had lived in our time, would have found encouragement scarcely less munificent in Albemarle Street or in Paternoster Row.

by

The roughness and violence which he showed in society were to be expected from a man whose temper, not naturally gentle, had been long tried by the bitterest calamities, by the want of meat, of fire, and of clothes, by the importunity of creditors, the insolence of patrons, by that bread which is the bitterest of all food, by those stairs which are the most toilsome of all paths, by that deferred hope which makes the heart sick. Through all these things the ill-dressed, coarse, ungainly pedant had struggled manfully up to eminence and command. It was natural that, in the exercise of his power, he should be the more austere because he had himself endured; that, though his heart was undoubtedly geneand humane, his demeanour in society should be harsh and despotic. For severe distress he had sympathy, and not only sympathy, but munificent relief. But for the suffering which a harsh word inflicts upon a delicate mind he had no pity; for it was a kind of suffering which he could scarcely conceive. He would carry home on his shoulders a sick and starving girl from the streets. He turned his house into a place of refuge for a crowd of wretched old creatures who could find no other asylum; nor could all their peevishness and ingratitude weary out his benevolence.

rous

A GIGANTIC ICEBERG.

Ar twelve o'clock we went below, and had just got through dinner, when the cook put his head down the scuttle' and told us to come on deck and see the finest sight that we had ever seen. "Where away, cook ?" asked the first man who was up. "On the larboard bow." And there lay floating in the ocean, several miles off, an immense irregular mass, its top and points covered with snow, and its centre of a deep indigo' colour. This was an iceberg, and of the largest size, as one of our men said; who had been in the Northern Ocean. As far as the eye could reach, the sea in every direction was of a deep blue colour, the waves running high and fresh, and sparkling in the light, and in the midst lay this immense mountain-island, its cavities and valleys thrown into deep shade, and its points and pinnacles glittering in the sun. hands were soon on deck looking at it, and admiring in various ways its beauty and grandeur. But no description can give any idea of the strangeness, splendour, and really the sublimity of the sight. Its great size, for it must have been two or three miles in circumference, and several hundred feet in height, its slow motion as its base rose and sank in the water, and its high points nodded against the clouds. The dashing of the waves upon it, which, breaking high with foam, lined its base with a white crust, and the

All

DEPARTURE AND DEATH OF NELSON.

267

thundering sound of the cracking of the mass, and the breaking and tumbling down of huge pieces, together with its nearness and approach, which added a slight element of fear, all combined to give it the character of true sublimity. The main body of the mass was, as I have said, of an indigo colour, its base crusted with frozen foam; and as it grew thin and transparent towards the edges and top, its colour shaded off from a deep blue to the whiteness of snow. It seemed to be drifting slowly towards the north, so that we kept away and avoided it. It was in sight all the afternoon, and when we got to leeward of it, the wind died away, so that we lay-to quite near it for a greater part of the night. Unfortunately there was no moon; but it was a clear night, and we could plainly mark the long, regular heaving of the stupendous mass edges moved slowly against the stars. Several times in our watch, loud cracks were heard, which sounded as though they must have run through the whole length of the iceberg, and several pieces fell down with a thundering crash, plunging heavily into the sea. Towards morning, a strong breeze sprang up, and we filled away and left it astern, and at daylight it was out of sight. No pencil has ever yet given anything like the true effect of an iceberg. In a picture they are huge uncouth? masses stuck in the

as its

sea; while their chief beauty and grandeur, their slow, stately motion, the whirling of the snow about their summits, and the fearful groaning and crackling of their parts, the picture cannot give. This is the large iceberg; while the small and distant islands, floating on the smooth sea, in the light of a clear day, look like little floating fairy isles of sapphire.s DANA'S Two Years before the Mast.

MEANINGS: 1. Scuttle, hatchway; the opening leading down into the lower part of a ship. 2. Indigo, blue. 3. Sublimity, grandeur, majesty. 4. Circumference, the line which encloses a circle. 5. Leeward, with the wind blowing from the iceberg to the ship. 6. Stupendous, enormous. 7. Uncouth, not pleasant to the eye. 8. Sapphire, a precious stone of a deep blue colour.

DEPARTURE AND DEATH OF NELSON.

