To the preceding narrative the Editor adds an account of a subsequent
apparition, which he saw, and for greater ease he writes it in the first
person, as follows:
In January, 1824, one, whose relationship commanded my affection, was
about to leave England with his family for a distant part of the world.
The day or two preceding his departure I passed with him and his wife
and children. Our separation was especially painful; my mind was
distressed, and I got little sleep. He had sailed from Gravesend about
three days, and a letter that he had promised to write from the Downs
had not arrived. On the evening of the 29th I retired late, and being
quite wearied slept till an unusually late hour the next morning,
without a consciousness of having dreamed, or being, as I found myself,
alone. With my head on the pillow I opened my eyes to an extraordinary
appearance. Against the wall on the opposite side of the room, and level
with my sight, the person, respecting whom I had been so anxious, lay a
corpse, extended at full length, as if resting on a table. A greyish
cloth covered the entire body except the face; the eyes were closed, the
countenance was cadaverous, the mouth elongated from the falling of the
jaws, and the lips were purpled. I shut my eyes, rubbed them and gently
raising my head continued to gaze on the body, till from weariness of
the attitude and exhausted spirits, I dropped on the pillow, and
insensibly sunk to sleep, for perhaps a quarter of an hour. On again
awaking, the spectre was not there. I then arose, and having mentioned
the circumstance to some of my family, caused a memorandum to be made of
what I had seen. In the course of the forenoon a person arrived who had
gone round with the vessel to the Downs, from whence he had been put
ashore the morning before, and saw the ship in full sail. He was the
bearer of the letter I had expected from the individual aboard, whose
appearance I had witnessed only a few hours previous to its being put
into my hands; it of course relieved no apprehension that might have
been excited by the recent spectre.
“That the dead are seen no more,” said Imlac, “I will not undertake to
maintain against the concurrent and unvaried testimony of all ages and
of all nations. There is no people, rude or learned, among whom
apparitions of the dead are not related and believed. This opinion,
which, perhaps, prevails as far as human nature is diffused, could
become universal only by its truth; those, that never heard of one
another, would never have agreed in a tale which nothing but experience
can make credible. That it is doubted by single cavillers can very
little weaken the general evidence, and some who deny it with their
tongues confess it by their fears.”
No man is privileged to impugn the knowledge of existences which others
have derived from their experience; but he who sees, without assenting
to realities, audaciously rejects positive proof to himself, where
presumptive testimony would be satisfactory to most: he daringly
falsifies what he knows to be indubitably true, and secret convictions
belie the shameless hardihood of pretended incredulity. These, it is
presumed, would be the sentiments of the great author of Rasselas, upon
the expression of disbelief in him who had witnessed spectral
appearances; and yet the writer of these pages, with a personal
knowledge upon the subject, declines to admit that knowledge as good
evidence. He would say untruly were he to affirm, that when he saw the
corpse-like form, and for some time afterwards, he had no misgivings as
to the safety of his friend. It was not until a lapse of six months that
the vessel was reported to have touched at a certain port in good
condition, and this was followed by a letter from the individual
himself, wherein he affirmed his good health; he subsequently wrote,
that he and his family were at the place of their destination. This
spectral appearance therefore at Ludgate-hill, between eight and nine
o’clock of the morning on the 30th of January, was no indication of his
death, nor would it have been had he died about that time, although the
coincidence of the apparition and his decease would have been
remarkable. The case at Carlow only differs from the case at
Ludgate-hill by the decease of the lady having been coeval with her
spectral appearance to the gentleman who was depressed by her illness.
The face which the writer saw looking at him from a closet in the dead
of night was no likeness of any one he knew, and he saw each spectre
when his faculties had been forced beyond their healthful bearing. Under
these circumstances, his eyesight was not to be trusted, and he refuses
to admit it, although the spectres were so extraordinary, and appeared
under such circumstances that probably they will never be forgotten.
* * * * *
Coupled with the incidents just related, the death of the king of Naples
in January 1825, which was first announced in the “_News_” Sunday paper
on the 16th of the month, recalls the recollection of a singular
circumstance in the bay of Naples. The fact and the facts preceding it
are related by Dr. Southey in his “Life of Nelson.” Having spoken of
Nelson’s attachment to lady Hamilton, and his weariness of the world,
Dr. Southey proceeds thus:--
“Well had it been for Nelson if he had made no other sacrifices to this
unhappy attachment than his peace of mind; but it led to the only blot
upon his public character. While he sailed from Palermo, with the
intention of collecting his whole force, and keeping off Maretimo,
either to receive reinforcements there, if the French were bound
upwards, or to hasten to Minorca, if that should be their destination,
capt. Foote, in the Seahorse, with the Neapolitan frigates and some
small vessels under his command, was left to act with a land force
consisting of a few regular troops, of four different nations, and with
the armed rabble which cardinal Ruffo called the Christian army. His
directions were to cooperate to the utmost of his power with royalists,
at whose head Ruffo had been placed, and he had no other instructions
whatever. Ruffo advancing without any plan, but relying upon the
enemy’s want of numbers, which prevented them from attempting to act
upon the offensive, and ready to take advantage of any accident which
might occur, approached Naples. Fort St. Elmo, which commands the town,
was wholly garrisoned by the French troops; the castles of Uovo and
Nuovo, which commanded the anchorage, were chiefly defended by
Neapolitan revolutionists, the powerful men among them having taken
shelter there. If these castles were taken, the reduction of Fort St.
