the life of horatio lord nelson-第27部分

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e　happy　moment　will　be　lost。　I　am　very　unwell；　and　their　miserable　conduct　is　not　likely　to　cool　my　irritable　temper。　It　is　a　country　of　fiddlers　and　poets；　whores　and　scoundrels。〃　This　sense　of　their　ruinous　weakness　he　always　retained；　nor　was　he　ever　blind　to　the　mingled　folly　and　treachery　of　the　Neapolitan　ministers；　and　the　complication　in　iniquities　under　which　the　country　groaned；　but　he　insensibly；　under　the　influence　of　Lady　Hamilton；　formed　an　affection　for　the　court；　to　whose　misgovernment　the　miserable　condition　of　the　country　was　so　greatly　to　be　imputed。　By　the　kindness　of　her　nature；　as　well　as　by　her　attractions；　she　had　won　his　heart。　Earl　St。　Vincent；　writing　to　her　at　this　time；　says；　〃Pray　do　not　let　your　fascinating　Neapolitan　dames　approach　too　near　our　invaluable　friend　Nelson；　for　he　is　made　of　flesh　and　blood；　and　cannot　resist　their　temptations。〃　But　this　was　addressed　to　the　very　person　from　whom　he　was　in　danger。

The　state　of　Naples　may　be　described　in　few　words。　The　king　was　one　of　the　Spanish　Bourbons。　As　the　Caesars　have　shown　us　to　what　wickedness　the　moral　nature　of　princes　may　be　perverted；　so　in　this　family；　the　degradation　to　which　their　intellectual　nature　can　be　reduced　has　been　not　less　conspicuously　evinced。　Ferdinand；　like　the　rest　of　his　race；　was　passionately　fond　of　field　sports；　and　cared　for　nothing　else。　His　queen　had　all　the　vices　of　the　house　of　Austria；　with　little　to　mitigate；　and　nothing　to　ennoble　themprovided　she　could　have　her　pleasures；　and　the　king　his　sports；　they　cared　not　in　what　manner　the　revenue　was　raised　or　administered。　Of　course　a　system　of　favouritism　existed　at　court；　and　the　vilest　and　most　impudent　corruption　prevailed　in　every　department　of　state；　and　in　every　branch　of　administration；　from　the　highest　to　the　lowest。　It　is　only　the　institutions　of　Christianity；　and　the　vicinity　of　better…regulated　states；　which　prevent　kingdoms；　under　such　circumstances　of　misrule；　from　sinking　into　a　barbarism　like　that　of　Turkey。　A　sense　of　better　things　was　kept　alive　in　some　of　the　Neapolitans　by　literature；　and　by　their　intercourse　with　happier　countries。　These　persons　naturally　looked　to　France；　at　the　commencement　of　the　Revolution；　and　during　all　the　horrors　of　that　Revolution　still　cherished　a　hope　that；　by　the　aid　of　France；　they　might　be　enabled　to　establish　a　new　order　of　things　in　Naples。　They　were　grievously　mistaken　in　supposing　that　the　principles　of　liberty　would　ever　be　supported　by　France；　but　they　were　not　mistaken　in　believing　that　no　government　could　be　worse　than　their　own；　and　therefore　they　considered　any　change　as　desirable。　In　this　opinion　men　of　the　most　different　characters　agreed。　Many　of　the　nobles；　who　were　not　in　favour；　wished　for　a　revolution；　that　they　might　obtain　the　ascendancy　to　which　they　thought　themselves　entitled；　men　of　desperate　fortunes　desired　it；　in　the　hope　of　enriching　themselves；　knaves　and　intriguers　sold　themselves　to　the　French　to　promote　it；　and　a　few　enlightened　men；　and　true　lovers　of　their　country；　joined　in　the　same　cause；　from　the　purest　and　noblest　motives。　All　these　were　confounded　under　the　common　name　of　Jacobins；　and　the　Jacobins　of　the　continental　kingdoms　were　regarded　by　the　English　with　more　hatred　than　they　deserved。　They　were　classed　with　Phillippe　Egalite；　Marat；　and　Hebert；　whereas　they　deserved　rather　to　be　ranked；　if　not　with　Locke；　and　Sydney；　and　Russell；　at　least　with　Argyle　and　Monmouth；　and　those　who；　having　the　same　object　as　the　prime　movers　of　our　own　Revolution；　failed　in　their　premature　but　not　unworthy　attempt。

