the life of horatio lord nelson-第39章

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f　Mecklenburgh　sent　deputations；　with　their　public　books　of　record；　that　they　might　have　the　name　of　Nelson　in　them　written　by　his　own　hand。

From　Rostock　the　fleet　returned　to　Kioge　Bay。　Nelson　saw　that　the　temper　of　the　Danes　towards　England　was　such　as　naturally　arose　from　the　chastisement　which　they　had　so　recently　received。　〃In　this　nation；〃　said　he；　〃we　shall　not　be　forgiven　for　having　the　upper　hand　of　them：　I　only　thank　God　we　have；　or　they　would　try　to　humble　us　to　the　dust。〃　He　saw　also　that　the　Danish　cabinet　was　completely　subservient　to　France：　a　French　officer　was　at　this　time　the　companion　and　counsellor　of　the　Crown　Prince；　and　things　were　done　in　such　open　violation　of　the　armistice；　that　Nelson　thought　a　second　infliction　of　vengeance　would　soon　be　necessary。　He　wrote　to　the　Admiralty；　requesting　a　clear　and　explicit　reply　to　his　inquiry；　Whether　the　commander…in…chief　was　at　liberty　to　hold　the　language　becoming　a　British　admiral？　〃Which；　very　probably；〃　said　he；　〃if　I　am　here；　will　break　the　armistice；　and　set　Copenhagen　in　a　blaze。　I　see　everything　which　is　dirty　and　mean　going　on；　and　the　Prince　Royal　at　the　head　of　it。　Ships　have　been　masted；　guns　taken　on　board；　floating　batteries　prepared；　and　except　hauling　out　and　completing　their　rigging；　everything　is　done　in　defiance　of　the　treaty。　My　heart　burns　at　seeing　the　word　of　a　prince；　nearly　allied　to　our　good　king；　so　falsified；　but　his　conduct　is　such；　that　he　will　lose　his　kingdom　if　he　goes　on；　for　Jacobins　rule　in　Denmark。　I　have　made　no　representations　yet；　as　it　would　be　useless　to　do　so　until　I　have　the　power　of　correction。　　All　I　beg；　in　the　name　of　the　future　commander…in…　chief；　is；　that　the　orders　may　be　clear；　for　enough　is　done　to　break　twenty　treaties；　if　it　should　be　wished；　or　to　make　the　Prince　Royal　humble　himself　before　British　generosity。〃

Nelson　was　not　deceived　in　his　judgment　of　the　Danish　cabinet；　but　the　battle　of　Copenhagen　had　crippled　its　power。　The　death　of　the　Czar　Paul　had　broken　the　confederacy；　and　that　cabinet；　therefore；　was　compelled　to　defer　till　a　more　convenient　season　the　indulgence　of　its　enmity　towards　Great　Britain。　Soon　afterwards　Admiral　Sir　Charles　Maurice　Pole　arrived　to　take　the　command。　The　business；　military　and　political；　had　by　that　time　been　so　far　completed　that　the　presence　of　the　British　fleet　soon　became　no　longer　necessary。　Sir　Charles；　however；　made　the　short　time　of　his　command　memorable；　by　passing　the　Great　Belt　for　the　first　time　with　line…of…battle　ships；　working　through　the　channel　against　adverse　winds。　When　Nelson　left　the　fleet；　this　speedy　termination　of　the　expedition；　though　confidently　expected；　was　not　certain；　and　he；　in　his　unwillingness　to　weaken　the　British　force；　thought　at　one　time　of　traversing　Jutland　in　his　boat；　by　the　canal　to　Tonningen　on　the　Eyder　and　finding　his　way　home　from　thence。　This　intention　was　not　executed；　but　he　returned　in　a　brig；　declining　to　accept　a　frigate；　which　few　admirals　would　have　done；　especially　if；　like　him；　they　suffered　from　sea…sickness　in　a　small　vessel。　On　his　arrival　at　Yarmouth；　the　first　thing　he　did　was　to　visit　the　hospital　and　see　the　men　who　had　been　wounded　in　the　late　battlethat　victory　which　had　added　new　glory　to　the　name　of　Nelson；　and　which　was　of　more　importance　even　than　the　battle　of　the　Nile　to　the　honour；　the　strength；　and　security　of　England。

