The Letters of Lord Nelson to Lady Hamilton Volume I Part 11

I trust, my dear Emma, she has wrote you. If she can forget Emma, I hope, G.o.d will forget her! But, you think, that she never will, or can. Now is her time to shew it.

You will only shew the King and Queen's letters to some few particular friends.

The King is very low; lives, mostly, at Belvidere. Mr. Elliot had not seen either him or the Queen, from the seventeenth, the day of his arrival, to the twenty-first. On the next day, he was to be presented.

I have made up my mind, that it is part of the plan of that Corsican Scoundrel, to conquer the kingdom of Naples. He has marched thirteen thousand men into the kingdom, on the Adriatic side; and he will take possession, with as much shadow of right, of Gaeta and Naples: and, if the poor King remonstrates, or allows us to secure Sicily, he will call it war, and declare a conquest.

I have cautioned General Acton, not to risk the Royal Family too long; but Naples will be conquered, sooner or later, as it may suit Buonaparte's convenience.

The Morea, and Egypt, are likewise in his eye. An army of full seventy thousand men are a.s.sembling in Italy.

Gibbs and n.o.ble are gone to Malta.

I am, you may believe, very anxious to get off Toulon, to join the fleet.

Sir Richard Bickerton went from off Naples, the day I left Gibraltar.

We pa.s.sed Monte Christo, Bastia, and Cape Corse, yesterday; and are now moving, slowly, direct for Toulon.

What force they have, I know not; indeed, I am totally ignorant: some say, nine sail of the line; some, seven; some, five. If the former, they will come out; for we have only the same number, including sixty-fours, and very shortly manned.

However, I hope they will come out, and let us settle the matter. You know, I hate being kept in suspence.

[July 8th.

I left this hole, to put down what force the French have at Toulon.

Seven sail of the line ready, five frigates, and six corvettes. One or two more in about a week. We, to day, eight sail of the line--to-morrow, seven; including two sixty-four gun s.h.i.+ps.

You will readily believe, how rejoiced I shall be to get one of your dear, excellent letters, that I may know every thing which has pa.s.sed since my absence.

I sincerely hope, that Mr. Booth has settled all your accounts. Never mind, my dear Emma, a few hundred pounds; which is all the rigid gripe of the law, not justice, can wrest from you.

I thank G.o.d, that you cannot want; (although that is no good reason for its being taken from you:) whilst I have sixpence, you shall not want for fivepence of it! But, you have bought your experience, that there is no friends.h.i.+p in money concerns; and, your good sense will make you profit of it.

I hope, the minister has done something for you. But, never mind, we can live upon bread and cheese.

Independence is a blessing; and, although I have not yet found out the way to get prize money--what has been taken, has run into our mouths--however, it must turn out very hard, if I cannot get enough to pay off my debts, and that will be no small comfort.

I have not mentioned my Bronte affairs to Acton, as yet; but, if Naples remains much longer, I shall ask the question. But, I expect nothing from them. I believe, even Acton wishes himself well, and safely removed.

I think, from what I hear, that the King's spirits are so much depressed, that he will give up the reins of Naples, at least, to his son, and retire to Sicily. Sir William, you know, always thought, that he would end his life so. Certainly, his situation must be heart-breaking!

Gaetano returned in the frigate. I believe, he saw enough of Naples.

He carried his family money; and Mr. Falconet (Gibbs being absent) will pay Mr. Greville's pension to Gaetano's family. I have now [sent]

Gaetano to the post: and he desires, to present his duty; and to tell you, that Mr. Ragland, from Sir William's death, will not pay any more pensions, without orders from Mr. Greville.

Vincenzo has had none paid. He is very poor; keeps a shop. His son wanted, I find, to come in the frigate to me. I cannot afford to maintain him; therefore, I shall give no encouragement.

Old Antonio was allowed a carline a day; that is, now, not paid.

Sabatello lives with Mr. Elliot.

Nicolo, and Mary Antonio, have left Mr. Gibbs, for some cause; Gaetano says, he believes, for _amore_.

Francesca has two children living, and another coming. She lives the best amongst them, like _gallant homme_.

Pasqual lives with the Duke Montelione; and Joseph, with the old Russian.

Your house is a hotel; the upper parts are kept for the Marquis, the owner.

Mr. Elliot has taken the house of the Baille Franconi, on the Chaia.

Doctor Nudi inquired kindly after us; and all the women at Santa Lucia expected, when they saw Gaetano, that you was arrived.

Bread never was so dear; every thing else in plenty. The wages not being raised, Gaetano says, the poor of England are a million times better off.

So much for Gaetano's news. He desires his duty to Signora Madre; and remembrances to Mary Ann, Fatima, &c.

[July 8th.

We joined, this morning, the fleet. The men in the s.h.i.+ps are good; but the s.h.i.+ps themselves are a little the worse for wear, and very short of their complements of men. We shall never be better: therefore, let them come; the sooner, the better.

I shall write a line to the Duke, that he may see I do not forget my friends; and I rely, my dearest Emma, on your saying every kind thing, for me, to the Doctor, Mrs. Nelson, Mrs. Bolton, Mr. and Mrs. Matcham, Mrs. Cadogan; whose kindness, and goodness, I shall never forget.

You will have the goodness to send the inclosed, as directed; and be a.s.sured, that I am, to the last moment of my life, your most attached, faithful, and affectionate,

NELSON & BRONTE.

LETTER x.x.xIII.

Victory, off Toulon, August 1, 1803.

[I do not know that you will get this letter.]

MY DEAREST EMMA,

Your letter of May 31, which came under cover to Mr. n.o.ble, of Naples, inclosing Davison's correspondence with Plymouth, arrived by the Phoebe two days ago: and this is the only sc.r.a.p of a pen which has been received by any person in the fleet since we sailed from England.

You will readily conceive, my dear Emma, the sensations which the sight and reading even your few lines [occasioned.] They cannot be understood, but by those of such mutual and truly sincere attachment as your's and mine. Although you said little, I understood a great deal, and most heartily approve of your plan and society for next winter; and, next spring, I hope to be rich enough to begin the alterations at dear Merton. It will serve to amuse you; and, I am sure, that I shall admire all your alterations, even to planting a gooseberry bush.

Sutton joined me yesterday, and we are all got into the Victory; and, a few days will put us in order.

Every body gives a very excellent character of Mr. Chevalier, the servant recommended by Mr. Davison; and I shall certainly live as frugal as my station will admit. I have known the pinch, and shall endeavour never to know it again.

I want to send two thousand one hundred pounds, to pay off Mrs.