III.
Saturday, 22d September 1804.
MY DEAR MADAM,
Ever obedient to your lawful commands, I have implicitly obeyed your orders, in the purchase, this morning, of Messrs. Branscomb and Co. four quarter lottery-tickets—
{ No. 593.} { 10,376.} { 14,381.} { 20,457.}
Each, I hope, will come up prize; and be entitled to receive, at least, on the whole, twenty thousand pounds! I paid eighteen pounds eight shillings for them; and I have written upon the back of each—"Property of Lord Nelson, 22d September 1804. A.D."
When I have the pleasure of seeing you, I shall deliver the trust over to you, to receive the bespoken said sum of twenty thousand pounds. What a glorious receipt will it be!
I am glad you received my letters, though I could not make out the name of the place; the Post-Office runners are expert at it.
What do you say to a Spanish war? I think, now, the breeze begins to freshen; and that the flames, at last, will succeed.
I sent off, last night, a very long epistle to our dear Nelson. I am truly distressed at his not receiving my letters; though I can pretty well guess how to account for it, and in whose hands they were detained. Experience teaches us how better to guard against similar misfortunes; and, in future, I shall be cautious to whom I give my letters.
So that I know the Hero of heroes is well, I care the less about letters; knowing that writing, delivering, or receiving them, will not, either in him or me, make the least alteration, or lessen our attachment or affection.
I am pleased to see how happy you are in Norfolk. I wish you may not find it so fascinating, that the arrival of "Lord Nelson" at Merton would not induce you to [quit] the county!!!
I beg you will make my best respects acceptable to every friend (real) of that invaluable man, Lord Nelson.
Your's, most truly,
ALEX. DAVISON.
Letter
from
Lady Hamilton
TO
ALEXANDER DAVISON, ESQ.
INCLOSING
Her Ladyship's Verses on Lord Nelson.
Letter OF Lady Hamilton, &c.
Clarges Street,
[26th January 1805.]
I have been very ill, my Dear Sir; and am in bed with a cold, very bad cold indeed! But, the moment I am better, I will call on you.
I am invited to dine with Mr. Haslewood to-morrow, but fear I shall not be able to go.
I am very anxious about letters; but Admiral Campbell has told me, he thinks my dear Lord will soon be at home. God grant! for, I think, he might remove that stumbling-block, Sir John O! Devil take him!
That Polyphemus should have been Nelson's: but, he is rich in great and noble deeds; which t'other, poor devil! is not. So, let dirty wretches get pelf, to comfort them; victory belongs to Nelson. Not, but what I think money necessary for comforts; and, I hope, our, your's, and my Nelson, will get a little, for all Master O.
I write from bed; and you will see I do, by my scrawl.
I send you some of my bad Verses on my soul's Idol.
God bless you! Remember, you will soon be free; and let that cheer you, that you will come out with even more friends than ever. I can only say, I am your ever obliged, and grateful,
EMMA HAMILTON.
I long to see and know Nepean! Why will you not ask me to dine with, him en famille?
{Yes.}
{A.D.}
* * * * *
EMMA TO NELSON.
I think, I have not lost my heart;
Since I, with truth, can swear,
At every moment of my life,
I feel my Nelson there!
If, from thine Emma's breast, her heart
Were stolen or flown away;
Where! where! should she my Nelson's love
Record, each happy day?
If, from thine Emma's breast, her heart
Were stolen or flown away;
Where! where! should she engrave, my Love!
Each tender word you say?
Where! where! should Emma treasure up
Her Nelson's smiles and sighs?
Where mark, with joy, each secret look
Of love, from Nelson's eyes?
Then, do not rob me of my heart,
Unless you first forsake it;
And, then, so wretched it would be,
Despair alone will take it.
Letter
from
Lady Hamilton
TO THE
RIGHT HONOURABLE HENRY ADDINGTON,
NOW
VISCOUNT SIDMOUTH.
Letter of Lady Hamilton, &c.
April 13th. [1803.]
SIR,
May I trouble you, and but for a moment, in consequence of my irreparable loss; my ever-honoured husband, Sir William Hamilton, being no more! I cannot avoid it, I am forced to petition for a portion of his pension: such a portion as, in your wisdom and noble nature, may be approved; and so represented to our most gracious Sovereign, as being right. For, Sir, I am most sadly bereaved! I am now in circumstances far below those in which the goodness of my dear Sir William allowed me to move for so many years; and below those becoming the relict of such a public minister, who was proved so very long—no less than thirty-six years—and, all his life, honoured so very much by the constant friendly kindness of the King and Queen themselves: and, may I mention—what is well known to the then administration at home—how I, too, strove to do all I could towards the service of our King and Country. The fleet itself, I can truly say, could not have got into Sicily, but for what I was happily able to do with the Queen of Naples, and through her secret instructions so obtained: on which depended the refitting of the fleet in Sicily; and, with that, all which followed so gloriously at the Nile. These few words, though seemingly much at large, may not be extravagant at all. They are, indeed, true. I wish them to be heard, only as they can be proved; and, being proved, may I hope for what I have now desired?
I am, Sir, with respect more than I can well utter, your obedient servant,
EMMA HAMILTON.
Letters
FROM
SIR WILLIAM HAMILTON, K.B.
TO
LADY HAMILTON.
Letters OF SIR WILLIAM HAMILTON, K.B. &c.