing to the ignorances and con.seijuent indecision of the pilots. In pui'suance of the .same (M'ror which had 1(hI th(s lUdloiui and the Russell, agi'ound, they, wiien the lead was at a quarter less 80UTIIRYS LIFE OF NELSON. 17 ■<-t SO iiiiich tlie Ed'jar |«M.9, whose hoi-o fhoir tho IjOffj'ti- ^»o occupiocj |oseue(> was e. and took Tlioiiip.son fiorcu.st of :ii(ious, in- Mwoc si lips «, grounclcfl !>ut tlicii' ■<'lt. Each 'x'.'ird siflci, ■;>«ii'(I shoro. >t thoy had signal for th(!y wci'o t obey t|„. ind WfMif It'f of s.-iil- •('ator- part »ig, was ''«^J)ilots. (oyid find artcr less live, lefu.st'd to approach nearer, in dread of shoaling their water on the larboai'd shoro, a fear altogether erroneous, for the water (iccpcncMl up to tlie very side of the enemy's line. 19. At live minutes after ten the action began. The first half of our fleet was Ciugaged in about half an lioui-, and by half past eleven the battle became general. Tlie plan of the attack i»ad betMi complete; but s(;]dom hixs any plan Immmi more di.sc()nc(n"ted by untoward accidents. Of twelve ships of the \\m\ one was entirely u.s(?less, and two other.s in a situation where they could not render iialf the service; which wa'- rs^- (juii-ed of th^MU. Of the sejuiulron of gun-bi"igs only one could get into action : tiie rest wi're preventtnl l)y ballling currents from weathering the eastssels could reach their station on the Middle Gi'ound, and open theii- mortai-s on the Arsi'iial, liring over both lleets. Riou took the; vacant station again.st the Crovvn J>attf;ry with his frigates, att(Mnpting with that une(iu;il force a ser\ice in which three sail of the line had been dii-ected to assi.st. •JO. Nelson's agitation had been exlreiiK! wIkmi he .saw lum- self, bc'forc; the action begjiii, dejxiscd of a fourth i)art of his ships of the linc^ ; but no sooner was he in battle, wh(>re his S(|u;uli'on was recei\(' an excuse for his retreat, and no blame can l>e imputed to him." Captain Domett urged him (/)) at least to delay the signal till lie could connnunicatc with Nelson, but, in Sir Hyde's opinion, the danger was too pressing for delay. "Th(;tire," he said, "was too hot for Nelson to oppose; a j-etreat, \w thouglit, must Ik* made. He was aware of the conseijuences to his own personal reputa tion, but it would be cowai'dly in him to leave Nelson to iM'ar the whole shame of the failure, if shame it should be deemed." Under a mistaken judgment,* thei'i'forei, but with this dis interested and generous fcHiling, he made the signal for retreat. '21. Nelson was at this time, in all the excitement of action, pacing the (piarter-deck. A shot thi'ough the mainmast knocked the splint(Ms about, and he ol)ser\ed to one of his oUicers witli a smile, "It is warm work ; and this day may l)e the last to any of us at a moment ; " and then, stopping short at the gangway, added, with eniotion — " but mark you, I would not be elsewhere for thousands." About this time the signal lieu- tenant called out that No. 89 (the signal for discontinuing tlh action) was thrown out by the cotnmand(M'-in-chief. He con tinned to walk the deck, and appeai-ed to take no notice of it. The signal otlicer met him at th<^ next turn, and askcul him if he should i-epeat it. "No," he repli(>d, "acknowledge it.' Pres(Mitly \u) called aftd, and l)eing answered in the allirmative said, "Mind you k(>ep it so." He now paced th(^ deck, moving the stump of his lost arm in a manner which always indicated gn^at ('motion. "Do you know," said he to Mr. lA-rguson, " what is shown on l)oard the commander-in-chief? No. 81)." Mr. Kergu- * I liiivc Ri'cat plcasmc in iiMnlcriiit,' tliis justice tu Sii' Hyde I'aikcr'H rcjiMiiniiig. riic fact in licrc stated u|h)1i tlic hif^lu^rit uud must uiniucstion- able authoiity SOUTHKYS LIKE OF XKLSOV. 19 i will make W Nelson's oil SU (•(•(. ss- oxciiKc for Ciiptiiiii 11 he could pinion, the said, "\v;i,s list Ixuiiadc. null r('j)ll(;| ■^on to iM'ar 1)0 dccincd." th this dis foi- rotroMt. it of action, ast knocked >lIicors with 3 the last to hort at tlx' would not si^'iial lieii- ;tiiiuin it; d iov close .•dlii-inativo L'k, niovinn 8 indieat^'d iou, «• what Mr. Per^ru- ''He Parker's iiiKjncstinn- son asked what that meant. "Why, to Usavo olfaction !" Then, sliru!j;i;in<; up his shoulders, he repeated the woids — "Leave oil" action? Now, danni nie if I do ! You know, Foley," turning to the captain, " I have only on(> eye ; I have a rij^ht to Ix; blind soMietinieH." And tlnui, j»utting the glass to his Ijlind eye, in that mood of mind wjiich sjx)rts with bitterness, he exclaimed, "I really do not see the signal!" Pres(>ntly he exclaimed, " Damn the signal ! Keep mine for closer battle flying ! That's tilt; way I answer such signals ! Nail mine to the mast ! " Admiral Graves, who was so situated that he could not discern what was done on board the Elejihatd, disobeyed Sir Hyde's sig nal in like manner ; whetluM- by foi'tuuate mistaken or by a like l)iav(! intcmtion lias not Ix^en made known. The other ships of the line, l(H)king only to Nelson, continued the action. The signal, however, sav(Ml liiou's little squadron, but did not save its heroic le.'uler. This squadron, which was neai'ost the com- mander-in-chief, olx!y(!d and hauled oil'. It had sufl'ered severely in its most unequal contest. For a long time the Amazon had l«'en tiring, eiiveloi)ed in smoke, when Kiou desired his men to stand fast and let the smoke clear ofl", that they might see what they were about. A fatal order, for the Danes then got clear sight of her from the battei-ies, and pointed their guns with such tremendous ell'ect that nothinsjc but the signal for retreat saved this frigate from destruction. "What will Nelson think of us?" was Kiou's mournful exclamation when he unwillingly (hew olF, He had Imhmi wounded in the head by a splinter, and was sitting on a gun, encoui'aging liis nusn, when, Just as the Amazon show(^d her sti'rn to the Trekroner Uattery, his clerk was killed by his side, and another shot swept away severa.1 mariiu^s who wen^ haulini; in the main-brace. "Come, then, my boys," cried Hiou, "let us die all together!" Tiu' words had scarc(>ly belson himself, the L'.ritish navy could not have sullered a severer loss. iffl .fi 20 SOUTH KYS r^IKK OK NKLSON. I .-4 \m if 22. TIk^ jjctioii continued alonu; tli«^ line with un.'ibatt'd vigour on our side, and with the most dctennincnl resolution on tli(> [)art of th(> Danes. They fou,L,dit to great advantage, Ixnause inost of the ve.ss(^ls in their line of defence were without masts; Ihe few which had any standing had their top-masts struck, ;ind the hulls could only he seen at intervals. The lais nnist have been destroyed by the superior weight of her enemy's luo, if Captain Jnman, in the Desirt'e frigate, had not judi(;iously taken a situation which enabled liim to rake the Dane, and it' the I'olyjJniiinis li;id not also relie\-ed Iwv. (a) l>oth in tlio UcJltma and the /sis' many men were lost by tiie bu)'sting of their guns. The foi'iner ship was about foity years old, and these guns wen^ l)elie\-ed to be the; same which she had litst taken to sea; they where pi-obably originally faulty, for the fragments were full of little air-holes. The llellona lost seventy five men; the Isx><, 110; the Monarch, 210. She was, more than any other line-of-battle ship, exposed to the great battery ; and supporting at the same time the united tire of tlie Ifuhtein and the Zealand, \\ev loss this day exceeded that of any (l)) single ship during the whole war. Amid the (c) trenu ndous 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 almut ; they picked up the pieces, and ate and fought at the same time. 23. The Princ(! Koyal had taken his station upon om; of the batteries, from whence he beheld the action and issued his orders. Denmark had never been engaged in so arduous a con- test, !ind never did the Danes more nobly display their national counige — a courage not more unhappily than impoliticly ex- erted in subseiviency to the interest of France. Captain Thura, of the IndfocjhrcJU'.n, fell early in the action, and all his oHicei's, except onc^ lieutenant and one mai'in(> oIliccM-, w(>re (>ith(M' killed or wounded. Tn the confusion the colours were either struck or shot away ; but she was moored athwart one of ;.: f*! SOUTHEYS LIFE OP NELSON. 21 it('(l vii^our ion on tlic i<% l)Oc;iiiso out IMiists; ists stnick, Ifiis nnist noniy's iiro, jiuliciously uno, juul if oth in tlio bui'stinti; of I's old, iuid lie had liist ty, for tlu! est seventy was, more it battery ; le Hohtein of any (J)) trenu ndous a singular 'O bo in the !ked up the I on(! of the issued his luous a con- 'ir national )o]itiely ex- Captain i»n, and all ifiii'er, \v<>re •lours were wart 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 ? " Schroedersee, 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 himself surrounded by the dead and wounded, and called to tiiose in the boat to get quickly on board ; a ball struck him at that moment. A lieutenant who had accompanied him then took the command, and continued to fight the ship. A youth of seventeen, by name Villemoes, particularly distinguished 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 to support the guns ; it was square, with a breastwork full of port-holes, and without masts — carrying twenty-four guns and 120 men. With this he got under the stern of the Ulephant, 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 announced, with such skill as well as courage as to excite Nelson's warn; est admiration. 24. Between one and two the fire of the Danes slackened; about two it ceased from the greater part of their line, and some of thoir lighter ships were adrift. It was, however, diffi- cult to take possession of those which struck, because the batteries on Amak Island protected them, and because an irregular fire Avas kept up from the ships themselves as the boats approached. This aros'^ from the nature of the action. The crews were continually reinforced from the shore, and fresh men coming on board did net inquire whether the flag had been struck, or perhaps did not heed it ; many or most of them never 111 ii . i| 22 southey's life op nelson. S ■: having been engaged in war before, knowing nothing therefore of its laws, and thinking only of defending their country to the last extremity. The Danhrog fired upon the Elephcmt^s boats in this manner, though her commodore had removed her pendant and deserted her, thougli 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 Captain Lemming took the command. This un- expected renewal of her fire made the Elephant 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 smoke of their guns died away she was seen drifting in flames before the wind, those of her crew who remained alive and able to exert themselves throwing themselves out at her port-holes. 25. Captain Rothe commanded the Nyehorg praam, and per- ceiving that she could not much longer be kept afloat, made for the inner road. As he passed the line he found the Aygershuus 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 ofi", but he could get her no farther than a shoal called Stubben, when she sunk, and soon after he had worked the Nyehorg up to the landing-place that vessel also sunk to her gunwale. Never did any vessel come out of action in a more dreadful plight. The stump of her foremast was the only stick standing ; lipr cabin had been stove in ; every gun, except a single one, was dis- mounted ; and her deck was covered with shattered limbs and dead bodies. 26. By lialf-past two the action had ceased along that part of the line which was astern of the Elephant, but not with the sliips ahead and the Crown Batteries. Nelson, seeing the man- ner in which his boats were fired upon when they went to take possession of the prizes, became angry, and said he must either ig therefore country to Elephant^ enioved her and though ned by the right hand, This un- a-nd Glatton early every lied. When drifting in nained alive s out at her am, and per- 3at, made for 3 Aygershuua I ; her masts t of sinking. ;r off, but he en, when she -g up to the Never did plight. The I ; her cabin me, was dis- 5d limbs and ng that part not with the ng the man- went to take must either southey's life op nelsox. 23 send on shore to have this irregular proceeding stopped, 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 tire of the English in return was equally or even more destructive to these poor devoted Danes. Nelson, who was as humane as ho was l)rave, was shocked at this massr.ore — for such ho called it — and, with a presence of mind peculiar to himself, and never more signally displayed than now, he retired into the stern galley, and wrote thus to the Crown Prince : — "Vice- Admiral Lord Nelson has been commanded to spare Denmark when slie no longer resists. The line of defence which covered her shores has struck to the British flag ; but if the tiring is con- tinued 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 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 informal." Captain Sir Frederick Thesiger, who acted as his aide-de-camp, carried this letter with a flag of truce. Meantime the tire of the ships ahead, and the approach of the Ramilies and Defence from Sir Hyde's division, which had now worked near enough to alarm the enemy, thougli not to injure them, silenced the remainder of the Danish line to the eastward of the Trekroner. That battery, however, con- tinued its fire. This formidable work, owing to the want of tlie ships which had been destined to attack it, and the inade- quate force of Riou's little squadron, was comparatively unin- jured. Towards the close of tiie 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. Ill 1i. I 1 i |- 1" ', 3 t ,1 : 1 .'■ ' ■ 24 SOUTHEY's life of N'ELSOX. 27. During Thesiger's absence Nelson sent for Freenumtle fn ni the Gauf/es, and consulted with him and Foley, whether it was advisable to advance with those shij^s which had sus- tained 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 tlie fleet out of the intricate channel from which it had to retreat. In somewhat more than half-an-hour after Thesiger had been despatched the Danish adjutant-general, Lindholm, came bearing a Hag of truce ; upon which the Trek- roner ceased to fire, and the action closed, after four hours con- tinuance. He brought an inquiry from the prince ; What was the object of Nelson's note? The British Admiral wrote in reply : " Lord Nelson's object in sending the ilag of truce was humanity ; he therefore consents that hostilities shall cease, and that tiie wounded Danes may be taken on shore. And Lord Nelsoii will take his prisoners out of the vessels, and burn or carry oli' 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 reconciliation and union between his own most gracious sovereign and his INFajesty the King of Den- mark." Sir Frederick 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 assenting to this, proceeded to the London, which was riding at anchor full four miles off"; and Nelson 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. 28. The Monarch led the way. This ship had received six- and-twenty shot between wind and water. She had not a liLroud standing ; there was a double-headed shot iu the heart SOUTHEY S LIFE OP NELSOy. 25 Freemantle ey, whether ich liad sus- 3art of tlie lat the best itiiiued f;iiv, oin which it -hour after taut-genera], cli the Trek- r liours coii- ; What was ral wrote in Df truce was shall cease, ihore. And ils, and burn Nelson, with svill consider ; may be the en his own ing of Den- second time WHS referred lis overture. Hcloii, which n losing not ained, made 1 — they had their course 'eceived six- had not a in the heart of her foremast ; and the slightest wind would have sent every mast over her side.* The imminent danger from which Nelson had extricated himself soon became apparent ; the Monarch toiiciied immediately upon a shoal, over which she was pushed by tlie 6'«»5'es taking her amidships; the Glatton -went clear ; but the other two, the Dojiance and the Elephant, grounded about a mile from the Trekroner, and there i-emained 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 havoc was so well fitted to produce pressed heavily upon his exhausted spirits. The sky had suddenly become overcast ; white flags were waving from the mastheads 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 would have to mourn. The very silence which follows the cessation of such a battle Ijcconies a weight upon the heart at first, rather than a relief : and though the work of mutual destruction was at an end, the Daub ro(/ wan iit this time drifting about in ilames ; presently she blew up, while our l)oats, which had put oft" in all direc- tions to assist her, wore endeavouring to pick up her devoted crew, few of whom could be saved. The fate of these men, after the gallantry which they had dis^jlayed, particularly att'ected Nelson ; for tliero was nothing in this action of that indignation against the enemy, and that impression of retribu- tive justice, which at the Nile had given a sterner temper to * It would have been well if the fleet, before they went under the batteries, had loft their spare spars moored out of reach oi shot. Many would have been saved which were destroyed lying on the booms, and the hurt done by their splinters would liave been saved also. Small craft could have towed them uj) when they were required, and after sucli an action so many must necessarily be wanted, that if those which were not in use were wounded, it might thus have been rendered impossible to refit the ships. ■'Mi iitii I i t- HI :■ ¥. ] i( 26 SOUTHEY S LIFE OP NELSON. ^ffrl his mind, and a sense of austere deliglit in beholding the ven- geance of which he was tlie appointed minister. The Danes were an honourable foe ; they were of Englisli mould as well as English blood; and now that the battle had ceased, he regarded then; rather as brethren than as enemies. There was another reflection also, which mingled with these melaucliuly thoughts, and predisposed him to receive them. He was not here master of liis own movements, as at Egy[)t ; he had won the day by disobeying Ins orders ; and in so far as he liad been successful, had convicted the connnander-in-chief of an error in judgment. "Well," said lie as lie left the Elephant, "I have fought contrary to orders, and I shall pcihaps be hanged ! Never mind, let them ! " 29. This was the language of a man who, whiles he is giving utterance to an uneasy thought, clotiies it half in jest bocause he half repents that it lias been disclosed. His services had been too eminent on that day, his judgment too conspicuous, his success too signal, for any connnandcr, however jealous of his own authority, or envious of v lotlier's merits, to express anything but satisfaction and g ;ititudo, wliich Sir Jlyde heartily felt and sincerely expressed. It was speedily agreed that 1 oir should be a suspension of hostilities for four-and- twenty hours; tliat all tiie prizes should be surrendered and the wounded Danes carried on shore. There was a pressing necessity for this, for the ])anos, either from too nuich con- iidenco in the strength of their position and the ditUculty of the channel; or (a) supposing that the wounded might be carried ou shore during the action, which was found totally impractic- able; or perhaps from the confusion which the attack excited, had provided no surgeons ; so tliat whi^n our men boai-ded the captured ships they for id many of the mangled and mutilated Danes bleeding to death for want of pro})er assistance a scene of all (A) others the most shocking to a brave man's feelings. fiOUTHEYS LIFE OP NELSON. 