s to lower that
honour it would be my pride to support in proper splendour. There are
other honours which die with the possessor, and I should be proud to
accept, if my efforts are thought worthy of the favour of my King."

Elliot started for England a few days afterwards, and reached London
at a time when the whole country was ringing with the news of the
victory. Arriving at such a propitious moment, there could have been
for Nelson no better advocate than this man, placed high in political
councils, and having to give to the Ministry a long account of his
career in the Mediterranean, throughout the whole of which the two had
been in intimate contact and constant correspondence. Himself an
eye-witness, and filled with enthusiasm for Nelson's latest exploit,
Elliot knew better than any one that it was no sporadic outburst, but
only a signal manifestation of the intuitive sagacity, the flashing
promptness, and the sustained energy, whose steady fires he had known
to burn, without slackening of force or change of motive, through two
years of close personal association in public action to a common end.
The government thus learned more of him than can easily transpire
under ordinary service conditions, or be shown even by an incident
like that at St. Vincent; and Elliot's admiration, free from all bias
of professional partiality or professional jealousy, doubtless was
more useful to Nelson than any narrative of his own could have been.
Even the royal favor was conciliated, despite the obstinate temper
which yielded prejudices with difficulty. "I must rejoice," wrote
Nelson to the Duke of Clarence, who had mentioned to him the King's
approval, "in having gained the good opinion of my Sovereign, which I
once was given to understand I had no likelihood of enjoying."[54] It
was to the honor of the monarch that he was thus as pliant to admit
merit in an officer as yet only rising to distinction, as he was firm
at a later day to stamp with the marks of his displeasure the flagrant
moral aberration of the then world-renowned admiral.

The coveted Knighthood of the Bath was accorded on the 17th of March,
"in order," wrote the First Lord, "to mark the Royal approbation of
your successful and gallant exertions on several occasions during the
course of the present war in the Mediterranean, and more particularly
of your very distinguished conduct in the glorious and brilliant
victory obtained over the fleet of Spain by His Majesty's