the life of horatio lord nelson-第8部分

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nts　informed　him　that　they　were　privy　to　great　frauds　which　had　been　committed　upon　government　in　various　departments；　at　Antigua；　to　the　amount　of　nearly　L500；000；　at　Lucie；　L300；000；　at　Barbadoes；　L250；000；　at　Jamaica；　upwards　of　a　million。　The　informers　were　both　shrewd　sensible　men　of　business；　they　did　not　affect　to　be　actuated　by　a　sense　of　justice；　but　required　a　per…centage　upon　so　much　as　government　should　actually　recover　through　their　means。　Nelson　examined　the　books　and　papers　which　they　produced；　and　was　convinced　that　government　had　been　most　infamously　plundered。　Vouchers；　he　found；　in　that　country；　were　no　check　whatever：　the　principle　was；　that　〃a　thing　was　always　worth　what　it　would　bring；〃　and　the　merchants　were　in　the　habit　of　signing　vouchers　for　each　other；　without　even　the　appearance　of　looking　at　the　articles。　These　accounts　he　sent　home　to　the　different　departments　which　had　been　defrauded；　but　the　peculators　were　too　powerful；　and　they　succeeded　not　merely　in　impeding　inquiry；　but　even　in　raising　prejudices　against　Nelson　at　the　Board　of　Admiralty；　which　it　was　many　years　before　he　could　subdue。

Owing　probably；　to　these　prejudices；　and　the　influence　of　the　peculators；　he　was　treated；　on　his　return　to　England；　in　a　manner　which　had　nearly　driven　him　from　the　service。　During　the　three　years　that　the　BOREAS　had　remained　upon　a　station　which　is　usually　so　fatal；　not　a　single　officer　or　man　of　her　whole　complement　had　died。　This　almost　unexampled　instance　of　good　health；　though　mostly；　no　doubt；　imputable　to　a　healthy　season；　must　in　some　measure；　also；　be　ascribed　to　the　wise　conduct　of　the　captain。　He　never　suffered　the　ships　to　remain　more　than　three　or　four　weeks　at　a　time　at　any　of　the　islands；　and　when　the　hurricane　months　confined　him　to　English　Harbour；　he　encouraged　all　kinds　of　useful　amusementsmusic；　dancing；　and　cudgelling　among　the　men；　theatricals　among　the　officers；　anything　which　could　employ　their　attention；　and　keep　their　spirits　cheerful。　The　BOREAS　arrived　in　England　in　June。　Nelson；　who　had　many　times　been　supposed　to　be　consumptive　when　in　the　West　Indies；　and　perhaps　was　saved　from　consumption　by　that　climate；　was　still　in　a　precarious　state　of　health；　and　the　raw　wet　weather　of　one　of　our　ungenial　summers　brought　on　cold；　and　sore　throat；　and　fever；　yet　his　vessel　was　kept　at　the　Nore　from　the　end　of　June　till　the　end　of　November；　serving　as　a　slop　and　receiving　ship。　This　unworthy　treatment；　which　more　probably　proceeded　from　inattention　than　from　neglect；　excited　in　Nelson　the　strongest　indignation。　During　the　whole　five　months　he　seldom　or　never　quitted　the　ship；　but　carried　on　the　duty　with　strict　and　sullen　attention。　On　the　morning　when　orders　were　received　to　prepare　the　BOREAS　for　being　paid　off；　he　expressed　his　joy　to　the　senior　officer　in　the　Medway；　saying；　〃It　will　release　me　for　ever　from　an　ungrateful　service；　for　it　is　my　firm　and　unalterable　determination　never　again　to　set　my　foot　on　board　a　king's　ship。　Immediately　after　my　arrival　in　town　I　shall　wait　on　the　First　Lord　of　the　Admiralty；　and　resign　my　commission。〃　The　officer　to　whom　he　thus　communicated　his　intentions　behaved　in　the　wisest　and　most　friendly　manner；　for　finding　it　in　vain　to　dissuade　him　in　his　present　state　of　feeling；　he　secretly　interfered　with　the　First　Lord　to　save　him　from　a　step　so　injurious　to　himself；　little　foreseeing　how　deeply　the　welfare　and　honour　of　England　were　at　that　moment　at　stake。　This　interference　produced　a　letter　from　Lord　Howe　the　day　before　the　ship　was　paid　off；　intimating　a　wish　to　see　Captain　Nelson　as　soon　as　he　arrived　in　town；　when；　being　pleased　with　his　convers…　ation；　and　perfectly　convinced；　by　what　was　then　explained　to　him；　of　the　propriety　of　his　conduct；　he　desired　that　he　might　present　him　to　the　king　on　the　first　levee…day；　and　the　gracious　manner　in　which　Nelson　was　then　received　effectually　removed　his　resentment。

