which was inscribed the resolution passed by the Corporation. In the crowd that had assembled before the Council House, Lord Nelson recognized a sailor who had fought at the Battle of the Nile, called him forward, expressed the satisfaction he felt at meeting one who had stood with him in the dangers of that celebrated day, and dismissed him with a handsome present. He also perceived another man loudly huzzaing, who had been with him at the time he underwent the amputation of his arm. He beckoned him to approach, and also made him a present, upon which, on withdrawing, the man took from his bosom a piece of lace, which he had torn from the shirt sleeve of the amputated arm, and declared he should preserve it to the latest period of his life, as a token in memory of his gallant commander. Lord Nelson departed from Salisbury amidst the most enthusiastic cheering, and left £20. to be distributed among the poor. At Fonthill, Lord Nelson and his companions were received by the Volunteers, with their band of music, playing "Rule Britannia ;" and upon arriving at the door of the house, a feu de joie was fired, and "God save the King" played. After dinner, Lady Hamilton and Banti (together with other eminent vocal and instrumental performers), executed some fine pieces of music, with great charms of voice and Italian sensibility. Nelson arrived on the 20th of December, and on the 23rd the festivities were transferred from the mansion to the Abbey.1 A dinner of the most splendid character was given, on occasion of which an extraordinary profusion of plate was displayed. Mr. Wyatt, the architect, and Mr. Benjamin West, the President of the Royal Academy, were among the guests on this festive occasion. In the gallery of the Abbey, after the repast, the company assembled, and Lady Hamilton enchanted them with one of her remarkable personations, that of Agrippina bearing the ashes of Germanicus, in a golden urn, and as presenting herself before the Roman people, with the design of exciting them to revenge the death of her husband, who, 1 A Plate of the Reception of Lord Nelson at Fonthill Abbey is given in the Gentleman's Magazine for 1810. Part I. after having been declared joint Emperor by Tiberius, fell a victim to his envy, and is supposed to have been poisoned by his order at the head of the forces which he was leading against the rebellious Armenians. A writer in the Gentleman's Magazine, and a visitor on the occasion, says, "Lady Hamilton displayed with truth and energy, every gesture, attitude, and expression of countenance, which could be conceived in Agrippina herself, best calculated to have moved the passions of the Romans in behalf of their favourite general. The action of her head, of her hands and arms, in the various positions of the urn, in her manner of presenting it to the Romans, or of raising it up to the gods in the act of supplication, was most classically graceful. Every change of dress, principally of the head, to suit the different situations in which she successively presented herself, was performed instantaneously, with the most perfect ease, and without retiring, or scarcely turning aside a moment from the spectators. In the last scene of this beautiful piece of pantomime, she appeared with a young lady of the company, who was to personate a daughter. Her action in this part was so perfectly just and natural, and so pathetically addressed to the spectators, as to draw tears from several of the company. It may be questioned whether this scene, without theatrical assistance of other characters and appropriate circumstances, could possibly be represented with more effect." 1 Gentleman's Magazine, April, 1801, p. 298. CHAPTER XII. 1801. THE year 1801 commenced by Nelson's appointment on the 1st of January to be Vice-Admiral of the Blue, and to join the Earl of St. Vincent, in the Channel fleet. The San Josef, which had been boarded by him and taken in the action of the 14th of February, 1797, had been selected as his flag-ship, and, as it appears by the following most kind and interesting letter, by the Commander-in-chief himself: "My dear Lord, "Now that your ceremonies and presentations are nearly gone through, allow me to congratulate you on your safe return to a grateful country, and to add, that not having been acquainted with your views, or whether the state of your health would admit of your serving in those seas during the winter months, I have constantly kept the San Josef in my mind's eye for you, as the most appropriate ship in all respects, and to this effect I continued to keep the Namur in the squadron until pretty far in the last month, although her beams were in danger of slipping from the clamps, and the ship tumbling all to pieces; at the same time, I endeavoured to impress Lord Spencer with a just opinion that her ship's company having behaved in the most correct manner during the whole time of tumult and sedition at home and abroad, they ought to be an exception from a wise general principle, and to continue serving together, and I recommended in the most earnest manner that they should form the basis of the San Josef crew; that Captain Lukin would do justice to her in the equipment, and give her up like a saint to any flag officer who might fall in love with her, keeping your name and pretensions out of sight. To the builder and other dock officers at Plymouth, I held out an idea that I intended to fix upon her for my flag, with a view to have her better finished and fitted than ordinary. Remember me in the kindest manner to Lady Nelson; say everything proper to Sir William and Lady Hamilton, and be assured, I am yours, most truly, "ST. VINCENT. "Torr Abbey, 17th Nov. 1800. "My carcass is very crazy, the mind active as ever. "ST. VT." Nelson nominated Hardy as his Captain, and, according to the Naval Chronicle, the whole fleet cheered when the Admiral's flag was hoisted. Nelson having returned to London, remained there until January the 13th, when he departed for Plymouth, accompanied by his brother, the Rev. William Nelson. His progress is now fully described in an almost daily series of letters addressed to Lady Hamilton:— "My dear Lady Hamilton, "Axminster, January 14th, 1801, "We set off from Southampton at eight o'clock this morning, and got to Mr. Rose's3 at half past nine, but found him gone to London, therefore, I had my trouble for nothing but the pleasure of trying to serve my brother. Anxiety for friends left, and various workings of my imagination, gave me one of those severe pains of the heart that all the windows were obliged to be put down, the carriage stopped, and the perspiration was so strong that I never was wetter, and yet dead with cold. However, it is gone off, and here I am, and while I live, your affectionate, 1 Vol. v. p. 94. "NELSON. 2 For the domestic particulars connected with Lord Nelson's departure from London, see Supplementary Chapters. 3 Afterwards the Rt. Hon. Sir George Rose, of the Treasury. "I find the same crowds and applauses that you for ever join in. Make my best regards to Sir William, the Duke,1 Mr. Beckford, and tell Lord William Gordon his last verses are perfectly true. My brother sends his regards." [Plymouth.] "January 17th, 1801, Five o'clock. "I write through Mr. Nepean2 that this letter may get to you on Sunday. "My dear Lady Hamilton, "I am this moment arrived, and truly melancholy. I feel as if no friend was near me. How different! We left Axminster yesterday morning at eight. At Honiton, I visited Captain Westcott's mother-poor thing, except from the bounty of Government and Lloyd's, in very low circumstances. The brother is a tailor, but had they been chimneysweepers it was my duty to shew them respect. Being dragged out of the town we broke down half-way between that place and Exeter, at five miles from which we were met by the Devon Cavalry Volunteers, and escorted into the town, through which we were dragged to the hotel, where the Foot Volunteers met us. The rest of the parade was exactly like Salisbury. At half-past four arrived at Torr Abbey. The Earl received me with much apparent cordiality, and we parted this morning good friends; but not a word of prizemoney, which I certainly will not give up. I will write you fully to-morrow, but the post is almost gone. May God bless my dear friend, and believe me ever your "Best regards to Sir William." "NELSON. His Grace the Duke of Queensberry. 2 One of the Secretaries of the Admiralty. 3 Captain Westcott was killed at the Battle of the Nile. See Note, page 136, ante. St. Vincent, who had at this time a law-suit with Nelson regarding some prize-money. |