In another letter to sir William Scott (Judge of the High Court of Admiralty, famous for saying “A dinner lubricates business“) she had also stated that, although they needed financial support, the Rev. Earl Nelson had done nothing to help them. He had even refused to pay her the money (£500 per annum) from the Bronte estate in Sicily due to her, “saying he was too poor, although I got the good and great Nelson that estate by means of the Queen. Think what I must feel who was used to give, God only knows, too much, and now to ask. Earl and Countess lived with me seven years. I educated Charlotte, and paid off . . . [illegible]. I made Lord Nelson write the letter to Lord Sidmouth for (getting his brother) the Prebendary of Canterbury, which his Lordship kindly gave, and they have never given the dear Horatia a frock nor a six pence.”
His brotherly love was shown soon after the Admiral’s death during a meal when William Nelson turned to his wife saying “Never mind the Battle of Trafalgar, for it has made me an Earl and thee a Countess” , a remark which was met with general silence.
She had also updated Scott on Horatia’s progress and her constant worries about the girl’s future:
“If my dear Horatia was provided for I should dye happy; and if I could only now be enabled to make her more comfortable and finish her education, oh God, how I would bless them that enabled me to do it. She allready reads, writes, and speaks Italian, French, and English, and I am teaching her German and Spanish. Music She knows, but all must yet be cultivated to perfection, and then our own language, geography, arithmetic ,etc. ,etc. , she knows. We read English, Roman, and Grecian History, but it is a great fatigue to me, as I have been ill eight months and am now in a state of convalescence ; I must be very quiet . I have been at this farmhouse Six weeks; a fine garden, common, large rooms. “
The mention of the farmhouse points out that, in order to economise, they had left the Dessein’s Hotel and moved to the countryside, in the common of St. Pierre, two miles from Calais, where they had taken up small lodgings in a farmhouse. Their servant, who was more devoted than well paid, had gone with them and looked after the cooking.
There, Emma taught Horatia privately at home, and they spent time outdoors, as she wrote in another letter:
” I have an ass for Horatia, as she wants, now she is fourteen, exercise. I go in a cart for my health. The Jaundice is leaving me, but my Broken Heart does not leave me. “
All mornings were devoted to the study, and in the afternoons “we walk, … go in my cart, she on her donkey ; every body very kind to us. Every Wednesday there is a dance, where all the persons of Rank and there daughters dance, a mile from this place. We pay 3 pence for going in. Horatia is adored ; she dances all those dances, and speaks french like a french girl. She is good, virtuous, and religious.”
Anyway, she was constantly marred by her financial troubles and continued to live on credit, or else she was forced to borrow from friends in England.
While in the country, she also appealed to Colonel Fulke-Greville, the younger brother and heir of Charles Greville who had been bequeathed by his uncle Sir William Hamilton all the estates in Wales.
He was to pay to her the yearly income left to her by her husband, but she hadn’t received it for some time The answer to her appeal was not satisfactory. He replied that on account of her debts, these funds were distrained: he was helpless, would send no more money till he knew exactly how things stood and this situation could end.
Therefore Emma was reduced to the usual expedient of pawning some pieces of plate and a few articles of jewellery that she had brought with her from England: the pawnshop, le Mont de Piété, started to become the repository of part of her portable property.
Although she had stated that “the jaundice is leaving me”, her health was deteriorating and in an attempt to ease the pain she drank alcohol and took laudanum. the combined effects of disease, alcohol and opium made her increasingly harsh to her daughter, even though Horatia’s welfare was always on her mind.
Horatia herself, interviewed later in life, stated that Emma “through all her difficulties, she invariably, till the last few months, expended on my education, etc. the whole of the interest of the money left me by Lord Nelson and which was left entirely at her command.”
After about three months in the country they moved back into town, to look for a less humid climate since the farmhouse was a bleak sojourn during the winter months, However, they did not return to the Dessein’s Hotel, but took lodgings in a very cheap apartment at 27 Rue Française.
It was November 1814
To be continued
Image: Facebook – Emma Hamilton Society – CALAIS – Maison n° 27, rue Française
This 1901 postcard shows the house Emma lived in when she died, a building that was destroyed in World War II.
