This is one of the more common facsimile letters of Lord Nelson, and is frequently mistaken for an original, especially as there is an address-leaf ('Commodore Linzee / Alcide'). It is a good example of Nelson's right-handed script. The letter is dated 'Bastia, end of March or beginning of April, 1794', by Sir Nicholas Harris Nicolas (Dispatches and Letters Vol I, page 379). As is usual, though not universal, the writing is jet black rather than the dark brown that one would expect. Neither does the writing show any light and shade. All of the examples that we have seen are on unwatermarked paper.
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