the life of horatio lord nelson-第8章

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he　trouble　which　he　took　to　detect　the　fraudulent　practices　then　carried　on　was　no　more　than　his　duty；　but　he　little　thought　that　the　expenses　attending　his　frequent　journeys　to　St。　John's　upon　that　duty　（a　distance　of　twelve　miles）　would　have　fallen　upon　his　pay　as　captain　of　the　BOREAS。〃　Nevertheless；　the　sense　of　what　he　thought　unworthy　usage　did　not　diminish　his　zeal。　〃I；〃　said　he；〃must　buffet　the　waves　in　search　ofWhat？　Alas！　that　they　called　honour　is　thought　of　no　more。　My　fortune；　God　knows；　has　grown　worse　for　the　service；　so　much　for　serving　my　country！　But　the　devil；　ever　willing　to　tempt　the　virtuous；　has　made　me　offer；　if　any　ships　should　be　sent　to　destroy　his　Majesty　of　Morocco's　ports；　to　be　there；　and　I　have　some　reason　to　think　that；　should　any　more　come　of　it；　my　humble　services　will　be　accepted。　I　have　invariably　laid　down；　and　followed　close；　a　plan　of　what　ought　to　be　uppermost　in　the　breast　of　an　officer；that　it　is　much　better　to　serve　an　ungrateful　country　than　to　give　up　his　own　fame。　Posterity　will　do　him　justice。　A　uniform　course　of　honour　and　integrity　seldom　fails　of　bringing　a　man　to　the　goal　of　fame　at　last。〃

The　design　against　the　Barbary　pirates；　like　all　other　designs　against　them；　was　laid　aside；　and　Nelson　took　his　wife　to　his　father's　parsonage；　meaning　only　to　pay　him　a　visit　before　they　went　to　France；　a　project　which　he　had　formed　for　the　sake　of　acquiring　a　competent　knowledge　of　the　French　language。　But　his　father　could　not　bear　to　lose　him　thus　unnecessarily。　Mr。　Nelson　had　long　been　an　invalid；　suffering　under　paralytic　and　asthmatic　affections；　which；　for　several　hours　after　he　rose　in　the　morning；　scarcely　permitted　him　to　speak。　He　had　been　given　over　by　his　physicians　for　this　complaint　nearly　forty　years　before　his　death；　and　was；　for　many　of　his　latter　years；　obliged　to　spend　all　his　winters　at　Bath。　The　sight　of　his　son；　he　declared；　had　given　him　new　life。　〃But；　Horatio；〃　said　he；　〃it　would　have　been　better　that　I　had　not　been　thus　cheered；　if　I　am　so　soon　to　be　bereaved　of　you　again。　Let　me；　my　good　son；　see　you　whilst　I　can。　My　age　and　infirmities　increase；　and　I　shall　not　last　long。〃　To　such　an　appeal　there　could　be　no　reply。　Nelson　took　up　his　abode　at　the　parsonage；　and　amused　himself　with　the　sports　and　occupations　of　the　country。　Sometimes　he　busied　himself　with　farming　the　glebe；　sometimes　spent　the　greater　part　of　the　day　in　the　garden；　where　he　would　dig　as　if　for　the　mere　pleasure　of　wearying　himself。　Sometimes　he　went　a　birds'…nesting；　like　a　boy；　and　in　these　expeditions　Mrs。　Nelson　always；　by　his　expressed　desire；　accompanied　him。　Coursing　was　his　favourite　amusement。　Shooting；　as　he　practised　it；　was　far　too　dangerous　for　his　companions；　for　he　carried　his　gun　upon　the　full　cock；　as　if　he　were　going　to　board　an　enemy；　and　the　moment　a　bird　rose；　he　let　fly　without　ever　putting　the　fowling…piece　to　his　shoulder。　It　is　not；　therefore；　extraordinary　that　his　having　once　shot　a　partridge　should　be　remembered　by　his　family　among　the　remarkable　events　of　his　life。

