so earnestly represented. He begged, almost on his knees, he said, small supplies of money and corn, to keep the Maltese from starving. And when the court granted a small supply, protesting their poverty, he believed their protestations, and was satisfied with their professions, instead of insisting that the restrictions upon the exportation of corn should be withdrawn. The anxiety, however, which he endured, affected him so deeply, that he said it had broken his spirit for ever. Happily all that Troubridge, with so much reason, forboded, did not come to pass. For Captain Ball, with more decision than Nelson himself would have shown at that time, and upon that occasion, ventured upon a resolute measure, for which his name would deserve always to be held in veneration by the Maltese, even if it had no other claims to the love and reverence of a grateful people. Finding it hopeless longer to look for succour, or common humanity, from the deceitful and infatuated court of Sicily, which persisted in prohibiting, by sanguinary edicts, the exportation of supplies, at his own risk

he sent his first lieutenant to the port of Messina, with orders to seize, and bring with him to Malta, the ships which were there lying, laden with corn; of the number of which he had received accurate information. These orders were executed, to the great delight and advantage of the shipowners and proprietors; the necessity of raising the siege was removed, and Captain Ball waited, in calmness, for the consequences to himself. But," says Mr. Coleridge, (who, it is to be hoped, will do that full justice to the memory of this great man, which he is so fully capable of doing) "not a com"plaint, not a murmur, proceeded from the "court of Naples. The sole result was, "that the governor of Malta became an "especial object of its hatred, its fear, and "its respect."

Nelson himself, at the beginning of February, sailed for that island. On the way he fell in with a French squadron, bound for its relief, and consisting of the Genereaux 74, three frigates, and a corvette. One of the frigates, and the line

of battle ship, were taken; the others escaped but failed in their purpose of reaching La Valette. This success was peculiarly gratifying to Nelson, for many reasons. During some months he had acted as commander in chief in the Mediterranean, while Lord Keith was in England. Lord Keith was now returned; and Nelson had, upon his own plan, and at his own risk, left him to sail for Malta-" For which," said he, if I had not succeeded, I might have "been broke ;-and, if I had not acted "thus, the Genereaux never would have "been taken." This ship was one of those which had escaped from Aboukir. Two frigates and the Guillaume Tell, 86, were all that now remained of the fleet which Buonaparte had conducted to Egypt. The Guillaume Tell was at this time closely watched in the harbour of La Valette; and shortly afterwards, attempting to make her escape from thence, was taken, after an action, in which greater skill was never displayed by British ships, nor greater gallantry by an enemy. She was taken by

the Foudroyant, Lion, and Penelope frigate. Nelson rejoicing at what he called this glorious finish to the whole French Mediterranean fleet; rejoiced also that he was not present, to have taken a sprig of these brave men's laurels. "They are," said he, and I glory in them, my chil"dren they served in my school; and all "of us caught our professional zeal and

fire from the great and good Earl St. "Vincent. What a pleasure, what hap*piness, to have the Nile fleet all taken, "under my orders and regulations !"—The two frigates still remained in La Valette: before its surrender they stole out: one was taken in the attempt; the other was the only ship of the whole fleet which escaped capture or destruction.

Letters were found on board the Guillaume Tell, showing that the French were now become hopeless of preserving the conquest which they had so foully acquired. Troubridge, and his brother officers, were anxious that Nelson should have the honour of signign the capitulation. They told him, that

they absolutely, as far as they dared, insisted on his staying to do this; but their earnest and affectionate entreaties were vain. Sir William Hamilton had just been superseded; Nelson had no feeling of cordiality towards Lord Keith; and thinking, that, after Earl St. Vincent, no man had so good a claim to the command in the Mediterranean as himself, he applied for permission to return to England; telling the first lord of the admiralty, that his spirit could not submit patiently, and that he was a broken-hearted man. From the time of his return to Egypt, amid all the honours which were showered upon him, he had suffered many mortifications. Sir Sidney Smith had been sent to Egypt, with orders to take under his command the squadron which Nelson had left there. Sir Sidney appears to have thought that this command was to be independent of Nelson: and Nelson himself thinking so, determined to return, saying to Earl St. Vincent, "I do feel, for I am man, that "it is impossible for me to serve in these