27 ing the ven- The Danes ould as well ceased, lie There was meluiiclioly He was not he had won he liad been )f an error in If, " I have iigedl Never ' Jie is <-ivini: jest beoaiiso services liaci conspicuous, (u- jealous of s, to express li Sir Jfyde 'edily agreed for four-and- endered and s ii pressing nuieh eon dilHcuUy of ht be carried y iinpractic -ack excited, boarded the id inutilati'd ssistaiice a jra\u uiau's 30. 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, praising the men for their exertions, and then pushed ofi:* to the prizes, which had not yet been removed. The Zealand, seventy-four, tiie 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 acquaintance 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 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 athrmed, 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, Commodore Stecn Bille, went to the Trekroner Battery, and asked the commander why ho had not sunk the Zealand rather tiian sulFer her thus to bo carritid off by the enemy. 31. This was indeed a mournful day for Copenliagen ! It was Good Friday ; but the general agitation and the mourning which was in every house made all distinction of days be for- gotten. There were at that liour thousands in that city who felt, and more perhaps who needed, the consolations of Chris- tianity, l)ut few or none who could be calm enough to think of its observances. The Englisli were actively employed in 28 SOUTHEY S LIFE OF NELSON. refitting their own ships, securing the prizes, and (listributinr ought to receive another. He was received with respect." The prelinn'narioa of the negotiation were adjusted at this interview. During the re- past whicli followed Nelson, with all the sincerity of liis character, bore willing testimony to the valour of his fo(>s. He told the prince that he had been in a hundred and live engagements, but that tiiis was the most tremendous of all. SOUTH ey's life op nelson. 29 ^distributing 1(1 dispo,sin 10 Admiral ve anothei'. •ioa of the ■ing the re- ■ity of his •f Jn's foes. h1 and five ous of all. " The French," he said, " fought bravely ; but they could not have stood for one hour the fight which the Danes had sup- ported for four." He requested that Villemoes might be in- troduced to him ; and shaking hands with the youth, told the prince that lie ought to be made an admiral. The prince replied : " If, my lord, I am to make all my brave otficers admirals, I should have no captains or lieutenants in my service." 32. The sympathy of the Danes for their countrymen who had bled in their defence was not weakened by distance of time or place in tliis instance. Things needful for the service or the comfort of the wounded were sent in profusion to the hospitals, till the superirtendents 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 sjtot where the slain were gathered together. A subscription was opened on the day of the funei'al for the relief of the suf- ferers, and collections in aid of it thrinighout all the chuiches in the kingdom. This appeal to the feelings jf the people was made with circumstances which gave it full etl'ect. A monu- ment was raised in the midst of the church, surmounted by *he Danish colours; young maidens, dressed in white, stood round it, with either one who had been wounded in the battle, or tlu» widow and orphans of some one who had fallen ; a suitable oration was delivered from the pulpit, and patriotic hynuis and songs were afterwards pei'formed. Medals were disti'ibuted to all the ollicers, and to the men wlio liad dis- tingui.ihed 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 Kophistry, represented the advantage of the day as ou their : V liil I w. >v 30 SOUTHEY'a LIFE OP NELSON. own side. One writer discovered a more curious but less dis- putable 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 attributable to Danish valour. 33. The negotiation was continued during the five follow- ing days, and in that interval tlie prizes were disposed of in a manner which was little approved by Nelson. Six line-of- battie ships and eight praams had been taken. Of these, the Ilolsfe'ni, sixty-four, was the only one which was sent home. The Zealand was a tiuer ship, but the Zealand and all tlio others were burned, and their brass battering cannon sunk with the hulls in such shoal water that wiien the fleet rc^tuiiuMl from Eevel they found the Danes with craft over the wrecks employed in getting the guns up again. Nelson, though he forbore fi'om any public expression of displcMsure at seeing the proofs and trophies of his victory destroyed, did not foi'get to represent to the Admiralty the case of those who were thus deprived of their priy.(>-money. " Whethei-," 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 believe me, any desire to get a tVnv liundred pounds that actuates me to address this letter to you; but justice to the brave ofiicers 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 nmch the hardei', and victory so nuich the more difficult to obtain. Be- lieve me, 1 have weigiied all the circumstances, and in my conscience I think that the King should send a gracious message to the House of Commons for a gift to this flec^t ; for what must be the natural feelings of the oflic(>rs and men belonging to it, to see their rich conimander-in-ciii»^f burn all the fruits of their victory, which, if fitted up and sent to Eng- land (as many of them might have bisen by dismantling part of our Heet), would have sold for a good round sum." SOUTHEY S LIFE OP NELSON. 31 but less dis- t Nelson, as descent, and ;ributable to live follow- sposed of ill Six liue-of- 3f these, the ent liome. Jind all the cannon sunk le(>t I'oturiH'd V tlie wrcc-ks n, thoui^h he at socing tlic not foi'ifct to lo wore thus i he to Earl le subject to it ; nor is it, dred pounds ut justice to . It is true pted for the so much tlic sbtain. JJc- and in my a gracious is fleet ; for I's and men '■'^f bui'n all ient to KuiT- 'ling part of 34. On the 9th Nelson landed again, to conclude the terms of tlie armistice. During its continuances the armed ships and vessels of Denmark were to remain in their then actual situa- tion as to armament, equipment, and hostile position ; and the treaty of armed neutrality, as far as related to the co-oper.ation of Denmark, was suspended. The prisoners were to be sent on shore ; an acknowledgment 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 hostilities should be renewed. The British fleet was allow^ed to provide itself with all things requisite for tiie health and comfoit of its men. A difliculty arose respecting the duration of the armistice. The Danish commissioneis fairly stated their fears of Russia; and Nelson, with that frankness which sound policy and the sense of power seenj often to require as well as justify in diplomacy, told them his reason for demanding a long term was, that ho might have time to act against the Russian fleet, and then return to Copenhagen. Neither party would yield upon this point ; and one of the Danes hinted at the renewal of hostilities. " Renew hos- tilities!" cried Nelson to one of his friends — for he undtM'stood French enough to comprehend what was said, thongh not to answer it in the same language. "Tell him we are ready at a moment ' — ready to bombard this very night!" The conference, however, proceeded amicably on both sides ; and as tfie (a) 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 iiad been stripped of their furniture, in fear of a bombardment. To a boMiljardment also Nelson was looking at this time ; fatigue and anxiety, and vexation at the dilatory measures of the connnander-in-chief, combined to make him irritable ; and as he was on the way to the prince's dining-room he whispered to the officer on whose I m ill' .1; ( i\ ii ijI* (I if 32 SOUTH KYS LIFK OF NKLSOX. arm he was leaning, "Though I have only one eye, I can see that all this will burn well." After dinner he was closoted Avith the prince, and they agreed that the armistice should continue fourteen weeks, and that at its termination fourteen days' notice should be given before the recommencement of hostilities. 35. An official account of the battle was published by Olt'crt Fischer, the Danish commander-in-chief, in which it was asserted that our force was greatly superior ; nevertheless, tliat two of our ships of the line had struck, that the otliei's were so weakened, and ■ especially Lord Nelson's own sliij), as to fire only single shots for an hour before the end of tlio action ; and that tliis hero himself, in the middle and veiy heat of the conflict, sent a flag of truce on shore to propose a cessation of hostilities. For the truth of this account tin' Dane appealed to the prince, and all those who, like him, liad been eye-witnesses of the scene. Nelson was exceed- ingly indignant at such a statement, and addressed a letter, in confutation of it, to the adjutant-general, Lindliolm ; thinking this incumbent uj)on him for the information of the prince, since his IJoyal Highness had been appealed to as a witness : " Otherwise," said he, " had Commodore Fischer confined himself to his own veracity, I should have treated his ofKcial letter with the contempt it deserved, and nl lowed the world to appreciate the merits of the two contending officers." After (a) pointing out and detecting some of the misstatements in the account, he proceeds: "As to his nonsense about victory, his Royal Highness will not nuich credit him. I sunk, burned, captured, or drove into the harbour the who'e line of defence to the southward of the Crown Ishii is. 'l'>. snys he is told that two Ihifish shi[)s struck. Why did he n '. take possession of them? I took possession of his as fa.st as they struck. The reason is clear, that he did not believe it ; he must have known the falsity SOUTH KY\S LIFE OP NELSON. 33 e eye, I can was closeted istice slinulcl tion fourtoeu lencenipiit of led by OltVit lioli it was iievertlicless, 'it the otliers s own ship, end of the lie and ^('ly e to propose account the 10, like him, ■vvas excoed- sed a Icttei', Lindhohn ; formation of )pealed to as "lore Fischoi- lave treated and allowed contendiiiiv onie of the 'As to his 1 not nuich ^'0 into the knrd of the >iin 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 expectation. He ordered his boat immediately, and stej)ped into it. Night was setting in — one of the cold spring nights of the North — and it was discovered, soon after they liad left the ship, that in their haste they had foi'gotten to provide; him with a boat-cloak. He, however, for])ade them to return for one, and when one of his comj)anions oflered him his greatcoat, and urged him to make use of it, he r(>plied : "I thank you very much ; but, to tell you the truth, my anxiety keepa me sulliciently warm at present." I i ' 'fk 1! •; « i *■■' ( I; 1 : i in 1 1 36 southfa's life of nelson. 3. "Do you think," said he presently, "that our fleet has quitted Bornhohn 1 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 dis- covered ; as soon, however, as they perceived the Englkh 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 con- cluded an armistice, and rei^uiring 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? The commander, Vice-Adniiral 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 afterwards arrived, and an answer was then returned to this effect : " That his Swedish Majesty would not for a moment fail to fulill, with tidelity and sincerity, the engagements he had entered into with his allies, but he would not refuse to listen to equitable proposals made by deputies furnished with proper authority by the King of Great Britain to the united northern powers." Satisfied with this ans^\■e^, 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 dispatch boat from the llussian ambassador at Copenhagen arrived, biinging intelligence of the death of the (a) Emperor Paul, and that his successor, Alexander, had accepted the ofler made by England to his father — of termi- nating the dispute by a convention. The British admiral was therefore retjuired to desist from all further hostilities. 4. It was Nelson's maxim, that, to negotiate with eft'ect, 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 SOUTHEY S LIFE OP NELSON. 37 disision of the Russian fleet and the scjuadron at Cronstadt, in case this offer should prove insincere. Sir Hyde, on the other hand, believed that the death of Paul had effected all that was necessary. The manner of that death, indeed, rendered it apparent that a change of policy would take place in the Cabinet of Petersburg ; but Nelson never trusted anything 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 comniuuder-in-chief return to the coast of Zealand, and anchor in Kioge Bay, there to wait patiently for what might happen. 5. TJiere the fleet remained till despatclies arrived from home, on the 5th of jNlay, recalling Sir Hyde and appointing Nelson commander-in-chief. G. 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 tlie day when this was written he received news of his appoint- ment. Not a moment was now lost. His first signal as com- mander-in-chief was to hoist in all launches and j)repare to weigh, and on the 7th he sailed from Kioge. Part of his fioet Wiis left at Bornliolm to watch the Swedes, from whom he required and obtained an assurance that the British trade in the Cattegat and in the Baltic should not be molested ; and saying how unpleasant it would be to him if anything should ha})pen which might for a moment disturb the returning liar- mony between Sweden Jind Great Britain ; he .apprised them that he was not directed to abstain from hostilities should he meet with the Swedish fleet at sea. JNIeantime, he lumself, with ten sail of the line, two frigates, a brig, and a schooner, l^ 38 SOUTHEYS LIFE OP NELSON. made for the Gulf of Finland. Paul, in one of the freaks oi liis tyranny, had seized upon all the British effects in Russit., and even considered British subjects as his prisoners. " I will have all the English shipping and property restored," said Nelson, " but I will do nothing violently ; neither commit tLe alFairs of my country, nor suffer Russia to mix the affairs of Denmark or Sweden with the detention of our ships." The wind was fair, and carried him in four days to Revel roads. But the bay had been clear of iirm ice on the 21)th of April, while the English were lying idly at Kioge. The Russians 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 attack, could have saved one ship of them in two hours after our entering the bay." 7. 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 war delayed till a message was sent to them to inquire for (a) what reason ; and the officer whose neglect had occasioned 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. 8. The answer arr'ved on the 16th ; Nelson meantime had exchanged visits with the governor, and the most friendly intercourse had subsisted between the ships and the shore. Alexander's ministers in their (a) reply expressed their surprise at the arrival of a British fleet in a Russian port, and their W(>.i that it should (b) return ; they professed, on the part of Russia, the most friendly disposition towards Great Britain, it SOUTHEYS LIFE OP NELSON. 39 leir surprise but declined tlie 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 hud been at Revel. He wrote an immediate reply expressing what he felt ; he told tlie Court of Petersburg 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 in Europe." And he (c) repeated, that " under other circumr.tances it would have been his anxious wish to (d) have paid his personal respects to the emperor, and signed with his own hand the act of amity be- tween 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 seamen are but bad negotiators, for we put to issue in five minutes what diplomatic forms would be five months doing." 