“Amen!  Amen!  Amen!”

In this, which is extracted from his lordship’s own private journal, written at the moment, warm from the heart, as well as in almost every other action of his life, is manifested that exalted desire to promote the glory of his king and country, and that earnest wish to secure every comfort for his family and friends, which animated his heroic soul to perform any exploit, where there was a possibility of attaining either of those desirable objects.

Lord Nelson, on arriving at Portsmouth, immediately arranged all his business:  and, having embarked at the bathing-machines, got on board the Victory, about two o’clock; accompanied by his esteemed friends, the Right Honourable, George Rose, and the Right Honourable George Canning, who dined with the hero while he was preparing for sea.

The next morning, Sunday, September 15, at daylight, the Victory weighed, with light airs, and immediately sailed.  Though five ships of the line, and a frigate, were then at Portsmouth, almost ready for sea, and under orders to join his lordship, he was resolved not to lose a moment in waiting for them.  He had sailed, therefore, from St. Helen’s, accompanied only by the Honourable Captain Blackwood in the Euryalus frigate:  but, on the 17th, being off Plymouth, they were joined by the Ajax of seventy-four guns, Captain Brown; and the Thunderer of the same force, Captain Lechmere.

Lord Nelson, on the 26th of September, got round Cape St. Vincent; but it was late in the evening of the 28th, before he arrived off Cadiz, and joined Admiral Collingwood.  His lordship was received, by the whole fleet, with every demonstration of the most enthusiastic joy.  Being fully prepared to impart the particulars of the incomparable mode of attack which he had projected for the occasion, in all that force and vigour of genius which flashes irresistible conviction on the heart, and fills it, at once, with admiration, esteem, and astonishment, his lordship communicated, next morning, with the different commanders; whom he ordered on board the Victory, to be made acquainted with the particulars of his intended plan.  “I believe,” writes his lordship, “my arrival was most welcome; not only to the commanders of the fleet, but also to every individual in it; and, when I came to explain to them the Nelson touch, it was like an electric shock.  Some shed tears, all approved.  It was new, it was singular, it was simple; and, from admirals downwards, it was repeated—­“It must succeed, if ever they will allow us to get at them!  You are, my lord, surrounded by friends whom you inspire with confidence.”—­“Some,” adds his lordship, “may be Judas’s, but the majority are certainly much pleased with my commanding them.”  The letter from which this is extracted, was dated the 1st of October; on which morning, about four o’clock, our hero had been suddenly seized with a violent fit of those dreadful spasms which often so alarmingly afflicted him, “It is,”