perseverance, and
exaggerated his own strength of reluctance, innate and acquired.
Impossible as it would seem, with his antecedents and with hers, his
friends and acquaintances became alarmed for the result, and not
without cause. "Her influence over him exceeds all belief," wrote a
mutual friend to Greville in March, 1791. "His attachment exceeds
admiration, it is perfect dotage." Shortly after this letter was
written the two went to England, and there they were married on the
6th of September, 1791. By the end of the year they were back in
Naples, and did not again leave Italy up to the time of Nelson's
arrival in 1798.

Lady Hamilton did not abuse the security of the place she had won with
so much pains, nor on the other hand did her ambition and love of
prominence permit her to settle down to inert enjoyment of it. The
careful self-restraint with which she had observed the proprieties of
her former false position facilitated the disappearance of prejudices
naturally arising from it. Many English ladies of rank, passing
through Naples, visited her, and those who refused to ignore the past
of the woman, in the position of the British minister's wife, were by
some sharply criticised. "She has had a difficult part to act," wrote
Hamilton, six months after their return, "and has succeeded
wonderfully, having gained, by having no pretensions, the thorough
approbation of all the English ladies. The Queen of Naples was very
kind to her on our return, and treats her like any other travelling
lady of distinction; in short, we are very comfortably situated
here." "We dined yesterday with Sir William and Lady Hamilton," wrote
Lady Malmesbury, whose husband was among the most distinguished
diplomatists of the day. "She really behaves as well as possible, and
quite wonderfully, considering her origin and education."

This last phrase, used at the culmination of Lady Hamilton's good
fortune and personal advance, was wholly good-natured; but it sums up
the best of the not very good that can be said of her during the
height of her prosperity, and in later years. Although, as has been
remarked, she did not at this time abuse the security which as a wife
she had attained,--for policy too clearly dictated the continuance of
her previous circumspection,--the necessity for strenuous
watchfulness, exertion, and self-restraint, in order to reach a
distant goal, no longer existed; and, although a woman of many amiable
and generous impu