the Rev. Dr. Suckling, a Prebendary of Westminster, and Rector of Barsham in Suffolk, and Woodton in Norfolk, and a descendant from the family to which the celebrated Sir John Suckling belonged.

Horatio Nelson was the fifth son and sixth child of a family of eleven children, eight of whom were living at the time of the decease of their mother, which took place in 1767. At this time, therefore, he was only nine years of age, and his maternal uncle Maurice Suckling, a Captain in the Navy, upon the death of his sister, generously offered to take charge of one of the boys. This offer appears in a few years to have been of a most acceptable nature, as we learn that upon the appointment of Captain Suckling to the command of the Raisonable, a ship of 64 guns, appearing in a county newspaper, and being read by Horatio Nelson, then only twelve years of age, whilst his father was at Bath for the recovery of his health, he became urgent with his brother William, who was his elder by eighteen months, to write to his uncle, and acquaint him that he was desirous of accompanying him This intimation seems to have somewhat startled the worthy Captain, who knowing him to be physically weaker than his brothers, inquires, "What has poor Horatio done, who is so weak, that he, above all the rest, should be sent to rough it at sea?" But, as his father offered no objection, and from what had been observed of his character and his determination always to be at "the top of the tree," had rather encouraged his resolution, he added, "But let him come; and the first time we go into action, a cannon ball may knock off his head and provide for him at once."

to sea.

The education of Horatio Nelson, it may be readily presumed, could have been but of a very slight character :weak in body, reduced by attacks of ague, and only twelve years of age, he could not have had many opportunities for learning, although he had been placed in a school at Downham, in Norfolk, and also at the school of North Walsham. Captain George W. Manby, whose ingenious contrivances and benevolent exertions for the preservation of human life from shipwreck, are well known and appreciated, is now perhaps the only surviving schoolfellow of Nelson. He was with him at Downham Market, a school, he says, altogether for

children, and kept by a man of the name of Noakes. Nelson is recollected as having worn a green coat, and he frequently employed his schoolfellows at the pump in the market-place, amusing himself by launching paper boats into the stream, and delighted to watch their course down the gutter, which then ran in the middle of the street. My learned and excellent friend, Mr. Dawson Turner of Yarmouth, was at North Walsham school in 1783, twelve years after Nelson had left it, at which time there were those who had been well acquainted with his schoolfellows, and who delighted in telling anecdotes of Nelson, who had then already risen into notice, and excited interest. They enumerated many of his odd doings and daring tricks. His name was also cut upon one of the seats at church, but that is now lost. Mr. Wales, a medical practitioner at Downham, recollected an anecdote told by William Patman, a cordwainer, which is strikingly illustrative of the tenderness of heart he manifested in after life. One day going to his shoemaker, upon entering the house he accidentally jammed a pet lamb between the door and the door-post, and cried bitterly at the pain he had occasioned the poor animal.

Horatio Nelson entered the Navy in December, 1770, as a midshipman of the Raisonable, where, however, as the dispute which had at that time arisen with Spain relative to a harbour in the Falkland Islands was soon settled, he remained only five months, being then sent aboard a merchant ship bound to the West Indies, commanded by Mr. John Rathbone, who had formerly been in the Navy, and served with Captain Suckling in the Dreadnought, 60 guns. The captain of the

merchantman had suffered disappointment in his views as to the Navy, and entertained no good will to the service. He failed not to infuse a portion of this ill feeling into Horatio Nelson, who, in the Autobiographical Sketch previously referred to, says, "If I did not improve in my education, I returned a practical seaman, with a horror of the Royal Navy, and with a saying then constant with the seamen, ‘Aft the most honour, forward the better man !" This prejudice had taken so firm a hold on the mind of Nelson, that it was some time ere it was dissipated, and he reconciled to his position and the service. The desire, however, of being "at the top of the tree," soon aroused his ambition, for, upon his

return from the West Indies, when being appointed Midshipman of the Triumph, 74 guns, a guard-ship in the Medway, stationed at Chatham, and under the command of Captain Suckling, he zealously exerted himself to become a good seaman, attended closely to navigation, and as a reward for his good conduct, was permitted to go in the cutter, and decked long-boat attached to the Commanding Officer's ship at Chatham. He has referred to this service as being very advantageous to him, for having frequently to go from Chatham to the Tower of London, down the Swin, and to the North Foreland, he acquired a knowledge of pilotage, which in after life became exceedingly useful, and to quote his own language, afforded him "the very greatest comfort." After serving on board the Triumph, where he was rated as "Captain's servant" for one year two months and two days; and “Midshipman," ten months, one week and five days, he was removed to the Carcass, Captain Skeffington Lutwidge; then to the Seahorse, Captain Farmer; and afterwards to the Dolphin, Captain James Pigott. During his term of service as Midshipman, which extended over a period of four years, it will be seen that he had the advantage of serving under commanders of distinguished ability.

Captain Lutwidge, who died an Admiral of the Red in August, 1814, is repeatedly mentioned, and with great respect and affection in several of his letters herein printed. Nelson was received by him as coxswain, boys being prohibited by the Admiralty from being employed on the voyage to the North Pole.

