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not, we trust, consigned to the cold tomb with his mortal remains; but while they form an unfading wreath around his bust, they shall be cherished in the bosoms of the rising generation, and produce, at no very distant period, the noblest fruits.

'Horatio was the fourth son of the venerable Edmund Nelson, rector of Burnham Thorpe, in the county of Norfolk, by Miss Catharine Suckling, daughter of the Rev. Dr. Suckling, prebendary of Westminster. His father's family had been long resident at Hilborough, in the same county, of which living the Nelsons have, for a considerable period, been the patrons. His mother was the grand-daughter of the late Sir Charles Turner, of Warham, who married the sister of Sir Robert Walpole, and was of course related to the noble families of Walpole, Cholmondeley, and Townshend. Her ancestors have been seated at Woodton, in Norfolk, nearly three centuries. The parsonage-house of the rectory of Burnham, is rendered illustrious as the birth-place of Horatio Nelson, 29th of September, 1758. pp. 3, 4.

It was the happy lot of this promising youth to be educated during the first twelve years of his life, under a pious and affectionate parent, whose favourite he appears to have been. Fully sensible of the advantages attached to filial duty, and the blessing of a parent, however disregarded they may be in modern times, the affectionate attachment due to his good old father clung to his tender and feeling heart to the last: and in his will he expresses a desire to be buried by his side, " unless the king should order it otherwise."

In 1770, being then twelve years of age, he was taken from the school, at North Walsham, by his uncle, Captain Maurice Suckling, who received him on board his own ship, the Raisonable, of sixtyfour guns, at a time when an altercation, relative to the Falkland Islands, portended hostilities with Spain; but the misunderstanding being soon adjusted, Captain Suckling placed him on board a West-India ship, under the care of Mr. John Rathbone, who had served under him in the Dreadnought. After having made one voyage, he was received by his uncle, in July, 1772, on board the Triumph, then lying

at Chatham.

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By his voyage to the West Indies Horatio had gained a considerable practical knowledge of seamanship, but Captain Suckling discovered with great concern that he had conceived a strong aversion to the Royal Navy. His firmness, added to his thorough knowledge of the human heart, enabled him to employ the means of combating with success this unreasonable antipathy of his inexperienced nephew; and though it required much time and trouble to reconcile him to the duty of a king's ship, and to subdue his prejudices, yet they at length yielded to the influence of good example, and to the principles which his worthy father had early instilled into his mind.' pp. 5-7.

IIe accompanied Captain Lutwidge, in Lord Mulgrave's voyage to the North Pole in the year 1773.

We

We afterwards trace the rising hero through many a battle fought in his country's eause; and whatever may be our applause of his courage and skill, it is successively obliterated by admiration of his mild, humane, and magnanimous conduct in the moment of victory. Before this, his distinguishing characteristic, the heroes of antiquity, and not a few of our own country, may hide their diminished heads. In all the course of his uncommonly active and successful career, so far as it was connected with battle and conquest, not a drop of blood was unnecessarily shed. Of this, his three great victories of the Nile, Copenhagen, and Trafalgar, afford unquestionable proofs. The only instances which the spirit of inquisitive scrutiny has dared alledge to the contrary, are some questionable acts of precipitancy, in reference to the Neapolitan insurgents. But these may be defended, by remarking that those rebels were amenable to the laws of their own country, and to the determination of their own sovereign. When the history of these transactions, which report says Lord Nelson has left behind him in M.S. shall be submitted to the public, we persuade ourselves that his conduct will need no apology.

Before he had attained his fortieth year, the services of Lord Nelson were so numerous and important, as to justify royal remuneration, in an unusual manner; and the modesty with which he stated them, in his memorial to the king, on that occasion, is so remarkable, that we are persuaded our readers will be gratified by an opportunity of perusing it.

"To the King's most excellent Majesty, the Memorial of Sir Horatio Nelson, K. B. and a Rear-Admiral in your Majesty's Fleet.

"That during the present war your memorialist has been in four actions with the fleets of the enemy: viz. on the 13th and 14th of March, 1795, on the 13th of July, 1795, and on the 14th of February, 1797: in three actions with frigates; in six engagements against batteries; in ten actions in boats, employed in cutting out of harbours; in destroying vessels, and in taking three towns. Your memorialist has also served on shore four months, and commanded the batteries at the sieges of Bastia and Calvi. That, during the war, he has assisted at the capture of seven sail of the line, six frigates, four corvettes, and eleven privateers of different sizes; and taken and destroyed near fifty merchant vessels, and your memorialist has actually been engaged against the enemy upwards of one hundred and twenty times. In which service your memorialist has lost his right eye and arm, and been severely wounded and bruised in his body. All of which services and wounds your memorialist most humbly submits to your majesty's most gracious consideration.

