The Life of Horatio Lord Nelson

Life of Horatio Lord Nelson, by
Robert Southey

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Title: The Life of Horatio Lord Nelson
Author: Robert Southey
Release Date: February 5, 2006 [EBook #947]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ASCII
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Produced by John Hill and David Widger

THE LIFE
OF
HORATIO LORD NELSON

BY ROBERT SOUTHEY (1774-1843)
TO JOHN WILSON CROKER ESQ., LL.D., F.R.S., SECRETARY
OF THE ADMIRALTY; WHO, BY THE OFFICIAL SITUATION
WHICH HE SO ABLY FILLS, IS QUALIFIED TO APPRECIATE
ITS HISTORICAL ACCURACY; AND WHO, AS A MEMBER OF
THE REPUBLIC OF LETTERS, IS EQUALLY QUALIFIED TO
DECIDE UPON ITS LITERARY MERITS, THIS WORK IS
RESPECTFULLY INSCRIBED BY HIS FRIEND, THE AUTHOR

Many Lives of Nelson have been written; one is yet wanting, clear and
concise enough to become a manual for the young sailor, which he may
carry about with him till he has treasured it up for example in his
memory and in his heart. In attempting such a work I shall write the
eulogy of our great national hero, for the best eulogy of NELSON is the
faithful history of his actions, and the best history must be that which
shall relate them most perspicuously.
CHAPTER I
1758 - 1783
Nelson's Birth and Boyhood--He is entered on Board the
RAISONABLE--Goes to the West Indies in a Merchant-ship; then
serves in the TRIUMPH--He sails in Captain Phipps' Voyage of
Discovery--Goes to the East Indies in the SEAHORSE, and returns in
ill Health--Serves as acting Lieutenant in the WORCESTER, and is
made Lieutenant into the LOWESTOFFE, Commander into the
BADGER Brig, and Post into the HINCHINBROKE--Expedition
against the Spanish Main--Sent to the North Seas in the
ALBERMARLE--Services during the American War.
HORATIO, son of Edmund and Catherine Nelson, was born September
29, 1758, in the parsonage-house of Burnham Thorpe, a village in the
county of Norfolk, of which his father was rector. His mother was a

daughter of Dr. Suckling, prebendary of Westminster, whose
grandmother was sister of Sir Robert Walpole, and this child was
named after his godfather, the first Lord Walpole. Mrs. Nelson died in
1767, leaving eight out of eleven children. Her brother, Captain
Maurice Suckling, of the navy visited the widower upon this event, and
promised to take care of one of the boys. Three years afterwards, when
HORATIO was only twelve years of age, being at home during the
Christmas holidays, he read in the county newspaper that his uncle was
appointed to the RAISONNABLE, of sixty-four guns. "Do, William,"
said he to a brother who was a year and a half older than himself, "write
to my father, and tell him that I should like to go to sea with uncle
Maurice." Mr. Nelson was then at Bath, whither he had gone for the
recovery of his health: his circumstances were straitened, and he had no
prospect of ever seeing them bettered: he knew that it was the wish of
providing for himself by which Horatio was chiefly actuated, and did
not oppose his resolution; he understood also the boy's character, and
had always said, that in whatever station he might be placed, he would
climb if possible to the very top of the tree. Captain Suckling was
written to. "What," said he in his answer, "has poor Horatio done, who
is so weak, that he, above all the rest, should be sent to rough it out at
sea?--But let him come; and the first time we go into action, a
cannon-ball may knock off his head, and provide for him at once."
It is manifest from these words that Horatio was not the boy whom his
uncle would have chosen to bring up in his own profession. He was
never of a strong body; and the ague, which at that time was one of the
most common diseases in England, had greatly reduced his strength;
yet he had already given proofs of that resolute heart and nobleness of
mind which, during his whole career of labour and of glory, so
eminently distinguished him. When a mere child, he strayed
a-birds'-nesting from his grandmother's house in company with a
cowboy: the dinner-hour elapsed; he was absent, and could not be
found; and the alarm of the family became very great, for they
apprehended that he might have been carried off by gipsies. At length,
after search had been made for him in various directions, he was
discovered alone, sitting