"Far be it, however, from the minds of your Majesty's grateful subjects to repine at the severe blow which Providence has inflicted, or while they deplore the loss of distinguished worth, to offend the spirit and character of the British name, by forgetting the many obligations they owe to the surviving brave men Nel. Poor 'l'ombleson. Wel. Whose valour and public spirit will lead them successfully to emulate such heroic deeds, inspired by their loyalty to their beloved King, and attached to their native country." Nel, This is all highly flattering, messmate, but what my heart so much panted for, remains undone, my beloved girl cannot live upon Common Council Addresses, but tell me the King's answer. Wel. In answer to the address, his Majesty was pleased. Nel. Pleased! Messmate. Wel. I must confess, Nelson, it is very improper thus to express it, I have no doubt the King was much more pained than pleased, in alluding to your death. Nel. Well please to proceed. Wel, To return this most gracious answer. "I receive with peculiar satisfaction the congratulations of my loyal city of London, on the last glorious and decisive victory, obtained under the blessing of God by my fleet, commanded by the late Lord Viscount Nelson, over the combined force of France and Spain. The skill and intrepidity of my officers and Seamen, were never more conspicuous than on this important occasion. Nel. I should think not. Wel. The loss of the distinguished commander, under whom this great victory has been achieved, I most sincerely and deeply lament; his transcendant and heroic services will, I am persuaded, exist for ever in the recollection of my people, and whilst they tend to stimulate those who come after him to similar exertions, they will prove a lasting source of strength, security, and glory. Not only in the City of Londou, but addresses from every part of the country were sent up to his Majesty, congratulating him on your splendid victory. But the address from Tenby in South Wales was the most remarkable one. The Welshmen poured their broadsides into the Corsican as hot as you did. Nel. Ah let's hear it. Wel. "To the King's most excellent Majesty "We, the mayor, bailiffs, and burgesses of the ancient borough of Tenby, in South Wales, in Common Council assembled, with the most profound sense of the wisdom and goodness of the Omnipotent Disposer of events, dutifully presume, at this important time, to address our august sovereign." Nel. August sovereign; 1 wish one of your august sovereigns had turned the "winter of my discontent" into "glorious summer.' Wel. But at this glorious moment, when all our hearts overflow with transcendent joy. Nel. (Aside) I wish mine did. Wel, On account of the unparalelled victory, skilfully planned and nobly prosecuted. Nel. Well, well, tell me what they say of the Corsican? Wel. The peerless defenders of the Britannias. Nel. Britannias! What's she got spliced then, or is she setting her cap at this Buonaparte you spoke of, who talked of making the Mediterranean a French Lake! Wel. No, no, Nelson. Nel. Really, messmate, after what you have told me, I should not be surprised to hear, that out of respect for French feeling, that Britannia was placed upon the retired list, or at all events her “ruling should be confined to the British Channel. Wel. I assure you I quoted the word Britannias* as I found it in the Tenby address, and I did think it a remarkable expression. Nel. Weil, well, tell me what the Welshmen say of the Corsican? Wel. "We your Majesty's faithful subjects aforesaid, of the peninsular town of Tenby, sons of the waves, glowing with the most fervent patriotism and loyalty venture most cordially to congratulate your most excellent majesty on the late astonishing and unrivalled triumph obtained by your royal fleet, over the combined squadrons of Spain and France, when no less than twenty ships of their line of battle have been taken and destroyed; several others miserably shattered and effectually crippled ; also four French runaways have been since intercepted and captured. Nel. Ha! was this so. Wel. It was, your historians thus describe it-the four ships of the enemy's ran, which went off to the southward, at the conclusion of the engagement as mentioned by Admiral Collingwood, were French Ships, Formidable of 80 guns, Mout Blanc and Scipion, 74 guns each, Rear Admiral Dumanoir led on this division to the perpetration of a deed worthy of the sanguinary day of a Marat or Robespierre, however incredible it may appear, the fact has been confirmed by the testimony of many Spanish officers of rank, that these wretches, in their flight, fired upon the Santissima Trinidada, and the other prizes which had struck to you. Nel. The scoundrels ! Wel. By which wanton act of unparalleled ferocity several hundreds of the Spaniards were killed and wounded. But it was not long that those savages were permitted to enjoy this act. Sir Richard Strachan, who had under his command the same number of ships, and exactly the same force, had the good fortune to fall in with the fugitives, while cruising before Ferrol, on the night of the 2nd of November. Nel. Bravo! Wel. The next day at noon he brought them to action, and, after an obsti nate engagement of three hours and a half, compelled them to strike. Thus out of a powerful fleet of 33 sail of the line, which sailed from Cadiz on the 20th of October, ten only remained to the enemy that were not either