'I heard her call papa and point to her arm': Lost letter by Admiral Lord Nelson to his mistress reveals how his secret lovechild only recognised her father by his missing limb
- Admiral Lord Nelson had an illegitimate child with Lady Emma Hamilton
- In a 1804 letter to his mistress he described dream about their daughter
- The previously unseen note offers a 'rare' insight into his love for the girl
A poignant letter from Admiral Lord Nelson to his mistress reveals how their daughter had only recognised her father by his missing arm.
Writing to Lady Emma Hamilton in 1804, he describes a dream he had about their daughter Horatia, saying: 'I heard her call papa and point to her arm, just as you described'.
The three-year-old, whose identity as a lovechild was kept secret, was suffering from smallpox at the time and Nelson wrote how he wished he could be ill in her place.
Experts said the previously unseen note was a 'rare' show of Nelson's love for his daughter. The letter will be auctioned later this month.
Writing to Lady Emma Hamilton in 1804, Nelson (left) describes a dream he had about their daughter Horatia (right), saying: 'I heard heard call papa and point to her arm, just as you described'
A poignant letter from Admiral Lord Nelson to his mistress, pictured, reveals how their daughter had only recognised her father by his missing arm
Nelson and Lady Emma covered up their daughter's illegitimate parentage to avoid a scandal, pretending instead that she was their adopted goddaughter.
Their eagerness to keep her true identity private is revealed in the letter.
Nelson originally wrote 'Horatia, our dear daughter' but Lady Emma scribbled out the last three words in case the letter ever became public.
The portion about the dream refers to a previous letter Lady Emma had sent her lover, explaining that Horatia knows who her father is by his missing limb.
Nelson finally returned to England 16 months after the letter was written but only stayed for a month before returning to sea to fight Napoleon's French navy at the Battle of Trafalgar, in which he lost his life.
Nelson's daughter Horatia as an adult
The letter is being put up for sale by a private collector.
Gabriel Heaton, a manuscripts specialist at auctioneers Sotheby's, said: 'This is a rare letter of paternal love by Nelson just a year or so before his death.
'It is a very poignant, passionate and precious letter. People are always surprised at how emotional Nelson was when it came to Emma Hamilton and Horatia.
'He was a great naval leader who was aggressive in combat and ready to fight the enemy at any time.
'Yet here he was homesick and is desperately missing his very young daughter.
'He knows that he could be away for a great length of time and may never even see her again. He is concerned that his daughter may not remember him.
'He has heard from Emma of how seriously ill Horatia is with smallpox and he wishes he could have it instead of her.
'He then recounts this dream about her in this rather beautifully written line.
'Emma has previously explained in a letter that Horatia knows who her father is by pointing out one of his distinguishing features.
'A lot of the letters relating to Horatia were redacted due to the potential controversy over Horatia's parentage. It was done in the event the letter was ever made public.'
The two page letter was not signed by Nelson as it was enclosed with another letter that was. It is being sold at Sotheby's in London on December 13.
Now the previously unseen letter has been put up for sale at auction years by a private collector who bought it many years ago.
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