Among the numerous interesting occurrences while Lord Nelson and his friends remained at Hamburgh, there are some which seem to merit particular notice, as highly illustrative of amiable characteristics both in our hero himself and the generality of the different persons to whom they also relate.

A venerable clergyman, apparently between seventy and eighty years of age, was perceived one morning by his lordship, with a large book under his arm, anxiously looking towards the door of his apartment, with the most expressive solicitude depicted in his countenance. His lordship, immediately, with his ever prompt kindness and humanity, desired Mr. Oliver to enquire what was the object of his wish. Having learned, that he was the pastor of a place forty miles distant, who had travelled thus far with his parochial bible, in the first leaf of which he wanted the immortal hero to inscribe his name, his lordship instantly admitted him into his presence; readily complied with his request; and then, taking him kindly by the hand, heartily wished the patriarchal and spiritual shepherd a safe return to his rural flock. The aged and pious minister suddenly dropped on his knee: fervently imploring Heaven to bless his lordship, for so generously condescending to indulge his wish; and solemnly declaring that he should now be happy till it pleased God to call him, when he would die contented, having thus done homage to, and obtained favour from, "the Saviour of the Christian World."

Another circumstance, of still greater singularity, occurred at Hamburgh, relative to a wine-merchant. This gentleman, who was likewise more than seventy years of age, and of a very respectable appearance, had requested to speak with Lady Hamilton. Her ladyship, accordingly, condescendingly admitted him to a private audience; when he informed her, through the medium of Mr. Oliver, who interpreted for both parties, that he had some excellent old Rhenish wine, of the vintage of 1625, and which had been in his own possession more than fifty years. This, he said, had been preserved for some very extraordinary occasion; and one had now arrived, far beyond any he could ever have expected. In short, he flattered himself that, by the kind recommendation of her ladyship, the great and glorious Lord Nelson might be prevailed onto accept six dozen bottles of this incomparable wine: part of which, he observed, would then have the honour to flow with the heart's blood of that immortal hero; a reflection which could not fail to render himself the most fortunate man in existence, during the remainder of his days. His lordship being informed of these curious particulars, immediately came into the apartment, and took the old gentleman kindly by the hand, but politely declined his present. He was, however, finally persuaded to accept of six bottles, on condition that the worthy wine-merchant should dine with him next day. This being readily agreed, a dozen bottles were sent; and his lordship, jocosely remarking that he yet hoped to have half a dozen more great victories, protested he would keep six bottles of his Hamburgh friend's wine, purposely to drink a bottle after each. This his lordship did not fail to remember, on coming home, after the battle of Copenhagen; when he "devoutly drank the donor." It is said, that this winemerchant, soon after Lord Nelson had first taken him by the hand, happening to meet with an old friend, who was about to salute him in a similar way, immediately declined the intended kindness, and said he could not suffer any person to touch the hand which had been so highly honoured by receiving that of Lord Nelson. Certain it is, that this man felt so overcome by his excessive sensibility, that he literally shed tears of joy during the whole time he was in our hero's presence.

At a grand public breakfast, given to Lord Nelson and his friends, by Baron Berteuil, formerly the French ambassador at the court of Naples, the celebrated General Dumourier was introduced to his lordship. Lord Nelson, notwithstanding his general aversion to Frenchmen, had a favourable opinion of this able and intelligent officer; and said to him, that he hoped they should both, in future, fight hand in hand for the good cause: adding, as there was then some prospect of General Dumourier's being employed in the British service, that there was no person, if we were to have joint operations by sea and land, with whom he would sooner act. The general was so overpowered by this generosity and grandeur of soul in our hero, that he could only articulate—"Great Nelson! brave Nelson! I am unable to speak. I cannot make any reply to your goodness!" His lordship, finding the circumstances of General Dumourier very humble, for a man of his merits, kindly sent him a weighty purse, next day, by Mr. Oliver, to whom the general feelingly expressed the utmost thankfulness.

While Lord Nelson remained at Hamburgh, he received, one morning, a very extraordinary visit. An Englishman, of gentlemanly address, called on his lordship, and requested to speak with him in private. Sir William Hamilton, conceiving the stranger's appearance to be suspicious, particularly as he held one hand under his coat, advised his lordship not to withdraw. Our hero replied that, though he had never before differed with Sir William in opinion, he must decidedly do so now. He felt conscious, be said, that he had done no ill; and, therefore, dreaded none. He then, with firmness, bade the stranger follow him into another apartment; who soon gave his lordship to understand, that he was no less a personage, than the famous Major Semple, of swindling notoriety. With a considerable degree of feeling, he detailed his miserable situation: an outcast from society; in the deepest distress; avoided, and despised, by every body. Lord Nelson protested, that he had not expected the honour of such a visit; but, nevertheless, returning to Sir William and Lady Hamilton, and mentioning who it was, kindly asked—"What shall we do for the poor devil?" They accordingly gave him, between them, a purse of twenty guineas: his lordship tenderly remarking, that he seemed a man of talents; who had, probably, from some first error of early life, unchecked by friendly advice or assistance, finally sunk into a state of, perhaps, irrecoverable ignominy.

His lordship, on arriving at Hamburgh, had written for a frigate, to convey him and his friends to England; but, as it was not sent, he hired a packet at Cuxhaven, which was sent up the river, as far as the villa of Mr. Power, about five miles from Hamburgh: where the party embarked; and, after a voyage of five days, in very stormy weather, arrived off Yarmouth, on Thursday the 6th of November.

A pilot immediately came out, on beholding them in the offing; but, awed by his sense of danger, and the consideration of who and what were on board, he was afraid to undertake getting the vessel in. Lord Nelson, who thought a seaman ought not to fear any thing, asked him if it were not his trade; and, immediately ordering him a glass of liquor, said it would inspirit him to take the ship over the bar, where the pilot had expressed his opinion there was by no means a sufficient depth of water. His lordship, however, was resolved that the experiment should be tried: and, accordingly, they got safely into the harbour; though not without a considerable degree of that horrible grating of the ship's bottom, while forcing it's way through the sands, which so often thrills those who navigate this perilous road. The weather being bad, his lordship and friends, on landing, went into a carriage; from which the shouting multitude, who had hailed his arrival, instantly detached the horses, and drew them to the Wrestlers Inn. All the ships in the harbour hoisted their colours, and every honour was paid to his lordship by Admiral Dickson, the then commander of the fleet. The Mayor and Corporation of Yarmouth immediately waited on his lordship with the freedom of the town; which, in consequence of his eminent services, had been previously voted. With the blundering fatality, however, that seldom fails to mark some member in almost every town-corporate, on any extraordinary occasion, when the usual oath was tendered to his lordship, who placed his left and only hand on the book, the officer who administered it incautiously exclaimed—"Your right hand, my lord!" His lordship, with a good-humoured smile, mildly reminded him that he had no right hand. The surrounding company, however, were less merciful; and not only indulged an immediate hearty laugh at his expence, but sarcastically fastened on him, for ever after, the unfortunate phrase—"Your right hand, my lord!" In the mean time, all the troops quartered in the town paraded before the inn, with their regimental band; paying every military honour to his lordship, and firing feux de joie. The corporation, after presenting Lord Nelson with the freedom, went in procession, with his lordship, to church; whither he was also attended by all the naval officers on shore, as well as the principal inhabitants, who joined his lordship in this public thanksgiving to the Almighty, on thus landing in his native country. At night, the whole town was illuminated, bonfires were kindled, and discharges of musketry and ordnance continued till midnight. On quitting the town, next day, the corps of Volunteer Cavalry, commanded by William Palgrave, Jun. Esq. now Collector of the Customs at the port of Yarmouth, and who had paid his lordship and friends the most polite attentions, unexpectedly drew up, saluted, and followed the carriage; not only to the town's end, but as far as the extreme boundary of the county of Norfolk: a mark of respect, which too sensibly impressed his lordship, ever to be forgotten; and, accordingly, he never afterwards went to Yarmouth, without making his first visit to Mr. Palgrave.

In Suffolk, his lordship was no less honoured than in his native county. The people of Ipswich came out to meet him, and dragged the carriage a mile into town; and, on his leaving it, drew it three miles out. When his lordship was Captain of the Agamemnon, he had felt desirous to be returned member for this town, and some leading men of the then corporation had been consulted by a friend. The terms, however, were such as could not be listened to; and his lordship, shrewdly observing that he would endeavour to find a preferable path into parliament—meaning, no doubt, that which so honourably conducted him into the House of Peers, instead of the House of Commons—wrote to his sister, Mrs. Bolton, that there might a time come, when the people of Ipswich would think it an honour for him to have ever represented them; a time which, most certainly, had now long since arrived.

