ts of Zante,
through the hands of Mr. Speridion Forresti, the very elegant and
flattering presents of a sword and cane; accompanied by a most kind and
respectful letter, in which they express their grateful acknowledgments
to his lordship, for having been the first cause of their liberation
from French tyranny. This, though true, his lordship observed, in a very
affectionate answer, was such an example of gratitude as must for ever
do them the highest honour; and begs that Mr. Speridion Forresti, by
whom he transmits it to them, will have the goodness to express, in
fuller terms than any words which his lordship can find, his sense of
their kindness, and of the wish to prove himself farther useful to them.
The cane was mounted in gold, with a single circle of diamonds; the
value of which was rendered incalculable, by the circumstance of the
inhabitants having declared that it was their wish to have added another
circle, but that they had no more diamonds in the island.

His lordship's letter to the Grand Vizier, in return for the presents
and epistle from the Grand Signior, was as follows.

"Palermo, 22d Dec 1799.

"SIR

Were I to attempt, by words, to express what I felt on receiving
the imperial present of the drawing of the Battle of Aboukir, and
the highly flattering letter wrote by your excellency in obedience
to the imperial command, I should feel myself unequal to the task.
Therefore, I can only beg your excellency to express, in words most
adapted to convey my gratitude to his imperial majesty, my sense of
the extraordinary high honour conferred upon me, by a present more
valuable than gold or jewels; as they may come only from the hand
of a great monarch, while this can only flow from the benevolent
heart of a good man. That the Almighty may pour down his choicest
blessings on the imperial head, and ever give his arms victory over
all his enemies, is the fervent prayer, and shall ever be, as far
as my abilities will allow me, the constant exertion, of your
excellency's obliged servant,

"Bronte Nelson."

In a letter to Earl Elgin, then ambassador at Constantinople, his
lordship thus expresses his grateful attachment to the Turks. "They,"
says he, "do me but justice, in believing that I am always alert to do
them every kindness; for, as no man ever received greater favours from
the Sublime Porte, so no one shall be mo