The Letters of Lord Nelson to Lady Hamilton Volume I Part 8

Dr. Baird has been aboard, to see me. He thinks, I shall be better; and, that a few days on sh.o.r.e will set me up again.

Make my kind remembrances to Sir William, the Duke, and all friends; and believe me, ever, your most affectionate

NELSON & BRONTE.

Bedford has made me laugh. Mrs. Lutwidge has been babbling, that she will go to Portsmouth with the Admiral; who says, he shall be so fully employed that he cannot be much with her. She whispered Bedford--"I have many friends in the army there!"

She will certainly marry a soldier, if ever she is disposable. But, perhaps, you will agree with me, that no good soldier would take her.

I am sure, the purchase would be dear, even if it was a _gift_. Don't call this a bull.

Sutton's man was on the farm; and the sheep, when not belonging to the farm, always paid so much sheep, so much lambs: but, I dare say, you manage well.

Sir William's letter has delighted me, with your activity and prudence.

LETTER XXV.

The two letters would have been over-weight, so I send you the letter I have answered. Pray, take care of it, it is a curiosity!

Ever your faithful

NELSON & BRONTE.

Amazon, 2 P.M.

Yawkins is in great distress: his cutter paid off; and he, like many others, very little to live upon. He begs his best respects to Sir William. He breakfasted here this morning.

Many very long faces at peace!

LETTER XXVI.

MY DEAREST FRIEND,

Hardy begs you will send the inclosed to Naples.

I wish Tyson would come home; for many are pulling at him, and I want to pay him. I will not be in his debt forty-eight hours after his arrival.

Hardy is just anch.o.r.ed, and his commodore gone on sh.o.r.e.

Ever your most faithful

NELSON & BRONTE.

Mrs. Nelson had better direct her letters to me, unless I am on the spot. You see, you paid postage, and it lays me open to their Post Office conversation.

LETTER XXVII.

Amazon, October 19th, 1801.

MY DEAREST FRIEND,

What a gale we have had! But Admiral Lutwidge's boat came off; and, as your letter was wrote, it got on sh.o.r.e: at least, I hope so; for the boat seemed absolutely swallowed up in the sea. None of our boats could have kept above water a moment; therefore, I could not answer all the truly friendly things you told me in your letters, for they were not opened before the boat was gone.

I am sure, you did well to send Mrs. Lutwidge a gown, and she loves you very much, but there is no accounting for taste. She admires entirely red coats; you, true blue.

They dine with Billy Pitt, to-day; or, rather, with Mr. Long; for Pitt does not keep house, in appearance, although he asked me to come and see him: and that I shall do, out of respect to a great man, although he never did any thing for me or my relations. I a.s.sure you, my dear friend, that I had rather read and hear all your little story of a white hen getting into a tree, an anecdote of Fatima, or hear you call--"Cupidy! Cupidy!" than any speech I shall hear in parliament: because I know, although you can adapt your language and manners to a child, yet that you can also thunder forth such a torrent of eloquence, that corruption and infamy would sink before your voice, in however _exalted_ a situation it might be placed.

Poor Oliver! what can be the matter with him?

I must leave my cot here, till my discharge, when it shall come to the farm, as cots are the best things in the world for our sea friends.

Why not have the pictures from Davison's, and those from Dodd's; especially, my father's, and Davison's?

_A-propos_! Sir William has not sat, I fear, to Beechey. I want a half-length, the size of my father's and Davison's.

I wonder your pictures are not come from Hamburg! You have not lost the directions for unfolding them; nor the measure, that I may have frames made for them? For, up they shall go, as soon as they arrive.

What, have your picture, and not hang it up? _No_; I will submit, in the farm, to every order but _that_.

The weather, to-day, is tolerable; but, I do not think I could well get on sh.o.r.e: but Thursday, I hope, will be a fine day.

I shall call on Mr. Pitt, make my visit at the Hospital, and get off very early on Friday morning.

My cold is still very troublesome, I cannot get my bowels in order. In the night I had not a little fever.

But, never mind; the Admiralty will not always be there. Every one has their day.

G.o.d bless you, my dear friend; and believe me, ever, your's most faithfully,

NELSON & BRONTE.

Write on Wednesday.

Your letters of yesterday are received. Reverend Doctor would like to be a Bishop.

I have sent poor Thomson's letter, and the distressed Mrs. ----, to the Earl. Kindest regards to Sir William.