I have kriped the Lueens letter tray say Thope for the honor of kibing her hand when no fears will intervene, apure her Majesty that no person has ha felicity more hat heat, and that the suffering of her than self Tower of family will be a Steneath on the day of Battle, fearr not the went, God is with God Bless you and Sir William pray say I cannot Stay to answer his letter frer yours faithfully ison Ever 17 May 6PM Horatio Nelson T Crofton Croker, lich think, afford you as good a chance of success as any you can have I sincerely and most heartily wish you had a better than I can wish to hope for. : "If you can prevail with either the Peer or the Knight you mentioned to me, to put your letter into Mr. Addington's hand, or to inclose it to him, I should strongly recommend your doing so, shewing them first the contents of it, but on no account mention my name, or allude to me, as I am quite sure that would not be useful to you. And when you have copied the letter to Mr. Addington, I must beg you will burn it. "In the event of any thing wanting explanation, I will have the honour of waiting on you any morning you please between eleven and twelve o'clock, or a little later, if that shall suit you better. "I am, Madam, "Your most obedient and humble servant, "Old Palace Yard, March 9th, 1804." Lord Nelson wrote to Mr. Elliot on the 7th of July: "With respect to the Queen's writing to this minister or that, whether Addington or Pitt, it cannot matter. It depends upon her Majesty's feelings towards the best friend she ever had, and Lady Hamilton has had opportunities of serving her country, which can fall to the lot of very few, and therefore has those claims for personal services which few can have. As Sir William's wife, I believe, (indeed I am sure), they will give her not one farthing." To the Queen of Naples he also wrote on the 10th: "Mr. Elliot has informed me, by writing, of what your Majesty wished to say on the subject of writing to the Minister respecting the pension for your Emma. Poor Sir William Hamilton believed that it would have been granted, or it would have been unpardonable in him to have left his widow with so little means. Your Majesty well knows that it was her capacity and conduct which sustained his diplomatic character during the last years in which he was at Naples. It is unnecessary for me to speak more of it." Nelson endeavoured on every occasion to substantiate the justice of her claim, and failing to obtain that for her which he felt she was justly entitled to, as the last and most powerful effort he could make, he appended a Codicil to his Will in the following terms: 'Dispatches and Letters, Vol. vi. p. 99. 2 Life of the Rev. Dr. Scott, p. 114. "Victory, October the 21st, 1805, then in sight of the combined fleets of France and Spain, distant about ten miles. "Whereas, the eminent services of Emma Hamilton, Widow of the Right Honourable Sir William Hamilton, have been of the very greatest service to our King and country, and, to my knowledge, without receiving any reward from either our King or country. "First, that she obtained the King of Spain's letter in 1796 to his brother the King of Naples, acquainting him of his intention to declare war against England, and from which letter the Ministry sent out orders to the then Sir John Jervis to strike a stroke if opportunity offered, against either the Arsenals of Spain or her Fleets, that neither of them was done is not the fault of Lady Hamilton, the opportunity might have been offered. Secondly, the British Fleet under my command, would never have returned a second time to Egypt, had not Lady Hamilton's influence with the Queen of Naples caused letters to be wrote to the Governor of Syracuse, that he was to encourage the Fleet being supplied with everything should they put into that Port in Sicily. We put into Syracuse, and received every supply, went to Egypt, and destroyed the French Fleet; could I have rewarded those services, I would not now call upon my country, but as that has not been in my power, I leave Emma Lady Hamilton, therefore, a legacy to my King and country, that they will give her an ample provision to maintain her rank in life. "I also leave to the beneficence of my country my adopted Daughter, Horatia Nelson Thompson, and I desire she will use in future the name of Nelson only. These are the only favours I ask of my King and country at this moment, when I am going to fight their battle. 66 May God bless my King and country, and all those who I loved dear. My relations it is needless to mention; they will, of course, be amply provided for. "NELSON AND BRONTÉ. "Witness HENRY BLACKWOOD, T. M. HARDY. "The above is a true copy from the original, taken this day, Monday, the 16th of December, 1805. "ALEXANDER DAVISON." It is a remarkable circumstance, that this Codicil should not have been produced at the same time as the Will itself, and that it was not, reflects the greatest disgrace on the successor to the titles of the glorious conqueror. When Captain Blackwood brought it home, after the Battle of Trafalgar, he gave it to the Reverend William, subsequently Earl Nelson, who with his wife and family were then with Lady Hamilton, and had, indeed, been living with her many months. To their son Horatio, afterwards Viscount Trafalgar, she was as attentive as a mother, and their daughter, Lady Charlotte, had been almost exclusively under her care and education for six years. The Earl, fearful that Lady Hamilton should be provided for in the sum Parliament was expected to grant to uphold the hero's name and family, kept the Codicil in his pocket, until the day £120,000 was voted for that purpose. On that day he dined with Lady Hamilton in Clarges Street, and hearing, at table, what had been done, he brought forth the Codicil, and throwing it to Lady Hamilton, coarsely said, she might now do with it as she pleased. She had it registered the next day at Doctors' Commons, where it is now to be seen. From the commencement of Lord Nelson's influence, created by his services to his country, the conduct of his brother is exceedingly disgusting. Many letters, passing over several years, are now before me, and display him as an exceedingly avaricious man. The object of his life appears to have been the attainment of wealth and honours, and to acquire these he hesitated not to sacrifice his character and reputation. As a clergyman, he could not but feel the impropriety of Nelson's mode of life, with Lady Hamilton, yet he hesitated not to place his children under her roof, to entrust one of his daughters, at least, entirely to her guidance and controul, and to heap adulation upon her, in order that she might exercise the great influence she possessed over his brother for his advancement. Lady Hamilton made many ineffectual attempts to obtain a recognition of her claims, and a reward for her services. In these efforts she was sanctioned and supported by several eminent individuals. The Right Honourable George Rose, continued solicitous in her behalf, and addressed to her the following: "Madam, "Cuffnells, December 9th, 1805. "Captain Hardy had the goodness to take the trouble, at much inconvenience to himself, to come over here soon after the Victory anchored at Spithead, to tell me what passed in the last moments of my late most invaluable friend, respecting whom I shall at no time attempt to express my feelings. But understanding that, in those moments, he manifested a confidence I would do all in my power to make effectual his |