the splendid misery in which she lived she hast- of improving herself, and also of imparting knowl

ened to call to her her mother, to whom she was through life most affectionate and attentive."

In 1789, the year of many sorrows, Mr. Greville found himself, by the French Revolution and other accidents, a nearly ruined man. His uncle, Sir William Hamilton, our minister at Naples, stepped in to relieve him of many of his embarrassments-among them of the lady to whom perhaps some of them might be traced. Dr. Pettigrew says: It is only charitable to suppose Sir William to have been ignorant of his nephew's

edge. This she is said to have practically evinced; for with a common piece of stuff she could so arrange it and clothe herself as to offer the most appropriate representations of a Jewess, a Roman matron, a Helen, Penelope, or Aspasia. No character seemed foreign to her, and the grace she was in the habit of displaying, under such representations, excited the admiration of all who were fortunate enough to have been present on such occasions. The celebrated "Shawl Dance" owes its origin to her invention; but it is admitted to have been executed by her with a grace and elegance far surpassing that with which it has ever been ren

connection with Emma, but there have not been dered on the stage of any of our theatres. Under wanting reports that the condition of the engage- ❘ the tuition and government of Sir William she im ment between Sir William and the lady was the proved so greatly, and obtained such complete sway

payment of the nephew's debts." At this time Sir William was within a year of threescore. He

was neither the Pericles of his age, nor was Emma quite the Aspasia; but when we remember the bond which bound the great statesman and refined lover of refined art to the most beautiful and most accomplished woman in Greece-when we remember that in his home intellect and skill were almost deified-that to it her presence, her powers, and even her virtues, (for all were not wanting because one was absent,) gave its chiefest charm-that without her the war against Samos would not have been a matter of history-that she inspired great commanders, and that but for her, much eloquence would have been mute, which, through her, fired Greece to deeds of noble daring-with these memories about us, we say, there is much in the persons and lives of Sir William Hamilton and his wife that reminds us of Pericles and Aspasia, even down to the very circumstance that the great lawgiver took the courtesan to wife after she had been his mistress.

Dr. Pettigrew thus describes Sir William him

self:

Sir William Hamilton was a native of Scotland, born in 1730, and was minister at Naples for the long period of thirty-six years. He was a distinguished antiquary, remarkable for his taste in, and appreciation of, the fine arts. He possessed also scientific acquirements, and had some knowledge of mineralogy; he was a trustee of the British Museum, fellow of the Royal Society, and a vice-president of the Society of Antiquaries; he was also a distinguished member of the Dillettanti Club, and appears among their portraits in their meetingroom at the Thatched House Tavern. A portrait of him, by Sir Joshua Reynolds, one of his intimate friends, may be seen in the National Gallery. He is known as an author by his works. With the King of Naples he was a great favorite, and largely shared with him the enjoyment of the chase and other sports, to which the sovereign is well known to have been egregiously addicted.

Such was the sexagenarian philosopher. At this period the Aspasia of his affections, if we may indeed use such a word, was just five-and-twenty. She is thus limned by her biographer:

over him, that he resolved upon making her his wife. They came to England, and on the 6th September, 1791, she, writing the name of Emma Harte (an assumed name under which she had long been known) he married her at the church of St. George, Hanover Square, resolving to return with her to Naples that she might there be recognized by the Neapolitan court. But prior to quitting London to return to Naples she was doomed to experience disappointment; for although she had, through the position of Sir William Hamilton and his high connexions, together with her own attractions and accomplishments, gained admission into a very high circle of society, she was very properly refused admission into the Court of St. James', which Sir William in vain endeavored most assiduously to effect. In the society, however, in which she now moved, she became distinguished for her great accomplishments; and the dulness of fashionable life was greatly relieved by her displays as a singer and as an actress. The admiration she excited was universal. It is said that at first, upon the return of Sir William Hamilton to Naples, there was some difficulty in the way of her introduction to the queen, not having been received at the court of her own country. That, however, was soon removed, and in a short time she maintained the most confidential intercourse with her majesty. That the Queen of Naples should have become intimately attached to Lady Hamilton, cannot be a matter of surprise when we recollect the calamities her family had sustained by the French Revolution. To seek consolation in the bosom of the wife of the English minister-the minister of that country which almost stood alone in its opposition to the principles and conduct of the French Revolution seems natural. Friendship is often created by sympathetic associations called forth under the pressure of affliction, and is sustained by the consolations of hope derived from them. There are many letters in my possession from the Queen of Naples to the Lady Hamilton, breathing the most ardent attachment, the most unbounded friendship, and expressing eternal gratitude to her.

