NELSON'S DISPATCHES AND LETTERS.

THIS fifth volume of the Nelson Correspondence extends from January 1802 to April 1804; during the first year of which period Nelson resided in England, chiefly at Merton ; for the remainder of the time he was in command of the Mediterranean fleet, principally occupied in the block- ade of Toulon. The letters consequently have none of the interest at- taching to great events or brilliant exploits ; but they often have an in- terest of a different and perhaps of a more attractive kind, since the story of the battles has been pretty well exhausted already. This attraction, we think, does not spring from the source the editor suggests ; as the documents relating to the details of the fleet are to non-professional readers of a heavy and formal character, whilst the excessive labours of Nelson were better impressed by a comprehensive description in the Memoirs of his Chaplain, Dr. Scott.* The true interest of the volume, it seems to us, is of a biographical and domestic kind. Having escaped from the fascinations of royalty at Naples, got the anxiety attendant upon Lady Nelson off his mind by their final separation, and fallen into his arrangement with Lady Hamilton, Nelson's mind seems more equable and composed. Complaints of the Admiralty; Lord St. Vincent, and Troubridge, occasionally break out, and a pretty constant dissatisfaction with his own rewards ; but it is not in the querulous and irritable style of the previous volume, when he was probably agitated by his domestic anxieties, and irritated by the instant presence of his grievances, which took besides something of a personal character. In justice to all parties, too, a good deal should be allowed for temporary feelings. In the first moment of provocation, men of less susceptibility and of mach greater caution than Nelson say things, and perhaps write them, to very confi- dential friends, which are far from expressing their deliberate opinion, and which they would be sorry enough to see published. We are more * Spectator 1842, page 5,19; where part of the passage will be found quoted. tempted to offer this remark because Nelson himself writes in a friendly manner to St. Vincent, and even in a playful manner to Troubridge ; a thing he of all men would not have done had he retained any settled dis- pleasure. Want of influence to promote his followers seems to have been a permanent grievance, but which he has had to feel in common with Wellington, and doubtless many others ; and which, after all, may less arise from official formalism, than from the popular character of our Go- vernment, and the necessity of satisfying so very many " interests." Perhaps, too, as he got older, with the claims of a wide connexion coining upon him, he yielded a little more to interest himself; not to advance the undeserving, but probably to allow rank to magnify desert. Solicitations even from Lady Hamilton were promptly put down, when anything like injustice was involved. " With respect to Mr. Jefferson, I can [neither] say nor do anything. The Surgeon of the Victory is a very able, excellent man, and the ship is kept in the most perfect state of health; and I would not, if I could—but thank [God] I cannot-. do such an unjust act as to remove him. He is my own asking for; and I have every reason to be perfectly content,. Mr. Jefferson got on by my help; and, by his own misconduct, he got out of a good employ, and has seen another person at Malta Hospital put over his head. He must now begin again, and act with much more attention and sobriety than he has done to ever get forward again; but time may do much; and I shall rejoice to bear of his reformation."

The great charm of the letters—their transparency and nature—is the same as ever; and, from Nelson's greater freedom of mind, they appear to advantage owing to the subjects having more of a home character. His adopted daughter, his family, his friends, improvements at Merton, and his private affairs, all frequently appear, and with a return to the old and healthy feelings of the earlier volumes before Nelson's head had been heated by Neapolitan blandishments. " Homo sum, humani nil a me alien= puto," might have been his motto, except where " the service" interfered. Perhaps no man ever lived with so much command, engaged in such great events, and thirsting so strongly for titles and extrinsic distinctions, who, apart from getting them, cared so little about them, and looked so completely through adventitious circumstances as regarded others. The following extracts have all a bearing upon this trait in his character ; which might be called philosophical if it were not rather hu- man. Here is first a letter introducing his agent to Mr. Elliot, our Am- bassador at Naples.

" Victory, off Toulon, 19th October 1803.

" My dear Sir—Allow me to introduce to your notice, and I may add to your friendship, Mr. Abram Gibbs, now at Palermo. He was lately the partner of Mr. Falconet, and was always the intimate household friend of dear Sir William and Lady Hamilton, and, give me leave to add, my friend. I believe I am to call Mr. Gibbs a banker. Whatever kindness your Excellency may show him will ever be esteemed a favour conferred upon, my dear Sir, your most faithful servant,

" Nersow AND BRANTS." The following is from a letter to Mr. Gibbs ; who appears to have called his attention to the case of a refugee officer.

" I will write to Sir Alexander Ball and General Villettes this very day to re- eemmend him; and I will write to Mr. Hammond, Under Secretary of State, about the Consulship of Sardinia; but I fear that is beyond my power to obtain. But I have a great respect for Captain Vankempen, as I never knew him above trying to get bread for -his family in an honest way. As for yourself, I can only assure you, that whenever you want to go to England or anywhere else, only let me know as long as possible before you want to go, and I will manage that you and Miss Gibbs shall go in some good man-of-war. Leave this to me to manage.

