formed to love and to assist each other. The best friends may quarrel; but I trust we never can be real enemies. You forgot to answer my serious question about Norway; for I trust both our Nations have been upon honour, respecting the Armistice; and reports so injurious to Denmark have been brought me but which I never could give credit to, or I should, of course, have asked some questions-such as, that instead of your Fleet remaining precisely in the same state they were at the signing of the Armistice, they have been caulked and fitted for service; that even Ships have been preparing as Floating-batteries; that masts have been put in some of your Ships, and many such stories,-not one of which I believe, for his Royal Highness has too just a sense of honour to break his word, and a sacred Armistice, and I am sure neither yourself or General Waltersdorff' would have suffered it. The report arose from some Republican rascal, I am sure, that wished to see all Monarchies overturned. May our Monarchs send all Republicans to the Devil, is my sincere prayer. I beg, with all humility, my humble duty to his

5 It appears, from the following letter from Count Waltersdorff, that Lord Nelson had written to him on the 12th of June:

"I received yesterday, in the country, your Lordship's favour of the 12th instant, and I cannot sufficiently express how much I am sensible of the honour your Lord·· ship has done me. It will give me the most heartfelt pleasure to see your Lordship soon again in perfect peace, and I hope that moment cannot be far distant, as we have now received the agreeable intelligence of his Britannic Majesty having, on the 4th instant, ordered the embargo on all Russian and Danish Ships to be taken off. This step must, of course, be considered as the forerunner of peace, It creates here the most agreeable sensation, and will soon re-establish a perfect cordiality between our two Nations and Governments. Whoever may be the respective Ministers who shall sign the Peace, I shall always consider your Lordship as the Pacificator of the North, and I am sure that your heart will be as much flattered by that title, as by any other which your grateful Country has bestowed on you. I shall esteem myself extremely happy, if aught in my conduct, during the conferences which I had the honour of having with your Lordship on board the London, can entitle me to a place in your Lordship's esteem and remembrance. My son, who is highly flattered by the honour of being remembered by your Lordship, begs you to accept the assurance of his respectful attachment. If your Lordship will favour me with a copy of the history of your life, I will put it immediately into his hands, and I am sure it will leave many useful and lasting lessons in his memory and his heart. Permit me, my Lord, to assure you of the high regard and sincere respect with which I have the honour to be, my Lord, your Lordship's most obedient and most humble servant, ERNEST FREDERICK WALTERSDORFF."-Autograph, in the possession of the Right Hon. John Wilson Croker.

Royal Highness; assure him how strongly I have ever expressed myself of his attachment to England, and of his declaration, that no power on earth should ever make him the enemy of England.' I rejoice with you on the near approach of peace between our Countries; and it must be all our duties to turn all French Republicans out of our Monarchical Governments. Ever, my dear Sir, your most obliged,

my

NELSON AND Bronte.

I hope yet to see yon, according to your kind promise, as successor is not arrived.

TO REAR-ADMIRAL TOTTY.

[Letter-Book.]

St. George, Kioge Bay, 15th [query 18th] June, 1801.

My dear Admiral,

I requested Captain Domett to write you a few lines on the arrival of the Phoenix Cutter, directing what occurred to me as proper to be done at the moment, which was briefly to have the Fleet as much collected, as the nature of the service would admit, for the disposal of Admiral Pole; and that, as a Fleet of Victuallers are on the point of arriving, all supplies of provisions, except bullocks, which were to go on as before; but that it was not necessary to leave a supply of 1000 head of cattle, as supposed by Mr. Booth. From this moment it would not be necessary to have any bought up from Government-account, as the expense of keeping them, and occasional accidents, would very soon make the beef very dear, instead of very cheap. We have got our meat here at sevenpence a lb., at no risk, and brought alongside. Therefore, I beg you will give Mr. Booth directions to close all his accounts; and, Mr. Foley and Gibson-I believe are their names—will supply us cheerfully at the market prices, with all we want, from Dantzic. I had wrote to Murray by the Fox, to purchase ten spars fit for topmasts, which I hope has been done by the senior Captain who next went there, and if any spars for topsail-yards are wanted, they may also be purchased, with a little oak-plank; but no expense is to be incurred

in making topmasts, &c., ashore. Each Ship is to make her own; and I strongly recommend Lord St. Vincent's plan of having them not tapered away towards the hounds. Eight or nine Sail of the Line you are to keep with you, which will afford one or two always going to Dantzic to refresh, and to bring bullocks for the Ships off Bornholm. The Shannon can go to Dantzic, and Captain Pater' can, if he pleases, get everything he wants. The Fleet to be put to whole allowance of bread species—that is, half a pound of bread, half a pound of flour-this mode to continue till all the flour purchased in the Baltic, has been expended.