It was in the year 1793 that Nelson first saw this dangerous beauty. From the period of her arrival, up to this time, she appears to have been the only source of joy and admiration to the Neapolitan court. The Duke of Sussex retained to the last lively recollections of her charms, and of the effect she produced when singing with the Already familiarized to the studies of the painter, and, according to Romney and his biographer, no famous Mrs. Billington. In the eventful year last mean judge of the arts, with Sir William she had named, Nelson landed at Naples with despatches in Italy many opportunities of enjoying her taste, from Lord Hood. Sir William, as we have said, on returning home after his first interview with The letter was obtained; it was from the King of Nelson, told Lady Hamilton that he was about to Spain himself, and it announced his determination introduce to her a little man who could not boast to break up his old alliance, and to unite with

more re

six barrels of gold. These were marked "Stores for Nelson," and under that device were safely shipped. Indeed, it was not till the treasure was secured that the king consented to embark. In a despatch to the admiralty Lord Nelson says

Lady Hamilton seemed to be an angel dropped from heaven for the preservation of the royal family." To effect that preservation she was regardless of her own. On the night in which she per

council and would decide with his ministers. Lady carried out by Lady Hamilton; she privately reHamilton dictated, and the queen wrote, a positive moved from the palace the royal jewels and thirtyorder, "directed to all governors of the two Sicilies, to receive with hospitality the British fleet to water, victual, and aid them." In every way this order, as Lady Hamilton well knew, would be spected than that which might emanate from the king. The council did not break up until eight o'clock, and Lady Hamilton attended Captain Trowbridge and her husband to their residence. The faces of the king, of Acton, and Sir William, too plainly told the determination at which they had arrived, and that they could not then break with France. On the way home Lady Hamilton told Sir William and Captain Trowbridge that she had an ticipated the result and provided against it; that, whilst they were in council debating on the application, she had been with the queen, and had not without effect implored her majesty to render the aid required. She then, to his great astonishment and delight, produced the order in question.

sonally assisted the king, queen, and children to escape, she attended a party given by Kelim Effendi; she withdrew from this party on foot, leaving her equipage in front of the house, hastened to the place of meeting, conducted the royal family by subterranean passage to Nelson's boat, waiting to receive them, embarked with the fugi

a

Nothing could exceed the gladness this occasioned. tives, and with them went before the storm that Trowbridge declared that it would "cheer Nelson blew them to Palermo. To accomplish this, Sir to ecstasy;" and that by this means they should be William and his wife voluntarily abandoned their enabled to pursue and conquer the French fleet, entire possessions in their house at Naples-they otherwise they must have gone for Gibraltar. Sir did not convey away one single article. The

William Hamilton wrote to Sir Horatio Nelson,

communicating to him the formal decision of the council; but added, "You will receive from Emma herself what will do the business and procure all your wants." Lady Hamilton enclosed to the admiral the order, praying him "that the queen might be as little committed in the use of it as the glory and service of the country would admit of." To this Nelson replied, that he received the precious

order, and that if he gained the battle it should be called hers and the queen's; for to Lady Hamilton he should owe his success, as without the order their return to Gibraltar was decided upon; but, he added, "I will now come back to you crowned with laurels or covered with cypress."