Elmo would be greatly expedited. They were strong places, and there was
reason to apprehend that the French fleet might arrive to relieve them.
Ruffo proposed to the garrison to capitulate, on condition that their
persons and property should be guaranteed, and that they should, at
their own option, either be sent to Toulon, or remain at Naples, without
being molested either in their persons or families. This capitulation
was accepted: it was signed by the cardinal, and the Russian and Turkish
commanders; and, lastly, by capt. Foote, as commander of the British
force. About six and thirty hours afterwards Nelson arrived in the bay,
with a force which had joined him during his cruise, consisting of
seventeen sail of the line, with 1700 troops on board, and the prince
royal of Naples in the admiral’s ship. A flag of truce was flying on the
castles, and on board the Seahorse. Nelson made a signal to annul the
treaty; declaring that he would grant rebels no other terms than those
of unconditional submission. The cardinal objected to this: nor could
all the arguments of Nelson, sir W. Hamilton, and lady Hamilton, who
took an active part in the conference, convince him that a treaty of
such a nature, solemnly concluded, could honourably be set aside. He
retired at last, silenced by Nelson’s authority, but not convinced.
Capt. Foote was sent out of the bay; and the garrisons taken out of the
castles, under pretence of carrying the treaty into effect, were
delivered over as rebels to the vengeance of the Sicilian court.--A
deplorable transaction! a stain upon the memory of Nelson, and the
honour of England! To palliate it would be in vain; to justify it would
be wicked: there is no alternative, for one who will not make himself a
participator in guilt, but to record the disgraceful story with sorrow
and with shame.
“Prince Francesco Caraccioli, a younger branch of one of the noblest
Neapolitan families, escaped from one of these castles before it
capitulated. He was at the head of the marine, and was nearly seventy
years of age, bearing a high character both for professional and
personal merit. He had accompanied the court to Sicily; but when the
revolutionary government, or Parthenopæan republic, as it was called,
issued an edict, ordering all absent Neapolitans to return, on pain of
confiscation of their property, he solicited and obtained permission of
the king to return, his estates being very great. It is said that the
king, when he granted him this permission, warned him not to take any
part in politics; expressing, at the same time, his own persuasion that
he should recover his kingdom. But neither the king, nor he himself,
ought to have imagined that, in such times, a man of such reputation
would be permitted to remain inactive; and it soon appeared that
Caraccioli was again in command of the navy, and serving under the
republic against his late sovereign. The sailors reported that he was
forced to act thus: and this was believed, till it was seen that he
directed ably the offensive operations of the revolutionists, and did
not avail himself of opportunities for escaping when they offered. When
the recovery of Naples was evidently near, he applied to cardinal Ruffo,
and to the duke of Calvirrano, for protection; expressing his hope, that
the few days during which he had been forced to obey the French, would
not outweigh forty years of faithful services:--but, perhaps, not
receiving such assurances as he wished, and knowing too well the temper
of the Sicilian court, he endeavoured to secrete himself, and a price
was set upon his head. More unfortunately for others than for himself,
he was brought in alive, having been discovered in the disguise of a
peasant, and carried one morning on board lord Nelson’s ship, with his
hands tied behind him.
