Horatio Nelson's Quotes

Firstly you must always implicitly obey orders, without attempting to form any opinion of your own regarding their propriety. Secondly, you must consider every man your enemy who speaks ill of your king; and thirdly you must hate a Frenchman as you hate the devil.

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

Time is everything; five minutes make the difference between victory and defeat.

England expects that every man will do his duty.

Gentlemen, when the enemy is committed to a mistake we must not interrupt him too soon.

I could not tread these perilous paths in safety, if I did not keep a saving sense of humor.

First gain the victory and then make the best use of it you can.

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

No captain can do very wrong if he places his ship alongside that of the enemy.

Buonaparte has often made his boast that our fleet would be worn out by keeping the sea and that his was kept in order and increasing by staying in port; but know he finds, I fancy, if Emperors hear the truth, that his fleet suffers more in a night than ours in one year.

Desperate affairs require desperate measures.

Our country will, I believe, sooner forgive an officer for attacking an enemy than for letting it alone.

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 cannot command winds and weather.

I cannot, if I am in the field of glory, be kept out of sight: wherever there is anything to be done, there Providence is sure to direct my steps.

I have only one eye, I have a right to be blind sometimes... I really do not see the signal!

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.

My character and good name are in my own keeping. Life with disgrace is dreadful. A glorious death is to be envied.

Never break the neutrality of a port or place, but never consider as neutral any place from whence an attack is allowed to be made.

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.

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. - at the Battle of Copenhagen.

Let me alone: I have yet my legs and one arm. Tell the surgeon to make haste and his instruments. I know I must lose my right arm, so the sooner it's off the better.

Now I can do no more. We must trust to the Great Disposer of all events and the justice of our cause. I thank God for this opportunity of doing my duty.