At Colchester, in Essex, and every other place through which his lordship passed, he was received with similar demonstrations of joy, and experienced every respectful attention.

On Sunday, the 9th, his lordship arrived in London; and immediately proceeded to Nerot's Hotel, King Street, St. James's; where Lady Nelson, and his lordship's venerable father, who were just arrived from Norfolk, had taken up their residence. His lordship, who was dressed in a full uniform, with three stars on his breast, and two gold medals, was welcomed by repeated huzzas from a prodigious crowd, who had followed the carriage from the moment they knew who was arrived. These affectionate testimonies of public regard, were most courteously returned by his lordship, who bowed continually to the enraptured multitude. Every eye beamed with pleasure to behold him; every heart exulted in the possession of such a hero; every tongue implored blessings from Heaven on the honoured protector of his country. If these were the obvious feelings of those who could boast no nearer affinity than that of being the fellow-subjects of this exalted man, what was not to be expected from such as were closely allied to him by the ties of blood: the father, from whom he derived his existence; the wife, whom he had so disinterestedly selected from society, to participate in all his earthly honours and enjoyments? That his worthy father did, indeed, receive him with a heart which overflowed with paternal love, is not to be doubted: to the Christian and the father, however, was he indebted for the ardent and sincere embrace; while the tear of rapture was blended with that of regret, drawn by imputations of apprehended private guilt dreadfully detracting from the honourable list of his son's known public virtues. The duteous hero, unconscious of crime, happily perceived not, in his beloved father, any symptoms of suspicion. At the obvious coldness of her ladyship, however, the warmth of his affectionate heart felt a petrifying chill, which froze for ever the genial current of supreme regard that had hitherto flowed with purity through the inmost recesses of his soul. This is a topic which must, for evident reasons, be touched with a tender hand. Woe to the woman who, wedded to a man with superlative merits, whatever they may be, which are acknowledged and admired by all the world, feels alone insensible of her husband's transcendent worth! Where there is genius, the warmth of affection is seldom wanting; if it be not returned with ardour, it kindles into a fierce and dangerous flame. Lady Nelson's ideas were so little congenial with those of his lordship, that she is said never to have asked him a single question relative to that glorious victory which had so astonished the world. On the contrary, all the scandalous insinuations, and licentious remarks, with which the Jacobinical foreign journalists had filled their pestiferous pages, relative to our hero and his friends in Italy, and which had found their way into the most thoughtless and depraved of our own newspapers, were preserved for his lordship's immediate amusement. Without introducing the reader behind the sacred veil of the connubial curtain, let it suffice to say, that Lord Nelson rose at an early hour, and went to visit Sir William and Lady Hamilton; where, at least, he was always sure to behold the actual existence of conjugal happiness. He related, in a few words, the nature of his situation; and assured Sir William that, such was his misery, it would be mercy to dispatch him. These amiable friends did all they could to tranquilize his perturbed spirits; and their soothing consolations succeeded, at length, in calming the tempest by which his feeling bosom was so cruelly agitated. A temporary reconciliation was soon effected; the contrariety of sentiment, however, between the parties, gave but little hope of it's ever proving permanent. In the mean time, as the 9th of November happened this year to be Sunday, the Lord-Mayor's day, in London, was kept on Monday the 10th; and Lord Nelson, being particularly invited to the civic festivity, joined the procession in it's return. His lordship was accompanied by his inseparable friend, Sir William Hamilton; it having been long mutually agreed, between them, that they would never visit any place where both were not equally welcome. The carriage had no sooner reached the top of Ludgate Hill, than the citizens took out the horses, and drew him to Guildhall; the ladies, from the windows, all the way round St. Paul's Church-yard, along Cheapside, and down King Street, waving their handkerchiefs as the hero passed, and using every other expression of admiration and applause. After a most sumptuous dinner, to which the company sat down at six o'clock, had been succeeded by the usual toasts, a very elegant sword, richly ornamented—the handle being of solid gold, covered with blue enamel, and studded with diamonds, the guard supported by anchors, with the figure of a crocodile, as emblematical of the battle off the Nile—and which had been voted, as formerly mentioned, immediately after receiving information of that glorioas victory, was presented to his lordship by Richard Clarke, Esq. Chamberlain of the City of London; who, at the same time, delivered the following address.

"LORD NELSON!

"In chearful obedience to a unanimous resolution of the right honourable the lord-mayor, aldermen, and commons, of the city of London, in common-council assembled, I present your lordship with the thanks of the court, for the very important victory obtained by a squadron of his majesty's ships under your command, over a superior French fleet, off the mouth of the Nile, on the 1st of August 1798: a victory, splendid and decisive; unexampled in naval history; and reflecting the highest honour on the courage and abilities of your lordship, and your officers, and the discipline and irresistible bravery of British seamen; and which must be productive of the greatest advantages to this country, and to every part of the civilized world, by tending to frustrate the designs of our implacable enemy, and by rouzing other nations to unite and resist their unprincipled ambition.

"As a farther testimony of the high esteem which the court entertains of your lordship's public services, and of the eminent advantages which you have rendered your country, I have the honour to present your lordship this sword.

"The consequences of the action I am thus called upon to applaud, are perhaps unequalled in the history of mankind. A numerous army, which had triumphed in Europe over brave and veteran troops, commanded by officers of the most established reputation, landed in Egypt, under the command of him who now sways the Gallic sceptre, with designs of the most ambitious and extensive nature. One of their objects, as acknowledged by themselves, was to annihilate, by degrees, the English East-India trade; and, finally, to get into their possession the whole commerce of Africa and Asia. Such were the gigantic views of our implacable foe; and such confidence had they in the fleet which conveyed them, and in the station which it took on the coast of the devoted country, that it bade defiance to the whole navy of Britain: but, at this momentous period, the Almighty directed your lordship, as his chosen instrument, to check their pride, and crush their force as a maritime power during the present contest. The circumstances attending this grand display of providential interposition and British prowess, must interest the feelings of every Englishman. Had a space been chosen, to exhibit to the world a struggle for superiority in nautical skill, and personal valour, between the two greatest naval powers of the globe, none could have been more happily selected. The three grand divisions of the ancient world were witnesses; and the shores which had beheld the destruction of the Persian navy by the Greeks, and the heroic acts of Sesostris, now resounded with the echo of British thunder. To your lordship belongs the praise of having added glory to such a scene: the heroes we applaud, would themselves have applauded us; and he who, ages since, led his three hundred against an almost countless host, might on that proud day have wished himself a Briton.

"The thanks of your country, my lord, attend you; it's honours await you: but, a higher praise than even these imply, is your's—In the moment of unexampled victory, you saved your country: in the next moment, you did still more—you exemplified that virtue which the heathen world could not emulate; and, in the pious—"Non nobis Domine!" of your modest dispatches, you have enforced a most important truth—that the most independant conqueror felt, in the most intoxicating point of time, the influence and protection of Him whom our enemies, to their shame and ruin, had foolishly and impiously defied. May that same Power, my lord, ever protect and reward you! May it long, very long, spare to this empire so illustrious a teacher, and so potent a champion!"

To this highly respectable address, Lord Nelson instantly replied—

"SIR,

"It is with the greatest pride, and satisfaction, that I receive, from the honourable court, this testimony of their approbation of my conduct: and, with this very sword,"[Holding it up, in his only hand] "I hope soon to aid in reducing our implacable and inveterate enemy to proper and due limits; without which, this country can neither hope for, nor expect, a solid, honourable, and permanent peace."

His lordship was highly gratified with his city reception, on this day of annual festivity. He was ever a great friend to the grand display of a London Lord-Mayor's shew: not on account of the pageantry and parade of such a public spectacle; but, as he expressed himself to his friends, for the sake of it's beneficial effects on youthful minds. It was, he contended, a holiday without loss of time: since the hope of one day riding in the gilt coach of the Lord Mayor, excited a laudable emulation in the breast of every ingenuous city apprentice, which made them afterwards apply themselves, with redoubled diligence, to the business of their respective masters; and, by thus fixing them in industrious habits, could not fail of proving finally advantageous to themselves.

Not only the city of London, but the whole nation, through every gradation of rank, from the sovereign on the throne to the occupier of the humblest hut gratefully regarded the hero of the Nile as the person to whom they were chiefly indebted for the security and comfort they enjoyed; and there was, perhaps, scarcely a house which his lordship could enter, in the British dominions, or even those of our allies, where he would have been welcomed with a less affectionate aspect than his own.

