proving not only to the whole world, but to future ages, that we
were worthy of having such a man belonging to us. It must be
needless, my dear sir, to discuss over with you in particular the
irreparable loss dear Nelson ever must be, not merely to his friends
but to his country, especially at the present crisis--and during the
present most awful contest, his very name was a host of itself;
Nelson and Victory were one and the same to us, and it carried
dismay and terror to the hearts of our enemies. But the subject is
too painful a one to dwell longer upon; as to myself, all that I can
do, either publicly or privately, to testify the reverence, the
respect I entertain for his memory as a Hero, and as the greatest
public character that ever embellished the page of history,
independent of what I can with the greatest truth term, the
enthusiastic attachment I felt for him as a friend, I consider it as
my duty to fulfil, and therefore, though I may be prevented from
taking that ostensible and prominent situation at his funeral which
I think my birth and high rank entitled me to claim, still nothing
shall prevent me in a private character following his remains to
their last resting place; for though the station and the character
may be less ostensible, less prominent, yet the feelings of the
heart will not therefore be the less poignant, or the less acute.

I am, my dear sir, with the greatest truth,

Ever very sincerely your's,

G. P.[1]

_Brighton, Dec, 18th, 1805_.