The story of Lady Hamilton (3 page)

"THE TRIUMPHS OF TEMPER"

come. Would you think it, Greville? Emma —the wild, unthinking Emma, is a grave, thoughtful phylosopher."

She herself was evidently considerably impressed with that remarkable discovery which she thought would be so welcome to Greville—but she never became the "grave, thoughtful phylosopher " to the end of her days. Not all the vicissitudes of her life, neither love,glory,nortrouble,evermade her essentially different from the "wild,unthinking Emma" of her youth. As has been said she was marvellously adaptable and expressive of her surroundings,but at heart she was always the same creature. The accomplish-mentsandexperiences sheadded to the ignorance of her untutored days remained upon the surface, they never really penetrated to the fibre of her being, and the faults and virtues with which she was born she carried unaltered to the grave.

Atthe end of the summer Emma returned to Edgeware Road, joyous in the thought of meeting Greville again, though aware from 25

THE STORY OF LADY HAMILTON

his " kind instructing letter " that he meant to re-arrange things somewhat. Little she thought the extent of his rearrangements wouldendinhandingherovertoanotherman But this was what Greville had in his mind. Two of his interests would be served by the transferenceofEmmato Sir William Hamilton—he did not wish his uncle to marry, as he was his heir, and he himself wished to be able to do so, if he could find an heiress to improve his narrow fortune. " If you did not chose a wife," he wrote to his uncle, who had returned to Italy," I wish the tea-maker of Edgeware Row was yours, if I could without banishing myself from a visit to Naples. I do not know how to part with what I am not tired with; I do not know how to go on, and I giveher every meritofprudenceand moderation and affection."

Greville knew that the principal obstacle in the way of these convenient arrangements would be Emmaherself—she wasentirely devoted to him, and while living with him had refused two offers of marriage and at least one

THE TRIUMPHS OF TEMPER"

offer of a similar position from a much richer man than Greville, who had tried to lure her withdiamonds,horses,andallthe luxuries. If she was tobeinduced to go outtoNaplesand Sir William Hamilton it could only beundera misapprehension, both as to the object and duration of her visit. There were many plots and arrangements between uncle and nephew, both of them quite sensible that their plans were of a nature to cause passionate re-sentmentand grief in Emma's heart, had she known. But at last things were arranged as they wished, and Emma was tricked into believing that she was only to go to Naples for a few months, that it was impossible forGre-ville to go with her, as he must stay behind in England to arrange his financial affairs and would then come out to fetch her home. Meanwhile she was to make the best of her opportunities in training her fine voice, and become still more dowered with gifts and graces so that her Greville might love her more.

So Emma, still trusting the man who had 27

THE STORY OF LADY HAMILTON

betrayed her, turned her face towards Naples and that Italy where she was tomeet Nelson. Shewas nearing the pointwhere the obscure but not untroubled stream of her own life was to merge in the flood of historic and unfor-getable events.

EMMA, 1791 Drawing by Sir T. Lawrence, in British Mt,

CHAPTER THREE

EMMA HAMILTON'S STAY IN ITALY

CHAPTER THREE

EMMA HAMILTON'S STAY IN ITALY

IN 1/86 THE PALAZZO SESSA WAS THE British Embassy at Naples. There Sir William Hamilton had arranged for Emma and her mother, who wentby the name of Mrs Ca-dogan and accompanied her on this expedition, a beautiful apartment of four rooms. Emma's room, said one who saw it, was "furnished in the English taste,"and was"most delightful," the"outlook from its corner window, unique." From that windowEmmacould look out on the wonderful Bay of Naples,on Capri and Posilippo, could follow the curving coast-line from Sorrento to Cape Minerva, and all bathed in radiant air and a sun-light she had never seen. What a contrast to Paddington Green! Sir William had received her with the greatest attention and kindness, had piled upon her just the gifts most calculated to please her feminine fondness forfinery—a"camlet shawl," a "beautiful gown, cost 25 guineas (India painting on wite sattin)," and "muslin dresses loose to tye with a sash for the hot weather—made

THE STORY OF LADY HAMILTON

like the turkey dresses, the sleeves tyed in fowlds with ribbon and trimd with lace."

But in spite of these things and this kindness (partly because of it) Emma was sitting in her beautiful room, miserable, angry, and choked with fears, writing to the distant Greville:—

"I will not venture myself now to wright anymore, for my heart and mind are torn by different passions,that I shall go mad. Only, Greville, remember your promise of October. Sir William says you never mentioned to him abbout comingto Naples at all. But you know the consequence of your not coming for me. Indead, my dear Greville, I live but in the hope of seeing you, and if you do not come hear, lett whatt will be the consequence,! will come to England, I have had a conversation this morning with Sir William, that has made me mad. He speaks—no, I do not know what to make of it. But, Greville, my dear Greville, wright some comfort to

me Pray,for God's sake,wright to meand

LADY HAMILTON

After F. Rehberg

EMMA HAMILTON'S STAY IN ITALY come to me, for Sir William shall not be anything to me but your friend."

