Monument in the Guildhall, London commemorating Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson d. 1805,

Location

Guildhall, London, England

Transcript

'TO HORATIO VISCOUNT AND BARON NELSON. / VICE ADMIRAL OF THE WHITE, AND KNIGHT OF THE MOST HONOURABLE ORDER OF THE BATH / A MAN AMONGST THE FEW, WHO APPEAR AT DIFFERENT PERIODS TO HAVE BEEN CREATED TO PROMOTE THE GRANDEUR AND ADD TO THE SECURITY / OF NATIONS;- INCITING BY THEIR HIGH EXAMPLE THEIR FELLOW MORTALS THROUGH ALL SUCCEEDING TIMES TO PURSUE THE COURSE / THAT LEADS TO THE EXULTATION OF OUR IMPERFECT NATURE. / PROVIDENCE THAT IMPLANTED IN NELSON'S BREAST AN ARDENT PASSION FOR DESERVED RENOWN, AS BOUNTEOUSLY ENDOWED HIM WITH THE / TRANSCENDANT TALENTS, NECESSARY TO THE GREAT PURPOSES HE WAS DESTINED TO ACCOMPLISH. / AT AN EARLY PERIOD OF LIFE HE ENTERED INTO THE SERVICE OF HIS COUNTRY AND EARLY WERE THE INSTANCES WHICH MARKED THE FEARLESS NATURE AND / DARING ENTERPRISE OF HIS CHARACTER-UNITING TO THE LOFTIEST SPIRIT AND THE JUSTEST TITLE TO SELF-CONFIDENCE, A STRICT AND HUMBLE OBEDIENCE TO THE / SOVEREIGN RULE OF DISCIPLINE AND SUBORDINATION RISING BY DUE GRADATION TO COMMAND, HE INFUSED INTO THE BOSOMS OF THOSE HE LED, THE VALOROUS / ARDOUR AND ENTHUSIASTIC ZEAL, FOR THE SERVICE OF HIS KING AND COUNTRY, WHICH ANIMATED HIS OWN-AND WHILE HE ACQUIRED THE LOVE OF ALL / BY THE SWEETNESS AND MODERATION OF HIS TEMPER, HE INSPIRED A UNIVERSAL CONFIDENCE IN THE NEVER-FAILING RESOURCES OF HIS CAPACIOUS MIND / IT WILL BE FOR HISTORY TO RELATE THE MANY GREAT EXPLOITS, THROUGH WHICH, SOLICITOUS OF PERIL, AND REGARDLESS OF WOUNDS HE BECAME THE/GLORY OF HIS PROFESSION-BUT IT BELONGS TO THE BRIEF RECORD OF HIS ILLUSTRIOUS CAREER TO SAY, THAT HE COMMANDED AND CONQUERED AT THE BATTLES OF THE NILE AND COPENHAGEN-VICTORIES NEVER BEFORE EQUALLED YET AFTERWARDS SURPASSED BY HIS OWN ACHIEVEMENT, / THE BATTLE OF TRAFALGAR FOUGHT ON THE 21ST OF OCTOBER IN THE YEAR 1805. / ON THAT DAY, BEFORE THE CONCLUSION OF THE ACTION, HE FELL MORTALLY WOUNDED-BUT THE SOURCES OF LIFE AND SENSE FAILED NOT UNTIL IT WAS/KNOWN TO HIM, THAT THE DESTRUCTION OF THE ENEMY BEING COMPLETED, THE GLORY OF HIS COUNTRY AND HIS OWN HAD ATTAINED THEIR SUMMIT, / THEN LAYING HIS HAND ON HIS BRAVE HEART WITH A LOOK OF EXALTED RESIGNATION / TO THE WILL OF THE SUPREME DISPOSER OF THE FATE OF MAN AND NATIONS / HE EXPIRED'

Details

Event

Battle of Trafalgar

Event Date

1805

Event Category

1803-1815 Napoleonic War

People

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