, which may be biassed, and
professional reputation, which, like public sentiment, usually
settles at last not far from the truth. Despite this curious inversion
of the facts by Lord Hood, there probably was no one among the naval
forces, nor among the soldiery, who did not thoroughly, if perchance
somewhat vaguely, appreciate that Nelson was the moving spirit of the
whole operation, even beyond Hood himself. As the Greek commanders
after Salamis were said to have voted the award of merit each to
himself first, but all to Themistocles second, so at Bastia, whatever
value individuals might place on their own services, all probably
would have agreed that Nelson came next.

The latter meantime was happily unconscious of the wrong done him, so
that nothing marred the pleasure with which he congratulated the
commander-in-chief, and received the latter's brief but hearty general
order of thanks, wherein Nelson's own name stood foremost, as was due
both to his seniority and to his exertions. When the despatch reached
him, he freely expressed his discontent in letters to friends; but
being, at the time of its reception, actively engaged in the siege of
Calvi, the exhilaration of that congenial employment for the moment
took the edge off the keenness of his resentment. "Lord Hood and
myself were never better friends--_nor, although his Letter does_,[21]
did he wish to put me where I never was--in the rear. Captain Hunt,
who lost his ship, he wanted to push forward for another,--a young man
who never was on a battery, or ever rendered any service during the
siege; if any person ever says he did, then I submit to the character
of a story-teller. Poor Serocold, who fell here,[22] was determined to
publish an advertisement, as he commanded a battery under my orders.
The whole operations of the siege were carried on through Lord Hood's
letters to me. I was the mover of it--I was the cause of its success.
Sir Gilbert Elliot will be my evidence, if any is required. I am not
a little vexed, but shall not quarrel." "I am well aware," he had
written to Mrs. Nelson a few days before, "my poor services will not
be noticed: I have no interest; but, however services may be received,
it is not right in an officer to slacken his zeal for his Country."

These noble words only voiced a feeling which in Nelson's heart had
all the strength of a principle; and this light of the single eye
stood him in good stead in the moments of bitterness which f