9. On his way down the Baltic, however, he met the Rus- sian admiral, Tchitchagof, whom the Emperor, in reply to Sir Hyde's overtures, had sent to communicate personally with the British commander-in-chief. The reply was such as had been wished and expected, and these negotiators, going, seamanlike, straight to their object, satisfied each other of the friendly intentions of their respective governments. Nelson then anchorcid off Rostock, and there he received an answer to his last despatch from Revel, in which the Russian Court ex- pressed their regret that there should have been any miscon- ception between them, informed him that the British vessels wliich Paul had detained were ordered to be liberated, and invited him to Petersburg in whatever mode might be most agreeable to himself. Other honours awaited him : the Duke of Mecklenburg Strelitz, the queen's brother, came to visit him on board his ship ; and towns of the inland parts of Mecklen* 40 SOUTHEYS LIFE OP NELSON. t burg sent deputations, with their publi • books of record, that they might have the nauie of Nelson in them, written by his own hand. 10. From Rostock the fleet returned to Kioge Bay. Nelson saw that the temper of the Danes towards England was sucli 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 hur^ble us to the dust." lie saw also that the Danish Cabinet was completely subserviont to France; a French ollicer 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 (a) second inflictioii of vengeance would soon be necessary. He wrote to the Adniii-nlty, re(iuestingaclear and explicit reply to his in(i[uiry, whether the connnander in-ehicf was at liberty to liokl the language becoming a British adnuial ? — " which very probably," said lie, "if I am hcrc^ will break the armistiee and set Copenhagen in a bla/.o. [ s. cNciytliing which is dirty and mean going on, and the I'l iiicc lluyal at the head of it. Ships have been masted, guns taken f>n board, floating batteries prepared, and, except hauling dut and com])leting their rigging, everything is done in detiance of th treaty. ]\ly heart burns at seeing the word of a prine(>, nearly allied to otir good King, so falsified ; but his conduct is such that he will lose his kingdom if he goes on, for (b) .Incobins rule in Den- mark. I have made no representations yet, as it would he useless to do so until I liave the power of correction. All I beg, in the name of the future commander-in-chiof, is that the orders may be cU^ar, for enough is done to break twenty treaties if it should 1)0 wished, or to make the Prince Royal humbl(> himself befoni British (c) generosity." 11. Nelson was not deceived in his judgment of the Danish Cabinet, but tlie battle of Copenhagen had crippled its power. southey's life op nelson. 41 ■«cord. flint tteu hy iiis y. Nelson d was such loy had so iliall not be thank God "St." IJ,> ;iil).serv.iont companion sre done in ouirht a (a) ssjiiT. Ilo cit l-cply (,, t ]il)(-rty to vhich very i annistic(! ? which is lio Jiojid of d, flodtiiiH- :;onn)l('tinn' ■eaty. My lied to our at he will e in Dcii would he ti. All I s that the k twontv CO ]{()val K' f>fmish ts power. riip death of the Czar Paul had broken the confederacy, and that Cabinet therefore was compelled to defer till a more con- venient season the indul*,'ence of its enmity towards Great Britain. Soon afterwards, Admiral Sir Charles Maurice Pole arrived to take tlie command. The business, military and political, had by tliat time been so far completed that the pre- sence of the British fleet soon became no longer necessary. Sir Charles, however, made the short time of his command memor- able by passing the Great Belt for the first time with line-of- battle ships ; woi-king through the channel against adverse winds. When Nelson loft the fleet, this speedy termination of the expedition, though confidently expected, was not certain ; and lie, in his willingness to weaken the British force, thought at one time of traversing .) Mand in his boat by the canal to Tonningen, on the Eydei, and finding his way home from thence. This intention was not executed, but he return(>d in a l>rig, declining to accept a fi-igate, whidi few admirals would have done ; especially if, like him, they suffered from sea-sick- ness in a small vessel. On his arrival at Yarmouth the first thing he did was to visit tlu; hospital and see the men wl»o had been wounded in tlie late battle ; that victory which had added new glory to the name of Nelson, and wliicii was of more im portance {n) even than the battle of the Nile to the honour, th(> strength, and security of England. 12. He had not been many weeks on shore before he was called upon to undertake a service for which no Nelson was re(|uired. Boiuipiirte, who wns 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 l)e created as they were wanted ; and his armies therefore were to <'ome over in gun-boafs, and such small craft as could be rapidly l)uilt or collected for tho occasion. Fmm the formcM" governments of Franco such threats have only been matter of insult or policy ; in BonapartH they 1^ ii 1. li fp,: mi • 'r ttj ■ ' %4 ri,A m . 42 SOUTHEYS LIFE OF NELSON. were sincere, for this adventurer, intoxicated with success, already began to imagine that all things were to be submitted to his fortune. We liad not at that time proved the superiority of our soldiers over tlie French, and the unreflecting multitude were not to be persuaded that an invasion could only be efiected by numerous and powerful fleets. A general alarm was excited, and in condescension to this unworthy feeling Nelson was ap- pointed to a command extending from Oi'forduess to Beuchy Head, on both shores ; a sort of service, ho said, for which he felt no other ability than what might be found in his zeal. 13. To this service, however, such as it was, he applied with his wonted alacrity ; and having hoisted his flag in the Medusa frigate, he went to reconnoitre Boulogne, the point from which it was supposed the great attempt would be made, and whi(;h 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; wliat 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 wisjj to injure the poor inhabitants, and the town is spared as nnich as the nature of tlie service will admit."' Enough was done to show the enemy t])at tliey could not with impunity come outside their own ports. Nelson was satisfied by what he saw that they meant to make an attempt from this place, but that it was impracticable, for tlie least wind at W. N.W. (a) and tlicy wei-e lost, Tlu' jiorta of l^'lushing ;ind Flanders were better j)oints ; tlicie wt' c(»uld not tell l)y our eyes what means of transport were provided. Froiu thence, there- fore, if it came forth at all, the expedition would come. "And whata forlorn undertaking!" said ho; "consider cross-tides, etc. As for rowijig, that is impossible. It is perfectly right to be ])ro- pared for a mad g(»vernment, but with the active force which \iah been given tae I may pronounce it ahnost impracticable/' SOUTHEYS LIFE OF NELSON. 43 |th success, ibmitted to Jeriority of -itude wfie lefiected l)y as excitod, 'On was ap- to Beachy r whicli Jie |s zoal. >p1i('d wiMi he Medusa 'roin which and which fortifvins; nk two of •ats wJiich tliiii could 5 cci-tainiy he added, I the town ill .-idniit.' 1 not with IS satisljcd from til is ind at W. ^'lin^' and your eyes ice, thern- p. "And idea, otc. m :i ,:«!* %i 1^. I 44 soutiiey's life op nelson. and to the very best of my abilities. I require nui'sing like a child," lie added ; " my xiind carries me beyond my strength, and will do me up. But such is my nature." IG. Tlie attack was made by the boats of the squadron in live divisions, under Captains Somer\ille, Parker, Cotgrave, Jones, and Conn. The previous essay had taufjfht the French tlie weak parts of their position, and they omitted no means of strengthening it, and of guarding against the expected attempt. The boats put off about half-an-liour before midnight ; but owing to the darkness and tide and lialf-tide, wliich must always make night attacks so uncertain on tlie coasts of tlie eliannel, the divisions separated. One could not arrive nt all ; another not till near daybreak. The others made their attack gallantly ; but the enemy were fully prepared ; every V(\ss('l was defended by long poles, headed with iron spikes, projecting fi'om tlu ir 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 protected by land batteries, and tlie shore was lined with troops. Many weie taken possession of; and though they could not have been brought out, would have been burned, had not the French I'esorted to a mode of oilence which they have often used, but which no other peoi)le have ever been wicked enough to employ. The moment the tiring ceased on board one of their own vessels, they lii'ed upon it from the shoi'c, perfectly I'egardless of their own men. 17. Tiie commander of one of the ['"rench divisions acted like a generous enemy. IJe hailed tiie l)oats as tlic^y n|)- proached and cried ou' In English, " Let mo ad\ ise you, my brave Englishmen, to keep yt)ur distance — you can do nothing here ; and it is only uselessly shedding the blood of brave men to make the attempt." The Freiich ollicial account l)oasted of the victory. "The combat," it said, "took place in sight of both countries; it n\ as the lirst of the kind, and the historian would I rsing like a y strengtli, quadi'di in ', Cotgravo, tlie Frciifli lo lueajis (if ed attempt. u\<^-lit ; but vliieh iiiiist 3asts of tJie ■I'ive jit all ; ilieii- attack- very V(\s.s('| , pi'ojcctiui,' tlieii- lowci' [ilioie; tln'v i' liiey ap- nt officer, to whom he was greatly attached, and who had an aged father looking to him for assistance. His thigh was shattered in the action, and the wound proved mortal after some weeks of suffering and manly resignation. During this interval Nelson's anxi(^ty was very great. *' Dear Parker is my child," said he, " for I found liim in distress." And whea lie received the tidings of his d(>ath, he replied : "You will judge of my feel- ings; 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 ISlr. Parker ! wliat a son has he lost I If I were to say I was con- tent, I slumld lie ; but I shall endeavour to submit with all the fortitude in my power. His loss has made a wound in my heart which time will hardly heal." • 8. He now wished to be relieved from his service. The country, he said, had attached a confidence to his name v-liich 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 lie did not think it was a command for a vice admii'al. It was not that he wanted a moi'e lucratiNc situation, for, seriously indisposed as he was, and low-spirited from private considera- tions, he did not know, if the Mediterraueau were vacant, thut ill Iff mm t!' F' ^t 'if ^ ;!liJ. 46 southey's life of nelson. he should be equal to undertake it. Just at this time the peace of Amiens was signed. Nelson rejoiced that the experiment was made, but was well aware that it was an experinieiit : he saw what he called the misery of peace, unless the utmost vigilance and prudence were exerted ; and he expressed in bitter terms his proper indignation at the manner in wliich the mob of London (a) welcomed the French general who brou^'lit the ratification ; saying that " they made him ashamed ttf hi count ly.'' 19. He had purchased a house and estate at Merton, in Surrey, meaning to pass his days there in the society of Sir William and Lady Hamilton. This place he had never seen till lie was now welcomed tliere by the friends to whom he had so passionately devoted Jiimself, and who were not less sincerely attached to liim. The place, and everything which Lady Hamilton had done to it, delighted him ; and lie declare! that the longest liver should possess it all. 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 lie gavo £1,800 to Lady Nelson, £200 to a brother's widow and £150 for the education of his children, and he paid £500 interest for borrowed money; so that Nelson was comparatively a poor man, and though much of the jiccuniary embarrassment Avhicli he endured was occasioned by the separation from his wife, even if that cause had not existed, his income would not have been suilicient for the rank wiiich he held, and the cl.'iims which would necessarily be made upon liis bounty. The depres- sion of spirits under which he had long laboured arose partly from this state of his circumstances and partly from the other discjuietudes in which his connection with Lady TTamilton had involved him — a connection which it was not possible liis father could behold without sorrow and displeasur(\ Mr. Nelson, however, was soon jiersuaded that the attachment, wliich Lady Nelson regarded with natuial jealousy and resent- >fOC SOUTHEYS LIFE OP NELSON. 47 e the peace expeiiinent •iiaput : lie the utmost cpi'ossed ill wliich the lo l)r()u<,'ht lined of hi Me r ton, in eiety of 8ir never seen whom he re not less thinoj whicji he (leelarc! tensions for amounted, Axis he gave r and .£150 '00 interest vely a poor ment which m his \vif(>, Id not have the claims Tlie de})res- rose partly n the other iiiilton Jiad >ossil,l»> his ;ure. IMr. ttachinent, and resent- ment, did not in reality pass the bounds of ardent and romantic admiration : a passion wliich the manners and ac- complishments of («) Lady Hamilton, fascinating as they were, would not have been able to excite if they had not been accom- jiaiiied by more uncommon intellectual endowments, and by a character which, both in its strength and in its weakness, resembled iiis own. It did not therefore require much explan- ation to reconcile him to his son ; an event tiie more essential to Nelsons happiness because a few months afterwards the good old man died, at the age of seventy-nine. 20. Soon after the conclusion of peace tidings arrived of our filial and decisive successes in Egypt; in consequence of which the Common Council voted their thanks to the army and navy for bringing the campaign to so glorious a conclusion. When Xclson, after the action of Cape St. Vincent, had been enter- tained 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 (a) replied, putting his hand upon the admiral's shoulder, *' Do you lind victories, and we will find rewards." Nelson, (6) as he said, had kejtt his word^had doubly fulfilled his part of the contract ; but no thanks had been voted for the battle of Copenhagen, and feel- mtry have always been noticed by the great city of London, with oi.> excejition -the glorious 2nd of April— a day , 'hen tlu; greatest dangers of navigation were overcome, and the Danish force, which they tliought impregnable, totally taken or destroyed by the consummate skill of our commanders and and l)y the undaunted bravery of as gallant a band as ever defendi'd the rights of this country. For myself, if 1 were H^ I i i h 48 southey's life op nelson. 1^ m {'i ''■' m i'lsauci ^^i|| 'H m it I only personally concerned, T shculd bear tlie sti«,nna 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 otHcers of the navy, army, and marines, who fought, and so profusely bled, under my command 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 tlie captains of liis Majesty's ships, and of the officers and nicii, whether seamen, marines, or soldiers, whom I that day had tlie happiness to command, I then say that never was the glory of this country upheld witii more determined bravery than ou tliat occasion ; and if 1 may be allowed to give an opinion as a Briton, then 1 say that more important service was never icn- dered to our King and country. It is my duty, my lord, to prove to the brave fellows, my companions in danger, that \ have not failed, at every proper place, to represent, as W(>11 as I am able, their bravery and meritoi'ious conduct." 21. Another honoui", of greater impoi-t, was witliheld from the conquerors. The King had given medals to those captains who were engaged in the [a) battles of the 1st of June, of Ca])!- St. Vincent, of Camperdown, and of the Nile. '^I'hon came the victory at Copenhagen, which Nelson trnlv called tlu^ most difficult achievement, tiie iiardcst-fought battle, the most glori ous result, that ever graced the annals of our country\ He ot' course expected the medal, and in writing to Earl St. Vinocnt said he "longed to have it, and would Jiot give it up to be made an English duke." The medal, liowcNcr, was not givni — "For wluit reason," said Nelson, "Lord St. A'incent best knows." Words plainly implying a susiiicion that it was with held by some feeling of jealousy ; and that suspicion estranged him, during the remaining ])art of his life, from (»ne who hai' been at one lime essentially, as well as sincei'ely, liis friend, and lof whose professional abilities he »'ver entejtaiiietl (he liighest opinion. !l SOUTHKYS LIFE OP KELSON. 49 'tttenipted But, niy the officers profusely ■isclaim hv lessful coiii- le merits of I's and jiirii, pay had the 'lo glovy of I'J tJian on •pinion as .i never ren- in j lord, to ger, that r «'is well ;is lilield from se captains ne, of Oaj.e II came tlie 1 tin? most most ijloi'i •y- lie of <• Vineeiii up to be not , who j|;|() is friend, lined the 22. The happiness which Nelson enjoyed in the society of his chosen friends was of no long continuance. Sir William Hamilton, who was far advanced in years, «died early in 1803. He expired in his wife's arms, holding Nelson by the hand, and almost in his last words left her to his protection; request- ing him that lie would see justice done her by the Government, as he knew what she had done for her country. He kit him her portrait in enamel, calling him his dearest iriei\d — the niost 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 chose who do net say Amen." Sir William's pension of £1,200 a year ceased with his death. Nelson applied to Mr. Addington in L.idy 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 acknowledgment was all that was obtained ; but a sum equal to the pension which her husband had enjoyed was settled on Iter by Nelson, and paid in monthly payments during his life. A few weeks after this event the war was renewed, and the day after h^si Majesty's navssage to Parliament Nelson departed to take the command of the iNIediterranean fleet. 