ton, at whose house he lives, that he is returning very soon to England. I am, my dear brother, as much vexed as any one can be about you; and since the capture of the Genereux I have wrote to Lord Spencer a very strong letter, and have sent him my Journal, [to show] that she was taken by me, and my plan-that my quitting Lord Keith was at my own risk, and for which, if I had not succeeded, [I] might have been broke. The way he went the Genereux never could have been taken, and I told his Lordship, Spencer, that I had long set my heart on seeing you a Commissioner of the Navy, but that I had completely failed in all my applications for my friends; and yet I could not but recollect that this War I had been a principal concerned in taking nineteen Sail of the Line and four Admirals. I have told him such truths, that probably by unkind treatment both at home and abroad, I shall be forced to strike my Flag. With all this on my mind, you will readily believe I am far from well; but, ever, my dear brother, your affectionate BRONTE NELSON. You may be assured of my attention to Mr. Pickford. [Autograph in the possession of Colonel Davison.] [Off Malta, 10th March, 1800.] I hope Davison and Mr. Marsh will exert themselves and get my prize-money as Commander-in-Chief for the Alcmene, in the capture of the Spanish Frigates. TO ALEXANDER DAVISON, ESQ. [Autograph in the possession of Colonel Davison. A few lines of the latter part of this Letter, occur among the Letters, in Clarke and M'Arthur, of August 1799, and will be found in vol. iii. p. 441, of this Work. At Sea, March 12th, 1800. My dear Davison, I send you a letter of Admiral Duckworth's to me, and I think we cannot be better guided than by the two precedents he alludes to. There cannot, in my opinion, be the smallest doubt of my having an undoubted right to share for all things taken, from Lord Keith's quitting this Command till his resuming it, as Commander-in-Chief. The not having given orders is of no consequence; for on this Station are now Ships which Lord Keith has not given orders to, but that cannot give me a right to share as Commander-in-Chief, and for his Lordship to get nothing. I beg that you will show your friendship for me, and not sacrifice my right to any person, however elevated his rank. Right is right. I only want justice, and that I will try to obtain, at the expense of everything I am worth. I have also to request the favour of you to ask Mr. Nepean if he ever received copies of the enclosed letters; for their not being published appears to me to convey such an idea of inattention on my part, that I must request you will direct their insertion in the newspapers, or magazines with a suitable paragraph. In doing this you will highly oblige me. You will observe in a part of the King's letter that an observance is made that this present could not hurt my delicate feelings. It is, I might have before received money and jewels, but I rejected them, as became me; and never received one farthing for all the expenses of Royalty on board the Vanguard and Foudroyant. This I expect from the Board of Admiralty, that they will order me a suitable sum. It has been honour, and not money, which I have sought, and not in vain. I beg my best respects to Mrs. Davison, and love to my godson, and ever believe me, my dear Davison, your obliged friend, BRONTE NELSON. Remember me kindly to my brother. It has been cruel not to make him a Commissioner of the Navy.. TO CAPTAIN THE HON. HENRY BLACKWOOD, H.M.S. PENELOPE. [From Blackwood's Magazine, July 1833.] My dear Blackwood, Palermo, 5th April, 1800. Is there a sympathy which ties men together in the bonds of friendship without having a personal knowledge of each other? If so, (and, I believe, it was so to you,) I was your friend and acquaintance before I saw you. Your conduct and character on the late glorious occasion stamps your fame beyond the reach of envy: it was like yourself—it was like the Penelope. Thanks; and say every thing kind for me to your brave Officers and men. When I receive any official letter on the subject, I shall notice your and their gallant services in the way they merit. Tell Captain Ormsby I have recommended him to Lord Keith, and hope it will answer his wishes. How fortunate he has been to be with you! It will give him, I am sure, the next step, and not interfere with Captain Long, or any other Master and Commander who might have been present. I shall see you very soon, either here or at Malta. But in every situation I am your sincere and attached friend, (Signed) BRONTE NELSON OF THE NILE. TO EDMUND NOBLE, ESQ. Palermo, June 2nd, 1800. [Autograph in the possession of George J. L. Noble, Esq.] My dear Sir, I am sure there is nothing you can ask of me that I shall not always have the very greatest pleasure in granting; and I assure you it will always be pleasant for me to mark in every possible way my regard for your person and character, both as a Gentleman and as a Merchant, in both which lights I do not believe any man in Italy stands higher. I am sure that whilst you continue in the Dominions of His Sicilian Majesty every attention will be shown you, for as no one has shown more attachment to His Majesty than yourself, or done more in the situation you have been placed in for his service, so I am confident no one is more sensible of it, or holds you in higher estimation than the King of Naples.