Well, there was no fighting to be done when the fleet under Nelson arrived at Reval, and the Emperor Paul’s death and the dilatoriness of Parker saved the Russian fleet from extermination.  They had sailed into safer anchorage and the British Admiral had to content himself by paying an official visit to the authorities at Reval, and receiving another ovation from the populace, which appealed to his whimsical love of approbation.  As is his custom, he sends Emma an account of his Reval experiences.  He says he would not mention so personal an incident to any one else, as it would appear so uncommonly like vanity, but between her and himself, hundreds had come to have a look at Nelson, and he heard them say, “That is him! That is him!” It touches his vanity so keenly that he follows on by intimating that he “feels a good name is better than riches, and that it has a fine feeling to an honest heart.”  “All the Russians,” says he, “are of opinion that I am like Suwaroff, le Jeune Suwaroff.”  As may be imagined, Nelson was bitterly disappointed at so sudden a collapse of his hopes, but, always master of the situation, he wrote a most courteous letter to Count Pahlen, the Russian Minister, who had complained that his presence was calculated to make a breach of the good feeling between the two countries.  The Admiral’s reply was tactful and unconsciously humorous.  The tone was that of a person who had never been so unjustly hurt in his life.  “He had come to pay his respects to His Imperial Majesty, and as his motives had been so entirely misunderstood, he would put to sea at once.”

VI

His health was beginning to feel the enormous strain that had been imposed upon him for many months.  This, together with his longing to be in the congenial society of Lady Hamilton, caused him to ask to be relieved of his command, and he was delighted to receive a letter from his old chief, Lord St. Vincent, stating that it was almost an impossible task to find a suitable successor, as in all his experience he never knew any one, except Troubridge, who had the art of enthusing others with his own unequalled spirit as he had.  The command was handed over to Sir Charles Pole, and Nelson, almost wild with joy, sailed from the Baltic in the brig Kite on the 19th June, and arrived at Yarmouth on the 1st July, 1801.  Nelson always claimed that if the command had been given to him in February many lives would have been saved, and our prestige would not have suffered.

We cannot describe all the fascinating pleasure we get when we read and think of the wonders this strange mortal performed in the ordinary course of his profession; when, however, he departs from that and begins to make stagey love to Lady Hamilton, it tries one’s Christian patience.  What business had he, as the first sailor in the world, to enter into such a compact with another man’s wife?  However, he must not be judged by this liaison alone, but by the circumstances that led to it.