23. He took his station immediately oflf Toulon, and there, with incessant vigilance, waited for the coming out of the enemy. When he had been fourteen months thus employed he received a vote of thanks from the city of London for his skill and perseverance in blockading that port, so as to prevent (he French from putting to sea. Nelson h;id not forgotten the wrong which the city had done to the Baltic fleet by their omission, and did not lose the opportunity which this vote atibrded of recurring to tliat point. "I do assure your lord- ship," said he, in his answer to the Lord INlayor, "that there is not that man breathing who sets a higher value upon the ' f II iist 'i ' 50 southey's life op nelson. thanks of his fellow-citizens of London than myself; but I sliould feel as much ashamed to receive them for a particular service, marked in tlie resolution, if I felt that 1 did not come within that line of service, as I should feel hurt at havin£r a j^reat victory passed over without notice. I beg to inform your lordship that the port of Toulon lias never been blockaded by me — quite the reverse. Every opj)ortunity has been of- fered the enemy to put to sea, for it is there we hope to realize 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 omission was expressed with more asperity, perhaps, than an offence, so entirely and m luifestly unintentional, 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. 24. Never was any commander more beloved. He governed men by their reason and their afiections ; they knew tliat he was incapaole of caprice or tyranny, and they obeyed him with alacrity and joy, because he possessed their confidence as well as tlieir love. "Our Nel," they used to say, "is as brave as a lion and as gentle as a lamb." Severe discipline he detested, though he had been bred in a severe school ; he never inflicted corporal punishment if it were possible to avoid it, and wlien compelled to enforce it he who was familiar with wounds and death suttered like a woman. In his whole life Nelson wag never known to act unkindly towards an oflicer. If he was asked to prosecute one for ill-beha\iour, he used to answer that " there was no occasion for him to ruiii a poor devil who was sufficiently his own enemy to ruin himself." But in Nelson there was more than the easiness and lunnanity of a happy nature ; he did not merely abstain from injury ; his was an active and watchful benevolence, ever desirous not only to SOUTHEYS LIFE OF NELSON. 51 elf; but I particular id not come t having a to inform 1 blockaded s been of- e to realize elson then t had been lie omission 1 offence, so •ut it arose as interests im as much in those of [e governed tew that he Jd him wit) I tice as well brave as a 3 detested, er inflicted and when oil lids and kelson wa.^ If" he was to answer devil who But in tnity of a ; his was >t only to render justice, but to do good. During the peace he had spoken in (a) Parliament upon the abuses respecting prize- money, and had submitted plans to Government for more eiisily 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 who had served with a good character five years in war should re- ceive 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 a seaman 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." 25. To his midshipmen he ever showed the most winning kindness, encouraging the diffident, tempering the hasty, coun- selling 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 dissatisfied with his captain. Nelson's answer was in that spirit of perfect wis- dom and perfect goodness which regulated his whole conduct toward those who were under his command. "I have just received 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 man and a very young officer, who must naturally have much to learn ; therefore the chance is that you are per- fectly wrong in the disagreement. However, as your present situation must be very disagreeable, I will certainly take an early opportunity of removing you, provided your conduct to your present captain be such that another may not refuse to receive you." The gentleness and benignity of his disposition never made him forget what was due to discipline. Being on one A ■I mi H|:j 52 SOUTHEYS LIFE OP NELSON. '^V-'ii i* t occasion applied to to save a young orticci' from a court-iuartial which he had provoked by his misconduct, his reply was, that "he would do everytliing in his power to oblige so gallant and good an officer as Sir John Warren," in whose name the inter- cession had been made; ''but what," he added, "would he do if he wi'rc here ? Exactly what I have done and am still will- ing to do. The young man must write such a letter of contri- tion as would be an acknowledgment of his great fault, and with a sinc(>re promise, if liis captain will intercede to pro\ cut the impending court-martial, never to so misbehave again. On his captain 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 reprimand will be given in the public order-book of the fleet, and read to all the oflicei-s. The voung man has pushed himself forward to notice, and he must take the conse- quence. 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 sujicriors." 26. A dispute occurred in the fleet while it was off Toulon, which called forth Nelson's zeal for the rights and interests of the navy. Some young artillery officers, serving on board the bomb-vessels, refused 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 siiliject to the captain's authority. The same pretensions were made in the Channel Fleet about the same time, and the artillery i^ested 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 import- ance deserved. "There is no real happiness in this woi-ld," said he, writing to Earl St. Vincent as First Lord. " With all content and smiles around me, up start these artillery boys (I unders fiance; sj and its co ^vith you perhaps patient, conoiliati quitting to write, in its dis the sanu- Act of when till be pvetti iiidcpen( have the Trowbrii ParliauK embitter iiavy be pi'cvent: liave its was ace 27. 1 Nelson lately 1 the mo to the never i (leserv thus r( behalf know ourt-iimrtial y was, that pillant niifl le the iuter- ^'oulcl he do im still will- er of eontn- t fault, aiul 3 to plVNCilt ?aiii. On st to cancel it; but the •cler-ljook of 1,2: man lias the cousc- 5f the ship's upt; and I sequence of t seaman is off Toulon, interests of 1 board the other duty to Jiave it e captain's e Channel lioir claims 5n a clause f. Nelson ts import- lis world," • " With illery boys southey's life of nelson. 0d (T understand they are not beyond that age) and set us at de- fiance; speaking in the most disrespectful manner of the navy and its commanders. I know you, my dear lord, so well, that with your quickness the matter would have been settled, and porli.tps some of them been broke. I am pei'haps more patient, but, I do assure you, not less i-es(ilved, if my plan of conciliation is not attended to. You and I are on the eve of quitting the theatre of our exploits ; but avo hold it due to our succ(>ssors 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 Pai'lianient ; but I trust they will never succeed, for when they do, farewell to our naval superiority. We should he prettily commanded ! Let them once 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, ray dear Tiowbridge, the King himself cannot do away the Act of Parliament. Although my career is nearly run, yet it would embitter my future days and expiring 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. '27. Instead of lessening the power of the commander, Xelson would have wished to see it inci'cased. It was abso- lutely necessary, he thought, that merit should be rewarded t'vt the moment, and that the oilicers of the fleet should look up to the commander-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 unsolicited, and frequently the officer in whose Ix'half he had interested himself with the Admiralty did not know to whose friendly interference he was indebted for his ;*^ '■< ^4 SOUTHETS LIFE OP NELSON. it «r :Vi if good fortune. He used to say, " I wish it to appear as a God- Lend." The love wliich he bore the navy made him promote the interests and honour tlie memory of all who had added to its glories. " The near relations of brother officers," he said, "he considered as legacies to the service." Upon mention being made to him of a son of Rodney by the Duke of Clar- ence, his reply was : " I agree Avith your Royal Tligliness most entirely, that the son of a Rodney ought to be the protege of every person in the kiuLjdom, and particularly of the sea officers. Had I known that there had been this claimant, some of my own lieutenants must liave given way to such a name, and he sliould have been pLu-ed in the Victory ; she is full, and I have twenty on my list, but whatever 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 splendid services and illustrious names. His feelings toward the brave men who had served with him are shown by a note in liis diary, which was probably not intended for any other eye than liis own: — "Nov. 7. I had the comfort of making an old ^Agamemnon,' George Jones, a gunner into the Chameleon brig." 2^'. When Nelson took tlie commaTid it was expected that the Mediterranean would In* an active scene. Nelson well understood the ch/uacter of tlie (n) perfidious Corsicau who was now sole tyrant of Frajn-e, and knowing that ho was as ready to attack his friends as his enemies, knew therefore that nothing could be more uncertain than the direction of the fleet from Toulon, whenever it should put to sea. "It had as many destinations," ho .said, "as there wero countries." The mo- mentous revolutions of the last ten years had given him ample matter for reflection as well as opportunities for observation. The (l>) 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 (he oppnvssion and misrule of tlio SOUTHEYS LIFR OP NELSON. 55 ^ar fis a God^ him promote ad added to rs," he said, on mention like of Olar- ighness most lie protege of of the sea liis claimant, iiy to such a ctnry ; she is I' numbers I them out." vliat was due His feelin<'s u*e shown by nded for any B comfort of mer into the xpected that Nelson well 'Oisican who tt he was .is leroforo that 1 of the fleet »ad as many Tho mo- 1 him ample )bservation. ', when th(^ liberty and ule of tao powers which liad 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, if it had been possible longer to blind himself, Nelson would willingly have seen no evil, he p(,'rceived that the people wished for a charge, and acknowledg(>d that they had reason to M'ish for it. In Sardinia the sanu; burdtMi of niisgovernment was felt, and the people, like the Sicilians, were impoverished by a govern- ment so utterly incompetent to perform its tirst and most essential duties, that it did not protect its own coasts from the JUrbary i>irates. He would fain have had us purchase this island (the linest in the ]\rediten'anean) from its sovereign, who did not receive £5,000 a year from it after its Avretched <'stal)lislnnent was paid. Tlu^'e was reason to think that 1'' ranee was preparing to possess herself of this inii)ortant point, which allorded our lleet facilities for watching Toulon not to be obtained elsewhere. An expedition was prepai'ing at {^orsica for the purpose, and all the Sardes who liad takcMi part with revolutionary France wrre ordered to assend)le there. It was certain that if tlie attack were made it would succeed. Nelson thought that the only means to preNcnt Sardinia from becoming French was to make it English, atid that half a million would give tho king a rich i»rice and England a cheap purchase. A better and therefore a wiser policy would ha\e been to exert our influence in re- moving tho abuses of the government, for foreign dominion is always in some degret? an evil, and allegiance neither can nor ought to bo made a thing of bai'gain and sale. Surdinin, liko Sicily and Corsica, is large enough to form a separate state. Le# us hope that tliese islands may ero long be m;id<« free and independent. Freedom and independence will biing with them in«iustry and prosperity ; and wherever these are found, arts and letters will flourish and tho improvement of tlie human race proceed. V,'. 56 SOUTIIEYS LIFE O*" NELSON. N \ PI 4 I '■ if' 1 ;, 'i' 1 '' 29, The proposed attack was postponed. Views of wider ambition were opening upon Bonaparte, who now almost undis- guisedlyaspircdtomakeliiniselfmasteroftJiecontinentof Europe, and Austria wa? preparing for another struggle, to be conducted as weakly and terminated as miserably as the former. Spjun, too, was once more to be involved in war by the policy of France ; that perfidious government liaving in view the double object of employing the Spanish resources against England, and exhaust- ing them in order to render Hi)ain herself finally its prey. Kel- sin, who knew that England and tlie P*>ninsula ought to be in alliance, for the ctunmon interest of botii, frequently expressed his hoj)es that lS[iain might resume her national raidc amoiii; tr.c nations. "We ought," he s.iid, "by mutual consent, to bo tiie very best fi'imds, and l)oth to be ever husliU' to France. ' But he saw that I'onaparte was meditatir,g tlie destruction of Spain, and that, while the wretched Court oi Madrid professi'il to remain neutral, the ap})earances of neutrality w(U'e scarcely preserved. An order of the year 1771, excluding Ihitish ships of war from the Si)anish ports, was revived and put in force, while French i)rivateers from these very ports annoyed the British trade, carried their pri/.es in, and sold tliem even at Barcelona. Nelson comphiined of this to tlic captain-general of Catalonia, informing him that he claimed for every British ship or S(|ua(l- ron the right of lying as long as it pleased in the jiorts of Spain while that right was allowed to other powers. To the Ih'itish ambassador he said, "I am ready to make large allow- ances for the misei'able situation Sj)ain has placisd herself in, but there is a ceitain line beycjiid whieh I cannot submit to be treated with disrespect. We iiave given up h'rench vessels taken within gunshot of the Spanish shor(>, and yet l^'rcMich vessels are permitted to attack our ships from the Spanish shore. Your excellency may assure the Sjianish (loviM'nment tliitt in whatever place the Spaniiii allow tlu' French to at- tack us, in that place 1 shall order the French to be attacked." southey's life op nelson. 57 's of wider almost undis. htofEurope, •e conducted 'cr. «p;ii,i, of France; |1jIo object of "J e.vliaust- [sprey. Kel- -r'it to bo ill b' expressed ';iiik iinionL' '"sent, to 1),. to Fr;ui(v.' •struct i(»n of ifl professed '■»••' .srarcely ''•itisli sliip.s "it in force^ tltlieUritish ' l^arcelona. f Catalonia, I' •»!• .s(pia(l- ''0 ])i)rt.s of «• To tile ";i,'o ajimv- Jwrself ill. «ubiiii( to icli vessels Jt Frciieii ^ S])anish vornniont iii'li (u at- itaeliud." 30. Durin<^ this state of things, to wiiich the weaknaBs of (Spain, and not her will, consented, the enemy's fleet did not venture to put to sea. Nelson watched it with unremitting and almo.st unexampled perseverence. The station off Toulon he L'alh'd his home. " We are in the right lighting trim," said he : " let them come as soon as they please. I never .saw a tleel altogether so well otlioci-od and manned: would to God tlie slii[is were half so good ! The linest ones in the service would soon be desti'oyed by such terrible weather. I know well '•7nough that if I were to go into JNlalta I should .save the ships during this bad season ; but if 1. am to watch the French I nuist be at sea, and if at sea, must have bad weather; and if the ships an; not lit to si and 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 ha\e proposed to send a confidential l^'iciiehman to him with information. " I should be very ha]»py," he replied, "to receive authentic intelligence of the destination of the l"'i'ench sijuadron, their route, and time of sailing. Anything short of this is useless, and I assure your excellency tliat I would not upon any consideration have a Frenchman in the fleet exc(»])t as a prisoner. I put no confidence in them. You (hink yours good; the (pieen thinks the same; 1 believe they are all alike. AV'iiateNdr information you can get mo I shall be very thankful for ; but not a Frenchman conies hero. For- give me, but my mother hated tlie l<'reiich !" ;U. M. Latouche Treville, who h.ul coiimianded at lioulogne, commanded now at Toulon. "Jle was sent for on ])urj)ose," said Nelson, "as lie /ledt me at IJoulogno, to beat mo again ; but he seems very loath to try." One day, while the main bodv <»f our fl(»et was out of sight of land, llear-i\dmiral Camp- bell, r(!Connoiti'ing with the Canojixn, Di)in(/nl, and Atunzoti, .stood in close to thc! port, and M. Latouche, taking advantagt* of H br« e/.e which sprung up, pushed out with fut from the time of his meeting Captain Hawker in the Ids I never heard of liis acting otherwise than as a poltroon and a liar. Contempt is the best mode of treating such a miscreant." In spite, how- ever, of contempt, the impudcMice of this l<"'reiichman halt' angered him. He said to his brother, "You will have seen LatouilKi's letter; how he chased me, and how T ran. T keep it, and if I tak«; him, by God lie shall eat it ! " . 32. Nelson, who us>'(i to say that in sea atl'airs nothing is impossible and nothing improl)able, feared the n)oro that this Freni'hman might gv't oit and elude his vigilance because he was so especially desirous of catehing him, aiul administering to him his own lying lettei- in a sandwieh. M. Latouche, how ever, escaped him in anotlu>r way. Ife died, according to the French papers, in consciquenco of walking so often np to the signal-post upon 8epet to watch the British fleet. "I always pronounced tliat would be his death," said Nelson. " Tf he had come out and fought me, it would at least have added ten years to my life." '''ho patience with which he had watched Toulon he spoke of truly as a ])erse\('i'ance at sea which had never been sui'passed. From INIay, 1803, to August, 1805, he southey's life op nelson. 