The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-03-21
H..

"Orus, Jul 10 inc poetry OF lOIty aspiration MS
being always throbbed responsive.
The turning point in Nelson's career seems to
have been his transfer in 1882 to Hoods fleet in
the harbor Of New York. There is, in Capt.
Mahan's judgment, a direct connection of cause
and effect between this transfer and the battle
OF Cape st. Vincent in 1907, when Nelson
emerged from merely professional distinction to
national renown, standing head and shoulders
above all competitors. In the four days that fol-
lowed his arrival in New York Nelson took the
tide at the flood and was borne on to fortune.
Yet, according to our author, in this, as In many
another instantaneous and fortunate decision,
we should not see the nero casting of n die.
the chance result of an irref!cctive impulse.
In Capt. Mahan's opinion. the determine
tion to change into Hoods squadron. with
its powerful. far-reaching effect upon his
future, was In necessary logical sequence TO tho
young officers whole habit OF thought, and wish.
and previous preparation. He was swept into
the current that carried him on to fame by the
irresistible tendency OF his own conscious will
and cherished purpose. Opportunity fitted by;
he was ready and graspcd it. We are reminded
that at this point, when Nelson was "a years old,
the diligence of his principal biographers has
secured for us a description Of tho young Cap
thh b peTbOHdl appearance anu Oh the impression
produced by his manner upon an interested &C.
quaintance, who afterward became a warm
friend and admirer. as well as a frequent cor
respondent. The narrator. then Prince William
Henry. afterward King William w.. gave the
following account, apparently at some period
between 1905, when Nelson fell, and 1909. when
the first edition OF Clarke and McArthur's Life
appeared: 81 was then a midshipman on board
the Harheur Lord floods flagship, lying in the
Narrows off Station Island, and had the watch
on deck when Capt. Nelson Of the Albemarle
came in his barge alongside, who appeared to DO
the merest boy of Captain I ever bcheld; and his
dress was worthy Of attention. He had on a
full-laced uniform; his lank. unpowdered hair
was tied in a stiff Hessian tail of extraordinary
length; the old.fashioncd flaps of his waistcoat
added to the general quaintness of his figure
and produced an appearance which particularly
attracted my notice, for l have never seen
anything like it before, nor could I i'm
agine who he was nor what no camo about.
My doubts were. however. removed when
Lord Hood introduced me to him. There was
something irresistioly pleasing in his address
and conversations; and an enthusiasm when
speaking on professional subjects that showed
he was no common being" The author men,
tions that tho Countess of Mimic, In her "Life
of Lord Minto." speaks OF Nelson's "shock
head " at the time, twelve years later Q794),
when he was a frequent visitor at the house of
Mimic, then Sir Gilbert Elliott, and Viceroy Of
Corsica; a trivial detail. but confirnatory, SO
far. of the picture drawn by tho Prince. The
latter continued: Nelson, after this, went
with US to the West Indies and served under
Lord Hoods flag during his indefatigable
cruise off Cape Francois. ] found him warm
ly attached to my father liking George
I'LL, and singularly humane. He had tho
honor of the Kings service and tha tndanandanca
Of the British navy particularly at heart, and
his mind Rlowed with this idea as much when he
was simply Captain of the Albemarle and had
obtained none Of the honors of his country az
when he was afterward decorated with 80 much
well-earned distinction" Wo should here repro
duce another reference to Nelson's exterior at
this time, or rather a little earlier, which pos
sesses the interest Of mentioning explicitly the
charm Of manner which was one of his best birth
gifts, rejecting, as 1t did, tho generous and
kindly temper of his heart. We are told by his
first biographers. Clarke and Macarthur, that tho
personal appearance OF Capt. Nelson at this period
of his life from the age of 20 to "a, owing to his
delicate health and dimingtive figure, was far
from disclosing the greatness Of his intellectual
powers. From his earliest years. like Cleomenes,
the hero Of Sparta, he had boon enamored of
glory and had possessed a greatness of mind.
Nelson preserved also a similar temperance and
simplicity Of manner. Nature. as Plutarch fur
Their remarks of the noble Spartan, had given q
spur to his mind which rendered him impetuous
in the pursuit of whatever he deemed honorable.
The demeanor OF this extraordinary young man
was entirely that Of a British seaman. When the
energies of his mind were not called forth by
some object OF duty or professional interest, he
seemed to retro within himself and to care but
little for the refined courtesies of polished life."
We are told, however, that !" in his dress no had
all the cleanliness of an Englishman, though his
manner Of wearing 1t gave him an air of negli-
gence. and yet his general address and converse
ton, when no wished to please, possessed q
charm that was irresistible"
We pass to the baltic of Cape st. Vincent,
which first revealed to his countrymen Mel
sons pre-eminent ability. Concerning the
incident which decided the issue OF this engage
ment tho commanding Admiral. Sir John Jer-
Wis. reported that Commodore Nelson, who
was In the rear on the starboard tack, took the
lead on tho larboard and contributed very much
to the fortune of the day" Our authors COM
ment is that on the intellectual side, the side of
skill, this is, in truth. what Nelson did; but that
on the side Of valor II Is to be noted that he did
II for the moment single-handed The Culloden,
the actual leader. came up shortly, followed
afterward by tho Blenheim. and the Excellent
was ordered by Jervis to initiate Nelson's
movement and strengthen the operation which
he had initiated. 1t was the concentra-
ton OF these ships at the point which
Nelson seized. and, for a moment, held alone,
that decided the day; and IL was there that the
fruits OF victory were chiefly reached. Capt.
Mahan, however, would not have us understand
that all the honors of the day are to be claimed
for Nelson, even conformity with those present
with him at the crucial moment. Much was