ENGLAND EXPECTS EVERY MAN TO DO HIS DUTY,

which sent a thrill of fiery enthusiasm throughout the whole fleet.  Then the signal for “Close action” went up, and the cheering was renewed, which created a remarkable effect.  Collingwood, whose attention was wholly on a Spanish three-decker that he had selected to engage, is reported to have been irritated, and spontaneously expressed the wish that “Nelson would cease signalling, as they all knew what to do.”

At noon the French ship, the Fougeux, fired the first shot of the battle.  The belligerent admirals saluted in the good old pious style, like professional boxers shaking hands before the attempt to knock each other out, and in a few more minutes were engaged in deadly conflict, hurling death at each other.  Nelson, in his courageous melancholy way, confident of his own powers and trusting reverently in the continuance of the lavish bounty of God, resigned his fate to Him who had given him the opportunity of doing his duty.  The conspicuous splendour of the decorations which he wore on the breast of his admiral’s frocker was apprehensively looked upon by his comrades, who loved him with touching loyalty.  They muttered their disappointment to each other, but shrank from hurting his feelings by warning him of the danger of the sharpshooters, to whom he would be a target, remembering how he had sharply replied to some anxious soul who on a previous occasion had cautioned him with regard to his prominent appearance, “that in honour he had gained his orders, and in honour he would die with them.”

The battle quickly developed into a carnage.  The Bucentaure had found her range soon after twelve o’clock, when some of the shots went over the Victory.  Blackwood was at this time ordered to rejoin his ship.  He shook hands with his chief, and in some brief parting words expressed the “hope that he would soon return to the Victory to find him well and in possession of twenty prizes”; and Nelson is reported to have calmly answered, “God bless you, Blackwood, I shall never speak to you again.”  His habit was to refer to death with eager frankness, and as though he were in love with it, without in the least showing any lack of alertness or detraction from the hazardous objects he had set himself to fulfil.  His faith in the powerful aid of the Omnipotent was as unvarying in his sphere of warfare as was Cromwell’s when he had the stern realities of human unruliness to steady and chastise.  Nelson, like the latter, had in his peculiar way a deep-rooted awe and fear of God, which must have made him oblivious to all other fear.  The magnificent fellow never showed greater mastery of the science of strategy, nor did he ever scan with greater vigilance the manner of carrying out the creation of his genius.  Collingwood, who was first in the thick of the fight, set his heart throbbing with pride and admiration when he observed the Royal Sovereign dash through the lines