vigorous or manly from such men as Nelson was compelled to act with. The
crews of the French ships and their allies were ordered to depart in two
days. Four days elapsed and nobody obeyed the order; nor, in spite of
the representations of the British minister, Mr. Wyndham, were any means
taken to enforce it: the true Neapolitan shuffle, as Nelson called it,
took place on all occasions. After an absence of ten days he returned
to Naples; and receiving intelligence there from Mr. Wyndham that the
privateers were at last to be disarmed, the corn landed, and the crews
sent away, he expressed his satisfaction at the news in characteristic
language, saying, "So far I am content. The enemy will be distressed;
and, thank God, I shall get no money. The world, I know, think that
money is our god; and now they will be undeceived as far as relates to
us. Down, down with the French! is my constant prayer."

Odes, sonnets, and congratulatory poems of every description were poured
in upon Nelson on his arrival at Naples. An Irish Franciscan, who was
one of the poets, not being content with panegyric upon this occasion,
ventured on a flight of prophecy, and predicted that Lord Nelson would
take Rome with his ships. His lordship reminded Father M'Cormick that
ships could not ascend the Tiber; but the father, who had probably
forgotten this circumstance, met the objection with a bold front, and
declared he saw that it would come to pass notwithstanding. Rejoicings
of this kind were of short duration. The King of Naples was with the
army which had entered Rome; but the castle of St. Angelo was held by
the French, and 13,000 French were strongly posted in the Roman states
at Castallana. Mack had marched against them with 20,000 men. Nelson saw
that the event was doubtful, or rather that there could be very little
hope of the result. But the immediate fate of Naples, as he well knew,
hung upon the issue. "If Mack is defeated," said he, "in fourteen days
this country is lost; for the emperor has not yet moved his army, and