59 about four |"»ul Iiinisolf ^ JiHiriiiiiifr ^ and tiiiit flue to the "ii U]'OU tills tor was not ay, it was i' tJiis Hoe^ Ill's OOITCS •>(' (liHorciii ' '""in into '<• when li,. tlio tinioof ''••i''fl of Jiis oiitonipt is Hntt\ liou- ini.in Jialt' hiivii socii ». I kccj, i"»tliin«jr is J that til is HM'ilU,S(' ||(. i'listoriny olio, Iiow- "g to til,- «]) to tll(! T always " Tf ii,. (Iy afTair occurred, and Nelson was not apprised of it till the llMh of the ensuing month. He had indeed sullicient mortitication at the breaking out of tlie Spanish war, an event which it might reasonably have been supposed would amply enrich the otHcers of the jVIediterraneau fleet, and roi)ay them for tlie .severe and unremitting duty on which tht^y liad been so long employed. But of this harvest they were depiivcd, for Sir John Orde was .sent with a small squadron and a separate command to (>adiz. Nehon's feelings were (b) never wounded so deeply as now. "T had thought," said he, writing in the tirst flow of freshness of indignation : " I fancied — but nay, it must have ])een a dream, an idle dream —yet, I confess it, I ext morning to prepare for battle. Bad weather came on, biitiiing the one lleet in its object and the other in its pursuit. Nelson boat about the Sicilian seas for ten days without obtiiiu- ing any other information of the enemy than that one of UK'r ships li;uf put into Ajaccio dismasted, and having seen tli it Sardinia, Naples, and Sicily were safe, believing Egypt to be their destination, for Egypt he ran. The disappointment and distress which he had e.vpcrienced in his former })ursuits of the fronch through the same seas were now renewed, but Nelson, while lie endured tliese anxious and unhappy feeling.s, was still consoled by the same confidence as on tlie former occasion, that though his judgment might be erroneous, under all cir- cumstances he was right in hiuing formed it. " I have con- sulted no man," said he to the vidmiialty, "therefore the whole blame of ignorance in forming my judgment must rest with mc. I would allow no man to take fi'om me an atom of my glory had 1 fallen in with the French lleet, nor do I desire any man to pai'takc any of the responsibility. All is mine, right oi' svi'ong." Then sta*^ing tlie grounds ujion which ho had i)r(K-t'('d('d, ho added : "At this moment of sorrow 1 .still feel that I have acted right." In the same spirit he said to Sir Alexander Ball : " When 1 call to remembrance all the circumstances, I ai)prove, if nobody else does, of my own conduct." r \ { UJi, it 42 southey's life op nelson. 35. Baffled thus, lie bore up for Malta, and met intelligence from Naples that the French, having been dispersed in a gale, had put back to Toulon. From the same quarter he learned *„] at a great number of saddles and muskets had been em- barked ; and this confirmed him in his opinion that Egypt was their destination. That they should have put back in consequence of storms which ho had weathered, gave him a^ c/)nsoling s'juse of British superiority. "These gentlemen," said he, " are not accustomed to a Gulf of Lyons gale ; we have l)uircted them for one and-tweuty months, and not carried away a spar." Ho, however, who had so often bi'avod thes(> gales was now, though not mastered l)y thiMu, vexatiously thwarted and impeded ; and on February 27 he was conqicllcd to anchor in Pulla Bay, in the Gulf (»f Cagliari. From the 21st of Januaiy the Heet liad remained ready for battle, with- out a bulkhead up night or day. He anchored here that lie miglit not be driven to leeward. As soon as' the wcithe!' moderated lie put to sea again ; and after again beating al)oiit against contrary winds, another gale drove him to anchor in the Gulf of Palma on the 8th of March. This he made his rendezvous; he know that the french troops still rejuained embarked, and wishing to lead them into a belief that he was stationed ui)on < lie Spanish coast, he made his ap^iearance oil' Barcidona with that intent. About the end of the month ho began to fear that the plan of the expedition was abandoned, and sailing once more towards his old station oil" Toulon, on the 4th of April ho met the P/uehe, with ?iews that Vilh'- 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 th(^ coast of Africa. Nelson first covered the channel between Sardinia and Barbary, so as to satisfy hinis.df that Villeneuve was not taking the same route; for Fgypt which Gantheaume had taken before him, when he attempted to carry reinforcements there. Certain of this, ho I 1 BOUTHEYS LIFK OF NKLSON. 63 intelligence (1 in a gale, lie learned (1 been em- tliat Egypt ut back in ,'ave him a- ^^'ntlenien," ; we liiivp not carried I'.ivod thcsp voxatiouslv s c'(>iii|i('ll,.,| From til, )iittl(', uitli- ore tliat lie !!(! Wcafll"!' •■itini^' alidiit ' Jiiiclior ill e made liis I nnnaincd liat he was earance oil' I nionth ho tbaiulonetl, Toulon, on ihat Vili.'- 311 ships of last seen elson first ^ so as to aino route , when lie >f thi.s, ho bore up on the 7th iov Palermo, lest the French should pass to the north of (Corsica, and he despatched cruisers in all direc- tions. On the 11th he felt assured that they were not gone flown the Mediterranean, and sending oil' frigates to Gibraltar, to Lisbon, and to Admiral Cornv iljs, wjio commanded the squadron off Brest, he endeavouroa t( get to the westward, beating against westerly winds. Alter five days a neutra] gave intelligence that the French had been seen ofi" Cape do Gatte on the 7th. It was soon f ,iterwards ascertained that they had passed the Straits of ibraltar on the day following ; and Nelson, knowing that they might already be half-way to Ireland or to Jamaica, exclaimed that ho M-as miserable. One gleam of comfort only came across him in the reiloction that his vigilance had rendered it impossible for them to undertake any expedition in the Mediterranean. 36. Eight days after this certain intelligence had been obtained he described his state of mind thus forcibly in writing to the governor of Malta : " jMy good fortune, my dear Ball, seems flown away. I cannot get a fair wind, or even a side wind. Dead 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 destination. I believe this ill- luck will go near to kill me ; but as these are times for exer- tion, 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 April, and tlnj wind was then so adverse that it was impossible to pass the Gut. He anchored in ]\[azari Bay, on the Barbary shore; obtained supplies from Tctuan ; and when on the r)th a breeze frouj the eastward sprang up at last, sailed once more, hoping to hear of the enemy from Sir John Orde, wlio commanded off (.'adiz, or from Lisbon. "If nothing is heard of them," said he to the Admiralty, " I shall probably think the rumours which have been spread are true, that their 1 I It 'I Hi' ■fi I" »' 'HI' 64 SOUTH KYS lilFK OP NKLSON. .ibjoct is tlio West rndit's, and. in that rase T think it my duty to follow them ; or to tlie Antipodes, should I believe that to be their destination." At the time when this resolution was taken the physician of the lleet had ordered him to return to Knf];la,nd before the hot months. 37. Nelson had formed his judgment of their destination, and made up his mind aecordini-ly, when Donald ('ampbell, at that time an admiral in the Portuguese service, the same per- son who had given important tidings to Earl St. Vincent of the movements of that fleet from which ho won his title, a seocMid time gave timely and momentous intelligence to the flag of his country, lie went on board the Victory, and communicated to Nelson his certain knowhvlge tliat the combined Spanish and French fle(>ts were bound fortius West Indies. Hitherto all things had favoured the enemy. AN'hile the British commander wiis beating up against strong soutluMly and westerly gales, th(\v h;ul wind to their wish from the N. 10., and had done in nine days what he was a whole month in accomplishing. Viljcneuve, tinding 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, wit h six- Spanish ships of the lino 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 huiuli'crl Spanish ; six hundred were under orders expecting them at Martini(pie, and one thousand at CJuadaloiipe. General Lauris- ton commajided the troops. The combined fleet now consisted of eighteen sail of the line, six forty four gun frigates, one of twenty-six guns, three corvettes, and a brig. They were joini^d afterwards by two new French line-of battle ships and one forty- four. Nelson pursued them with ten sail of the line and three frigate.s. "Take you a Frenchman apiece," said he to his captains, " and leave me the Spaniards ; when T haul down my oolours I expect you to do the same, and not till then." 801ITHKYS LIFE OP NELSON. 65 ;?8. The eiH'iny luid five-n at Martinique, on the 4th, and were expected to sail that night for the attack of Granada. On the 9th Nelson arrived off that island, and there learned that they had passed to leoward of Antigua the preceding day, and taken a homewardbound convoy. Ilad it not been for false information, upon wliich Nelson had acted reluctantly and in opposition to liis own judgment, he would have been ofl' Port Royal just as they were leaving it, and the battle would have been fought on the spot wliere Rodney defeated DeGrasse. This he remembered in his vexation ; but he had saved the colonies and above two liundred ships laden for Europe, which would else have fallen into the enemy's hands, and he liad tlie satisfaction of knowing that the mere terror of his name had effected this, and had put to flight the allied enemies, whose force nearled 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 dis- embarked the tro()])S at Antigua, and taking with him the Spartiafe, 74, the only addition to the squadron with which he was pursuing so su})erior a foi-ce. Five days afterwards, the Amazon brought intelligence that she had spoke a schooner who had seen them, on the evening of tlie loth, steering to tiie north, and by computation eighty-seven leaf los o(l'. Nelson's diary at this time denotes his great anxiety and his perpetual and all observing vigilance: — "June 21, midnight.- Nearly calm ; saw tlnee planks, which T think came from the French fleet. Very miserable, which is very foolish." On tlie 17th of July he came in sight of Cape St. Vincent, and stecTed for Gib- raJtar. *' June 18th," his diary says, " Cape Spartel in sight, but soutiiey's life op nelson. 67 ff^tcliinrr to |*n, Jiowever inexampled, ined fleets, prartiriiquo t'le attack island, and ntigua the liad it J»-id acted t, he would it, and the '1*6 Eodney 'nation; but s'lips laden he enemy's at the mere o flight the '■fore wJiich le believed, having dis- '' '»im the ith wliich iterwards, a schooner ifig to tjje Nelson's — N(>;irly e French "' I7th of i for Gib- 5'gHt, but no French fleet, nor any information about them. How sorrow- ful 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 IGth, 1803; and fium hav- ing my foot out of the Victor}/, two years, wanting ten days." 40. Here he communicated with his old friend Collingwood, who, liaving been detached with a squadron when the disap- pearance of the combined llcots and of N(!lson in their pursuit was known in England, liad taken his station off Cadiz, He thouglit that Ii'cland was the enemy's ultimate object ; that they W(»uld n »w liberate tlu; Feriol sn by back-reckonings. I»y some mismanagement, 1 conchule, she was run on board of by one of the enemy's ships, and (lis nuist(Ml. Not liking delay (I'or I am satislied that those two ships were the advanced ones of the I'^rench sipiadron), and fancying we were chise at their heels, (hey set tire to thevesstl, aiul ahaiidoned her in a hurry. If this e\plana( ion he correii, I inftM" from it iUnl they liave gone more to the norihward, and morc^ to the norlhwaid I will juuk foi- them." This course accordingly he held, hut .^till without success. Still persi'\ci ing ami still disajtpnintcd, he returned near enough to Cadi/ to ascei'tain that they were not there, traversed the i'iiy nf I'.iscay, and then, as a last hope, stood oNei- for the north we>l I'oast of li'cland, against adverse winds, till on the eveinng of tlie I'Jth of ,\uj;ust. he learned that they had not been heard of tliei'i'. Frustrated thus in all his hopes, after u pursuit to which, t\>r its extent, rapidity, and perse\erance, no pai-allel can he pro duoed, !»' Judged it lje.-.t to reinforce the Channel VWvX with news hi' evcniiig Sniierb 80UTIIEYS LIFE OP NKLSOX. 69 his squadron, lest the enemy, as Culliii^wood apprelieiuled, slioiild bear (ln- sisted of twenty sail of the line, three lifty j,'un ships, live fri <,'ates, and two bri,i:;s ; jiis, of lit'ti'en line-of-battle ships, two frij;ates, a cutter, and a luj^j^er. After an action of four hours he had captured an ei^ddy four and a seNonty-four, and thou thonj^lit it n(>cessary to brin^-to the s<|na(lron for the ptirpose of securing their pri/.es. The h(»stile lltM is rcMunined in siyht of each otliei" till the L'dth, when the enemy \)ovr away. 'Die cap- ture of (wo ships from so supei'ior a force would liav(5 been considercMl as no inconsidei'able \ it (oiy a few years earliei', but Nelson had introduced a new (Ma in our naval history, and (lu! J » tuUion felt ii'sjiectini,' this aelion as he had felt on a (/<) some- what similar oci-asion. 'riiey regretted tjiat Nelson, with his eleven ships, had not been in Sir Kobei't ('alder's place, and their disappointment, was jj[cneraily and londl\ expressed. •J. I''rnst rated as his own hopes had liecn, >'"lson ha»l yet the hiuh .satisfaction of knowini,' that his judgment had n«»ver been more consfticuousiy approved, ami that he had renden'd <'ssen- tial service to his country by (n) driviuLj the enemy from (hose islands where they expected there cnnld be no force capable of up[)osing (Ih'UI. The West India merchanta in Louduu, uia uieu 70 SOt'lllKYS LM'K OF M'.r.SON. W'hosn interosts wcu'o nioro iiniiicdiatcly IxMiclKcd, jipjiointod a deputiitiou to oxitrcss tiKiir tliaulvs t'oi- liis jLfreat iiiid judicinns exertions, ft was now liis intention to rest awliilc! from his labours, and iccruit liiuisidf, aftci- all his fati;,'ues and cares, in the society of those whom he loved. All his stores Wiic brout;lit up from the Virtonj, and he found in his house at ISlerton the enjoymiMit whicii lie had {It) anticipated, (c) AFany days had not elapsed l)cfoi'e Captain Jlliickwood, on his way to London with despatches, called on him at livt^ in the morninij. Nelson, who was already dressed, exclaimed, the moment he saw him : ** 1 am sure you hrin^ mc^ news of the l-'rench and Spanish Heels! I thiidc 1 shall yet have to beat them ! " They had relit ted at Vii,'o, after the indecisive action with Sir l{obert Caldei-; then pi'oceeded to Ferrol, broui^dit. out tin; sipiadi'on from thence, and with u, ((/) entered Cadi/ in .safety. " Depend on it, IMaekfoi'd," he repeatedly said, "I shall yet j^ivo M. Villeneuve a drubbini,'." Hut when Ulackfoid had l(>ft him he wanUid resolution ',o ds; and as he was pacinj^ one of the walks in th(! ;,'arden, which he used to eall the (piarter (leek, Tiady Hamilton came up to him and told him she saw he was uneasy. J|(i smih'd, and .said: " No, he was as happy as possible ; Im wa.s surrounded by his family, his health was bet ten* sinc«^ he had l»ceii on shore, and he would not ^ive sixpence to call the kin,L; his uncle." She i-eplicd that she did not believe liiiii, that she knew he was loui^in^' to ^<^t at the condiined lleels, that he considei-ed them as his own property, that he would Im- miseralih^ if any man but himself did tlu; business, and that he ou,!.,dit to hav(( them as the pricie and reward of his two years' lonj; watehiiiL; and his hard chaH«». •' Nelson," .said she, how- ever we may lament your ab.sencu, oiler your servicoa; they 80UTTIRYS LIFE OF NKLSOV. I Pl'OMifcd a I"' j"(ii(i(Mis '!(' from liis ")>ii > call tli.> 'liy it ; you will have a rofesKiou ; you (•ainiot choose wrong." Tjord Harham then desii(>d him (o say what sliips and Imw many he would wish, in addition to the fleet which he was going to command, and sjiid they should f(tlIow him as soon as each was n'ady. No a|)pointnient was ever more in unison with the t'eelinL,'s and jiidi,Mnent of the whole nation. They, like Lady llaniillon, tlioui,dit that the destruction of the combined Hec^ts ought properly to b«! Nelson's work : that he who liad been Half around t,h«» MOJifjfnt ball, Tlu! Iiuntor of tlio nwrcivnt (l.uil,* oiiLjht to reap the spoils of the chase, which he had watched so long aiul so })er.st!V(!ringly pursued. 4. Unremitting exertions were made to erpiip the shi{)s which he had chosen, and especially to i-elit the Virtorjf, which was once more to bear his Hag. Jiefeiin'd, indeed, to have bcuMi im- press<' If M^ I t'oro 1 wished, for I know they meant to m;il<«' a cIcmH sot nt the- Victory.'' Nelson had once regarded the prospect of douth with gloomy satisfaction; it was wlien ho anticipated the upbraidiiigs of his wife and tho displeasure of his veii('r;d)lo fatlier. The state of h'S feelings now was expressed in his pii- vate journal in these words: "Friday ni^ht (Sci»t. 13th), at half-past ten, I drove fi-om dear, dear INlcrton, where I left all {n) which T hold dear in this world, to go to seive my lr c<>ase l)(>ing oflered up to the tlirono of His mercy. If it is His good pi'ovidenco to cut short my diijs upon earth, I bow with the gi'eatcist submission; relying that Me will protect those sodc.ir to me whom I niny leav(^ beliind .' His will be done. Anini ' Am(Mi ! Amen ! " 5. Early on the following morning he re;itlied I'ortsnioutli, and ha\i'... df^spjitcluHl his business on shore, endeavoured ti »«lude tlh populace by taking a hytway to the beach, but a crowd collected in his train, pressing forw.iid to dliliiin sight of his face; many werein tears, and in.iny knelt down beforehim }ind blessed hiui as the}' passed, hjigliind has had mimy \\^ devotion li(> gerxcd his country (c) with ;ill his heart, aurl >\ith all his soul, luul with all his strength ; and therefo?