The promise of writing was fulfilled the same day, and in this hearty manner.

" To Major-General Villettes, Malta.

" 12th August 1803. "My dear General—Captain Vankempen (who, I believe, was settled at Hestia when you was there) was a Captain in the French Navy, and left Toulon with us as Captain of the Pearl Frigate, and carried her to England under the White colours. He is on half-pay from us—five shillings a day. He has a wife and family. He set up a store at Hestia, and again at Naples; from both which he was obliged to fly, by the circumstances of the times. He has sent to me for my interest, to endeavour to get him something in order to maintain his family. He is a sensible, active man; and, what he has always been respected for, not above doing anything which an honest man might do for the benefit of his family. Can you assist this gentleman? He is not a French, but a Dutchman by birth. kind assistance. Perhaps Muster master, or something belonging to the Lazaretto, or in the Commissariat line. He speaks four languages. His wife is born a gentlewoman, and he has a family. Whatever you can do, if you knew the family, I am sure you would. It will be a real act of charity to a worthy family; and you will also truly oblige, my dear General, your most faithful and obliged, " NELsON AND BEONTE." These passages from a letter to Lady Hamilton show his memory and attention to little things. " I would not have you lay out more than is necessary at Merton. The rooms and the new entrance will take a great deal of money. The entrance by the corner I would have certainly done; a common white gate will do for the present; and one of the cottages, which is in the barn, can be put up as a temporary lodge. The road can be made to a temporary bridge; for that part of the hale, one day, shall be filled up. Downing's canvass awning will do for a passage. For the winter, the carriage can be put in the barn; and giving up Mr. Bennetes premises will save fifty pounds a year; and another year we can fit up the coach-house and stables which are in the barn.

" The foot-path should be turned. I did show Mr. Haslewood the way I wished it done; and Mr. will have no objections, if we make it better than ever it has been: and I also beg, as my dear Horatia [his daughter] is to be at Merton, that a strong netting, about three feet high, may be placed round the Nile, that the little thing may not tumble in; and then you may have ducks again in it. I forget at what place we saw the netting; and either Mr. Perry or Mr. Goldsmid told us where it was to be bought. I shall be very anxious until I know this is done."

This is considerate and kind.

" To the Russian Gentlemen on board his Majesty's ship Royal Sovereign. "victory, at Sea, 16th March 1804. "Gentlemen—Far removed from your country and relations, and placed to serve in the fleet under my command, I desire that you will on every occasion, both in public and private concerns, consult with me, and let me know your wants and wishes; and always consider me as your sincere friend,

" NELSON AND BRONTE.."

"From his own he learned to melt at other's wo." Without being deeply involved or harassed as Byron and many men have been, he was often pressed for money. At the close of the preceding volume he was about to sell the diamonds which the Grand Signor had sent him. In a

statement which he submitted to Mr. Addington when Premier, to enforce his demand foe an increase of his pension to the same amount as those of Lords St. Vincent and Duncan, it appeared he had but 7681. a year net to support his position. An increase of pension he never obtained ; it was reserved, like the coveted Earldom, for his successor.

Although not a diplomatist in the usual sense, and in fact despising the diplomatic airs of solemnity and mystery, he had the essential qualities of a good negotiator. This is shown in these instructions for dealing with the Dey of Algiers, who had expelled our Consul and seized some Maltese ships with British passes.

"Memorandums for the Gtsidanee of Captain Keats, in his Transactions with the Dey of Algiers. " victory, off Cape St. Sebastian's, 9th Jimmy 1804.

" Should the Dey refuse to receive you unless you return his salute, you will not do it; and acquaint him by letter that you will sail in twenty-four hours; and you will not receive any letter from the Dey to me, as that would open a negotia- tion which could never end. In your first conversation with the Dey, every sor- row is to be expressed that his Highness should commit such an insult to his Majesty as sending away his representative and taking his Maltese subjects prisoners. To whatever the Dey may urge, and endeavour to turn the conversa- tion to any complaints of his own, you are never to reply, but always to answer by telling himthat you were come for reparation of an insult, and not to attend to his complaints, which he had sent to England and settled. Although you will never give up the reparation due to his Majesty, yet if he sends off the Mal you will receive them; but you will never recede a tittle from your original demands.

" The Dey will probably, if you are parting with only partof your mission ac- complished, ask you repatedly, Well, are we now at peace? , To which, unless you completely succ. only reply, that you will communicate with me what of our just demands have not been complied with; and that is the only answer you will give. Never appear satisfied with what has been granted, but demand what has not; and leave the question of peace or war entirely open, so that it may hang over his head. If the Consul is not received, I shall never send again to Algiers;• and more reparation will be demanded if he even wishes to receive the offer now made him. Should the Dey (which I am told is often the case) rise up in a pas- sion and retire, you will signify to him by letter that you will not submit to be so treated, and that you will never come into his presence again to be insulted; nor, unless you receive his word of honour that all your just demands shall be satisfied and finished if you go again to him, and that you will sail in twenty- four hours.