It was more especially for this service, rendered when he was in his utmost need, that Nelson, while dying, recommended Lady Hamilton to the memory and gratitude of his country. The effect of this service we need not repeat. The British ships watered and victualled at Syracuse, spread their huge wings in pursuit of their foe, and at the Nile launched their heavy thunder to his destruction. On the twentieth of September the triumphant squadron arrived at Naples, where ships, officers, and men found every want supplied and every wish anticipated. "But especially (says

whole of their private property was thus left behind, in order to prevent discovery of their proceedings in behalf of the royal family. The value of Lady Hamilton's portion thus abandoned, amounted to 9,000l.; not less than 30,000l.'s worth of property was sacrificed which belonged to Sir William. The virtue of this sacrifice was the sole reward gained by those who made it.

It was in this year (1799) that Sir Alexander Ball, who held a part of Malta, the French occupying another part, sent despatches to Nelson at Palermo for provisions, without which he would be compelled to surrender. Nelson was absent at his old occupation looking after the enemies of England. Lady Hamilton opened the despatches, purchased several entire cargoes of corn at her own risk, and forwarded them to the half-starved English in Malta. She expended 5,000l., of which not one shilling was ever returned to her. All that she profited thereby was in receiving the order of St. John of Jerusalem from the Emperor Paul, Grand Master of the Knights. England owed her much and acknowledged nothing. The Queen of Naples acted with more generosity; she put into the hands of Lady Hamilton, on parting

Dr. Pettigrew) were the broken health and from her subsequently at Vienna, a conveyance of wounded body of the valorous chief regarded. 1,000l. per annum; but the latter magnanimously Nelson was taken into the British minister's house, destroyed the deed, remarking that "England was and there personally tended by her whose sympa- just, and to her faithful servants generous, and

thies had been so awakened, and by whose attentions he was after a time restored to health." Her services did not terminate here. While all at Naples were at the very high top-gallant of their joy, Lady Hamilton induced the court to break altogether with the French. The ambassador of the republic was consequently dismissed with seanty courtesy and in considerable haste. When,

that she should feel it unbecoming to her own beloved and magnanimous sovereign to accept of meed or reward from any other hand."

But the same year is also marked by an occurrence the very mention of which seems to obscure the brightness of Nelson's name, and to fling an additional lurid hue round that of the wife of a British minister. We say seems; for in truth

at a later period, a French army marched on Na- there is more of seeming than of reality in it, ples itself, and the royal family were reduced to fly and yet all is not seeming and there is something to Palermo, the chief arrangements for the safety real. We allude, of course, to the case of Adof the lives and properties of others were made or miral Prince Carracciolo. According to some he was murdered by Nelson at the instigation of Lady the court is hereby dissolved." What followed Hamilton, who was so fiercely royalist that, if we is ever to be deplored. Dr. Pettigrew struggles

ably and manfully to defend Nelson from all blame, but he struggles unsuccessfully. The facts are these-even by Dr. Pettigrew's admission. The sentence was no sooner made known than Nelson issued an order for the immediate execution. The guilty man was to be hung from six o'clock till sunset, "when you will have his body cut down and thrown into the sea." So run the words to which the name of Nelson is affixed. Lieutenant Parkinson, at the request of the doomed man, interceded with the admiral; but to the prayer of Carracciolo, that he might die the death of a man, and not that of a dog, Nelson refused to interfere, and harshly bade the poor lieutenant to go and attend to his duty. The result was that Carracciolo was ignominiously run up to the yard-arm, not of his own flag-ship, but to that of Lord Nelson. The English admiral not only refused the mercy that he unquestionably might have granted, but he, in some sort, became the executioner; he not only insisted that the sentence of hanging should

may believe partial writers, the blood of a Jacobin was to her of marvellous sweet savor. Divested of exaggeration the story of old Carracciolo is simply this:-He was a rich, valiant, and aged seaman, and warınly attached to royalty until the triumph of republicanism endangered those who had a distaste for commonwealths. When the Neapolitan royal family fled from Naples to Sicily their hitherto faithful old servant followed them thither; when the heads of the party who had proclaimed a republic at Naples threatened to confiscate the property of absentees, Carracciolo returned to protect his own. In thinking overmuch of himself he forgot fealty to his sovereign, and in a brief period he became as hot a republican as ever he had been an eager royalist. He took up arms against his king, opposed his restoration, and fired upon his flag. After the principal body of rebels had capitulated to the force in arms to give the king his own again, he was captured in open rebellion, taken on board the Foudroyant, Lord Nelson's own ship, and there given up to be tried be carried into effect, but he lent a gallows for

the purpose.