But　his　time　did　not　pass　away　thus　without　some　vexatious　cares　to　ruffle　it。　The　affair　of　the　American　ships　was　not　yet　over；　and　he　was　again　pestered　with　threats　of　prosecution。　〃I　have　written　them　word；〃　said　he；　〃that　I　will　have　nothing　to　do　with　them；　and　they　must　act　as　they　think　proper。　Government；　I　suppose；　will　do　what　is　right；　and　not　leave　me　in　the　lurch。　We　have　heard　enough　lately　of　the　consequences　of　the　Navigation　Act　to　this　country。　They　may　take　my　person；　but　if　sixpence　would　save　me　from　a　prosecution；　I　would　not　give　it。〃　It　was　his　great　ambition　at　this　time　to　possess　a　pony；　and　having　resolved　to　purchase　one；　he　went　to　a　fair　for　that　purpose。　During　his　absence　two　men　abruptly　entered　the　parsonage　and　inquired　for　him：　they　then　asked　for　Mrs。　Nelson；　and　after　they　had　made　her　repeatedly　declare　that　she　was　really　and　truly　the　captain's　wife；　presented　her　with　a　writ；　or　notification；　on　the　part　of　the　American　captains；　who　now　laid　their　damages　at　L20；000；　and　they　charged　her　to　give　it　to　her　husband　on　his　return。　Nelson；　having　bought　his　pony；　came　home　with　it　in　high　spirits。　He　called　out　his　wife　to　admire　the　purchase　and　listen　to　all　its　excellences：　nor　was　it　till　his　glee　had　in　some　measure　subsided　that　the　paper　could　be　presented　to　him。　His　indignation　was　excessive；　and　in　the　apprehension　that　he　should　be　exposed　to　the　anxieties　of　the　suit　and　the　ruinous　consequences　which　might　ensue；　he　exclaimed；　〃This　affront　I　did　not　deserve！　But　I'll　be　trifled　with　no　longer。　I　will　write　immediately　to　the　Treasury；　and　if　government　will　not　support　me；　I　am　resolved　to　leave　the　country。〃　Accordingly；　he　informed　the　Treasury　that；　if　a　satisfactory　answer　were　not　sent　him　by　return　of　post；　he　should　take　refuge　in　France。　To　this　he　expected　he　should　be　driven；　and　for　this　he　arranged　everything　with　his　characteristic　rapidity　of　decision。　It　was　settled　that　he　should　depart　immediately；　and　Mrs。　Nelson　follow；　under　the　care　of　his　elder　brother　Maurice；　ten　days　after　him。　But　the　answer　which　he　received　from　government　quieted　his　fears：　it　stated　that　Captain　Nelson　was　a　very　good　officer；　and　needed　to　be　under　no　apprehension；　for　he　would　assuredly　be　supported。

Here　his　disquietude　upon　this　subject　seems　to　have　ended。　Still　he　was　not　at　ease；　he　wanted　employment；　and　was　mortified　that　his　applications　for　it　produced　no　effect。　〃Not　being　a　man　of　fortune；〃　he　said；　〃was　a　crime　which　he　was　unable　to　get　over；　and　therefore　none　of　the　great　cared　about　him。〃　Repeatedly　he　requested　the　Admiralty　that　they　would　not　leave　him　to　rust　in　indolence。　During　the　armament　which　was　made　upon　occasion　of　the　dispute　concerning　Nootka　Sound；　he　renewed　his　application；　and　his　steady　friend；　Prince　William；　who　had　then　been　created　Duke　of　Clarence；　recommended　him　to　Lord　Chatham。　The　failure　of　this　recommendation　wounded　him　so　keenly　that　he　again　thought　of　retiring　from　the　service　in　disgust；　a　resolution　from　which　nothing　but　the　urgent　remonstrances　of　Lord　Hood　induced　him　to　desist。　Hearing　that　the　RAISONNABLE；　in　which　he　had　commenced　his　career；　was　to　be　commissioned；　he　asked　for　her。　This　also　was　in　vain；　and　a　coolness　ensued；　on　his　part；　toward　Lord　Hood；　because　that　excellent　officer　did　not　use　his　influence　with　Lord　Chatham　upon　this　occasion。　Lord　Hood；　however；　had　certainly　sufficient　reasons　for　not　interfering；　for　he　ever　continued　his　steady　friend。　In　the　winter　of　1792；　when　we　were　on　the　eve　of　the　revolutionary　war；　Nelson　once　more　offered　his　services；　earnestly　requested　a　ship；　and　added；　that　if　their　lordships　should　be　pleased　to　appoint　him　to　a　cockle…boat　he　should　feel　satisfied。　He　was　answered　in　the　usual　official　form：　〃Sir；　I　have　received　your　letter　of　the　5th　instant；　expressing　your　readiness　to　serve；　and　have　read　the　same　to　my　Lords　Commissioners　of　the　Admiralty。〃　On　the　12th　of　December　he　received　this　dry　acknowledgment。　The　fresh　mortification　did　not；　however；　affect　him　long；　for；　by　the　joint　interest　of　the　Duke　and　Lord　Hood；　he　was　appointed；　on　the　30th　of　January　following；　to　the　AGAMEMNON；　of　sixty…four　guns。