“Caraccioli was well known to the British officers, and had been ever
highly esteemed by all who knew him. Capt. Hardy ordered him immediately
to be unbound, and to be treated with all those attentions which he felt
due to a man who, when last on board the Foudroyant, had been received
as an admiral and a prince. Sir William and lady Hamilton were in the
ship; but Nelson, it is affirmed, saw no one, except his own officers,
during the tragedy which ensued. His own determination was made; and he
issued an order to the Neapolitan commodore, count Thurn, to assemble a
court-martial of Neapolitan officers, on board the British flag-ship,
proceed immediately to try the prisoner, and report to him, if the
charges were proved, what punishment he ought to suffer. These
proceedings were as rapid as possible; Caraccioli was brought on board
at nine in the forenoon, and the trial began at ten. It lasted two
hours; he averred, in his defence, that he acted under compulsion,
having been compelled to serve as a common soldier, till he consented to
take command of the fleet. This, the apologists of lord Nelson say, he
failed in proving. They forget that the possibility of proving it was
not allowed him; for he was brought to trial within an hour after he was
legally in arrest; and how, in that time, was he to collect his
witnesses? He was found guilty, and sentenced to death; and Nelson gave
orders that the sentence should be carried into effect that evening, at
five o’clock, on board the Sicilian frigate La Minerva, by hanging him
at the fore-yard-arm till sunset; when the body was to be cut down, and
thrown into the sea. Caraccioli requested lieutenant Parkinson, under
whose custody he was placed, to intercede with lord Nelson for a second
trial,--for this, among other reasons, that count Thurn, who presided at
the court-martial, was notoriously his personal enemy. Nelson made
answer, that the prisoner had been fairly tried by the officers of his
own country, and he could not interfere: forgetting that, if he felt
himself justified in ordering the trial and the execution, no human
being could ever have questioned the propriety of his interfering on the
side of mercy. Caraccioli then entreated that he might be shot.--‘I am
an old man, sir,’ said he: ‘I leave no family to lament me, and
therefore cannot be supposed to be very anxious about prolonging my
life; but the disgrace of being hanged is dreadful to me.’ When this was
repeated to Nelson, he only told the lieutenant, with much agitation, to
go and attend his duty. As a last hope, Caraccioli asked the lieutenant,
if he thought, an application to lady Hamilton would be beneficial?
Parkinson went to seek her. She was not to be seen on this
occasion,--but she was present at the execution. She had the most
devoted attachment to the Neapolitan court; and the hatred which she
felt against those whom she regarded as its enemies, made her, at this
time, forget what was due to the character of her sex, as well as of her
country. Here, also, a faithful historian is called upon to pronounce a
severe and unqualified condemnation of Nelson’s conduct. Had he the
authority of his Sicilian majesty for proceeding as he did? If so, why
was not that authority produced? If not, why were the proceedings
hurried on without it? Why was the trial precipitated, so that it was
impossible for the prisoner, if he had been innocent, to provide the
witnesses who might have proved him so? Why was a second trial refused,
when the known animosity of the president of the court against the
prisoner was considered? Why was the execution hastened, so as to
preclude any appeal for mercy, and render the prerogative of mercy
useless?--Doubtless, the British admiral seemed to himself to be acting
under a rigid sense of justice; but, to all other persons, it was
obvious, that he was influenced by an infatuated attachment--a baneful
passion, which destroyed his domestic happiness, and now, in a second
instance, stained ineffaceably his public character.
“The body was carried out to a considerable distance, and sunk in the
bay, with three double-headed shot, weighing 250 pounds, tied to its
legs. Between two and three weeks afterward, when the king was on board
the Foudroyant, a Neapolitan fisherman came to the ship, and solemnly
declared, that Caraccioli had risen from the bottom of the sea, and was
coming, as fast as he could, to Naples, swimming half out of the water.
Such an account was listened to like a tale of idle credulity. The day
being fair, Nelson, to please the king, stood out to sea; but the ship
had not proceeded far before a body was distinctly seen, upright in the
water, and approaching them. It was soon recognised to be, indeed, the
corpse of Caraccioli, which had risen, and floated, while the great
weights attached to the legs kept the body in a position like that of a
living man. A fact so extraordinary astonished the king, and perhaps
excited some feeling of superstitious fear, akin to regret. He gave
permission for the body to be taken on shore, and receive christian
burial.”
The late Dr. Clarke mentions in his “Travels,” that as he was “one day
leaning out of the cabin window, by the side of an officer who was
employed in fishing, the corpse of a man, newly sewed in a hammock,
started half out of the water, and continued its course, with the
current, towards the shore. Nothing could be more horrible: its head and
shoulders were visible, turning first to one side, then to the other,
with a solemn and awful movement, as if impressed with some dreadful
secret of the deep, which, from its watery grave, it came upwards to
reveal.” Dr. Ferriar observes, that “in a certain stage of putrefaction,
the bodies of persons which have been immersed in water, rise to the
surface, and in deep water are supported in an erect posture, to the
terror of uninstructed spectators. Menacing looks and gestures, and even
words, are supplied by the affrighted imagination, with infinite
facility, and referred to the horrible apparition.” This is perfectly
natural; and it is easy to imagine the excessive terror of extreme
ignorance at such appearances.
~January 19.~
_Sts. Martha, Maris, Audifax, and Abachum._ _St. Canutus._ _St.
Henry._ _St. Wulstan._ _St. Blaithmaie._ _St. Lomer._
_Sts. Martha, Maris, &c._
St. Martha was married to St. Maris, and with their sons, Sts. Audifax
and Abachum, were put to death under Aurelian (A. D. 270.) Butler says,
that their relics were found at Rome, in 1590, one thousand three
hundred and twenty years afterwards.