Memoirs of Emma, lady Hamilton, the friend of Lord Nelson and the court of Naples; (25 page)

\ EMMA, LADY HAMILTON

to welcome " the remains of Horatio " ? And now, in this universal moment, she had both part and lot. Was it wonderful that, throbbing in every vein, she swooned to the ground and bruised her side with Nelson's letter in her hand? We have only to read the series of her correspondence at this date with Nelson, to realise her intoxication of rapture.

But there was more than this. It often happens that when glowing and inflammable natures, such as hers and Nelson's, have dreamed united visions, the mere fulfilment links them irrevocably together. Mutual hope and mutual faith refuse to be sundered. The hero creates his heroine, the heroine worships her maker, who has transformed her in her own eyes as well as his. It is the old romance of Pygmalion and Galatea. He places her on a pedestal and in a shrine. Henceforth for Nelson, however misguided in outward " fact," Emma stands out adorable as Britannia. " She and the French fleet" are his all in all. His ecstasies in her honour spring from his firm conviction that but for her that mighty blow might never have been struck, nor Buonaparte crushed. Emma, for him, is England. He returns to her crowned not with " cypress," but laurels ever green. And she has plucked some of them for his wreath. He acknowledges that his was the first approach. As he wrote to her not three years later in a passage now first brought to light, " I want not to conquer any heart, if that which I have conquered is happy in its lot: I am confident, for the Conqueror is become the Conquered."

And once more, with regard to Emma herself. She had never yet been free in her affections. Her devotion to Greville, her attachment to her husband, had grown up out of loyal gratitude, not from spontaneous choice, and the contrast first presented itself to her, not as an untutored girl, but as a skilled woman of the

world. Sir William was now sixty-eight, Nelson just on forty—" I'age critique," as the French term it. She firmly believed that she had helped his heroism to triumph; he as firmly, that his battle had been half won through her aid. Both were susceptible. Both despised the crowd from which in character and circumstances they stood apart. Emma's morality had been largely one of discretion. Nelson's was one of religion. If Nelson came to persuade himself that she was born to be his wife in the sight of God—and all his after expressions to her prove it—it would not be strange if such a woman, still beautiful, in a sybarite atmosphere where she was held up as a paragon, should throw discretion to the winds of chance. It was after some such manner that these problems of heart and temperament were already shaping themselves.

Consult the first among those jubilant letters, a few excerpts from which have been quoted in the second chapter. They eclipse the very transports of the Queen, " mad with joy," and hysterically embracing all around her, whose own letter of that memorable Monday evening fully bears out Emma's account in these outpourings. She would rather have been a " powder-monkey in that great Victory than an Emperor out of it." Her self-elation is all for Nelson. Posterity ought to worship the deliverer in every form and under every title. His statue should be " of pure gold." Her song is " See the Conquering Hero Comes," her strain is " Rule Britannia." Her gifts of voice and rhapsody are dedicated to these. For these she hymns the general joy, while the illuminations of her windows reflect the glow of her bosom. Nelson, Britain in cxcelsis, down with the execrable Jacobins, a fig for foreign dictation—these are her refrains. Even her " shawl is in blue with gold anchors all over "; her " earrings all Nelson anchors"; she wears a bandeau

round her forehead with the words " Nelson and Victory." Her " head will not permit " her to tell " half of the rejoicing." " The Neapolitans are- mad, and if he was here now he would be killed with kindness." How can she " begin " to her " dear, dear Sir " ? Since the Monday when the tidings had been specially conveyed to her, she has been " delirious with joy " and has " a fever caused by agitation and pleasure." She fell fainting and hurt herself at the news. " God, what a Victory! Never, never has there been anything half so glorious, so complete." She would " feel it a glory to die in such a cause." " No, I would not like to die till I see and embrace the Victor of the Nile." The care of the navy now engrosses her. There is nothing she will not do for any fellow-worker with the prince of men. Captain Hoste, her guest from September I, never forgot her tender kindness. She begged and procured from Lord St. Vincent Captain Bowen's promotion to the command of L'Aquilon. Directly Nelson had cut short his brief stay of convalescence almost before the plaudits had died away, she sat down to write to the hero's wife, as she was to do again later in December. She tells her how Nelson is adored by King and Queen and people, "as if he had been their brother"; how delighted they are with the stepson. She sends her Miss Knight's " ode." She enumerates with pride the royal presents; the sultan's aigrette and pelisse, which she " tastes" and " touches." She resents the inadequacy of his Government's acknowledgment—" Hang them, / say!"