*e ihoy h)ve(l him as truly and as fervently as he loved I'Jiglaud. They [ires-cd uji|iii„ ''■■•fl iimiiv the lov,. ,,f it hi.s h<'iir<, not in his ', but fhiit 7 ((•) witli strcii^rth ; f>i»i;< their voiired to 'o wed^recl gnrh Mil occasion, ordered them to drive tlie poople down with their b;iyonots, was oompeik'd speedily to retreat ; for the people would not bo debarr<>d from ffw.'mff till the last moment upon the liero — the darling hero — of En<;land. ('). He arrived off (.'adiz on the '20th of Septend)ei' — his hiithd.'iy. Fearing that, if the enemy knew his force, they DiiLcht be deterred from venturing to sea, he kept out of sight of land, desired {^)llingwood to firo no salute and hoist no coloui's, and wrote to Gibraltar to request that the force of the licet might not be inserted there in the "Gazette." His recep- tion in th(> Ab'diterranean ileet was as gratifying as the fare- well of his countrymen at Portsmouth ; the otHccM's, who came on board to welcome him, forgot his raid< as oonimander iii their joy at seeing him again. On the day of his ai-rival v'^ille neuve received orders to put to sea th(^ first opportunity. Villeneuve, liowever, hesitated when he heard that Neison h.u' resumed the command. Ke called u council of wr *•, a* rl th<(r d(^termination was that it wouhl not be expiMJie to Icuvo Cadiz unless they Ii.mI reason tr believe themselves ;U.ronger by one-third than the Uritish force. In the publi*- im .t^uri"s of this country secr(>cy is seldom p uiticable and seld«<; • at- tempted ; here, however, by the precautions of Nelsfni and the wise measures of the Admir.alty, the enemy were for otico kept in ignorance ; for, as the ships appointed to reinforce the .M.'di terranean fleet were despatcln singly, each as sooe as it was ready, their collected number was not stated i?i tin? nr -.vupaiwrs, and their arrival was not kiunvn to the enemy. \U;t the enony knew tfiat Aibniral hcniis, wifli six sail, had been detaehed for stores niul water to (Jibraitar. Accident also contiibtit d to Mjake * he I'^-ench admiral «lonl»t whether Nelson hinself liud actually taken the command. \n Americin, lately arriscd from I'lngland, mai.itained that it, was impossible, for lie had Roeti hitn only a frv days lu'fore in rondon, ai\d ut that tirao there was no rumour of his going again to sea. 1 liil 'f¥. '$ T4 80UTHEYS LIFE OF NELSOV. f^;: I 7. The station which Nolson had choson was soiiic lifty or sixty milos to the west of Cadiz, near Cape St. Mary's At this distance he hoped to decoy the enemy out, wliile ho pnanh'd ar the nauio of Danish property, to all Hio little j)o>'ts from Ayamonte to Algoziras, from whence thcv w(!re conveyed in coasting boats to Cadiz, were .seized. \\'it!i out tin's proper exertion of power the blockade would have been ren(h>re(l nui,'atory by the advanta<;e tl:us taken of the neutral fla;.;. The siipjilics frotu France were thus etU»etuallv cut oil". Ther(( was now ev(>ry indication that the enemy would i^peedily venture out; olllcers and men w(>re in th<» hi>,'hi'st sjiirits at the prosju'ct of j^ivim,' them a decisive blow — such, iu) all further contest upon the s»'as. Theatrical amusements were perfornu'd every evening in most of the ships, and "(lod save the Kinp;" was the liymn with which the sports concluded. "I verily beli«ivo," said Nelson, writing on tlje Hth of ()ctob(«r, "that the country will soon be put to sonu^ expense on my accoinit, eitluM- a monu mentor a new pension and honors; for I have not the smallest doubt but that a very few days, almost hours, will pjit us in battle. The success no man can insure, but. for the light injr them, if they can be got at, I pledge myself. The sooner the Ixitter; I don't iik<^ to have IJiese things upon my mind." 8. At this time iu* was not. without snme cause ot anxiety ; he was in want of frigates tlie eyes of the Meet, as he always calh'd them, to thjj| doubted c he wante( sqiia(b'on iiud on tl: would b€ t'mnrulab foi'ce. 'i caught tl tlie lb-it (iWU i1f''< liouic Sii sul/ji'ct < satisfact victory, to bo tin fcssion ; him, thi every p( Ho wish the serv which NN from ai li(>weve delay a a comp liom«! ii ^jun sli Not hill Nelson heeii ii 9. C diary of att uncori SOUTIIEYS LIFE OP NELSON. 75 doubted of victory, mere victory was not what he 'ooked to : he wanted to anniliilate tlie enemy's fleet. The Carthagena squadron might eflfeot a junction with this fleet on the one side, iiiid on the other it was to be expected that a simihir attempt would be made by tlie French from Jirest; in cither case a formidable contingency to be apprehended by tlie Idockading force. Tlie Rochefort squatb-on did push out, and had nearly caught the A;/iiinem)ion and L^Ainiahle in their way to reinforce tlic iiritish ;Hliiiiral. Yet Nelson at this time weakened his (iwn llcot. lie li.'id tlu! unpleasant task to i>eiform of sending hoine Sir Robert Caldor, wiiose conduct was to be made the sul)ject of a court-m;irlial in conseijuence of the general dia- siitisfaet ion which had been felt and cxjiressed at his imperfect victory. Sir Robert Caldcr and Sir John Orde, Nelson beli(!ved to be the only two enemies whom he had ever had in his pro- fession ; and, from that sensitive delicacy wliich distinguished him, this nia(U* liim ihc more scrupulously anxious to show eveiy ])ossible mark of respect and kiiulness to Sir Robeit. lie wisJKid to detain liim till after the expected action, when t\w services which he might ])erform, and ihe triumphant joy which would betjxcited, W(»uld leave nothing to be apprcliended rVom an iiKpiiry into the previoiis engagement. Sir Jiobert, liowevei', whose situation was very painful, did not choose to delay a (rial fi-oiii tlu! result of which he conlich'iitly expected a complete just ilieation ; and Nelson, instead of sending him home in a frigat(», insisted on his I'etuniing in his own ninety- gun ship, ill as su<'h a ship could at that time l)e spared. Nothing could be more honourable than the feeding by which Nels(»n was influenced, but at such a ciisis it ought not to have been indulged. 9. Un the !Mli Nels(ti\ sent Collingwood what he called in his diary "the Nelson-touch." "I send you," said he, " my plan of attaek, as far as a num dare venture to guess at the very uncurtain pusilion (lit; unemy may be found in; but il in to i: 70 SOUTMKYS Mil". <>K NKI.SON. :|!'l [fl. ])hu'e you poifrctly ;ii cusc^ rrsjH'cliiii; my iiitnntious, ;iihI d. n^ivc full .s(M>iM> to youi- jui<'al <^<'liin<^ 11 glorious j>raf»' for uiir coniiliy. No man lias ninif mrKlt'iicc ill aiiotlirr lli.iii I lia\f in von, ami no m in Mil irmlrr yonr srr\ ices more justice than your \rry old tVicinl, {n) Nelson and ilionlr.'' Tlie iirder of sailini,' was <(» he IIm' oidci of ItaMir llie il('f( in l,\vo lines, willi an advam-rd si|ii;it|i(iii ot' III t an eiieiii\. ( »iii' of (he last, orders of this admirahle man wa;; that the iiaiiii' and family of e\erv ollicer, seaman, and marine, who nii!.;ht he killed or wounded in act ion, should he a> soon as possible re turned to him, in order lo he transmitted to (he chairman nf I he pal riot ic fund, t hat I he case miL^hl he taken into consideia lion for the lieiielit of the snilerer or hi . family. III. Ahout half pa I nine in the niorniie^ of (he I IM h ihc .\/ in Hin ciil r.iiici' of I lie Shnits, l>ii( lln' ciit'iny were no( in sinlil. Alioiit scncii, one of tlw fiis|,\v;ud. "Ami lli.il," s;iils«tii li.'id siL^'iiilii'd lo jlLirhw ood lli,i( III' ili|it'iidlaiidiii:^ t.(» IIk" soiiIIi, ( )iir licet consisted of twenty se\en sail of the line luid four frii;atcs; theirs «)f thirty lliiee and r\cii lar^c fri'^ales. 'Their siipi-rioiil y was greater in si/e ami uciijlil of iiicial than in inimlicrs. 'i'lu'V hail four thousand t Idol IS on hnird, and the liesi rillemcn that, could lie procured, iii,in\ of llii'iii 'I'siolcc, were dispersed throu;^h the ships. |,il I le did I lie 'I'n rolcsc and lil I |c did I he Sp.ini.irds at t hat day iiii.iL;inc w hat hoiroi ;; I he w i. kcd l\iaiil whom t hey sei\ ed w as pieparini^ for I heir count ry. r.I. Soon atlcr daylight. Nelson came upon deck. 'riic'JIsI nf ( Jctoher was a festival in hi. family, I leca use on thai day his f H I t . If i J' ?h 78 80UTIIKYS LIFE OF NELSOV. uncle, Captain Siicklinjij, in the Drendnawiht, with two othoi line-of-battle ships, had bcviten oil" a Freneli st|uaclion of four sail of the lino and thiee frigates. Nelson, with that sort of superstition from which f(!w persons are entirely exempt, had more than once expressed his persuasion that this was to bts the day of his battle also, and he was well pleased at seeing hi > j)re diction 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 licet set all siiil. Col ling wood, in the Roijal Suvcrcitju, led the lee; line of thirteen ships ; the Victory led the weather lino of fourteen. Having seen that all wjis as it should be, Nelson ri'tired to his cabin and wrote the following j)rayer : — "May the great God whom I worship grant to my countrv, and for the hcnelit of Kui'ope in general, a great and gloiimis victory, and may no misconduct in any one tarnish it, and may humanity after victory be tlu^ pnidominant feature in the llrilisli fleet! For myself individually, I connuit my life to Him tli:.i made me, and may His blessing alight on my endeavours; for s(U'ving my i-ountry faithfully ! To liim I resign myself, and the just cause which is entrusted to m(; to defend. Anicn. Amen, Amen." Having thu.s discharged his devotional duties, lie annexed, in the same diary, th(! following renuirkable writing : - *' Oc/o/>«r 21 s<, 1805. — Tlit'ii in sicjht of the combhad jlertsoj France and Spain, distant about ten mifen. '• Whereas, the eminent services of Emma Hamilton, widow of the Ivight Honourable Sir William Jfamilton, have been of the veiy greatest service to my king and my country, to my kiujwledge, without over receiving any reward from eithei- our king or country : " First, that she obtained the King of Si)ain's letter, in ITiU), to his brother, the King of Naples, ac([uainting him of hi.s intention to declare war against England ; from which IctUr Ii two otlioi (Iron of four that soi't of exL'iupt, liiul rtJls to be tlic •eiiig hi j pre •oiu tho west was iiiado to ■ licet set all he Ico line of of fourtrt'ii. t'tii't'd to Ills my I'ouiit r\, and iu;loiiniis 1 it, and niav in the liiKisli to Him ili.'ii dcavouit for 1 n»ys(^lf, and ■nd. Ainrn. he annexed, nvcd jlevts of lilcx. lilton, widow luive been of untiy, to my )ni either our Iter, in 170G, * him of hus whicii letter SOUTHKYS LIFE OF NKLSOy. 79 the Ministry sent out orders to the then Sir John Jer\ is to strike a stroke, if ojiport unity ottered, against eitlier the arsenals of Spain or her tteets. That neither of these was done is not the fault of Lady Ilaniilton ; the opportunity might have been otl'ered : '* Seeondly, the iiritish fleet under my connnand eould never have returiu'd the second time to Egyi)t had lujt Lady Hamil ton's influence with the (.^)ucen of Naples caused letteis to be wrote to the govei-nor of Syracuse, that he was to encourage the fleet's being sui>plied with everything, should they put into any port in Sicily. We put into Syiacuse, and received every supply, went to I'^gypt, and destroyed the French fleet. " Could I have rewarch'd tlu^se services, I would not now call upon my country ; but as that has iu»t lu'cn in my powei', I leave Kmma Lady iraniilton therefore a legacy to my king and country, that they will give her an ample provision to maintain her rank in life. " [ also leave to the Ifcneticence of my country my adopted (laughter, lloratia Nelson Thompson ; and I desire she will use in future the name of Nelson only. " These are the only favours I iisk of my king and country at this moment when I am going to tight their battle. May God bless my king and country, aiul all those I hold dear ! My rtdations it is needless to mention ; they will of course be amply provided for. " NeI-SOV and UltONTK. '* Witness \ ITknuy JJlackwood. \ T. M. IIaudy." 13. Thti child of whom this writing speaks was believed to Ije his daughter, and so indeed he called her the last time he prom)unced her name. She was then about tivc? years old, living at Merton under Lady Hamilton's care. The last minutes which Nelson passed at Merton were emj»loyed in praying over this child as she lay sleeping. A portrait of Ijjidy IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I I 125 l^|Z8 |io ■^~ mi^tm Ui 1^ |2.2 w U^ mm ^ |i£ i2.0 lit L25 III 1.4 I 1.6 Photographic Sciences Corporation 33 WIST MAIN STMIT WHSTIR.N.Y. 14SM (716)S72-4S03 ^ ^ 4>^ ' 'Co 80 SOUTHEYS LIFE OP NELSON. !• M I 'f^ '4 Uli 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 for action, he desired the men who removed it to " take care of his guardian angel." In this manner he frequently spoke of it, as if he believed tliere were a virtue in the image. He wore a miniature of her also next his heart. 1 4. Blackwood went on board the Victory about six. He found him in good spirits, but very calm j not in that exliilaration which he had felt upon entering into battle at Aboukir and Copenhagen ; 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 shoals of Trafalgar and St. Pedro under the loo of the British, and keeping the port of Cadiz open for tliemsthos. This was judiciously done ; and Nelson, aware of all tlie advantages which he gave them, made signal to prepare to anchor. 15. Villeneuve was a skilful seaman, worthy of serving ;i 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 alt being id ahead and to the day. ctory. That tvay in wliioli letermination the land, lie 'ere captured. han twenty." c tliere was a signal wanting. Captain Blackwood made answer that he thought the (a) whole fleet seemed very clearly to understand what they were about. These words were scarcely spoken be- fore 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 expects every man will do HIS DUTY ! " It was received throughout the fleet with a shout of answering acclamation, made sublime by the spirit which it breathed and the feelings which it expressed. "Now," said Lord Nelson, " I can do no more. We must trust to the great Disposer of all events and the justice of our cause. I thank God for this great opportunity of doing my duty." 16. Ho 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. Ornaments which rendered him so conspicuous a mark for the enemy were beheld with ominous apprehension by his officers. It was known that tliere were riflemen on board the French ships, and it could not be doubted but that his life would be particularly aimed at. They cooimuni- cated 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 speaking to him himself upon a subject in which the weal of England, as well as the life of Nelson wag concerned ; but he was ordered from the deck before he could find an opportunity. This was a point upon which Nelson's * Tn this part of the \vv)rk I have cliiofly been indebted to this pentleman's '•Narrative of Lord Nclagu's Death," a docuuieut as interuBtintf as it ia authentic. 82 SOUTHEY S LIFE OP NELSON. '■■■■I oflScers knew it was hopeless to remonstrate or reason with him ; but both Blackwood and his own captain, Hardy, repre- sented 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 Leviathan, and the Temeraire, which were sailing abreast of the Victory, be ordered to pass ahead. Yet even here the (a) last infirmity of this noble mind was indulged, 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. (6) 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 spectacle, and, in full confidence of winning what they saw, remarked to each other what a fine sight yonder ships would made at Spithead ! 17. The French admiral, from the Bucentaure, beheld the new manner in which his enemy was advancing — Nelson and Col- lingwood 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 witli perfect coolness. Ten minutes before twelve they opened their tire. Eight or nine of the ships immediately ahead of the Victory, and across lier 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 Captain Prowse, of the Sirius, to repair to their respective frigatos, and on their way to tell all the oaptuinu uf the line of battk sliipa southey's life of nelson. 83 reason with ardy, repre- i^ould be for le consented which were ahead. Yet mind was the Victory Nelson from e in pressing )ey his own ly of Cadiz, fore it, with n the sails of ir numerous er assailants sailors only :acle, and, in ked to each at Spithead ! held the new son and Col- m out to his onduct could lade his own ;s under his olness. Ten ht or nine of I across her ' she was yet d that their md Captain frigates, and battle iihipa that he depended on their exertions, and that, if by the pre- scribed mode of attack they fouiid it impracticable to get into action immediately, they might adopt whatever they thought best, provided it led them quickly and closely alongside an enemy. As they were standing on the front 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." 18. Nelson's column was steered about two points more to the north than CoUingwood's, in order to cut ofi* the enemy's escape into Cadiz. The lee line, therefore, was first engaged. " See," cried Nelson, pointing to the Eoyal Sovereign, as she steered right for the centre of the enemy's line, cut through it astern cf the Santa Anna, three-decker, and engaged her at tlie muzzle of her guns on the starboard side ; " see how that noble fellow Collingwood carries his ship into action !" Col- lingwood, delighted at being first in the heat of the fire, and knowing the feelir^s of his commander and old friend, turned to his captain and exclaimed: " Rotherham, what would Nelson give to be here !" Both thf se brave ofiicers, perhaps, at this moment thought of Nelson with gratitude for a circum- stance which had occurred on the preceding day. Admiral Co'Mngwood, 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 good terms with each other. " Terms ! " said Nelson ; " good terms with each other ! " Immediately he sent a boat for Captain Rotherham, led him, as soon as he arrived, to Collingwood, and saying, " Look, yonder are the enemy 1 " bade them shake hands like Englishmen. 