ever I can do, you may command me. When you see Commissioner Kirke, remember me kindly to him and his family. I feel much obliged by their kind inquiries. To the family of the Bradleys say every [thing] for me. How you surprised me about poor Mrs. Arbuthnot; that family has turned her brain. Farewell, my dear friend, and rest assured with what sincere regard and esteem, I am, your much obliged Friend and Servant, HORATIO NELSON. TO MRS. NISBET. From Clarke and M'Arthur's "Life of Lord Nelson, vol. i. p. 79. [This Letter is the first of the series of Letters addressed by Nelson to the Lady who became his wife, (vide p. 217, post.) which are printed in Clarke and M‘Arthur's Life of Lord Nelson, who state that they received the Letters written before Mrs. Nelson's marriage from Mrs. Rose, her relation. They are now reprinted from that Work, every effort to obtain access to the Originals having failed.] Boreas, English Harbour, 11th September, 1785. Indeed, my dear Fanny, I had buoyed myself up with hopes that the Admiral's Schooner would have given me a line from you but the tidings she brought of the release of poor Mrs. Herbert, from this world, sufficiently apologize for your not thinking of an absentee. Yet this believe from my heart, that I partake in all the sorrows you experience; and I comfort myself, that however great your grief at this moment may be, at losing a person who was so deservedly dear to you, as your good Aunt; yet, when reason takes place, you must rather have pleasure in knowing she is released from those torments she had undergone for months past. Time ever has, and in the present instance I trust may have, a tendency to soften grief into a pleasing remembrance; and her unspotted character must afford you real comfort. Call Religion to your aid; and it will convince you, that her conduct in this world was such as insures everlasting happiness in that which is to come. I have received a letter from Mr. Herbert, in answer to ⚫ Her Aunt, apparently the wife of the President of Nevis. that which I left at Nevis for him. My greatest wish is to be united to you; and the foundation of all conjugal happiness real love and esteem, is, I trust, what you believe I possess in the strongest degree towards you. I think Mr. Herbert loves you too well, not to let you marry the man of your choice, although he may not be so rich as some others, provided his character and situation in life render such an union eligible. I declare solemnly, that did I not conceive I had the full possession of your heart, no consideration should make me accept your hand. We know that riches do not always insure happiness; and the world is convinced that I am superior to pecuniary considerations in my public and private life; as in both instances I might have been rich. But I will have done, leaving all my present feelings to operate in your breast:only of this truth be convinced, that I am, your affectionate, HORATIO NELSON. P. S. Do I ask too much, when I venture to hope for a line? or otherwise I may suppose my letters may be looked on as troublesome. TO WILLIAM SUCKLING, ESQ. [This and the other Letters to Mr. Suckling were printed in “the Athenæum,” in October and November 1834, Nos. 363-369, and are inserted with the obliging permission of Charles Wentworth Dilke, Esq. Mr. Suckling, as has been already observed, was a brother of Nelson's mother and of Captain Maurice Suckling, with whom he first went to Sea.] My dear Sir, Boreas, English Harbour, September 25th, 1785. Your kind letter of the 2nd of August I received upon the arrival of the Packet, and am much obliged for the intelligence it contains. I have not heard from Kingsmill that he is going to India: was he, I should have great pleasure in serving with him, for a more liberal man does not exist. Messrs. Marsh and Creed are my Agents, and I have said to them that you would give to them every information which lies in your power. What I wish them to know, and to be able to prove, is, that the Brig Hercules, who, by her Regis ter, was a Schooner, taken as a prize in the War, was the Brig Neptune, and must have arrived in the Thames in the spring of 1783. Several Depositions go to this purpose by people who sailed in her, therefore we have only to prove the Register false, and the Appeal must fall to the ground, let her now belong to whom she will. In your letter you say 'our Solicitor does not doubt our right of seizing the Ships, but wonders you would not take out a deputation from the Board of Customs, which would have left you independent of the Officers in this Country.' I must answer this question by asking another. Why should a Captain of the Navy, who is ordered by Acts of Parliament to take care that all Vessels which trade in the British Colonies are British built, or prizes taken from the Enemy, and that the owners are subjects of the King, and resident in his Dominions, &c. &c., do as a Deputy, what he is ordered to do personally, and has that right vested in him by Law? In some instances, 1 believe, a Captain of a Man-of-War cannot seize, only detain: for instance, a Ship arrives from England; upon examining her Papers I find