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"have formed my opinion. I heartily 66 pray I may be mistaken."

While Mack, at the head of 32,000 men, marched into the Roman state, 5000 Neapolitans were embarked on board the Bri tish and Portuguese squadron, to take possession of Leghorn. This was effected without opposition; and the Grand Duke of Tuscany, whose neutrality had been so outrageously violated by the French, was better satisfied with the measure than some of the Neapolitans themselves. Naselli, their general, refused to seize the French vessels at Leghorn, because he, and the Duke di Sangro, who was ambassador at the Tuscan court, maintained that the King of Naples was not at war with France. "What!" said Nelson," has not the king received, as a conquest made by him, the republi

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can flag taken at Gozo? Is not his own "flag flying there, and at Malta, not only "by his permission, but by his order? Is "not his flag shot at every day by the 66 French, and their shot returned from

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"batteries which bear that flag? Are not "two frigates and a corvette placed under 66 my orders ready to fight the French, “meet them where they may? Has not the "king sent publicly from Naples guns, 66 mortars, &c. with officers and artillery, "against the French in Malta? If these "acts are not tantamount to any written paper, I give up all knowledge of what " is war. This reasoning was of less avail than argument addressed to the general's fears. Nelson told him, that if he permitted the many hundred French who were then in the mole to remain neutral, till they had a fair opportunity of being active, they had one sure resource, if all other schemes failed, which was, to set one vessel on fire; the mole would be destroyed, probably the town also; and the port ruined for twenty years. This representation made Naselli agree to the half measure of laying an embargo on the vessels: -among them were a great number of French privateers, some of which where of such force as to threaten the greatest mis

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chief to our commerce, and about seventy sail of vessels belonging to the Ligurian republic, as Genoa was now called, laden with corn, and ready to sail for Genoa and France; where there arrival would have expedited the entrance of more French troops into Italy. "The general," said Nelson, " saw, I believe, the consequence "of permitting these vessels to depart in "the same light as myself: but there is "this difference between us: he prudently, "and certainly safely, waits the orders of “his court, taking no responsibility upon "himself; I act from the circumstances "of the moment, as I feel may be most ad"vantageous for the cause which I serve, “taking all responsibility on myself.” It was in vain to hope for any thing vigorous or manly from such men as Nelson was compelled to act with. The crews of the French ships and their allies were ordered to depart in two days. Four days elapsed, and nobody obeyed the order; nor, in spite of the representations of the British minister, Mr. Wyndham, were any means taken

to enforce it:-the true Neapolitan shuffle, as Nelson called it, took place on all occasions. After an absence of ten days, he returned to Naples: and receiving intelligence there, from Mr. Wyndham, that the privateers were at last to be disarmed, the corn landed, and the crews sent away, he expressed his satisfaction at the news in characteristic language, saying, "So far I 66 am content. The enemy will be distress"ed; and, thank God, I shall get no mo"ney. The world, I know, think that 66 money is our God; and now they will be "undeceived as far as relates to us. Down, "down with the French! is my constant "prayer."

Odes, sonnets, and congratulatory poems, of every description, were poured in upon Nelson, on his arrival at Naples. An Irish Franciscan, who was one of the poets, not being content with panegyric upon this occasion, ventured upon a flight of prophecy, and predicted, that Lord Nelson would take Rome with his ships. His lordship reminded Father M'Cormick, that

ships could not ascend the Tiber: but the father, who had probably forgotten this circumstance, met the objection with a bold front, and declared he saw that it would come to pass notwithstanding. Rejoicings of this kind were of short duration. The King of Naples was with the army which had entered Rome; but the castle of St. Angelo was held by the French, and 13,000 French were strongly posted in the Roman states at Castallana. Mack had marched against them with 20,000 men. Nelson saw that the event was doubtful;-or rather, that there could be very little hope of the result. But the immediate fate of Naples, as he well knew, hung upon the issue. "If "Mack is defeated," said he, " in fourteen 66 days this country is lost; for the em

peror has not yet moved his army, and "Naples has not the power of resisting the 66 enemy. It was not a case for choice, but "of necessity, which induced the king to "march out of his kingdom, and not wait "till the French had collected a force suf"ficient to drive him out of it in a week."

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