Page:Memoirs of the life and gallant services of Admiral Lord Nelson.pdf/17

 of Admiral Lord Nelſon. 17 miſſion to land, and was received by the brave and generous Danes with the loudeſt acclamations, and treated by the accompliſhed Prince of Denmark with every mark of reſpect. The immediate conſequence of their conference was an armiſtice, which ſoon led to an amicable convention. Lord Nelſon, ſpeaking to Col. Lindholm of this engagement, ſaid, " I have been in 105 engagements (ſaid he) in the courſe of my life, but that of to-day was the moſt terrible of all." Admiral Sir Hyde Parker, in his diſpatches to the Admiral ſaid, "Were it poſſible for me to " to add any thing to the well earned renown of " Lord Nelſon, it would be by aſſerting that his " exertions, great as they have hitherto been, never " were carried to a higher pitch of zeal for his " country's ſervice.” An invaſion having been threatened on the part of France, and a conſiderable number of ſmall veſſels collected along the coaſts of the republic, particular- ly in the harbour of Boulogne, preparatory to ſuch an attack, Lord Nelſon had once more an opportu- nity of exerting his valour and talents. On this undertaking he was inveſted with very extenſive and unuſual powers. During this enter- priſe he made repeated attacks; his ſucceſſes, though ſmall in themſelves, were great and valuable in their aggregate amount; the enemy received an impor- tant check; and the individnal valour of Britons was, perhaps, never more ſtrikingly diſplayed. The life of Lord Nelſon forcibly illuſtrates the re- mark, which he has often been heard to make, That PERSEVERANCE in any profeſſion will moſt probably meet its reward, without the influence of any contingent inter- Io whatever light we conſider the character of this illuſtrious mariner, its brilliancy dazzles the eye with an endleſs variety. It ſhows us what diligence may accompliſh, and what indolence has often lost; it