personally making the soundings, and buoying off the channel by which his formidable enemy was to be approached, Nelson, in the Elephant, of seventy-four guns, to which his flag had been again shifted, led a squadron of twelve sail of the line, and some smaller craft, (detached from the remainder of the British fleet, which remained in the offing, idle spectators of the terrible scene,) in among the shoals and intricacies of the harbour, and took up his position in front of the tremendous defences of Copenhagen.

A dreadful day was that for the devoted city-whose crown prince, and all her inhabitants were lookers on-and a dreadful day for all engaged! The Danish line of defence and batteries were deemed impregnable, and the carnage was fearful. At one time, Sir Hyde Parker, hopeless of success, and anxious for the squadron, made the signal of recall. "Leave off action!" cried Nelson, "Now, d me if I do, Foley! You know, Foley, I have only one eye," he continued, bitterly, "I may be blind at times." We cannot give the particulars of an action, which was one of the most determined and sanguinary ever fought, and throughout which the character of Nelson shines with a radiance that almost redeems the horrors of the scene. The common virtue of animal courage-never possessed in a higher degree by any than himself and the great qualities of the commander, in which he never had a rival, are not the prominent features of this true hero, on that fearful day; it is the beautiful exhibition of his nature's gentler attributes, in a scene so stern,-the conspicuous displays of humanity, amid all the excitement and anxieties of such an hour,—that present it in its true aspect of the sublime. The result was the total capture and destruction of the enemy's fleet and fortifications, and the final breaking up of the Confederacy of the North. Services so splendid, and leading to results so important, a country can scarcely pay-but should pay as far as she can. Nelson, however, was still only made a viscount; and soon afterwards he replaced Sir Hyde Parker in the command of the Baltic fleet. There was little more to do, however, in that quarter of Europe; and Nelson returned to England, broken down by fatigue, in June of the same year.

Scarcely, however, had he begun to taste the benefits of repose, ere, in deference to the popular alarm at home, occasioned by Napoleon's preparations for a descent on the British shores, he was called upon to take the command of the armament in the Channel. Nothing but the presence of Nelson could satisfy the apprehensions of the multitude. During his continuance in this command, he bombarded the town of Boulogne; but the Peace of Amiens relieved him from a service unworthy of his great name and place, and Nelson retired at length to a house and estate which he had purchased at Merton, and to the enjoyment of private life. During this period of repose, he lost his father, at the advanced age of seventy

nine, after a life brightened more than that of ordinary men, by the light reflected on it from the career of his gallant son. The old man was most mercifully dealt with-spared to see the hero pass, by all the steps of honour, up to the pinnacle of his fame, and taken away only ere he plucked that last laurel, for which he was to pay with his heart's blood.

But rest, on this side the grave, was not written in the destiny of Nelson. On the renewal of hostilities with France, he was appointed to the command in the Mediterranean; and in May, 1803, took his station off Toulon, to watch the fleet which had been collected in that port. On this harassing service he remained for eighteen months, a close prisoner to his ship, and vainly waiting for the enemy to come out of port. At length, on the 18th of January, 1805, while he was at anchor off the coast of Sardinia, intelligence reached him that the French fleet was at sea; and Nelson commenced a chase, for its extent, rapidity, and perseverance, the most extra. ordinary in naval annals. After beating about the Sicilian seas for several days, and seeing that Sardinia, Naples, and Sicily were safe, he ran for Egypt as he had twice done, in pursuit of the same enemy, before. From Egypt to Malta-from Malta to the Spanish coast-thence back to Toulon-over to the African coast-the coast of Sicily-through the Straits of Gibraltar-away to the West Indies-Barbadoes-Tobago-GranadaAntigua―back to Europe-he followed his flying foe, half mad with vexation and anxiety; and on the 20th of July, went ashore at Gibraltar, for the first time since June 16th, 1803—and two years, within ten days, having elapsed since his foot had been out of his ship, the Victory. Though he had failed to fall in with the enemy, yet he had the consolation of knowing that his chase had saved the colonies, and above two hundred ships laden for Europe, which would otherwise have fallen into the enemy's hands. Having victualled and watered at Tetuan, he stood for Ceutaproceeded off Cape St. Vincent-returned to Cadiz-traversed the Bay of Biscay; and then, as a last hope, stood over for the north-west coast of Ireland-rejoined Admiral Cornwallis off Ushant-and thence, baffled in his hopes, and worn out with fatigue, proceeded, with the Victory and Superb, to Portsmouth; where he learnt that Sir Robert Calder had fallen in with the combined fleets of France and Spain, to the westward of Cape Finisterre, and after capturing two of their ships, an eighty-four and a seventy-four, had suffered the remainder to escape.

