visit to the authorities, when his vanity and love of attention received fresh gratification.  “Except to you, my own friend, I should not mention it, ’tis so much like vanity; but hundreds come to look at Nelson, ‘that is him, that is him,’ in short, ’tis the same as in Italy and Germany, and I now feel that a good name is better than riches, not amongst our great folks in England; but it has its fine feelings to an honest heart.  All the Russians have taken it into their heads that I am like Suwaroff, Le jeune Suwaroff;” thus confirming the impression made upon Mrs. St. George at Dresden.

On the 16th of May a letter arrived from Count Pahlen, the Russian minister.  The Czar declined to see a compliment in the appearance in Russian waters of so formidable a force, commanded by a seaman whose name stood foremost, not merely for professional ability, but for sudden, resolute, and aggressive action.  “Nelson’s presence,” Niebuhr had written, “leads us to think, judging of him by his past conduct, that a furious attack will be made upon our harbor;” and he himself had recorded with complacency that a Danish officer, visiting the “London,” upon learning that he was with the fleet in the Kattegat, had said, “Is he here?  Then I suppose it is no joke, if he is come.”  “The Baltic folks will never fight me, if it is to be avoided.”  “The Emperor, my Master,” wrote Pahlen, “does not consider this step compatible with the lively desire manifested by His Britannic Majesty, to re-establish the good intelligence so long existing between the two Monarchies.  The only guarantee of the loyalty of your intentions that His Majesty can accept, is the prompt withdrawal of the fleet under your command, and no negotiation with your Court can take place, so long as a naval force is in sight of his ports.”

Nelson had of course recognized that the game was lost, as soon as he saw that the Russian fleet was gone.  The conditions which had mainly prompted his visit were changed, and the Russian Government was in a position to take a high tone, without fear of consequences.  “After such an answer,” he wrote indignantly to St. Vincent, “I had no business here.  Time will show; but I do not believe he would have written such a letter, if the Russian fleet had been in Revel.”  “Lord Nelson received the letter a few minutes before dinner-time,” wrote Stewart.  “He appeared to be a good deal agitated by it, but said little, and did not return an immediate reply.  During dinner, however, he left the table, and in less than a quarter of an hour sent for his secretary to peruse a letter which, in that short absence, he had composed.  The signal for preparing to weigh was immediately made; the answer above-mentioned was sent on shore; and his Lordship caused the fleet to weigh, and to stand as far to sea as was safe for that evening.”