In una lettera a sir William Scott (Giudice dell’Alta Corte dell’Ammiragliato, famoso per la frase: “Una cena lubrifica gli affari”) aveva anche affermato che, sebbene avessero un gran bisogno di sostegno economico, il reverendo Earl Nelson non aveva mosso un dito per aiutarle, anzi si era perfino rifiutato di pagarle l’annualità che le era dovuta per la tenuta di Bronte, in Sicilia, “dicendo che era troppo povero, anche se ho procurato io quella proprietà dal buon e grande Nelson tramite la regina. Pensate come debba sentirmi io, che ero abituata a dare, Dio solo lo sa, troppo, e ora devo chiedere. Il conte e la contessa hanno vissuto con me sette anni. ho educato Charlotte, e ho pagato [illeggibile]. Ho convinto Nelson a scrivere la lettera a Lord Sidmouth per (fare ottenere al fratello) il Prebendario di Canterbury, che Sua Signoria ha gentilmente concesso, e loro non hanno mai dato alla cara Horatia né un abito né un centesimo.”
Il suo amore fraterno fu mostrato subito dopo la morte dell’ammiraglio durante un pranzo quando William Nelson si rivolse alla moglie dicendole: “Non mi importa niente della battaglia di Trafalgar, perché ha reso me un conte e te una contessa”, un’osservazione accolta con silenzio generale.
Scott era anche sempre tenuto aggiornato sui progressi di Horatia e sulle sue continue apprensioni per il futuro della ragazza:
“Se solo si provvedesse alla mia cara Horatia, morirei felice; e se solo potessi essere in grado di renderla più agiata e finire la sua educazione, oh Dio, come benedirei chi mi ha permesso di farlo. Lei già legge, scrive e parla italiano, francese e inglese, e io le insegno tedesco e spagnolo. Conosce la musica, ma tutto deve ancora essere perfezionato, e poi la nostra lingua, la geografia, l’aritmetica, ecc. ecc. Leggiamo storia inglese, romana e greca, ma è una grande fatica per me, poiché sono stata malata otto mesi e ora sono in convalescenza; devo stare molto tranquilla. Sono in questa fattoria da sei settimane, con un bel giardino, e grandi camere. “
L’accenno alla fattoria mette in evidenza che, per risparmiare, avevano lasciato l’Hotel Dessein e si erano trasferite in campagna, nel comune di St. Pierre, a due miglia da Calais, dove avevano preso alloggio in una cascina. Anche la domestica era andata con loro, più per devozione che per la paga, e si occupava della cucina.
Là, Emma si era messa a dare lezioni alla figlia e insieme passavano del tempo all’aria aperta, come scrisse in un’altra lettera,
“Ho un asino per Horatia, come vuole lei, ora ha quattordici anni, per fare esercizio. Io uso un carretto per la mia salute. L’ittero mi sta lasciando, ma il mio cuore spezzato non mi lascia. “
Dopo le mattine dedicate allo studio, e nei pomeriggi “passeggiamo … andiamo io sul mio carretto, lei sull’asino; ognuno è molto gentile con noi. Ogni mercoledì c’è un ballo, dove ballano tutte le persone di rango e le loro figlie, a un miglio da qui. Paghiamo 3 pence per entrare. Horatia è adorata; balla tutti quei balli, e parla francese come una ragazza francese. Lei è brava, virtuosa e religiosa…”.
Comunque, Emma era ancora costantemente assillata da problemi pecuniari e continuava a vivere a credito, oppure si faceva prestare denaro dagli amici in Inghilterra e impegnava ricordi di famiglia.
Mentre era in campagna, fece anche appello al Colonnello Fulke-Greville, fratello minore ed erede di Charles Greville a cui erano state trasmesse in eredità tutte le proprietà del Galles dello zio Sir William Hamilton, marito di Emma.
A lei doveva essere versato il reddito annuo lasciatole dall’Ambasciatore, che da tempo non riceveva più. Purtroppo quello rispose che a causa dei suoi debiti, questi fondi erano stati sequestrati: non poteva far nulla e non avrebbe inviato altro denaro finché non avesse saputo esattamente come stavano le cose e quando quella situazione poteva cessare.
Emma si ridusse dunque al solito espediente di impegnare del vasellame e qualche piccolo gioiello che aveva portato con sé dall’Inghilterra: il Monte di Pietà divenne il ricettacolo di parte delle sue proprietà mobili.
Nonostante avesse dichiarato che “l’ittero mi sta lasciando”, la sua salute si stava deteriorando e nel tentativo di attenuare il dolore Emma beveva alcolici e assumeva laudano. Gli effetti combinati di malattia, alcol e oppio la fecero diventare sempre più brusca con la figlia, anche se il benessere di Horatia era sempre presente nella sua mente.
Sappiamo che la stessa Horatia, in seguito, affermò che Emma “pur tra tutte le sue difficoltà, invariabilmente, fino agli ultimi mesi, ha speso per la mia educazione, ecc. l’intero interesse del denaro lasciatomi da Lord Nelson e che era stato lasciato interamente sotto il suo controllo”.
