Nelson & His World

It's worth remembering that reports in The Gentleman's Magazine were not always to be trusted. Mollie Hardwicke, in 'Emma, Lady Hamilton, a study' quotes their totally erroneous report of Emma's funeral February 1806:

'In the village....there was no Protestant clergyman, and no Catholic would officiate because she was a heretic; she was even refused Christian burial; no coffin was allowed, but the body was put into a sack and cast into a hole. An Englishman, hearing of this barbarity, had the body dug up and interred, though not in the churchyard.'

This gloatingly malicious and totally fanciful report was later corrected, but the damage was done. As Mollie Hardwicke notes, 'the legend of a pauper's funeral was firmly attached to Emma's reputation'.

However, Mollie Hardwicke doesn't question the Fonthill performance, but she has an interesting comment which rather supports my suppositions above:

'It has been argued by those who think that Emma foisted off someone else's child on Nelson, or that the adoption story was a true one, that this performance could not possibly have been given before an audience, in intimate surroundings, by a woman only just over a month away from childbirth. A study of the Rehberg sketches, however, shows that Emma had always portrayed Agrippina as a matronly figure heavily draped. Her outline is not even slightly visible in the drawing of Agrippina seated. The character did not call for any dancing or activity, the animation being given to it by changes of posture, arm movements, alterations of hair and headdress. Emma was, as has been said, an actress manquée, and in her day professional actresses were adept at the clever concealment of pregnancy so that they could go on drawing a salary up to the last possible moment. The Mrs Vincent Crummleses and Sarah Terrys of an even later generation would represent Lady Macbeth or Lady Randolph in 'Douglas' when eight months gone, but nothing more juvenile in which a portly figure would be ridiculous. Emma knew the trick of it, and had besides the actress's gift of making an audience see only what she wished it to see. So on that December night at Fonthill the spectators drifted away in the light of 'the declining lamps and torches, and the twinkling of a few scattered stars ina clouded sky...as if waking up from a dream, or just freed from the influence of some magic spell.'

Also, to add to my more flippant earlier point, attitudes to pregnancy were pretty circumspect. The contemporary euphemisms for pregnancy were legion ('in an interesting condition', 'increasing') but even these were mainly used by women among themselves - men were expected to pretend not to notice.

Concealing pregnancy was, as has been mentioned, a widespread practice. Once you had a bump that was impossible to ignore, you were expected to retire from society, so ladies became quite adept at draping themselves with half petticoats and mantles (not to mention continuing to lace themselves into corsets) for as long as possible so they could continue to go out. A lady built on statuesque lines could probably keep up this ruse until very late in the day, assisted by the fact that polite society was obliged to help her keep up the fiction and not mention it, at least not openly. I think that comments about Emma's 'embonpoint' or increased size could certainly be construed as a euphemistic (or possibly even catty, as it could imply that her efforts at concealment left something to be desired) reference to a pregnancy.

Going back to Tony's earlier question - the report in the Gentleman's Magazine was in 2 parts (2 separate issues) and written anonymously - by "one who was present at the festivities".

It is generally thought to be written by Beckford himself. Despite his vast wealth he was pretty much an outcast of society due to his sexual proclivities (euphemistically speaking). It was to Beckford's advantage to advertise the fact that the Hamiltons and Nelson had deigned to cross his extremely impressive doorstep. (more of which later).

I don't doubt that Emma was physically capable of her performances at Fonthill, pregnant or not. But please consider the following.

Assuming Emma was pregnant by Nelson - presumably by 8 months he was aware of the situation - they must have contrived between themselves to hide the fact.

So he had both:

- a duty of care for her wellbeing

- a vested interest to keep her away from situations where the secret might be uncovered.

The invitation to Fonthill was contrived by Beckford himself. Not just to increase his standing in society but also he was trying to buy the transfer of Hamilton's title (he hoped it would be elevated to a peerage) on his death.

So the Hamiltons and Nelson were really just dupes in Beckford's little game.

They may not have realised Beckford's game - but they were certainly under no obligation to head off in the middle of winter to Fonthill. Think how bitterly cold it can be a few days before Christmas. Who would encourage a woman in advanced pregnancy to clamber into a coach and endure 8+ hours of travel on unncertain roads and into uncertain weather coditions? And then back a few days later?

In accordance with Beckford's (lack of) social status the other guests at Fonthill were a mottley bunch. Edgar Vincent describes some of them, including Abbe Macquin who he calls a "gossipy old hanger on". If I was Nelson - the last sort of person I would want Emma rubbing shoulders with at that stage of her (hidden) pregnancy.

I think I'll make that my last word on the subject. Of course I am just cherry-picking anecdotes which support my current mind-set.

But I am doing this honestly - not just to make mischief. Until we get those all important DNA results (anyone fancy ringing the Trisha show?) I urge that you keep a segment of your mind open to all of the alternative possibilities??!!

MB

Mark: I agree that the trip to Fonthill was rather a risky one, but the Hamiltons were desperate for money at that stage, and there was a quid pro quo to the plan of getting a title for Beckford - a slice of his wealth for the Hamiltons who were deeply in debt and angling in all directions for funds. There might have been a lot of pressure from Sir William to fall in with the plans - and Emma was not in a position to antagonise him. Nelson might well have gone along to do what he could to make sure that some sort of care was taken of her.

Anyway, on another tack: here is my last throw to convince you, Mark. Then I'll shut up.

Emma was notoriously jealous. Poor old Nelson had to stay in his ship, decline any invitation at which ladies might be present ( - remember that anxious letter in which he assures Emma that one lady he cannot avoid meeting 'looks like a cook-maid and likes a drop'), put up with her rants and tantrums when he mentioned west country women wearing black stockings etc. etc.

Try, if you can, to picture this scene:

Nelson confesses to Emma, at the height of their affair in Naples, when he is writing his scorching letters to her declaring his undying love, that has had a dalliance with Another. He asks her if she will keep silent about the name of the mother, take charge of the infant when it is born, ensure it is taken to a reputable nurse, act as its guardian, oversee its education etc. etc.

And Emma says, 'Yes, Nelson, dear. Of course.'

Yeah, right.

Anna

The thing I think we can all agree on is that this whole situation is just simply stranger than fiction.

As are so many other parts of Nelson's life and most of Emma's life.

In another time and another place I could have found myself taking exactly your position and citing the very same examples.

But something just clicked in me when I read Neale's little piece. And my mind suddenly started coming at things from a fresh angle.

Now where are we going to find that elusive EH DNA??!! (don't panic - rhetorical question )

MB