d by his lordship
and friends at Oxford; from whence, highly gratified, they the same day
proceeded to Woodstock, with an intention of viewing Blenheim.

It might have been expected, that his Grace the Duke of Marlborough,
himself descended from a British hero of the first class, and inhabiting
a magnificent palace, the honourable boon of his country, would have
joyfully availed himself of the opportunity thus afforded by the
presence of a man certainly not inferior to his own heroic ancestor, so
near as even at Oxford, and politely requested the honour of
entertaining such a guest. This, however, had not been done; and Lord
Nelson, with his friends, put up at an inn in Woodstock; from whence
they went to Blenheim, as strangers, for the purpose of viewing the
internal attractions of art, in that grand but ponderous national pile.
The family never made their appearance; but sent a servant with
refreshments, which Lord Nelson proudly refused. As the duke was at
home, his lordship thought, no doubt, that he ought, at least, to have
come forward. Sir William Hamilton said that, if the shade of the Great
Marlborough could arise, he would have done the honours to the victor of
Aboukir, a greater victor than himself! Lady Hamilton finely
remarked--with a spirit and energy forcibly depicting the grand
character of that superlative mind which renders her, at once, the idol
and idoliser of transcendent genius and valour--that "the splendid
reward of Marlborough's services, was because a woman reigned, and women
had great souls: and I," says her ladyship, for these are her own
matchless words, "told Nelson that, if I had been a queen, after the
battle of Aboukir, he should have had a principality, so that Blenheim
Park should have been only as a kitchen garden to it! The tears came
into his eyes, and he shook Sir William and me by the hand; saying, that
he was content to have done his duty by the country, and the people,
that he loved, and he hoped we should ever approve his conduct; but
that, yet, he had not half done, for there were two or three beds of
laurels in the Mediterranean to be gathered."

It was in this way, that these exalted friends of their country, and of
each other, consoled themselves on all occasions, where they met with
any of that incivility or ingratitude, which few persons of eminent
worth fail to experience in the world. That the Duke of Marlborough
should have come forward, and welcomed the hero to Blenh