highly praise-worthy conduct; and, if it please God that the vice-admiral recovers his health, he will feel proud, on some future day, to go with them in pursuit of farther glory; and to assist in making the name of our king and country beloved and respected by all the world.”

On the 1st of July, his lordship landed at Yarmouth, where he was received with universal joy.  He had no sooner arrived, than his humane heart led him to visit the hospitals which contained such of his brave fellows as had been wounded in the late battle.  He enquired, with parental solicitude, into the state of their health, tenderly soothed their sufferings, generously relieved their necessities, and kindly encouraged their hopes.  On his leaving the town, the volunteer cavalry assembled; and escorted his lordship to Lowestoffe, a distance of eleven miles.

Lord Nelson being much indisposed when he reached Sir William Hamilton’s house in Piccadilly, where his friends had assembled to meet him, a party was formed, consisting of Sir William and Lady Hamilton, the present Earl and Countess Nelson, with their son and daughter, now Lord Merton and Lady Charlotte, and Captain Parker, to go with his lordship, for change of air, and variety of scene, as far as Box Hill, near Dorking, in Surry, where they remained a few days; and then accompanied him to the Bush Inn, at Staines, in Middlesex.  Here they continued about a week; and afterwards visited Mrs. Maurice Nelson, at Laleham, only two miles distant from Staines.  This unfortunate lady, relict of his lordship’s then recently deceased elder brother, has for many years been afflicted with total blindness.  Lord Nelson now kindly condoled with her; and generously made up the small pittance left by his brother, whom he most tenderly loved, a regular annuity of two hundred pounds, besides providing for immediate exigences.  It is greatly to be regretted, that his lordship’s repeated solicitations for Mr. Maurice Nelson’s advancement had been so little regarded, that this worthy gentleman, though almost his whole life in the Navy Office, was only elevated to the situation of a principal clerk about four months prior to his decease.

With his health considerably improved by this rural excursion, Lord Nelson returned to London; and, on dining with Mr. Addington, then Chancellor of the Exchequer, was informed, by the minister, that nothing could satisfy the people, who were in a state of continual alarm at Bonaparte’s immense preparations for the threatened invasion of our country, but his lordship’s immediately taking the home command.  Though the nature of the French armament, which consisted chiefly of innumerable gun-boats, rendered the attack of their flotilla a species of petty warfare apparently too trivial for the attention of our heroic admiral, it was sufficient for him to be assured that his services were requisite for the safety or welfare of his country, to obtain an immediate acquiescence; however humble,