"October, 1797."

(Signed)

"NELSON."

The sentiments entertained for him by his country, as well as by foreign nations, need not be particularized. But those of his venerable father are less known. They are fully displayed in the following letter, written soon after the battle of the Nile.

My great and good son went into the world without fortune, but with a heart replete with every moral and religious virtue. These have been his compass to steer by; and it has pleased God to be his shield in the day of battle, and to give success to his wishes to be of service to his country. His country seems sensible of his services; but should he ever meet with ingratitude his scars will cry out, and plead his cause; for at the siege of Bastia he lost an eye; at Teneriffe, an arm; on the memorable 14th of February he received a severe blow on his body, which he still feels; and now a wound on the head. After all this you will believe his bloom of countenance must be faded; but the spirit beareth up yet as vigorous as ever. On the 29th of September he completed his 40th year; cheerful, generous, and good; fearing no evil because he has done none; an honour to my grey hairs, which, with every mark of old age, creep fast upon me.' p. 98.

We need only refer to his conduct in the close of the battle of Copenhagen; when, if Lord Nelson exceeded his orders, it was HUMANITY that induced him.

Of the last great and successful battle he was permitted to gain, the official details are fresh in the recollection of the public. The following particulars, relative to his last moments, are nearly the same as we have heard related from another quarter. His mind was so completely engaged in contemplating the tremendous scene around him, and its consequences to his country, that it seems to have absorbed, in a great measure, all sense of bodily pain, and to have suspended his consciousness of the rapid approaches of death.

'When he found that he had placed the enemy in such a situation that they could not avoid an engagement, he displayed the utmost animation, and his usual confidence of victory; he said to Captain Hardy, and the other officers who surrounded him on the quarter-deck, "Now they cannot escape us; I think we shall at least make sure of twenty of them→ I shall probably lose a leg, but that will be purchasing a victory cheaply." About twelve at noon the action began, and the last signal before it commenced was a private signal by telegraph-a signal too emphatic ever to be forgotten" England expects every man to do his duty." The conduct of their leader was fully adequate to rouse the British officers to deeds of hardy enterprize. He determined himself to fight the Spanish admiral's ship, the superb Santissima Trinidada. With this same Santissima Trinidada he had already gained the highest honour in grappling, during the action off Cape St. Vincent, on the 14th of February, 1797. She was the largest ship in the world, carried 136 guns, and had four decks. The hero ordered the Victory to be carried alongside his " old acquaintance," as he called her, and to be lashed to his tremendous opponent. The conflict was horrible; the enemy were engaged at the muzzle of their guns. A dreadful carnage was made in the Spanish ships, which were full of men. The Santissima Trinidada had on board 1600, including a corps of troops, among whom were some sharp-shooters. 'The conflict had continued with great obstinacy for two hours, when Lord Nelson was conversing with his first lieutenant, Mr. Pascho, Captain Adair, of the marines, and Mr. Scott, his secretary, admiring the

gallant

gallant style in which Admiral Collingwood had led his division into action. He was suddenly saluted with a shower of musketry from the tops of the Trinidada, which was repeated briskly for several rounds. Mr. Scott was killed by a musket-ball, which entered his head. He instantly fell down dead, and Captain Adair shared the same fate. Lieutenant Pascho received a wound, and out of 110 marines stationed on the poop and quarter-deck, upwards of eighty were killed or wounded. Captain Hardy observing, from the manner in which these sharp-shooters fired, that it was their object to single out the officers, repeatedly requested Lord Nelson to change his coat, which was decorated with the stars of the different orders he had received as the rewards of his glorious achievements, or at least to put on a great coat over it. The undaunted admiral replied " he had no time." Too soon were Captain Hardy's apprehensions verified. A shot struck his lordship, and entering below his left shoulder, took a direction through the vital parts-he staggered against the officer near him, and was immediately carried below. The surgeons were busily employed upon the wounded. His lordship desired, as on a former occasion, to take his turn. As soon as the surgeon examined the wound, he saw it was mortal. The gallant hero had his eyes fixed attentively upon him-he saw the surgeon turn pale, and his countenance assume the deepest impression of griet-" It is mortal, I see," said he. The surgeon did not, or could not speak. He desired to be placed upon a chair, and directed Captain Hardy to attend him. He spoke no more of his wound, except when he first communicated to the captain the surgeon's conviction. He employed the short time he lived in dictating orders relative to the battle, in receiving reports, in inquiring what was the condition of the enemy, and what ships had struck. He lived about an hour, during which time he remained perfectly collected, and displayed the same heroic magnanimity in the arms of death that had marked his conduct in every action of his glorious life. To the last moment he was able to give directions with the utmost clearness and preci