Having taken up his residence in Dover Street, he naturally wished to enjoy the society of his nearest and dearest relatives; from whom he had, in the discharge of his professional duties, been so long divided. Few of these, however, had, during his lordship's absence, met with any excess of respectful civilities from her ladyship; and, of course, though now affectionately invited, their visits by no means appeared to augment her felicity. Lady Nelson's nerves could not bear the constant presence of his lordship's young nephews and nieces; while his lordship, fond of virtue in every shape, never felt happier than when surrounded by the amiable children of his brother and sisters. Here was another want of unison in sentiment; and, consequently, a considerable source of discord. It will be sufficient, to hint a few such unhappy incongruities of disposition, to account for that extreme deficiency of harmony between the parties which afterwards led to a separation by mutual consent. The present Earl and Countess Nelson, there can be no doubt, will long remember the mortifying hauteur which they so often experienced from her ladyship, even at their brother's table, as well as on other occasions, where they were then deemed of insufficient consequence to appear in company with so lofty a personage as their elevated sister-in-law, over whom they now triumph in rank: such are the fluctuations of fortune; such, not unfrequently, the salutary checks to the career of a vain ambition.

Lady Nelson unfortunately regarded all his lordship's relations as the natural enemies of her son; whom she seems, unaccountably, to have considered as the rightful heir of her husband's honours. This improvident young man, however, far from conciliating his father-in-law's esteem, had insulted him with more grossness than his lordship ever experienced from any other person; and, consequently, estranged himself, as much as possible, from his heart. Had any other human being acted exactly in the same manner, it is not improbable that his life might have paid the forfeiture. What a source was this, too, for domestic inquietude! In short, without any charge of criminality against her ladyship, the unfortunate tempers of herself and son, so little accordant with that of his lordship, conduced to render our hero, amidst all the honours he was every where deservedly receiving, the most miserable mortal in existence. After one of those too frequent domestic broils, by which his life was embittered, this exalted man, of whom the world was scarcely worthy, had wandered all night, through the streets of London, in a state of absolute despair and distraction. He rambled as far as the city; perambulated Fleet Market, Blackfriars Bridge, &c. and, exhausted with fatigue, as well as overpowered by mental suffering, reached the house of Sir William Hamilton, in Grosvenor Square, about four in the morning; where, having obtained admittance, he threw himself on the bed of his alarmed friends, in an agony of grief much too poignant for expression. The soothing voice of friendship; the sympathetic tenderness of such congenial minds; and the manifest interest which they felt in the affecting recital which his lordship ventured to unbosom; all assisted, by degrees, to calm the tremendous hurricane in his perturbed breast. After his lordship was refreshed, and had taken a little rest, his friend, Sir William, persuaded him to seek that happiness in his professional pursuits, which it seemed unlikely be would ever find at home; and, that very day, it is said, his lordship offered his services at the Admiralty, where they were gladly accepted.

On the 1st of January 1801, he was elevated to the rank of Vice-Admiral of the Blue: and, on the 9th, ordered to hoist his flag on board the San Josef, of a hundred and twelve guns, one of the Spanish prizes taken by himself in the battle off Cape St. Vincent, and then lying at Plymouth Dock; which he accordingly did, on the 17th of the same month.

On the 28th, his lordship received orders to put himself under the command of his old friend, the Earl of St. Vincent; and, as soon as the San Josef should be in all respects ready for sea, to proceed with that ship to Torbay.

In the mean time, the memorable Quixottical insanity of the Russian Emperor Paul, having operated, with the intrigues of France, to produce an intended naval confederacy of the northern nations against the maritime power of Great Britain, it was wisely determined, by the then British government, instantly to crush a design pregnant with such alarming consequences. For this purpose, a powerful fleet was now fitting out, under Admiral Sir Hyde Parker; which, while it conveyed to the triple league of the Danes, the Swedes, and the Russians, the most unequivocal desire of preserving peace, on the part of Great Britain, should carry with it the fearless front of a decided readiness to commence, if necessary, immediate hostilities.

Lord Nelson having consented to go out second in command, on this grand and most important expedition, came to London, for a few days, previously to his departure: when his lordship learned, with no small degree of surprise, that Lady Nelson had given up the house, and was retired to Brighthelmstone. His astonishment, at thus finding himself without a house or home, is not easy to be described. He hastened to his friend Sir William Hamilton, and most pathetically represented his situation. Sir William embraced him—"My dear friend! while I have a house, you can never want one." Then, conducting him to his lady—"Emma," exclaimed Sir William, "Lord Nelson says, he has no home. I say, he has, while I have one; what say you?" Her ladyship replied, that she was exactly of the same opinion. Lord Nelson opposed this arrangement, on account of the slanders of the world: but Sir William Hamilton, with a noble disdain of malevolence, felt sufficiently satisfied of the virtue in which he confided; and Lady Hamilton, who never opposed Sir William in any thing, without affecting to raise squeamish objections, readily signified her acquiescence. Lord Nelson then dropped on his knee, and piously appealed to Heaven, as witness of the purity of his attachment; and, with similar solemnity, they each, reciprocally, vowed an equally disinterested and indissoluble friendship. Such was the bond of that sincere amity which, whatever may be said, the individuals who compose the world will generally be inclined to estimate, as they always do on such occasions, according to the larger or lesser degree of vice or virtue which they respectively find in their Own hearts. From this moment, it was agreed that, while his lordship should be in England, they would constantly reside together: and, as no power on earth could have now prevailed on Lord Nelson again to live with his lady, who had carried her resentments much farther, in several respects, than it is thought necessary on this occasion to particularize, deeds of separation were soon after prepared and executed by mutual consent; the negociation of which was kindly undertaken by Alexander Davison, Esq. his lordship's confidential friend.

While Lord Nelson, the second in command, was thus seeking to escape infelicity, by a separation from his lady, which he had fully resolved should be brought to a conclusion previously to his return from this expedition; his old friend, Sir Hyde Parker, the commander in chief, was equally desirous of securing happiness, prior to his departure, by the immediate possession of a young wife. This difference in the state of their respective domesticities by no means operated to disturb their harmony; though, doubtless, his lordship was rather in the greatest hurry to be gone. The few days while Lord Nelson remained in London were chiefly engaged at the Admiralty; where, happily, his mind was so much absorbed by the consideration of public affairs, and the formation of due professional arrangements, that his domestic concerns found fewer intervals for their unwelcome intrusion. Even while at the house of his friend Alexander Davison Esq. in St. James's Square, transacting his own private business, so intent was his lordship on the public service that, when he mentioned, at the first proposal of the Copenhagen expedition, his intended going under Sir Hyde Parker—"If," added his lordship, "I had the chief command, I know well enough what I would do." Then, observing that his knowledge of the Cattegat was rather imperfect, and that he should therefore wish to see a correct chart, he requested Mr. Davison would immediately send for one to Mr. Faden's shop at Charing Cross. This being done, he said that government could spare only twelve ships for the purpose; and, after examining the chart a very few minutes, he positively marked on it the situations of those twelve ships exactly as they were afterwards placed on that memorable occasion. This extraordinary anecdote of Lord Nelson, his biographer had the honour to receive from Mr. Davison's own lips, in the very parlour where the circumstance occurred; and it affords an admirable proof of our hero's wonderful promptness and decision, as well as of his ardent zeal for the service of his country.

His lordship's flag had been shifted to the St. George, a second rate of ninety-eight guns; the San Josef, which he left at Torbay, being unfit for the intended service in the north seas. After joining part of the squadron at Spithead, they proceeded to Yarmouth, where the whole armament, consisting of fifty-two sail of various descriptions, unfortunately lessened by the loss of the Invincible of seventy-four guns, which struck on a shoal off Winterton, having been assembled, and fully prepared, took their departure on the 12th of March 1801.

Early in the morning of the 18th, land was discovered; and next day, about noon, the British fleet made the Scaw, or Scagen, the first general rendezvous. This low point of sandy and apparently barren land, which is the most northernly part of the peninsula of North Jutland, is eleven or twelve leagues distant from Marstrand Island on the Swedish shore. At both these points, the Danes and Swedes have respectively erected light-houses; for the support of which, all vessels passing the Sound, or entering the Swedish ports, are required to contribute: the entrance between the Scaw Lights and the Cattegat being considered as the entrance to the Cattegat. As it was well known, that the Danes were making every possible effort to obstruct the passage of the Sound, and render Copenhagen inaccessible to the approach of gun-vessels, much surprise was expressed, at the fleet's not being ordered to pass the Cattegat, with a strong north north-west wind, so highly favourable to such a design. The commander in chief, however, was probably deterred, by the nature of his instructions, from committing the country, by a forcible passage of the Sound, till the effect of Mr. Vansittart's pacific propositions, who had preceded the fleet, on board a frigate with a flag of truce, should be first fairly ascertained. This gentleman having reached Elsineur the 20th of March, proposed to the Danish court, in conjunction with Mr. Drummond, the British minister at Copenhagen, the secession of Denmark from the northern alliance; the allowance of a free passage to the British fleet through the Sound; and an abandonment of the system of sending convoys for the protection of Danish merchant vessels. These proposals being instantly rejected, the two British plenipotentiaries received passports for their return.