Both she and Hamilton were soon, in Nelson's words to his wife, " seriously ill, first from anxiety and then from joy."

But now she is " preparing his apartments against he comes." On September 22 the Vanguard anchored in the bay, and he came.

The King and Queen had prepared a gorgeous ovation. It was midsummer weather, and a cloudless sky. No sooner was Nelson's small contingent descried off the rock of Tiberius at Capri, than the royal yacht, commanded by Caracciolo, draped with emblems and covered with spangled awnings, advanced three leagues out to meet him. On deck the music of Paisiello and of Cimarosa—at last pardoned for composing a republican ode—resounded over the glassy waters, while a whole " serenata" of smaller craft followed in its wake and swelled the chorus. All the flower of the court, including the Hamiltons, was on board, where stood the King and the melancholy bride of the heir-apparent, Princess Clementina. The Queen, herself unwell, stayed at home and sent her grateful homage through Emma. As the procession started from the quay, citizen Garat, foiled and sullen, mewed in his palace with drawn blinds, caught from afar the strains of triumph, and vowed revenge.

As the cortege neared the Vanguard, both the Hamiltons, worn with fatigue and excitement, and the royal party, greeted him. The picture of their meeting is familiar. It has been painted in Nelson's own words to his wife:—"Alongside came my honoured friends: the scene in the boat was terribly affecting. Up flew her Ladyship, and exclaiming, ' O God! Is it possible ? ' she fell into my arm more dead than alive. Tears, however, soon set matters to rights; when alongside came the King. The scene was in its way as interesting. He took me by the hand, calling me his ' Deliverer and Preserver,' with every other expression of kindness. In short, all Naples calls me ' Nostro Liberatore." My greeting from the lower classes was truly affecting. I hope some day to have the pleasure of introducing you to Lady Hamilton; she is one of the very best women in this world, she is an honour

to her sex. Her kindness, with Sir William's to me, is more than I can express. I am in their house, and I may now tell you it required all the kindness of my friends to set me up. Lady Hamilton intends writing to you. God bless you ! "

Little did Nelson yet reck of the ironies of the future. In this very letter he uses the warmest expressions about his wife that had as yet appeared in any of his letters. Had he pursued his first intention of proceeding from Egypt to Syracuse, how much, besides Naples, might have been avoided! Was he even now face to face with a passionate conflict ?

During the twenty-three days that Nelson remained ashore, much happened besides rejoicing, and much had to be done. Not only did Nelson's wound (like his battered ships) require instant attention, but, as constantly happened with him, the protracted strain of nervous effort was followed by a severe fever. Lady Hamilton and her mother tended him; a brief visit with the Hamiltons to Castellamare, where Troubridge was refitting the maimed vessels, and a diet of " asses' milk " did much to mend his general health. Nor was it to him alone that Emma, herself ailing, ministered. Sir William was exhausted. The Queen was ill and miserable under the troubles gathering both at Malta and in the council-chamber; Captain Ball also needed her care, which he requited with an enthusiastic letter of thanks to " the best friend and patroness of the British Navy "; Troubridge, too, was far from well at Castellamare; many were in hospital. But Lady Hamilton owned the strength of highly-strung natures — the strength of spurts; and she found time and energy for all her tasks.

These good offices are here mentioned, among many more remaining for subsequent mention, because, in the

future, after the fatal dividing line of her triumphal progress to Vienna with the Queen, her husband, and Nelson, they were all forgotten. She was to estrange some of her old admirers, who inveighed against her behind her back not only as ill-bred, but as artful. Beckford, for instance, who had hitherto praised her highly, became unkindly critical on her second visit to Fonthill in 1801; Miss Knight, her firm ally at this moment, turned the reverse of friendly. Troubridge (the baker's son, beloved and promoted by Nelson), who throughout had supported her, grew obstinate in antagonism both to her and him; while the seemly Elliots were shocked at her loudness and scorn of convenances. Even the Queen's ardour cooled; and the English official world began to look askance at the trio, and to make merry over Samson and Delilah.