everything regular and clear, but a man belonging to her says several tons of goods on board the Ship have not cleared from the Customs in England; this is a matter which perhaps none but Officers deputed by the Customs could actually take cognizance of. I could only detain the Vessel, and send information to the Customs. In the latter case, and making seizures on shore, which I think a Captain of a Man-of-War cannot do [illegible] if a Deputation is necessary I am ready to receive it. [illegible.] I shall then play the devil I am sure, particularly [illegible] where vast quantities of French sugars [illegible] put on board English Ships. The Packet's stay here is so very short, that it is hardly possible to say much, but this I must tell you, that this Packet has brought a letter from Lord Sydney, signifying his Majesty's approbation of my conduct, and orders for the Crown Lawyers to defend me at his expense from all Civil prosecutions, and in case of unfavourable decree, advising me to Appeal. When Ministers support Officers, they will ever find alert and good ones. Bless you, my dear Sir, and believe I am, With sincere affection, Your dutiful Nephew, Suckling is well, but home he must come in the Ship. Every Captain is so crowded with younkers that we cannot ask each other. A letter of yours, dated December 1784, I have this moment received, via New York. Best compliments to Mrs. Suckling, the Lieutenant, and the remainder of your good family, likewise to all my village acquaintance. You may make use of my name for a Deputation, as it may some time or other prevent some dispute with Officers of the Cus toms. TO THE REVEREND MR. NELSON, BURNHAM. [Autograph, in the Nelson Papers.] My dear Brother, Boreas, English Harbour, September 25th, 1785. I am not certain that I answered your last letter, but you see my readiness to write by every oppportunity, although I have not yet received your letters by the August Packet, which has not yet arrived at this Island, and when she comes, you know that the distance from English Harbour to St. John's, deprives us, without we are very alert, of the opportunity of answering the letters we receive by her. You are the most exact correspondent I ever knew. But come, we must yet to ourselves. 8 The Boreas has been hove down, and is now fitting for Sea, to sail the 10th of October. We are all well, and every person here desires their kind remembrances to you. Rosy -your Rose-is very unwell, and is obliged to apply to an Irish physician to cure her disorder, which is what the world calls Love. A bold Major Browne of the 67th regiment is the man, and the Admiral sails on Tuesday in the Latona, to join them together. God help the poor man : has he taken leave of his senses? Oh what a taste. The mother will be in a few years the handsomest of the two. The old Admiral is quite elated upon the occasion. We are not upon the strictest intimacy, but his time will soon be out for this country as well as ours. 7 Vide p.108 ante. Rose-Mary, youngest daughter of Sir Richard Hughes, married Major John Browne, of the 67th Regiment: he appears to have quitted the Army in 1789 or 1790. Summer, 1787, will, I venture to think, land me in England. Although nothing to look back to, yet an age to look forward to: therefore neither you nor myself can tell what we shall do at that period. You may be married, or, it is not impossible, I may, or ten thousand other things may happen. If we are in statu quo, I accept your kind offer with many thanks, and shall certainly not forget your commissions. I have received my Father's letter by this Packet, and hope by this time he is fixed at Bath. Everybody here desires to be kindly remembered. We are all the same as you left us. Bless you, and rest assured I am, your affectionate Brother, HORATIO NELSON. Remember me to all who inquire after me. In reading over the letter, I find that I have not mentioned that Lady and Miss Hughes are at Barbadoes. Tell our Father I will write him by a Ship in a week or two. TO CAPTAIN COLLINGWOOD. [Autograph in the possession of the Honourable Mrs. Newnham Collingwood, the only surviving daughter of Vice-Admiral Lord Collingwood.] Boreas, English Harbour, September 28th, 1785. My dear Coll., Although really I am half dead, yet I will not suffer Latona to sail without answering my good Friend's letter, were it only to show, that whatever Civil prosecutions may be carried on against Officers in the execution of their duty, Ministers will afford them the protection they stand in need of. It is a great consolation to Officers who mean to serve their Country faithfully. Wilfred1 left me a letter to send by Sandys to Barbadoes, [which] he had better have kept, as I find he has gone there. I have had letters from Mr. Suckling, who belongs to the Custom House. He is a person who has been in that Office since a boy, and is consulted in all doubtful cases relative to that Board. His letter is as follows: I am sorry the conduct of some people where you are stationed should compel you to exercise that authority, which the Legislative power has so wisely reposed with the Navy for 'Captain Wilfred Collingwood. |