to Mr. Murray by Dr. Gooch, a valued contributor to the
_Quarterly_.

"At page 6 of Salmonia," said Dr. Gooch, "it is stated that 'Nelson was
a good fly-fisher, and continued the pursuit even with his left hand.' I
can add that one of his reasons for regretting the loss of his right arm
was that it deprived him of the power of pursuing this amusement
efficiently, as is shown by the following incident, which is, I think,
worth preserving in that part of his history which relates to his
talents as a fly-fisher. I was at the Naval Hospital at Yarmouth on the
morning when Nelson, after the battle of Copenhagen (having sent the
wounded before him), arrived in the Roads and landed on the Jetty. The
populace soon surrounded him, and the military were drawn up in the
marketplace ready to receive him; but making his way through the crowd,
and the dust and the clamour, he went straight to the Hospital. I went
round the wards with him, and was much interested in observing his
demeanour to the sailors. He stopped at every bed, and to every man he
had something kind and cheering to say. At length he stopped opposite a
bed in which a sailor was lying who had lost his right arm close to the
shoulder joint, and the following short dialogue passed between them.
_Nelson_: 'Well, Jack, what's the matter with you?' _Sailor_: 'Lost my
right arm, your Honour.' Nelson paused, looked down at his own empty
sleeve, then at the sailor, and then said playfully, 'Well, Jack, then
you and I are spoiled for fishermen; but cheer up, my brave fellow.' He
then passed quickly on to the next bed, but these few words had a
magical effect upon the poor fellow, for I saw his eyes sparkle with
delight as Nelson turned away and pursued his course through the wards.
This was the only occasion on which I ever saw Lord Nelson."

In the summer of 1828 Mr. Lockhart went down to Brighton, accompanied by
Sir Walter Scott, Miss Scott, Mrs. Lockhart and her son John--the
Littlejohn to whom Scott's charming "Tales of a Grandfather," which
were at that time in course of publication, had been addressed. It was
on the boy's account the party went to Brighton; he was very ill and
gradually sinking.

While at Brighton, Lockhart had an interview with the Duke of
Wellington, and wrote to Murray on the subject.

_Mr. Lockhart to John Murray_. _May_ 18, 1828.

"I have a message from the D. of W. to say that he, on the whole, highly
approves the paper on foreign politics, bu