justify the assertion that he ever intended to include war on the United Kingdom in his policy.  There never was a truer statement made by the Emperor than “C’est avec des hochets qu’on mene les hommes”; which is, “Men are led by trifles.”  Hence we went to war with him, and the result of it is that the race that he mistrusted most and saw the necessity of keeping severely within limits has risen up against civilization and created a world-war into which we and our Allies have been obliged to enter in self-defence.  That is the inevitable penalty we are having to pay for the action we took in helping the Germans to destroy France.  I know it is asserted it was not France but Napoleon whose power they aimed at breaking, but the one could not be broken without the other.

FOOTNOTES: 

[19] There are many conflicting accounts of Napoleon’s part in the arrest, trial, and his intention of pardoning the Duc d’Enghien.  It has been stated that he gave Murat his word that the Duc would be pardoned, and when Murat heard that the Prince had been shot, he exclaimed, “There has been treachery!” On the other hand, Bertrand was steadfast in his belief that Murat urged his immediate execution on the grounds that if it was not done at once, Napoleon would grant clemency.

[20] The terms of capitulation were agreed to and signed by Ruffo, the Russian and Turkish commanders, and by Captain Foote, representing the British Government.  Thirty-six hours afterwards Nelson arrived in the Bay of Naples, and cancelled the treaty.  Captain Foote was sent away, and the shocking indefensible campaign of Nelson’s carried out.  Nothing during the whole of Napoleon’s career can match this terrible act of Nelson’s.

[21] Italics are the author’s.

[22] “History du Consulat et de l’Empire,” vol. xix. p. 619, published August, 1861.

SEA SONGS

EXPLANATORY NOTE

These quaint old doggerel songs are taken from an admirable selection of sailor songs published by John Ashton.  The names of the writers are not given, but their strong nautical flavour and queer composition indicate their origin.  No landsman can ever imitate the sailor when the power of song or composition is on him.  He puts his own funny sentiment and descriptive faculty into his work, which is exclusively his own.

Many of the songs in Mr. Ashton’s book I have heard sung with great fervour in my early days, by a generation of men ahead of my own, who must have long since passed away.  Sometimes the audiences in the forecastle or on deck were appreciative of the efforts of the singer, but if they were not, they always had a boot or some other handy implement ready to throw at him.  The reception given to some of my own singing efforts in boyhood on these merry occasions was mixed.  Sometimes I forgot both words and tune, and had, therefore, to pass good-humouredly through the orthodox process of disapproval that was regarded as part of the entertainment.