CHAPTER　III

1793　…　1795


The　AGAMEMNON　sent　to　the　MediteraneanCommencement　of　Nelson's　Aquaintance　with　Sir　W。　HamiltonHe　is　sent　to　Corsica；　to　co…　operate　with　PaoliState　of　Affairs　in　that　IslandNelson　undertakes　the　Siege　of　Bastia；　and　reduces　itTakes　a　distinguished　Part　in　the　Siege　of　Calvi；　where　he　loses　an　EyeAdmiral　Hotham's　ActionThe　AGAMEMNON　ordered　to　Genoa；　to　co…operate　with　the　Austrian　and　Sardinian　ForcesGross　Misconduct　of　the　Austrian　General。

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〃THERE　are　three　things；　young　gentleman；〃　said　Nelson　to　one　of　his　midshipmen；　〃which　you　are　constantly　to　bear　in　mind。　First；　you　must　always　implicitly　obey　orders；　without　attempting　to　form　any　opinion　of　your　own　respecting　their　propriety；　secondly；　you　must　consider　every　man　your　enemy　who　speaks　ill　of　your　king；　and；　thirdly；　you　must　hate　a　Frenchman　as　you　do　the　devil。〃　With　these　feelings　he　engaged　in　the　war。　Josiah；　his　son…in…law；　went　with　him　as　a　midshipman。

The　AGAMEMNON　was　ordered　to　the　Mediterranean　under　Lord　Hood。　The　fleet　arrived　in　those　seas　at　a　time　when　the　south　of　France　would　willingly　have　formed　itself　into　a　separate　republic；　under　the　protection　of　England。　But　good　principles　had　been　at　that　time　perilously　abused　by　ignorant　and　profligate　men；　and；　in　its　fear　and　hatred　of　democracy；　the　English　Government　abhorred　whatever　was　republican。　Lord　Hood　could　not　take　advantage　of　the　fair　occasion　which　presented　itself；　and　which；　if　it　had　been　seized　with　vigour；　might　have　ended　in　dividing　France：but　he　negotiated　with　the　people　of　Toulon；　to　take　possession　provisionally　of　their　port　and　city；　which；　fatally　for　themselves；　was　done。　Before　the　British　fleet　entered；　Nelson　was　sent　with　despatches　to　Sir　William　Hamilton；　our　envoy　at　the　Court　of　Naples。　Sir　William；　after　his　first　interview　with　him；　told　Lady　Hamilton　he　was　about　to　introduce　a　little　man　to　her；　who　could　not　boast　of　being　very　handsome；　but　such　a　man　as；　he　believed；　would　one　day　astonish　the　world。　〃I　have　never　before；〃　he　　continued；　〃entertained　an　officer　at　my　house；　but　I　am　determined　to　bring　him　here。　Let　him　be　put　in　the　room　prepared　for　Prince　Augustus。〃　Thus　that　acquaintance　began　which　ended　in　the　destruction　of　Nelson's　domestic　happiness。　It　seemed　to　threaten　no　such　consequences　at　its　commencement。　He　spoke　of　Lady　Hamilton；　in　a　letter　to　his　wife；　as　a　young　woman　of　amiable　manners；　who　did　honour　to　the　station　to　which　she　had　been　raised；　and　he　remarked；　that　she　had　been　exceedingly　kind　to　Josiah。　The　activity　with　which　the　envoy　exerted　himself　in　procuring　troops　from　Naples；　to　assist　in　garrisoning　Toulon；　so　delighted　him；　that　he　is　said　to　have　exclaimed；　〃Sir　William；　you　are　a　man　after　my　own　heart！you　do　business　in　my　own　way：〃　and　then　to　have　added；　〃I　am　now　only　a　captain；　but　I　will；　if　I　live；　be　at　the　top　of　the　tree。〃　Here；　also；　that　acquaintance　with　the　Neapolitan　court　commenced；　which　led　to　the　only　blot　upon　Nelson's　public　character。　The　king；　who　was　sincere　at　that　time　in　his　enmity　to　the　French；　called　the　English　the　saviours　of　Italy；　and　of　his　dominions　in　particular。　He　paid　the　most　flattering　attentions　to　Nelson；　made　him　dine　with　him；　and　seated　him　at　his　right　hand。

Having　accomplished　this　mission；　Nelson　received　orders　to　join　Commodore　Linzee　at　Tunis。　On　the　way；　five　sail　of　the　enemy　were　discovered　off　the　coast　of　Sardinia；　and　he　chased　them。　They　proved　to　be　three　forty…four　gun　frigates；　with　a　corvette　of　twenty…four　and　a　brig　of　twelve。　The　AGAMEMNON　had　only　345　men　at　quarters；　having　landed　part　of　her　crew　at　Toulon；　and　others　being　absent　in　prizes。　He　came　near　enough　one　of　the　frigates　to　engage　her；　but　at　great　disadvantage；　the　Frenchman　manoeuvring　well　and　sailing　greatly　better。　A　running　fight　of　three　hours　ensued；　during　which　the　other　ships；　which　were　at　some　distance；　made　all　speed　to　come　up。　By　th