the life of horatio lord nelson-第41章

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ermined　bravery　than　on　that　occasion：　and　if　I　may　be　allowed　to　give　an　opinion　as　a　Briton；　then　I　say；　that　more　important　service　was　never　rendered　to　our　king　and　country。　It　is　my　duty；　my　lord；　to　prove　to　the　brave　fellows；　　my　companions　in　danger；　that　I　have　not　failed　at　every　proper　place　to　represent；　as　well　as　I　am　able；　their　bravery　and　meritorious　conduct。〃

Another　honour；　of　greater　import；　was　withheld　from　the　conquerors。　The　king　had　given　medals　to　those　captains　who　were　engaged　in　the　battles　of　the　1st　of　June；　of　Cape　St。　Vincent；　of　Camperdown；　and　of　the　Nile。　Then　came　the　victory　at　Copenhagen；　which　Nelson　truly　called　the　most　difficult　achievement；　the　hardest…fought　battle；　the　most　glorious　result　that　ever　graced　the　annals　of　our　country。　He；　of　course；　expected　the　medal；　and　in　writing　to　Earl　St。　Vincent；　said；　〃He　longed　to　have　it；　and　would　not　give　it　up　to　be　made　an　English　duke。〃　The　medal；　however；　was　not　given：〃For　what　reason；〃　said　Nelson；　〃Lord　St。　Vincent　best　knows。〃　Words　plainly　implying　a　suspicion　that　it　was　withheld　by　some　feeling　of　jealousy；　and　that　suspicion　estranged　him；　during　the　remaining　period　of　his　life；　from　one　who　had　at　one　time　been　essentially；　as　well　as　sincerely；　his　friend；　and　of　whose　professional　abilities　he　ever　entertained　the　highest　opinion。

The　happiness　which　Nelson　enjoyed　in　the　society　of　his　chosen　friends　was　of　no　long　continuance。　Sir　William　Hamilton；　who　was　far　advanced　in　years；　died　early　in　1803；　a　mild；　amiable；　and　accomplished　man；　who　has　thus　in　a　letter　described　his　own　philosophy：　〃My　study　of　antiquities；〃　he　says；　〃has　kept　me　in　constant　thought　of　the　perpetual　fluctuation　of　everything。　The　whole　art　is　really　to　live　all　the　DAYS　of　our　life；　and　not　with　anxious　care　disturb　the　sweetest　hour　that　life　affordswhich　is　the　present。　Admire　the　Creator；　and　all　His　works；　to　us　incomprehensible；　and　do　all　the　good　you　can　upon　earth；　and　take　the　chance　of　eternity　without　dismay。〃　He　expired　in　his　wife's　arms；　holding　Nelson　by　the　hand；　and　almost　in　his　last　words；　left　her　to　his　protection；　requesting　him　that　he　would　see　justice　done　her　by　the　government；　as　he　knew　what　she　had　done　for　her　country。　He　left　him　her　portrait　in　enamel；　calling　him　his　dearest　friend；　the　most　virtuous；　loyal；　and　truly　brave　character　he　had　ever　known。　The　codicil；　containing　this　bequest；　concluded　with　these　words；　〃God　bless　him；　and　shame　fall　on　those　who　do　not　say　amen。〃　Sir　William's　pension　of　L1200　a　year　ceased　with　his　death。　Nelson　applied　to　Mr。　Addington　in　Lady　Hamilton's　behalf；　stating　the　important　service　which　she　had　rendered　to　the　fleet　at　Syracuse；　and　Mr。　Addington；　it　is　said；　acknowledged　that　she　had　a　just　claim　upon　the　gratitude　of　the　country。　This　barren　acknowledgment　was　all　that　was　obtained；　but　a　sum；　equal　to　the　pension　which　her　husband　had　enjoyed；　was　settled　on　her　by　Nelson；　and　paid　in　monthly　payments　during　his　life。　A　few　weeks　after　this　event；　the　war　was　renewed；　and　the　day　after　his　Majesty's　message　to　Parliament；　Nelson　departed　to　take　the　command　of　the　Mediterranean　fleet。　The　war　he　thought；　could　not　be　long；　just　enough　to　make　him　independent　in　pecuniary　matters。

