the life of horatio lord nelson-第24章

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een　hours　his　life　was　despaired　of；　and　even　when　the　disorder　took　a　favourable　turn；　and　he　was　so　far　recovered　as　again　to　appear　on　deck；　he　himself　thought　that　his　end　was　approachingsuch　was　the　weakness　to　which　the　fever　and　cough　had　reduced　him。　Writing　to　Earl　St。　Vincent　on　the　passage；　he　said　to　him；　〃I　never　expect；　my　dear　lord；　to　see　your　face　again。　It　may　please　God　that　this　will　be　the　finish　to　that　fever　of　anxiety　which　I　have　endured　from　the　middle　of　June；　but　be　that　as　it　pleases　his　goodness。　I　am　resigned　to　his　will。〃

The　kindest　attentions　of　the　warmest　friendship　were　awaiting　him　at　Naples。　〃Come　here；〃　said　Sir　William　Hamilton；　〃for　God's　sake；　my　dear　friend；　as　soon　as　the　service　will　permit　you。　A　pleasant　apartment　is　ready　for　you　in　my　house；　and　Emma　is　looking　out　for　the　softest　pillows　to　repose　the　few　wearied　limbs　you　have　left。〃　Happy　would　it　have　been　for　Nelson　if　warm　and　careful　friendship　had　been　all　that　waited　him　there。　He　himself　saw　at　that　time　the　character　of　the　Neapolitan　court；　as　it　first　struck　an　Englishman；　in　its　true　light；　and　when　he　was　on　the　way；　he　declared　that　he　detested　the　voyage　to　Naples；　and　that　nothing　but　necessity　could　have　forced　him　to　it。　But　never　was　any　hero；　on　his　return　from　victory；　welcomed　with　more　heartfelt　joy。　Before　the　battle　of　Aboukir　the　Court　at　Naples　had　been　trembling　for　its　existence。　The　language　which　the　Directory　held　towards　it　was　well　described　by　Sir　William　Hamilton　as　being　exactly　the　language　of　a　highwayman。　The　Neapolitans　were　told　that　Benevento　might　be　added　to　their　dominions；　provided　they　would　pay　a　large　sum；　sufficient　to　satisfy　the　Directory；　and　they　were　warned；　that　if　the　proposal　were　refused；　or　even　if　there　were　any　delay　in　accepting　it；　the　French　would　revolutionise　all　Italy。　The　joy；　therefore；　of　the　Court　at　Nelson's　success　was　in　proportion　to　the　dismay　from　which　that　success　relieved　them。　The　queen　was　a　daughter　of　Maria　Theresa；　and　sister　of　Maria　Antoinette。　Had　she　been　the　wisest　and　gentlest　of　her　sex；　it　would　not　have　been　possible　for　her　to　have　regarded　the　French　without　hatred　and　horror；　and　the　progress　of　revolutionary　opinions；　while　it　perpetually　reminded　her　of　her　sister's　fate；　excited　no　unreasonable　apprehensions　for　her　own。　Her　feelings；　naturally　ardent；　and　little　accustomed　to　restraint；　were　excited　to　the　highest　pitch　when　the　news　of　the　victory　arrived。　Lady　Hamilton；　her　constant　friend　and　favourite；　who　was　present；　says；　〃It　is　not　possible　to　describe　her　transports；　she　wept；　she　kissed　her　husband；　her　children；　walked　frantically　about　the　room；　burst　into　tears　again；　and　again　kissed　and　embraced　every　person　near　her；　exclaiming；〃O　brave　Nelson！　O　God！　bless　and　protect　our　brave　deliverer！　O　Nelson！　Nelson！　what　do　we　not　owe　you！　O　conquerorsaviour　of　Italy！　O　that　my　swollen　heart　could　now　tell　him　personally　what　we　owe　to　him！〃　She　herself　wrote　to　the　Neapolitan　ambassador　at　London　upon　the　occasion；　in　terms　which　show　the　fulness　of　her　joy；　and　the　height　of　the　hopes　which　it　had　excited。　〃I　wish　I　could　give　wings；〃　said　she；　〃to　the　bearer　of　the　news；　and　at　the　same　time　to　our　most　sincere　gratitude。　The　whole　of　the　sea…coast　of　Italy　saved；　and　this　is　owing　alone　to　the　generous　English。　This　battle；　or；　to　speak　more　correctly；　this　total　defeat　of　the　regicide　squadron；　was　obtained　by　the　valour　of　this　brave　admiral；　seconded　by　a　navy　which　is　the　terror　of　its　enemies。　The　victory　is　so　complete　that　I　can　still　scarcely　believe　it；　and　if　it　were　not　the　brave　English　nation；　which　is　accustomed　to　perform　prodigies　by　sea；　I　could　not　persuade　myself　that　it　had　happened。　It　would　have　moved　you　to　have　seen　all　my　children；　boys　and　girls；　hanging　on　my　neck；　and　crying　for　joy　at　the　happy　news。　Recommend　the　hero　to　his　master：　he　has　filled　the　whole　of　Italy　with　admiration　of　the　English。　Great　hopes　were　entertained　of　some　advantages　being　gained　by　his　bravery；　but　no　one　could　look　for　so　total　a　destruction。　All　here　are　drunk　with　joy。〃

