On the 9th of October, writing to Lord Spencer, he says—­“Three weeks, I admit, is a long time to refit a fleet after a battle; but, when it is considered that nearly every mast in the fleet has taken much more time than if they had been new; that Naples Bay is subject to a heavy swell, of which we have felt the inconvenience; and that we go to sea victualled for six months, and in the highest health and discipline; I trust, some allowance will be made for me.”  He adds, with an almost prophetic foresight—­“Naples sees this squadron no more—­except the king calls for our help; and, if they go on, and lose the glorious moments, we may be called for to save the persons of their majesties.”  Of General Mack, who was then at Naples, for the purpose of taking under his command the Neapolitan army, which had been recently raised to oppose the French, he thus expresses his predictive apprehensions—­“General Mack cannot move without five carriages.  I have formed my opinion—­I heartily pray, I may be mistaken.”

On the Tuesday following the date of this letter, General Mack arrived at Caserta; and Lord Nelson, the next Thursday, accompanied by Sir William and Lady Hamilton, went to meet him at dinner with the King and Queen of Naples.  Their majesties introduced them to each other, with every expression of esteem and regard.  The queen, however, could not help saying—­“General, be to us, by land, what my hero Nelson has been at sea!” The emperor, it seems, had desired the King of Naples to begin, and promised that he would support him.  At this interview, Mack said he would march in ten days; and, by his conversation and address, seems to have temporarily withdrawn our hero from the contemplation of his actions, that unerring criterion of character.  The judgment which Lord Nelson had first formed of General Mack, on this principle, has since appeared to be just.  With such a general as Mack, and such a minister as our hero describes the Marquis De Gallo to have been, in a letter to Earl Spencer, we can scarcely wonder at any misfortunes which might befal the amiable sovereigns with whose welfare they were fatally entrusted.

“This Marquis De Gallo,” says our hero, “I “detest.  He is ignorant of common civility.  Sir William Hamilton has just found out, that a messenger sets out for London within an hour; yet, I was with this minister for an hour last night.  He admires his ribbon, ring, and snuff-box, so much, that an excellent petit-maitre was spoiled, when he was made a minister.  The sentiments of my heart have flown from my pen, and I cannot retract them.”

After observing, that he has not, owing to the above circumstance, time to write what he wished, he concludes, with the most perfect good-humour—­“Pray excuse this short letter, and abuse of the Marquis De Gallo.”