he evening his friends, desirous to be with him a little longer that
night than had been permitted before, on purpose to entertain him, and
enjoy his conversation for a last time, sent to Admiral _Boscawen_,
requesting that indulgence; which was granted for as long as they
pleased; but he himself desired they would not exceed the hour of eight,
being then about seven: and added, that as they would be so obliging as to
pass the evening with him, he must ask them to drink a glass with him. He
then ordered a small bowl of punch to be made; and when all were seated
round the table, he obligingly helped every one, and taking his own glass
with a little punch in it, "_My friends_, said he, _here is all your
healths, and God bless you all: I am pleased to find I have some friends
still, notwithstanding my misfortunes_." When he had drank, and set his
glass down, he added, "_I am to die to-morrow; and as my country requires
my blood, I am ready to resign it, though I do not as yet know what my
crime is. I think my judges, in justice to posterity, to officers who come
after us, should have explained my crime a little more, and pointed out
the way to avoid falling into the same errors I did. As the sentence and
resolutions stand now, I am persuaded no Admiral will be wiser hereafter
by them, or know better how to conduct himself on the like occasion_."
Observing one of the company who had his eyes attentively fixed upon him,
while he was speaking, "_My friend_," said he, "_I understand reproof in
that grave look. It is a long time since I have spoke so much upon the
subject, and you now think I say too much: perhaps I do so_." "Far from
presuming to mean any reproof," answered the gentleman, "I am all
attention to what you say, Sir; and though all of us here are satisfied of
these truths, yet we must be pleased to hear you make them plainer." "_Be
it so_," replied he; "_but I shall only add one remark more. I am supposed
not to have relieved and assisted the van: who then did assist the van,
and relieve the three disabled ships, who were upon the brink of being
attacked by the body of the enemy? Though the enemy did fire upon them[2],
there is but one witness who says they received damage at that time. May
not that one witness be mistaken, who was on board the ship considerably
the farthest removed from the enemy of the three, and who had dropt there
out of her station, by being disabled before? And why did the enemy bear
away from