Such　being　the　feelings　of　the　royal　family；　it　may　well　be　supposed　with　what　delight；　and　with　what　honours　Nelson　would　be　welcomed。　Early　on　the　22nd　of　September　the　poor　wretched　VANGUARD；　as　he　called　his　shattered　vessel；　appeared　in　sight　of　Naples。　The　CULLODEN　and　ALEXANDER　had　preceded　her　by　some　days；　and　given　notice　of　her　approach。　Many　hundred　boats　and　barges　were　ready　to　go　forth　and　meet　him；　with　music　and　streamers　and　every　demonstration　　of　joy　and　triumph。　Sir　William　and　Lady　Hamilton　led　the　way　in　their　state　barge。　They　had　seen　Nelson　only　for　a　few　days；　four　years　ago；　but　they　then　perceived　in　him　that　heroic　spirit　which　was　now　so　fully　and　gloriously　manifested　to　the　world。　Emma　Lady　Hamilton；　who　from　this　time　so　greatly　influenced　his　future　life；　was　a　woman　whose　personal　accomplishments　have　seldom　been　equalled；　and　whose　powers　of　mind　were　not　less　fascinating　than　her　person。　She　was　passionately　attached　to　the　queen；　and　by　her　influence　the　British　fleet　had　obtained　those　supplies　at　Syracuse；　without　which；　Nelson　always　asserted；　the　battle　of　Aboukir　could　not　have　been　fought。　During　the　long　interval　which　passed　before　any　tidings　were　received；　her　anxiety　had　been　hardly　less　than　that　of　Nelson　himself；　while　pursuing　an　enemy　of　whom　he　could　obtain　no　information；　and　when　the　tidings　were　brought　her　by　a　joyful　bearer；　open…mouthed；　its　effect　was　such　that　she　fell　like　one　who　had　been　shot。　She　and　Sir　William　had　literally　been　made　ill　by　their　hopes　and　fears；　and　joy　at　a　catastrophe　so　far　exceeding　all　that　they　had　dared　to　hope　for。　Their　admiration　for　the　hero　necessarily　produced　a　degree　of　proportionate　gratitude　and　affection；　and　when　their　barge　came　alongside　the　VANGUARD；　at　the　sight　of　Nelson；　Lady　Hamilton　sprang　up　the　ship's　side；　and　exclaiming；〃O　God！　is　it　possible！〃　fell　into　his　arms　more；　he　says；　like　one　dead　than　alive。　He　described　the　meeting　as　〃terribly　affecting。〃　These　friends　had　scarcely　recovered　from　their　tears；　when　the　king；　who　went　out　to　meet　him　three　leagues　in　the　royal　barge；　came　on　board　and　took　him　by　the　hand；　calling　him　his　deliverer　and　preserver。　From　all　the　boats　around　he　was　saluted　with　the　same　appellations：　the　multitude　who　surrounded　him　when　he　landed　repeated　the　same　enthusiastic　cries；　and　the　lazzaroni　displayed　their　joy　by　holding　up　birds　in　cages；　and　giving　them　their　liberty　as　he　passed。

His　birth…day；　which　occurred　a　week　after　his　arrival；　was　celebrated　with　one　of　the　most　splendid　fetes　ever　beheld　at　Naples。　But；　notwithstanding　the　splendour　with　which　he　was　encircled；　and　the　flattering　honours　with　which　all　ranks　welcomed　him；　Nelson　was　fully　sensible　of　the　depravity；　as　well　as　weakness；　of　those　by　whom　he　was　surrounded。　〃What　precious　moments〃　said　he；　〃the　courts　of　Naples　and　Vienna　are　losing！　Three　months　would　liberate　Italy！　but　this　court　is　so　enervated　that　the　happy　moment　will　be　lost。　I　am　very　unwell；　and　their　miserable　conduct　is　not　likely　to　cool　my　irritable　temper。　It　is　a　country　of　fiddlers　and　poets；　whores　and　scoundrels。〃　This　sense　of　their　ruinous　weakness　he　always　retained；　nor　was　he　ever　blind　to　the　mingled　folly　and　treachery　of　the　Neapolitan　ministers；　and　the　complication　in　iniquities　under　which　the　country　groaned；　but　he　insensibly；　under　the　influence　of　Lady　Hamilton；　formed　an　affection　for　the　court；　to　whose　misgovernment　the　miserable　condition　of　the　country　was　so　greatly　to　be　imputed。　By　the　kindness　of　her　nature；　as　well　as　by　her　attractions；　she　had　won　his　heart。　Earl　St。　Vincent；　writing　to　her　at　this　time；　says；　〃Pray　do　not　let　your　fascinating　Neapolitan　dames　approach　too　near　our　invaluable　friend　Nelson；　for　he　is　made　of　flesh　and　blood；　and　cannot　resist　their　temptations。〃　But　this　was　addressed　to　the　very　person　from　whom　he　was　in　danger。