" The Dey may, to our demand for the Sicilian vessels, reply by asking,' If one of my subjects, on my account, freight a French ship, will you allow her to pass?' The answer would be, ' Yes, under similar circumstances. If your Highness were driven out of Algiers, arid all your vessels destroyed—that you were with your subjects besieging it, or having obtained it, as was the case with Maltese and British, and you freighted a vessel with provisions to keep you from perishing— Great Britain would not take an enemy's vessel under those circumstances. It would be the most cruel thing in nature to attempt starving our friends on any such pretence; yet your Highness's cruisers attempted to starve his Britannic Majesty's subjects under these circumstances.' "

There is still the old feeling about the French. The following is from a letter to Mr. Elliott, the Ambassador ; who appears to have wished to send him some Frenchman as an intelligencer.

"I should be very happy to receive authentic intelligence of the destination of the French squadron—their route and time of sailing. Anything short of this is useless Land I assure your Excellency that I would not upon any consideration have a Frenchman in the fleet except as a prisoner. I put no confidence in them. You think yours good: the Queen [of Naples] thinks hers the same: I believe they are all alike. Whatever information you can get me, I shall be very thank- ful for; but not a Frenchman comes here. Forgive me; but my mother hated the French."

This letter to the officer watching Cadiz and a French ship there, though not printed for the first time, is yet worth quoting, as showing the caution which balanced the chivalrous and daring valour of Nelson, and as a specimen of his mode of giving orders.

" 26th September 1803.

" The occurrences which pass every day in Spainforebode, I fancy, a speedy war with England; therefore it -becomes proper for me to put you upon your guard, and advise you how to act under particular circumstances. By looking at the former line of conduct on the part of Spain, which she followed just before the commencement of the last war, we may naturally expect the samee vents to happen. The French Admiral Biehery was in Cadiz' blocked up by Admiral Man; on the 22d August they came to sea, attended by the Spanish fleet, which saw the French safe beyond St. Vincent, and returned into Cadiz. Admiral Man, very properly, did not choose to attack Admiral Richery under such an escort. This is a prelude to what I must request your strict attention to; at the same time, I am fully aware that you must be guided in some measure by actual circumstances.

" I think it very probable, even before Spain breaks with us, that they may send a ship or two of the line to see L'Aigle round Cape St. Vincent; and that if you attack her in their presence, they may attack yoa; and giving them possession of the Donegal, would be more than either yon or I should wish: therefore I sin cer- tain it must be very comfortable for you to know my sentiments. From what you bear in Cadiz, you will judge how far you may venture yourself in company witk a Spanish squadron; but if you are of opinion that you may trust yourself near them, keeping certainly out of gunshot, send your boat with a letter to the Spanish Commodore, and desire to know whether he means to defend the French shippss• and get his answer in writing, and have it as plain as possible. If it be ' yes, that he will fire at you if you attack the French under his protection' then, if you have force enough, make your attack on the whole body, and take them all if you can; for I should consider such an answer as a perfect declaration of war. If you are too weak for such an attack, you must desist; but you certainly are fully authorized to take the ships of Spain whenever you meet them. Should the answer be ambiguous, you must then act as your judgment may direct you; and I am sure that will be very proper. Only recollect, that it would be much Letter to let the French ships escape than to run too great a risk of losing the Donegal, yourself, and ship's company."

The only parts of the editing of this volume which call for remark relate to the strictly business letters, and to the Hamilton correspond- ence. A selection of the former only is published, and perhaps this is pushed a shade too far. They are analogous to mere office letters, and their publication is only desirable when they contain some strong trait of character. On the letters to Lady Hamilton Sir Harris himself remarks— "No part of the editor's task was so difficult as to decide upon the course which he ought to follow with respect to the letters to Lady Hamilton. It was his original intention to omit those letters altogether; but this was found inexpedient, because, after the separation from Lady Nelson, they describe Nelson's private feelings more fully and more naturally than any of his other letters. It was, how• ever, impossible to reprint those letters exactly as they occur, on account of some personal and other objectionable allusions in them; and still more, because it would not have been proper, under any circumstances, to republish coarse and offensive expressions, without being sure that they exist in the originals. He has therefore printed every part of the letters in question except paragraphs or entire letters of that description, and except those terms of endearment and affec- tion which that person ought not to have called forth."

It appears that two more volumes will be necessary to complete the work ; which in its progress forms one of the most striking circum- stances in literary history. Sir Harris states that in April 1844 he had not a single manuscript letter in his possession, and thought his labours might extend to three or four volumes : the collection now amounts to seven volumes; a remarkable proof of the industry of the editor, the care with which the relics of Nelson were preserved, and the liberal zeal of their possessors.