leg; was then under sailing
orders for Gibraltar, with a convoy. He had too much merit of his own,
not soon to discover it in another; and was so well satisfied with his
young officer, as to place the utmost confidence in his skill and
prudence.

Under this able commander, he remained at sea, with various convoys,
till the 2d of April 1777; and Admiral Robinson--for this worthy man
was, in consequence of his misfortune, placed on the list of
superannuated rear-admirals--has often been heard to remark, that he
felt equally easy, during the night, when it was young Nelson's turn to
watch, as when the oldest officer on board had charge of the ship.

These flattering testimonials to the merits of his nephew, which never
failed to be obtained from every commander under whom he had yet served,
could not but prove highly gratifying to an uncle in whose estimation he
had always been held so dear: who had first nurtured him for the
profession; and who, as soon as he could wield a sword, had presented
him with an honourable and well-tried one of his own, which he charged
him never to relinquish but with life.

The pleasure thus received by his delighted uncle, was constantly
communicated to the venerable and worthy pastor of Burnham-Thorpe: and
the anxieties of the father, for the perils to which his son must
necessarily be exposed, were calmed by that pious resignation to the
will of Heaven, in every situation of duty, with which he had early
endeavoured to fortify the hearts of all his offspring; and which taught
himself to hope, that perseverance in good would always be likely to
receive the highest degree of requisite protection and safety. Nor did
he fail, to correspond with his son, at every convenient opportunity;
and to inculcate, in writing, those pious and paternal precepts which
had so often flowed from his venerable and revered lips.

On the 8th of April 1777, within a single week of quitting the
Worcester, this youth, who had not yet completed the nineteenth year of
his age, passed his professional examination for a lieutenancy; and, on
the day following, received his commission as second lieutenant of the
Lowestoffe of thirty-two guns, commanded by Captain William Locker,
since Lieutenant-Governor of Greenwich Hospital, in which situation he
died on the 26th of December 1800.

This ship, in consequence of the dispute with the American colonists,
who had, on the 4th of July 1776, declared themselves free and
in