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Napoleon's Escape.

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on any pretence to permit a single Frenchman to leave the country, saying, that he considered it nothing short of madness to permit that band of thieves to return to Europe. "No," said he, "to Egypt they went with their own consent, and there they shall remain, while Nelson commands this squadron: for never, never, will he consent to the return of one ship or Frenchman. I wish them to perish in Egypt, and give an awful lesson to the world of the justice of the Almighty." If Nelson had not thoroughly understood the character of the enemy against whom he was engaged, their conduct in Egypt would have disclosed it. After the battle of the Nile he had landed all his prisoners, upon a solemn engagement made between Troubridge on one side, and Captain Barré on the other, that none of them should serve till regularly exchanged. They were no sooner on shore, than part of them were drafted into the different regiments, and the remainder formed into a corps, called the Nautic Legion. This occasioned Captain Hallowell to say, that the French had forfeited all claim to respect from us. "The army of Buonaparte," said he, are entirely destitute of every principle of honour: they have always acted like licentious thieves." Buonaparte's escape was the more regretted by Nelson, because, if he had had sufficient force, he thought it would certainly have been prevented. He wished to keep ships upon the watch to intercept anything coming from Egypt: but the Admiralty calculated upon the assistance of the Russian fleet, which failed when it was most wanted. The ships which should have been thus employed were then required for more pressing services; and the bloody Corsican was thus enabled to reach Europe in safety; there to become the guilty instrument of a wider-spreading destruction than any with which the world had ever before been visited.

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4

Nelson had other causes of chagrin. Earl St. Vincent, for whom he felt such high respect, and whom Sir John Orde had challenged, for having nominated Nelson instead of himself to the command of the Nile squadron, laid claim to prize-money, as Commander-in-Chief, after he had quitted the station. The point was contested, and decided against him. Nelson, perhaps, felt this the more, because his own feelings, with regard to money, were so 4 BRIGHT'S England, p. 1224.

174

Nelson at Magdeburg.

[1800

different. An opinion had been given by Dr. Lawrence, which would have excluded the junior flag-officers from prize money. When this was made known to him, his reply was in these words: "Notwithstanding Dr. Lawrence's opinion, I do not believe I have any right to exclude the junior flag-officers; and if I have, I desire that no such claim may be made; no, not if it were sixty times the sum, and, poor as I am, I were never to see prize money."

A ship could not be spared to convey him to England; he therefore travelled through Germany to Hamburg, in company with his inseparable friends, Sir William and Lady Hamilton. The Queen of Naples went with them to Vienna. While they were at Leghorn, upon a report that the French were approaching (for, through the folly of weak courts, and the treachery of venal cabinets, they had now recovered their ascendancy in Italy), the people rose tumultuously, and would fain have persuaded Nelson to lead them against the enemy. Public honours, and yet more gratifying testimonials of public admiration, awaited Nelson wherever he went. The Prince of Esterhazy entertained him in a style of Hungarian magnificence—a hun dred grenadiers, each six feet in height, constantly waiting at table. At Magdeburg, the master of the hotel where he was entertained contrived to show him for money; admitting the curious to mount a ladder, and peep at him through a small window. A wine merchant at Hamburg, who was above seventy years of age, requested to speak with Lady Hamilton, and told her he had some Rhenish wine, of the vintage of 1625, which had been in his own possession more than half a century; he had preserved it for some extraordinary occasion, and that which had now arrived was far beyond any that he could ever have expected. His request was, that her Ladyship would prevail upon Lord Nelson to accept six dozen of this incomparable wine: part of it would then have the honour to flow into the heart's blood of that immortal hero; and this thought would make him happy during the remainder of his life. Nelson, when this singular request was reported to him, went into the room, and taking the worthy old gentleman kindly by the hand, consented to receive six bottles, provided the donor would dine with him next

5 Leaving Palermo June 9th, 1800.

1800]

Nelson and the German Pastor.

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

CHAPTER VII.

Nelson separates himself from his Wife-Northern Confederacy- He goes to the Baltic, under Sir Hyde Parker-Battle of Copenhagen, and subsequent negotiation-Nelson is made a Viscount.

