child was named after his godfather,
the first Lord Walpole. Mrs. Nelson died in 1767, leaving eight out
of eleven children. Her brother, Captain Maurice Suckling, of the navy
visited the widower upon this event, and promised to take care of one of
the boys. Three years afterwards, when HORATIO was only twelve years of
age, being at home during the Christmas holidays, he read in the county
newspaper that his uncle was appointed to the RAISONNABLE, of sixty-four
guns. "Do, William," said he to a brother who was a year and a half older
than himself, "write to my father, and tell him that I should like to go
to sea with uncle Maurice." Mr. Nelson was then at Bath, whither he had
gone for the recovery of his health: his circumstances were straitened,
and he had no prospect of ever seeing them bettered: he knew that it was
the wish of providing for himself by which Horatio was chiefly actuated,
and did not oppose his resolution; he understood also the boy's
character, and had always said, that in whatever station he might be
placed, he would climb if possible to the very top of the tree. Captain
Suckling was written to. "What," said he in his answer, "has poor Horatio
done, who is so weak, that he, above all the rest, should be sent to
rough it out at sea?--But let him come; and the first time we go into
action, a cannon-ball may knock off his head, and provide for him at
once."

It is manifest from these words that Horatio was not the boy whom his
uncle would have chosen to bring up in his own profession. He was never
of a strong body; and the ague, which at that time was one of the most
common diseases in England, had greatly reduced his strength; yet he had
already given proofs of that resolute heart and nobleness of mind
which, during his whole career of labour and of glory, so eminently
distinguished him. When a mere child, he strayed a-birds'-nesting
from his grandmother's house in company with a cowboy: the dinner-hour
elapsed; he was absent, and could not be found; and the alarm of the
family became very great, for they apprehended that he might have been
carried off by gipsies. At length, after search had been made for him in
various directions, he was discovered alone, sitting composedly by the
side of a brook which he could not get over. "I wonder, child," said the
old lady when she saw him, "that hunger and fear did not drive you home."
"Fear! grandmama:" replied the future hero, "I never saw fear:--What is
it?"