In the mean time, the officers and crew of the fleet, by foul winds, with heavy falls of sleet, snow, and rain, added to a chilling cold, which they particularly experienced from the 21st to the 24th, suffered considerable fatigue. This, with the delay, had a tendency to damp the ardour of the enterprise; and Lord Nelson, aware of all the consequences, would gladly have discarded much of that diplomatic etiquette which finally proved, as he had from the first supposed it would do, quite unimpressive with the Danes. Still less did he regard the discouraging suggestions of ignorant and designing pilots, whose exaggerated accounts of the difficulties to be surmounted, when the commander in chief had resolved on forcing the passage of the Sound, represented the enterprise as more practicable, and less hazardous, by the circuitous passage of the Great Belt. Though Lord Nelson's mind could not be thus induced to fluctuate, and was decidedly for the immediate passage of the Sound, when the Great Belt appeared to be preferred—"Let us, then, go by the Great Belt!" said the hero. Impatient for action, he was desirous of proceeding by any way which might soonest lead to the object.

On the 26th, at day-break, the fleet got under weigh, and stood to the westward; for the purpose, as was generally imagined, of passing the Great Belt; and Captain Murray, of the Edgar, who had, the preceding summer, surveyed that entrance to the Baltic with a degree of precision hitherto unknown, tendered his services for the purpose. The facility with which this passage might be effected, by the aid of so active and intelligent an officer, where the Danes had only a single guard-ship, left little room to doubt that it would be adopted. This, however, was not done. Several vessels from the Baltic, on this and the following day, passed the Sound, under Prussian colours; and they were permitted to proceed, notwithstanding it was then sufficiently ascertained that Prussia had also acceded to this confederacy against Great Britain.

On the 27th, Sir Hyde Parker, acting under his instructions, dispatched a flag of truce, with the following note, to the Governor of Cronenberg Castle,

"From the hostile transactions of the Court of Denmark, and sending away his Britannic Majesty's Charge d'Affaires, the commander in chief of his majesty's fleet is anxious to know what the determination of the Danish Court is—and whether the commanding officer of Cronenberg Castle has received orders to fire on the British fleet as they pass into the Sound?—as he must deem the firing; of the first gun a declaration of war on the part of Denmark.

"Hyde Parker."

To these enquiries, this answer was returned by the Danish Governor.

"I have the honour to inform your excellency, that his Majesty, the King of Denmark, did not send away the Charge d'Affaires; but that, on his own demand, he obtained a passport. As a soldier, I cannot meddle with politics; but, I am not at liberty to suffer a fleet, whose intention is not yet known, to approach the guns of the castle which I have the honour to command. In case your excellency should think proper to make any proposals to the King of Denmark, I wish to be informed thereof before the fleet approaches nearer to the castle.

"Heer Stricker."

After receiving the above reply, the British commander in chief immediately sent notice to the Danish Governor—That, finding the intentions of the Court of Denmark to be hostile against his Britannic Majesty, he regarded his excellency's answer as a declaration of war; and, therefore, agreeable to his instructions, could no longer refrain from hostilities, however repugnant it might be to his feelings: but that, at the same time, the admiral would be ready to attend to any proposals of the Court of Denmark, for restoring the former amity and friendship, which had for so many years subsisted between the two courts. During these negociations, an officer of distinction, high in favour with the crown prince, coming on board the admiral, with a verbal answer to one of our proposals, and finding some difficulty in expressing, with sufficient accuracy, the sentiments of his court, was requested to communicate them in writing; when, a pen being brought for this purpose, which happened to be ill pointed, he held it up, and remarked, with a sarcastic smile—"If your guns are not better pointed than your pens, you will make little impression on Copenhagen." Certain it is, that the Danes, who were conscious of having taken every precaution which science could suggest for the defence of their country, entertained very little doubt that the British fleet would be compelled to retire, should it even venture to make an attack. The Sound was protected, on the Swedish side, by the fort of Helsingberg; and, on that of Denmark, by the Castle of Cronenberg: each of them garrisoned with forces very sufficient to withstand any attack. Besides this formidable opposition, numerous strong batteries were erected on the Danish shore, through the tremendous fire of which it was thought quite impracticable for any hostile fleet to pass. As for Copenhagen, it was, from the excellent state of it's ancient fortresses, the different batteries recently constructed, and the numerous well-disciplined troops by which they were manned, considered as absolutely impregnable.

On the 28th, the order to prepare for battle was received, as usual, by the British tars, with the loudest acclamations of joy; and they were soon convinced, that the passage of the Sound had been at length decided on. Nothing was now wanting to their felicity, but the appointment of a popular leader: and, happily for their country, and even for those who opposed them, this service was allotted to Lord Nelson; who, for that purpose, had judged it advisable to shift his flag on board the Elephant, commanded by his gallant and judicious friend, the Honourable Captain Thomas Foley.

The ships were now cleared for action, with an alacrity and expedition almost incredible: and, on the 30th, the wind having become favourable, the British fleet weighed, and formed the order of battle, Lord Nelson leading the van-division; and all safely passed the Sound, the celebrated Key of the Baltic, in about four hours, without having received the smallest damage from any of the Danish artillery. The only casualty, indeed, of this day, happened on board the Isis; where six or seven men were killed or wounded, by the bursting of a lower-deck gun. It is to be observed, however, that the Swedish batteries were very prudently silent, which afforded our ships an opportunity of keeping at a sufficient distance from the shore of Denmark; where a heavy and well-supported fire had commenced, from the whole line of their positions, at half-past six in the morning, when the Monarch, which had the honour of leading the fleet, appeared sufficiently advanced to be nearly within their range: a compliment which was soon returned, and with far better effect, on the town of Elsineur, by the leading ships, as well as by some of those which composed the centre and rear divisions.

The Danes, from a long received opinion in Europe, that the possession of Cronenberg Castle gave them an uncontrouled command of the passage of the Sound, have exacted, for more than a century, the undisputed right of levying contributions on all vessels trading to and from the Baltic, in proportion to the value of the cargoes: an imposition so sanctioned by time, that they considered any augmentation to the works as superfluous; and, relying on the co-operation of the Swedes, had fortunately neglected to render the approach more difficult, by forming a line of floating-batteries.

The channel of the Sound offers a prospect of very singular interest. On the right, appear the territories of Denmark; the islands of Saltholm and Amak, with part of Zealand; and Copenhagen, the capital of the kingdom, nearly in the front. The shore of Denmark presents a continued succession of fertile plains, umbrageous woods, rich meadows, rural mansions, neat villas, and embellished gardens; while the Swedish side chiefly exhibits, with much excellent pasture, a mountainous and picturesque coast. The island of Nuen, too, famous for the Observatory of the celebrated Tycho Brahe, fails not to attract the attention of every curious voyager: from whence the eye, looking back, perceives the fortresses of Elsineur, Cronenberg, and Helsingberg, apparently unite, bounding a vast lake to the north; but, on advancing, immediately descries the ocean, and the whole extent of the plain of Copenhagen, with it's capacious port crouded by vessels, and it's highly cultivated environs. On the side next the sea, this city, which is visible at the distance of several miles, presents itself in all it's magnificence; and the Gothic towers, with which it abounds, greatly engage the attention of every spectator, as well by the loftiness of their spires, as by the variety of their pleasingly grotesque decorations. The fortresss of Fredericstadt, supported on one side by the batteries of one of the arsenals, defends the entrance of the harbour: where there is, also, another battery; and where, as at this period, in case of necessity, a number of flat-bottomed boats, and floating-batteries, may likewise be stationed.

