This change seems to have been a very fortunate circumstance for Captain Nelson; and, perhaps, on the whole, little less so for Sir John Jervis. The new commander in chief was much too shrewd and discerning a character not to see the full value of such an officer as Captain Nelson. Himself a man of the highest bravery, and of the first professional knowledge, he could not fail to recognize, in every act, the vigorous intellect, and undaunted valour, which Captain Nelson possessed. It was no slight shade of an uncertain tint, but a plain and decided distinction of character clearly perceptible at a single glance. Bravery and skill abound, and will, it is hoped, always abound, in the British navy; and great, indeed, must be the merits of any one who shines with superior lustre in a constellation of such general brilliancy. Sir John had, under his command, many able officers; but he immediately perceived that Captain Nelson was a star of the first magnitude, and nobly resolved to remove every intervening cloud which might prevent his appearing in full splendour. The great importance, not only to both these exalted naval characters, but to their country, which has been so much benefitted by their respective and united services, must prevent the necessity of any apology for reverting to the very origin of their acquaintance with each other: a communication which the author of these memoirs has the honour of being enabled to give, on no less authority than that of the Earl of St. Vincent himself. His lordship, while Sir John Jervis, was returning from the House of Commons, of which he was then a member; when, in the Treasury Passage, he perceived Captain Locker at a distance, whom he instantly knew, from the singularity of his looking through an eye-glass fitted at the head of his cane. Sir John immediately hailed his old friend: and Captain Locker, coming up, expressed his happiness at seeing Sir John Jervis; as he wished, he said, to introduce his _eleve_, Captain Nelson. From that period, till the time when Sir John Jervis took the command of the Mediterranean fleet, he had never again beheld Captain Nelson; who, having served much with Lord Hood, and not knowing Sir John Jervis's generous intentions to bring him still more forward, expressed a wish to return to England in the Agamemnon. That ship, indeed, from it's then bad state, was expected to be soon sent home: but Sir John Jervis seems to have felt more unwilling to part with Captain Nelson than his ship. On the death of Lord Hervey, the captain of the Zealous, which happened soon after, Sir John Jervis immediately offered Captain Nelson the command of that ship; which he declined, still persisting in his desire to go home.