It seemed to threaten no such consequences at its commencement.

He spoke of Lady Hamilton, in a letter to his wife, as a young woman of amiable manners, who did honour to the station to which she had been raised; and he remarked, that she had been exceedingly kind to Josiah.

The activity with which the envoy exerted himself in procuring troops from Naples, to assist in garrisoning Toulon, so delighted him, that he is said to have exclaimed, "Sir William, you are a man after my own heart!--you do business in my own way:" and then to have added, "I am now only a captain; but I will, if I live, be at the top of the tree." Here, also, that acquaintance with the Neapolitan court commenced, which led to the only blot upon Nelson's public character.

The king, who was sincere at that time in his enmity to the French, called the English the saviours of Italy, and of his dominions in particular.

He paid the most flattering attentions to Nelson, made him dine with him, and seated him at his right hand.
Having accomplished this mission, Nelson received orders to join Commodore Linzee at Tunis.