No　circumstances　could　be　more　unfavourable　to　the　best　interests　of　Europe；　than　those　which　placed　England　in　strict　alliance　with　the　superannuated　and　abominable　governments　of　the　continent。　The　subjects　of　those　governments　who　wished　for　freedom　thus　became　enemies　to　England；　and　dupes　and　agents　of　France。　They　looked　to　their　own　grinding　grievances；　and　did　not　see　the　danger　with　which　the　liberties　of　the　world　were　threatened。　England；　on　the　other　hand；　saw　the　danger　in　its　true　magnitude；　but　was　blind　to　these　grievances；　and　found　herself　compelled　to　support　systems　which　had　formerly　been　equally　the　object　of　her　abhorrence　and　her　contempt。　This　was　the　state　of　Nelson's　mind；　he　knew　that　there　could　be　no　peace　for　Europe　till　the　pride　of　France　was　humbled；　and　her　strength　broken；　and　he　regarded　all　those　who　were　the　friends　of　France　as　traitors　to　the　common　cause；　as　well　as　to　their　own　individual　sovereigns。　There　are　situations　in　which　the　most　opposite　and　hostile　parties　may　mean　equally　well；　and　yet　act　equally　wrong。　The　court　of　Naples；　unconscious　of　committing　any　crime　by　continuing　the　system　of　misrule　to　which　they　had　succeeded；　conceived　that；　in　maintaining　things　as　they　were；　they　were　maintaining　their　own　rights；　and　preserving　the　people　from　such　horrors　as　had　been　perpetrated　in　France。　The　Neapolitan　revolutionists　thought　that　without　a　total　change　of　system；　any　relief　from　the　present　evils　was　impossible；　and　they　believed　themselves　justified　in　bringing　about　that　change　by　any　means。　Both　parties　knew　that　it　was　the　fixed　intention　of　the　French　to　revolutionise　Naples。　The　revolutionists　supposed　that　it　was　for　the　purpose　of　establishing　a　free　government；　the　court；　and　all　disinterested　persons；　were　perfectly　aware　that　the　enemy　had　no　other　object　than　conquest　and　plunder。

The　battle　of　the　Nile　shook　the　power　of　France。　Her　most　successful　general；　and　her　finest　army；　were　blocked　up　in　Egypt　hopeless；　as　it　appeared；　of　return；　and　the　government　was　in　the　hands　of　men　without　talents；　without　character；　and　divided　among　themselves。　Austria；　whom　Buonaparte　had　terrified　into　a　peace；　at　a　time　when　constancy　on　her　part　would　probably　have　led　to　his　destruction；　took　advantage　of　the　crisis　to　renew　the　war。　Russia　also　was　preparing　to　enter　the　field　with　unbroken　forces；　led　by　a　general；　whose　extraordinary　military　genius　would　have　entitled　him　to　a　high　and　honourable　rank　in　history；　if　it　had　not　been　sullied　by　all　the　ferocity　of　a　barbarian。　Naples；　seeing　its　destruction　at　hand；　and　thinking　that　the　only　means　of　averting　it　was　by　meeting　the　danger；　after　long　vacillations；　which　were　produced　by　the　fears　and　treachery　of　its　council；　agreed　at　last　to　join　this　new　coalition　with　a　numerical　force　of　80；000　men。　Nelson　told　the　king；　in　plain　terms；　that　he　had　his　choice；　either　to　advance；　trusting　to　God　for　his　blessing　on　a　just　cause；　and　prepared　to　die　sword　in　hand；　or　to　remain　quiet；　and　be　kicked　out　of　his　kingdom；　one　of　these　things　must　happen。　The　king　made　answer　he　would　go　on；　and　trust　in　God　and　Nelson；　and　Nelson；　who　would　else　have　returned　to　Egypt；　for　the　purpose　of　destroying　the　French　shipping　in　Alexandria；　gave　up　his　intention　at　the　desire　of　the　Neapolitan　court；　and　resolved　to。　remain　on　that　station；　in　the　hope　that　he　might　be　useful　to　the　movements　of　the　army。　He　suspected　also；　with　reason；　that　the　continuance　of　his　fleet　was　so　earnestly　requested；　because　the　royal　family　thought　their　persons　would　be　safer；　in　case　of　any　mishap；　under　the　British　flag；　than　under　their　own。