It appears that Sir Hyde Parker had, with the soundest discretion, now left every thing, but the nominal chief command, to our hero; who, with his usual alertness on all important occasions, lost not a single moment in preparing for the grand attack of the Danish capital. "The attempt," observes an ingenious eye-witness, said to be Mr. Fergusson, surgeon of the Elephant, "was arduous in the extreme; no common mind durst have conceived it, but it was suited to the exalted heroism of his. As his was the invigorating spirit of the counsel that planned the attack; so, in the execution, he only could have commanded success." During the interval which preceded the battle, the passage to the scene of action being very little known, and extremely intricate, his lordship had the soundings accurately made under his own eye and observation, and the several buoys laid which were to direct the passage of the fleet; the vast fatigue of this employ was too much for his tender constitution, and had nearly proved fatal, but he was happily re-invigorated by his excessive zeal. With the most indefatigable attention, did he prescribe every measure to be adopted by all ranks and degrees under his command; and there was no possible position that could have been contrived by the enemy, for which he was not effectually prepared, "I could only admire," says Mr. Fergusson, modestly disclaiming nautical science, "when I saw the first man in all the world spend the hours of the day and the night in boats; and wonder, when the light shewed me a path, marked by buoys, which was trackless the preceding evening." It had been agreed, with Sir Hyde Parker, that his lordship should proceed with twelve ships of the line, and all the frigates, bomb-ketches, fire-ships, and other vessels, to Draco Point, a short distance from Copenhagen, for the purpose of making his final dispositions for the attack; waiting, there, the favourable effect of a wind to the southward: and the commander in chief was to weigh anchor, with his division, whenever his lordship should proceed to the immediate scene of action; thus menacing, by his advance, the Crown Batteries, together with four ships or hulks which lay near for the protection of the arsenal, as well as covering any vessels which might happen to be disabled in an attack where they must necessarily be so prodigiously exposed. Being now fully prepared, his lordship, with that truly Christian spirit which, in direct opposition to the puritanic cant of piety, was ever far more manifested by his actions than expressed by his lips, devoutly exclaimed—"Thank God, for having enabled me to get through this difficult and fatiguing part of my duty: which has, really, worn me down; and is infinitely more grievous to me, than any resistance I can experience from an enemy!"

The subsequent circumstances, as described by Mr. Fergusson, are so very characteristically detailed, that they cannot fail highly to interest every reader—"On the 1st of April, in the afternoon," says this ingenious gentleman, "we took our departure from the main body of the fleet, then lying about four miles below Copenhagen; and coasted along the outer edge of the shoal called the Middle Ground, till we doubled it's farthest extremity, when the squadron cast anchor. This shoal, of the same extent as the sea-front of the town, lies exactly before it, at about three quarters of a mile in distance. The interval between it and the shore has deep water, and is called the King's Channel. There the Danes had arranged their line of defence, as near the town as possible. It consisted of nineteen ships and floating-batteries, flanked at the lower extremity by two artificial islands in the mouth of the harbour, called the Crown Batteries, and extended for about a mile along the whole extent of the town, leaving intervals for the batteries on shore to play. As our anchor dropped, at eight in the evening, Lord Nelson emphatically called out, that he would fight them the moment he had a fair wind. It came with the morning; and the signal to prepare for battle, floated from our mast-head. He had spent the whole night in consultation. The gallant and ever to be lamented Captain Riou never left him. Captain Hardy, too, was there, of course; and the brave and the good Captain Foley. To mark the spirit which the presence and example of Lord Nelson never failed to inspire, Captain Hardy, as soon as it became dark, had ventured along the enemy's line, in the smallest sized boat; and, as he went so near that the noise of throwing the lead might have discovered him, he used a long pole, or rod, on which he marked the depth of the water. About half past nine in the morning, the signals of the different ships having been made, repeated, and answered, we had the mortification to see the Agamemnon get upon the edge of the shoal, on the first attempt to leave her anchorage, where she remained immovable. A similar misfortune followed, in succession, to the Russell and Polyphemus; and the Jamaica frigate, with a convoy of gun-boats and small craft, having fallen in with a counter-current, made the signal of inability to come forward. A mind less invincible than Lord Nelson's, might have been discouraged. Though the battle was not began, yet he had approached the enemy; and he felt that he could not retreat, to wait for reinforcements, without compromising the glory of his country. His soul, too, was ever superior to common discouragements; and, the signal to bear down still kept it's place. His agitation, during these moments, was extreme. I never shall forget the impression that it made upon me! It was not, however, the agitation of indecision; but of ardent, animated patriotism, panting for glory, which had appeared within his reach, and was vanishing from his grasp. The Edgar, at last, led in. I shall not attempt to describe the scene that ensued, for language has not the power. We were received with the fire of more than a thousand guns! No sooner had all the ships got into their stations, than the countenance of our chief brightened, and his good-humour flowed. As the fire rolled, his conversation became joyous, animated, elevated, and delightful; for, confident of victory, he knew that his deck was, at that moment, the most glorious theatre of human nature. For an hour, the battle raged. Our fire was regular, distinctive, and terrible; that of the enemy was becoming desultory and ill-directed. When the signal-lieutenant called out, that number 39, (to discontinue the action) was thrown out by the commander in chief, then about four miles off, Lord Nelson refused to believe it: but, when he was again assured, he exclaimed—"Then, damn the signal; take no notice of it, and hoist mine for closer battle: that is the way I answer such signals!" It flew, at the word; and every ship engaged respected it as soon as seen. He again exclaimed—"Now, nail mine to the mast!" and, turning to Captain Foley, with admirable good-humour said—"Foley, you know I have lost an eye, and have a right to be blind when I like; and, damn me, if I'll see that signal!"—pointing to Sir Hyde Parker's ship. At a quarter before three in the afternoon, the victory was compleat; the whole Danish line, that was drawn up before the town, having struck their colours, after a dreadful defence, and their ships becoming untenable. The Elephant, the flag-ship, about an hour before, in veering away cable, to get opposite the Crown Batteries, had stuck on a small middle shoal, and remained fast: the same misfortune had happened to the Defiance; and, I believe, one more besides. To board the prizes was difficult; or, rather, impossible: for, being under the batteries of the town, no boat could approach them. Lord Nelson, therefore, sent a flag of truce, with the following letter—

"Lord Nelson has directions to spare Denmark, when no longer resisting; but, if the firing is continued on the part of Denmark, Lord Nelson will be obliged to set on fire all the floating-batteries he has taken, without having the power of saving the brave Danes who have defended them.

"Nelson and Bronte,

"Vice-Admiral, under the command of "Admiral Sir Hyde Parker.

"Dated on board his Majesty's ship Elephant, Copenhagen Roads, "April 2, 1801.

"To the Brothers of Englishmen, the Danes."

"It may be farther characteristic of his lordship, to mention that, when a wafer was brought for the above letter, he said—"No; bring me wax, and a match: this is no time to appear hurried and informal." An unfounded idea has prevailed, that the flag of truce was sent to cover his own ships, which would inevitably have been destroyed if the Danes had not been cajoled into an armistice; and the victory is, thereby, converted into a defeat: but the victory was too decisive, to be thus ravished from his grasp. The enemy were compleatly horrified and dismayed, at the carnage and ruin which a dreadful contest of five hours had involved them in. The batteries of the town were too far distant, to have much effect even upon the ships aground; Sir Hyde Parker, with the rest of the fleet, could soon have approached; and, as to the Crown Batteries, which alone were to be dreaded, the following disposition was made for carrying them—As the flag of truce left the admiral's ship, fifteen hundred of the choicest boarders, who had been selected from the whole fleet previously to the action, descended into fifty boats, thirty men in each boat. These boats were to be commanded by the Honourable Colonel Stewart, and Captain Freemantle. The moment it could be known, that the flag of truce was refused, the boats were to have pushed for the batteries. The fire of every gun in the fleet would have covered their approach; a few minutes would have carried them there; and let any one ask himself, what defence was to be expected from five hundred raw Danish soldiers, on an ill-built battery, that gave no cover—fatigued, besides, by the carnage of a terrible battle—against such assailants, flushed with victory, and irresistible in courage." It may, however, be proper to remark, that we could have done little more than spiked the guns; as these batteries, being within the range of the fire of the citadel, were not possible to have been long retained.

The following note, in answer to that sent on shore by Lord Nelson, was brought in a flag of truce from Copenhagen, by General-Adjutant Lindholm.

"His Royal Highness, the Crown Prince, has sent me, General-Adjutant Lindholm, on board, to his Britannic Majesty's Vice-Admiral, the Right Honourable Lord Nelson, to ask the particular object of sending the flag of truce?"

Though Sir Frederic Thesiger, formerly a commander in the Russian service, and who had been recommended, by Earl Spencer, to accompany Lord Nelson as what is absurdly denominated, with a very reprehensible spirit of Gallicism to introduce into the British navy, the admiral's aide-de-camp, had carried the flag of truce, with Lord Nelson's note, and was authorized verbally to enlarge on the humanity of it's import, some suspicions appear to have been entertained as to the true nature and extent of his lordship's object; and, therefore, General-Adjutant Lindholm was thus commissioned to procure a farther explanation in writing. His lordship, accordingly, addressed to the Government of Denmark the following reply.

