at secret spirit of
hatred to the service which induced the spiking above referred to. But
even in cases where no deep-seated dissatisfaction was presumed to
prevail among the crew, and where a seaman, in time of action, impelled
by pure fear, "shirked from his gun;" it seems but flying in the face
of Him who made such a seaman what he constitutionally was, to sew
_coward_ upon his back, and degrade and agonise the already trembling
wretch in numberless other ways. Nor seems it a practice warranted by
the Sermon on the Mount, for the officer of a battery, in time of
battle, to stand over the men with his drawn sword (as was done in the
Macedonian), and run through on the spot the first seaman who showed a
semblance of fear. Tawney told me that he distinctly heard this order
given by the English Captain to his officers of divisions. Were the
secret history of all sea-fights written, the laurels of sea-heroes
would turn to ashes on their brows.

And how nationally disgraceful, in every conceivable point of view, is
the IV. of our American Articles of War: "If any person in the Navy
shall pusillanimously cry for quarter, he shall suffer death." Thus,
with death before his face from the foe, and death behind his back from
his countrymen, the best valour of a man-of-war's-man can never assume
the merit of a noble spontaneousness. In this, as in every other case,
the Articles of War hold out no reward for good conduct, but only
compel the sailor to fight, like a hired murderer, for his pay, by
digging his grave before his eyes if he hesitates.

But this Article IV. is open to still graver objections. Courage is the
most common and vulgar of the virtues; the only one shared with us by
the beasts of the field; the one most apt, by excess, to run into
viciousness. And since Nature generally takes away with one hand to
counter-balance her gifts with the other, excessive animal courage, in
many cases, only finds room in a character vacated of loftier things.
But in a naval officer, animal courage is exalted to the loftiest
merit, and often procures him a distinguished command.

Hence, if some brainless bravo be Captain of a frigate in action, he
may fight her against invincible odds, and seek to crown himself with
the glory of the shambles, by permitting his hopeless crew to be
butchered before his eyes, while at the same time that crew must
consent to be slaughtered by the foe, under penalty of being murdered
by the law. Look