of actions--the
West Indies; but, in our line of life, we are sure of no one
thing. When I reach New York you shall hear what becomes of me;
but, while I have health, it is indifferent to me (were it not
for the pleasure of seeing you and my brothers and sisters) where
I go. Health, that greatest of blessings, is what I never truly
enjoyed till I saw _fair_ Canada. The change it has wrought I am
convinced is truly wonderful. I most sincerely wish, my dear
father, I could compliment you the same way; but I hope Bath has
done you a great deal of good this summer. I have not had much
success in the prize way, but it is all in good time, and I do
not know I ought to complain; for, though I took several, but had
not the good fortune to get one safe into port, yet, on the other
side, I escaped from five French men-of-war in a wonderful
manner.... Farewell, my dearest father, and assure yourself I
always am, and ever shall be, your dutiful son,

"Horatio Nelson."

In the following month he writes to his friend Locker--"I am a
candidate with Lord Hood for a line-of-battle ship; he has honoured me
highly by a letter, for wishing to go off this station to a station of
service, and has promised me his friendship. Prince William is with
him." And Sir Harris Nicolas adds in a note--"H. R. H. Prince William
Henry, third son of King George III, afterwards Duke of Clarence,
Admiral of the Fleet, (Lord High Admiral?) and King William IV." The
Prince honoured Nelson with his warmest friendship, and many letters
in this collection were addressed to his Royal Highness.

The following description of Nelson by the prince is extremely
interesting:--

"I was then a midshipman on board the Barfleur, lying in the
Narrows off Staten Island, and had the watch on deck, when
Captain Nelson of the Albemarle came in his barge alongside, who
appeared to be the merest boy of a captain I ever beheld; and his
dress was worthy of attention. He had on a full laced uniform;
his lank unpowdered hair was tied in a stiff Hessian tail of an
extraordinary length, the old-fashioned flaps of his waistcoat
added to the general quaintness of his figure, and produced an
appearance which particularly attracted my notice, for I had
never seen any thing like it before, nor could I imagine who he
was or what he