Respecting Bornholm, it appears like the conduct of all the rest of Denmark,—a conduct of enmity towards us; which, if real, is extraordinary. But we shall very soon bring them to their senses, if we are forced to begin again. I hope the news from Russia is with you, and that it will tell you all is peace. In that case, great part of the Fleet will go over the Grounds, and be preparing for the Danes, if they are saucy; or be ready to proceed for England; which, I think, most probable.

Allow me now, my dear Sir, both as a public and a private man, to how much I feel indebted to you as to express you an Admiral, for your truly Officer-like manner of conducting the King's service, and also, for the truly kind and handsome manner you have ever expressed yourself towards myself. I regret that circumstances have so turned out (from Sir Thomas Graves' ill-health, and my own miserable constitution) that I have not had more of the pleasure of your company, and opportunities of cultivating your more intimate acquaintance; for believe, my dear Sir, that with the very highest respect for your character, I feel myself your most obliged and affectionate servant, NELSON AND Bronte. I send a Memorandum, which I request you will have the goodness to issue in General Orders.

1 Captain Charles Dudley Pater, of the Shannon: he died a Rear-Admiral of the White, in February 1818.

MEMORANDUM.

[Letter-Book. Lord Nelson quitted the command in the Baltic on the 19th of June, and sailed in the Kite Brig, commanded by Captain Digby, for England, being unwilling to take a larger Vessel from the Fleet.]

St. George, Kioge Bay, 18th June, 1801. Lord Nelson has been obliged, from the late very bad state of his health, to apply to the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty for leave to return to England, which their Lordships have been pleased to comply with. But Lord Nelson cannot allow himself to leave the Fleet, without expressing to the Admirals, Captains, Officers, and Men, how sensibly he has felt, and does feel, all their kindness to him, and also how nobly and honourably they have supported him in the hour of Battle, and the readiness which they have shown to maintain the honour of their King and Country on many occasions which have offered; and had more opportunities presented themselves, Lord Nelson is firmly persuaded, they would have added more glory to their Country.

Lord Nelson cannot but observe, with the highest satisfaction which can fill the breast of a British Admiral, that (with the exception of the glaring misconduct of the Officers of the Tigress and the Cracker Gun-brigs, and the charges alleged against the Lieutenant of the Terror Bomb,) out of 18,000, of which the Fleet is composed, not a complaint has been made of any Officer or Man in it; and he cannot but remark, that the extraordinary health of this Fleet, under the blessing of Almighty God, is to be attributed to the great regularity, exact discipline, and cheerful obedience of every individual in the Fleet.

The Vice-Admiral assures them, that he will not fail to represent to the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty their highly praiseworthy conduct; and if it pleases God that the Vice-Admiral recover his health, he will feel proud, on some future day, to go with them in pursuit of further glory, and to assist in making the name of our King and Country beloved and respected by all the world.

TO ADMIRAL THE EARL OF ST. VINCENT, K.B.

[Autograph, in the possession of Vice-Admiral Sir William Parker, Bart., G.C.B. Lord Nelson arrived at Yarmouth on the 1st of July, immediately visited the Hospitals to which the wounded at Copenhagen had been conveyed, and then pro ceeded to London.]

My dear Lord,

July 1st, 1801.

Although most probably you have many letters from Lord St. Helens, later than mine, yet I send Parker with mine of the 5th June; and also with some others, which, although most flattering to my vanity, will not, I trust, be unacceptable to your Lordship. In the course of the morning I shall do myself the pleasure of being at the Admiralty, and of assuring you in person how much I am your affectionate, NELSON AND BRONTE.

TO R. NELSON, ESQ., PLYMOUTH DOCK, DEVON. [Autograph, in the possession of Mrs. Taylor, of Albemarle Street.] London, July 7th, 1801.

Dear Sir,

I received your kind letter from Plymouth, and congratulate you on the birth of a grandson, who I am much flattered with your intention to call after me. I trust that the name of NELSON will remain with credit to our Country for many ages, and although I do not yet despair but that I may have fruit from my own loins, yet the honour of the Nelson family will not, I am confident, be lost by yours. I beg my compliments to Colonel Nelson, and that you will believe me, your most obliged servant, NELSON AND BRONTE.

I beg my compliments to Mr. Marshall.

TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE HENRY ADDINGTON.

[Autograph, in the Sidmouth Papers.]

My dear Sir,

July 8th, 1801.

Prince Castelcicala has been so pressing that I should bear my testimony to you of the fidelity of the King of the Two

Envoy from the King of Naples.