Nelson's Lady Hamilton by Meynell, Esther (cheapest way to read ebooks .txt) 📗

do for her Sicilian Majesty. There is little doubt, also, that as she saw Nelson's star beginning its brilliant ascent towards the zenith, where it has shone ever since, she naturally tended to gravitate towards it—urged alike by her theatrical passion for eclat and her nobler love for great and glorious deeds. Nelson's

134 NELSON'S LADY HAMILTON

doings at St. Vincent echoed not only through the Navy, but through Europe. He was made a Rear-Admiral of the Blue and a Knight of the Bath. His good old father, the Reverend Edmund Nelson, wrote to his son : "Joy sparkles in every eye, and desponding Britain draws back her sable veil, and smiles. It gives me inward satisfaction to know, that the laurels you have wreathed sprung from those principles and religious truths which alone constitute the Hero."

Then came the disastrous attack on Teneriffe, where Nelson lost his right arm, and returned to England in despair, writing to Lord St. Vincent before leaving, " I am become a burthen to my friends and useless to my country. When I leave your command, I become dead to the world; I go hence and am no more seen."

But destiny did not intend that Nelson should be "no more seen." By the December of 1797 he was restored to health, after a period of grievous suffering from his badly amputated arm. He had discovered that his country had need of him, even though he was an admiral with only one arm and one eye. In the fulness of his heart he sent to the vicar of St. George's, Hanover Square, on the 8th of December, a notice to be used on the following Sunday, " An officer desires to return thanks to Almighty God for his perfect recovery from a severe wound, and also for the many mercies bestowed upon him."

And so with recovery of health and hopes, with the promise of a ship—it was to have been the Foudroyant, then just ready for launching— opened the year of the Nile. Inevitable delays occurred before Rear-Admiral Sir Horatio Nelson could join his Commander-in-Chief. The fine Sogun Foudroyant was, after all, not ready so soon as expected, so Nelson took instead the 74-gun Vanguard^ and on the last day of April, 1798, joined Earl St. Vincent off Cadiz. On the 8th of May Nelson sailed from Gibraltar with a small squadron, two sail-of-the-line— besides the Vanguard —three frigates and a sloop. His object was to observe the French preparations at Toulon, and discover, if possible, the destination of the large force assembling there. And so the British flag once more entered the Mediterranean.

Meanwhile at Naples things were pretty bad. The Prime Minister, Sir John Acton, was despondent. It was useless, as he assured Sir Gilbert Elliot, for the Italians to arm themselves if they were not aided from the outside, while as for the Neapolitan Navy, their "head-shipman had lost his head, if ever he had any." The meaning is plain, though the English is odd. The British Navy was the only hope, for Austria was a broken reed. Acton urged Sir William Hamilton to inform Lord St. Vincent of their plight and condition. " Their majesties,"

136 NELSON'S LADY HAMILTON

he says, " observe the critical moment for all Europe, and the threatens of an invasion even in England. They are perfectly convinced of the generous and extensive exertions of the British nation at this moment, but a diversion in these points might operate advantage for the common war. Will England see all Italy, and even the Two Sicilies, in the French hands with indifference ? "

But Sir William Hamilton dared not promise much. "We cannot, however," he says, with diplomatic caution, " avoid to expose that His Sicilian Majesty confides too much in His Britannic Majesty's Ministry's help."

It is obvious that Emma had nothing to do with this cold statement—that was not the sort of consolation she was offering the Queen ! And with characteristic energy she did more than merely offer consolation. She wrote to Earl St. Vincent, appealing strongly to his aid and protection for the distressed Maria Carolina. St. Vincent, who called Lady Hamilton the " Patroness of the Navy," and whose courtesy to women was in marked contrast to his severity as a sea-officer, replied as follows:—

"The picture you have drawn of the lovely Queen of Naples and the Royal Family would rouse the indignation of the most unfeeling of the creation at the infernal design of those devils who, for the scourge of the human race, govern

France. I am bound by my oath of chivalry to protect all who are persecuted and distressed, and I would fly to the succour of their Sicilian Majesties, was I not positively forbid to quit my post before Cadiz. I am happy, however, to have a knight of superior prowess in my train, who is charged with this enterprise, at the head of as gallant a band as ever drew sword or trailed pike."

So when the fortunate news arrived that Nelson was once more in the Mediterranean, it seemed that Lady Hamilton was nearer the truth of the British Government's intentions than her husband. The Queen was <c impatient for news of the English Squadron." Acton declared that " with the good Admiral Nelson at the head of them, we must hope the desired and long-expected success." Emma was exultant.

But the " expected success " was to be several months delayed. Ill-luck dogged Nelson almost from the time of his entering the Mediterranean, till at last, after many weary weeks, he set eyes on the French fleet among the shoals of Aboukir Bay. On the 2Oth of May a tremendous storm dismasted his flagship. " Figure to