sion.

'Like General Wolfe breathing out his life on the heights of Abraham, he inquired" whether the enemy gave way?" He was gratified with the intelligence conveyed to him almost every moment, that more of the enemy's ships had struck. As life ebbed fast away, the number augmented. He was told that fifteen had struck; he seemed enraptured with the intelligence. The last that struck before his death was the superb Santissima Trinidada. When he heard that she had struck, he appeared convulsed with joy; he lived but a few moments afterwards.-With that piety which had ever formed a distinguished feature of his character, he returned thanks to God that he had permitted him to die in the arms of victory. He desired his blessing to be conveyed to all who were the nearest to his heart; and whom he could have wished to have again embraced, "but the will of God be done." He laid his head upon the shoulder of Captain Hardy, who remained with him to the last, and in a few moments his gallant soul escaped for ever! Just before his dissolution he spoke in raptures of the event of the day, and sent his last instructions and his regards to Admiral Collingwood, desiring, "that he would make his affectionate farewel to all his brother seamen throughout the fleet !" pp. 274–278.

This little volume is not ill written: the leading events of Lord Nelson's

F3

Nelson's eventful life are well connected, and, in our opinion, it greatly excels the ephemeral productions, published under a similar title. We give Mr. White credit for confining himself to the noble Admiral's professional life. His virtues were numerous and splendid; his abilities were conspicuous and unrivalled; and they were all devoted to the service of his country. To suppose any man without imperfections is to indulge speculation at the expence of experience; and though it might be said with abundant truth," how complete would such, or such a character have been, with such or such virtues to adorn it?" yet, when considering the public services of an individual, it might also be observed, in reply, that "the utility of the sun is not diminished by the spots which occasionally obscure its surface."

We have already extended this article beyond our original intention, yet we cannot forbear from inserting an abstract of, what we may term, Lord Nelson's Rules for preserving the health of seamen. They cannot be too well known by, or too strongly urged upon, the proprietors and commanders of all vessels which visit unhealthy climates.

1. Great attention in victualling and purveying the fleet-wine instead of spirits-fresh beef, vegetables, and fruit, as often as possible. 2. Avoiding the wetting of the decks, at least between decks. 3. Constant activity-being always at sea- excluding idleness. 4. Exclusion of intemperance and skulking.

5. Cheerfulness among the men; promoted by music, dancing, &c. 6. The sick were in general very comfortably accommodated, lodged in airy sick births, in many ships placed on a regular sick diet, and supplied with live stock, vegetables, fruit, soft bread, macaroni, and other articles of diet and refreshments, whenever the circumstances of the service, and the situation of the fleet, would admit.

7. By a standing order of the commander in chief, Peruvian bark, mixed in wine or spirits, was regularly served to the men employed in the wooding and watering service; a drachm of Peruvian bark to one gill of spirits, or two of wine, was the proportion allowed for each man ; to be administered in divided proportions, on going on shore, and on returning on board. The method followed was to give the bark in a small quantity of wine or spirits, and to wash it down with a glass of wine or spirits, mixed with an equal proportion of water; it was found that the spirits answered better as a vehicle for the bark than the wine.

FOREIGN LITERATURE.

Art. XIV. Voyage en Hanovre, &c. Travels in Hanover, in the Years 1803, 1804. By M. A. B. Mangourit, 8vo. pp. 500. Paris, 1805. THIS author communicates some interesting observations on Ham

burgh; but as our intention is to refer our readers, at this time, to that theatre on which events of the greatest moment to us, and to Europe, itself, are now passing, we shall meet him at once in the Electorate of Hanover. He describes the public edifices of the city of Hanover, es

pecially

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