On the 17th, in answer to a letter sent by a boat from Sir William Hamilton, he writes—­“Captain Troubridge will say every thing I could put in a ream of paper.  I have only to observe, in my present state, if I meet the enemy at sea, the convoy will get off, for want of frigates.  I submit this to you, to urge General Acton upon.  The King of Naples may now have part of the glory in destroying these pests of the human race; and the opportunity, once lost, may never be regained.  God bless you!  Depend on my exertions.”

This day, too, he wrote the following very laconic, but truly characteristic letter, for the Earl of St. Vincent; to be forwarded, by Sir William Hamilton, from Naples.

     “Vanguard,
     off Naples,
     17th June 1798.

     “MY LORD,

     “I have only to assure you, I will bring the French fleet to action
     the moment I can lay my hands on them.  Till then, adieu.

     “Horatio Nelson.”

Having received information, by Captain Troubridge, that the French were at Malta, on the 8th, going to attack it; and that Naples, being at peace with the French republic, could afford us no assistance; he seemed to lament that even a day had been lost, by visiting the Bay of Naples, and resolved instantly, by the shortest cut, to make the Pharos of Messina.

Such, at least, was the apparent face of the business; but, in truth, one grand object of Captain Troubridge’s mission had been secretly successful to a very high degree.  He had reached Naples at five in the morning:  when Sir William Hamilton immediately arose, and communicated on the business with the King of the two Sicilies and General Acton; who, after much deliberation, agreed, that nothing could possibly be done, which might endanger their peace with the French republic.  Lady Hamilton, in the mean time, aware what would be the decision; and convinced, by all she heard from Captain Troubridge, of the importance to the British fleet, as well as to the real security of the Neapolitan and Sicilian territories, that the ports of these countries should by no means be closed against those who were alone able to protect them from the force or perfidy of General Bonaparte; without consulting any thing but her own correct judgment, and well-intentioned heart, she contrived to procure, from some being of a superior order, sylph, fairy, magician, or other person skilled in the occult sciences, as many in Naples, as well as elsewhere, positively profess themselves to be, a small association of talismanic characters, fraught with such magical and potential influence, in favour of the possessor, that the slightest glance of this mystic charm no sooner saluted the eye of a Sicilian or Neapolitan governor, than he was incapable of regarding any other object except what the bearer presented to his dazzled view, or of hearing any other injunction but that which the same person addressed to his astonished ear; while his tongue