User:BomBom/Sandbox29

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Every good story, no matter how badly told, should have a villain. Charles Lock, at first sight, seems scarcely important enough to fill the part. He was a young man of moderate circumstances, and even more moderate talents, who had married above himself. His wife, Cecilia, was the daughter of the Duchess of Leinster by her second husband, the half-sister of the Irish rebel Lord Edward Fitzgerald who was hanged for treason, and, more important, the cousin of Charles James Fox. So Lock was allied to a family which had strong Republican sympathies. As he had failed at everything else, the Leinster connections had Lock appointed Consul General to Naples, an unimportant position which St. Vincent, who recommended Mrs. Lock to Lady Hamilton's protection, thought would make it difficult to bring her forward. However, when the Locks came to Palermo at the end of January, Emma found them a house, had them to dinner and introduced them at Court. Sir William went so far as to suggest making Lock his chargé d'affaires should he leave Palermo. Lock was neither grateful nor gracious. In great company he was hotheaded and belligerent, he felt his position as a man of a superior and liberal intellect, a connection of Mr. Fox, a better man than a decrepit Ambassador or a half-blind Admiral. This would not have mattered, he would have been no more than a minor irritant, a loud voice in a corner, if he had not written long letters home which, because of their scabrous comments, gained a wide circulation among those who were pleased to attack the government by attacking its servants.

He began his campaign of denigration on June 30 in a letter to his father. 'Sir William and Lady Hamilton embarked with great secrecy for Naples about ten days ago, in the Foudroyant which came singly for them off the Harbour with Lord Nelson on board. I underwent a severe mortification in not being invited to accompany Sir William or receiving any intimation of their designs, which I relied on as Sir William had repeatedly promised I should attend him when he went. ... But for this I may thank that superficial, grasping and vulgar minded woman whose wish to retain her husband in a situation his age and disinclination render him unfit for.

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