Mr.
Greville would have married her had not his uncle, Sir William
Hamilton, interfered. It is variously stated that Sir William agreed
to pay his nephew's debts if he would yield up his mistress; and also
that, in endeavoring to free the young man, the old gentleman himself
fell into the snare of her charms. "She is better than anything in
Nature. In her own particular way she is finer than anything that is
to be found in Greek art," exclaimed this _savant_ on first seeing
her. She was a most enchanting deceiver, and a finished actress in the
parts of candor and simplicity, so succeeded in marrying Sir William,
in 1791. He was over sixty years of age, a man of much classical and
scientific erudition, and had been for many years ambassador at the
court of Naples, to which place he was soon accompanied by his bride.
She became a favorite with the queen, and a frequent visitor at the
palace, also somewhat of a social success among the British residents.
She sang well, and made a specialty of showing herself in "attitudes,"
or what we term now "living pictures," for the delectation of her
guests. "You never saw anything so charming as Lady Hamilton's
attitudes," wrote the Countess of Malmesbury to her sister, Lady
Elliot; "the most graceful statues or pictures do not give you an idea
of them. Her dancing the Tarantella is beautiful to a degree.
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