SELECT CHRONOLOGY
1758 (29 September) Horatio Nelson born at Burnham Thorpe, Norfolk
1774 Robert Southey born in Bristol
1771 Nelson joins the Royal Navy as a midshipman at Chatham
1773 Nelson sails to the Arctic
1777 Nelson sails to the West Indies
1787 Nelson marries Mrs Fanny Nisbet on Nevis, in the British Caribbean
1788 Nelson retires to Norfolk on half-pay
1792 Southey goes to Oxford University
1793 (January) Nelson given command of HMS Agamemnon (September) Nelson first meets Emma Hamilton at Naples
1794 (July) Nelson loses sight of right eye while besieging Calvi, Corsica
1795 Southey lectures with Coleridge in Bristol
1796 Southey sails to Spain
1797 (February) Nelson ‘breaks the line’ at the Battle of Cape St Vincent (July) Nelson loses right arm at Santa Cruz
1798 (August) Nelson wins the Battle of the Nile (Aboukir Bay) Southey publishes his ballads, ‘The Inchscape Rock’ and ‘The Battle of Blenheim’
1799 Nelson in Naples with Emma Hamilton Execution of Caraccioli, and Neapolitan ‘rebels’
1800 Nelson separates from Lady Nelson
1801 (April) Nelson disobeys orders at the Battle of Copenhagen
Nelson’s illegitimate daughter, Horatia, born Southey publishes Thalaba, the Destroyer
1803 (June) Nelson takes command of the Mediterranean fleet
Southey moves to the Lake District
1805 (August) Nelson’s last summer in England with Emma and Horatia
(15 October) Nelson dies at the Battle of Trafalgar
1810 Southey begins publishing his History of Brazil Southey reviews several Nelson biographies for The Quarterly
1813 Southey publishes The Life of Nelson Southey appointed Poet Laureate
1815 Emma Hamilton dies in Calais
1820 Southey publishes The Life of John Wesley
1833 Southey publishes his Lives of the British Admirals
1843 Southey dies in Keswick, Cumberland
Many lives of Nelson have been written: one is yet wanting, clear and concise enough to become a manual for the young sailor, which he may carry about with him till he has treasured up the example in his memory and in his heart. In attempting such a work I shall write the eulogy of our great Naval Hero; for the best eulogy of NELSON is the faithful history of his actions; the best history, that which shall relate them most perspicuously.
ROBERT SOUTHEY
Nelson’s birth and boyhood–He is entered on board the Raisonnable – Goes to the West Indies in a merchant-ship; then serves in the Triumph – He sails in Captain Phipps’s voyage of discovery–Goes to the East Indies in the Seahorse, and returns in ill-health–Serves as acting lieutenant in the Worcester, and is made lieutenant into the Lowestoffe, commander into the Badger brig, and post into the Hinchin-brook – Expedition against the Spanish Main–Sent to the North Seas in the Albemarle – Services during the American war.
HORATIO, son of Edmund and Catherine Nelson, was born September 29, 1758, in the parsonage house of Burnham Thorpe, a village in the county of Norfolk, of which his father was rector. The maiden name of his mother was Suckling, her grandmother was an elder sister of Sir Robert Walpole, and this child was named after his godfather the first Lord Walpole. Mrs Nelson died in 1767, leaving eight, out of eleven, children. Her brother, Captain Maurice Suckling, of the navy, visited the widower upon this event, and promised to take care of one of the boys. Three years afterwards, when Horatio was only twelve years of age, being at home during the Christmas holidays, he read in the county newspaper that his uncle was appointed to the Raisonnable of 64 guns. ‘Do, William,’ said he to a brother who was a year and a half older than himself, ‘write to my father and tell him that I should like to go to sea with Uncle Maurice.’ Mr Nelson was then at Bath, whither he had gone for the recovery of his health: his circumstances were straitened, and he had no prospect of ever seeing them bettered: he knew that it was the wish of providing for himself by which Horatio was chiefly actuated, and did not oppose his resolution; he understood also the boy’s character, and had always said, that in whatever station he might be placed, he would climb, if possible, to the very top of the tree. Accordingly Captain Suckling was written to. What,’ said he in his answer, ‘has poor Horatio done, who is so weak, that he, above all the rest, should be sent to rough it out at sea? But let him come, and the first time we go into action a cannon-ball may knock off his head, and provide for him at once.’
It is manifest from these words, that Horatio was not the boy whom his uncle would have chosen to bring up in his own profession. He was never of a strong body; and the ague, which at that time was one of the most common diseases in England, had greatly reduced his strength; yet he had already given proofs of that resolute heart and nobleness of mind, which, during his whole career of labour and of glory, so eminently distinguished him. When a mere child, he strayed birds-nesting from his mother’s house in company with a cow-boy; the dinner-hour elapsed; he was absent, and could not be found; and the alarm of the family became very great, for they apprehended that he might have been carried off by the gipsies. At length, after search had been made for him in various directions, he was discovered alone, sitting composedly by the side of a brook, which he could not get over. ‘I wonder, child,’ said the old lady when she saw him, ‘that hunger and fear did not drive you home.’ ‘Fear! grandmamma,’ replied the future hero, ‘I never saw fear: what is it?’
Once, after the winter holidays, when he and his brother William had set off on horseback to return to school, they came back because there had been a fall of snow; and William, who did not much like the journey, said it was too deep for them to venture on. ‘If that be the case,’ said the father, ‘you certainly shall not go; but make another attempt, and I will leave it to your honour. If the road is dangerous, you may return: but remember, boys, I leave it to your honour.’ The snow was deep enough to have afforded them a reasonable excuse; but Horatio was not to be prevailed upon to turn back. ‘We must go on,’ said he; ‘remember, brother, it was left to our honour!’ There were some fine pears growing in the schoolmaster’s garden, which the boys regarded as lawful booty, and in the highest degree tempting; but the boldest among them were afraid to venture for the prize. Horatio
