The ruler of the French nation, in spite of Nelson’s views, would have made a better ally than enemy.  But it often happens that nations, as well as individuals, lose their psychological opportunity.  And we will risk a belief that if Nelson and Bonaparte met they would have found an affinity between them that would have made the two men friends.  Southey says that the title “Duke of Thunder” is essentially applicable to Nelson, but the writer has failed to find anything to warrant such an opinion.

Nelson’s professional pride was for ever being needlessly hurt by Admiralty tactlessness.  He had good reason on many occasions to take offence at their clumsiness.  One of numerous grievances was Sir Sydney Smith being, to all appearances, put over him.  He wrote to Lord St. Vincent, and reminded him that he was a man, and that it was impossible for him to serve in the Mediterranean under a junior officer.  St. Vincent prevailed on him not to resign, but Sir Sydney Smith wished to carry out a policy towards the French in Egypt which Nelson hotly disapproved, and he commands him on no account to permit a single Frenchman to leave the country.  He considered it would be madness to permit a band of thieves to return to Europe.  “To Egypt,” he says, “they went of their own accord, and they shall remain there while he commanded the squadron.  Never will he consent to the return of one ship or Frenchman.  I wish them to perish in Egypt, and give an awful lesson to the world of the justice of the Almighty.”  It will be observed how characteristically sailorly he is in his leanings on Divine monopoly in punishing the “bloody Corsican” for his wickedness in waging war against Britain.  His profound belief was that the Almighty presided over our destinies then, just as the German Kaiser claims that He is presiding over his national affairs now; and, as I have pointed out before, each of the belligerents calls upon Him in beseeching reverence as a Divine compatriot, to give this Almighty power to aid in demolishing their common foe, who has broken every law of God and man.  This form of blasphemy is as rampant now as it ever was.  It is not a hungry belief in God that gives the initial impulse for human slaughter.  It is a craving lust for the invention of all that is devilish in expeditiously disposing of human life.

The international democracies who are devoting so much attention to political ascendancy should distribute their power in a way that would make it impossible for weak Governments, composed of mediocrities and bellicose rulers of nations, to make war whenever their impertinent ambitions are impressed with the sanguinary rage of conflict.