Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1854-08-14
MISCEL A NEOUS.
NELSON'S LOVE.

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Lamartine's Men oirs Of Celebrated
Characters has, in the memoir OF Nelson,
an episode concerning the famed beauty
that once enchanted him. Tracing Mel
son through the early stages of his rapid
and signal success, the author leads US t.
the contemplation of his "iatal attach
ment" to Lady Hamilton-she who was
"at first the Aspasia and afterwards the
Herodias of her age" Here is descrip.
ton how this wonderful woman emery
ed from obscurity, and blazed on the
world:
LADY HAMlLToN's YOUTH AND FORTUNES
Her only name was Emma, for her faith
er remained always unknown. She was
one of the children of love, Of crime, Of
mystery. whom nature delights to over.
whelm with gifts in compensation for the
loss Of hereditary claims. Her mother
was poor farmers servant in the county
Of Chester Whether she had lost hel
husband by death. or, like Hagar, hac
been abandoned by her seducer, she af-
rived, unknown and reduced to beggary,
at village in Wales the Switzerland OF
England. She carried in her arms ie.
male infant of few months old. The
beauty of both attracted the simple noun
taiheers of the village OF Ha warden the
stranger picked up livelihood by work
ing for the farmers and cleaning in the
fields. The marked and noble features Of
the child served to propagate the rumor
that her birth was illustrious and myster-
ious; she was said to be daughter of
Lord Halifax. Nothing afterwards, eth
er in her fortune or education, gave color
to the report. At the age of twelve she
was received in a neighboring family as
children's servant. The frequent visits
of her master and mistress to London,
where they resided in the house Of their
relative, the calculated engrayer, Boydell,
gave her the first idea Of the impression
her figure produced on the crowd in pub
lie places, and vague presentiment cf the
high fortune to which her beauty would
exalt her. Al sixteen she made her es-
cape from Hawarden, field too obscure
and circumscribed for her expanded
dreams and engaged herself in the house,
hold of respectable tradesman in London.
A lady of superior rank, struck by her ap-
pearance in the shop, elevated her to a
higher position in servitude.
Almost without employment in an opu-
lent faDily. Emma gave herself up to the
perussl of those fascinating romances
(which create au imaginary world for the
love or ambition Of youthful minds; she
frequented the theatres, and imbibed there
the first inspirations Of the genius of DRAM
attic expression, of action, and attitude,
which she embodied afterwards in new
art when she became the animated statue
of beauty and passion. Being discharged
by her mistress 70, some household negli-
gence. her growing taste for the theatre
induced her to seek situation in the lam
lily of one of the managers. The irregu-
larity and freedom of that establlshme nt,
the constant intercourse with actors, musi-
clans, and dancers, initiated her in the
subordinate mechanism oil the dramatic
art. She was then in. the flower OF her
youth, and tie full perfection Of her beau.
ty. Her tall and elegant figure equalled
in natural grace the studied attitude Of the
most practiced fgu'antes. Her voice was
soft, mellow, and capable of expressing
deep tragic emotion. Her countenance.
endowed with susceptibility as delicate
and varying as the first feelings off, virgin
mind, "as, at the same time, pensive aud
dazzling. All who saw her al that period
Of het life agreed in describing her as u
resuscitatlon Of Psyche. Purity Of soul.
transparent throug h the elegance Of fea-
ture, surrounded her, even in her depend
ent position. with respect which adnira-
ton dare not ovelleap. She spread fire
without being entangled in the flame
herself; her innocence found safeguard
even in the excess Of her beauty. Her
frs, fall was not descent to vice. but a
gliding into imprudence, arising from e
yielding nature. A young countryman OF
the village OF Hawarden, son OF the farm
er who had first given ali asylum to her
mother. was seized by apress.gang, and
carried into letters to the fleet at anchor, in
the Thames. Emma, at the entreaty OF
the prisoners sister, accompanied her to
the captain Of the ship. to implore the lib
Grafton Of her brother. Won by the beau
ty of the tair supplant, he listened to her
prayers and tears, removed her from her
ioW tHouku uoHcSt stuuoH, wv :" Hsi"Su
her with shameful luxury, furnished a
house for her, supplied her with masters
in every ornamental accomplishment,
boastfully displayed bis conquest in public,
and left her, when the squadron sailed,
exposed without safeguard to new seduc-
tons.
One of his friends bearing a noble
name, and possessed Of large fortune
carried Off the faithless Emma to an estate
in the country. treated her as his wife,
made her the queen OF the hunting par
ties, fetes and balls; and. finally, growing
tired of her at the end Of the season, left
her in London, at the mercy Of chance,
necessity and crime. Thrown back from
this golden cloud on the hard pavement Of
the metropolis, and deprecated in the
eye. of her former protectors by the pub
licity Of her adventures, Emma was re-
celved by night, and in rags, under thl
care Of one OF those infamous PROGRESSES
Who carry on the trade of seduction, Ac.