NELSON having despatched' his business at Portsmouth, endeavoured to elude2 the populace by taking a by-way to the beach, but a crowd collected in his train,3 pressing forward to obtain a sight of his face: many were in tears, and many knelt down before him, and blessed him as he passed. England has had many heroes, but never one who so entirely possessed the love of his fellow-countrymen as Nelson. All men knew that his heart was as humane1 as it was fearless; that there was not in his nature the slightest alloy of selfishness or cupidity; but that, with perfect and entire devotion, he served his country with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his strength; and there

66

66

fore they loved him as truly and as fervently as he loved England. They pressed upon the parapets to gaze after him when his barge pushed off, and he returned their cheers by waving his hat. The sentinels who endeavoured to prevent them from trespassing upon this ground, were wedged among the crowd; and an officer who, not very prudently upon such an occasion, ordered them to drive the people down with their bayonets, was compelled speedily to retreat; for the people would not be debarred' from gazing till the last moment upon the hero-the darling hero of England! It had been part of Nelson's prayer, that the British fleet might be distinguished by humanity in the victory which he expected. Setting an example himself, he twice gave orders to cease firing on the Redoubtable, supposing that she had struck, because her guns were silent; for, as she carried no flag, there was no means of instantly ascertaining the fact. From this ship, which he had thus twice spared, he received his death. A ball fired from her mizen-top,12 which, in the then situation of the two vessels, was not more than fifteen yards from that part of the deck where he was standing, struck the epaulette,13 on his left shoulder, about a quarter after one, just in the heat of action.14 He fell upon his face, on the spot which was covered with his poor secretary's blood. Hardy, who was a few steps from him, turning round, saw three men raising him up. 'They have done for me at last, Hardy," said he. "I hope not," cried Hardy. "Yes," he replied, "my back-bone is shot through." Yet even now, not for a moment losing his presence of mind, he observed, as they were carrying him down the ladder, that the tiller ropes,1 which had been shot away, were not yet replaced, and ordered that new ones should be rove16 immediately: then, that he might not be seen by the crew, he took out his handkerchief, and covered his face and his stars. Had he but concealed these badges17 of honour from the enemy, England, perhaps, would not have had cause to receive with sorrow the news of the battle of Trafalgar. The cockpit1s was crowded with wounded and dying men, over whose bodies he was with some difficulty conveyed, and laid upon a pallet19 in the midshipmen's berth. It was soon perceived, upon examination, that the wound was mortal. This, however, was concealed from all except Captain Hardy, the chaplain, and the medical attendants. He himself being certain, from the sensation in his back, and the gush of blood he felt momently21 within his breast, that no human care could avail him, insisted that the surgeon should leave him, and attend to those to whom he might be useful; "for," said he, you can do nothing for me." All that could be done was to fan him with paper, and frequently to give him lemonade to alleviate?? his intense23 thirst. He was in great pain, and expressed much anxiety for the event of the action, which now began to declare itself. As often as a ship struck, the crew of the Victory hurrahed,

66

DEPARTURE AND DEATH OF NELSON.

269

and at every hurrah, a visible expression of joy gleamed in the eyes, and marked the countenance of the dying hero. But he became impatient to see Hardy; and as that officer, though often sent for, could not leave the deck, Nelson feared that some fatal cause prevented him, and repeatedly cried, "Will no one bring Hardy to me? He must be killed! he is surely dead!" An hour and ten minutes elapsed24 from the time when Nelson received his wound, before Hardy could come to him. They shook hands in silence, Hardy in vain struggling to suppress the feelings of that most painful and yet sublime moment. "Well, Hardy," said Nelson, "how goes the day with us ?" "Very well,” replied Hardy; “ten ships have struck, but five of the van have tacked, and show an intention to bear down upon the Victory. I have called two or three of our fresh ships round, and have no doubt of giving them a drubbing." "I hope," said Nelson, “none of our ships have struck." Hardy answered, "there was no fear of that." Then, and not till then, Nelson spoke of himself. "I am a dead man, Hardy," said he: "I am going fast; it will be all over with me soon. Come nearer Let my dear Lady Hamilton have my hair, and all other things belonging to me." Hardy observed, that he hoped Mr. Beatty could yet hold out some prospect of life. "Oh! no," he replied; "it is impossible. My back is shot through. Beatty will tell you so." Hardy then once more shook hands with him, and with a heart almost bursting, hastened upon deck.

to me.

