of this subject, which is not without its interest as a contemporary
sketch of a celebrated trio, is from an original drawing in the
collection of the present writer. There seems some discrepancy about
the date, since Sir William Hamilton died in 1803, and the sketch
evidently belongs to the latter period of the ambassador's life. Sir
William Hamilton, whose collection of antiques formed a valuable
addition to the national collection in the British Museum, was, it
will be remembered, successful in rendering such services to Admiral
Nelson, by his influence with the court of Naples, where he resided
as British ambassador, that our naval hero was enabled to refit and
victual his fleet entirely, without losing the time which would have
been sacrificed in returning to England, and thus contributed in a
marked degree to assist Nelson in surprising the French fleet in
Aboukir Bay, resulting in the famous victory of the Nile, which first
checked the tide of Napoleon's career, crippled the power of France,
and finally compelled the armies of the Republic to withdraw from
Egypt. Lady Hamilton's exertions with the Queen of Naples, over whom
she had gained considerable ascendency, were not without their national
importance, although her services were entirely ignored in the lady's
last days, at a time when the Government left her without that future
provision which Nelson, in falling fighting in his country's cause,
and bequeathing her claims as a legacy to the nation, imagined he was
securing for the support of his friend, who, it is reported, died in
abject poverty, if she did not perish of actual want, as it has been
hinted. In Rowlandson's drawing, Lady Hamilton, in classic garb, is
watering a plant placed in a classic vase; ancient busts, candelabra,
and urns are standing about; the furniture, implements, and accessories
are all fashioned after the antique. The caricaturist has taken certain
freedoms with the person of the Neapolitan ambassador, and Sir William
is travestied as a stout personage, suffering from the gout. Another
female figure, also draped after the antique, is touching a lyre, and
chanting certain ditties of her own composition; this lady represents
Miss Cornelia Knight (an authoress of some repute in her day, whose
small notoriety rests on her _Continuation of Rasselas_, and her
_Private Life of the Romans_)[27] who travelled in the suite of the
ambassador with his lady.
[Illustration: LADY HAMILTON AT HOME.]
A familiar description of Lady Hamilton and her party occurs in a diary
by Mrs. Colonel St. George, written during her sojourn among the German
courts, 1799 and 1800, and privately printed. The traveller happened to
be stopping in Dresden in October 1800, when Lord Nelson, Sir William
Hamilton, Lady Hamilton, her mother Mrs. Cadogan, and the poetess
arrived, and were received by Mr. Elliot, the English ambassador.
The portrait of Lady Hamilton is firmly drawn. Mrs. St. George thus
describes the famous 'Emma,' of whose features so many admirable
paintings exist limned by the hand of Romney. 'Her figure is colossal,
but, excepting her feet, well shaped. Her bones are large, and she
is exceedingly _embonpoint_. She resembles the bust of Ariadne: the
shape of all her features is fine, as is the form of her head, and
particularly her ears; her teeth are a little irregular, but tolerably
white; her eyes light blue, with a brown spot in one, which, though
a defect, takes nothing away from their beauty and expression. Her
eyebrows and hair are dark, and her complexion coarse. Her expression
is strongly marked, variable, and interesting; her movements in common
life ungraceful; her voice loud yet not disagreeable. Sir William is
old, infirm, all admiration of his wife, and never spoke to-day but to
applaud her. Miss Cornelia Knight seems the decided flatterer of the
two, and never opens her mouth but to show forth their praise; and Mrs.
Cadogan, Lady Hamilton's mother, is what one might expect. After dinner
we had several songs in honour of Lord Nelson, written by Miss Knight,
and sung by Lady Hamilton. She puffs the incense full in his face, but
he receives it with pleasure, and sniffs it up very cordially.
'_October 7._--Breakfasted with Lady Hamilton, and saw her represent
in succession the best statues and paintings extant. She assumes their
attitude, expression, and drapery, with great facility, swiftness, and
accuracy. Several Indian shawls, a chair, some antique vases, a wreath
of roses, a tamborine, and a few children are her whole apparatus. She
stands at one end of the room with a strong light on her left, and
every other window closed. Her hair is short, dressed like an antique,
and her gown a simple calico chemise, very easy, with loose sleeves to
the wrists. She disposes of the shawls so as to form Grecian, Turkish,
and other drapery, as well as a variety of turbans. Her arrangement
of the turbans is absolutely sleight-of-hand, she does it so quickly,
so easily, and so well. It is a beautiful performance, amusing to the
most ignorant, and highly interesting to the lovers of art. The chief
of her imitations are from the antique. Each representation lasts about
ten minutes. It is remarkable that, coarse and ungraceful in common
life, she becomes highly graceful, and even beautiful, during this
performance. After showing her attitudes, she sang, and I accompanied.
Her voice is good and very strong, but she is frequently out of tune;
her expression strongly marked and various; but she has no flexibility,
and no sweetness. She acts her songs.'