The　feelings　of　Nelson's　friends；　upon　the　news　of　his　great　victory　at　Copenhagen；　were　highly　described　by　Sir　William　Hamilton　in　a　letter　to　him。　〃We　can　only　expect；〃　he　says；　〃what　me　know　well；　and　often　said　before；　that　Nelson　WAS；　IS；　and　to　the　LAST　WILL　EVER　BE；　THE　FIRST。　Emma　did　not　know　whether　she　was　on　her　head　or　heelsin　such　a　hurry　to　tell　your　great　news；　that　she　could　utter　nothing　but　tears　of　joy　and　tenderness。　I　went　to　Davison；　and　found　him　still　in　bed；　having　had　a　severe　fit　of　the　gout；　and　with　your　letter；　which　he　had　just　received；　and　he　cried　like　a　child；　but；　what　was　very　extraordin…　ary；　assured　me　that；　from　the　instant　he　had　read　your　letter；　all　pain　had　left　him；　and　that　he　felt　himself　able　to　get　up　and　walk　about。　Your　brother；　Mrs。　Nelson；　and　Horace　dined　with　us。　Your　brother　was　more　extraordinary　than　ever。　He　would　get　up　suddenly　and　cut　a　caper；　rubbing　his　hands　every　time　that　the　thought　of　your　fresh　laurels　came　into　his　head。　But　I　am　sure　that　no　one　really　rejoiced　more　at　heart　than　I　did。　I　have　lived　too　long　to　have　ecstasies！　But　with　calm　reflection；　I　felt　for　my　friend　having　got　to　the　very　summit　of　glory！　the　NE　PLUS　ULTRA！　that　he　has　had　another　opportunity　of　rendering　his　country　the　most　important　service；　and　manifesting　again　his　judgment；　his　intrepidity；　and　his　humanity。〃

He　had　not　been　many　weeks　on　shore　before　he　was　called　upon　to　undertake　a　service；　for　which　no　Nelson　was　required。　Buonaparte；　who　was　now　first　consul；　and　in　reality　sole　ruler　of　France；　was　making　preparations；　upon　a　great　scale；　for　invading　England；　but　his　schemes　in　the　Baltic　had　been　baffled；　fleets　could　not　be　created　as　they　were　wanted；　and　his　armies；　therefore；　were　to　come　over　in　gun…boats；　and　such　small　craft　as　could　be　rapidly　built　or　collected　for　the　occasion。　From　the　former　governments　of　France　such　threats　have　only　been　matter　of　insult　and　policy：　in　Buonaparte　they　were　sincere；　for　this　adventurer；　intoxicated　with　success；　already　began　to　imagine　that　all　things　were　to　be　submitted　to　his　fortune。　We　had　not　at　that　time　proved　the　superiority　of　our　soldiers　over　the　French；　and　the　unreflecting　multitude　were　not　to　be　persuaded　that　an　invasion　could　only　be　effected　by　numerous　and　powerful　fleets。　A　general　alarm　was　excited；　and；　in　condescension　to　this　unworthy　feeling；　Nelson　was　appointed　to　a　command；　extending　from　Orfordness　to　Beachy　Head；　on　both　shoresa　sort　of　service；　he　said；　for　which　he　felt　no　other　ability　than　what　might　be　found　in　his　zeal。

To　this　service；　however；　such　as　it　was；　he　applied　with　his　wonted　alacrity；　though　in　no　cheerful　frame　of　mind。　To　Lady　Hamilton；　his　only　female　correspondent；　he　says　at　this　time；　〃I　am　not　in　very　good　spirits；　and；　except　that　our　country　demands　all　our　services　and　abilities　to　bring　about　an　honourable　peace；　nothing　should　prevent　my　being　the　bearer　of　my　own　letter。　But；　my　dear　friend；　I　know　you　are　so　true　and　loyal　an　Englishwoman；　that　you　would　hate　those　who　would　not　stand　forth　in　defence　of　our　king；　laws；　religion；　and　all　that　is　dear　to　us。　It　is　your　sex　that　makes　us　go　forth；　and　seem　to　tell　us；　〃None　but　the　brave　deserve　the　fair〃；　and　if　we　fall；　we　still　live　in　the　hearts　of　those　females。　It　is　your　sex　that　rewards　us；　it　is　your　sex　who　cherish　our　memories；　and　you；　my　dear　honoured　friend；　are；　believe　me；　the　first；　the　best　of　your　sex。　I　have　been　the　world　around；　and　in　every　corner　of　it；　and　never　yet　saw　your　equal；　or　even　one　who　could　be　put　in　comparison　with　you。　You　know　how　to　reward　virtue；　honour；　and　courage；　and　never　to　ask　if　it　is　placed　in　a　prince；　duke；　lord；　or　peasant。〃　Having　hoisted　his　flag　in　the　MEDUSA　frigate；　he　went　to　reconnoitre　Boulogne　the　point　from　which　it　was　supposed　the　great　attempt　would　be　made；　and　which　the　French；　in　fear　of　an　attack　themselves；　were　fortifying　with　all　care。　He　approached　near　enough　to　sink　two　of　their　floating　batteries；　and　to　destroy　a　few　gun…boats　which　were　without　the　pier。　What　damage　was　done　within　could　not　be　ascertained。　〃Boulogne；〃　he　said；　〃was　certainly　not　a　very　pleasant　place　that　morning；　but；〃　he　added；　〃it　is　not　my　wish　to　injure　the　poor　inhabitants；　and　the　town　is　spared　as　much　as　the　nature　of　the　service　will　admit。〃　Enough　was　done　to　show　the　enemy　that　they　could　not；　with　impunity；　come　outside　their　own　ports。　Nelson　was　satisfied　by　what　he　saw；　that　they　meant　to　make　an　attempt　from　this　place；　but　that　it　was　impracticable；　for　the　least　wind　at　W。N。W。　and　they　were　lost。　The　ports　of　Flushing　and　Flanders　were　better　points：　there　we　could　not　tell　by　our　eyes　what　means　of　transport　were　provided。　From　thence；　therefore；　if　it　came　forth　at　all；　the　expedition　would　come。　〃And　what　a　forlorn　undertaking！〃　said　he：　〃consider　cross　tides；　&c。　As　for　rowing；　that　is　impossible。　It　Is　perfectly　right　to　be　prepared　for　a　mad　government；　but　with　the　active　force　which　has　been　given　me；　I　may　pronounce　it　almost　impracticable。〃

