IGN, led the leeline of thirteen ships; the VICTORY led
the weather line of fourteen. Having seen that all was as it should be,
Nelson retired to his cabin, and wrote the following prayer:--

"May the great GOD whom I worship, grant to my country, and for the
benefit of Europe in general, a great and glorious victory, and may no
misconduct in any one tarnish it; and may humanity after victory be the
predominant feature in the British fleet! For myself individually, I
commit my life to Him that made me; and may His blessing alight on my
endeavours for serving my country faithfully! To Him I resign myself,
and the just cause which is entrusted to me to defend. Amen! Amen!
Amen!"

Having thus discharged his devotional duties, he annexed, in the same
diary, the following remarkable writing:--

OCTOBER 21, 1805.--. THEN IN SIGHT OF THE COMBINED FLEETS OF FRANCE
AND SPAIN, DISTANT ABOUT TEN MILES.

"Whereas the eminent services of Emma Hamilton, widow of the Right Hon.
Sir W. Hamilton, have been of the very greatest service to my king and
country, to my knowledge, without ever receiving any reward from either
our king or country.

1. That she obtained the King of Spain's letter, in 1796, to his
brother, the King of Naples, acquainting him of his intention to declare
war against England from which letter the ministry sent out orders to
the then Sir John Jervis to strike a stroke, if opportunity offered,
against either the arsenals of Spain or her fleets. That neither of
these was done is not the fault of Lady Hamilton; the opportunity might
have been offered.

2. The British fleet under my command could never have returned the
second time to Egypt, had not Lady Hamilton's influence with the Queen
of Naples caused letters to be wrote to the governor of Syracuse that he
was to encourage the fleet's being supplied with everything, should they
put into any port in Sicily. We put into Syracuse, and received every
supply; went to Egypt and destroyed the French fleet.

"Could I have rewarded these services, I would not now call upon
my country; but as that has not been in my power, I leave Emma Lady
Hamilton therefore a legacy to my king and country, that they will give
her an ample provision to maintain her rank in life.

"I also leave to the beneficence of my country my adopted daughter,
Horatio Nelson Thomson; and I desire she will use in future the name of
Nelson only.

"These are the only favours I ask of my king