Horatio Nelson Quotes

Desperate affairs require desperate measures.

Bonaparte has often made his boast, that our fleet would be worn out by keeping the sea, that his was kept in order, and increasing, by staying in port; but he now finds, I fancy, if emperors hear truth, that his fleet suffers more in a night, than ours in one year; however, thank God, the Toulon fleet is got in order again, and I hear the troops embarked, and I hope they will come out to sea in fine weather.

The measure may be thought bold, but I am of the opinion the boldest are the safest.

Duty is the great business of a sea officer; all private considerations must give way to it, however painful it may be.

In honour I gained them, and in honour I will die with them.

Victory or Westminster Abbey.

If I had been censured every time I have run my ship, or fleets under my command, into great danger, I should have long ago been out of the Service and never in the House of Peers.

Never mind manoeuvres always go at them.

There is in the handling of these Transatlantic ships a nucleus of trouble for the Navy of Great Britain.

If a man consults whether he is to fight, when he has the power in his own hands, it is certain that his opinion is against fighting.

To leave off action"? Well, damn me if I do! You know, Foley, I have only one eye,— I have a right to be blind sometimes . . . I really do not see the signal!

It is warm work; and this day may be the last to any of us at a moment. But mark you! I would not be elsewhere for thousands.

My greatest happiness is to serve my gracious King and Country and I am envious only of glory; for if it be a sin to covet glory I am the most offending soul alive.

I am myself a Norfolk man.

The Neapolitan officers did not lose much honour, for God knows they had not much to lose - but they lost all they had.