NELSON, Horatio (Admiral, 1758-1805). Autograph letter to 'My Dear Madam' [Lady Parker], Palermo, 1 February 1799 , recalling her and her husband's goodness to him, 'You who have known me from my youth even until now, know that Horatio Nelson is still the same; affectionate in his disposition and grateful to his friends, God knows my dear friend I have few indeed', and referring pessimistically to his health and present situation. 'After the action I had fell into a decline but at Naples my invaluable friends, Sir William and Lady Hamilton nursed me and set me up again. I am [now] worse than ever my spirits have received such a shock that I think I cannot recover ... You who remember me always laughing & gay would hardly believe the change but who can see what I have & be well in health. Kingdoms lost & a Royal family in distress, ... whilst I live and my services can be useful to them I shall never leave this country, altho' I know that nothing but the air of England and peace and quietness can perfectly restore me', also expressing his hopes for Lady Parker's own health, and sending warm messages to her family, 2 pages, 4to , blank integral leaf (small split in fold). The letter is redolent of Nelson's low spirits at this moment. Depressed by the news from Naples, and by his own preoccupations, detained at Palermo by the King and Queen's dependence on him, also by the presence of Lady Hamilton, he wrote to all his friends who had written to congratulate him on the victory of the Nile, in terms of utter dejection. This was no doubt exacerbated not only by his poor health, but by the strain resulting from the lukewarm and unprofessional approach to the conduct of the war which he was finding in his foreign allies, and the Sicilian officers under his command. The Parkers were among Nelson's oldest friends. He had sailed as 3rd Lieutenant on Admiral Sir Peter Parker's flagship in the West Indies in 1778, and Lady Parker, a redoubtable figure, nursed him in their house at Port Royal when he was recovering from fever. Sir Peter was to be the chief mourner at Nelson's funeral.
NELSON, Horatio (Admiral, 1758-1805). Autograph letter to 'My Dear Madam' [Lady Parker], Palermo, 1 February 1799 , recalling her and her husband's goodness to him, 'You who have known me from my youth even until now, know that Horatio Nelson is still the same; affectionate in his disposition and grateful to his friends, God knows my dear friend I have few indeed', and referring pessimistically to his health and present situation. 'After the action I had fell into a decline but at Naples my invaluable friends, Sir William and Lady Hamilton nursed me and set me up again. I am [now] worse than ever my spirits have received such a shock that I think I cannot recover ... You who remember me always laughing & gay would hardly believe the change but who can see what I have & be well in health. Kingdoms lost & a Royal family in distress, ... whilst I live and my services can be useful to them I shall never leave this country, altho' I know that nothing but the air of England and peace and quietness can perfectly restore me', also expressing his hopes for Lady Parker's own health, and sending warm messages to her family, 2 pages, 4to , blank integral leaf (small split in fold). The letter is redolent of Nelson's low spirits at this moment. Depressed by the news from Naples, and by his own preoccupations, detained at Palermo by the King and Queen's dependence on him, also by the presence of Lady Hamilton, he wrote to all his friends who had written to congratulate him on the victory of the Nile, in terms of utter dejection. This was no doubt exacerbated not only by his poor health, but by the strain resulting from the lukewarm and unprofessional approach to the conduct of the war which he was finding in his foreign allies, and the Sicilian officers under his command. The Parkers were among Nelson's oldest friends. He had sailed as 3rd Lieutenant on Admiral Sir Peter Parker's flagship in the West Indies in 1778, and Lady Parker, a redoubtable figure, nursed him in their house at Port Royal when he was recovering from fever. Sir Peter was to be the chief mourner at Nelson's funeral.
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.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
