n the 8th, however, her
majesty, with the three princesses, and Prince Leopold; Sir William and
Lady Hamilton; Prince Castelcicala, who was going to England on a
special mission; and a numerous train of royal attendants, &c. were
embarked on board the Foudroyant and Alexander, which immediately
proceeded to Leghorn. After a quick but tempestuous passage, during
which his lordship was so extremely ill as to be at one time considered
in a very dangerous state, they arrived in Leghorn Roads on Saturday
evening, the 14th of June; with so fresh a gale from the west, that the
ships had sometimes gone more than eleven miles an hour. The weather
continuing bad, they were unable to land till the 16th; when Lord Nelson
steered his launch, which conveyed the queen and royal family on shore,
where they were received with all possible honours. The Governor of
Leghorn first conducted his illustrious guests to the cadethral; and
afterwards to the palace, where the queen and royal family took up
their temporary residence, while Lord Nelson and his friends were
accommodated at the British consul's. Intelligence of the unfortunate
defeat of the Austrians having just arrived, the queen was prevented
from pursuing her journey by land, as had been originally intended; and
Lord Nelson, and his friends Sir William and Lady Hamilton, were pledged
not to quit the royal family till they should be in perfect security.
The Queen of Naples, on landing safely at Leghorn, presented our hero
with a rich picture of the king; at the back of which were the initials
of her own name in diamonds, inclosed with branches of oak and laurel
intertwining each other, composed of diamonds and emeralds. Sir William
Hamilton, at the same time, received the gift of a gold snuff-box, with
a picture of the king and queen set round with diamonds; and Lady
Hamilton a most superb diamond necklace, with cyphers of all the royal
children's names, ornamented by their respective hair: the queen
observing, that she considered herself as indebted to her ladyship for
the safety of them all, by having been the means of enabling Lord Nelson
to fight the glorious battle off the Nile, and thus become their
protector. In writing to Sir John Acton, from Leghorn, his lordship
says, after mentioning the queen's agitation, on account of the
unfavourable news--"Your excellency will assure his majesty, in which
join Sir William and Lady Hamilton, that nothing shall make us quit the
queen an