Lady HAMILTON’S ambitious nature, and her appetite for political intrigue, when combined with some real ability and a good deal of reckless unscrupulousness as to the path by which the object in view might be reached, were dangerous qualities in such a Court as that of Naples. If, more than once, they contributed to the attainment of ends which were eagerly sought by the Government at home, and were of advantage to the movements of the British fleet, they cost—as is but too well known—an excessive price at last. The blame fairly attachable to Sir William HAMILTON is that of suffering himself to be kept at a post for which the infirmities of age were rapidly unfitting him. But there he was to remain during yet four eventful years; quitting his embassy only when, to all appearance, he was at the door of death. Between the September of 1793 and that of 1798 NELSON and Sir William HAMILTON met more than once; but their chief communication was, of course, by letter. When, in October, 1796, after two victories in quick succession, NELSON lost his hard-won prizes, and narrowly escaped being taken into a Spanish port, it was to HAMILTON that he wrote for a certificate of his conduct. And one of the ambassador’s latest diplomatic achievements was his procuring access for British ships to Neapolitan ports before the Battle of the Nile was won. On the very night of that famous first of August, 1798, Sir William—whilst the distant battle was yet raging—told NELSON of the disappointment which had followed the rumours, current during many days at Naples, of a defeat given to the French fleet in the Bay of Alexandretta, and assured him of his own confidence that the rumours, though then unfounded, would come true at last. Five weeks afterwards, he had the satisfaction of sending to London the first official account of the great victory which he had seen before with the eye of faith. At Naples the authentic news was received with a joy which worked like frenzy. When the ambassador first saw the Queen, after its arrival, she was rushing up and down the room of audience, and embracing every person who entered it—man, woman, or child. [Sidenote: Sir W. Hamilton to Nelson; Nicolas, vol. iii, p. 72.] He sent to NELSON an account of the universal joy. ‘You have now, indeed, made yourself immortal,’ was his own greeting. On the 22nd they again met, on board the _Vanguard_, in the Bay. On the 21st of the following December Sir William HAMILTON accompanied the King and Court of Naples in their flight to Palermo.