Letters of the English Seamen : 1587-1808 |
Contents
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Common terms and phrases
action Admiral Collingwood Admiral Hawke Admiralty affectionate Armada attack Barfleur battle Battle of Portland believe Blake bless boats Brest Cadiz Captain chase chasse-marée Collingwood command DEAR LORD DEAR SIR dearest Drake duty enemy enemy's engaged England English faithful favour feel fight fire flag force French fleet French ships frigates gallant give glorious glory guns happy harbour hath Hawke heart hope HORATIO NELSON humble servant Jervis killed Lady Hamilton letter Lieutenant Lord Anson LORD HAWKE Lord Nelson Lordship loss Majesty Majesty's masts mind morning naval Navy NELSON AND BRONTE never night o'clock officers pleased received Rodney Royal sail sailors seamen sent shore shot signal Sir Charles Middleton Sir George SIR SAMUEL HOOD Spain Spaniards Spanish spirit Spithead squadron tells thanks Trafalgar Troubridge unto Victory victual Vincent whole wind windward wish wounded write wrote
Popular passages
Page 52 - He was the first that infused that proportion of courage into the seamen, by making them see by experience, what mighty things they could do, if they were resolved ; and taught them to fight in fire as well as upon water: and though he had been very well imitated and followed, he was the first that gave the example of that kind of naval courage, and bold and resolute achievements.
Page 160 - Have you not often heard,' says he, in another letter, 'that salt water and absence always wash away love ? Now I am such a heretic as not to believe that faith ; for, behold, every morning I have had six pails of salt water poured upon my head, and instead of finding what seamen say to be true, it goes on so contrary to the prescription, that you must, perhaps, see me before the fixed time.
Page 178 - ... country are at stake. It added very much to the satisfaction which I felt in thumping the Spaniards, that I released you a little. The highest rewards are due to you and Culloden : you formed the plan of attack,— we were only accessories to the Don's ruin ; for, had they got on the other tack, they would have been sooner joined, and the business would have been less complete.
Page 65 - Honours know in general that there was much baseness of spirit, not among the merchantmen only, but many of the State's ships, and therefore I make it my humble request that your Honours would be pleased to send down some gentlemen to take an impartial and strict examination of the deportment of several commanders, that you may know who are to be confided in and who are not. It will then be...
Page 55 - ... other Castles, Eight of them in all, bristling with great guns ; war-ships moored at the entrance, war-frigates moored all round the beach, and men and gunners at command : one great magazine of sleeping thunder and destruction : to appearance, if you wish for sure suicide to run into, this must be it. Blake, taking measure of the business, runs into it, defying its loud thunder ; much out-thunders it, — mere whirlwinds of fire and iron hail, the old Peak never heard the like ; — silences...
Page 214 - Earl St. Vincent, writing to her at this time, says, "Ten thousand most grateful thanks are due to your ladyship for restoring the health of our invaluable friend Nelson, on whose life the fate of the remaining governments in Europe, whose system has not been deranged by these devils, depends. Pray do not let your fascinating Neapolitan dames approach too near him, for he is made of flesh and blood, and cannot resist their temptations.
Page 5 - Parma; for with the grace of God, if we live, I doubt it not but ere it be long so to handle the matter with the Duke of Sidonia as he shall wish himself at St. Mary Port among his orange trees.
Page 22 - There must be a beginning of any great matter, but the continuing unto the end until it be thoroughly finished yields the true glory.
Page 31 - I have order but for two months' victuals beginning the 24th of April, whereof one whole month may be spent before we come there, the other month's victual will be thought, with the least to bring us back again ; here may the whole service and honour be lost for the sparing of a few crowns.
Page 284 - Victory, October 19th, 1805. MY DEAREST ANGEL, — I was made happy by the pleasure of receiving your letter of September 19th, and I rejoice to hear that you are so very good a girl, and love my dear Lady Hamilton, who most dearly loves you. Give her a kiss for me.