CHAPTER I.

CONTENTS.

Nelson's birth and boyhood.-He is entered on board
the Raisonnable.- Goes to the West Indies in a
merchant-ship; then serves in the Triumph. — He
sails in Capt. Phipps's voyage of discovery.-Goes to
the East Indies in the Seahorse, and returns in ill
health.-Serves as acting lieutenant in the Worcester,
and is made lieutenant into the Lowestoffe, com-
mander into the Badger brig, and post into the Hin-
chinbrook.-Expedition against the Spanish main.—
Sent to the North Seas in the Albemarle-Services
during the American war.

HORATIO, Son of EDMUND and CATHERINE
NELSON, was born Sept. 29, 1758, in the
parsonage house of Burnham Thorpe, a
village in the county of Norfolk, of which
his father was rector. The maiden name of
his mother was SUCKLING: her grandmo
ther was an elder sister of Sir ROBERT

WALPOLE, and this child was named after his godfather, the first Lord WALPOLE. Mrs. NELSON died in 1767, leaving eight, out of eleven, children. Her brother, Capt. 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 holydays, he read in the county newspaper that his uncle was appointed to the Raisonnable, of 64 guns. "Do William,” said he to a brother who was a year and half older than himself, "write to my father, "and tell him that I should like to go to (6 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.

Accordingly "What,"

Capt. Suckling was written to. said he in his answer, "has poor Horatio "done, who is so weak, that he, above all

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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 Ho

ratio 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 birds-nesting from his mother's house in company with a cow-boy: the dinner-hour elapsed; he was absent, and could not be found; and the alarm of the family became very great, for they appre

hended that he might have been carried off by the 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!

grandmamma," replied the future hero, "I never saw fear :-What is it?" Once, after the winter holydays, when he and his brother William had set off on horseback to return to school, they came back, because there had been a fall of snow; and William, who did not much like the journey, said it was too deep for them to venture on. " If "that be the case," said the father, "you "certainly shall not go; but make another “attempt, and I will leave it to your ho

nour. If the road is dangerous, you may "return: but remember, boys, I leave it "to your honour." The snow was deep enough to have afforded them a reasonable excuse; but Horatio was not to be prevailed upon to turn back. "We must go on,"

:

said he "remember, brother, it was left 66 to our honour!"-There were some fine pears growing in the schoolmaster's garden, which the boys regarded as lawful booty, and in the highest degree tempting; but the boldest among them were afraid to venture for the prize. Horatio volunteered upon this service he was lowered down at night from the bed-room window by some sheets, plundered the tree, was drawn up with the pears, and then distributed them among his schoolfellows, without reserving any for himself.→ "He only took them," he said, "because 66 every other boy was afraid."

Early on a cold and dark spring morning Mr. Nelson's servant arrived at this school at North Walsham with the expected summons for Horatio to join his ship. The parting from his brother William, who had been for so many years his playmate and bedfellow, was a painful effort, and was the beginning of those privations which are the sailor's lot through life. He accompanied his father to London. The Raisonnable was lying in the Medway.

He was put