The Life of the Right Honourable Horatio Lord Viscount Nelson, Volume 2Harrison, James
History
The Life of the Right Honourable Horatio Lord Viscount Nelson, Volume 2
Harrison, James
Admirals -- Great Britain -- Biography; Great Britain. Royal Navy -- Biography; Nelson, Horatio Nelson, Viscount, 1758-1805
On the 3d of September, their Sicilian Majesties gave their splendid
Fete Champetre in the royal gardens at Palermo, to celebrate the
recovery of the kingdom of Naples under the auspices of Lord Nelson. A
grand temple of Fame was erected, on this occasion; in which were three
figures, the size and exact resemblance of life, beautifully modelled
in wax. The centre figure represented Admiral Lord Nelson, Duke of
Bronte, dressed in a full British uniform; as conducted, by a figure of
Sir William Hamilton, to receive from the hand of a third, resembling
Lady Hamilton in the character of Victory, the laurel wreath of triumph
which adorned the hero's brow. Before the steps of this temple, their
Sicilian Majesties, with all the royal family, stood ready to receive
the three illustrious characters thus represented; and, on their
approach, after publicly embracing them, the king, with his own hand,
took the laurel wreath from the wax figure, and placed it on the head of
the real hero, who wore it during the whole of the entertainment. Sir
William, and his lady, were also presented with similar investments; the
queen thus honouring her ladyship, and his majesty Sir William. On the
robe of the figure of Victory were embroidered the names of all those
heroes, in particular, who had fought at the battle of the Nile; and, on
various Egyptian pyramids, placed around the several temples of the
garden, were inscribed the names of the most distinguished English,
Neapolitan, Russian, and Turkish, heroes of the war, with appropriate
verses to each. Their majesties received the company; which consisted of
some of the principal nobility of Naples as well as of Palermo, with all
the British, Russian, and Turkish, officers of the respective squadrons.
Prince Leopold, their majesties youngest surviving son, then nine years
of age, who was educating for the navy, did the honours of the evening,
in his midshipman's uniform: and all the three princesses, as well as
the consort of the hereditary prince, and most other ladies, wore some
ornament allusive to Lord Nelson and his victories round their necks.
The entertainment commenced with a most brilliant and magnificent
fire-work: representing the English and French fleets at Aboukir, the
ever-memorable battle off the Nile, and the total defeat of the French;
terminating with the explosion of L'Orient, and the blowing up of the
tri-coloured flag. The queen, at this representation, said to Cadir Bey,
the Turkish admiral--"On this day, last year, we received from Lady
Hamilton intelligence of this great man's victory; which not only saved
your country, and our's, but all Europe!" After the fire-works, a
cantata was performed, entitled the Happy Concord. This piece, which was
written purposely on the occasion, expressed the general joy for the
deliverance of the two Sicilies; loyal wishes for the prosperity of
their sovereigns, and the royal family, as well as for those of their
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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