"'I should be wrong if I told you that I feel your absence as I felt my absence from Greville then. But that is the kind of way I feel it, though I have never known your love. I am a fool, Nelson, I know I am; but I am also a loving woman, that can see all the goodnesses there is in the man her eyes are following, and fall down and worship each of them. It is the second commandment that I should break: "Thou shalt not make to thyself any graven image"--for this, I suppose, means that you shall not make an idol of anything, and that is what I cannot but do. Come back to Napoli soon, to your loving Emma.' "And immediately below this was added, in the Ambassador's easily recognisable hand: "'For God's sake come back soon. My hero-worshipping Emma has the moping-sickness, and I cannot afford to have her _hors de combat_ at this anxious time.--W. H.' "And to this dear Emma added a second post-scriptum: "'Here in Naples we are very busy making preparations to celebrate the King's glorious return. The great idea for illuminations is the asphodel flower with three heads of flowers made of little lights, and hanging from them the letters F. M. N.--Ferdinand, Nelson, Mack. They are also making a figure of France with a red cap, rolling in the dust by the cut-down tree of Anarchy, for the King to put his foot on her neck at the grand gala.' "_Nov. 30th, 'Vanguard.'_--I have been thinking all night of the General and Duke of Sangro's saying, that the King of Naples had not declared War against the French. Now, I assert that he has, and in a much stronger manner than the ablest Minister in Europe could write a Declaration of War. Has not the King received, as a conquest made by him, the Republican flag taken at Gozo? Is not the King's flag flying there and at Malta--and at Malta not only by the King's absolute permission, but by his orders? Is not the flag shot at every day by the French, and returned from batteries bearing the King's flag? And are not two frigates and a corvette placed under my orders? and they would fight the French, meet them where they may. Has not the King sent publicly from Naples guns, mortars, &c., with officers and artillery, to fight against the French in Malta? If those acts are not tantamount to any written paper, I give up all knowledge of what is War. So far, then, I assert that the General is authorised to seize all French and Ligurian vessels. But that is a small matter to what will happen, if he permits the many hundreds of French which are now in the Mole, to be neutral till they have a fair opportunity of being active. Even the interest of the Great Duke calls loudly that the Neapolitan General should act with vigour, for if all other schemes fail, they have one sure--viz., set one vessel on fire, and the Port of Leghorn is ruined for twenty years.