view, in the summer of 1804, when the peace of Amiens was at an end, when Pitt re-appeared at the head of the English Government, and when Bonaparte became Emperor of the French, the venerable hero journeyed to London and presented himself at the Admiralty. But he had been severely tried by the los of several children, and his health was more seriously impaired than he himself believed.

It was ordered that Duncan should not again meet his country's foes. One day, while attending at the Admiralty, the brave old Admiral was seized with apoplexy. He recovered sufficiently to set his face northward, and had even crossed the Border on his way home. At Kelso, however, he had a second attack; and, in that town, hard by the spot where the Tweed and the Teviot form a junction, in the month of August, 1804, the hero of Camperdown gave up his soul to God.

H

LORD NELSON.

ABOUT the time when George the Third ascended the English throne, and when the war in which England regained the empire of the seas came to a close, there might have been seen about the village of BurnhamThorpe, in Norfolk, a somewhat delicate little boy, with a heart full of enthusiasm, and an eye brilliant with genius, sailing his miniature ship in the nearest pond, watching the brindled cows cooling their hoofs in the water, throwing stones at the pigeons perched on the barntops, casting wistful eyes towards the apples that reddened on the boughs of the orchard, or climbing trees to the destruction of his clothes, and seeking for young hawks at the hazard of his neck. The name of this boy was Horatio Nelson, and he was son of the Reverend Edmund Nelson, Rector of BurnhamThorpe.

The immediate progenitors of the Rector of Burnham-Thorpe appear to have moved in the ranks of the yeomanry. His pedigree, however, did not stop with his immediate progenitors. The Nelsons, it seems, claimed descent from men of Anglo-Danish origin, who had occupied a place among the gentry of Norfolk ; and ancient monuments to the memory of various mag

nates of the name were to be seen about churches and churchyards of the county. At all events, the Rector had been deemed of sufficient gentility to espouse a lady named Suckling, connected with the Walpoles; and she proving if anything inconveniently prolific, made him father of eleven children. One of these, the little boy whom we have seen sailing his miniature ship, was destined to make his name known to fame as that of the greatest naval hero the world has

ever seen.

It was on the 29th of September, 1758, at the parsonage house of Burnham-Thorpe, that Nelson first saw the light. Having been cradled and swaddled with the usual ceremonies, he was named Horatio after his godfather, the first Lord Walpole. Of all the Rector's sons, however, he seemed the least likely to play a great part in the world's affairs. From the first, his constitution was the reverse of vigorous; and at an early age an attack of ague much reduced his natural strength. But his courage and high spirit were early conspicuous; and almost in childhood he gave indications not to be mistaken of the characteristics he was to exhibit in after years.

One day, when a mere child, Nelson happened to be on a visit to his grandmother. Straggling from the venerable dame's house in search of birds' nests, in the company of a cowboy, he became so absorbed in his adventures that he parted company with his comrade, and allowed the dinner hour to pass without returning. Alarmed at his absence, his grandmother gave way to fearful apprehensions, and exclaimed that doubtless he had been carried off by gipsies. Diligent search, however, was made, and the embryo hero

was discovered sitting by the side of a brook which he had found some difficulty in crossing, and quietly diverting himself by dropping pebbles into the water.

"I wonder, child," cried his grandmother, when he appeared at the house," that fear did not drive you home."

"Fear?" said Nelson inquiringly.

"Yes, fear!" cried the grandmother, probably in no gentle accents.

"Fear ?" repeated Nelson thoughtfully. “I never saw fear. What is it?"

It

When Nelson reached his ninth year, his mother departed this life, leaving eight out of her eleven children to the care of her husband. Soon after this melancholy event, her brother, Maurice Suckling, a captain in the navy, visited the bereaved Rector, and promised to provide for one of his nephews at sea. does not appear that Horatio was the one intended. The young hero, however, seems to have concluded that he was to be the man, and no doubt began to pant for the hour when he was to exchange the green fields of Norfolk for salt water, and to regale his imagination with visions of such sea-fights as he had heard of by the fireside, or read of in some odd volume among the theological works in his father's book-case.

But however that may have been, Nelson was still too young for a man-of-war, and he was sent with his brother William to a school at North Walsham. The boys boarded with the master, but they went home during the holidays, and did not always on such occasions manifest particular impatience to return. In this way it happened that, being one day after Christmas sent off from Burnham-Thorpe on horseback, they

considered a fall of snow as a capital excuse for turning the horse's head, and rode back to the parsonage house.

66

Why have you come back?" asked the Rector, as they appeared at the door.

"We are afraid the snow will be too deep for us,” answered William.

"In that case," said the Rector, "you certainly shall not go. But make another attempt, and I will leave it to your honour."

66

Very well," said the boys.

"If the road is dangerous you may return," repeated "But remember, boys, I leave it to your

the Rector.

honour."

The young Nelsons again took the road for North Walsham, and found as they advanced that the snow was quite deep enough to justify them in turning back a second time. In fact, William, who had no very eager desire to resume his studies, and therefore no relish for the journey, was strongly inclined to rein round.

"The snow is far too deep," he said; home again."

66 we must go

"No, brother," said Horatio, "we must go on if possible. Remember, it was left to our honour ;" and William no longer objecting to proceed, they trotted on, and safely reached North Walsham.

When months passed over; when spring succeeded winter, and summer succeeded spring, and autumn succeeded summer, some pears in the schoolmaster's garden attracted the eyes of the boys. None, however, ventured to gather them. The pears indeed were considered lawful booty, but they grew against the wall