but Liberty and Equality. They would, we hear, gladly put themselves under our protection, but our Fleet is inactive. We have attempted nothing. Marseilles must fall if we attack it. Monsieur Égalité is still in prison at Marseilles with his daughter. We have taken nothing: my prize-money will not be twenty pounds. I recollect this is high harvest. I hope you have fine weather and good crops. Remember me kindly to Mrs. Nelson, and our Aunt, and to the children. Compliments at Swaffham. Believe me, Your most affectionate Brother, TO MRS. NELSON. [From Clarke and M'Arthur, vol. i. p. 132. On the 23rd of August 1793, Commissioners from Marseilles came on board the Victory, to treat for Peace, expecting to meet Commissioners from Toulon, on the basis of declaring a Monarchical form of Government in France-Lord Hood accordingly issued a Proclamation to the Inhabitants of the South of France; and General Carteaux's success at Marseilles so alarmed the Toulonese, that they placed the Citadel and Forts on the coasts provisionally at his disposal. On the 25th of August, Lord Hood directed Captain Nelson in the Agamemnon to proceed without a moment's loss of time to Oneglia, and to leave with the Vice-Consul there, his Lordship's despatches to Mr. Trevor, the Minister at Turin. From Oneglia he was to proceed to Naples, with despatches to Sir William Hamilton; after delivering which, and completing her water, the Agamemnon was to rejoin the Admiral in Hiéres Bay. He was further directed, on the 26th of August, to take the Sardinian Frigate under his protection to Oneglia, and thence to see her as far as Corsica, on her way to Sardinia.-Copy, iu the Nelson Papers.] Begun off the Island of Sardinia, 7th September; finished at anchor off My dear Fanny, I sent you a line by Lord Conway, who is gone Home with Lord Hood's dispatches. As soon as the Treaty was con Lord Hugh Seymour Conway, Captain of the Leviathan 74: he died a ViceAdmiral, in September 1801. Lord Hugh Seymour proceeded in the Tartar to Genoa, and meeting the Agamemnon at Sea on the 30th of August, he wrote to Nelson congratulating him on the surrender of Toulon; and added-"I have written to Sir William Hamilton, to press him to send as many Neapolitan troops to Toulon as possible, as Lord Hood means to make that request of the Court of Naples, being in the greatest want of them, to guard the very numerous and extensive Works which surround Toulon; and which the inhabitants think General Carteaux will endeavour to make some impression upon, after his success at Marseilles, where he has got the better of the party cluded, Agamemnon, a fast sailer, was sent off with letters to the Courts of Turin and Naples, for ten thousand troops, to secure our possession. I should have liked to have stayed one day longer with the Fleet, when they entered the harbour; but service could not be neglected for any private gratification. I have only to hope I shall succeed with the King of Naples. The last visit he had was from a French grenadier 9 belonging to Monsieur Truguet's Fleet: how differently he must feel at present! What an event this has been for Lord Hood: such an one as History cannot produce its equal; that the strongest place in Europe, and twenty-two Sail of the Line, &c. should be given up without firing a shot. It is not to be credited. On Sunday, August 25th, a party deposed Admiral Trogoff, and placed St. Julien at the head of the Fleet, manned sixteen Sail of the Line, and were determined to come out and fight us, who were only twelve Sail, Lord Hood having sent away the other part of his Fleet, to give them the option: the Fleet regret they did not the issue we should doubtless have liked better than laying them up dismantled. The perseverance of our Fleet has been great, and to that only can be attributed our unexampled success. Not even a boat could get into Marseilles or Toulon, or on the Coast, with provisions; and the old saying, 'That hunger will tame a Lion,' was never more strongly exemplified. The Spanish Fleet arrived as ours. was sailing into the harbour, and joined in the general joy which this event must give to all Europe. St. Julien, with about four thousand men, left the Fleet as ours entered, and joined General Carteaux, who, I think it probable, by this time, has attacked Toulon with the Parisian Army. They with which we were in treaty. Pray press Sir W. Hamilton to hasten the Neapolitans, as I know it is Lord Hood's most anxious wish to receive them. I am on my way to England with his dispatches, and will take your commands, if you have any; but, in God's name, keep the boat as short a time as possible." -Original, in the Nelson Papers. It appears from the "London Gazette" of the 13th September 1793, that on the 31st of August, Captain Nelson had sent an account of the surrender of Toulon to Mr. Trevor, from Oneglia. 