THE DEATH OF NELSON. 269 



It was now fast growing* towards the last moment 

 of his life, and althoug-h there were many present, yet 

 not a word was spoken. 



The eye be^an to warn us that the hero of the 

 Nile and Trafalgar was fast sinking ; it no longer 

 sparkled up as the cheers were heard below, whilst 

 he breathed with great difficulty, and when he spoke, 

 it was in a low and indistinct voice. Once or twice 

 he made an attempt, but the restlessness of his spirit 

 was fast subsiding. The chaplain stood by, and 

 watched the last breathings of this great man. it 

 was then that he spoke again, — ay, and about sins 

 and errors, which even the best of us may commit, for 

 he was too much of a Christian to die without ac- 

 knowledging them. This done, he again thought of 

 his king, his* country, — of her, ** Remember," lie said, 

 *' 1 leave her and my daughter Horatia as a legacy to 

 my country. I have done my duty to my king, but 

 who shall say I have done my duty to my God!" The 

 last words which he uttered were, ** Thank Cod I 

 have done my duty 1" and shortly afterwp.rds the 

 under jaw fell, and Nelson of the Nile was no more ! 

 1 watched his countenance : I saw the last motion of 

 his lip, 1 saw the glassy stillness of his eye — the dead 

 cold paleness of his forehead — the fluttering tremor 

 which shook his whole frame; and when Beattie 

 said, and loud enough lor all to hear, *'He is gone !" 

 ] fainted on the table, and was carried away to the 

 cockpit. 



Ben Brace. 