19. The enemy continued to fire a gun at a time at the Victory till they saw that a shot had passed through her main- topgallant sail ; then they opened their broadsides, aiming chiefly at her rigging, in the hope of disabling her before she 11 84 SOUTHEY 8 LIFE OF NELSON. - ^i i'i could close on 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 hav'ng them to strike. For this reason the Santissima Trini- dad, Nelson's old acquaintance, as he used to call her, was distinguishable 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. Captain Adair, of the marines, with the help of a sailor, endeavoured to remove tlie 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 informed chat 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 immediately desired Captain Adair to disperse his men round the ship, that they might not sufier so much from being together. A few minutes afterwards a shot struck the fore-brace bits on the quarter- deck, and passed between Nelson and Hardy, a splinter from the bit tearing ofi* Hardy's buckle and bruising his foot. Both stopped, and looked anxiously at each other : each supposed the other to bo wounded. Nelson then smiled, and said : " This is too warm work. Hardy, to last long." 20. The Victory had not yet returned a single gun ; fifty of her men had been by this time killed or wounded, and her maiii-topraast, with all her studding-sails and their booms, shot away. Nelson declared that in all his battles he had soon nothing which surpassed the cool courage of his crew on tliis occasion. At four minutes after twelve she opened hor firo from both sides of her deck. It was not possible to break tlie enemy's line without running on board one of their shii)s ; Hardy infoiinecl him of this, and asked him which lie would SOUTH EY^ LIFE OP NELSON. 85 veral flags, no colours ecessity of ima Trhii- 1 her, was )ow of this eantime an ■ory. The was killed Captain tideavoured ad a great s that poor 3 indeed so, leaded shot e poop, and ely desired 3, that they ew minutes he quarter- linter from foot. Botli apposed the lid: "This m; fifty of )d, and her looms, shot B had soon rew on tin's od her fire ) break the icir shii)s ; I he would |. lifer. Nel!^,on 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 Redouhtahle just as her tiller-ropes were shot away. The French ship received her with a broadside, then instantly let down her lower-deck ports for fea- of being boarded through them, and never afterwards tired 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 pi-actice, not merely because it endangers setting tire to the sails, but also because it is a murderous sort of warfare, by which individuals may sutler and a commander now and tlum picked ott", but which never can decide the fate of a general engagement. 21. Captain Harvey, in the Tevieraire, fell on board the Redoubtable on the other side ; another enemy was in like manner on board the Tevieraire ; so that these four ships formed as compact a tier as if they had been moored together, their heads all lying the same way. The lieutenaTits of the Victory seeing this, depressed thoii* guns of the middle and lower decks, and tired with a diminished charge, lest the shot should pass through and injure the Temeraire ; and because there was danger that the Redoubtable might take tire from the lower deck guns, the muzzles of which touched her side when they were "un out, the tireman of each gun stood ready with a bucket of water, which, as soon as the gun was discharged, he ilasiied into the hole mjide by the shot. An incessant tire was kept up from the Victory from both sides ; her larboard guns playing upon the Jiucentaure and the huge iSantissiina Trinidad. 22. It had been p.'irt of Nelson's prayer that the British fleet might be distinguished by humanity in the victory he expected. Setting an example himself, he twice gave orders to cease tiring upon the Redonblab/c, supposing tluit slie had struck, be- ' 1 l1 m 86 SOUTllEYS LIFE OF NELSON. cause her great guns were silent ; for, as she carried no tlai^, there was no m<'ans of instantly ascertaining the fact. From this ship, which he had thus twice s})ared, he received his death. A ball fired from her uiizen-top, which in the then situa tion of the two vessels was not more than fifteen yards from that part of the deck wliere he was standing, struck the epaulette on his left shoulder, about a quai'ter after one, just in the heat of action. He fell upon his face, on the spot which was covered with his poor secretary's blood. Hai'dy, wlio wass a few steps from him, turning round, saw three men raising him up. "They have done for me at last, Haidy ! " said lie. "I hope not!" cried Hardy. "Yes," he replied, "my buck- bone is shot through !" Yet even now, not for a momcMit losing his presence of mind, he observed as they were carryint^ 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 immediately. Then, that he might not be seen by tiie crew, he took out his handkerchief and covercid l)is face and his stars. Had he but conceah^d these l)adgos of honoui- fi'om the enemy, England perhaps would not have had cause to niceivc, with sorj'ow the news of the battle of Trafalgar. The cock}»it was crowded with wounded and dying men, over whose bodies he was with some difficulty convey(xl, and laid upon a pallet in the midshipmen's berth. It was soon perceived, upon exami- nation, th.at the wound was mortal. This, howevei", was con- ceahnl from all except Captain Hardy, the chaphtin, and the medical attendants. He himself being certain, from the sensa- tion in his V)ack and the gush of blood \w felt momimtly with- in his breast, that no human care could avail him, ins4st(^d that the surgeon should leave him, and attend to tiiose to whom h(! might be useful ; " for," said ho, " you can do nothing for me. ' All that could be done was to fan him with paper, and fro quently give him IcMiionadt^ to alleviate his intense thirst. Jle was in great pain, and expressed much anxiety for the event ed no Hag, let. From coiviHl his tluin situa yards from struck tlie Br one, just spot which y, wlio wasi neii raising; !" said he. " my back- a inonunit ere carrying d been shot ones sh(»u'(l seen by the face and his ur from the to receive Tlie cockpit ^hose bodies II a pallet in ipon exan li- ar, WfiR con- tin, and the :n the sensa- lently with- insistcxl that to whom ho ing for me. ' )er, and fro- th irst. He >r the event SOITTITRYS LIFE OF NELSON. f^7 of tlie action, which now began to declare itself. As often as a ship struck the crew of the Virfori/ hurraed, and at every hurra a visible expression of joy gleamed in the eyes and iiiai'ked the countenance of the dying hero. Tmt he became im[)atient to see Captain Hardy, and as that officer, though often sent for, could not leave the deck, N(>lson feared that s )me fatal cause: prevented liim, and repeatedly cried : " Will no one bring Hai'dy to me 1 He must be killed ! He is surely de.id !'" An hou' and ten minutes elapsed f I'om the time when Nelson receiv(>d his wound before Hardy could come to him. They shook h tnds in isih^nce ; Hardy in vain struggling to (\\{)ress the feelings of that n;ost paniful and yet sublimest luonient. " VV^^ll, Ibirdy," said Nelson, "How goes tlie day with us?" — "Very well," r(!})lied Hardy; "ten ships have struck, but five of the van have tacked, and show an intention to b soon. Come neai'or to me. Let my dear Lady Hamilton have my hair and all other things belonging to me." Hardy observed that he hoped Mr. ileatty could yet hold out some pros|)ect of life. " Oh no !" he re})li(>d, " io is impossible; my back is shot through. r)eM,tty will tell vou so." Captain Hardy then once more shook h.-inds with him, and with a lu!art almost bursting hastened oti deck. 23. JJy this time all feeling below the breast was gone ; and Nelson, having mad • tti(^ suigeon ascertain this, said to him : " You know I am gone. I know it. I fe(;l something rising in my breast " — putting his hand on his left side — " which tells me so." And upon l»en,tty's ijujuiring whether his pain was very great, he replied ; " So grea,t that he wished lie was . i''i 88 SOUrilRYS LIFE OP NELSON. dead. " Yi^t," said he in a lowi'v voice, " one \v(juld likt ti; live a little longer too !" And after a few minutes, in the same undertone, he added : " What would become of poor Lady Hamilton if she knew my situation?" Next to his country she occupied his thoughts. Captain H ardy, some fifty minutes after he had left the cockpit, returned, and again taking the hand of his dying friend and commander, congratu- lated him on having gained a complete victory. How manv 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 T bargained for twenty." And then in a stronger voice he said : " Anchor, Hardy, anchor." Hardy upon this hinted that Admiral Col- lingwood 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. Presently, calliiii; Hardy back, he said to him in a low voice : "Don't throw me overboard;" and he desired that he might be buried by hi.s parents, unless it should please the King to order othei-wise. Then reverting to private feelings : " Take care of my deai' Jjixdy Hamilton, Hardy ; take care of poo)' Lady Hamilton. Kiss me. Hardy," said he. Hai-dy kn<;lt down atid kissed hi.s cheek, and Nelson said: "Now I am satisfied. Thank God, I 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. Hardy." And Hardy then left him forever. 24. 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 t/reat sinner." And after a short pause : "lliunember that I leave Lady Hamilton 80UTHEYS LIFE OP NELSON. 89 11 Id likt 6t; es, in the le of pool- xt to his some fifty and again , congratu- ilow main t was irn r fifteen at •gained for " Anchor, dmiral Col- of affairs. leffectually >u anchor." shown how tly, callinii t throw mv lied by his otherwise. 3f my dear Hamilton. I kissed hi.s aiik God, I silence foi' s forehead. he replied : lim forever. right side, all soon be lie said to ler." And f Hamilton and my daughter Iloratia as a legacy to my country." His articulation now became difficult, but he was distinctly heard to say : "Thank God, I have dooie my duty !" These words he repeatedly pi'onounced, and they were the last words which he uttered. He expired at thirty minutes after four, three iiours and a quarter after he had received his wound. 25. Within a quarter of an hour after N(;lson was wounded about fifty of the Victory's men fell by the enemy's musketry. (a) They, however, on their part were not idle, and it was not long befoi-e there wei'e only two Frenchmen left alive in the inizen-top of the RedouhtnhJe. 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 quartermaster had seen him fire, and easily recognized liim because he wore a glazed cocked-hat and a white frock. This quartermaster and two midshipmen, Mr. Collingwood and Mr. Pollard, 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 quartermaster, as lie cried out " That's he, that's he ! " and pointed at the other, who was coming forward to fin^ again, received a shot in 'lis 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 aud found him dead, with one ball through his head and another through his breast. 26. The Redoubtable struck within twenty minutes after the fatal shot had been fired from her. During that time she had been twice on fire — in her forechains and in her forecastle. The French, as they had done in other battles, made use in this of fireballs and other combustibles : implements of des- truction which other nations, from a sense of honour and humanity, have laid aside, which add to the sufferings of the 90 (50UTJIKY\S LIFK OF NKLSON. wouiiclccl without detenniiiin, from the liedouhtahle, to some ropes and canvas on the Vic- tory's booms. Tlie cry ran throui,di the ship and reached the cockpit, but even tJiis dreadful cry produced no confusion : the men displayed that perf(!ct self-possession in danger by whidi English seamen are characttM'ized ; they extinguished the flames on board their own ship, and then hastened to extin- guish them in the enemy by throwing buckets of wat(!r from the gangway. When the UcihnihU title, had struck it was not practicable to board Ikh* from the Victory ; for though the two ships touched, the upper works of bf)th f(;ll in so much that there was a great space bf^tween theii' gangways, and she could not be boarded from the lower or middle d(^cks because lier ports were down. Some of our men went to Lieutenant Quil- liam and offered to swim under her l)ovvs, and get up there, but it was thought unlit to ha/ d brave lives in this maimer. 27. What our men would have done from gallantry som<> of the crew of tlu^ Snntissitna Trinidnd did to save themsehcs. Unable to stand the tremendous fire; of the Victory, whose lar- board guns played against this grcjit four-decker, and not knowing how else to escape them, nor where else to Ijetnke theniselves for protection, many of tliem leapt overboard and swam to th(! Victory, and Avere actually lielped up her sides by the English during the action. TIk^ S})ania,i'ds Ixigan tlu^ i)at- tle with less vivacity than their unworthy allies, but continued it with greater firnniess. The Ari/otiouta and JUihaitut were defended till they had each lost about 100 ..;en ; the; San Jnan Ncpomuccno lost 350. Oft«Mi as the su[)ei'ioiity of l>i-itish courage has been proved against Fi'ance upon the seas, it was never more conspicuous than in this decisive (!onllict. Five '.f our ships were engaged muz/le to muzzh^ wifh fiv(> of Ihe French. In all five the FrtMichmen lowcsred their lower-dectk SOUTMKYS LIFE OF NKLSON. 91 bat, wliicli Jiu bt! suc- ('( tint,' tii-c, II the Vic- ojuIkhI tho usioii ; tlio (• by wliicli lisliocl the (1 to extiii- vvat(!r from it was not t^h tlie two much that cl she could )ecaiise lier eiiant Qnil- ^t up there, lis manlier, try some of themselves. , wlios(! lar- !r, and not ? to )j(^tiike irboaid and Iter sides by fan th(! l)at- t continued tJinma were (^ iSnn .hum of r.ritish seas, it was ot. Five "f five of I he • lower-deck ports md desert(^d their ,ssed a wish that he were dead; but immediately the spirit subdued the pains of d«>ath, and he wislied to live a little longer — doubtless then he might hear the completion of the victory which he had seen so gloriously b(!gun. That consolation, that joy, that triumph was afl'orded liim. He lived to know that the victory was decisive, and the last guns which were fired at the tlying enemy were lieard a minute or two before he expired. Tho ships which were thus flying were four of the enemy's van, all French, under llear-Admiral Dumanoir, They had borne no part in the action; and iiow, when they were seeking safety in fliglit, they fired not only into the Vh'tory and Royal Soverdfjn as they passed, but pour(^d their broadsides into the Spanish caj)tured ships, and they were seem to back their top- sails for the purpose of firing with more precision. The indig- nation of tlie Sp^mish at this detestable cruc^lty from their allies, for wliom they had fought so bravely, and so profusely bled, m.ay well bo conceived. It was such that when, two days after the action, seven of the ships winch had escaped into Cadiz came out, in hopes of retaking some of tho disabled prizes, the prisoners in the Arnce. 32. There was reason to suppose, from the appearanc(>8 upon opening the body, that in the course of nature he might have attained, like I'is father, to good old Mge. Yet he cannot be said to have fallen prematuiely whose work was done, nor ought he to be lam(>nted wlio die^l so full of honours and at th(> height of human fam(\ The most triumjihant deatli is that of the martyr ; the most awful is that of tluf martyred patriot ; tile most splendid that of the Iku'o in the hour of victory ; and if the chariot and the horses of tire had been vouchsjifi'd for Nelson's translation, lu; could scai'c(!ly have (Uiparted in a brighter bla/n of glory, lie lias left us, not ind(H'd his mantle of inspiration, but a name and an example whicli are at this hour inspiring thousands of the youth of England -a name which is our pi"id(i, and an exumpU^ which will continue to be our shield and our sticngth. Thus it is that the spirits of the gj'cat and the wise continue to live and to act after tluMii, vei'ifying in this sense the language of the old niythologist : Tot HFV 6(Y//i(ii'r?, Fidi, Jin?. /itiyaAoti <^I(Y fJni.\t ; Jtory ; and vouchsafed (■parted in indeed his which ai'e lni,'land a II continue th(^ spirits 1 act after i i\\v old i? If. NOTES AND EXERCISES. A HISM'LK i)r()8e Koloction like this Life will require few explanatory notes ; but as tlu^ chief obj(iCt aim(id at in i)rescril)ing tlxi jn'ose author is the cultivation of a g pronouns This and it are here used very loosely. The meaning may l)e shown by using [This sc^paration], and [an infatua- tion which, etc.] and ruinn'ng the two sentences together as far as friend*; beginnuig the next sentence with "It, however, pi-oduced," etc. / [had] occasioned. Remarks.