"Darby and Hood, I hope, have long joined you. Pray, be so good as to deliver to them the medals, with my best regards. Our dear lady," he adds, "has been very unwell: and, if this fete, to-night, does not kill her, I dare say she will write to you to-morrow; for, there is none she respects more than yourself. Good Sir William is much better for his trip. Make my best regards to Sir James St. Clair. I really have not the power of writing, and I am really blind; but, whilst I have life," concludes this excellent, indefatigable, and friendly hero, "believe me, my dear admiral, your obliged and affectionate "Nelson." His lordship might well be weary, on this sultry day; the festivity of which he so little regarded, that he was actually employed, from morning till night, in writing and dictating letters and orders. In the evening of this day, Lord Nelson received information that the Russian and Turkish squadrons, from Corfu, had arrived at Messina; and, on the 18th, sent the copy of a letter just received from Lord Keith, who had quitted the Mediterranean in pursuit of the combined fleets, to Admiral Uschakoff, commander in chief of the Russian squadron, who had retaken the Leander at Corfu, mentioning an order from the British Admiralty for the restoration of that ship. His lordship, however, not having received this order, apologized for being unable to send it: and stated, very properly, that it was to be presumed the courts of Petersburgh and London had decided on the restoration of the Leander; as the Admiralty would not, otherwise, have sent such orders to the commander in chief, and appointed officers to that ship. Captain Drummond, his lordship observed, who would wait on his excellency with these letters, was appointed to the temporary command of the Leander; and requested that he might be favoured with directions to the officer commanding at Corfu, for assistance in fitting out and manning the said ship, so as to enable him to proceed with it to Minorca.