all substantial friendships, could not fail to unite such excellent and
enlightened minds in a sincere amity. It can never appear wonderful,
then, that Lady Hamilton, herself a person of very considerable talents,
and possessing a warm and affectionate heart, naturally attached to
splendid abilities, should be forcibly struck with the pleasing manners,
extreme goodness and generosity of mind, and evident proofs of
comprehensive intellect, which she continually witnessed in the new
friend of her intelligent husband, during the few days of his
continuance at Naples.
The frank and friendly attentions of her ladyship, at the same time, it
must necessarily be supposed, made no slight impression on the
susceptible bosom of Captain Nelson; who was charmed with the
characteristic sweetness of disposition which she so fascinatingly
displayed for the promotion of his ease and comforts.
The imperious calls of professional duty soon separated the hero from
his affectionate friends; but they parted not without mutual assurances
of losing no opportunity which might occur of corresponding with or
seeing each other.
It appears, from Lord Hood's dispatches to the Admiralty, that the first
division of the Neapolitan troops disembarked at Toulon on the 28th of
September, under the command of Brigadier General Pignatelli; and that
they were a very fine body of men, in perfect health, and well
appointed. The second division of Neapolitans, consisting of two
thousand men, arrived on the 5th of October; and the last two thousand
were to leave Naples on that very day. His Sicilian majesty, Lord Hood
added, had manifested the greatest readiness and zeal in fulfilling the
treaty; and confided his ships and troops solely to his lordship's
discretion, as that sovereign had made known to him in writing under his
own hand.
Such was the success of Captain Nelson's services at Naples, where the
king and queen treated him with no less attention and regard than Sir
William Hamilton and his lady, and witnessed his departure with similar
regrets.
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