and shall continue to do it, if they deserve it, amongst them.  All the arrangements for your young men are filled up as you desired; and, my dear Sir, you shall ever find that, although I am jealous of having a particle of my honour abridged, yet that no commanding officer will be so ready to do every thing you wish.  We have but little, here, of stores; but I have stripped the Foudroyant of every thing.  At Mahon, there is nothing.  But, your demands, with a bare proportion for the Theseus, goes to-morrow for Gibraltar; and, although I am pretty sure you will not receive half what your ships want, I shall urge Inglefield to send you every thing he can.  You will have heard, probably, that Lord St. Vincent still retains the Mediterranean command; and that I am, by order, acting till his return:  therefore, I have not the power of giving commissions, or any thing more than acting orders.  As to getting Neapolitan gunboats to you, there are many reasons against it.  In the first place, they have none fit for such a voyage.  This is enough; but, was this not sufficient, it would be a thing impossible.  I believe, we are as bad a set to deal with, for real service, as your Turks.  Mr. Harding has sent me word, he does not chuse to return to Egypt; for which, he is a fool.  Your brother will, of course, tell you all our good news from Holland and Germany; and, I hope, the King of Prussia has joined the coalition.  May peace, with a monarchy in France, be soon given to us!  I have just got a report, which appears to have some foundation, that Bonaparte has passed Corsica in a bombard, steering for France.  No crusado ever returned with more humility.  Contrast his going out in L’Orient, &c.  Again, be assured that I place the greatest confidence in all you do; and no commanding officer shall ever have more attention to all your wants and wishes, than will your, &c.

     “Nelson.”

     “Sir William Sidney Smith, Knt.”

Lord Nelson had, also, on his return to Palermo, received a letter from his friend, Lord Minto; which, he observed in his answer, gave equal pleasure to Sir William, Lady Hamilton, and himself.  “Yesterday,” says his lordship, writing on the 24th, “your whole letter was read to the queen.  I am charged to say every thing which is grateful, and thankful, on her majesty’s behalf.  But, I know, I need not say much; as she intends, I believe, to write you herself.  We all have the most affectionate regard for your public and private character; and I should do injustice to my friends, was I to attempt to say my regard exceeded their’s.  My conduct, as your’s, is to go straight and upright.  Such is, thank God, the present plan of Great Britain; at least, as far as I know:  for, if I thought otherwise, I should not be so faithful a servant to my country, as I know I am at present.  As I shall send you my letters to Mr. Nepean and Lord Spencer, they will speak for themselves:  therefore, I will only say, believe I am the same Nelson as you knew Captain of the Agamemnon; and, more than ever, your attached and faithful friend.”