“Evan Nepean, Esq.”

In his lordship’s private letter to Earl Spencer, of the same date, which accompanied the dispatches to England, he thus expresses himself—­“I certainly, from having only a left hand, cannot enter into details which may explain the motives that actuate my conduct, and which may be necessary for a commanding officer who may wish to have every subject of duty detailed by those under his command.  My principle, my dear lord, is—­to assist in driving the French to the devil, and in restoring peace and happiness to mankind.  I feel, that I am fitter to do the action, than to describe it; therefore, briefly, all the French being forced to quit this kingdom, and some order restored, two more ships of the line are to sail this evening for Minorca, which I will take care of.”  Having thus demonstrated that he was embracing the earliest opportunity to comply with Lord Keith’s former orders, his lordship proceeds to state that he is going to send five hundred marines, with six hundred excellent Swiss, for the attack of Civita Vecchia, and to assist the insurrection in the Roman state:  the sea part of this business to be under the direction of Captain Louis of the Minotaur, and the land part under Captain Hallowell of the Swiftsure; assisted by an excellent officer, Captain Cresswell of the marines, whom it has been necessary to give the temporary rank of major, which he wishes the board to confirm.  His lordship also trusts to the earl’s goodness, for the promotion of Lieutenant Compton.  At the time of writing this letter, Lord Nelson had not heard that the French and Spanish fleets were returning to Brest; for he congratulates the earl on the happy arrival of the combined fleets at Cadiz; having, he says, been fearful that, as they had escaped the vigilance of Lord Keith, they would get to Brest.  On the state of affairs at Naples, his lordship remarks that, his Sicilian Majesty, having settled a certain degree of order, will return to Palermo on the 7th.  “I send you,” adds his lordship, “a letter of Sir John Acton to me, which gives reasons for continuing the cardinal at the head of affairs in this country.  My opinion of him has never altered.  He is now only lieutenant-general of the kingdom; with a council of eight, without whose consent no act is valid:  but, we know, the head of every board must have great weight.  This man must soon be removed; for all about him have been, and are, so corrupt, that there is nothing which may not be bought.  Acton, and Belmonte, seem to me the only uncorrupted men in the kingdom.”

Lord Nelson’s opinion of Cardinal Ruffo has been already seen, in his letter to Captain Troubridge:  his lordship used facetiously to denominate him, the Great Devil who commanded the Christian Army; and, though he did not seriously think him a traitor, he probably considered him as not altogether incorruptible.  To an ambitious cardinal, the tiara might have proved a dangerous temptation.