In the packet was a letter for Mr. Davison, desiring him to send to Mrs. Nelson £100. "I would not have our good friend Lord William [Gordon] in too great a hurry with his songs; I beg we may deserve them first. We have the mortification to want a wind. We see the Danes amusing themselves with preparations to resist us, but with God's blessing, the devil himself cannot stop us. "March 30th, half-past five.-The fleet is now under sail, steering for Cronenburg. I have this moment made the signal for my division, ten sail of the line, and if old Stricker, for that is the Governor's name, attempts to strike me, I shall try who can strike the hardest blow. Your friend Nelson will acquit himself as he has been used to do, and the blessing of God will attend him. To Him do I submit myself in the day of battle, and he has hitherto always supported me. "There is a little boy that you begged Foley to take; he was in the Lion, but for drawing a knife was dismissed from her. I have made him come into the cabin, down on his knees, touch your picture with his hand and then kiss it, a Neapolitan custom. "I have hardly time to tell you that the Aide-de-camp of the Prince Royal of Denmark has been on board Sir Hyde Parker, a young coxcomb, about 23. In writing a note in He called out, "Ad the Admiral's cabin, the pen was bad. miral, if your guns are no better than your pens, you may as well return to England.' On asking who commanded the different ships, among others he was told Lord Nelson, he exclaimed, What is he here, I would give a hundred guineas to see him; then I suppose it is no joke if he is come.' He 6 taking of St. Lucia. In 1798 he was advanced to Post rank, and appointed to the Medea frigate, and in 1800 to the Agincourt of 64 guns, with Sir Charles M. Pole. Upon his return from Newfoundland he took General Graham to Egypt, and was presented with the Gold Medal of the Order of the Crescent by the Grand Signior. He was with Lord Keith at the taking of Corfu, and then proceeded to the Madalena islands, of which he made a survey without assistance. In 1803 he was appointed to the Gibraltar and sent to Naples to attend upon the King. His MS. chart of the Madalena and Barelino islands was presented to Lord Nelson, who gratefully acknowledged its accuracy. Paid off in 1804 he did not obtain further employment until 1810, when he was put on the Baltic station in the Africa of 61 guns, and blockaded Copenhagen. After this he was put on half-pay, and having attained the rank of Rear-Admiral of the Blue, he died May 20th, 1826. said, 'Aye, you will pass Cronenburg, that we expect, but we are well prepared at Copenhagen, there you will find a hard nut to crack.' I must have done, for breakfast is waiting, and I never give up a meal for a little fighting. "Yours, The Rev. William Nelson again writes to Lady Hamilton : "I have this moment received your bit of paper, and also the miserable little morsel of my better half, and I may well say, pshaw! but as I am a poor forlorn hermit, I must even take what the charitable and humane will bestow upon me, and as you are so good as to give me something every day, I must not repine, but look forward to the happy day when my penance and pilgrimage will be at an end, when I shall make up for all my present mortifications during my widowhood. As this is Friday, I am now going to church to pray for you all, and also for the safety of our much loved Hero and Lord. I shall be heartily glad whenever we can say peace, and our great Lord safe home; I hope the treaty between France and Naples, will not affect his property and title at Bronté. "Just returned from church, and I have read over your yesterday's and to-day's letter twenty times, and the more I read the more I admire your whole conduct; how amiable does your attention to good Sir William appear, no words can do justice to your merit, but he deserves every thing from you, and I am sure he feels your love and attention to him, as he ought; I shall be most happy to shake him by the hand. Pray God when we meet it may be with cheerful hearts for the welfare of our great hero. If he comes home safe this time, I sincerely hope he will give it up, unless he can have the chief command where he likes, I would have him second to none. Adieu. God bless and prosper you, is the fervent prayer of your "Sincere and affectionate friend, "WILLIAM NELSON." The last letter, previous to the Battle of Copenhagen, is as follows: "My dearest Friend, 66 Elephant, March 30th, off Copenhagen, "We this morning passed the fancied tremendous fortress of Cronenburg, mounted with 270 pieces of cannon. More powder and shot, I believe, never were thrown away, for not one shot struck a single ship of the British fleet. Some of our ships fired; but the Elephant did not return a single shot. I hope to reserve them for a better occasion. I have just been reconnoitring the Danish line of defence. It looks formidable to those who are children at war, but to my judgment, with ten sail of the line I think I can annihilate them; at all events, I hope to be allowed to try. I am not very well, and tired, but Foley is very good to me. I have much to do here, exactly what you said in London. May God, whom I worship, protect and send me victorious. Amen, if it be is good pleasure. May the Heavens bless you. My best regards to Sir William. I hope his pictures have sold well. Recommend to Lord William not to make songs about us, for fear we should not deserve his good opinion. Once more, adieu, and may God bless you shall be my last word." |