my best thanks and high sense of the honour done me, by your Lordship's remembrance of our early friendship, your good wishes for my son, and the affectionate sentiments of regard so warmly expressed. It shall be carefully preserved as a record, a valuable one, for your godson, to hereafter shew why and wherefore he was named Horatio. On the 27th of last month the baptismal ceremony was performed; Sir John Wedderburn had the honour of representing your Lordship, Lady Northesk (Lord St. Vincent's niece), and Lady Jane Stuart, daughter of the Earl of Leven, were godmothers. "I am particularly instructed by the partial mother, to assure your Lordship, that our young Horatio is one of the finest children imaginable, and likewise to request that you will be so good as to express our just sense of Sir William and Lady Hamilton's compliments. "I shall not attempt to congratulate your Lordship on the peace, such a diversity of opinion prevails; at the same time, I confess my firm belief that it is the best our Ministry could make. An enormous sum has been expended, but in fact, I know no better way in which money can be spent than for the safety of our country and the preservation of our honour. Speaking of money, I note what you say about the two Parkers, and I wonder what has become of our old friend Sir Peter. The other day, tumbling over some old papers, I fell in with a letter of yours of the 12th of June, 1780, from Lady Parker's Mountain, it will amuse you one day or other, when we shall have the happiness of meeting here. By the newspapers, I remarked you lately in the House of Peers, thence I conclude in good health, otherwise your Lordship would prefer the country. Nothing can give me higher pleasure than learning that you enjoy that blessing. "We have some thoughts of a trip to London in the spring, as a jaunt of variety to our eldest daughter in her 15th year; I shall then hope to have the happiness of shaking my noble friend by the hand. May the Almighty bless and preserve him, says his faithful and affectionate "Rossie Castle, North Britain, 7th November, 1801. "H. Ross. I must not forget your remembrance of the Nurse. What! couldn't you trust that pecuniary matter to your old Agent?" Lord Nelson was gratified by a letter from Lord Elgin :"Constantinople, November 24th, 1801. "My dear Lord, "In forwarding to your Lordship the accompanying letter from the Porte, and the remaining insignia of the Order of the Crescent, it is but justice to add, that they have a very peculiar degree of pleasure in recollecting your services, and their infinite obligations to you. Your naming the Order of the Crescent, in your Convention at Copenhagen, suggested to them the idea of extending that decoration on the occasion of the conquest, of which you had laid so solid a basis, and really one of their principal inducements in it, was the opportunity it afforded them of saying once more, how proud they are of being connected with you. "They have followed your glories in the North with infinite satisfaction; indeed, I say a great deal when I can assure you, the interest in you is as alive here as it ever was. I rejoice in every incident that brings me to your Lordship's recollection, and enables me to express the respect and sincere regard with which I have the honour to be, "Your faithful humble servant, "ELGIN." The Rev. Edmund Nelson visited his son at Merton, and upon his return to Bath, wrote as follows on the 5th, 13th, and 19th: - "My dear Horatio, [Bath, December 5th, 1801.] "The affectionate and kind manner in which you received and entertained me at Merton, must have excited all those parental feelings which none but fond parents know; and having seen you safe through the perils which infancy, childhood, and even the early years of manhood are exposed to, how must I now rejoice to see so few impediments to as much felicity as falls to the share of mortals. What you possess, my good son, take care of what you may still want, consult your own good sense in what way it can be attained. Strive for honours and riches that will not fade, but will profit in time of need. Excuse my anxiety for what I esteem your real good. "My journey here was cold, yet safe-arrived last night; met with a kind and warm reception from your good sister and her indulgent husband. Am now going to a warm lodging, No. 10, New King Street. Though tired with scrawl-ing, yet must add my best thanks to Sir William and Lady Hamilton for their very many civilities to me. Your sister and Mr. M.'s best regards as ever with you. "Affectionately, "E. NELSON. "December, Friday." "My dear Horatio, "The little addition you are likely to make to your landed property will, I hope, bring some further pleasure and domestic comfort, such as the real comfort of a private and independent life must consist