d by rewarding such men! Numerous public
services, it is well known, were in a great degree assisted by the
influence of his own private purse; which was never closed against any
claims of conceived duty, either professional or moral. Ever bountiful
to indigent merit, his private benevolences were by no means small; and
he was liberal and hospitable, both at sea and on shore, to a very
unusual excess. After all, he had not been able conveniently to repay
Mr. Matcham, his worthy and esteemed brother-in-law, four thousand
pounds borrowed towards the purchase of Merton Place. Who, then, shall
say, on a just consideration of these indisputable facts, that this
great man was amply rewarded by his country? The truth is, that he could
scarcely effect any thing which he wished, for the due support of that
dignity and rank which he had himself acquired; or obtain, for his
meritorious family and friends, the proportionate advancements which he
was solicitous to see them possess. Mr. Matcham, it is true, was a man
of fortune; but he had a very large family, with abilities which would
not have discredited rank. Mr. Bolton, his other sister's husband,
though a gentleman of great abilities also, and with a considerable
family, had a very inadequate fortune; and his lordship was particularly
desirous to have beheld him, at least, a Commissioner of the Excise or
Customs. This, in fact, was what had been repeatedly promised; but his
lordship experienced not the happiness of seeing it performed. The
present Earl Nelson, indeed, his lordship's only surviving brother, had
been presented to a prebendal stall at Canterbury; but, with this not
over splendid exception, nothing had been given by government to his
lordship's relatives, and very little to any of his chief friends. The
claim of Lady Hamilton's pension, too, which he had so earnestly
solicited, though it had been candidly acknowledged, remained still
unnoticed: and, during the few days he continued in England, it does not
appear to have been revived; probably, on account of the changes in
administration which had taken place while his lordship was abroad, as
well as the necessity of now confining himself to the requisite
arrangements for undertaking his newly extended command.

As the day approached when Lord Nelson must take his departure from
Merton Place, Lady Hamilton began severely to suffer for having advised
the tender of his services. Her mind, no doubt, anticipated all the