Prejudices　had　been；　in　like　manner；　excited　against　his　friend；　Prince　William　Henry。　〃Nothing　is　wanting；　sir；〃　said　Nelson；　in　one　of　his　letters；　〃to　make　you　the　darling　of　the　English　nation　but　truth。　Sorry　am　I　to　say；　much　to　the　contrary　has　been　dispersed。〃　This　was　not　flattery；　for　Nelson　was　no　flatterer。　The　letter　in　which　this　passage　occurs　shows　in　how　wise　and　noble　a　manner　he　dealt　with　the　prince。　One　of　his　royal　highness's　officers　had　applied　for　a　court…martial　upon　a　point　in　which　he　was　unquestionably　wrong。　His　royal　highness；　however；　while　he　supported　his　own　character　and　authority；　prevented　the　trial；　which　must　have　been　injurious　to　a　brave　and　deserving　man。　〃Now　that　you　are　parted；〃　said　Nelson；　〃pardon　me；　my　prince；　when　I　presume　to　recommend　that　he　may　stand　in　your　royal　favour　as　if　he　had　never　sailed　with　you；　and　that　at　some　future　day　you　will　serve　him。　There　only　wants　this　to　place　your　conduct　in　the　highest　point　of　view。　None　of　us　are　without　failingshis　was　being　rather　too　hasty；　but　that；　put　in　competition　with　his　being　a　good　officer；　will　not；　I　am　bold　to　say；　be　taken　in　the　scale　against　him。　More　able　friends　than　myself　your　royal　highness　may　easily　find；　and　of　more　consequence　in　the　state；　but　one　more　attached　and　affectionate　is　not　so　easily　met　with：　Princes　seldom；　very　seldom；　find　a　disinterested　person　to　communicate　their　thoughts　to：　I　do　not　pretend　to　be　that　person；　but　of　this　be　assured；　by　a　man　who；　I　trust；　never　did　a　dishonourable　act；　that　I　am　interested　only　that　your　royal　highness　should　be　the　greatest　and　best　man　this　country　ever　produced。〃

