is
uncle could not at that time be on board, or any person whatever who
knew of his coming: for he has been repeatedly heard to say, by one of
his oldest and most esteemed friends, that he paced the deck, after his
arrival from Greenwich, the whole remainder of the day, without being in
the smallest degree noticed by any one; till, at length, the second day
of his being on board, some person, as he expressed it, "kindly took
compassion on him." It was then discovered, for the first time, that he
was the captain's nephew, and appointed to serve on board as a
midshipman. What a primary reception was this, for such a youth to
experience! It did not, however, dispirit him; and he was, no doubt, now
heartily greeted and encouraged, with the golden hopes always inspired,
among young seamen, by the prospect of a Spanish war.

Whatever might be the extent of these hopes, they were destined to be
speedily dissipated. The Spaniards very readily made such concessions as
administration thought it expedient, at that juncture, to accept,
respecting this business; Mr. Harris, his majesty's minister at Madrid,
who had been recalled on the 21st of December 1770, was ordered to
return thither on the 18th of January 1771; and, of course, all the
ships which had been just commissioned for that service, were directed
to be immediately laid up in ordinary, and paid off.

This, on the whole, seemed no very auspicious commencement for the young
hero. His father was in the condition of the country; he had incurred
the expences of fitting out, for services which this compromise rendered
unnecessary. Peace, however, while it can be preserved with safety and
honour, is always preferable to war; and initiation in an honourable
profession, where so much depends on seniority, though it may not be
immediately productive, is undoubtedly better than nothing.

Horatio, though discouraged, was not disgusted: on the contrary, he felt
delighted with the profession of a sailor. Under the eye of his
respectable uncle, during the short time he had been on board, he became
fully satisfied that, to form an accomplished seaman, would require no
small degree of application, and no few years of experience. It was
ever the opinion of the Reverend Mr. Nelson, founded on an early and
acute observation of his son's character, that Horatio, in whatever
station placed, would climb, if possible, to the very top of the tree:
this sentiment seems to have swelled the bosom