The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-05-25

noulties had to surmount and the little inter
est / possessed. could discover no means @
reaching the object Of my ambition. After
> long and gloomy reverie. In which ] almos
8 wished myself overheard. a sudden flame o
patriotism was kindled within me. and pre-
sented my king and country as my patrons
My mind exulted In the idea. Well them
exclaimed. l will be hero, and, confldlnR IL
Providence. 1 will brave every danger"
When Nelson returned to England he had {
ray OF sunshine. Thanks TO his uncle. who
had been made Comptroller Of the Navy, he
obtained immediate employment as Fourth
Lieutenant, and on April 0, 1777, he passed hii
Lieutenants examination, being then 10 years
OF age. Thencotorward he saw for some ten
years great deal OF active service In the West
Indies and in the North Atlantic, and was so
highly commended by his commanding offi-
GERS that the Admiralty could not refuse him
promotion. BY the end OF 1878 he had risen TO
be Commander. and In the following year, at
the age Of 81. he was made Post Captain. In
1887 he married at Nevis one OF the West India
Islands. Mrs. Nisbet, widow and there is no
doubt that he was deeply attached to her up
| to tho time when he became infatuated with
| Lady Hamilton. Mr.. Russell quotes the COM
ment on this marriage mado by one Of his pro-
fossonal friends to show the estimation in
which Nelson was held. but which in the light
| OF subsequent events Is seen to have been the
| reverse OF prophetic. Tho navy. sir" ex-
claimed Can't. Pringle TO q brother officer on
the day after the wedding. yesterday lost one
OF its greatest ornaments by Nelson's marriage.
1t is a national loss that such an officer should
marry Had 1t not been for that circumstance.
1 foresaw that Nelson would become the great
est man In the service"
From Nov. go 1887. to Jan. 80. 1893. or for
upward Of 1--WE years. Nelson was compelled by
the neglect OF tho Board OF Admiralty, to lie by
in almost poverty stricken retirement. That
he should not have rusted during this long
spell OF inactivity seems 10 Mr.. Russell the
most conclusive proof OF the thorouRhness
with which the ocean had done its work with
him. Nelson was at all times an irritable man.
and he was wrought to evaporation by his
prolonged consignment to half-pay obscurity.
In December, 1892. he wrote TO the Admiralty,
II your Lordships should be pleased to ap-
point me to a cookie boat l should feel
obliged" Either this remonstrance produced
some effect or the omens OF war made the SER
vices Of such man seem Indispensable for
about two months later he was commissioned
to fine sixty-four and ordered to accompany
the fleet under Lord Hood to the Mediter-
ranean. 1t was during the summer OF 1893.
at Naples. that Nelson was introduced to Lady
Hamilton, who was to exert over him an
Irresistible influence to his last hour.
That she was a woman OF extraordinary beauty
of face and figure We know from copious con-
temporary testimony and an engraving in this |
book. which reproduces painting by Romney, |
bears witness to the charm of her features and |
OF her expression. 1t IS we'll known that ROM
ney painted her no fewer than twenty-threo
times Mr. Russell does not mention her
maiden name and so hunt BILE was her parentage
that it is uncertain whether her name was
Emma Lyon or Emma Harte. According to
the somewhat softened outline OF her early
career given In this narrative. she was first
heard OF as a nursemaid and subsequently was
servant in a bridesmaids family. Mr.. Russell
omits the decisive circumstance that she be-
,ame an attendant on a lady of fashion. at
whose house she learned to develop her re-
narkable talent for singing, mimcry and
Having been discharged by her
mployer, she became waitress. and the prin-
pal attraction at the so-ealled "Grahams
Temple" a notorious tavern freauented
" actors. Later she lived successive
y under tho protection OF Sir Charles
and the Hon. Charles Gre
lille the latter Of whom In 1856 relinquished
Ter to his uncle. Sir William Hamilton. man
" kindly and estimable character. In 1891,
When Emma was % years old. Sir William mar
led her. and. having been appointed Ambassa-
lor to Naples found it there relatively easy to
Introduce his wife into society. owing to the
AK tone Of the court. We may say here that to
he day OF his death Sir William Hamilton be-
eyed In the loyalty and disinterestedness Of
esons friendship. and expired holding his
NalSnn'a ntfa |
hat they had betrayed his confidence.
1t was during this. the first period of Nelson's
ervice in the Mediterranean. that he lost the
light Of his right eye. and first riveted the at
'ntion OF the nation by his extraordinary gal
lptry in the fight between the English and
parish fleets of Cape st. Vincent. ON st. Val
ntine's Day. 1897. During this action Nelson's
essel was at one time engaged with nine line
f-battle ships at once. and he actually took
70 OF them lone OF them the Spanish Ad-
irals) In succession. boarding the SEQ
nd from the deck Of the first. Although
dmiral Jeryis tcreated In recognition of this
ctory Earl of st. Vincent) was deeply CRATE
Il all his life to Nelson for his services on this
,casion. yet the latters name was not men,
oned in the official despatch. apparently be-
luse he had disobeyed the signal of recall.
his was habit OF Nelson's; 1t will be remem-
cred that he did the same thing later at Co.
'nhagen. The fact however. that he was the
al hero Of st. Vincent could not be concealed,
I'd he was promoted from the rank OF Commo-
IRE. which he then held. to that OF Rear Admit
j OF the Blue. He also received the knight
BOD and Order OF the Bath. and was offered
lronetcy. which he refused. mo. no." he
i'd: III they want to mark my services il
ust not be in that manner" 1t Is curious
ct that the first expedition undertaken by !
olson after he became an Admiral was by no J.
cans an auRury OF his ultimate world p,
de distinction. We refer to the night
tack on the iron-bound rock of Tens-
70. which proved a disastrous failure. '
ID cost Nelson his right arm. He had now ..
It one eye and one arm with which to fight !
o battles Of the Nile. of Copenhagen, and OF !
afalgar. He wrote to Admiral Lord st.
ncsnt for trigate to convey the remains
my carcass to England" and added that :
when leave your command. become dead l
tho world / go hence and am no moro seem" =
70 or three months after his return 1t was
opoSed TO settle ON him a pension of thou l