taken or destroyed. By this event they lost between twenty and thirty thousand seamen, four admirals, one general, and many of their best officers. Nel. A very fair sum total. But tell me what the Welshmen said of the Corsican? I mean the Tenby address to the King. Wel. The four French runaways have been since intercepted and captured, to the terrible disgrace and humiliating disappointment of the upstart usurper of France, all at the critical hour when the sanguinary tormentor of Europe was avowing his desire of ships and naval acquisitions! pest and scourge Nel. Go it Taffy! Wel. Always find his wishes and his wants gratified Nel. (Aside-I wish I could.) Wel. "Till Gaul (however galled) So may this Corsican Nel. At all events, the Welsh have been able to extract a pun out of this. Wel. Just so, and not a bad one either. Wellington is correct. The word Britannias is used in Thomson': Life of Nelson, in the Tenby address. ROMANISM IN LONDON-A PRIESTS CONFESSION-Price Twopence!! Nel. Bear on! Wel. 'Till Gaul (however galled) be retrenched within the ancient limits of the Rhone and Seine. Nel. Bravo, blue jackets of Tenby. Wel. God grant, Royal sire, that the successful feats of your Majesty's naval warriors may still more augment the zeal (eager as it ever is) of ail Britannia's champions, till once again the Rhine and the Danube resound with Albion's cannon, and perfidious Bavaria tremble in her most recluse recesses under the gloomy clouds of impending vengeance. Nel. I say, messmate, I should say the man who wrote that could launch, if not a three deeker, he could a good three volume romance, but pray proceed. Wel. Nor doubt we at all that celestial justice (however heaven may alarm us with some check to have recourse to Omnipotence, and to court mercy by repentauce, will at length crown your righteous cause with victory, and finally overwhelm your Majesty's false and flagitious adversaries. Nel. Well said, gallant Tenby; and truly was your prayer granted, even to the very letter, messmate, you carried it out. Wel. Well, I have the satisfaction to reflect that since the Battle of Waterloo, Europe has enjoyed peace. "Grim visaged war has smoothed her wrinkled front." And now, instead of mounting barbed steeds to fright the souls of fearful adversaries-he he Nel. Unfortunately messmate. If I remember Shakspere correctly, the next sentence will not apply to you or me," to caper nimbly in a lady's chamber," would be perferable to this berth-but pray go on. Wel. I was going to observe that Mr. Canning, just before he died Nel. Canning! I well remember him, I once dined wtih him. My impression was, that Canning was a first-rate man, I was much facinated with his conversation; but tell me of him? Wel. He said the next war in Europe, would be a "war of opinion," not of arms. As an orator he ranked high, so much so, that after his death he was called "the last of the Orators ;" and as a Poet, he took a high place, he wrote a beautiful Poem on your victory at Trafalgar. Nel. Did Canning so honour me; pray let me hear some of it? Wel. As far as memory serves me, I will give you an extract from it.— "Lamented hero when to Britain's shore Exulting fame, those awful tidings bore Joy's bursting shout in whelming grief was drowned, On every brow the cloud of sadness hung, Not that high meed-thy mourning Sov'reign's praise ;— VOICE FROM THE TOMB! A DIALOGUE BETWEEN NELSON AND WELLINGTON, OVERHEARD AT ST. PAUL'S. SEVENTH PART. LONDON: D. FATTIE, CHRISTOPHER COURT, ST. MARTINS-LE-GRAND, AND SOLD BY M. A. PATTIE, 110, SHOE LANE, FLEET STREET. PRICE ONE PENNY. SEVENTH PART. A VOICE FROM THE TOMB. A DIALOGUE BETWEEN NELSON AND WELLINGTON, OVERHEARD AT ST. PAUL'S. Nel. I thank them, but tell me more of Trafalgar. Wel. We are told, The French and Spaniards had fought together against you; but not in the same spirit, the French were determined and malignant enemies; the Spaniards generous friends hurried by the excitement of tempoary and pardonable passion, into hostilities against the only power which could afford their country any chance of avoiding that political slavery under which t was now the settled purpose of Napoleon's ambition to crush every nation of Europe. Nel. That's true. Wel. "But the unprincipled conduct of Dumanoir, who escaped from you, o be captured shortly after (as I before told you by Strachan ) at once brought out the different feelings under which the two two allied fleets had been acting his French officer, retreating with his four ships, which had had no part in the battle, discharged his broadsides as he passed into English vessels no longer apable of pursuit, conduct which, as the victory was complete, could have no object but that of carnage, nay, such the ruffian nature of this man's soul, he ired into the Spanish ships, which had yielded to the English. Nel. I wish I had him here. Wel. "Thus" as the historians well observes, "for the sake of trivially njuring his enemy, sacrificing without scrupie the blood of his own unfortunate riends." Nel. Truly so, go on. Wel. The Spanish Prisoners, in their indignation at this brutality, asked their English captors, to permit them to man their guns against the retreating French,- Nel. And I hope they did. Wel. And such was the earnestness of their entreaty, and the confidence of Englishmen, in the honour of Spaniards, that these men actually were permitted o do as they requested. Nel. Bravo! Bear on, messmate, |