of Naples pretended to claim. The Maltese, whom the villanous knights of

their order had betrayed to France, had taken up arms against their
rapacious invaders, with a spirit and unanimity worthy of the highest

praise. They blockaded the French garrison by land, and a small
squadron, under Captain Ball, began to blockade them by sea, on the 12th

of October. Twelve days afterwards Nelson arrived. "It is as I
suspected," he says: "the ministers at Naples know nothing of the

situation of the island. Not a house or bastion of the town is in
possession of the islanders: and the Marquis de Niza tells us they want

arms, victuals, and support. He does not know that any Neapolitan
officers are on the island; perhaps, although I have their names, none

are arrived; and it is very certain, by the marquis's account, that no
supplies have been sent by the governors of Syracuse and Messina." The

little island of Gozo, dependent upon Malta, which had also been seized
and garrisoned by the French, capitulated soon after his arrival, and

was taken possession of by the British, in the name of his Sicilian
Majesty--a power who had no better claim to it than France. Having seen

this effected, and reinforced Captain Ball, he left that able officer to
perform a most arduous and important part, and returned himself to co-

operate with the intended movements of the Neapolitans.
General Mack was at the head of the Neapolitan troops. All that is

now doubtfulconcerning this man is, whether he was a coward or a
traitor. At that time he was assiduously extolled as a most consummate

commander, to whom Europe might look for deliverance. And when he was
introduced by the king and queen to the British admiral, the queen said

to him, "Be to us by land, general, what my hero Nelson has been by
sea." Mack, on his part, did not fail to praise the force which he was

appointed to command. "It was," he said,"the finest army in Europe."
Nelson agreed with him that there could not be finer men; but when the

general, at a review, so directed the operations of a mock fight, that
by an unhappyblunder his own troops were surrounded, instead of those

of the enemy, he turned to his friends and exclaimed with bitterness,
that the fellow did not understand his business. Another circumstance,

not less characteristic, confirmed Nelson in his judgment. "General
Mack:" said he, in one of his letters, "cannot move without five

carriages! I have formed my opinion. I heartily 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 British 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. Nasseli, 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
republican 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 French, and their shot returned from batteries

which bear that flag? Are not two frigates and a corvette placed under
my orders ready to fight the French, meet them where they may? Has not

the king sent publicly from Naples guns, 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 were of such force as to threaten the greatest

mischief 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 their 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 advantageous for
the cause which I serve, taking all responsibility on myself." It was in

vain to hope for anything 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 am content.

The enemy will be distressed; and, thank God, I shall get no money. The
world, I know, think that 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 on 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 days this country is lost; for the emperor has not yet moved

his army, and Naples has not the power of resisting the 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
sufficient to drive him out of it in a week." He had no reliance upon

the Neapolitan officers, who, as he described them, seemed frightened at
a drawn sword or a loaded gun; and he was perfectly aware of the

consequences which the sluggish movements and deceitfulpolicy of the
Austrians were likely to bring down upon themselves and all their

continental allies. "A delayed war on the part of the emperor," said he,
writing to the British minister at Vienna, "will be destructive to this

monarchy of Naples; and, of course, to the newly-acquired dominions of
the Emperor in Italy. Had the war commenced in September or October, all

Italy would, at this moment, have been liberated. This month is worse
than the last; the next will render the contestdoubtful; and, in six

months, when the Neapolitan republic will be organised, armed, and with
its numerous resources called forth, the emperor will not only be

defeated in Italy, but will totter on his throne at Vienna. DOWN, DOWN
WITH THE FRENCH! ought to be written in the council-room of every

country in the world; and may Almighty God give right thoughts to every
sovereign, is my constant prayer!" His perfect foresight of the

immediate event was clearly shown in this letter, when he desired the
ambassador to assure the empress (who was a daughter of the house of

Naples) that, notwithstanding the councils which had shaken the throne
of her father and mother, he would remain there, ready to save their

persons, and her brothers and sisters; and that he had also left ships
at Leghorn to save the lives of the grand duke and her sister: "For

all," said he, "must be a republic, if the emperor does not act with
expedition and vigour."

His fears were soon verified. "The Neapolitan officers," said