The Life of the Right Honourable Horatio Lord Viscount Nelson, Volume 1Harrison, James
History
The Life of the Right Honourable Horatio Lord Viscount Nelson, Volume 1
Harrison, James
Admirals -- Great Britain -- Biography; Great Britain. Royal Navy -- Biography; Nelson, Horatio Nelson, Viscount, 1758-1805
It is to be regretted, that the harmony of this festival, which cost Sir
William Hamilton two thousand ducats, was considerably deranged, towards
it's conclusion, by the hero's son-in-law; who, it seems, so far forgot
himself, as grossly to offend the very man whom every other person was
delighting to honour. To such a height, indeed, was this young
gentleman's intemperance unfortunately carried, that Captain Troubridge
and another officer felt themselves under the absolute necessity of
conducting him out of the room. This disagreeable occurrence, naturally
agitating the breast of the worthy admiral, who was at that very period
soliciting the indiscreet young man's preferment, in a letter then on
it's way to England, occasioned a violent return of those internal
spasms to which all excesses of the passions had constantly subjected
him since the time when this grievance first commenced, while his
anxious mind was occupied in vainly pursuing the French fleet: indeed,
he always said, and it seems highly probable, that the disappointment,
had it much longer continued, and his expectation of encountering them
been finally frustrated, would certainly have "broke his heart." It is
from no disrespect to Captain Nisbet that this affair is mentioned: nor
is it for the sake of observing, what that gentleman must be sensible is
the undoubted fact, that he was indebted for a reconciliation with his
father-in-law, shortly after, to the kind interference of Sir William
and Lady Hamilton; who, very properly representing it as solely the
effect of a young man's pardonable inebriety on so joyous an occasion,
again introduced him to favour at their rural villa in the vicinity of
Naples. The fact, in itself, is trivial; but, on subjects of domestic or
family delicacy, the minutest thread of verity may chance to have it's
use in conducting through the intricate labyrinth by which the temple of
truth is generally found to be environed.
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