NELSON AND BRONTE.

The importunities of Horatia’s mother were continuously being forced upon Nelson in one way or another, but he seems to have stood firm, in an apologetic way, to the instructions laid down by himself, that no women were to go to sea aboard his ship; for, having been a party to the embargo, it would have been impossible for him to make her an exception.  He anticipates, as her other lovers had done, that she can be very angry, like Horatia, when she cannot have her own way, but he soothingly says that he knows his own dear Emma, if she applies her reason, will see that he is right.  He playfully adds an addendum that “Horatia is like her mother, she will have her own way, or kick up the devil of a dust.”  He reminds Emma that she is a “sharer of his glory,” which settles the question of her being allowed to sail with him, and from encountering the heavy gales and liquid hills that are experienced off Toulon week after week.  He warns the lady that it would kill her and himself to witness it.  Emma was too devoted to all the pleasures ashore to risk losing her life in any such uncomfortable fashion at sea, so the project was abandoned, if it was ever seriously contemplated.

This astute actress knew where to touch Nelson’s weak spot, and that it would send him into a frenzy of love to think of her yearning to be beside him.  She would know that the rules of the Service prohibited, except under special circumstances, even the highest in rank from having their wives sail with them, and that the rule would apply more rigidly to herself, who was not Nelson’s wife.  She knew, in fact, that her request would flatter him, and that she would be compensated by receiving a whirlwind of devotion in reply.  After the Gulf of Lyons days, no further request appears to have been made of that kind.

The combined fleets had been dodging each other on the 20th, light westerly winds and calms prevailing.  At daylight on the 21st the belligerent fleets were within twelve miles of each other.  Nelson was on deck early, and at 7.40 a.m. made the signal “To form the order of sailing,” and “To prepare for battle.”  Then the signal was made to “Bear up,” the Victory and Royal Sovereign leading the way in two lines; Nelson took the weather line with his ships, and the other division followed, but the wind being light, many had barely steerage way.  Fourteen vessels followed Collingwood, who was to attack the enemy’s rear, while Nelson slashed into the van and centre.  Villeneuve, seeing by the British formation that his number was up and that he would have to give battle, manoeuvred to keep Cadiz open, which was about twenty miles NE. of him, but the wind, being light, made it as difficult for the French Commander-in-Chief to carry out the disposition as it was for the quick-witted British Commander to prevent it.  Hence the development was a lazy process, and prevented, as varying circumstances always do, any rigid plan being adhered to.  Had