That　force　had　been　got　together　with　an　alacrity　which　has　seldom　been　equalled。　On　the　28th　of　July；　we　were；　in　Nelson's　own　words；　literally　at　the　foundation　of　our　fabric　of　defence；　and　twelve　days　afterwards　we　were　so　prepared　on　the　enemy's　coast　that　he　did　not　believe　they　could　get　three　miles　from　their　ports。　The　MEDUSA；　returning　to　our　own　shores；　anchored　in　the　rolling　ground　off　Harwich；　and　when　Nelson　wished　to　get　to　the　Nore　in　her；　the　wind　rendered　it　impossible　to　proceed　there　by　the　usual　channel。　In　haste　to　be　at　the　Nore；　remembering　that　he　had　been　a　tolerable　pilot　for　the　mouth　of　the　Thames　in　his　younger　days；　and　thinking　it　necessary　that　he　should　know　all　that　could　be　known　of　the　navigation；　he　requested　the　maritime　surveyor　of　the　coast；　Mr。　Spence；　to　get　him　into　the　Swin　by　any　channel；　for　neither　the　pilots　which　he　had　on　board；　nor　the　Harwich　ones；　would　take　charge　of　the　ship。　No　vessel　drawing　more　than　fourteen　feet　had　ever　before　ventured　over　the　Naze。　Mr。　Spence；　however；　who　had　surveyed　the　channel；　carried　her　safely　through。　The　channel　has　since　been　called　Nelson's；　though　he　himself　wished　it　to　be　named　after　the　MEDUSA：　his　name　needed　no　new　memorial。

Nelson's　eye　was　upon　Flushing。　〃To　take　possession　of　that　place；〃　he　said；　〃would　be　a　week's　expedition　for　four　or　five　thousand　troops。〃　This；　however；　required　a　consultation　with　the　Admiralty；　and　that　something　might　be　done；　meantime　he　resolved　upon　attacking　the　flotilla　in　the　mouth　of　the　Boulogne　harbour。　This　resolution　was　made　in　deference　to　the　opinion　of　others；　and　to　the　public　feeling；　which　was　so　preposterously　excited。　He　himself　scrupled　not　to　assert　that　the　French　army　would　never　embark　at　Boulogne　for　the　invasion　of　England；　and　he　owned　that　this　boat　warfare　was　not　exactly　congenial　to　his　feelings。　Into　Helvoet　or　Flushing　he　should　be　happy　to　lead；　if　Government　turned　their　thoughts　that　way。　〃While　I　serve；〃　said　he；　〃I　will　do　it　actively；　and　to　the　very　best　of　my　abilities。　I　require　nursing　like　a　child；〃　he　added；　〃my　mind　carries　me　beyond　my　strength；　and　will　do　me　up；　but　such　is　my　nature。〃

The　attack　was　made　by　the　boats　of　the　squadron　in　five　divisions；　under　Captains　Somerville；　Parker；　Cotgrave；　Jones；　and　Conn。　The　previous　essay　had　taught　the　French　the　weak　parts　of　their　position；　and　they　omitted　no　means　of　strengthening　it；　and　of　guarding　against　the　expected　attempt。　The　boats　put　off　about　half…an…hour　before　midnight；　but；　owing　to　the　darkness；　and　tide　and　half…tide；　which　must　always　make　night　attacks　so　uncertain　on　the　coasts　of　the　Channel；　the　divisions　separated。　One　could　not　arrive　at　all；　another　not　till　near　daybreak。　The　others　made　their　attack