The sentence was just, and the unfortunate old warrior merited death; but justice would have been satisfied had the great criminal been allowed the melancholy privilege of falling as he might have done in battle. At all events, the yard-arm of a British ship ought not to have been lent for the purpose of hanging a foreigner who had betrayed his trust to a foreign king. In thus much does blame appear attributable to Nelson. That any is due to Lady Hamilton, or that Nelson was in the least degree influenced by her on this occasion, we disbelieve, simply for the reason that such an assertion is unsusceptible of proof.

by a court-martial. Nelson, as chief of the united Sicilian and English squadrons, ordered this courtmartial to be held; it was formed exclusively of Sicilian officers, but it was held on board the English admiral's ship. The trial did not exactly exhibit a specimen of Jedburgh justice, by which a man is hung first and tried afterwards, but there was a spirit manifested that was very much akin to it. The president of the court, Count Thurn, was a personal enemy, though an old shipmate, of Carracciolo. The case for the prosecution was soon gone through the facts were clear, patent, and undeniable; but the brave and misguided old seaman made a most gallant, fearless, and almost irresistible defence. Prob- But the Foudroyant was the scene of other disably the worst enemy of the crown of Naples graces. We come to the mention of them with was the king himself; he was worthless, selfish, reluctance, and will narrate them with all possible

weak, vain, and pompous. Carracciolo asserted that he had not deserted the royal cause, but that in fact the king himself had betrayed it; when there was no longer a royalty to defend that was worth the keeping, then alone had he joined the republicans. Thus far the defence was, perhaps, founded on truth. It was not less true when Carracciolo alluded to his property and the risk he ran of rendering his posterity beggars if he had not taken office under the republican flag; but this was a sort of truth that was even less valid as an apology for rebellion than the former. The court unanimously found him guilty, and sentenced him to be hung by the neck at the yardarm of his own flag-ship. "Hereafter (said the

brevity. In 1800, Sir William Hamilton was superseded as British minister at Naples; he and Lady Hamilton, with the Queen of Naples, were on board Nelson's ship. Nelson himself was now a Neapolitan duke. The whole party were about to leave the Mediterranean, and, with the exception of the queen, whose destination was Vienna, to return to England by land through Germany. It was during the passage from Palermo to Malta that the intimacy took place which resulted in the birth of that little Horatia who was long thought to be the daughter of the Queen of Naples, but whom Dr. Pettigrew, under Nelson's own hand, proves to be the child of Lady Hamilton. That Nelson was the child's father no one ever doubted. The strange

undaunted old man with some emotion)-here- party-husband, wife, and friend reached London

after, when you shall be called to your great account, you will weep for this unjust sentence in tears of blood. I take shame to myself for asking for any favor from such men; but, if possible, I wish to be shot as becomes my rank, and not hung

in November, 1800. Lady Nelson was not among those who stood first to greet the arrival of the hero, or who at meeting greeted him with any warmth of feeling. She had, possibly, heard through her son, Captain Nisbet, of the too friendup like a felon and a dog." "It is inadmissible, ly terms which existed between her husband and (was the curt and savage reply of the court,) and the wife of another. His home was, in consequence, an unhappy one, and he left it to proceed on an excursion with Sir William and his lady. This excursion was an ovation which reached its highest point at Fonthill. Here the celebrities in art, rather than the noble by birth, were as sembled to meet the illustrious party; here Banti, the Pasta of her day, joined her voice with the ex-ambassadress; and here West looked on and

smiled.