Captain George Farmer perished in the flames of the Quebec frigate, 32 guns, which took fire accidentally during an engagement with La Surveillante, of 40 guns, off Ushant, October 6, 1779. Although severely wounded, Captain Farmer refused to quit his ship, and was blown up with the vessel, the colours flying; his son was created a Baronet as a testimony of gratitude on the part of the nation to the services of his father. The contest between the Quebec and the Surveillante lasted three hours and a half, during which both ships were totally dismasted. The Quebec caught fire by the sails falling on the guns. Captain Farmer, with 150 men, perished on this melancholy occasion.

Captain J. Pigott lived to attain the rank of Admiral, dying September 27, 1822.

Under Captain Lutwidge Nelson served in the expedition towards the North Pole, undertaken upon the representation of the Earl of Sandwich to the King, in consequence of an application on the part of the Royal Society; the object of which was to discover how far navigation was practicable towards the North Pole; and whether any passage could be discovered from the Arctic to the Pacific Ocean. This service was to be under the direction of Captain the Hon. Constantine John Phipps, afterwards Lord Mulgrave, a volunteer on the occasion.1 Here Nelson exercised his skill in navigating amidst immense masses of ice, and he afterwards visited almost every part of the East Indies, from Bengal to Bussorah. His health became greatly disordered by this variety of service, and he was sent to England by the kindness of Sir Edward Hughes, the Commander-in-chief in the East Indies, in the Dolphin. Having regained his health by a return to his native country, he was, upon the vessel being paid off, ordered to act as Lieutenant of the Worcester, 64 guns, Captain Mark Robinson, an officer who distinguished himself in Admiral Keppel's action, July 27, 1778, served as a Lieutenant under Sir Edward Hawke in 1757, and was made Captain of the Vanguard in 1760. He was a very gallant officer, and died a superannuated Rear-Admiral in 1799, having lost a leg while commanding the Swiftsure in Admiral Graves's action

'Captain Phipps published "A Journal of a Voyage undertaken in 1773, by order of his present Majesty, for making discoveries towards the North Pole." Lond. 1774, 4to.

2 This officer was descended from a respectable family in Hertford, and entered the naval service at an early age. After the taking of Porto Bello, he was promoted to a Lieutenancy in 1740. He afterwards sailed to Louisbourg, and was appointed by Commander Knowles to the Lark, of which he had the command. Feb. 6th, 1747, he was made Commodore. Towards the end of the war he was removed into the Neptune, 90 guns, and accompanied Sir Charles Saunders to the Mediterranean in 1760. On the East India station he was in the Isis, 50 guns, and remained there until succeeded by Sir Edward Vernon in 1777. Upon his return to England, he received the Order of the Bath, and was raised to the rank of Rear-Admiral of the Blue in 1778, and again sent to the East Indies. On his passage he succeeded in reducing Goree. In 1782 he was engaged in a battle with the French Admiral M. de Suffrein, which displayed the superiority of the British navy in those seas. He rose to be Admiral of the Blue, and died February 17,

off the Chesapeake, September 5, 1781. In the Worcester Nelson went to Gibraltar with a convoy, and he has proudly recorded the confidence placed in him by his commander, who did not hesitate to entrust him with the charge of a watch during very bad weather, and used to say he felt as easy when Nelson was upon deck, as any officer in the ship.

Having passed his examination for Lieutenant on the 9th of April, 1777, before a Board of which Captain Suckling was at the head, having succeeded Sir Hugh Palliser, as a Comptroller of the Navy, he was appointed on the following day as Second Lieutenant to the Lowestoffe, 32 guns, Captain William Locker, whose heart Nelson won early by his noble and gallant bearing, on the occasion of the Lowestoffe taking an American letter of marque. The First Lieutenant was ordered by Captain Locker to board the vessel, but the sea ran so high, that he was unable to reach her, and returned without having effected his object. The Captain impetuously demanded whether he had an officer who could board the prize? The Master immediately offered, but was interrupted by Nelson, the Second Lieutenant, who exclaimed: "It is my turn now. If I come back it will be yours. He

1 An anecdote, much to the credit of Nelson's uncle has been recorded in relation to his nephew's passing his examination. The Board consisted of Captain Suckling, Captain John Campbell, and Captain Abraham North. Captain Suckling concealed his relationship to the candidate from the other Captains, until his examination was concluded in the most prompt and satisfactory manner. The uncle then introduced his nephew, and upon the Examining Captains expressing their surprise that he had not previously acquainted them with his relation, he replied, "I did not wish the younker to be favoured, I felt convinced that he would pass a good examination; and you see, gentlemen, I have not been disappointed." Captain Suckling was M.P. for Portsmouth, and died in July, 1778, leaving £500. to each of his sister's children. The sword belonging to him was given to Nelson, who constantly wore it when on service. He valued it very highly, and in Clarke and McArthur's Life of Nelson, (Vol. i. p. 26) a history is said to attach to it. It is supposed to have been the sword of the gallant Galfridus Walpole, who, in 1711, lost his right arm in the Mediterranean, when commanding the Lion, of 60 guns, in an action with four French ships, each mounting that number. In a letter to his brother William, Horatio Nelson designates the passing his examination for Lieutenant, as his degree as Master of Arts. From his uncle he received a paper of instructions as to his conduct and professional duties, which is said to håve filled six sheets of writing paper, but a small portion only has been preserved by Lieutenant Bromwich, and is given in the Appendix, No. 2, to Vol. i. of Clarke and McArthur's Life of Nelson.

2 Naval Chronicle, Vol. iii. p. 163.