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munication with Salerno, where the Cardinal is nearly arrived. Two of the Lazarà of Naples have also been on board the Culloden, and are ready to rise against the French whenever the King shall direct them. Pray God the Russians were arrived. In the present moment I see no reason why His Sicilian Majesty should not be on his throne in twenty-four hours. Their Majesties, I believe, are determined the moment of the Russians arriving on this Coast, to embark in the Vanguard for the Bay of Naples. The Envoy of their Sicilian Majesties, a few days past, wrote to the Court that his situation at the Court of Spain was miserable, and requested to be recalled; for that Sicily, by a new arrangement, was to be given to the Duke of Parma, and Naples united to the new division of Republics in Italy. As to this Island, you may be assured that if the present Monarch cannot hold it (which God forbid) that every creature of all ranks and ages wish it to belong to England, and we have nothing to do but express our wish, and the English flag would fly all over the Island.

Ever yours faithfully,

NELSON.

TO EARL SPENCER.
[Autograph in the Spencer Papers.]

Palermo, 17th April, 1799.

My dear Lord, But little has occurred since I wrote you last by way of Vienna, except the certainty of Porto Ferrajo being in possession of the French; and that Longona will soon be the same I have great fears. The people have very properly executed the Officer of Artillery for loading the guns with charcoal; and have told the Governor they will serve him the same if he mentions again a desire to give it up to the French. A new Governor, provisions, &c., goes off this day under English protection, for no one but ourselves have any exertion or do the least thing. In short, my dear Lord, I am almost blind, and so fagged by all things not going on as I wish, that I often think that no consideration ought to keep me here. God bless you. I am out of spirits and with great reason.—Adieu, and believe me your obliged and affectionate NELSON.

TO ALEXANDER DAVISON, ESQ.

[Autograph in the possession of Colonel Davison.]

My dear Davison,

Palermo, April 21st, 1799.

All my friends may scold, and say I never answer their

letters: I plead guilty, but I write from morn till night, and sometimes all night. I have received your several letters this day, via Venice, and those sent by sea from Gibraltar. I know you will make all fair allowance for my situation. I am here the mainspring which keeps all things in proper train, and cannot at this moment quit my post. Sir William and Lady Hamilton are in a similar situation-all desirous of going, but determined for no private considerations to quit our post, which would in my opinion be betraying the trust reposed in us. Your observation respecting the Prizes destroyed in Egypt is most just; for so far from being the worst, two of them were amongst the best. I had a great mind to have destroyed both Conquérant and Sovereign, being the very worst, but not so much beat to pieces as the others, whose sides a carriage might have been driven in. Lord Spencer's plan is not fair to the captors. Suppose I had kept the Squadron to have fitted out those Ships: it would, on my honour, have cost the Nation 40,000l., besides the services of the Ships. I shall know better another time, and will, from this very hard conduct, fit out at any expense all my Prizes. I well know, my dear Davison, the value to be put on your friendship, and I rejoice in having such a friend. I am fancied rich: you may now know the contrary. A mind like mine is not formed to take the road of wealth. I wish you had sent me your Medal: I long to wear it. You do everything for me: therefore, I have nothing to desire, except that you will remember me kindly to Mrs. Davison, and also to my old friend Pringle, who I love, respect, and honour.-And ever believe me, your obliged and affectionate NELSON.

Poor Maurice seems forgot by both Mr. Pitt and Lord Spencer, or worse than forgot. I feel it all.

TO THE RESPECTIVE CAPTAINS, &c.

[Copy in the possession of Vice-Admiral Sir William Parker, Bart., G.C.B.] General Memorandum.

Vanguard, Palermo, 29th April, 1799.

The French Directory having formally declared War against the Grand Duke of Tuscany, and having overrun his

Dominions, it is my directions that all Ships and Vessels belonging to the State of Tuscany be seized, and sent to this place, or Minorca.

NELSON.

TO ADMIRAL THE EARL OF ST. VINCENT, K.B. [Autograph in the possession of Vice-Admiral Sir William Parker, Bart., G.C.B.] Palermo, May 8th to 9th, 1799. Sir S. Smith's dispatches go in his own Vessel.

My dear Lord, L'Entreprenante Cutter is so full of complaints, that I send her to Mahon to get refitted, and by her I send Sir S. Smith's letters to your Lordship. They were neither inclosed to me, nor had I a scrap of a pen, although he must have received my orders by the 20th of April, at farthest. As I understand from the report of the Midshipman at Messina, who is going with French prisoners to Toulon, that he met the Turkish Flotilla and Troops between Rhodes and St. Jean d'Acre, I have hopes therefore that Buonaparte may not succeed in his present enterprise; and if he does not, I believe we shall hear no more of him. I changed into the Foudroyant yesterday, and although she is a magnificent Ship, yet my cabin is a truly uncomfortable one. I have this day received a list of the French Fleet, and have again sent for Captain Ball to join me.-Ever yours faithfully,

NELSON.

TO LADY NELSON, ROUNDWOOD, IPSWICH.