By this time all feeling below the breast was gone, and Nelson, having made the surgeon ascertain this, said to him: "You know I am gone. I know it. I feel something rising in my breast," putting his hand on his left side, "which tells me so." And upon Beatty's inquiring whether his pain was very great, he replied, "so great that he wished he was dead. Yet," said he, in a lower voice, 66 one would like to live a little longer too!" Captain Hardy, some fifty minutes after he had left the cockpit, returned, and again taking the hand of his dying friend and commander, congratulated 26 him on having gained a complete victory. How many of the enemy were taken he did not know, as it was impossible to perceive them distinctly, but fourteen or fifteen at least. "That's well," cried Nelson, "but I bargained for twenty." And then, in a stronger voice, he said: Anchor, Hardy, anchor." Hardy, upon this, hinted that Admiral Collingwood_would take upon himself the direction of affairs.27 "Not while I live, Hardy," said the dying Nelson, ineffectually endeavouring to raise himself from the bed: "do you anchor." His previous orders for preparing to anchor had shown how clearly he foresaw the necessity of this. Presently calling Hardy back, he said to him in a low voice, "Don't throw me overboard;" and he desired that he might be buried by his parents, unless it should please the king to order otherwise. Then reverting to private feelings: "Take care of my dear Lady

66

Hamilton, Hardy; take care of poor Lady Hamilton. Kiss me, Hardy," said he. Hardy knelt down and kissed his cheek; and Nelson said, "Now I am satisfied. Thank God I have done my duty!" Hardy stood over him in silence for a moment or two, then knelt again and kissed his forehead. "Who is that ?" said Nelson; and being informed, he replied, "God bless you, Hardy." And Hardy then left him for ever. Nelson now desired to be turned upon his right side, and said, "I wish I had not left the deck; for I shall soon be gone." Death was, indeed, rapidly approaching. He said to the chaplain, "Doctor, I have not been a great sinner;" and after a short pause, "Remember that I leave Lady Hamilton and my daughter Horatia as a legacy 29 to my country.' His articulation now became difficult; but he was distinctly heard to say, "Thank God, I have done my duty!" These words he repeatedly pronounced, and they were the last words which he uttered. He expired at thirty minutes after four, three hours and a quarter after he had received his wound.

The death of Nelson was felt in England as something more than a public calamity, men started at the intelligence, and turned pale, as if they had heard of the loss of a dear friend. An object of our admiration and affection, of our pride and of our hopes, was suddenly taken from us; and it seemed,

as if we had never till then known how deeply we loved and reverenced him. SOUTHEY.

MEANINGS: 1. Despatched, finished. 2. Elude, get out of the way of. 3. In his train, behind him. 4. Humane, kind. 5. Alloy, mixture. 6. Cupidity, desire of gain. 7. Fervently, warmly. 8. Parapet, wall. 9. Debarred, shut out. 10. Distinguished, marked. 11. Ascertaining, finding out. 12. Mizen-top, part of the rigging. 13. Epaulette, ornament worn upon an officer's shoulder. 14. In the heat of action, when the battle was hottest. 15. Tiller-ropes, ropes by which the rudder is moved. 16. Rove, twisted. 17. Badges, outward marks. 18. Cockpit, the room for the wounded in a sea-fight. 19. Pallet, bed. 20. Sensation, feeling. 21. Momently, every moment. 22. Alleviate, lessen. 23. Intense, very great. 24. Elapsed, passed. 25. Suppress, keep down. 26. Congratulated him, wished him joy. 27. The direction of affairs, the command of the fleet. 28. Previous orders, orders given beforehand. 29. Legacy, gift by will.

A NARROW ESCAPE.

THE scene opens with a view of the great Natural Bridge in Virginia. There are three or four lads standing in the channel below, looking up with awe to that vast arch of unhewn rocks which the AImighty bridged over those everlasting butments, "when the morning stars sang together." The little piece of sky spanning those measureless piers is full of stars, although it is mid-day. It is almost five hundred feet from where they stand, up those perpendicular bulwarks of limestone to the key of that vast arch,