This appeal was received in silence. She wrote to him time and again passionate, frightened letters, but weeks passed and no answer came. Once he had answered her terrified appeal, "O Greville, what shall I dow?" butnowhekeptastubborncoldsilence against which Emma hurled herself in vain. Possibly he meant to let the lesson of hersit-uation, far away in Naples under Sir William Hamilton's somewhat doubtful protection, sink in before he issued his final commands; possibly even his self-sufficient and self-satisfied nature shrank from dealing the final blow to her trust in him. However, it came at last—shewould best please him and consult her own interests by "obliging" his uncle; he was never coming to takeherhome. Emma's righteous rage broke forth on receiving this miserable letter. "If I was with you," she cried, "I wou'd murder you and myself booth." She longs for some fierce outlet for her injured love: " I will go to London, their 33 C

THE STORY OF LADY HAMILTON

go into every excess of vice till I dye, a miserable, broken-hearted wretch, and leave my fate as a warning to young whomen never to be two good; for now you have made me love you, you made me good, you have ab-bandoned me; and some violent end shall finish our connection, if it is to finish." But pleading, rage, pathos, were all in vain— she had forgotten that cool little saying of Greville's uttered to her at the very beginning of their connection, "I have never seen a woman clever enough to keep a man who was tired of her." How Greville's conduct appeared to himself is shown in a letter he wrote Sir William Hamilton some months after his abandonment of Emma:—

" 1 so long foresaw that a moment of separation must arrive, that I never kept the connection, but on a footing of perfect liberty to her. Its commencement was not of my seeking and hitherto it has contributed to her happiness. She knows and reflects often on the circumstances which she cannot forget, and in her heart she cannot reproach me of

EMMA HAMILTON'S STAY IN ITALY

having acted otherwise than a kind and attentive friend. But you have now rendered it possible for her to be respected and comfortable, and if she has not talked herself out of the true view of her situation she will retain the protection and affection of us both.... Ihadalwaysproposedtocontinue her friend, although the connexion ceased."

The most curious thing in this curious drama of character and temperament is that after Emma had recovered from her rage and wounded love, after she had become not only resigned to, but delighted with her life in Naples, she adopted Greville as a friend just ashe proposed. She wrotetohim constantly, giving him all the news of the great years that were to come and her own thrilling part in them ; she demanded that he should attend to her wishes and send her Dunstable hats and gloves and ribbons from London. By an odd freak of destiny her marriage with Sir William Hamilton placed herintheposi-tion of being Greville's aunt. But though she thus adjusted herself to new conditions with 35

THE STORY OF LADY HAMILTON

apparent quickness, there is no doubt that Greville's cruelly callous treatment injured her heart in a way that the brutality of other men had never done. Greville she had loved with all that was best and most unselfish in her—ambition, and the love of power and prominence which tainted her love for Nelson had no part in her young feeling for Greville. It was pure love, giving all, asking nothing, not even love in exchange, only a little kindness. She never felt this towards Sir William Hamilton, never thus towards Nelson. Somethinginnocentandtrusting in her was broken and the fibre of her nature coarsened from that time onwards.

Emma's mobile temperament was fitted to many roles, but the part of love-forlorn, heart-broken heroine could not suit her long. Her vitality was too great for the necessary spiritlessness, the claim of the joy of life too strong to be resisted. Imagine, too, the circumstances of her new setting, the glowing colour, the gaiety, the strange beauty of a Southern scene to this daughter of Flintshire

LADY HAMILTON AS "SIBYL

By Romney

EMMA HAMILTON'S STAY IN ITALY

and Paddington Green, the riches of apparel lavished upon her, the vehemently expressed admiration that followed her, the affectionate consideration of Sir William Hamilton after the (( kind instructing " lectures of Charles Greville. No wonder she was intoxicated, no wonder she recovered from her slighted love and determined to enjoy the good she had with all the ardour that was natural to her. Naples at that time was a paradise which might have been specially designed to enhance her charms and delight her senses. The revolutions, bloodshed, and distresses to follow were yet dim upon the horizon of the future; the fortresses of Uovo and Nuovo held as yet no threat.

The chronicles of the time are full of Emma's graces, and a distinguished visitor to Naples, Goethe himself, has much to say on the subject. Rewrites a detailed description of the famous " Attitudes" in which Emmadisplayeddissolvingshapesof beauty to the delighted gaze of her admirers :—

"The Chevalier Hamilton,so longresident 37

THE STORY OF LADY HAMILTON

here as English Ambassador, so long, too, connoisseur and student of Art and Nature, has found their counterpart and acme with exquisite delight in a lovely girl—English, and some twenty years of age. Sheis exceedingly beautiful and finely built. She wears a Greek garb becoming her to perfection, she then merely loosens her locks,takes a pair of shawls, and effects changes of postures, moods, gestures, mien and appearance that makes one really feel as if one were in some dream. Here is visiblecomplete,and bodied forth in movements of surprising variety all that so many artists have sought in vain to fix and render. Successively standing, kneeling, seated, reclining, grave, sad, sportive, teasing,abandoned,penitent,alluring,threat-ening, agonised. One follows the other, and grows out of it. She knows how to choose and shift the simple folds of her single kerchief for every expression, and to adjust it into a hundred kinds of headgear. Her elderly knight holds the torches for her performance, and isabsorbedin hissoul's desire.