o the delights of
homage from others, though extorted by purely adventitious qualities.
Glory was to her more than honor. This love of admiration, fostered,
yet pruned, by Greville's shrewd precepts, was her dominant trait. To
its gratification her singular personal advantages contributed, and
they were powerfully supported by an unusual faculty for assuming a
part, for entering into a character and representing its external
traits. Thus gifted by nature, and swayed by vanity, her development
was for the time regulated and chastened by the disinterestedness of
her passion for her lover. Her worse qualities were momentarily kept
in abeyance. Naturally lovable, not only in exterior but in
temperament, she became more and more attractive. "Consider," wrote
Greville, referring to her surroundings before she passed into his
hands, "what a charming creature she would have been, if she had been
blessed with the advantages of an early education, and had not been
spoilt by the indulgence of every caprice."

Unfortunately the restraining influence, probably ephemeral in any
event, was about to be rudely removed, permitting to flourish in
unrestrained vigor the natural tendency to compel admiration and
secure advantage by the spell of physical beauty, and by the exertion
of natural aptitudes for pleasing in the only path to success open to
her. In 1782 Hamilton's first wife died, and in 1784 he came to
England on leave. There he met Amy Lyon, now known as Emma Hart, in
the house provided for her by Greville. His admiration of her was
extreme, and its tendency was not misunderstood by her. He returned to
his post at Naples at the end of the year. In the course of 1785
Greville, who was now in his thirty-sixth year, decided that the
condition of his fortune made it imperative for him to marry, and that
as a first step thereto he must break with Emma Hart. Hamilton's
inclination for her provided a ready means for so doing, so far as the
two men were concerned; but her concurrence was not sure. After some
correspondence, it was arranged that she should go to Naples in the
spring of 1786, to live there under Hamilton's care, with the
expectation on her part that Greville would join her a few months
later. Placed as she then would be, it was probable that she would
eventually accept the offers made her; though it would be less than
just to either Greville or Hamilton, to allow the impression that they
did not intend to provide sufficie