Dr. Pettigrew cites this letter of Mr. Haslewood to show that the separation was unavoidable on Lord Nelson's part; it appears to us to have been inevitable and necessary. Perhaps the strangest part of this incident is that Nelson's family closely attached themselves to Lady Hamilton. We must make exception, however, of the still stranger incident-namely, the birth of Lady Hamilton's daughter at her residence in Piccadilly, the absence of all attempt to confer the honors of paternity on Sir William, and the consequent mys

In the gallery of the abbey, after the repast, the company assembled, and Lady Hamilton enchanted them with one of her remarkable personations- tification. The birth took place about the last

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, after

day of January, 1801. The child was conveyed to a nurse about a week or ten days afterwards, and was not the home companion of its guilty parents until 1803, after the death of Sir William

having been declared joint emperor by Tiberius,

Hamilton. Nelson's daughter still lives, and is

fell a victim to his envy, and is supposed to have been poisoned by his order at the head of the forces married to Captain Ward, late of the 81st regiwhich he was leading against the rebellious Ar-ment. minians ***** Lady Hamilton displayed with Before the death of Sir William Hamilton, truth and energy every gesture, attitude, and ex- Lord Nelson had made his house their common

pression of countenance, which could be conceived in Agrippina herself, best calculated to have

residence. At the death of the former, he, with something of an affected decency, quitted it for private lodgings. Sir William left his widow totally unprovided for. He thought, as Nelson

roused the passions of the Romans in behalf of their favorite 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, thought, that the government would not hesitate or of raising it up to the gods in the act of sup- to make her an ample provision for her services. plication, was most classically graceful. Every In the mean time, waiting for an event that was change of dress, principally of the head, to suit the

never to occur, Lord Nelson purchased Merton. different situations in which she successively pre- It is yet the object of many a sailor's pilgrimage, sented 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.

When the character of the Roman dress is remembered, it is difficult to believe that the representative of Agrippina was in the condition noticed by Dr. Pettigrew.

The final separation between Nelson and his wife took place in the January of 1801. The last scene between the latter is thus described by a yet living witness, Mr. Haslewood :

In the winter of 1800-1, I was breakfasting with Lord and Lady Nelson at their lodgings in Arlington street, and a cheerful conversation was passing on indifferent subjects, when Lord Nelson spoke of

and is about ten minutes' walk from the Wimbledon station. Here he offered the deserted widow and the mother of his child a refuge-nay, more, a home. It was such to her; for there she enjoyed the homage and respect not only of every member of Nelson's family, but also of the great and good of the exterior world. Never was woman placed in so anomalous a condition, in which the anomaly was so carefully concealed from herself and unheeded by the world.

It should have had the realities of the virtue of which it bore so well the semblance. That it had not was, perhaps, one of the causes why it endured so brief a space. It is most touching to read the letters of Nelson, cited by Dr. Pettigrew, and written to his child's mother at home. The heavy

responsibilities connected with Trafalgar, the anxieties coming thick and fast, the duties he had to fulfil-none of these things rendered him forgetful of his treasure. For the safety of one little

something that had been done or said by "dear life his heart beat as only a parent's heart can Lady Hamilton," upon which Lady Nelson rose beat; and while meditating the array of battle, from her chair and exclaimed, with much vehemence in which his own life was to cloud the splendor -"I am sick of hearing of dear Lady Hamilton, of the victory, he found leisure to send home de

and am resolved that you shall give up either her or me." Lord Nelson, with perfect calmness, said -"Take care, Fanny, what you say; I love you sincerely, but I cannot forget my obligations to Lady Hamilton, or speak of her otherwise than with affection and admiration." Without one soothing word or gesture, but muttering something about

tailed instructions how a substantial netting should be raised in the grounds of Merton to preserve little Horatia from falling into a pond ambitiously called the Nile. There wanted but one thing to give holiness to Nelson's character as a father. To this, as to all his worldly glory, and to all the felicity that had hitherto rested upon Merton,

Lord Nelson took a formal leave of her ladyship before joining the fleet under Sir Hyde Parker.

which struck him, when his glory was greatest, on the deck of the Victory at Trafalgar. The

her mind being made up, Lady Nelson left the room, and, shortly after, drove from the house. They never lived together afterwards. I believe that a sudden termination was given by the fatal ball