Encouraged　by　the　conduct　of　Lord　Howe；　and　by　his　reception　at　court；　Nelson　renewed　his　attack　upon　the　peculators　with　fresh　spirit。　He　had　interviews　with　Mr。　Rose；　Mr。　Pitt；　and　Sir　Charles　Middleton；　to　all　of　whom　he　satisfactorily　proved　his　charges。　In　consequence；　if　is　said；　these　very　extensive　public　frauds　were　at　length　put　in　a　proper　train　to　be　provided　against　in　future；　his　representations　were　attended　to；　and　every　step　which　he　recommended　was　adopted；　the　investigation　was　put　into　a　proper　course；　which　ended　in　the　detection　and　punishment　of　some　of　the　culprits；　an　immense　saving　was　made　to　government；　and　thus　its　attention　was　directed　to　similar　peculations　in　other　arts　of　the　colonies。　But　it　is　said　also　that　no　mark　of　commendation　seems　to　have　been　bestowed　upon　Nelson　for　his　exertion。　It　has　been　justly　remarked　that　the　spirit　of　the　navy　cannot　be　preserved　so　effectually　by　the　liberal　honours　bestowed　on　officers　when　they　are　worn　out　in　the　service；　as　by　an　attention　to　those　who；　like　Nelson　at　this　part　of　his　life；　have　only　their　integrity　and　zeal　to　bring　them　into　notice。　A　junior　officer；　who　had　been　left　with　the　command　at　Jamaica；　received　an　additional　allowance；　for　which　Nelson　had　applied　in　vain。　Double　pay　was　allowed　to　every　artificer　and　seaman　employed　in　the　naval　yard：　Nelson　had　superintended　the　whole　business　of　that　yard　with　the　most　rigid　exactness；　and　he　complained　that　he　was　neglected。　〃It　was　most　true；〃　he　said；　〃that　the　trouble　which　he　took　to　detect　the　fraudulent　practices　then　carried　on　was　no　more　than　his　duty；　but　he　little　thought　that　the　expenses　attending　his　frequent　journeys　to　St。　John's　upon　that　duty　（a　distance　of　twelve　miles）　would　have　fallen　upon　his　pay　as　captain　of　the　BOREAS。〃　Nevertheless；　the　sense　of　what　he　thought　unworthy　usage　did　not　diminish　his　zeal。　〃I；〃　said　he；〃must　buffet　the　waves　in　search　ofWhat？　Alas！　that　they　called　honour　is　thought　of　no　more。　My　fortune；　God　knows；　has　grown　worse　for　the　service；　so　much　for　serving　my　country！　But　the　devil；　ever　willing　to　tempt　the　virtuous；　has　made　me　offer；　if　any　ships　should　be　sent　to　destroy　his　Majesty　of　Morocco's　ports；　to　be　there；　and　I　have　some　reason　to　think　that；　should　any　more　come　of　it；　my　humble　services　will　be　accepted。　I　have　invariably　laid　down；　and　followed　close；　a　plan　of　what　ought　to　be　uppermost　in　the　breast　of　an　officer；that　it　is　much　better　to　serve　an　ungrateful　country　than　to　give　up　his　own　fame。　Posterity　will　do　him　justice。　A　uniform　course　of　honour　and　integrity　seldom　fails　of　bringing　a　man　to　the　goal　of　fame　at　last。〃

The　design　against　the　Barbary　pirates；　like　all　other　designs　against　them；　was　laid　aside；　and　Nelson　took　his　wife　to　his　father's　parsonage；　meaning　only　to　pay　him　a　visit　before　they　went　to　France；　a　project　which　he　had　formed　for　the　sake　of　acquiring　a　competent　knowledge　of　the　French　language。　But　his　father　could　not　bear　to　lose　him　thus　unnecessarily。　Mr。　Nelson　had　long　been　an　invalid；　suffering　under　paralytic　and　asthmatic　affections；　which；　for　several　hours　after　he　rose　in　the　morning；　scarcely　permitted　him　to　speak。　He　had　been　given　over　by　his　physicians　for　this　complaint　nearly　forty　years　before　his　death；　and　was；　for　many　of　his　latter　years；　obliged　to　spend　all　his　winters　at　Bath。　The　sight　of　his　son；　he　declared；　had　given　him　new　life。　〃But；　Horatio；〃　said　he；　〃it　would　have　been　better　that　I　had　not　been　thus　cheered；　if　I　am　so　soon　to　be　bereaved　of　you　again。　Let　me；　my　good　son；　see　you　whilst　I　can。　My　age　and　infirmities　increase；　and　I　shall　not　last　long。〃　To　such　an　appeal　there　could　be　no　reply。　Nelson　took　up　his　abode　at　the　parsonage；　and　amused　himself　with　the　sports　and　occupations　of　the　country。　Sometimes　he　busied　himself　with　farming　the　glebe；　sometimes　spent　the　greater　part　of　the　day　in　the　garden；　where　he　would　dig　as　if　for　the　mere　pleasure　of　wearying　himself。　Sometimes　he　went　a　birds'…nesting；　like　a　boy；　and　in　these　expeditions　Mrs。　Nelson　always；　by　his　expressed　desire；　accompanied　him。　Coursing　was　his　favourite　amusement。　Shooting；　as　he　practised　it；　was　far　too　dangerous　for　his　companions；　for　he　carried　his　gun　upon　the　full　cock；　as　if　he　were　going　to　board　an　enemy；　and　the　moment　a　bird　rose；　he　let　fly　without　ever　putting　the　fowling…piece　to　his　shoulder。　It　is　not；　therefore；　extraordinary　that　his　having　once　shot　a　partridge　should　be　remembered　by　his　family　among　the　remarkable　events　of　his　life。

But　his　time　did　not　pass　away　thus　without　some　vexatious　cares　to　ruffle　it。　The　af