Nelson's birthday gave full scope for a colossal demonstration at the English Embassy. Emma's huge assembly, where royalty and all the cream of society presided, was hardly an enjoyment for the worn conqueror. A " rostral column " of the classical pattern, with inscriptions celebrating his achievements, had been erected in the gay garden festooned with lamps, and alive with music. The artistic Miss Cornelia Knight (with her mother, a refugee from the terrors of war at Rome) added one more ode to the foreign thousands, and made a sketch of the scene. The festivity was chequered by Josiah Nisbet, Nelson's scapegrace but petted stepson, who brawled with him in his cups, until Troubridge parted them, and ended the indecent scuffle. That this arose from his habits, and not of design, is shown by Emma's affectionate references to him in her letter to his mother only four days afterwards.

Nelson was dispirited, and disgusted not only with the " fiddlers " and loose dames of the court, but with

its finicking petit mditre, Gallo, the foreign minister, all airs and pouncet; so afraid lest the wind should step between him and his nobility, that, solemn over trifles, he persistently dallied with the grave issues now at stake. The halting Acton himself proved energetic mainly in professions, though by the end of October Emma had won him also to their side. Not only had the " Grand Knights " of Malta, Hompesch the master, and Wittig, shown the white feather at Valetta, and left the French practically masters of the field, but in the Romagna and in Tuscany the enemy was daily gaining ground. Moreover, while the Queen was reassured as to the goodwill of the middle class and the Laz-zaroni, she now realised, as may be gathered from her letters, that the various factions of the nobles were —from separate motives—a nest of perfidy. Her husband trounced her as the cause of his woes, and despite his enthusiasm for the " hero," he remained in the Anglophobe party's clutches. The delaying Gallo was averse to open hostilities until Austria had engaged in offensive alliance, for the compact (which had been signed in July) only promised Austrian aid in the event of Naples itself being attacked. Russia had declared, the Porte was on the verge of declaring, war against the French Republic. The preceding May had seen yet another treaty between both these powers and Naples, binding the latter to furnish twelve ships and four hundred men for the coalition. Yet the Emperor, son-in-law to the Neapolitan Bourbons, still waited, and on him the King of Naples waited also, much more concerned with the impending birth of a grandchild who might inherit the throne, than with the portents of affairs. His disposition shunned reality, notwithstanding the fact, however, that he had sanctioned the summons of General Mack from Vienna to command his forces. And, added to all these manifold preoccupa-

tions, Lady Spencer, who had acclaimed Nelson's triumph with " Hurrah, hurrah, hurrah," the wife of the first Lord of the British Admiralty, was now at Naples, and constantly with the Hamiltons and Nelson.

From late September to early October Nelson and Emma were in frequent conference. The French had been attempting in Ireland what they had succeeded in doing at Naples: their complots with rebellion threatened all that was established.

He divined the situation in its European bearings at a glance. She knew every twist and turn of the Neapolitan road, with all its buffoons, adventurers, and highwaymen; the tact of quick experience was hers. He, the masculine genius, created. She, the feminine, was receptive, interpretative. And, whatever may be urged or moralised, the human fact remains that she was a woman after his own heart, and he a man after hers. He was the first unselfish man who had as yet been closely drawn towards her. However unlike in upbringing, in environment, in standing—above all, in things of the spirit, in passionate energy, in courage, in romance, in " sensibility " and enthusiasm they were affinities.

The result of these consultations is shown by the long draft of a letter outlining a policy, which Nelson drew up as a lever for Emma herself to force the court into decision, and which formed the basis of a shorter letter that has been published. He emphasised " the anxiety which you and Sir William have always had for the happiness and welfare of their Sicilian Majesties." He pointed out that the mass of the Neapolitans were loyally eager to try conclusions with France; that Naples was her natural "plunder," but that the ministers were " lulled into a false security," and a prey " to the worst of all policies, that of procrastination." He dwelt on Carat's insolence, and