when you are tired of this life you may be buried in one of your trophies; but that that period may be far distant is the sincere wish of your obedient, and much obliged servant, Ben. Hallowell." A certificate within the coffin testified that the entire coffin, nails and all, was made out of the wood and iron of the L'Orient, picked up by the crew of the Swiftsure in the bay of Aboukir. Few of the Vanguard's officers would forget the astonishment with which the crew received this strange present. "We shall have hot work of it," said one of them, "You see the admiral intends to fight until he is killed, and there he is to be buried." For some time this wholesome warning stood behind Nelson's chair in the cabin, until at last, by the entreaties of an old servant, it was carried below. From ship to ship it followed its owner, and when his officers were one day examining it, as it lay on the quarterdeck gratings of the Foudroyant, "You may look at it gentlemen," said Nelson, " as long as you please, but depend upon it none of you shall have it." Eventually it fulfilled purpose, and the corpse of its owner rested in this strange present.

its

Proud as Nelson justly was of his own share of the great day of the Nile, he heartily agreed with Lord Howe's opinion, that it was singular in this, that every captain had distinguished himself, and he soon had occasion to vindicate that opinion. The gold medals which were voted for the captains, were attempted to be restricted to those of the ships that had actually been engaged, as also the promotion of their first lieutenants. On this Nelson spoke out for Trowbridge and the Culloden. He reminded the admiralty that Trowbridge was as entitled to praise, and deserving of reward, as any one officer in the fleet. That it was Trowbridge who equipped the squadron so soon at Syracuse, exerted himself after the action, and saved the Culloden when none whom Nelson knew in the service would have attempted it. For these services Trowbridge received the well-earned medal. With respect to his lieutenant, Nelson was not so successful. A private letter from the admiralty informed him that the first lieutenants of all ships engaged were to be promoted. "I sincerely hope," wrote Nelson to Lord St. Vincent, "that this is not intended to exclude the

first lieutenant of the Culloden. For my sake, if it be so, get it altered. Our dear friend, Trowbridge, has endured enough; his sufferings were, in every respect, more than those of any of us." To the admiralty Nelson was quite as eager. "I hope and believe the word engaged is not intended to exclude the Culloden. The merit of that ship, and her gallant captain, are too well known to benefit by anything I could say. Her misfortune was great in getting aground, while her more fortunate companions were in the full tide of happiness. No, I am confident that my good Lord Spencer will never add misery to misfortune. Captain Trowbridge on shore is superior to captains afloat; in the midst of his misfortunes he made the signals which preserved the Alexander and Swiftsure from running on the shoals." "I beg your pardon," continued Nelson, "for writing on a subject which I verily believe has never entered your lordship's head; but my heart, as it ought to be, is warm to my gallant friends." In despite of Nelson's remonstrances the admiralty adhered to the distinction, and all that he could obtain was a request from them to the commander-in-chief to promote the first lieutenant of the Culloden on the first opportunity.*

One more reward for the day of the Nile remains to be noticed, the medals struck by Mr. Davison, the agent to whom Nelson, out of old and uninterrupted friendship, entrusted the whole of the ships captured in Aboukir Bay. At the expense of 2,000l. the prize agent struck medals for every man in the fleet, of gold for the captains, silver

Letter to Lord Spencer. Palermo, 24th Jan. 1799. "I have just received, and with the greatest pain, a postscript of a letter from my gallant friend Trowbridge, dated Syracuse, January 14, viz. 'I am truly miserable, do pray, my Lord, explain to Lord Spencer, that my accident at Aboukir was not intentional or through fear of my head; for I assure you it preys so much on me that it would be a charitable act to shoot me." Such a postscript, and from such a man, it makes my heart (bleed) indeed, my Lord. Captain Trowbridge's merit is equal to any officer in the fleet. I would say it as an admiral to the board of the admiralty that Captain Trowbridge performed the most important service, and was highly instrumental in making the victory what it was. Could Ball or Hallowell have been in the action but for Trowbridge? They will tell you no. We know of no distinction of merit, and yet unfortunately, it has been found out so many hundred leagues distant, not found out from public despatches but from some private information."

for the lieutenants and warrant officers, gilt metal for the petty officers, and copper for the rest of the crews. In after years many a gallant fellow who had received no other honorary badge of that memorable day, made it his last request when dying on some foreign station, that this humble medal might be transmitted to his friends, "So sensible," says Southey, "are brave men of honour, in whatever rank they may be placed."

