or their reception, which had been hired by
the British consul: and, on the twelfth day after quitting Dresden, the
party arrived safely at Hamburgh, where they were greeted with the most
rapturous rejoicings.

The people of all descriptions, in this motley city, hailed our hero
with the most perfect unity of sentiment; and, at the theatres, and
other public places, even the hat with the Gallic tri-coloured cockade
of republicanism was waved with exultation and applause, on beholding
the chief champion of royalty and prime protector of kings. Such was the
acknowledged glory of all his public actions, and such the universal
sense of respect for the various known virtues of his private character,
that every good and great mind aspired to claim for itself the privilege
of regarding him as a brother. The honours which his lordship here
received were greater, perhaps, than had ever been before paid to any
individual by the joyful inhabitants of this then free commercial city.
The grand governing bodies, every illustrious personage, and all the
most opulent merchants, vied with each other in testifying the happiness
they felt on thus having the first hero of the world among them.

At a grand fete given by the English merchants to Lord Nelson and his
friends, his lordship, after dinner, addressed the company, consisting
of all the principal people of Hamburgh, in a very admirable speech,
expressive of the high sense which he entertained of their indulgent
regards: and having, a few days before, been to visit the British consul
at Altona, who was a brother of his friend Captain. Cockburne, from
whence his lordship, with Sir William and Lady Hamilton, had not
returned to Hamburgh till after the gates had been long closed, and were
consequently under the necessity, of waiting a considerable time before
permission could be obtained for admitting them into the city; his
lordship, ingeniously adverting to the circumstance, remarked that he
had happily experienced a specimen of the difficulties which the French
were likely to encounter, should they ever approach the gates of
Hamburgh; and trusted that the worthy inhabitants would always be found
ready as obstinately to defend them against their worst enemies, as they
had recently done against their most sincere friend. Lord Nelson, at
this fete, lost one of the large diamonds from the grand sword given to
him by the King of Naples; which, notwithstanding the greatly boasted
security