ios; for he did not expect that,
from what Lord Howe had written him on the occasion, the ship would have
been actually commissioned till about a fortnight longer.

On the 30th of January, however, being only four days, instead of
fourteen, after the date of the above letter, his commission was
actually signed; and, on the 7th of February, he joined his ship, the
Agamemnon of sixty-four guns, which was then under orders of equipment
for the Mediterranean.

His ship's company was soon raised; chiefly from Norfolk and Suffolk,
and not a few from his own immediate neighbourhood. So universally was
he esteemed, and such was even then the general opinion of his conduct
and abilities, that many gentlemen in the vicinity were desirous of
placing their sons under his command; some of whom, persons of
considerable respectability, solicited and obtained this distinguished
favour: particularly, the Reverend Mr. Bolton, his relation, brother of
Thomas Bolton, Esq. his eldest sister's husband; with the Reverend Mr.
Hoste, and the Reverend Mr. Wetherhead, his intimate friends.

Nor must it be forgotten that, on the very first appearance of actual
service, he had taken his son-in-law, young Josiah Nesbit, from school,
equipped him as a midshipman, and carried him on board the Agamemnon.

There is a curious anecdote related, and that from the very best
authority, respecting one of the young gentlemen thus taken as a
midshipman by Captain Nelson. The father of this youth, though a friend
of Captain Nelson, happened to be a very staunch whig. The youth,
therefore, he apprehended, might possibly require some little
counteraction of the principles of modern whiggism, which he did not
think very conducive to the loyalty and subordination of a young British
sailor. Accordingly, when this youth came on board, he called him into
his cabbin, and immediately addressed him in the most impressive manner,
to the following effect.

"There are three things, young gentleman," said he, "which you are
constantly to bear in mind: first, you must always implicitly obey
orders, without attempting to form any opinion of your own respecting
their propriety; secondly, you must consider every man as your enemy who
speaks ill of your king; and, thirdly, you must hate a Frenchman as you
do the devil."

The youth, who had been thus prepared, always conducted himself with
great propriety; and, it is believed, ever afterwards retained a truly
filial regard f