Dr. Nesbit, Mrs. Nelson’s first husband, was a native of Scotland.  He had, formerly, been an apothecary at Coventry; but, at Nevis, he practised as a physician.  He had not, however, acquired any very considerable wealth.  It has even been asserted, that Captain Nelson received the widow and child without any present fortune whatever; and that four thousand pounds, some years afterwards bequeathed Mrs. Nelson, on the death of her father or uncle, was the whole that ever came into his hands by his marriage with that lady.  When it is considered, that he was, at this time, a post-captain in the British navy, of more than eight years standing, though only twenty-nine years of age, there could, surely, be no reason for him to expect, without saying a word about prospects from his transcendent abilities, that he was ever to hear any reflections on the pecuniary advantages which he derived from this most disinterested union!

The Boreas was paid off at Sheerness, on the 30th of November 1787; and the winter was chiefly employed in visiting places of public amusement, and introducing Mrs. Nelson to his numerous respectable friends.

In a letter, written at Bath, April 3, 1778, to his friend Captain Locker, he says, that he has been, for the last month, at a relation’s near Bristol, and is only just returned, to drink the waters another fortnight.  He was, in fact, very partial to Bath:  not only on account of the present cure he had himself received there; but because his venerable and much afflicted father was under the absolute necessity of spending his winters in that city, during so many of the latter years of his life.  The Reverend Mr. Nelson, indeed, from paralytic and asthmatic affections, which would scarcely permit him to speak for several hours after rising in the morning, had actually been given over by the physicians almost forty years prior to his decease.

From Bath, Captain Nelson proceeded, on another visit of a month, to Exmouth; and, passing through London, in the summer, went immediately into Norfolk, where it was agreed to fix his future residence.

His father, accordingly, gave him up the parsonage-house at Burnham-Thorpe, where he formed his little domestic establishment.  He had, in the mean time, since his arrival in England, been again pestered with prosecutions from some of the Americans whose ships he seized in the West Indies, On this subject he says, in a letter to Captain Locker, “I have written them word, that I will have nothing to do with them, and they must act as they think proper:  government, I suppose, will do what is right, and not leave me in the lurch.  We have heard enough, lately, of the consequence of the Act of Navigation to this country.  They may take my person; but, if six-pence would save me from a prosecution, I would not give it.”