His　first　object　was　the　recovery　of　Maltaan　island　which　the　King　of　Naples　pretended　to　claim。　The　Maltese；　whom　the　villanous　knights　of　their　order　had　betrayed　to　France；　had　taken　up　arms　against　their　rapacious　invaders；　with　a　spirit　and　unanimity　worthy　of　the　highest　praise。　They　blockaded　the　French　garrison　by　land；　and　a　small　squadron；　under　Captain　Ball；　began　to　blockade　them　by　sea；　on　the　12th　of　October。　Twelve　days　afterwards　Nelson　arrived。　〃It　is　as　I　suspected；〃　he　says：　〃the　ministers　at　Naples　know　nothing　of　the　situation　of　the　island。　Not　a　house　or　bastion　of　the　town　is　in　possession　of　the　islanders：　and　the　Marquis　de　Niza　tells　us　they　want　arms；　victuals；　and　support。　He　does　not　know　that　any　Neapolitan　officers　are　on　the　island；　perhaps；　although　I　have　their　names；　none　are　arrived；　and　it　is　very　certain；　by　the　marquis's　account；　that　no　supplies　have　been　sent　by　the　governors　of　Syracuse　and　Messina。〃　The　little　island　of　Gozo；　dependent　upon　Malta；　which　had　also　been　seized　and　garrisoned　by　the　French；　capitulated　soon　after　his　arrival；　and　was　taken　possession　of　by　the　British；　in　the　name　of　his　Sicilian　Majestya　power　who　had　no　better　claim　to　it　than　France。　Having　seen　this　effected；　and　reinforced　Captain　Ball；　he　left　that　able　officer　to　perform　a　most　arduous　and　important　part；　and　returned　himself　to　co…　operate　with　the　intended　movements　of　the　Neapolitans。

General　Mack　was　at　the　head　of　the　Neapolitan　troops。　All　that　is　now　doubtful　concerning　this　man　is；　whether　he　was　a　coward　or　a　traitor。　At　that　time　he　was　assiduously　extolled　as　a　most　consummate　commander；　to　whom　Europe　might　look　for　deliverance。　And　when　he　was　introduced　by　the　king　and　queen　to　the　British　admiral；　the　queen　said　to　him；　〃Be　to　us　by　land；　general；　what　my　hero　Nelson　has　been　by　sea。〃　Mack；　on　his　part；　did　not　fail　to　praise　the　force　which　he　was　appointed　to　command。　〃It　was；〃　he　said；〃the　finest　army　in　Europe。〃　Nelson　agreed　with　him　that　there　could　not　be　finer　men；　but　when　the　general；　at　a　review；　so　directed　the　operations　of　a　mock　fight；　that　by　an　unhappy　blunder　his　own　troops　were　surrounded；　instead　of　those　of　the　enemy；　he　turned　to　his　friends　and　exclaimed　with　bitterness；　that　the　fellow　did　not　understand　his　business。　Another　circumstance；　not　less　characteristic；　confirmed　Nelson　in　his　judgment。　〃General　Mack：〃　said　he；　in　one　of　his　letters；　〃cannot　move　without　five　carriages！　I　have　formed　my　opinion。　I　heartily　pray　I　may　be　mistaken。〃

While　Mack；　at　the　head　of　32；000　men；　marched　into　the　Roman　state；　5000　Neapolitans　were　embarked　on　board　the　British　and　Portuguese　squadron；　to　take　possession　of　Leghorn。　This　was　effected　without　opposition；　and　the　Grand　Duke　of　Tuscany；　whose　neutrality　had　been　so　outrageously　violated　by　the　French；　was　better　satisfied　with　the　measure　than　some　of　the　Neapolitans　themselves。　Nasseli；　their　general；　refused　to　seize　the　French　vessels　a