"Lord Nelson's object in sending the flag of truce, is humanity. He, therefore, consents that hostilities shall cease, till Lord Nelson can take his prisoners out of the prizes; and he consents to land all the wounded Danes, and to burn or remove his prizes.

"Lord Nelson, with humble duty to his royal highness, begs leave to say, that he will ever esteem it the greatest victory he ever gained, if this flag of truce may be the happy forerunner of a lasting and happy union, between his own most gracious sovereign and his majesty the King of Denmark.

"Nelson and Bronte. "Elephant, 2d April 1801."

The Danish government, now wisely satisfied of Lord Nelson's sincerity, immediately invited him on shore, that a conference might be held with the King of Denmark, for arranging the preliminaries of an amicable treaty; and his lordship, without hesitation, visited Copenhagen in the afternoon of this very day.

On landing at the quay, the carriage of a respectable merchant, by whom it had been purposely sent, was respectfully offered to his lordship: the royal carriage, intended for our hero's conveyance, not having arrived sufficiently soon; owing to the suddenness of his arrival, and the vast press of people who had assembled to behold him. Much has been said, respecting the temper of this prodigious multitude, on first seeing the British hero among them: some protesting, that the conqueror of their country in the morning, was hailed, in the afternoon, as their guardian angel—which, all things considered, he perhaps well deserved to have been; while others maintain, that the people's fury was so excessive, and their knowledge of his lordship's views so imperfect, that they were with difficulty restrained from absolutely tearing in pieces the pacific hero who had thus, inspired by the most humane and generous sentiments, fearlessly ventured his person among them. It may be very difficult, and cannot on this occasion prove of much importance, to ascertain the exact truth; which seldom resides in extremes, and is not always found precisely in the centre, where dull and formal gravity is ever induced alone to seek it. Whatever might seem the momentary bias of the mob, they unquestionably proceeded to no actual outrage; and it is universally agreed, that the Danes, of all ranks, were no sooner made acquainted with our hero's humane and generous motives, than they greeted him with every testimony of the truest admiration and regard.

Lord Nelson having walked to the royal palace of the Octagon, the crown prince received him in the hall; conducted him up stairs; and presented him to the king, whose very infirm state is said to have greatly affected our hero's sensibility. The preliminary objects of this impressive interview having been arranged, with every appearance of reciprocal sincerity, his lordship readily accepted an invitation to partake of some refreshment with the crown prince. During the repast, Lord Nelson spoke in raptures of the valour of the Danes; and he is asserted to have declared that, though the French fought bravely, they could not have stood one hour the fight which the Danes had maintained for four. "I have been," observed his lordship, "in one hundred and five engagements, in the course of my life, but that of to-day was the most terrible of all." It is added, that he particularly requested the crown prince would introduce him to a very young officer, whom he described as having performed wonders during the battle, by attacking the Elephant immediately under the lower guns. This proved to be a youth of seventeen, named Villemoes: whom the hero, on his being presented, immediately embraced with the affection of a brother; and delicately intimated, that he ought to be made an admiral. The crown prince, with peculiar felicity, instantly replied—"If, my lord, I were to make all my brave officers admirals, I should have no captains or lieutenants in my service." This heroic stripling had volunteered the command of a sort of raft, called a praam, carrying twenty-four guns, and a hundred and twenty men; on which, having pushed off from shore, in the fury of battle, he got under the stern of his lordship's ship, below the reach of the stern-chasers, and fired with considerable effect. The British marines, however, made terrible slaughter among these brave fellows; many of whom were soon killed, but their young commander still remained at his post, surrounded by the slain, till the announcement of the truce. The crown prince has since presented this youth with a medallion commemorative of his gallantry, and appointed him to the command of the royal yacht in which his royal highness makes his annual visit to Holstein.

On the day following, Lord Nelson addressed the official account of this great victory to Sir Hyde Parker, his commander in chief.

"Elephant, off Copenhagen, 3d April 1801.

"SIR,

"In obedience to your directions, to report the proceedings of the squadron named in the margin—[the Elephant, Defiance, Monarch, Bellona, Edgar, Russell, Ganges, Glatton, Isis, Agamemnon, Polyphemus, and Ardent, ships of the line; the Amazon, Desiree, Blanche, and Alcmene, frigates; the Dart, Arrow, Cruiser, and Harpy, sloops; the Zephyr, and Otter, fire-ships; the Discovery, Sulphur, Hecla, Explosion, Zebra, Terror, and Volcano, bombs; with eight gun-brigs]—which you did me the honour to place under my command, I beg leave to inform you that, having by the assistance of that able officer Captain Riou, and the unremitting exertions of Captain Brisbane and the masters of the Amazon and Cruiser in particular, buoyed the channel of the Outer Deep and the position of the Middle Ground, the squadron passed in safety, and anchored off Draco the evening of the 1st: and that, yesterday morning, I made the signal for the squadron to weigh; and to engage the Danish line, consisting of seven sail of the line, ten floating-batteries mounting from twenty-six twenty-four pounders, to eighteen eighteen pounders, and one bomb-ship, besides schooner gun-vessels. These were supported by the Crown Islands, mounting eighty-eight cannon; four sail of the line, moored in the harbour's mouth; and some batteries on the island of Amak.

"The bomb-ship, and schooner gun-vessels, made their escape; the other seventeen sail are sunk, burnt, or taken, being the whole of the Danish line to the southward of the Crown Islands, after a battle of four hours.

"From the very intricate navigation, the Bellona and Russell unfortunately grounded: but, although not in the situation assigned them, yet so placed as to be of great service. The Agamemnon could not weather the shoal of the Middle Ground, and was obliged to anchor: but not the smallest blame can be attached to Captain Fancourt; it was an event to which all the ships were liable. These accidents prevented the extension of our line by the three ships before mentioned: who would, I am confident, have silenced the Crown Islands, the two outer ships in the harbour's mouth, and prevented the heavy loss in the Defiance and Monarch; and which unhappily threw the gallant and good Captain Riou (to whom I had given the command of the frigates and sloops named in the margin—[the Blanche, Alcmene, Dart, Arrow, Zephyr, and Otter]—to assist the attack of the ships at the harbour's mouth) under a very heavy fire. The consequence has been, the death of Captain Riou, and many brave officers and men in the frigates and sloops. The bombs were directed, and took their stations, abreast of the Elephant, and threw some shells into the arsenal. Captain Rose, who volunteered his services to direct the gun-brigs, did every thing that was possible to get them forward, but the current was too strong for them to be of service during the action; but not the less merit was due to Captain Rose, and—I believe—all the officers and crews of the gun-vessels, for their exertions.

"The boats of those ships of the fleet who were not ordered on the attack, afforded us every assistance; and the officers and men who were in them, merit my warmest approbation.

"The Desiree took her station in raking the southernmost Danish ship of the line, and performed the greatest service.

"The action began at five minutes past ten. The van led by Captain George Murray of the Edgar, who set a noble example of intrepidity, which was as well followed up by every captain, officer, and man, in the squadron. It is my duty to state to you, the high and distinguished merit and gallantry of Rear-Admiral Graves.

"To Captain Foley, who permitted me the honour of hoisting my flag in the Elephant, I feel under the greatest obligations; his advice was necessary, on many important occasions, during the battle. I beg leave to express how much I feel indebted to every captain, officer, and man, for their zeal and distinguished bravery on this occasion. Colonel Stewart did me the favour to be on board the Elephant; and himself, with every officer and soldier under his orders, shared with pleasure the toils and dangers of the day.

"The loss, in such a battle, has naturally been very heavy. Amongst many other brave officers and men who were killed, I have, with sorrow, to place the name of Captain Moss, of the Monarch, who has left a wife and six children to lament his loss; and, among the wounded, that of Captain Sir Thomas Boulden Thompson, of the Bellona.

"I have the honour to be, with the greatest respect, Sir, your most obedient humble servant,

"Nelson and Bronte."

The above letter being transmitted to England by Sir Hyde Parker, inclosed in his dispatches to government, was afterwards published in the London Gazette, preceded by the following public letter from the commander in chief.

"Copenhagen Roads, 6th April 1801.