The　state　of　Naples　may　be　described　in　few　words。　The　king　was　one　of　the　Spanish　Bourbons。　As　the　Caesars　have　shown　us　to　what　wickedness　the　moral　nature　of　princes　may　be　perverted；　so　in　this　family；　the　degradation　to　which　their　intellectual　nature　can　be　reduced　has　been　not　less　conspicuously　evinced。　Ferdinand；　like　the　rest　of　his　race；　was　passionately　fond　of　field　sports；　and　cared　for　nothing　else。　His　queen　had　all　the　vices　of　the　house　of　Austria；　with　little　to　mitigate；　and　nothing　to　ennoble　themprovided　she　could　have　her　pleasures；　and　the　king　his　sports；　they　cared　not　in　what　manner　the　revenue　was　raised　or　administered。　Of　course　a　system　of　favouritism　existed　at　court；　and　the　vilest　and　most　impudent　corruption　prevailed　in　every　department　of　state；　and　in　every　branch　of　administration；　from　the　highest　to　the　lowest。　It　is　only　the　institutions　of　Christianity；　and　the　vicinity　of　better…regulated　states；　which　prevent　kingdoms；　under　such　circumstances　of　misrule；　from　sinking　into　a　barbarism　like　that　of　Turkey。　A　sense　of　better　things　was　kept　alive　in　some　of　the　Neapolitans　by　literature；　and　by　their　intercourse　with　happier　countries。　These　persons　naturally　looked　to　France；　at　the　commencement　of　the　Revolution；　and　during　all　the　horrors　of　that　Revolution　still　cherished　a　hope　that；　by　the　aid　of　France；　they　might　be　enabled　to　establish　a　new　order　of　things　in　Naples。　They　were　grievously　mistaken　in　supposing　that　the　principles　of　liberty　would　ever　be　supported　by　France；　but　they　were　not　mistaken　in　believing　that　no　government　could　be　worse　than　their　own；　and　therefore　they　considered　any　change　as　desirable。　In　this　opinion　men　of　the　most　different　characters　agreed。　Many　of　the　nobles；　who　were　not　in　favour；　wished　for　a　revolution；　that　they　might　obtain　the　ascendancy　to　which　they　thought　themselves　entitled；　men　of　desperate　fortunes　desired　it；　in　the　hope　of　enriching　themselves；　knaves　and　intriguers　sold　themselves　to　the　French　to　promote　it；　and　a　few　enlightened　men；　and　true　lovers　of　their　country；　joined　in　the　same　cause；　from　the　purest　and　noblest　motives。　All　these　were　confounded　under　the　common　name　of　Jacobins；　and　the　Jacobins　of　the　continental　kingdoms　were　regarded　by　the　English　with　more　hatred　than　they　deserved。　They　were　classed　with　Phillippe　Egalite；　Marat；　and　Hebert；　whereas　they　deserved　rather　to　be　ranked；　if　not　with　Locke；　and　Sydney；　and　Russell；　at　least　with　Argyle　and　Monmouth；　and　those　who；　having　the　same　object　as　the　prime　movers　of　our　own　Revolution；　failed　in　their　premature　but　not　unworthy　attempt。

No　circumstances　could　be　more　unfavourable　to　the　best　interests　of　Europe；　than　those　which　placed　England　in　strict　alliance　with　the　superannuated　and　abominable　governments　of　the　continent。　The　subjects　of　those　governments　who　wished　for　freedom　thus　became　enemies　to　England；　and　dupes　and　agents　of　France。　They　looked　to　their　own　grinding　grievances；　and　did　not　see　the　danger　with　which　the　liberties　of　the　world　were　threatened。　England；　on　the　other　hand；　saw　the　danger　in　its　true　magnitude；　but　was　blind　to　these　grievances；　and　found　herself　compelle