PENU
the French fl eet at anchor in Aboukir Bay just
northeast of Alexandria. His squadron won a
decisive victory there from August 1–3, 1798, in
what has come to be known as the Battle of the
Nile, for which he was lionized at home and by
allies abroad. Mid-September saw Nelson back
in Naples to recover from an injury sustained
during the battle. In a letter to his wife, Fanny,
he describes Lady Hamilton dramatically fainting
at the sight of him: “Up fl ew her Ladyship,
and exclaiming, ‘O God! Is it possible?’ she fell
into my arms more dead than alive.” He goes on
to describe her as “one of the very best women
in this world; she is an honor to her sex.”5 This
may have been Emma’s fi rst salvo in what was to
be a successful campaign of seduction.
The ensuing affair between Emma and Nelson
was intense, extremely public, and rocked
the Georgian world, which had rarely seen such
scandalous behavior so boldly engaged in by a
national hero and a prominent married couple.
They were frequently lampooned in the press
(fi g. 12), where they were the subject of ongoing
scrutiny. The affair resulted in a daughter, Horatia,
who was born in London in January 1801
(fi g. 17).6 To her parents’ credit, they managed
to shield her from public attention, passing her
off as the orphan of one of Nelson’s navy associates.
Hamilton and Nelson remained good
friends, as their genial correspondence reveals.
Hamilton was well aware of the affair but didn’t
seem to care much, even lifting the motto of the
Order of Bath, tria juncta in uno (three joined
in one), to refer to their triangle. This relaxed
127
FIG. 10 (above):
Sir Joshua Reynolds (1723–
1792), Sir Joseph Banks, Bt,
1771–1773.
Oil on canvas. 127 x 101.5 cm.
National Portrait Gallery, purchased
with help from the National Heritage
Memorial Fund, the Art Fund, and the
Pilgrim Trust, 1986, inv. 5868.
FIG. 11 (above right):
Friedrich Rehberg (1758–
1835), Lady Emma’s
“Cleopatra Seduttrice”
attitude.
Plate IX from Friedrich Rehberg,
Drawings Faithfully Copied from
Nature at Naples: and with Permission
Dedicated to the Right Honourable
Sir William Hamilton …, publisher not
indicated, 1794.
FIG. 12 (above):
James Gillray (c. 1756–1815), A Cognocenti
Contemplating ye Beauties of ye Antique, 1801.
Published by H. Humphrey, London, February 11, 1801.
Hand-colored etching on paper. 37.3 x 27.4 cm.
Note the pictures on the wall, which depict, left to right, a topless
Emma Hamilton holding a gin bottle as Cleopatra, Nelson as Mark
Antony, an exploding volcano, and William Hamilton as Claudius
(who, like Hamilton, was known for his love of the pleasures of
the table).
FIG. 13 (left):
William Say (1768–1834) after Sir Joshua
Reynolds, The Society of Dilettanti,
1821 after the c. 1778 original.
Mezotint on wove paper, 48.8 x 37.2 cm.
Sir William Hamilton is seated center pointing at his book on Greek
antiquities.
FIG. 14 (right):
Charles Turner (1774–1857) after Sir Joshua
Reynolds, The Society of Dilettanti,
1821 after the c. 1778 original.
Mezotint on wove paper, 47.9 x 37.4 cm.
Charles Greville is standing at center rear, and Sir Joseph Banks is
at far right. Their gazes are locked.