"Sir,

"You will be pleased to acquaint the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, that since my letter of the 23d of March, no opportunity of wind offered for going up the Sound, until the 25th; when the wind shifted, in a most violent squall, from the south-west to the north-west and north, and blew with such violence, and so great a sea, as to render it impossible for any ship to have weighed her anchor. The wind and sea were even so violent, as to oblige many ships to let go a second anchor to prevent them from driving, notwithstanding they were riding with two cables an end; and, by the morning, the wind veered again to the southward of the west. On the 30th of last month, the wind having come to the northward, we passed into the Sound with the fleet; but not before I had assured myself of the hostile intention of the Danes to oppose our passage. After anchoring about five or six miles from the Island of Huen, I reconnoitred, with Vice-Admiral Lord Nelson and Rear-Admiral Graves, the formidable line of ships, radeaus, pontoons, galleys, fireships, and gun-boats, flanked and supported by extensive batteries on the two islands called the Crown; the largest of which was mounted with from fifty to seventy pieces of cannon. These were again commanded by two ships of seventy guns, and a large frigate, in the inner road of Copenhagen; and two sixty-four gun ships, without masts, were moored on the flat on the starboard side of the entrance into the arsenal. The day after, the wind being southerly, we again examined their position, and came to the resolution of attacking them from the southward. Vice-Admiral Lord Nelson having offered his services for conducting the attack, had some days before we entered the Sound shifted his flag to the Elephant; and, after having examined and buoyed the outer channel of the Middle Ground, his lordship proceeded, with the twelve ships of the line named in the margin—[Elephant, Defiance, Monarch, Bellona, Edgar, Russell, Ganges, Glatton, Isis, Agamemnon, Polyphemus, and Ardent]—all the frigates, bombs, fire-ships, and all the small vessels; and, that evening, anchored off Draco Point, to make his disposition for the attack, and wait for the wind to the southward. It was agreed, between us, that the remaining ships with me, should weigh at the same moment his lordship did, and menace the Crown Batteries and the four ships of the line that lay at the entrance of the arsenal; as, also, to cover our disabled ships, as they came out of action.

"I have, now, the honour to inclose a copy of Vice-Admiral Lord Nelson's report to me of the action on the 2d instant. His lordship has stated so fully the whole of his proceedings on that day, as only to leave me the opportunity to testify my entire acquiescence and testimony of the bravery and intrepidity with which the action was supported throughout the line. Was it possible for me to add anything to the well-earned renown of Lord Nelson, it would be by asserting that his exertions, great as they have heretofore been, never were carried to a higher pitch of zeal for his country's service. I have only to lament, that the sort of attack, confined within an intricate and narrow passage, excluded the ships particularly under my command from the opportunity of exhibiting their valour: but I can with great truth assert, that the same spirit and zeal animated the whole of the fleet; and I trust, that the contest in which we are engaged will, on some future day, afford them an occasion of shewing that the whole were inspired with the same spirit, had the field been sufficiently extensive to have brought it into action.

"It is with the deepest concern, I mention the loss of Captains Moss and Riou; two very brave and gallant officers, whose loss, as I am well informed, will be sensibly felt by the families they have left behind them: the former, a wife and children; the latter, an aged mother. From the known gallantry of Sir Thomas Thompson, on former occasions, the naval service will have to regret the loss of the future exertions of that brave officer, whose leg was shot off. For all other particulars, I beg leave to refer their lordships to Captain Otway; who was with Lord Nelson in the latter part of the action, and is able to answer any questions that may be thought necessary to put to him. A return of the killed and wounded you will receive herewith."

KILLED.

Officers 20 Seamen, Marines, and Soldiers 234—254

WOUNDED.

Officers 48 Seamen, Marines, and Soldiers 651-699 —- Total killed and wounded 953 —-

After a week's negotiation, during which Lord Nelson daily went on shore, and greatly endeared himself to the virtuous of all ranks, for his amiable frankness, generosity, and honour, the following treaty was signed and sealed, as the basis of returning amity between Great Britain and Denmark.

"The Danish Government on the one hand—and Admiral Sir Hyde Parker, Knight, Commander in Chief of his Britannic Majesty's Forces in the Road of Copenhagen, on the other—being, from motives of humanity, equally anxious to put a stop to the farther effusion of blood, and to save the City of Copenhagen from the disastrous consequences which may attend a farther prosecution of hostilities against that city, have mutually agreed upon a Military Armistice, or Suspension of Arms. His Danish Majesty having, for that purpose, appointed Major-General Ernest Frederic Walterstorff, Chamberlain to his Danish Majesty, and Colonel to a Regiment; and Adjutant-General Hans Lindholm, Captain in his Danish Majesty's Navy; his Commissioners for agreeing about the terms of the said Armistice—and Admiral Sir Hyde Parker, Knight, having, with the same view, duly authorized the Right Honourable Horatio Lord Nelson of the Nile, Knight of the most honourable Order of the Bath, Duke of Bronte in Sicily, Knight of the Grand Cross of the Order of St. Ferdinand and of Merit, and of the Imperial Order of the Ottoman Crescent, Vice-Admiral in the Fleet of his Britannic Majesty; and the Right Honourable William Stewart, Lieutenant-Colonel in his Britannic Majesty's service, and commanding a detachment of his Britannic Majesty's forces embarked—the said Commissioners have met this day; and, having exchanged their respective powers, have agreed upon the following terms—

"ARTICLE I.

"From the moment of the signature of this armistice, all hostilities shall immediately cease, between the fleet under the command of Admiral Sir Hyde Parker, and the City of Copenhagen, and all the armed ships and vessels of his Danish Majesty in the road or harbour of that city; as, likewise, between the different islands and provinces of Denmark, Jutland included.

"ARTICLE II.

"The armed ships and vessels belonging to his Danish Majesty shall remain in their present actual situation, as to armament, equipment, and hostile position; and the treaty, commonly understood as the treaty of Armed Neutrality, shall, as far as relates to the co-operation of Denmark, be suspended while the Armistice remains in force.

"On the other side, the armed ships and vessels under the command of Admiral Sir Hyde Parker, shall in no manner whatsoever molest the City of Copenhagen, or his Danish Majesty's armed ships and vessels on the coasts of the different islands and provinces of Denmark, Jutland included; and, in order to avoid every thing which might otherwise create uneasiness or jealousy, Sir Hyde Parker shall not suffer any of the ships or vessels under his command to approach within gun-shot of the armed ships or forts of his Danish Majesty, in the road of Copenhagen. This restriction shall not, however, extend to vessels necessarily passing and repassing through the Casper or King's Channel.

"ARTICLE III.

"This armistice is to protect the city of Copenhagen, as also the coast of Denmark, of Jutland, and islands included, against the attack of any other naval force which his Britannic Majesty may now, or hereafter, during it's remaining in force, have in those seas.

"ARTICLE IV.

"The fleet of Admiral Sir Hyde Parker shall be permitted to provide itself at Copenhagen, and along the coasts of the different islands and provinces of Denmark, Jutland included, with every thing which it may require for the health and comfort of it's crews.

"ARTICLE V.

"Admiral Sir Hyde Parker shall send on shore all such subjects of his Danish Majesty as are now on board the British fleet under his command; the Danish government engaging to give an acknowledgment for them, as also for all such wounded as were permitted to be landed after the action of the 2d instant, in order that they may be accounted for in favour of Great Britain, in the unfortunate event of the renewal of hostilities.

"ARTICLE VI.

"The coasting trade carried on by Denmark along all such parts of her coast as are included in the operation of this armistice, shall be unmolested by any British ships or vessels whatever, and instructions given accordingly by Admiral Sir Hyde Parker.

"ARTICLE VII.

"This armistice is to continue, uninterrupted by the contracting parties, for the space of fourteen weeks from the signature hereof; at the expiration of which time, it shall be in the power of either of the said parties to declare a cessation of the same, and to recommence hostilities, upon giving fourteen days previous notice.

"The conditions of this armistice are, upon all occasions, to be explained in the most liberal and loyal manner, so as to remove all ground for farther dispute, and facilitate the means of bringing about the restoration of harmony and good understanding between the two kingdoms.

"In faith whereof, we, the undersigned commissioners, in virtue of our full powers, have signed the present armistice, and have affixed to it the seal of our arms.

"Done on board his Britannic Majesty's ship the London, in Copenhagen Roads, April 9, 1801.

"Nelson and Bronte. "William Stewart. "Ernest Frederic Walterstorff. "Hans Lindholm.

"In pursuance of my abovementioned authority, I ratify this document with my hand—

"Frederic.

"Ratified by me—

"Hyde Parker, Admiral and Commander in Chief of his Britannic Majesty's Fleet."