-Wishing you, my dear Sir, all possible success, and that greatest of all blessings, health, believe me ever, your most sincere and obliged friend, BRONTE NELSON OF THE Nile. TO EARL SPENCER, K.G. Palermo, 5th June, 1800. My dear Lord, I thank you for your last letter, and although I must grieve at my dear brother's situation, I cannot help myself, and must bear it. You will find myself and poor Troubridge as much worn out as our Ships. I only wish for the sake of our Country, that Troubridge may recover sufficiently to undergo the fatigue of his high and honorable station". His Sicilian Majesty has fixed a pension of 1000 ounces a-year on him for his life, and made [him] a Commandant of the Order of St. Ferdinand and Merito. Ball, Hallowell, Louis, Hood, and some others, are likewise to have the Commanderie of the Order. His Majesty has given me the Ribbon, and done me the honour of placing my name next the Royal Family. From such marked attention I must and do feel sensibly the parting from such good and amiable Sovereigns; but I am, from various causes, no longer of any use. The Queen, three Princesses, and the young Prince Leopold embark on board the Foudroyant on Sunday-their suite near fifty persons, high and low. I only hope we shall have a good passage. When Lord Keith sees the state of the Foudroyant, I think he will 5 Captain of the Channel Fleet. allow her to carry me to England; for I know she cannot be fitted in this Country.-Ever, my dear Lord, believe me your sincere and affectionate BRONTE NELSON OF THE Nile. TO ALEXANDER DAVISON, ESQ. [Autograph in the possession of Colonel Davison.] My dear Davison, Palermo, June 5th, 1800. You are in the first place the only man of business I can resort to, and I trust you will excuse the trouble I am giving you, in begging you to order for me the enclosed list of things wanted for Bronte. They are wanted in August, but as that is impossible, I have only to beg they may be sent as soon as possible. The best mode, if a Ship can be found going to Messina, is to direct them for Mr. Grafer at Bronte, to the care of the Vice-Consul at Messina. Next to that, is to ask Sir Andrew Hamond to let one of the Store-Ships bring them to Mahon, and the Officers of the Naval Yard will, I am sure, forward them to Messina, or Palermo, where the Consul will forward them. I sail on Sunday for Leghorn with the Queen, three Princesses, and a Prince, with Sir William, Lady Hamilton and family, full fifty, in the Foudroyant; and then I trust that Lord K., if I do not get better both in body and mind, will allow the Foudroyant (who cannot be refitted in this Country) to carry me to England. I am so tired, fagged, and worn out, that the Nelson you knew is gone, and but a shadow remains. The King of Naples has just invested me with the distinguished Order of St. Ferdinand, and I am the first Knight after the Royal Family. The Order has the particular privilege of being covered in the King's presence. These marks of regard cannot but attach me to this Country and its excellent and amiable Sovereigns. Make my best regards acceptable to Mrs. Davison, and give my love to my brother; and believe me, my dear Davison, your affectionate and obliged BRONTE NELSON OF THE NILE. Sir Thomas Troubridge has a pension of £500 a-year settled on him, and Commandery of the Order of St. Ferdinand. TO EARL SPENCER, K. G. My dear Lord, Leghorn, 20th June, 1800. Your two letters of April 25th and May 9th, gave me much pain; but I trust you and all my friends will believe, that mine cannot be an inactive life, although it may not carry all the outward parade of much ado about nothing. I certainly have felt, in every kind [of?] way, the gratitude of the Royal Family of the Two Sicilies, and indeed of the whole Kingdom; and His Sicilian Majesty has absolutely placed under my care, his Queen and children, and a more secure, and attached, grateful friend he has not. The extraordinary position in which we find ourselves at this moment makes it undetermined what measures may be proper for the Queen of Naples to pursue; and until I have safely got rid of my charge, nothing shall separate me from her. I should feel myself a beast could I have a thought for any thing but her comfort. I expect to see Lord Keith in a few days, and the Foudroyant, I believe, will be found unable to be refitted in the Mediterranean; and therefore I think she will carry me to England; and I beg, my dear Lord, you will believe me your obliged BRONTE NELSON OF THE Nile. TO ALEXANDER DAVISON, ESQ. [Autograph in the possession of Colonel Davison.] My dear Davison, Vienna, September 20th, 1800. As the time of my arrival in England draws near, I must request the favour of you and my brother to take either a house or good lodgings for me-not too large, yet one fit for my situation, to be hired by the month, not even which time shall I remain in London. You must consider that I am not rich beyond what you are acquainted with, for all my Sicilian revenue is, for two years to come, laid out in that Country: therefore do not exceed what is right. Our party sets out to-morrow, and it will be about the middle of October when we arrive in London. My health is better, but you will see an old man. You will excuse my giving you this trouble, and believe me I feel myself your truly obliged friend, BRONTE NELSON OF THE NILE. • See those Letters in vol. iv. p. 225 and 242, notes. |