of, and every event which you are so good as to communicate to me, which is likely to increase your happiness, adds a prop to my declining life, and the little incidents, even of indifference, which Lady Hamilton politely communicates to me, are at all times very acceptable. Your sister's daily care in watching my infirmities, and rendering them as easy as in her power, I feel with delight. She is, as usual, cheerful, often regretting not having been able to see you, and even still she and Mr. M. [Matcham] meditate a visit to Merton for a day or two, to wait upon Lady Hamilton and yourself, if the weather is tolerably good, and she herself can prudently undertake such a journey five or six weeks hence, when the Bairns are all returned to their several academies. The box came safe, as did the plaid-very handsome. Lady Hamilton will accept my thanks for her care about it, to whom with Sir William present my respects, as also to the whole party. "I am, "Your affectionate Father, "EDMUND NELSON. "December 13th, 1801. "By inclosing a letter now and then I would not infringe upon your privilege." "My dear Horatio, "From an old man you will accept the old fashioned language at the approaching happy season, which is, I wish you a merry Christmas and a happy new year. "For multiplied favours Lady Hamilton has my respectful thanks. "E. N." The Rev. Edmund Nelson also wrote to Lady Hamilton: "Madam, "The intelligence you have troubled yourself to communicate to me, respecting the lad Cook, vexes me more than a little, as I am concerned that any act of mine should have given any the least anxiety, or for a moment interrupted the domestic quiet of my good son, who is every day so affectionately shewing marks of kindness to me; but the idleness of youth and their easiness of receiving bad examples are not to be guarded against. The lad's mother must also be very much grieved, and his brother is greatly disappointed by this rash act, who I think is too good a youth to have given any advice so contrary to their mutual interest. But I hope it will blow over without much blame on my recommendation, who would avoid whatever should hurt or bring expense upon so good and benevolent a mind. "Even the severity of the season, which makes many a poor creature, such as myself, to shake, gives much pleasure to the skating parties, so that I hope all in their turns have their hours of enjoyment at a season when all the Christian world do celebrate with songs of praise the return of Christmas. Long may you all feel the happy influence of such an event here, and the inestimable benefit of it hereafter. "EDMUND NELSON. "December 21." Apartments were prepared at Merton Place to receive the Rev. Edmund Nelson, after passing his winter at Bath, it being his intention (according to a statement made in Harrison's Life of Lord Nelson)' to return in May, and then to take up his residence entirely with his son, and Sir William and Lady Hamilton. His death in April, of course, prevented this being carried into effect. He had for many years been a great invalid, suffering from paralysis and asthma. He was not able for several hours after rising in the morning to hold any conversation, and was compelled to pass his winters at Bath. About this time Lady Hamilton received the following from the Queen of Naples : "My dear Lady, "December 6th, 1801. "I take the opportunity of the departure of the courier, to write to you. You have, I know, shared in the sad misfortune which has befallen me in the loss of my dear and good daughter-in-law, which destroys the only happiness remaining to me, in a perfect union and domestic peace; this dear and good princess died like a saint. Her husband is in the most profound grief; my poor children do nothing but weep for a sister-in-law, who was a tender sister, and who at my death (to which my sorrows and troubles are hastening me) would have been a mother to them. I flatter myself that, though you do not write to me, and I think myself half forgotten, yet that you preserve so much recollection of me as to feel this cruel trial which is so much more painful now, a thousand untoward circumstances preventing my establishing my dear children, whom I must take back to Naples, where, without their sister and friend, they will probably remain for life. Let me hear how you are, and the Chevalier also they say he has bought an estate near London. My compliments to the worthy, valorous Lord Nelson, to whom I shall feel grateful as long as I live, notwithstanding his speech in Parliament against the importance of maintaining a position in the Mediterranean, Malta, &c. has greatly distressed me; it is true, he only followed the bitter and unjust Lord Hawkesbury, even Pitt and many others, who have decided to leave Italy as a mere French dependent province, 1 Vol. ii. page 379. |