isfied Nelson's heart, until the wave of a great passion swept
him off his feet. "I remember," writes Miss Knight, "that, shortly
after the Battle of the Nile, when my mother said to him that no doubt
he considered the day of that victory as the happiest in his life, he
answered, 'No; the happiest was that on which I married Lady Nelson.'"
On the 13th of January, 1801, Nelson took formal and final leave of
her before hoisting his flag at Torbay. "I call God to witness," he
then said, "there is nothing in you, or your conduct, that I wish
otherwise." His alienation from her was shared by most of his family,
except his father, who said to him frankly, that gratitude required he
should spend part of his time with Lady Nelson. Two years before, he
had written of her: "During the whole war [since 1793] I have been
with Lady Nelson, a good woman, and attentive to an infirm old man,"
and they had continued to live together. The old man persuaded himself
that there was nothing criminal in relations, the result of which, as
regarded his son and daughter-in-law, he could not but deplore; but
his letters to Lady Hamilton go little beyond the civility that was
necessary to avoid giving offence to Nelson. Nelson's two married
sisters, Mrs. Bolton and Mrs. Matcham, evidently shared their father's
belief. They and their children maintained with Lady Hamilton a
friendly and even affectionate correspondence, long after Trafalgar,
and until the death of the parties put an end to it.

Immediately upon landing at Yarmouth, Nelson had written to the
Admiralty that his health was perfectly restored, and that he wished
to resume service immediately. He was soon designated to a command in
the Channel fleet, under Earl St. Vincent, who had been
commander-in-chief since the spring of 1800. The "San Josef," the
three-decker boarded by him at Cape St. Vincent, was named to receive
his flag, and on the 17th of January it was hoisted on board her, at
Plymouth,--blue at the fore, he having been promoted Vice-Admiral of
the Blue on New Year's Day. An arrangement, however, had already been
made, that, if the impending difficulties with Denmark threatened to
lead to hostilities, he should accompany the fleet sent to the Baltic,
as second to Sir Hyde Parker, selected for the chief command. While he
was officially reporting to St. Vincent, on the 16th, at Torbay,
preparatory to hoisting his flag, a letter from Parker informed him
that the armament was dec