difficulty restrained from absolutely tearing in
pieces the pacific hero who had thus, inspired by the most humane and
generous sentiments, fearlessly ventured his person among them. It may
be very difficult, and cannot on this occasion prove of much importance,
to ascertain the exact truth; which seldom resides in extremes, and is
not always found precisely in the centre, where dull and formal gravity
is ever induced alone to seek it. Whatever might seem the momentary bias
of the mob, they unquestionably proceeded to no actual outrage; and it
is universally agreed, that the Danes, of all ranks, were no sooner made
acquainted with our hero's humane and generous motives, than they
greeted him with every testimony of the truest admiration and regard.

Lord Nelson having walked to the royal palace of the Octagon, the crown
prince received him in the hall; conducted him up stairs; and presented
him to the king, whose very infirm state is said to have greatly
affected our hero's sensibility. The preliminary objects of this
impressive interview having been arranged, with every appearance of
reciprocal sincerity, his lordship readily accepted an invitation to
partake of some refreshment with the crown prince. During the repast,
Lord Nelson spoke in raptures of the valour of the Danes; and he is
asserted to have declared that, though the French fought bravely, they
could not have stood one hour the fight which the Danes had maintained
for four. "I have been," observed his lordship, "in one hundred and five
engagements, in the course of my life, but that of to-day was the most
terrible of all." It is added, that he particularly requested the crown
prince would introduce him to a very young officer, whom he described as
having performed wonders during the battle, by attacking the Elephant
immediately under the lower guns. This proved to be a youth of
seventeen, named Villemoes: whom the hero, on his being presented,
immediately embraced with the affection of a brother; and delicately
intimated, that he ought to be made an admiral. The crown prince, with
peculiar felicity, instantly replied--"If, my lord, I were to make all
my brave officers admirals, I should have no captains or lieutenants in
my service." This heroic stripling had volunteered the command of a sort
of raft, called a praam, carrying twenty-four guns, and a hundred and
twenty men; on which, having pushed off from shore, in the fury of
battle, he got under the stern