The weak state of Nelson's health has already been repeatedly mentioned; for nearly five years he had had but one intermission of repose, if that could be called repose in which his every day was replete with the severe pains consequent on the loss of his arm at Santa Cruz. The anxieties of his long pursuit of the enemy, the labours during the conflict, his wound, and the ceaseless work which the repairs of his fleet entailed on him, added to his previous weakness so much, that his life all but fell a sacrifice to his exertions. On his course to Italy a severe attack of fever for eighteen hours made his life to be despaired of; and when at last the disorder turned, and he by degrees was enabled to come on deck, so weak was he from fever and cough, that he wrote to Lord St. Vincent that he never expected to see his face again, "and looked forward to death as the finish of that fever of anxiety to which he had been subjected for so long a season. But be that," he added, "as it pleases God's goodness. I am resigned to his will."

CHAPTER V.

NELSON AT NAPLES.

1798.-1800.

The Reception at Naples.-Malta.-Flight of the King.-Fall of Naples. -Nelson at Palermo.-The Queen and the Hamiltons.-Uovo and Nuovo.- Caracioli.-St. Elmo.- Capua.-Gaieta.-Rome.-Blockade of Malta.-Le Généreux and La Guillaume Tell.

ALTHOUGH Italy had been overrun by the armies of the French Directory, the Neapolitan states had escaped, and still remained a kingdom. Closely bordering on the territories of the new Roman Republic, which had been created from the old estates of the church, the Neapolitans had long feared their dangerous neighbour, and when Bonaparte seized on Malta, on his road to Egypt, and thus placed a large force close to the Neapolitan coast, their fears induced the court to attend to the increase of their army, in the hopes of, in some degree, opposing the threatened attack. Numerous levies were ordered, new taxes imposed, and every exertion made to raise a powerful army; but, in the end, little more than 60,000 men were got together, and these lacked the spirit and discipline of soldiers. Daily quarrels with the neighbouring Republic, and with the French ambassador at Naples, rendered defensive measures more advisable; and early in 1798, a treaty with Austria obtained the promise of a powerful army of allies, in the event of an invasion of the Neapolitan territory.

In this state of affairs the Neapolitans were waiting for the French to begin, and the French equally desirous that the attack should come first from Naples. At this crisis, in August, 1799, came the intelligence of the victory of the Nile, the certain news of the destruction of the French

fleet. Malta and Bonaparte seemed equally left to their fate; and the Neapolitan enthusiasm rose with the prospect of success. The war party were in the ascendant, and, led by the queen and Lady Hamilton, the wife of our minister at Naples, soon overruled the more sober counsels of their opponents. As a sister of Marie Antoinette, the last royal victim of the Revolution, the Neapolitan queen became excited almost to madness with joy. She wept, she kissed her husband and her children, walked franticly about the room, burst into tears again, and again kissed and embraced every person near her, exclaiming "O brave Nelson! O God, bless and protect our deliverer! O Nelson! Nelson! what do we not owe you! O conqueror and saviour of Italy!" "I wish I could give wings to my news," wrote the queen to the Neapolitan ambassador in London, "and, at the same time, to our most sincere gratitude. The whole of the sea coast of Italy is saved: and this owing alone to the generous English. This battle, or, to speak more correctly, this total defeat of the regicide squadron, was obtained by the valour of this brave admiral, seconded by a navy which is the terror of its enemies. The victory is so complete, that I can still scarcely believe it; and if it were not the brave English nation, which is accustomed to perform prodigies at sea, I could not persuade myself that it had happened. It would have moved you to have seen all my children, boys and girls, hanging on my neck, and crying for joy at the happy news. Recommend the hero to his master; he has filled the whole of Italy with admiration of the English. Great hopes were entertained of some advantages being gained by his bravery; but no one could look for so total a destruction. All here are drunk for joy."

Truly all there were drunk for joy; and when, at last, the hero of the Nile himself appeared in the bay, all Naples streamed forth to welcome him. Hundreds of barges, gay with streamers, shot out from every part of the bay, and gathered round the poor shattered Vanguard as she dropped her anchor off the city. First to welcome him came Sir William and Lady Hamilton, in their state barge; four years had passed since they first met, and the second meeting was tearful and affecting. In