course, have succeeded to his lordship's titles; which now devolve,
augmented by an earldom, on the Reverend William Nelson, Rector of
Hilborough; the sole remaining brother of this numerous family, most of
whom died in their minority. The Earl, who was born April 20, 1757,
married, in November 1786, Sarah daughter of the Reverend Henry Yonge,
of Great Torrington in the county of Devon--cousin to the Right Reverend
Philip Yonge, late Bishop of Norwich--by whom he has issue,
Charlotte-Mary, born September 20, 1787; and Horatio, born October 26,
1788, successor-apparent to the honours of his immortal uncle.

Of the whole eight sons, offspring of Lord Nelson's parents, it seems
remarkable that only the present Earl ever had any issue; while, of
their three daughters, one died in her infancy, and the two who reached
maturity, Mrs. Bolton and Mrs. Matcham, have both several children: Mrs.
Bolton, as already noticed, having five now living; and Mrs. Matcham,
her amiable younger sister, the lady of George Matcham, Esq. being the
mother of no less than three sons and five daughters.

We usually expect, that the life of a great character should commence
with some early indication of his future excellence. This, being an
apparent principle in nature, is probably just. That divine genius, of
whatever description, which "_nascetur, non fit_;" is born with a man,
and not possible to be made or acquired; must, necessarily, exist at his
birth, whatever may be the period when, or the circumstance by which,
the dormant spark is first awakened into action. Parents, it is true,
are in general great observers of infantine occurrences; and very apt to
be presageful of wonderful results expected from trivial causes. Few
parents, however, are so blessed, as to have children who possess
genius: of those who are, some silently treasure up their hopes, which
may be buried with them in an untimely grave; some are too incessantly