ill she sank. "I have taken
the depth of the water," added he, "and when the _Venerable_ goes down
my flag will still fly." And you observe this is no naked Viking in a
pre-historic period; but a Scottish member of Parliament, with a
smattering of the classics, a telescope, a cocked hat of great size, and
flannel underclothing. In the same spirit, Nelson went into Aboukir with
six colours flying; so that even if five were shot away, it should not
be imagined he had struck. He too must needs wear his four stars outside
his Admiral's frock, to be a butt for sharpshooters. "In honour I gained
them," he said to objectors, adding with sublime illogicality, "in
honour I will die with them." Captain Douglas of the _Royal Oak_, when
the Dutch fired his vessel in the Thames, sent his men ashore, but was
burned along with her himself rather than desert his post without
orders. Just then, perhaps the Merry Monarch was chasing a moth round
the supper-table with the ladies of his court. When Raleigh sailed into
Cadiz, and all the forts and ships opened fire on him at once, he
scorned to shoot a gun, and made answer with a flourish of insulting
trumpets. I like this bravado better than the wisest dispositions to
ensure victory; it comes from the heart and goes to it. God has made
nobler heroes, but He never made a finer gentleman than Walter Raleigh.
And as our Admirals were full of heroic superstitions, and had a
strutting and vainglorious style of fight, so they discovered a
startling eagerness for battle, and courted war like a mistress. When
the news came to Essex before Cadiz that the attack had been decided, he
threw his hat into the sea. It is in this way that a schoolboy hears of
a half-holiday; but this was a bearded man of great possessions who had
just been allowed to risk his life. Benbow could not lie still in his
bunk after he had lost his leg; he must be on deck in a basket to
direct and animate the fight. I said they loved war like a mistress; yet
I think there are not many mistresses we should continue to woo under
similar circumstances. Trowbridge went ashore with the _Culloden_, and
was able to take no part in the battle of the Nile. "The merits of that
ship and her gallant captain," wrote Nelson to the Admiralty, "are too
well known to benefit by anything I could say. Her misfortune was great
in getting aground, _while her more fortunate companions were in the
full tide of happiness_." This is a notable expression,