— This paragrai)h, being the first of the chapter, might have contained some general reference to the subject of the chapter. It is rather the conclusion of chapter vi., and tlic second jiaragraph introduces the real sul)iect of this chapter. Short as it is, however, it contains two separate groups of sentences -Nelson's public reception, and hiH domestic life. Kach division is introduced by a general statement, wliicih is foUowed by particu- lars under it. Nelson's domestic Iiappiness might have formed a separate naragi'aph and have contained furtiier detiiils of his domestic haUitH, which 96 SOUTIIEYS LIFE OF NELSON. would be interesting in the case of so remarkable a man. The paragraph contains some of the peculiarities of Routhey's style, such as : Grouping sentences on several distinct topics. Heading a group with a general statement, and filling in the explanatory particulars. No words to indicate the transition from one subject to another ; and the omission of words that indicate t'ae relation of sentences to each other. His sentences are loose rather than i)eri()dic. Tliere is no art shown in arranging the ideas or the words. The thoughts are uttered as they occur to his mind, with an easy fluency, sometimes negligent, but always caji- tivating. Exercises. — l. The student should test each pjiragraph by the rule;; given in iii., above, noting the deviations from the rules, and any circum- stances that justify those deviations. 2. Write a summary of Nelson's public career that would serve as a "backward reference " introducing this chapter. 3. Write a paragraph on the difference between history and biography. 4. Write a note on Nelson's character, and the manner in which it has been i)resented in this Life. 5. Write a criticism o' the Life of Nelson as a biography, ctmiparing it with any other noted biography. 6. Write notes show^-ng how far Nelson and Southey may, each in his line, be taken as the product of the age in which they lived. 2. a This was on the defpat of Pitt on the Catliolic Emancipati.)n Bill. b Tliere were formerly three divisions in the navy -the red, the white and the blue— each having an admiral, a vice-admiral and a rear- admiral. The distinctiim is now abolished. The words "red, white and blue," in the song, refer to these divisions. Sir John Jervis, raised to the Peerage for the battle of St. Vincent (see early chapteia). It was from him that Nelson had learned the clever mantt's objections — Nelson consulted — Meet returns. 8. This paragraph, while censuring delay, really shows the English to be in the wr^mg. The last incident mentioned is scarcely worthy a l)lace. It might have been placcjd in a foot note, 1). The first sentence here states an isolatc^d fact, having no connection with tlie subject of tlie paragrajih, or, indeed, with the expedition. The order of sailing, the real subject of the paragraph, is skilfully withheld till the last, where it gives a picturesque scene. 10. a Point of land nearest to, etc. h Tycho Ikahe, a celebrated Danish astronom r, born 1546. In ir)7<^>, Fredei'ick II. built him a large observatory and gave; him the island of lluen for life, with a libeial pension. On Frederick's d(>ath the pension ceased, and I'rahe, after a short residence in Ooi)enhagen, removed to Prague, where he met Kepler, in whom he formed those habits of observation that afterwards made that astronomer famous. e " partly, but more frecpiently " are not usual correlatives. d The story of Hamlet is found in the history of Saxo Grammati- ens. Th(! Prince has been made famous by Shakespeare. In Elsinore, Hamlet's grave and Ophelia's brook are yet shown to visitors. e Matilda, the sister of George III., married Charles VII. That King's stepmother intrig\ied to have the crown descend to her own son, and lai'l false accusations against the fidelity of Matilda, which were be lieved at the tinu^ to be true. The qui en's supposed accomplices were executed ; she was, at the instance of England, spared, but was exiled to Hanover, where she died. Remarks.— This is the best paragraph we have yet had. The author, while the fleet is api)roachhig the Sound, ])aints tlie magnificent view. His language is picturesipie, and in dignifiid harmony with the subject. The subject itseJf affords a harmony of scene ami incident (see liain), and the author brings in the associated (effect of personal interest by a few well selected incidents. The first sentence gains tlui effect of ccmtrast, by stating actmtrary state of affairs to the subject to be- described, which is Ik^'o intro- duc(\d in the si'cond sentence. The parngraidi is long, and might have been broken where it changes from the political importance of the Sound to the description ; this would leave the i)icture and its personal interest to form a "■4»,p 100 soutiiky's life op nelson. •' p Bfcond paragraph. The plan of iloscription shows us each side of the fit tmd, with the islands and water in the middle and Copenhagen as a background in the distance. The student should study tliis paragraph carefully ; it will benefit him to criticize and to imitate the explanatory narrative in the De- ginning, the description of the scenery, and the taste in the selection of the historical allusions. 11. a never [before] had. 6 What is tiie ori^.inal form of this expronsion ? e Fell [short but] near, etc. The idea intended is that the shot did not reach the vessels, d [The lOnglish had meant to keep] would be better. Pronouns should refer to suljjects of preceding sentences, not to objects ; and it is not cori ect to speak of ships perceiving. e [So as to get completely out,] would bring the related words together. / [Ineffectual, or harmless.] Innocent conveys a moral sen«e. Remarks. — Like the last, this paragraph begins in Macaulay's style, by stating something different from what is about to be described, the real subject being introduced by an adversative *"but. " The passage is well told, and the paragraph ends with a view of the formidable works to be attacked. 12. The deliberations of the Council of War are not related directly, but what is told gives proniiiu'nce to Nelson, which is the author's in- tention. 13. a and the Danes considered [the] difficulty [of passing through the channel without them] as, etc. 6 " Day and night " generally implies a succession of days and nights, not one day and night as liere. Remarks.— This paragi'aph also has the adversative statenunit at the beginning. It has too much condensation tlu-oughout. 14. a At the distance of about, etc. The form in the text is unusual. The paragraph again begins with the adversative statement. The nar- rative gives a descri ;^^)tion from a traveller's point of view, new difficulties being detected as the fleet approaches. Nehsoii's part is again given promineme ; and the paragraph ends with the rest of the i)lan arranged at the council. 15. a Whole, is here slightly ambiguous ; it would be better placed after " displayed itself " [throughout the whole city]. b "own means of defence," should have as correlative after it [the defence of], the invading, etc. Rem.arkB. — This description deals with the Danes throughout, and it properly forms a separate paragraph. 10. R rest (I but i1 been Pi 2( 15 tolJ) thef 2: Beq con the -A NOTKS AND KXKUCISKS. 101 ' the tj liiicl^ Jackgiound |illy ; it will "i the De- Iselection of [he shot did (onns should uid it is not ated words ense. uhiy's style, 'ed, the real sage is well tvorks to be iirectly, but author's in- through the f days and nent at the isual. The The liar- view, new >i)'s jiart is the rest of lactid after ier it [the lit, and it 10. n They, refers to an object and not a subject of the preceding sen- tence. 6 Them [tli.- English], c [of] mind. Soutliey too frequen.'./ omits small words in his sen- tences. Remarks. — The first sentence appears to have no connection with th(! rest of the paragraph. It is introduced on the usual adversative principle, but it is too abrupt. The adversative " but," denoting contrast, would have been more effective than "far more so," which denotes comparison. Paragraph 17 treats of the pilots, and Hardy's daring feat; 18, of th« details of getting into action ; and li), of the beginning of the bom- \ bardment in position, each having a distinct subjfjct. a This reason for giving the signal is denied by other biographers. 20. a [To delay the signal at least till, etc.] Remarks.— The first sentence is well f'lrmcd, but it belongs properly to li). If it had been placed there this paragraph would then be confined to the admiral. 21. The scene now goes back to Nelson, and describes his conduct on recei)ti(m of the signal. The paragraph ends with an affecting account of the death of Riou, to whom prominence had been pur- posely given in previous paragraphs. 22. a In the Bcllona anerly belongH to 2. NOTKS AND EXEHCISKS. 103 na are too 5. Tliis sonteiice is set off as a para^'iaph to einiiluisize the important statciueiit it contains, Imt it might have inchided the first Hve sen- h'lices of (5. 7. (I This is an ill-constructed sentence ; too much is condensed into few words ; "and " should coui)]e the last clause, with something about the firing, not about the delay, as in the text, lie-write the sen- tence, bringing out the four ideas it contains. 8. a "answer" and "return" are both used with reference to the mes- sage from Russia ; wliich is correct ? ?> [I)('|»art] would be a btftter word here. c " Repeated " is not the word to use here, rf His anxious wish [to i)ay] and [to sign]. Remarks.— The first sentence is defective, as the latter clause dislecatd the sc pieiice ; the clause belongs in subject to 7, and sliould be there. 10. a Tliough no second punishnuiut was given the Danes then, tho intrigues of France and Russia, to force Denmark into an alliance, led England in 1807 to anticipate them by taking the Danish fleet. 6 The French revolutionary party had a large following in every country in iOumpe, and as all the Powers were determined to restore the liourbmis in France, tlu; French offered to assist the people of every oilier country in overtln-ovving their rulers. c The meaning here is that if generosity restrained the English from hostilities, an apology should be demanded from the I'rince Royal. 11. a JiVen than is the usual form, but " tiian even " is better collocation. l.T a What use of " and " is this ? 17. The o])ening incident here about the French captain belongs to 10, anrl this jiaragraph should be cimfined to Nelson's jirivate letter. 18. a INlanyof the English peo[)le sympathized with the French, and the revolutionary s])irit was so strong that the government was forced to use great se\ crity in suppressing the manifestation of popular f(^eling. r>ut the cliief cause of joy at the peace of Amiens was no doul)t the iiope of relief it brought to the poor who had been in a state bord(uing on starvation while l^iUgland was shut out by the war from th«^ markets of Euroi)e. IJ). (» Tiady Hamilton, the second wife of Sir ^^■illiam Hamilton, the noted anti(piarian, was a woman of great beauty and sonu) ability. Her life was nMuarkable. She was bt)rn of humble parents, and spent lier youth in domestic service. While a waitress in a tavern she lieeame accpiainted with actors, and soon entered on a wild life. As the wife of Sir William Hamilton she lived at Na])les, where she ;?nined a complete ascendency over the mind of the Queen, thus gain- i ^v, J 104 southey's life op nelson. ing much valuable infoniiation for Nelson. After Nelson's death she squandered her means, and after being imprisoned for debt retired with Nelson's daughter, Homtia, to Calais, where she died in 1815. 20. a The Mayor [hadj replied, would put all the verbs in the same tense. b " He " is somewhat ambiguous. Nelson now maintained that he had kept his word, etc., would remove the ambiguity. The Lord Mayor's incident is introduced with Southey's usual abruptness ; a sentence, showing Nelson's chagrin at the sight, might have pre- ceded the incident. 21. a These tive battles are mentioned in the early chapters of his life. There can be no doubt about the difficulty, the bravery and the hard fighting alluded to with regard to Copenhagen, but the victory was dubious ; the position of the t' nglish at the close was critical, and nothing but the extrcine anxiety of the Danes for their fleet, which had been removed to the inii' channel, saved the English ships from destruction. Another probable reason for witliolding these honours was the political necessity of regaining the friendship of the Danes. 23. The last sentence of 22 might have opened this paragraph, as it introduces the subject. ■ 24 a As a Peer of the Realm, he would have a seat in the House of Lords. Paragraphs 24, 25, 26 and 27 interrupt the thread of the narrative to show Nelson's relations with the navy. The opening sentence makes a general assertion, which the four paragraphs explain. The subjects are well grouped ; 24 treats of the kind interest he took in the welfare of the men ; 25 of his gentle mode of discii)line ; 2G of his professional zeal for the navy, and 27 of his desire to reward merit. 28 a The character of Naiioleon is still a disputed question in history, but Southey had no doubt about it. 6 Nelson never had any " film" over his eyes. He had never dreamed of pantisocracy, and his "mother hated the French." Remarks. — Paragraphs 28 and 29 continue the interrui)tion to the nar- rative ; 28 gives us, in a series of thoughtful and well-expressed sentences, the political character of the French, and discusses their immediate aims in the Mediterranean ; 21) explains Napoleon's designs on Europe, and the positi( )n of Spain. 32. The first five sentences here belong to 31, as this paragraph treats of Nelson's patient watch at Toulon. 33. a Spain was in the position in which Demnark had been between • France and England ; the one robbed her on land and the other at sea. War had not been declared, but such a life and death contest is not a time for nice distinctions. 6 Were never wounded [morej deeply [tlian]n(jw. NOTES AND EXERCISES. 105 ath she retired n 1815. tense, that he e L(jrd ess ; a ve pre- The remaining jmrugraphs of the chapter tell in spirited language Nel- son's celebrated chase after the French fleet. It was a grand achievement, but in doing it Nelson merely fell into the trai) set for lam V)y Napoleon, whose grand scheme then was the invasion of England. To do this he wanted the channel free from English vessels. He held an army of l.'{0,000 men, camped on the coa«t for two years, with an immense number of trans- portati(m boats. Everything was ready ; the soldiers and horses were even drilled in embarking on the boats till it could be done in one hour. All he wanted was command of the channel for forty-eight hours. To seoure this he directed his fleet to sail to America to menace the colonies, and when it had thus drawn Nelson with thn British fleet to America, to sail back immediately, collecting .all the Frencli and Spanish vessels from the various ports, and thus get command of the channel for a short time. The first part of the scheme succeeded, and the whole, as far as the fleet was concerned, would have done so if Villeneuve had not been friglitened by the terrible lame of Nelson into disobeying orders. as It CHAPTER IX, 1. a At length, at last ; which is the projjcr expression here? h See the account of Hotham's battle off Toulon (chapter iii). 2. a Nelson and the Englisli public were of this opinion, but it is not according to facts. The French had orders to sail for Eurojie the moment they lieard of Nelson's .arrival at America. b Is this the right word here ? e What ctmnectiveis omitted between the sentences here? d Villeneuve had p' )sitive orders to go from Ferrol to the channel, or .^t>empt to do so, even if his whole fleet should be destroyed in the attempt. Napoleon had now waited for two years for his approach, and was looking every day for his fleet ; if it were present for only one day, the army would, he thought, be able to cross. His rage was teirible when he learned that the fleet had gone to Cadiz. He ordered Villeneuve to resign immediately and report himself at I'aris ; it was the receipt of this order that induced Villeneuve to offer battle to Nelson, knowing well that defeat awaited him. 4. a all [That] I hold dear. f). a [Never another], or better [no other]. b So entirely possesstid, — possessed so entirely. What is the dif- ference ? Which is correct here ? What object is gained by this use of Biblical exi)ressions? 7. a Though the Northern League had been broktsn up, the disputed point was not relinquished. 106 SOUTTIKYR LIFE OF NELSON. 6 This statement will probably hold true to a greater extent than the author intended. Owing to the nature of war ships at present, it is not likely that in the future any great pitched battle will take place at sea. S. Note that the real subject of this paragraph begins with " yet " about the middle of the paragiaph. !>. a Nelson was proud of the title Bronte, wliich had been given Iiimby the King of Naples for his victory of the Nile, and was fond of using it. b " He," means Nelson himself. The order of battle here stated was that employed generally by the ]']nglish then. Villeneuvo nian view of the two fleets approacliing each other, but the personal interest at tho, close is not in keeping with the scene. 18. As the divisions are getting into position, a few interesting personal incidents, still referring to Nelson, arechiverly woven into tlie nar- rative. 19, 20 and 21 describe the battle, the chief scene being laid on the victory with Nelscm. Paragraphs 22, 23 and 24 relate with touching effect tlie incidents of Nelson's wound and diiat.h. The unadorned story, interwoven with Nelson's characteristic remarks, is constructed with remarkable skill, and is deeply affecting. In the sc^lection and arrai\genient of iiis materials from Nelson's prayer and hitter befori' the; battle t^) the sad close, Southej shows the skill of an experienced plot C(jn- structor ; 24 confined vo his last words, and his d(!ath is ])urjM)8oly short. 25. a "They '■ grannniitieally refers t,o the fifty that fell, which is not the meaning. NOTES AND EXERCISKS. 107 This itai'agni|)h relates a trifling incident whicli, however, f^ratifies our sense of justice by the death of those who had shot down the hero, after he had twice spared them. 28. The close of the battle, and Nelson's knowledc^e that he dieil the most sjjlendid of deaths — that of the hero in the hour