He　took　his　station　immediately　off　Toulon；　and　there；　with　incessant　vigilance；　waited　for　the　coming　out　of　the　enemy。　The　expectation　　of　acquiring　a　competent　fortune　did　not　last　long。　〃Somehow；〃　he　says；〃my　mind　is　not　sharp　enough　for　prize…money。　Lord　Keith　would　have　made　L20；000；　and　I　have　not　made　L6000。〃　More　than　once　he　says　that　the　prizes　taken　in　the　Mediterranean　had　not　paid　his　expenses；　and　once　he　expresses　himself　as　if　it　were　a　consolation　to　think　that　some　ball　might　soon　close　all　his　accounts　with　this　world　of　care　and　vexation。　At　this　time　the　widow　of　his　brother；　being　then　blind　and　advanced　in　years；　was　distressed　for　money；　and　about　to　sell　her　plate；　he　wrote　to　Lady　Hamilton；　requesting　of　her　to　find　out　what　her　debts　were；　and　saying　that；　if　the　amount　was　within　his　power；　he　would　certainly　pay　it；　and　rather　pinch　himself　than　that　she　should　want。　Before　he　had　finished　the　letter；　an　account　arrived　that　a　sum　was　payable　to　him　for　some　neutral　taken　four　years　before；　which　enabled　him　to　do　this　without　being　the　poorer；　and　he　seems　to　have　felt　at　the　moment　that　what　was　thus　disposed　of　by　a　cheerful　giver；　shall　be　paid　to　him　again。　One　from　whom　he　had　looked　for　very　different　conduct；　had　compared　his　own　wealth；　in　no　becoming　manner；　with　Nelson's　limited　means。　〃I　know；〃　said　he　to　Lady　Hamilton；　〃the　full　extent　of　the　obligation　I　owe　him；　and　he　may　be　useful　to　me　again；　but　I　can　never　forget　his　unkindness　to　you。　But；　I　guess　many　reasons　influenced　his　conduct　in　bragging　of　his　riches　and　my　honourable　poverty；　but；　as　I　have　often　said；　and　with　honest　pride；　what　I　have　is　my　own：　it　never　cost　the　widow　a　tear；　or　the　nation　a　farthing。　I　got　what　I　have　with　my　pure　blood；　from　the　enemies　of　my　country。　Our　house；　my　own　Emma；　is　built　upon　a　solid　foundation；　and　will　last　to　us；　when　his　houses　and　lands　may　belong　to　others　than　his　children。〃

His　hope　was　that　peace　might　soon　be　made；　or　that　he　should　be　relieved　from　his　command；　and　retire　to　Merton；　where　at　that　distance　he　was　planning　and　directing　improvements。　On　his　birthday　he　writes；　〃This　day；　my　dearest　Emma；　I　consider　as　more　fortunate　than　common　days；　as　by　my　coming　into　this　world　it　has　brought　me　so　intimately　acquainted　with　you。　I　well　know　that　you　will　keep　it；　and　have　my　dear　Horatio　to　drink　my　health。　Forty…six　years　of　toil　and　trouble！　How　few　more　the　common　lot　of　mankind　leads　us　to　expect！　and　therefore　it　is　almost　time　to　think　of　spending　the　few　last　years　in　peace　and　quietness。〃　It　is　painful　to　think　that　this　language　was　not　addressed　to　his　wife；　but　to　one　with　whom　he　promised　himself　〃many　many　happy　years；　when　that　impediment；〃　as　he　calls　her；　〃shall　be　removed；　if　God　pleased；　and　they　might　be　surrounded　by　their　children's　children。〃

When　he　had　been　fourteen　months　off　Toulon；　he　received　a　vote　of　thanks　from　the　city　of　London　for　his　skill　and　perseverance　in　blockading　that　port；　so　as　to　prevent　the　French　from　putting　to　sea。　Nelson　had　not　forgotten　the　wrong　which　the　city　had　done　to　the　Baltic　fleet　by　their　omission；　and　did　not　lose　the　opportunity　which　this　vote　afforded　of　recurring　to　that　point。　〃I　do　assure　your　lordship；〃　said　he；　in　his　answer　to　the　lord　mayor；　〃that　there　is　not　that　man　breathing　who　sets　a　higher　value　upon　the　thanks　of　his　fellow…citizens　of　London　than　myself；　but　I　should　feel　as　much　ashamed　to　receive　them　for　a　particular　service　marked　in　the　resolution；　if　I　felt　that　I　did　not　come　within　that　line　of　service；　as　I　should　feel　hurt　at　having　a　great　victory　passed　over　without　notice。　I　beg　to　inform　your　lordship；　that　the　port　of　Toulon　has　never　been　blockaded　by　me；　quite　the　reverse。　Every　opportunity　has　been　offered　the　enemy　to　put　to　sea；　for　it　is　there　that　we　hope　to　realise　the　hopes　and　expectations　of　our　country。〃　Nelson　then　remarked　that　the　junior　flag…officers　of　his　fleet　had　been　omitted　in　this　vote　of　thanks；　and　his　surprise　at　the　omission　was　expressed　with　more　asperity；　perhaps；　than　an　offence　so　entirely　and　manifestly　unintentional　deserved；　but　it　arose　from　that　generous　regard　for　the　feelings　as　well　as　the　interests　of　all　who　were　under　his　command；　which　made　him　as　much　beloved　in　the　fleets　of　Britain　as　he　was　dreaded　in　those　of　the　enemy。

