NELSON WILLIAM: (1757-1835) 1st Earl Nelson, 2nd Duke of Bronte. Elder brother of Horatio Nelson. Rare A.L.S., Wm Nelson, four pages, 4to, n.p., n.d. (c.1802 and not later than April 1803), to Emma Hamilton ('Dear Lady Hamilton'). Nelson announces 'The Doctor says that He is very angry with you for not calling him Doctor, & for degrading the name & dignity; - For a Doctor in Divinity of the ancient & learned University of Cambridge is as much superior to a Dr. of Physic in any of your Scotch Universities (where they confer a Diploma for Two Guineas on every Quack who applies) as an Arch-Angel is to the Archfiend' and continues 'If the Old Earl should slip his Cable & be forced to resign, I hope our Great Defender will be able to get into his anchorage. He must try hard to get to Windward of the Minister (in spite of the R_ C_ Duke), speak often, & lay his plans accordingly, it will be a nice Town House'. Nelson further states that he has sent half a dozen apple trees to Merton, explaining 'some have been grafted Two, some Three years, & some only last spring - I would recommend them to be Trained as Standards, & of course not headed down; they don't do so well to be trained as Espaliers, - your Gardiner will understand me - They are the True Norfolk Beefen - such as we have sent in the Large Hamper - I call them "Lord Nelson's Norfolk Beefen"', also writing 'If the Earl is only going to the South of France for his health, I am afraid He will not resign. He will have leave of absence for the Winter, & the other Lords of the Admiralty will do the business; any Three I think, are sufficient - let us hear everything that goes on, your letters are better than the Newspapers, & we look for them with greater anxiety & receive them with greater pleasure'. Nelson concludes his letter by making reference to a vacancy at Durham ('I remember some years ago when the Duke of Portland was Prime Minister, He secured one for Dr. Poyntz at Durham') and another at York and ends 'I beg my Complts. To Sir Wm. & Mr Greville when you see him & love to my Brother'. A letter of intriguing content and excellent association. Some very slight traces of former mounting to the right edge of the final page, not affecting the text or signature, otherwise VG

Emma Hamilton (1765-1815) Mistress of Horatio Nelson and wife of Sir William Hamilton (1731-1803) Scottish Diplomat.

Charles Francis Greville (1749-1809) British Antiquarian, Collector & Politician. Hamilton was Greville's mistress from 1782-86.

The present letter can be dated from between the autumn of 1802, when Nelson purchased Merton Place in Surrey, and April 1803 when Sir William Hamilton passed away.