Footnotes

This appears to be the earliest recorded example of the most flamboyant form of Nelson's signature. It was not until the following day, 21 March 1800, that Nelson issued a memorandum stating that "By my Patent of Creation, I find that my Family name of Nelson has been lengthened by the words, 'of the Nile'. Therefore, in future my signature will be, 'Bronte Nelson of the Nile'". According to the examples published by Nicolas, Dispatches and Letters, he was still signing himself 'Bronte Nelson' on the twenty-first; and indeed, the secretarial signature on the address-leaf of the present letter follows this style. The earliest letter published by Nicolas with the "Bronte Nelson of the Nile" signature dates from 24 March. In a letter to Troubridge, written on 20 March but clearly postdating our letter (see below), Nelson is still signing himself "Bronte Nelson" (Nicolas, iv, p.206). For a full discussion of his signatures, see Felix Pryor, 'Nelson the Letter-Writer' in The Nelson Companion: "these labyrinthine changes to his signature seem to run beyond mere vanity. They seem also to reflect something of his own very conscious process of transformation into a figure of fame and legend: the transformation of Horace Nelson from 'Horatio Nelson' - via 'Nelson', 'Nelson & Bronte', ['Bronte Nelson'], 'Bronte Nelson of the Nile', 'Nelson of the Nile' and 'Nelson' - into 'Nelson & Bronte'" (1995 edition, p.164). Not only is the Nile a region of potent associations, but the Sicilian dukedom, from which Nelson took the name Bronte, was heavy with symbolism also: "His dukedom lay on the slopes of Mount Etna, and it was here that the Cyclops Brontes - one-eyed like Nelson himself - had forged Neptune's trident and Jove's thunderbolt. The name Bronte in Greek signifies thunder (as in Brontosaurus, the thunder lizard); so Emma dubbed Nelson 'My Lord Thunder' and 'Great Jove'. His new signature perfectly fitted the apotheosis of the hero" (op.cit., p.164).

Nelson clearly appreciated that heroes - English heroes, at least - must be fed beef for, in the letter already cited, Nelson tells Troubridge: "I have wrote to Mr Aldridge in answer to his letter about supplying beef at Malta, and have told him, that if his present price is not sufficient, for the Governor and other respectable inhabitants to fix a price, and I will agree to it; for fresh beef we must have" (20 March 1800). This letter is not published by Nicolas, Dispatches and Letters, or White, New Letters.