ORIGINAL PREFACE

ANY lives of NELSON have been written one is

"MA

ΜΑ

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."

Preface to Southey's Life of Nelson.

“This, which was perhaps upon the whole the most popular of any of my father's works, originated in an article in the fifth number of the Quarterly Review (Feb., 1810), which was enlarged at Murray's request. My father received altogether £300 for it,—£100 for the Review; £100 when the Life was enlarged; and £100 when it was published in the Family Library."

Southey's Life and Correspondence, chap. xviii.

"The Life of Nelson was completed this morning. This is a subject which I should never have dreamt of touching, if it had not been thrust upon me. I have

walked among sea-terms as carefully as a cat does among crockery; but if I have succeeded in making the narrative continuous and clear-the very reverse of what it is in the lives before me-the materials are in themselves so full of character, so picturesque and so sublime, that it cannot fail of being a good book." (Id. Feb. 1, 1813.)

"I met a Mr. Brandreth at my brother's a few days ago, who has lately returned from the West Indies. He says the American Government has printed an edition of your Life of Nelson, sufficiently numerous for a distribution on fine paper to every officer, and on coarse paper to every man in their fleet. This is what should have been done here long ago, and would have been done, if our statesmen had been anything better than politicians, or considered the people of the country as anything but mere machines, unendowed with feelings or motives of action. It ought to be in the chest of every seaman, from the admiral to the cabin-boy."-Grosvenor C. Bedford to R. Southey. (Id. ch. xxxi.)

CONTENTS

PAGE

SUMMARY OF EVENTS

CHAPTER I. 1758-1783.

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 Act-
ing-Lieutenant in the Worcester, and is made Lieutenant
into the Lowestoffe, Commander into the Badger brig,
and Post into the Hinchinbrook-Expedition against the
Spanish Main-Sent to the North Seas in the Albemarle
-Services during the American War

CHAPTER II. 1784-1792.

X

I

Nelson goes to France during the Peace-Reappointed to
the Boreas, and stationed at the Leeward Islands-His
firm conduct concerning the American Interlopers and
the Contractors-Marries and returns to England-Is on
the point of quitting the Service in Disgust-Manner of
Life while unemployed-Appointed to the Agamemnon
on the breaking out of the War of the French Revolution 27

CHAPTER III. 1793-1795.

The Agamemnon sent to the Mediterranean-Commence-
ment of Nelson's acquaintance with Sir William Hamilton
-He is sent to Corsica, to co-operate with Paoli-State
of affairs in that Island-Nelson undertakes the Siege of
Bastia, and reduces it-Takes a distinguished part in the
Siege of Calvi, where he loses an Eye-Admiral Hotham's
action-The Agamemnon ordered to Genoa, to coöperate
with the Austrian and Sardinian forces-Gross misconduct
of the Austrian General .

45

ENGLISH

SCHOOL-CLASSICS

Edited by FRANCIS STORR, B.A.,

CHIEF MASTER OF MODERN SUBJECTS AT MERCHANT TAYLORS' SCHOOL, LATE SCHOLAR OF TRINITY COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE, AND BELL UNIVERSITY SCHOLAR.

Thomson's Seasons: Winter.

With an Introduction to the Series. By the Rev. J. FRANCK BRIGHT, M.A., Master of University College. Is.

Cowper's Task. By FRANCIS STORR, B.A.

25.

Part I. (Books I. and II.), 9d. Part II. (Books III. and IV.), 9d. Part III. (Books V. and VI.), 9d.

Simple Poems from Cowper.

By FRANCIS STORR, B.A. IS.

2s. 6d.

Scott's Lay of the Last Minstrel.

By J. SURTEES PHILLPOTTS, M.A., Head Master of Bedford School.

Part I. (Canto I. with Introduction), 9d. Part II. (Cantos II. and III.), 9d. Part III. (Cantos IV. and V.), 9d. Part IV. (Canto VI.), 9d.

Scott's Lady of the Lake.

By R. W. TAYLOR, M.A., Head Master of Kelly College, Tavistock. 25.

Part I. (Cantos I. and II.), 9d. Part II. (Cantos III. and IV.), 9d. Part III. (Cantos V. and VI.), 9d.

Notes to Scott's Waverley.

By H. W. EVE, M.A., Head Master of University College School, London.
WAVERLEY AND NOTES.

Twenty of Bacon's Essays.

Simple Poems.

2s. 6d.

BY FRANCIS STORR, B.A. IS.

By W. E. MULLINS, M.A., Assistant-Master at Marlborough College. 8d. Wordsworth's Excursion.-The Wanderer.

By HAWES TURNER, B.A., late Scholar of Trinity College, Cambridge. Is.

Selections from Wordsworth's Poems.

By HAWES TURNER, B.A.

Milton's Paradise Lost.

IS.

By FRANCIS STORR, B.A. Book I. 9d. Book II. 9d. Milton's L'Allegro, Il Penseroso, and Lycidas.

By EDWARD STORR, B.A., late Scholar of New College, Oxford.

Selections from the Spectator.

IS.

By OSMUND AIRY, M.A., Assistant-Master at Wellington College. IS.

Browne's Religio Medici.

By W. P. SMITH, M.A., Assistant-Master at Winchester College. IS.

Goldsmith's Traveller, and The Deserted Village.

By C. SANKEY, M.A., Head Master of Bury St. Edmund's Grammar School. Is.

Extracts from Goldsmith's Vicar of Wakefield.

By C. SANKEY, M.A. IS.

Poems selected from the Works of Robert Burns.

By A. M. BELL, M.A., Balliol College, Oxford.

Macaulay's Essays:

25.

MOORE'S LIFE OF BYRON. BY FRANCIS STORR, B.A. 9d.

BOSWELL'S LIFE OF JOHNSON. BY FRANCIS STORR, B.Á. 9d.

HALLAM'S CONSTITUTIONAL HISTORY. By H. F. BOYD, late Scholar of Brasenose College, Oxford.

IS.

Southey's Life of Nelson.

By W. E. MULLINS, M.A. 2s. 6d.

Gray's Poems, with Johnson's Life, and Selections from

Gray's Letters. By FRANCIS STORR, B.A. IS.

RIVINGTONS: WATERLOO PLACE, LONDON