With a view to recruiting, after his long and anxious labours, Nelson retired to Merton; but there, even in the society of those most dear to him, he was tormented with that thirst for glory which his unparalleled victories had not appeased. He could not bear that the enemy, whom he had chased round the world, should become the prey of another than himself. On learning, therefore, that, after the partial action with Sir Robert Calder, they had brought out the squadron from Ferrol, and, with it, gone into

Cadiz, he once more offered his services. They were eagerly accepted; and, at this time, in a manner which showed that the admiralty had, at length, discovered their incalculable value. Lord Barham laid the list of the navy before him, and desired him to choose his own officers and ships. Every exertion was made to equip those which he had selected; and his famous ship, the Victory, was prepared to bear his flag to its last triumph. From the moment of his appointment to this command, he seems to have felt that the long wish of his heart for one more victory was granted-and to have had, at the same time, a presentiment that his destiny was accomplished. All his preparations were made under this conviction. He gave orders that a coffin, made from the mainmast of the Orient, which had been presented to him by Captain Hallowell, after the battle of the Nile, and had lain at his upholsterer's, should be prepared for his reception. The entries in his private journal prove that he parted from those he loved, as from friends on whose faces he was to look no more. He passed to the beach at Portsmouth, amid the tears and prayers of a people by whom he was entirely beloved-arrived off Cadiz on his birth-day, the 29th of September; and on the 21st of October, off Cape Trafalgar, with a fleet of twenty-seven sail of the line and four frigates, found himself on the last field of his fame. The enemy's force consisted of thirty-three ships of the line and seven large frigates. His second in command was the gallant Collingwood,-who had followed him step by step, from his boyish years, up the ladder of the service, and was destined, on this day, to step into the post vacated by Nelson, as he had done so many times before. As the fleet was bearing down upon the enemy, Nelson retired into his cabin; and there, having written a short prayer, made a very remarkable entry in his diary, earnestly recommending to the gratitude of his country, those objects of his affection whom that gratitude had left him too poor to provide for himself. His manner, throughout the whole of this day, was calm, solemn, and dignified, exhibiting little of the excitement which had characterized it in former battle-scenes. But he went into action covered with all his stars; and, though he so far listened to the remonstrances of his captains as to consent that two of their ships should precede him into action, yet his spirit could not brook the measures necessary for giving effect to the arrangement, and he baffled all their endeavours to do so, by persisting to carry a press of sail. To Captain Blackwood, when that officer took leave of him, on the poop of the Victory, to return to his frigate, he said-" God bless you, Blackwood; I shall never see you more." At forty minutes past eleven, the Victory made that signal which has since been engraven on the national heart-never to be obliterated-" England EXPECTS EVERY MAN TO DO HIS DUTY!" The details of this greatest of naval actions must be sought elsewhere than here. At noon it began,-arrived at its height about half-past one-at three the firing began to slacken-and about five

it wholly ceased. It was the most destructive naval contest that ever happened; and was followed by a storm which continued for several days after and more than doubled the previous loss of life. Twenty ships of the enemy struck ;-and the navies of France and Spain were annihilated.

It was about a quarter after one, and just in the heat of the action, that a ball, fired from the mizen-top of the Redoutable, struck the epaulette on Nelson's shoulder, as he stood on the quarter-deck of the Victory, and was the bearer of his death-wound. He fell on his face, on the spot which was covered with the blood of his secretary, Mr. Scott, who had fallen early in the action. Being raised, and carried below, it was at once seen that the hurt was mortal. He lived, however, to learn that his victory was com plete; and died at thirty minutes past four,-three hours and a quarter after he had received his wound.

Never was hero lamented as was Nelson. England could scarcely be made to believe in her mighty loss. Her triumph for the great victory was joyless, for the sake of what it had cost. Yet he died not till he had done all which his country had for him to do. The fleets of her enemies he had utterly destroyed. The honours which had been withheld from him living were showered above his grave. The wealth that would have made his life easier, and relieved his latest earthly anxieties, was now heaped upon his surviving relatives; and the earl's coronet, which, had it been sooner given, could have added nothing to Nelson's glory, but something to his country's, descended at length-and too late-upon the brow of his brother.

OLONEL JAMES GARDINER, a brave and pious officer in the army, the son of Captain Patrick Gardiner, of the family of Torwood-Head, by Mrs. Mary Hodge, of Gladsmuir. His father had served in the army under King William III and Queen Anne, and died in Germany, after the battle of Hochstet. His maternal uncle, Colonel Hodge, was killed at the battle of Steenkirk, in 1692; and his eldest brother, Robert Gardiner, at the siege of Namur, in 1695. Our hero was born at Carriden, January 10, 1688. He was educated at Linlithgow, and made a very considerable progress in the languages; but having a kind of hereditary attachment to the military life, he served very early as a cadet; and at fourteen years of age, bore an ensign's commission in a Scots regiment in the Dutch service, wherein he continued till 1702; when he received a similar commission in a British regiment from Queen Anne, which he bore in the famous battle of Ramillies. In this memorable action, being sent on a desperate service, with a party of what is called the Forlorn Hope, he very narrowly escaped with his life. While calling to his men, a musket ball entered his mouth, and without touching his tongue or his teeth, went through his neck, and came