The dispatches and letters of vice admiral ... Nelson, with notes by sir N.H. Nicolas

written to his brother, the Reverend William Nelson, a few days after he obtained his first Commission as a Lieutenant, wherein he says, "I am now left in the world. "to shift for myself, which I hope I shall do so as to bring "credit upon myself and my friends." The private Letters were chiefly addressed to his family, to his maternal uncle, Mr. Suckling, to Mrs. Nelson, before as well as after his marriage, to his friends Captain Locker, Mr. Ross, and Captain, afterwards Lord, Collingwood, and to His Royal Highness the Duke of Clarence. They relate to everything in which he was personally concerned, as well as to most matters, especially Naval, of passing interest, forming a complete narrative of that period of his life, affording much information on professional matters, and displaying in warm colours the goodness of his disposition, and the strong and steady affection which he ever bore to his family and friends. Every impression of his mind is stated with pleasing frankness; and his language, though unstudied, is generally clear, and nervous.

The Official Letters within the same period were addressed to the Admiralty, and to the Admirals under whose command he was placed, on subjects connected with his Ship, and the Squadron under his orders on the Leeward Islands Station, its discipline and arrangements; and on various disputes with the Admiralty. It is very remarkable that one of NELSON's public Letters should describe an attack on the Enemy in the West Indies by a small Squadron under his command, which, though the earliest of his exploits, is unnoticed by all his biographers.

The other Official Letters were addressed to the Secre

tary of State, pointing out the manner in which British Commerce was injured by the admission of Foreigners to trade in the Colonies, contrary to the Navigation Act, and to the prosecutions to which his efforts on the subject had exposed him, and which obliged him to present a Memorial to the King. Frauds upon Government in the West Indies to an enormous extent having been bronght to his notice, he communicated the discovery to the Prime Minister, the Master General of the Ordnance, the Comptroller of the Navy, and to the Heads of other Departments, in numerous Letters, all proving that he identified himself on every occasion, and at all periods of his life, with the true interests of his Country.

His Letters while on Half-pay, from 1788 to the commencement of 1793, show his earnest desire for employment; and his Correspondence in 1793 and 1794, which chiefly relates to his Action with a Squadron of French Frigates, to the operations at Toulon, and to the Sieges of Bastia and Calvi, in Corsica, form a complete vindication of his claims to consideration, by placing his zeal, gallantry, and talents, in the strongest light.

In all these Letters there appear the same devotion to the service of his King and Country, the same energy of character, and the same abilities, as were afterwards shown on a larger field, and on more important occasions.

Every Letter, whether official or private, is placed according to its exact date, so that the thoughts and duties which occupied his mind each day, and even at various times of the same day, may be traced; and these transitions are often extremely curious. This arrangement has a great advantage over any mere classification, not only

because the chains of thought and of events are alike unbroken, but the dry professional details of a Public Dispatch are often relieved by the more attractive contents of private and familiar communications.

In a few instances the Names of individuals have been suppressed, as their publication might be displeasing to their families, without any counterbalancing advantage; but it has not been thought right (except where conditions to that effect were imposed upon the Editor by those from whom he obtained the Letters) to omit any Name when it occurs in relation to Public affairs of importance; for NELSON'S opinions of the chief actors in the great events of his time, and of the events themselves, belong to History, and form the principal value of his Correspondence.

The Editor's NOTES do not contain a word more than is absolutely necessary to render the Letters understood, or to identify the persons mentioned. In some places the Text is illustrated by copies of, or extracts from, Letters addressed to NELSON; and particularly from his late Majesty King William the Fourth, Admiral Viscount Hood, and other eminent personages.

Where individuals are not identified, it is to be understood that accurate information respecting them could not be found; and the Editor will feel grateful for authenticated communications to supply the omissions, and for the correction of any error into which he may have fallen. Complete Indexes will be given in the last Volume of the Work.

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