The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-07-12
The Love Letters Of Nelson.

They are going to sell great batch
Of NELSON'S love letters at auction in
London. not the flamings of his I'll
starred pa ssion for EMMA. Lady HAM
ILToN. but embers Of the pure affection
which Englands greatest sea fighter
felt toward FANNY INSECT. the charm
ing West Indian widow whom he mar.
ried on the Island Of Nevis on March
II. 1877. Down there, on that strange
little mole of earth which has slipped
years have gone on. they still show
you the old manor house in which the
wedding took place. and the Fig Tree"
church. now. alas. with corrugate ted
iron roof where the registry Of It IL
preserved under glass case:
"l7s7. Mar. II. HoRArro NELSON,
ESQ, Captain OF II. NJ S, the Boreas. to
FRANCES HERBERT INSECT. widow"
Wealth, prosperity. fashion, glory, al
most the white race have deserted Ne
Wis. but 1t still holds Its fame as the
scene Of two historic occurrences. the
birth of ALEXANDER HAMILTON and the
marriage Of NELSON.
II has sometimes been questioned
whether NELSON'S marriage was a love
match. The documents now for sale
must he taken as proof that Il was;
they would otherwise he the evidence
Of an incredibly sustained hypocrisy
There are altogether 232 autograph
| letters consisting Of about $50 quarto
and folio pages. The series begins
August 10. 1855. eighteen months be-
fore the marriage. II breaks Off with
the latter event. after which the cou-
pie went TO England and NELSON re.
tired on half pay. There is then only
one letter august 90. 17Ss) until he
resumed active service In 1893. From
January Of that year there Is an un.
broken series until November q. 1900.
when he once more landed in England
In company with Lady HAMILTON and
her husband.
From the ante-nuptial missives down
TO a late date in 179s the letters are
ardent In their tone. It Is only posi-
BILE TO quote q few sentences. but here
is one from the opening Of the CORE
spondence
Most sincerely do love you and I
trust that my affection is not only founded
upon the principle OF reason but also
upon the basis OF mutual attachment. In
| A.. y
a million my greatest pride and plea sure
would be to share II with you
In March, 1897, Just before the cere-
mony. ne wrote:
Never was poor Mortal more disap-
pointed than myself yesterday at not re-
ceiving letter sometimes
fear II was occasoned by Illness II would
make me miserable indeed my dear FANNY
no person but yourself can tell what my
feelings are"
All through the wooer's letters run
dreams Of love in a cottage the life
which was in fact realized for years
When duty and glory recall him to the
seas he pours out his Utmost soul TO the
wife Of his bosom at home. His hopes
his pride, his vanity. his successes the
praise Of others-all the things that a
man writes only TO one person in the
world burn in these faded pages. When
he lost his right hand In the abortive
attack on Santa Cruz he begins the
first almost illegible scrawl with his
left in these words:
MY dearest FANNY, I am so confident
OF your affection that ! feel the pleasure
you receive will be equal weither my
letter Is wrote BY my right hand OF left
7 shall not be surprized 20 be
neglected and forgot as probably I shall
no longer be considered as useful. how
ever I shall feel rich II I continue to en-
Joy your affection. the Cottage is nov
more necessary"
He was not forgotten. Of course
His great glory and great shame were
still before him. In 1895 the HAMTI,
TONS first figure In his letters There
are sundry illusions TO them, some
times under color of their kindness II
JOSIAH INSECT. his wfes son. The
waning Of the true love is sad to OBJ
serve. Under date Of Palermo, June
>. there Is this cruel sur;
Had two hands. I cannot get thro
my pen and ink work 7 hav,
told you before all my private correspon
dence must stop and my friends forgiv,
me-"
In the last letter Of all Yarmouth
November q, 1900 this appears;
Sir & Lady HAMILTON beg their hes
regards and will accept your offer OF I
|, bed"
With the great Admiral's own let
tiers there are to be sold three of Lad,
NELSON'S written in 1901, after tn,