Dopo circa tre mesi in campagna fecero ritorno in città, per cercare un clima meno umido poiché il soggiorno nella fattoria era alquanto tetro nei mesi invernali. Tuttavia non tornarono all’Hotel Dessein, ma presero alloggio in un modesto appartamento al 27 di Rue Française.
Era il mese di novembre del 1814.
Continua
Immagine: Facebook – Emma Hamilton Society – CALAIS – Maison n° 27, rue Française
Questa cartolina del 1901 mostra la casa in cui viveva Emma quando morì, un edificio che fu distrutto durante la seconda guerra mondiale.
Reblogged this on https:/BOOKS.ESLARN-NET.DE.
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Thank you,. Michael, for your generous reblog! As always, greatly appreciated!
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Thank you, Luisa, for the most interesting details of Emma Hamilton and Hortia’s life.
Joanna
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Thank you, Joanna, for your nice comment! ❣️💙❣️
As always, greatly appreciated!
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You are more than welcome!
Joanna xxx
PS. I love the hearts!
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AH… the day is always brighter when i can sink into an Emma blog xx
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Thank you so much Shey 🙏You always bless me with your very generous words. 🥰❤️
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My darling I call it like I see it. The Hamilton story is fascinating but it’s also how it’s told. x
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Thank you again 💞
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[…] Lady Hamilton & Horatia in Calais (part 63) […]
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Thank you so much for reblogging ❤️
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Dearest Luisa, you are the best when it comes to presenting interesting historical events. Love every single part of Emma Hamilton, Horatia, and Nelson. 😊😊😊❤❤❤❤❤💐💐💐💐💐
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Thanks a lot, dear Aparna 💖❤️🙏🏼 As ever, you are so supportive and I value that greatly!
have a lovely weekend !🙂
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Poor Emma, abandoned by all. Alcohol and laudanum do not seem a good ay to treat liver disease. Thanks for sharing Luisa. Have a great Friday. Allan
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I agree. Thanks a million for your kind words
Have an enjoyable weekend. ❤️
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So pity Emma and daughter Horatia their life moving with so much difficulties 🙏🌹👍🏻
A mom was so sick and suffering also, she to her child to give nice education to make
her future bright 👍🏻♥️absolutely Emma was a great mom and all mom’s she was beautiful
Example 🙏👍🏻 The story so sad feeling 😢🙏♥️ so much grateful you my friend , very
Wonderful writing this historical story 👏💕grace wishes 🌹🙏♥️🙏
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Thank you very much for your kind comment dear Thattamma🙏🙏🙏.
I agree with you: Emma really cared about Horatia’s well-being😘🌷😘
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🌹🙏💕😊
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Emma was a good mother. She might have had a lot of faults, but gave her daughter love, education, and security.
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It’s true, she did a lot for her, except reveal her the truth about her birth
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OH mamma mia!!! Non ho più parole per esprimere il comportamento di Emma che nonostante tutto quanto abbia passato, non sia riuscita a trovare un equilibrio nella gestione del suo denaro e delle sue spese continuando a mendicare a destra e a manca, e il mio stupore dopo tutto che aveva nel passato sempre aiutato tutti, aiuto nel quale lei non ha trovato alcun riscontro. E’ proprio vero che sin che si è in auge tutti cercano di cavalcare l’onda e anche di sfruttarti. come lo è stata Emma. Invece non posso fare a meno di rinnovare le mie parole di ringraziamento e di stima a te per tutte queste pagine di storia che ci stai raccontando e per l’annesso lavoro che stai svolgendo e condividendo. Buon pomeriggio carissima Luisa e un forte abbraccio 🥰
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Grazie di cuore Giusy carissima, perla generosità del tuo apprezzamento.
Purtroppo Emma non è riuscita a imparare a gestire il suo denaro, forse perché da giovanissima non ne aveva mai avuto, e poi aveva avuto amanti/benefattori che accontentavano ogni suo desiderio. Comunque tale incapacità sembra quasi incomprensibile
Buona serata! Un sorriso e un bacione 😘
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Grazie 😘
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Signs of economising are encouraging – as are Horatia’s comments about the spending on her education.
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Unfortunately by now it was a little too late to start economizing
Have a lovely Saturday, Derrick
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non è che gli altri se la cavassero meglio di Emma, indebitati fin sopra i capelli.
Bella serata
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Grazie e buon sabato sera a te, Gian caro 😘
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Sempre bellissimo leggerti, Luisa carissima! Grazie 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻💙💙💙🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻💙💙💙🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
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Grazie di cuore 💞
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Grazie di cuore 💞 a te
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