Never　was　any　commander　more　beloved。　He　governed　men　by　their　reason　and　their　affections；　they　knew　that　he　was　incapable　of　caprice　or　tyranny　and　they　obeyed　him　with　alacrity　and　joy；　because　he　possessed　their　confidence　as　well　as　their　love。　〃Our　Nel；〃　they　used　to　say；　〃is　as　brave　as　a　lion　and　as　gentle　as　a　lamb。〃　Severe　discipline　he　detested；　though　he　had　been　bred　in　a　severe　school。　He　never　inflicted　corporal　punishment　if　it　were　possible　to　avoid　it；　and　when　compelled　to　enforce　it；　he；　who　was　familiar　with　wounds　and　death；　suffered　like　a　woman。　In　his　whole　life；　Nelson　was　never　known　to　act　unkindly　towards　an　officer。　If　he　was　asked　to　prosecute　one　for　ill　behaviour；　he　used　to　answer；　〃That　there　was　no　occasion　for　him　to　ruin　a　poor　devil　who　was　sufficiently　his　own　enemy　to　ruin　himself。〃　But　in　Nelson　there　was　more　than　the　easiness　and　humanity　of　a　happy　nature：　he　did　not　merely　abstain　from　injury；　his　was　an　active　and　watchful　benevolence；　ever　desirous　not　only　to　render　justice；　but　to　do　good。　During　the　peace　he　had　spoken　in　parliament　upon　the　abuses　respecting　prize…money；　and　had　submitted　plans　to　government　for　more　easily　manning　the　navy；　and　preventing　desertion　from　it；　by　bettering　the　condition　of　the　seamen。　He　proposed　that　their　certificates　should　be　registered；　and　that　every　man　who　had　served；　with　a　good　character；　five　years　in　war；　should　receive　a　bounty　of　two　guineas　annually　after　that　time；　and　of　four　guineas　after　eight　years。　〃This；〃　he　said；　〃might；　at　first　sight；　appear　an　enormous　sum　for　the　state　to　pay；　but　the　average　life　of　seamen　is；　from　hard　service；　finished　at　forty…　five。　He　cannot；　therefore；　enjoy　the　annuity　many　years；　and　the　interest　of　the　money　saved　by　their　not　deserting　would　go　far　to　pay　the　whole　expense。〃

To　his　midshipmen　he　ever　showed　the　most　winning　kindness；　encouraging　the　diffident；　tempering　the　hasty；　counselling　and　befriending　both。　〃Recollect；〃　he　used　to　say；　〃that　you　must　be　a　seaman　to　be　an　officer；　and　also　that　you　cannot　be　a　good　officer　without　being　a　gentleman。〃　A　lieutenant　wrote　to　him　to　say　that　he　was　dissatisfied　with　his　captain。　Nelson's　answer　was　in　that　spirit　of　perfect　wisdom　and　perfect　goodness　which　regulated　his　whole　conduct　towards　those　who　were　under　his　command。　〃I　have　just　received　your　letter；　and　am　truly　sorry　that　any　difference　should　arise　between　your　captain；　who　has　the　reputation　of　being　one　of　the　bright　officers　of　the　service；　and　yourself；　a　very　young　man；　and　a　very　young　officer；　who　must　naturally　have　much　to　learn；　therefore　the　chance　is　that　you　are　perfectly　wrong　in　the　disagreement。　However；　as　your　present　situation　must　be　very　disagreeable；　I　will　certainly　take　an　early　opportunity　of　removing　you；　provided　your　conduct　to　your　present　captain　be　such　that　another　may　not　refuse　to　receive　you。〃　The　gentleness　and　benignity　of　his　disposition　never　made　him　forget　what　was　due　to　discipline。　Being　on　one　occasion　applied　to；　to　save　a　young　officer　from　a　court…martial；　which　he　had　provoked　by　his　misconduct；　his　reply　was；　〃That　he　would　do　everything　in　his　power　to　oblige　so　gallant　and　good　an　officer　as　Sir　John　Warren；〃　in　whose　name　the　intercession　had　been　made。　〃But　what；〃　he　added；　〃would　he　do　if　he　were　here？　Exactly　what　I　have　done；　and　am　still　willing　to　do。　The　young　man　must　write　such　a　letter　of　contrition　as　would　be　an　acknowledgment　of　his　great　fault；　and　with　a　sincere　promise；　if　his　captain　will　intercede　to　prevent　the　impending　court…martial；　never　to　so　mis