NELSON was welcomed in England with every mark of popular honour. At Yarmouth, where he landed (Nov. 6th), every ship in the harbour hoisted her colours. The Mayor and Corporation waited upon him with the freedom of the town, and accompanied him in procession to church, with all the naval officers on shore, and the principal inhabitants. Bonfires and illuminations concluded the day; and, on the morrow, the volunteer cavalry drew up and saluted him as he departed, and followed the carriage to the borders of the county. At Ipswich, the people came out to meet him, drew him a mile into the town, and three miles out. When he was in the Agamemnon, he wished to represent this place in Parliament, and some of his friends had consulted the leading men of the Corporation; the result was not successful; and Nelson observing, that he would endeavour to find out a preferable path into Parliament, said there might come a time when the people of Ipswich would think it an honour to have had him for their representative. In London, he was feasted by the City, drawn by the populace from Ludgate-hill to Guildhall, and received the thanks of the Common Council for his great victory, and a golden-hilted sword studded with diamonds. Nelson had every earthly blessing except domestic happiness; he had forfeited that for ever. Before he had been three months in England he separated from Lady Nelson. Some of his last words to her were: "I call God to witness, there is nothing in you, or your conduct, I wish otherwise." This was the consequence 1 Jan. 13th. The same day he wrote to her the following, from Southampton: My dear Fanny,-We are arrived, and heartily tired: and with kindest regards to my father, and all the family, believe me, your affectionate NELSON.

I

The following from the Dispatches, vol. vii., p. 391, will help to explain this separation :

"Lord Nelson and Sir William and Lady Hamilton arrived in London on the 6th of November, 1800; and, instead of Lady Nelson meeting her hus

1801]

Nelson sent to the Baltic.

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of his infatuated attachment to Lady Hamilton. It had before caused a quarrel with his son-in-law, and occasioned remonstrances from his truest friends, which produced no other effect than that of making him displeased with them, and more dissatisfied with himself.

The Addington Administration was just at this time formed; and Nelson, who had solicited employment, and been made Vice-Admiral of the Blue,3 was sent to the Baltic, as second in command, under Sir Hyde Parker, by Earl St. Vincent, the new First Lord of the Admiralty. The three Northern Courts had formed a confederacy for making England resign her naval rights. Of these courts, Russia was guided by the passions of its Emperor, Paul,s a man not without fits of generosity, and some natural goodness, but subject to the wildest humours of caprice, and crazed by the possession of greater power than can ever be safely, or perhaps innocently, possessed by weak humanity. Denmark was French at heart; ready to cooperate in all the views of France, to recognise all her usurpations, and obey all her injunctions. Sweden, under a king whose principles were right, and whose feelings band at Yarmouth on his landing, after an absence of two years and seven months, during which time he had immortalized himself, and made her a Peeress, her reception of him is said, on good authority, to have been cold and chilling. They continued to live together, however, for two months, though, according to Lord Nelson's own statement, not happily; but no separation was contemplated, and it appears, from the following important letter, with which the editor has been favoured by Mr. Haslewood, that when it did take place, it was entirely her own act, and that it was wholly unexpected: 'In the winter of 1800-1801, I was breakfasting with Lord and Lady Nelson, at their lodgings in Arlington street, and a cheerful conversation was passing on indifferent subjects, when Lord Nelson spoke of something which had been done or said by 'dear Lady Hamilton,' upon which Lady Nelson rose from her chair, and exclaimed with much vehemence, ‘I am sick of hearing of dear Lady Hamilton, and am resolved that you shall give up either her or me!' Lord Nelson, with perfect calmness, said, "Take care, Fanny, what you say, I love you sincerely; but I cannot forget my obligations to Lady Hamilton, or speak of her otherwise than with affection and admiration.' Without one soothing word or gesture, but muttering something about her mind being made up, Lady Nelson left the room, and shortly after drove from the house. They never lived together afterwards. I believe that Lord Nelson took a formal leave of her Ladyship, before joining the fleet under Sir Hyde Parker, but that, to the day of her husband's glorious death, she never made any apology for her abrupt and ungentle conduct, above related, or any overture towards a reconciliation."" 2 BRIGHT'S England, p. 1230.

3 January 1, 1801. There are three classes of Admirals, Admirals of the Red, of the White, and of the Blue; and Vice-Admirals and Rear-Admirals of each flag. 4 BRIGHT'S England, pp. 1096, 1332, 1223.

5 Paul, Emperor of Russia, succeeded his mother Catherine II., murdered March, 1801.-See BRIGHT'S England, pp. 1221, 1227.

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