squadron, had already suffered in the unequal encounter. It drew up in com pact order, expecting the most vigorous efforts on the part of the enemy, to retake his lost vessels; but such were the countenance and position of the British squadron, that the Spaniards, though so powerfully reinforced, did not dare to come into close action. Their fire was distant and ineffectual, and they left the British to move leisurely off with the four captured vessels: the slain and wounded on board of these alone, amounted to 600; and, on board the whole of the British squadron, to only nalf that number. The amount of the killed and wounded in the other Spanish ships was computed equal to that in the vessels that were taken. So singular a display of courage, skill, and good fortune,

in which an armada of 27 sail was defeated by a fleet of 15 sail, deserved and obtained the gratitude of the community. To the just applauses of the public on admiral Jervis, government added the honors of the peer age, bycreating him earl of St. Vincent, in order to perpetuate together with his name, the memory of this splendid and important achievement.

The vanquished fleet withdrew to Cadiz. whither it was immediately followed by the victors, who blockaded it so closely, that not one of the numerous ships of force belonging to Spain in that capacious harbor, durst venture out beyond the reach of the powerful batteries erected for its defence. The British squadron remained for some time within sight of the place, and in command of all the neighbouring seas, capturing numbers of the enemy's vessels, and performing many gallant actions. Various attempts were made by commodore Nelson to bombard the city; of which many were disastrous, and only one partially succeeded.

The Batavian republic, which had been erected on the ruins of the antient government in Holland, had fitted out an armament in the course of the summer, consisting of four ships of 74 guns, five of 68, two of 64, and four of 56. They were in the best condition, completely manned, and provided with every requisite. The

command was given to admiral de Winter, an officer of acknowledged merit in his profession, and of remarkable intrepidity. His principles were decidedly republican; and he had therefore been appointed by the French to superintend the re-establishment of the Dutch marine, and afterwards to the command of the fleet.

A violent storm having reduced admiral Duncan to the necessity of returning to' Yarmouth from the coast of Holland, the Batavian government ordered de Winter to sail with all possible expedition. They were influenced by the hope that he would be able, before the return of the English admiral, to effect his passage to Brest, and afterwards proceed to the coast of Ireland. In this expectation they were disappointed. Apprized by the signals of his advanced cruizers that the Dutch fleet had left the Texel, Duncan, on the 10th of October, sailed from Yarmouth roads, and, reaching the coast of Holland late in the evening, stationed his squadron in such a position as to prevent the enemy from regaining the Texel. Early in the morning of the 11th of October, he descried the Dutch fleet formed in line of battle about nine miles to leeward, between Egmont and Camperdown. To prevent them from approaching nearer the shore, Duncan resolved to break their line. This movement was accordingly executed, and admiral Duncan attacked the van of the Dutch, and admiral Onslow the rear, The ship commanded by Duncan lay nearly three hours along side of the Dutch admiral de Winter, and the conflict between these two brave commanders was remarkably obstinate and destructive. The latter did not strike his flag till all his masts were overboard, half of his crew were slain or wounded, and further resistance was impossible. The Dutch vice-admiral yielded to admiral Onslow, after he had been reduced to the same condition. About four in the afternoon the battle terminated in a decisive victory on the part of the British. Our fleet by this time was within five miles. of the shore, and in no more than five fathoms water, so that the chief care of the admiral was to prevent his victorious

fleet from being entangled in the shallows. This necessary precaution and the approach of night, compelled him to discontinue the pursuit, and saved from destruction a remnant of the enemy's fleet. No fewer, however, were captured, than eight ships of the liue, two vessels of 56 guns, and two frigates. The loss of men on both sides in this bloody and well-fought battle, was considerable. In the British squadron it amounted to 700, and in the Dutch to twice that number, the choicest of their seamen. Such was the result of that skill, determination, and intrepidity, which distinguished the admiral from the beginning to the conclusion of the conflict. The victory was not less owing to the promptitude and judgment which carried the British fleet between the enemy and the shore, than to the valor of the sub"ordinate officers and seamen.

Commodore Nelson having been promoted to the rank of admiral, was appointed to the command of an expedition against the isle of Teneriffe: He arrived at the place of destination on the 4th of July, and immediately prepared to carry his orders into execution. No individual could have been selected to undertake the enterprise, more worthy by his past exploits of the confidence of his country. To trace the progress of this illustrious character through the various vicissitudes of his eventful life is the province of the biographer rather than of the historian; and I shall therefore confine myself to the record of those events which more immediately tended to contribute to his future eminence, and to the elucidation of British history.

On the 11th of May, in the year 1749, the reverend Edmund Nelson, son of the then venerable rector of Hillborough, and himself rector of Burnham Thorpe, was married to Catharine, daughter of sir Maurice Suckling, rector of Barsham, in Suffolk, and of Woodton, in Norfolk, and prebendary of Westminster.

By this union the Nelson family gained the honor of being related to the noble families of Walpole, Cholmondeley, and Townsend Miss Suckling being the grand

daughter of sir Charles Turner, Bart. of Warham, in the county of Norfolk, by Mary, daughter of Robert Walpole esquire, of Houghton, and sister to sir Robert Walpole of Woolterton, whose next sister was married to Charles, second son of viscount Townsend.

