On the 19th, Lord Nelson having been informed, by his friend Sir William Hamilton, that the principal inhabitants of Rome, and other professors and admirers of the fine arts, were about to erect, in that city, a grand monumental testimony of their gratitude to his lordship, for having delivered the country, as well as those valuable treasures of art and antiquity which had for ages formed it's proudest boast, from the tyranny and rapacity of French cruelty and barbarism, he immediately addressed the following letter to Mr. Fagan, an ingenious artist at Rome, who had so handsomely made the communication of this pleasing intelligence, through Sir William, and with whom the design of that honourable intention appears to have chiefly originated.
Palermo, 19th Dec. 1799.
"DEAR SIR,
"Sir William Hamilton has been so kind as to communicate to me the distinguished honour intended me by the inhabitants, by you, and other professors and admirers of the fine arts at Rome, to erect a monument. I have not words sufficient to express my feelings, on hearing that my actions have contributed to preserve the works which form the school of fine arts in Italy, which the modern Goths wanted to carry off and destroy. That they may always remain in the only place worthy of them, Rome, are and will be my fervent wishes; together with the esteem of, dear Sir, your most obliged servant,
"Bronte Nelson."
Had the several powers of the continent taken the constant advice of his lordship, cordially to unite, in resolutely opposing the French pillagers of principle as well as property, these rare productions of the Greek and Roman schools of art would not since have found their way to Paris, nor the projected grand rostral column have finally failed equally to honour Rome and our immortal hero.
On the 17th of December, the Phaeton, Captain Morris, arrived from Constantinople; having, by desire of the Ottoman ministry, brought two Turkish ministers, one for Tunis, and the other for Algiers, to be landed by Captain Morris, in his way down the Mediterranean. These Turkish gentlemen brought Lord Nelson a very elegant letter from the Grand Signior; accompanied by a drawing of the Battle of the Nile, and another of the hero himself: "a curious present," pointedly says his lordship, in writing next day to Earl Spencer; "but highly flattering to me, as it marks that I am not in the least forgotten."
At this time, too, Lord Nelson received, from the inhabitants of Zante, through the hands of Mr. Speridion Forresti, the very elegant and flattering presents of a sword and cane; accompanied by a most kind and respectful letter, in which they express their grateful acknowledgments to his lordship, for having been the first cause of their liberation from French tyranny. This, though true, his lordship observed, in a very affectionate answer, was such an example of gratitude as must for ever do them the highest honour; and begs that Mr. Speridion Forresti, by whom he transmits it to them, will have the goodness to express, in fuller terms than any words which his lordship can find, his sense of their kindness, and of the wish to prove himself farther useful to them. The cane was mounted in gold, with a single circle of diamonds; the value of which was rendered incalculable, by the circumstance of the inhabitants having declared that it was their wish to have added another circle, but that they had no more diamonds in the island.
His lordship's letter to the Grand Vizier, in return for the presents and epistle from the Grand Signior, was as follows.
"Palermo, 22d Dec 1799.