His letters during this period reflect the varying phases of hope and of discouragement; but, upon the whole, the latter prevails.  There is no longer the feeling of neglect by his superior, of opportunity slipping away through the inadequate force which timid counsels and apathetic indolence allowed him.  He sees that the chance which was permitted to pass unimproved has now gone forever.  “As the French cannot want supplies to be brought into the Gulf of Genoa, for their grand army,” he writes to the admiral, “I am still of opinion that if our frigates are wanted for other services, they may very well be spared from the Gulf.”  And again, “As the service for which my distinguishing pendant was intended to be useful, is nearly if not quite at an end, I assure you I shall have no regret in striking it.”  Sir John Jervis, he asserts with pride, has cruised with the fleet in the Gulf of Genoa, close to shore, “where I will venture to say no fleet ever cruised before—­no officer can be more zealous or able to render any service in our profession to England;” yet from the decks of the flagship he and Nelson had helplessly watched a convoy passing close in shore, and directly to windward, but wholly out of reach of their powers of offence.  At times, indeed, somewhat can be accomplished.  For several days the “Agamemnon” “has kept close to shore, and harassed the enemy’s troops very much.  Field pieces are drawn out on our standing in shore.  You must defend me if any Genoese towns are knocked down by firing at enemy’s batteries.  I will not fire first.”  Six weeks later he writes again:  “Our conduct has so completely alarmed the French that all their coasting trade is at an end; even the corvette, gunboats, &c., which were moored under the fortress of Vado, have not thought themselves in security, but are all gone into Savona Mole, and unbent their sails.”

This movement, however, which he notes under the date of June 23, proceeded probably less from fear than from the growing indifference of the French concerning their communications by water, now that their occupation of the line of the Adige River had solidified their control over the ample resources of Piedmont and Lombardy.  At the very hour when Nelson was thus writing, he learned also the critical condition of Leghorn through the approach of a French division, the mere sending of which showed Bonaparte’s sense of his present security of tenure.

Nelson had severed by this time his long and affectionate connection with the battered “Agamemnon.”  On the 4th of June the old ship anchored at San Fiorenzo, having a few days before, with the assistance of the squadron, cut out from under the French batteries the vessels carrying Bonaparte’s siege-train, as well as the gunboats which convoyed them.  There was then in the bay the “Egmont,” seventy-four, whose commander had expressed to the admiral his wish to return to England.  Jervis, therefore, had ordered Nelson to the spot, to make