Of these virtuous and respectable parents, Horatio Nelson the fifth son, and the sixth child, was born at the parsonage house of the rectory of Burnham Thorpe, on Michaelmas-day 1758. He was educated at the high school of Norwich, and was afterwards placed at North Walsham, under the care of the reverend Mr. Jones. Here he continued till in the autumn of 1770, captain Suckling having obtained the command of the Raisonable, of 64 guns, one of the ships connected with the intended expedition to Falkland islands, immediately ordered his nephew from school, and entered him as a midshipman. After being properly equipped for this situation, he was sent to join the ship at Sheerness. His uncle being absent from the vessel, he paced the deck during the whole afternoon of his arrival, without being distinguished by the smallest notice; till at length, on the second day of his being on board, some one regarded him with compassion, and discovered, for the first, time, that he was the captain's nephew. His hopes, however, of distinction, experience, or preferment, were uipped in the bud by the recal of the expedition with which he was connected, before the close of the year.

Two years afterwards, captain Suckling was appointed to the command of the Triumph, on board of which he placed his nephew, whose progress as a seaman he superintended with singular vigilance and assiduity, notwithstanding the obstacles opposed to his wishes by the detention of the ship at Chatham. In 1773, he accompanied captain Lutwidge as cockswain, in the voyage of discovery, under commodore Phipps, to the north pole. In the subsequent year he obtained a birth in the ship of the gallant and unfortunate captain Farmer, who, in the year 1779, perished in the flames of the Quebec,

which accidentally took fire during its engagement with La Surveillante, a ship of superior force. Refusing to quit his vessel, though severely wounded, he was blown up with his colours flying. Under this brave and excellent commander, Nelson sailed to the East Indies, in the Seahorse of 20 guns. He was at first stationed to watch at the fore-top; but captain Farmer soon discovered his abilities, placed him on the quarter-deck, and treated hin with exemplary kindness. The climate proved, however, too powerful for the delicacy of his frame; and, by the advice of his friend, he returned home in the Dolphin, of 20 guns, commanded by captain, afterwards admiral Pigot. His uncle, captain Suckling, having now been appointed to the situation of comptroller of the navy, received him with his accustomed benignity, and obtained him the temporary rank of lieutenant in the Worcester, of 64 guns, under captain Mark Robinson. In this station he remained at sea with various convoys, till the 2nd of April, 1777; and, on his return, received a regular commission as second lieutenant of the Lowestoffe of 32 guns, commanded by captain William Locker. The Lowestoffe was ordered for Jamaica; and, during Nelson's absence, in 1778, his uncle bequeathed him, at his death, a handsome legacy. On the arrival of sir Peter Parker, to succeed admiral Gayton as commander in-chief on the Jamaica station, the former of these officers successively promoted him first, second, and third lieutenant of his flag ship, the Bristol; and, on the 8th of December, appointed him to the command of the Badger brig, in which he was ordered to protect the Musquito shore, and the bay of Hunduras, from the depredations of American privateers. So ably did he acquit himself in the discharge of this duty, and so greatly had he endeared himself to the settlers during the short time he was among them, that they unanimously voted him their thanks for his services, and sensibly expressed their regret at his quitting the station, to accompany an expedition to the bay of Dulce. While these transactions were

taking place, he received the commission of post-captain, on the 11th of June, 1779. He had neither reason nor occasion to complain of the slowness of his promotion, for he had not yet' completed his twenty-first year. In the bloom and vigor of youth, with an age of experience in the service, acquired in nine years, he was well qualified for the situation to which he was thus liberally promoted. The first ship to which he was appointed, after his advancement to the rank of post-captain, was the Hinchinbroke; and, in the month of January, 1780, he took a conspicuous part in the well-conducted but unfortunate expedition, fitted out in Jamaica under general Dalling the governor, against the Spanish territories in South America. In this unfortunate attempt he excited the warm admiration of his friends by his promptitude, intelligence, and activity. While he was thus bravely and arduously engaged, he was seized with the contagion, that ultimately rendered the expedition ineffectual. While he lay afflicted at the island of St. Juan with the plague, with scarcely a hope or a wish to survive the brave fellows who were every day falling around him, the reinforcement of troops which had been sent from Jamaica, brought intelli-. gence that captain Glover, the commander of the Janus, of 44 guns, died on the 21st of March, and that sir Peter Parker had appointed captain Nelson to succeed him. His exultation at this testimony of respect and kindness, revived his spirits and saved his life. He immediately sailed to Jamaica on board the Victor sloop, to assume his command. His recovery, however, was not yet complete; and he returned home with an intention of trying the Bath waters. After the restoration of his health, he was appointed, in 1781, to the command of the Albemarle, of 28 guns; and, notwithstanding the smallness and craziness of the vessel, was employed, during the winter, in convoying and cruizing in the north seas. In 1782, he was ordered to join the Dodelus in a convoy to Newfoundland, where he arrived with four sail of the convoy; and afterwards proceeded