The Danes had great reason to be satisfied with the liberality of this armistice; the conditions of which certainly were, on our part, most strictly performed. It will appear that, on the part of Denmark, this was not precisely the case. Lord Nelson's conduct, however, at once firm and conciliating, procured justice to his country without again resorting to arms. The first blow had been struck by Denmark, and she had suffered for her rashness and temerity. Even in passing the Sound, her guns evinced the disposition, but happily possessed not the power, to injure the British fleet. A very heavy fire was kept up by the Danes, but none of our ships received a shot. In the mean time, we had several bomb-ships firing on the town of Elsineur, the shells from which killed upwards of a hundred and fifty people on shore. At Copenhagen, still more confident in their strength, they had made every arrangement for the destruction of our fleet, but no preparation for the defeat of their own. Shielded by nature with dangerous shoals, and fortified by art with powerful batteries, they seemed rather to invite, than to dread, any hostile attack. They reflected not, that the hero coming against them was no less expert as a navigator than as a warrior, and scarcely more a seaman than a soldier. Happily his heroic heart was replete with humanity, and his dreadful ability to shed human blood only surpassed by his ardent desire to spare it's unnecessary effusion. The Danes, trusting to the strength of their grand line of defence, composed of eighteen ships, block-ships, floating-batteries, &c. which were all, in a few hours, sunk, burnt, or taken, had neglected to engage surgeons for their wounded defenders; who were found bleeding to death, on boarding the different captured vessels, in prodigious numbers, and afforded a shocking spectacle of horror to our brave but humane seamen. To preserve his fellow creatures from wanton destruction, the hero's flag of truce unfurled; a pause was thus obtained; reason had time to operate; and the basis was immediately laid for a renewal of that amity which had happily prevailed, for a long series of years, between the two nations, though anciently the fiercest foes.

The news of this victory was received in England with the utmost rejoicing; nor did the temper of the people fail to participate in their favourite hero's generous sentiments towards the brave but vanquished Danes. They considered Denmark as having been unwillingly dragged into the confederacy; they admired the patriotic courage of her misdirected sons; and generously lamented the cruel necessity of thus compelling them to relinquish a league, which had for it's object, beneath the artful veil of a generous love of liberty, that has sufficiently deluged the earth with blood, the unjust and absurd view of destroying the maritime power of Great Britain, by which the freedom of the, seas is alone preserved to the honourable commerce of all civilized nations.

On the 16th of April, the Earl of St. Vincent, then First Lord of the Admiralty, made a motion in the House of Peers—and Mr. Addington, now Lord Sidmouth, then Chancellor of the Exchequer, in the House of Commons—of thanks to Sir Hyde Parker, Lord Nelson, Rear Admiral Graves, and the rest of the officers, seamen, and marines, for their very exemplary bravery displayed in the great and glorious victory atchieved at Copenhagen; which were carried, in both houses, with acclamations of unanimous applause. The Duke of Clarence observed, of his old friend, Lord Nelson, whom he ever loved and revered, that fortune seemed to back his courage and intrepidity, in every enterprise he engaged; and acknowledged his own obligations, as a prince of the blood, to the gallant commanders, and to the whole fleet, for the accomplishment of a victory which, probably, in it's effects, would restore the possessions on the continent to his family, together with the peace and security of the British empire, and of Europe. About a month afterwards, Lord Nelson was elevated to the rank of Viscount of the united kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, by the name, stile, and title, of Viscount Nelson of the Nile, and of Burnham-Thorpe in the county of Norfolk; an additional honour which was generally and justly considered, at the time, and must ever be regarded by posterity, as by no means equal to his high deserts.

In the mean time, immediately after signing the convention with Denmark, Russia and Sweden remaining still unattacked, Sir Hyde Parker had proceeded to the eastward, with such ships as were in a condition for service: leaving Lord Nelson at Copenhagen, with orders to repair his damaged ships, and dispose of the prizes; after which, he was to follow the commander in chief, and assist in accomplishing the other designs of this very important expedition. The repairs were not long compleating, and the prizes were soon disposed of; of the latter, all but one—the Holstein of sixty-four guns—were found entirely unfit for service, and immediately destroyed. Even this solitary remain of the Danish formidable line of defence, was only judged worthy of being commissioned as an hospital-ship in the British fleet; yet villainy and weakness united to wrest from our hero the honour of a compleat victory, even on the spot where it had been felt as well as witnessed.

Lord Nelson, after the battle of the 2d of April, had returned with his flag to the St. George; and, on the 16th, was ready to proceed after the commander in chief, who had entered the Baltic, and greatly alarmed the Russians, Prussians, and Swedes. Most of the squadron of his lordship, however, touched the ground, in their passage through the narrow and shallow channel which divides the islands of Amak and Saltholm, and two or three of them actually sticking fast for a short time, he was detained, even after they did pass, to have the St. George lightened, which drew still more water than the rest, by taking out the guns, and putting them on board an American ship. While this was effecting, the report of the Swedish fleet being out, with an intention to join that of Russia, then lying at Revel, reached his lordship. The instant he received this intelligence, though it was then a very cold evening of that climate, he descended into his gig, or smallest boat; and, after being so exposed on the water several hours, got again on board the Elephant, the former bearer of his flag and triumph. Lord Nelson, in his extreme haste to quit the St. George, had neglected to take his boat-cloak; but he would not lose a moment in returning for it, notwithstanding the inclemency of the weather and the great distance he had necessarily to go. A master of one of the ships, who was ordered to attend, earnestly pressed his lordship's acceptance of a great coat which he had brought for himself. This, however, was as kindly refused, as it had been affectionately tendered—"I thank you," said the hero, "very much; but, to tell you the truth, my anxiety, at present, keeps me sufficiently warm." Soon afterwards, his lordship asked—"Think you, that the British fleet has quitted Bornholm? If it has," continued he, without waiting for a reply, "we must follow it to Carlscrona." His lordship had arrived about midnight; and, the next day, saw the Swedish armament safely sheltered under the numerous forts and batteries erected on the island at the entrance of Carlscrona; where, as he suspected, it had taken timely refuge from the British fleet. Sir Hyde Parker, while on his voyage to Revel, having gained intelligence of the intended junction of the Swedish fleet with that of the Russians against which he was proceeding, had immediately steered his course for the Island of Bornholm, with the hope of intercepting the Swedes; but the commander, warned by the Danish disaster, wisely retreated from the danger of a similar encounter, by returning into port with the utmost precipitation.

Scarcely had Lord Nelson quitted Copenhagen, where he could not but have endeared himself to every virtuous heart, by his amiable liberality of disposition—bountifully rewarding youth of promise in the national military schools of the Danes, as if he had been dealing honours among the deserving of his own country, and every way displaying the superior cast of his dignified soul—when he learned that Olfert Fischer, the Danish commander in chief, had officially published the following shamefully partial account of this indisputably great and glorious victory, as transmitted to his Royal Highness the Crown Prince.

DANISH OFFICIAL ACCOUNT OF THE BATTLE OF COPENHAGEN.

"On the 1st of April, at half past three in the afternoon, two divisions of the English fleet, under the command of Vice-Admiral Lord Nelson, and a rear-admiral, weighed anchor, and stood eastward, and by the south of the middle passage of the road, where they anchored. This force consisted of twelve ships of the line; and several large frigates, gun-boats, and other smaller vessels; in all, thirty-one sail.

"On the 2d of April, at three-quarters past nine in the morning, the wind south-east, both the vessels to the south and the vessels to the north of the middle road, weighed anchor. The ships of the line, and heavy frigates, under Lord Nelson, steered for the Konigstiefe, to take their stations, in order, along the line of defence confided to me. The gunboats, and small vessels, took their stations near the town; and the division of Admiral Parker, consisting of eight ships of the line, and some small vessels, steered with a press of sail southwards, to the right wing of defence.

"At half past ten, the foremost ship of Admiral Nelson's division passed the southernmost ship of the line of defence. I gave those ships that were within shot the signal for battle. The block-ships, Provesteen, and Wagner, and immediately after these the Jutland, between which and the block-ship Dannebrog, the leading English ship of seventy-four guns fixed her station, by throwing out one of her rear-anchors, obeyed the signal, by a well directed and well supported fire. By degrees, the rest of the ships came up; and, as they sailed past, on both sides of the ships already at anchor, they formed a thick line: which, as it stretched northward to the ship of the line the Zealand, engaged not more than two-thirds of the line of defence committed to me; while the Trekroner—or Three Crowns Battery—and the block-ships Elephanten and Mars, with the frigate Hielperen, did not come at all into the action.

"In half an hour, the battle was general. Ten ships of the line, among which was one of eighty guns, the rest chiefly seventy-fours, and from six to eight frigates, on the one side: on the other, seven block-ships; of which, only one of seventy-four, the rest of sixty-four and under; two frigates; and six smaller vessels. This was the respective strength of the two parties. The enemy had, on the whole, two ships to one: and the block-ship Provesteen had, besides a ship of the line and the rear-admiral, two frigates against her; by which she was raked the whole time, without being able to return a shot.