[Autograph in the possession of the Editor.]

Palermo, May 10th, 1799.

My dear Fanny, If I do not write to you so often, nor such long letters as I have formerly done, pray attribute it to the true cause-viz., that in truth my poor hand cannot execute what my head tells me I ought to do. As to writing a line to any one else, they may take it ill or well, as they please. We now live in some hopes that the French will be drove entirely out of Italy. If so, I shall seriously think of going home. Both Lord Spencer, Earl St. Vincent, and their Sicilian Majesties at present prevent me, by their opinion that I am of some use here. How does our Father? It is very odd, but very true, that I have not received a scrap of a pen for him since he knew of the Battle of the Nile. You must remember me kindly to all our family, and my Father, who I love dearly; and believe me ever your most affectionate

NELSON.

TO LADY HAMILTON.

[Autograph in the possession of the Editor.]

May 21st [1799], near Ustica; foul wind.

My dear Lady Hamilton,

The Sparanaro's leaving me last night prevents my sending you Hood's information from Naples. He is sure, if this event had not happened (of the French Fleet's arrival) that we should at this moment have been in Naples. How unlucky this foul wind, and half calm. I am very anxious about the Ships off Malta; for should my friend Ball have stopped to settle any arrangement for the Island, he may be too late to effect his escape. I am not well pleased at the Minorca Squadron not joining me. With them I could and would have fought the French Fleet. They should not have relieved Malta, but I must submit-not patiently; for that is not in my disposition. I have sent Cockburn off Maritimo: others to Pantelaria, to get me information. Oh, God! how I regret Duckworth's decision. The Earl cannot, I am sure, leave Gibraltar before the 12th, and then, if the Spanish Fleet comes out of Cadiz, he cannot come to me: therefore why D. should have not made haste to join I cannot conceive. If he shelters himself under nice punctilios of orders, I do not approve of an Officer's care of himself. No: conscious of my upright intentions, I would risk my life, much less my commission, to serve my Country.

I have just been to visit Niza. He is very much better, and of course, made many kind inquiries after you. What shall I say, for what you tell me of the missing me out of your charming house? Indeed, I will endeavour to deserve all your good opinions. With kindest regards to Sir William, Mrs. Cadogan, the Greffers, little Mary, Noble, Gibbs, Nudi, &c., and believe me ever, with the sincerest esteem, your faithful and affectionate friend, NELSON.

Hardy and the whole Squadron desire to be remembered. I have been fighting, with the Marquis, Troubridge, Louis, and Hood, my new plan of attack. They all agree it must succeed. Say everything proper for me to the King or Queen for the butter.

Two Sparanaroes returned'.

9 Upon this Letter, Lady Hamilton wrote-" This letter I got at Palermo, as dear glorious Nelson was gone out with his Fleet to save Sicily, when they expected the Combined Fleet the second time in the Mediterranean. EMMA HAMILTON." Endorsed, by Lady Hamilton, May 1799, Palermo.

TO LADY HAMILTON.

[Autograph in the possession of the Editor.]

My dear Lady Hamilton, May 22nd, 1799. The wind is as bad as bad can be. I am not nearer Maritimo than if I had been all this time at Palermo. How unlucky, in every sense of the word! Ball has not joined: I am under the greatest apprehension that he has not quitted Malta on the first report of the French, and has either been surprised, or taken the route by way of Messina. Although the first would be unpleasant for England, yet the last is equally distressing to me. Altogether I am not pleasantly situated. If Malta, Toulon, or Minorca is the object of the French, I can do nothing. I almost hope it is the first, when no Battle will yet have taken place. It is difficult to know what to wish. I am sea-sick, and uncomfortable. I send you some of the Queen's letters. How anxious I am to hear of these French! Should Sicily be their object, if I have not force enough to fight them, you may depend I shall return to Palermo, and take care of all my friends, amongst the first of which, I need scarcely say, stand you and good Sir William. I shall dispatch this Sparanaro the moment one of the others join, or that I get off Maritimo, which I still hope will be tomorrow morning.

May 24th, 8 o'clock.--Neither of the two Sparanaroes sent to Palermo having joined, I cannot send this for Palermo, till her return from Maritimo, which I am now five miles from. No sight of Ball's Squadron. There is but two guesses to be made about him-viz., that he is either gone round by Messina, or he is taken. Whichever is the case, Nelson is abandoned to his fate; for Mr. Duckworth will not come near me. But on this you may depend, that if my little Squadron obeys my signal, not a Ship shall fall into the hands of the Enemy; and I will so cut them up, that they will not be fit for even a summer's cruise; and one of them at least shall have the Fire-ship laid on board. In short, I am, my dear Lady, so cursedly out of humour with our friends below us (not even a Brig with information), that a Frenchman had better be at the devil than come near. have five English Ships which are not to be matched in this world. God bless you. I shall write a line to Sir William, when the Boat returns from Maritimo. With kind regards to all in the house, believe me ever your faithful and affectionate friend, I send you some letters from Niza. Pray forward them.

NELSON.

I

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