commands the love and refpect of his diocefe. In fhort, as a dignified clergyman and scholar, a gentleman and a chriftian, he is equally respected, and admired.

When the ships fent out on discovery under Captain Cook returned, Doctor Douglas was appointed to infpect and arrange the journals; and the admired introduction prefixed to that work is the offspring of

his pen.

The Doctor was a member of the Literary Club in Effex-ftreet, inftituted by Dr. Johnfon, Murphy, &c. Z.

LORD NELSON.

IT is not without reafon that confiderate men are fometimes unwilling to relate the hiftory of living perfons, fince it is evident that a faithful narrative, under fuch circumftances, is an undertaking of peculiar delicacy. To awaken intereft and emulation, without being either minute or partial-and to fatisfy the reader of a biographical memoir, without offending the subject of it, or violating the laws of truth, are objects whofe value are only proportionate to their difficulty.-Particulars relating to men who have eminently served their country, can scarcely fail to excite attention.-If they are communicated with accuracy and fpirit, they will alfo excite pleasure.

Of all the fervices which the English, as a nation, receive, thofe they derive from their navy are the moft lafting and acceptable.--The public are fenfible

of

of this.-The courage and generofity of our feamen are subjects of honourable boast in the mouths of Britons.-Commendation for fuch virtues is not the refult of undue partiality, but of gratitude and juf tice; it is a debt due to merit, and one that we pay with fatisfaction.

Rear-admiral, now Lord Nelfon, to whom his country is indebted for his brilliant fervices, is a younger fon of the Rev. Mr. Nelfon, rector of Burnham-Thorpe, in the county of Norfolk; in the parfonage-house of which parish he was born, September 29th, 1758. His father's family came originally from Hilborough in the fame county, where they poffeffed a small patrimony, and the patronage of the living. His mother was Mifs Suckling, daughter of the Rev. Dr. Suckling, of Suffolk; and granddaughter of the late Sir Charles Turner, of Warham, in the county of Norfolk, Bart. by his lady, the fifter of Sir Robert Walpole.

Captain Suckling, his lordship's maternal uncle, was his early and very valuable friend. He was an officer in the fea fervice; and commanded first the Raifonnable of fixty-four guns, then the Triumph, and died comptroller of the navy.-This gentleman married a fifter of the prefent amiable Lord Walpole, and was frequently in Norfolk. He took young Nelfon, at twelve years of age, from North Waltham school, in the fame county, and entered him, under himself, as midshipman on board of his own fhip. Here his lordship served fome time, together with the valuable officer who now commands her, Captain Charles

Kk 4

Charles Boyles, his friend and neighbour; and from this fhip the two young men removed into the Triumph, when Captain Suckling obtained the command of her. June 4th, 1773, he embarked under the Hon. Captain Phipps, afterwards Lord Mulgrave, on a voyage of difcovery towards the North Pole, which added greatly to his stock of knowledge. April the 10th, 1777, his lordship was made lieutenant, and fent out by his uncle, Captain Suckling, to Sir Peter Parker, who then commanded on the Jamaica station. Shortly after this, young Nelson was appointed master and commander. On the 11th of June, 1779, he became poft-captain; and, at the conclufion of the American war, returned home. But he did not long continue inactive. Soon after his return, he was fent out in the Borcas frigate to the Leeward Iflands, and had under him his Royal Highness the Duke of Clarence, who commanded the Pegasus.

On this fiation, his lordship is faid to have rendered a fignal fervice to his highnefs, for which he afterwards honoured him with his friendship. It was alfo upon this station, and, we believe, about this time, that Lord Nelfon contracted a matrimonial alliance, with Mrs. Nefbit of Nevis, widow of Dr. Nefbit, phyfician, and niece to the prefident of the council; and when the marriage ceremony was celebrated, it is faid that his royal highness gave away the bride. And here it would be unpardonable not to mention a report which does honour to the admiral's integrity, and nice fenfe of honour. Mr. Herbert, the prefident, was extremely rich, and had an only daughter,

who

who was to have inherited her father's fortune. By marrying, however, without his confent, fhe difobliged him, and was on the point of being disinherited in favour of his niece. The admiral, with a generous disregard to private intereft, interfered in this bufinefs, and had the pleasure, before his marriage, of reftoring the daughter to her parent's affection, and the fortune to its natural channel.

Whilft his lordship continued upon this ftation, he had under him a finall fquadron of frigates, and was particularly active in fuppreffing fmuggling, a practice but too prevalent in thofe feas. This vigilance was acceptable to all parties, except the fmugglers and their friends; who threatened, and would actually have involved him in expenfive litigations, had not the admiralty interfered to rescue him from their malice.

In a profeffion like the fea fervice, calculated to make heroes, by inuring the mind to difficulty, and enterprize, it would be unjuft to extol the merits of one character, at the expence of others equally deferving: yet the praise which is appropriate, cannot fairly be withheld.-The triumph of that glorious day, when Earl St. Vincent, with a far inferior force, beat the Spanish fleet off Cape St. Vincent, and captured four of their large fhips, will not eafily be forgotten by Englishmen: and of that triumph, no inconfiderable share belongs to Nelfon.*-The San

*The action was fought Feb. 14th, 1797.-The British force confifted of fifteen fail of the line; the Spanish of twenty-feven, moftly of fuperior rates.

Jofeph

Jofeph and the San Nicholas, both veffels of fuperior force, ftruck to him; the formner of which he entered fword in hand, with a degree of courage, amounting almost to enthusiasm. He prefented the fword of the Spanish admiral, which he received upon the quarterdeck, and which the Spaniard refufed to deliver to any but himself, to the corporation of Norwich; as he has done, lately, that of the French admiral, Monf. Blanquet, to the corporation of London.-In confequence of the action off Cape St. Vincent, his lordfhip was created Knight of the Bath, and, about the fame time, Rear Amiral of the Blue.

Upon quitting the Weft Indies, he returned to his native country; and as there was no immediate call for his fervices, retired, with Lady Nelfon, to the parfonage-houfe at Burnham; which his father gave up to him, preferring a refidence in the neighbourhood. In this retreat his lordship, for fome time, led a quiet, domeftic life; inclined, like Gil Blas, at Llyrias, to write over the door of his cottage,

"Inveni portum. Spes & fortuna valete

"Sat me lufiftes: ludite nunc alios :"

and like him, also determined to return into the world,

when more active fcenes demanded his attendance.

The admiral has no family by his lady. But there is a fon of Lady Nelfon, by a former marriage (Mr. Nefbit), who has ferved under his lordship, through the whole of the prefent war, and is now a poft-captain. Exclufive of his wife, and her fon, Lord Nelfon has now living, of his near relations-first, his father, who refides near Ipfwich; next, his eldeft brother,

Maurice,