9 Threatening him with War if he did not, within an hour, disavow his remonstrances against the reception of Monsieur Sémonville, at Constantinople. The surrender of Toulon. have made sad work with the Marseillois in treaty with us: hope to God our success may be so used, as to give peace to that unhappy, distracted Country. Nice, Villafranca, Monaco, &c. which were taken from the King of Sardinia, must revert again to him, whenever our Fleet can be liberated from Toulon. I believe the world is convinced that no conquests of importance can be made without us; and yet, as soon as we have accomplished the service we are ordered on, we are neglected. If Parliament does not grant something to this Fleet, our Jacks will grumble; for here there is no prizemoney to soften their hardships: all we get is honour and salt beef. My poor fellows have not had a morsel of fresh meat or vegetables for near nineteen weeks; and in that time I have only had my foot twice on shore at Cadiz. We are absolutely getting sick from fatigue. No Fleet, I am certain, ever served their Country with greater zeal than this has done, from the Admiral to the lowest sailor. Admiral Goodall is Governor of Toulon: Elphinstone,3 Commander of the grand battery, at the harbour's mouth. I may have lost an appointment by being sent off; not that I wish to be employed out of my Ship. I have sent in a vessel from Smyrna bound to Marseilles, and I think it probable she will be condemned, worth about 10,000. I hope she may, it will add something to our comforts. We are now in sight of Mount Vesuvius, which shows a fine light to us in Naples Bay, where we are lying-to for the night, and hope to anchor early to-morrow. I am, &c, HORATIO NELSON. P. S.-We are in the Bay all night, becalmed, and nothing could be finer than the view of Mount Vesuvius. 2 Samuel Cranstoun Goodall, whose Flag, as Rear-Admiral of the Red, was flying in the Princess Royal. He died a Full Admiral; and some Letters to him from Nelson will be inserted in their proper place. The Honourable George Keith Elphinstone, Captain of the Robust 74, afterwards Admiral Viscount Keith, K.B. Fort la Malgue. TO MRS. NELSON. [From Clarke and M‹ Arthur, vol. i. p. 133.] Naples, September 14th, 1793. My other letter will arrive with this. Our news was received here with the greatest satisfaction. The King has twice sent for me, and I dine with him to-morrow, after he has made me a visit, which he is to do on board Agamemnon. We are called by him the Saviours of Italy, and of his Dominions in particular. I have acted for Lord Hood with a zeal which no one could exceed, and am to carry from the King the handsomest letter, in his own hand-writing, which could possibly be. This I got through Sir William Hamilton, and the Prime Minister, who is an Englishman. Lady Hamilton has been wonderfully kind and good to Josiah. She is a young woman of amiable manners, and who does honour to the station to which she is raised. I am to carry Lord Hood six thousand troops from hence. Remember me to my dear Father, also to Lord and Lady Walpole. Believe me, your most affectionate Husband, HORATIO NELSON. 5 Sir John Acton, Bart. 6 It was on this occasion that Nelson first became known to Sir William and Lady Hamilton. Of this memorable circumstance, Mr. Harrison, who wrote his " Life of Nelson," under the immediate dictation of Lady Hamilton, has given the following account, which bears evident marks of that fascinating woman's usual exaggeration :- "Sir William, on returning home, after his first interview with Nelson, told Lady Hamilton that he was about to introduce to her a little man who could not boast of being very handsome, but who would become the greatest man that ever England produced. I know it from the very few words of conversation I have already had with him. I pronounce that he will one day astonish the world. I have never entertained any Officer at my house, but I am determined to bring him here; let him be put in the room prepared for Prince Augustus." Nelson is stated to have been equally impressed with Sir William Hamilton's merits; "You are," he said, "a man after my own heart; you do business in my own way; I am now only a Captain, but if I live, I will be at the top of the tree." Harrison's Life of Nelson, vol. i. p. 108. TO WILLIAM SUCKLING, ESQ. My dear Sir, [From "The Athenæum."] Naples, September 14th, 1793. I am here with news of our most glorious and great success, but, alas! the fatigue of getting it has been so great that the Fleet generally, and I am sorry to say, my Ship most so, are knocked up. Day after day, week after week, month after month, we have not been two gun shots from Toulon. Famine has accomplished what force could not have done; not a boat has got into Toulon since our arrival, and we literally starved them into a surrender. The news here was received with the greatest satisfaction. The King was so anxious to hear of our success that he came afloat, and sent to me. He is to make me a visit on board to-morrow, and then I dine with him. I have already been to Portici with him. The Prime Minister, (who is an Englishman,) Sir John Acton, Bart., makes much of us. We are called the Preservers of Italy. I am to carry the handsomest letter that can be penned in the King's own hand to Lord Hood, and six thousand Neapolitan troops to assist in preserving our possession. Please to send the enclosed to Mrs. Nelson. Remember me kindly to Mrs. Suckling, Miss Suckling, and the Gentlemen ; and believe me, My dear Sir, your most affectionate, TO THE REVEREND MR. NELSON, HILBOROUGH. [Autograph, in the Nelson Papers.] My dear Brother, Agamemnon, September 24th, 1793. I have really been so actively employed, that I have not had time to think of writing letters except to my wife. At Naples, I hoped to have had a little time to rest my Ship's company, who are worn out with fatigue. Since the 23rd of |