half Sir William's pension on me,'"--a
remark which showed more philosophy than self-esteem.

A week's visit in Dresden ended by the party taking boats for Hamburg,
which they reached on the 21st of October, the journey being prolonged
by stopping every night. They there remained ten days, of which no
very noteworthy incidents have been recorded, although the general
interest of all classes of people in the renowned warrior, of whom
they had heard so much, continued to be manifested, sometimes in
quaint and touching expression. On the 31st of October they embarked
on board the mail-packet for England, and after a stormy passage
landed at Yarmouth on the 6th of November, 1800. Two years and eight
months had passed since Nelson sailed from Spithead, on a cruise
destined to have so marked an influence on his professional reputation
and private happiness. He was received on his landing with every
evidence of popular enthusiasm, and of official respect from all
authorities, civil and military. With the unvarying devout spirit
which characterized him in all the greater events of his life, he
asked that public service might be held, to enable him to give thanks
in church for his safe return to his native country, and for the many
blessings which he had experienced. The whole party then went on to
town, arriving on the 8th.

From those who welcomed Nelson when he first put his foot on shore
there was one conspicuously missing. Lady Nelson had not thought well
to go to Yarmouth to await her husband. Under ordinary conditions
there would have been little to challenge remark, in the decision not
to leave the feeble old man, her husband's father, who depended much
upon her, for the period of uncertain duration during which she might
have to wait at Yarmouth, in those days of sailing-vessels and head
winds. Coining as her husband did, hand in hand with the woman whose
name had been scandalously linked with his for nearly two years, the
absence easily took on the appearance of cold and reserved censure.
Unquestionably, if Lady Nelson wished above all things to win her
husband back, and cared more for that than for her own humiliation,
more or less, the best fighting chance would have been to meet him at
once, with a smile on her face and words of love on her lips.
Considering the flagrancy of the affair throughout Europe, and the
antecedents of Lady Hamilton, it may be permitted to doubt whether,
regarded as a struggle for possessi