Lord Exmouth had now gained everything he could hope for.  He was still in the full vigour of life, with the prospect of many years of health.  His children had all been spared to him; and he was accustomed to dwell on their conduct with a father’s pride and satisfaction.  With a liberality not often displayed, he gave them their full portions as they successively left him; and he had the gratification of entrusting to each of his sons one of the many honourable tributes to his worth and services which he had received from different public bodies.  His eldest son, who had served many years under his orders, was living near Teignmouth, at the family mansion of Canonteign.  He represented Launceston in Parliament, and when he first entered the House had exerted himself, though without success, to obtain for seamen serving on foreign stations the privilege, since granted, of receiving part of their pay abroad.  He had been much impressed with the evils of the former system, which his liberality had obviated for his own crews.  Lord Exmouth maintained a most unreserved intercourse with him, and often expressed a confidence in the strongest terms, that he would do honour to the rank he was to inherit:  hopes never to be realized, for he survived his father only a few months.

It is a memorable illustration of a truth, which all admit, but none entirely feel, till their own experience has taught them the vanity of worldly success, that when the attainment of every object had left him without a wish ungratified, Lord Exmouth would sometimes confess that he had been happier amidst his early difficulties.  Indeed, his natural character, and all his habits, were very unfavourable to repose.  The command at Plymouth was given him in 1817, on the death of Sir John Duckworth; but this, though it prevented a too abrupt transition to complete retirement, was a life of inactivity, when contrasted with his general pursuits for almost fifty years.

While he held this command he was required to attend in his place in the House of Lords on the trial of the Queen, one of the most lamentable events in modern English history.  He had received her then Royal Highness on board his flag-ship in the Mediterranean with all the attentions due to her exalted rank, and his principal officers were assembled to pay their respects to her.  But when he was desired to furnish a royal standard, which, it was said, the vessel was entitled to carry, though a foreigner, he replied that the standard of England could be carried only by a British man of war.  He shared the temporary unpopularity of the noblemen who supported the bill, and the mob at Plymouth and its neighbourhood expressed their feelings towards him with much violence; but this, as far as he was concerned, gave him no disquiet.  He had not then to learn how little this kind of hostility is to be regarded, when it is provoked by the faithful discharge of duty.  When the storm was at the highest he wrote the following letter:—­