"'At Quebec,' Says Southey, 'Nelson Became Acquainted With Alexander Davison, By Whose Interference He Was Prevented From Making What Would Have Been Called An Imprudent Marriage.

The Albemarle was about to leave the station, her Captain had taken leave of his friends, and was gone down the river to the place of anchorage; when the next morning, as Davison was walking on the beach, to his surprise he saw Nelson coming back in his boat.

Upon inquiring the cause of his re- appearance, Nelson took his arm to walk towards the town, and told him he found it utterly impossible to leave Quebec without again seeing the woman whose society contributed so much to his happiness, and then and there offering her his hand.' 'If you do,' said his friend, 'your utter ruin must inevitably follow.' 'Then, let it follow,' cried Nelson; 'for I am resolved to do it.' 'And I,' replied Davison, 'am resolved you shall not.' Nelson, however, on this occasion was less resolved than his friend, and suffered himself to be led back to the boat.'

"This led us to prepare a short 'Novelette' on the subject in the Revue Canadienne, in 1867, subsequently incorporated in the Maple Leaves: amended and corrected as new light dawned upon us in the Tourists' Note Book, issued in 1876, and Chronicles of the St. Lawrence, published in 1878.

"Whether it was Alexander Davison, his tried friend in afterlife, as Southey suggests, or another Quebecer of note, in 1782, Matthew Lymburner, as Lt.-Col.

Enter page number Go  Previous Next
Page 317 of 864
Words from 86516 to 86777 of 236821