Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1854-08-09
MISCELLAN Y .
Nelson's Love.

Lan,orIiae's Memoirs of Celebrated Characters,
has, in the memoir of Nelson, an episode concern
ing the famed beauty that once enchanted hlIn.-
Tracing Nelson through the early stages OF his
rapid and signal success, the author leads us 10
the contemplation of his "ia,al attachment" 10
LADY Hamilton-she who was sat first The Aspa-
sia. and afterwards the Herodas of her age. -
Here is description how this wonderful woman
emerged from obscurty, and blazed on the world.
LADY HAMILroN's YoUrH AND Fortunes
Her only name was Emma, for her father remain
ed always unknown. She was one Of the chill
dren Of love, of crime, of mystery, whom nature
delights to overwhelm with gifts in compensation
for the losS ofhereditary claims. Her mother was
a poor farmers servant IN the county OF Chester.
Whether she had lost her husband by DEATH or,
like Hagar, had been abandoned by her seducer,
she arrived unknown and reduced to beggary, at
village in Wales, the Switzerland OF England.
She carried in her arms female infant OF a lew
months old. The beauty of both attracted the
simple mountaneers Of the village Of Hawarden ;
the Stranger picked up livelihood by working
for the farmers and cleaning in the fields. Inc
marked and noble features of the child served to
propagate the rumor that her birth was ilusirious
and mysterious; she was said to be daughter OF
Lord Halifax. Nothing afterwards, either in her
SN''' W
the aee of twelve she was received in aneighbor-
inr 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
celebrated engraver. BOydell, gave her the first
idea of the impression her figure produced on the
crowd in public places, and vague presentlment
of the high fortune to which her beauty would eX-
alt her. At sixteen she made her escape trom
| Hswarden, q field too obscure and clrcumscrlbed
J for her expanded droa".O. aud engaged herself In
! the household of respectable tradeSman in Lon
don. a lady of superior rank, struck by her ap-
pearance in the shop, elevated her to higher pO-
sition in serv;ude.
| Almost without employment in an opulent fam
ily Emma gave herself up to the persual OF those
fascinating romances which create imaginary
world for the love Or ambition of youthful minds
she frequented the theatres. and lmbbed there the
first inspirations Of the genius of dramatic express
sion. of action and attitude, which she embodied
afterwards IN a new art. when she became the an
imated statue of beauty and passion. Being dis
charged by her mistress for some household neg
ligence, her growing taste for the theatre induced
her to seek situation in the family of one of the
managers. The irregularity and freedom of that
establishment, the constant intercourse with actors,
musicians, and dancers, initiated her in the sub
Orulldte lue'HdulShl OF the dramatic ART. one was
then in the flower of her youth. and the full per-
fection other beauty. Her tall and elegant figure
equalled in natural grace the studied attitudes Of
the most practsed fgurantes. Her voice was
soft, mellow, and capable of expressing deep trag
ic emotion. Her couutenance. endowed with sus-
ceptbity as delicate and varying as the first feel
ings of virgin mind. was, at the same time, pen
sive and dazzling. All who saw her at that peri
cd of her life agreed in describing her as resus
citation of Psyche. Purity of soul, transparent
through the elegance Of feature, surrounded her,
even in her dependent position, with respect
which admiration dare not overleap. She spread
fire without being entangled in the fame herself;
her innocence found safeguard even in the ex-
cess of her beauty. Her first fall was not de-
scent to vice, but gliding into imprudence, a.
rising from yielding nature. A young country
man of the village u: Hawarden. son ofthe farmer
who had first given an asylum to her mother, was
seized by a press-gaug. and carried in fetters 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 mplore the lbe-
ration of her brother. Won by the beauty of the
fair suPpliant. he listened to her prayers and tears