IT is recorded, on the sepulchral monument of a certain noble

family, that "all the brothers were valiant, and all the sisters virtuous." With the female branches of the Hood family, we have not the honour of being acquainted; but, as far as our knowledge extends, respecting the males, we can with confidence assert them to be all "valiant."

Already has it been our task to emblazon the virtues and exploits of Sir Samuel Hood's noble relatives, the Lords Hood and Bridport; and to embalm the respected memory of his deceased brother: it now becomes our pleasing duty to exhibit Rab. Chron. Wol.XVII.

B

the more prominent traits of his own professional life—a life, of which upwards of thirty years have been spent in the service of his beloved country.

This gentleman, whose nautical career we are about to disclose, was born in the month of November, 1762; and consequently is now in his forty-fifth year. Sir Samuel's grandfather was the Rev. Arthur Hood, of Dawlish, Somersetshire, elder brother of the father of the Lords Hood and Bridport: his father was the late Mr. Samuel Hood, an opulent farmer, of Kingsland, in the parish of Netherby, Dorsetshire. Sir Samuel's eldest brother, Arthur, was unfortunately drowned in His Majesty's sloop Pomona, which foundered in a hurricane, on the Leeward Island station, in the year 1775;* and his second brother, Alexander, Captain of the Mars, was killed in that ship, in an action with l'Hercule, on the 21st of April, 1798 +.

From the above genealogical particulars, it appears that Sir Samuel Hood is second cousin to the two illustrious Admirals whom we have mentioned; and not nephew, as has been most generally understood.

Thus related, however, it is by no means surprising, that the subject of this memoir should emulate the proudest deeds of his predecessors and contemporaries-that he should mentally exclaim :

-

"That which Alexander sigh'd for,
That which Caesar's soul possess'd,
That which heroes, kings have died for,
Glory!-animates my breast!"

About the age of fourteen, Mr. Hood commenced his naval career, as Midshipman, under the protection of the Right Honourable Lord Hood, who then (1776) commanded the Courageux. He remained in that ship, and in the Robust ‡,

*The Pomona, Captain Eastwood, and the Ferret, Captain Rodney, were lost we believe at the same time, and all their crews perished.

+ Vide biographical memoir of the late Captam Alexander Hood, NAVAL, CHRONICLE, Vol. VI, page 173, et seq.

Commanded by Captain Hood, now Lord Bridport.

until the year 1779. In 1778, while in the latter, he was present at the capture of two French frigates, the Pallas and the Licorne; and, on the 27th of July, in the same year, in the memorable engagement between Admiral Keppel and le Comte d'Orvilliers, he had the honour of serving as Aid-ducamp to the Captain of the Robust.

In the course of the following year, Mr. Hood was removed into the Lively sloop; and, in 1780, he was in that vessel at the capture of la Duchesse de Chartres, a French privateer, which surrendered after a short action, in the British Channel.

At the latter end of the year 1780, Lord Hood having hoisted a Rear-Admiral's flag on board of the Barfleur, he was accompanied to the West Indies, in that ship, by his young protegé; who served under him, as acting Lieutenant, and Lieutenant, from the month of October, 1780, until the 31st of January, 1782.-During his services in the Barfleur, Lieutenant Hood exerted himself, as far as his rank and orders would permit, in the battle with de Grasse, off Martinique, on the 29th of April, 1781; in the engagement off the Chesapeak, on the 5th of September following §; and in the actions between the two fleets, at St. Kitt's, on the 25th and 26th of January, 1782.

Were it not that we have already given a copious and correct detail of these respective services, in our memoir of Lord Hood, we could here dwell with much plensure upon their extent and importance; and would endeavour to offer some tribute to the gallantry and skill of those brave Commanders, who performed so much for the honour of the British flag. As it is, we must content ourselves with referring the reader to the lives of Lord Rodney, Lord Hood, and Lord Graves, whose actions form such conspicuous figures in the pages of our Chronicle. It

* June 17 and 18. Vide NAVAL CHRONICLE, Val. I, page 273; and Vol, VII, page 293.

+ Vide NAVAL CHRONICLE, Vol. I, page 274,

Vide NAVAL CHRONICLE, Vol. II, page 7.

The British fleet was then commanded by the late Lord Graves.

|| Vide NAVAL CHRONICLE, Vol. I, page 353; Vol. II, page 1; and Vol, V, page 377.