d his commander.
The latter soon afterwards followed him to the poop, where Blackwood
was still awaiting his final instructions. To him Nelson said, "I will
now amuse the fleet with a signal;" and he asked if he did not think
there was one yet wanting. Blackwood replied that the whole fleet
seemed very clearly to understand what they were about, and were vying
with each other to get as near as possible to the leaders of the
columns. Upon this succeeded the celebrated signal, the development of
which to its final wording is a little uncertain. Comparing the
various accounts of witnesses, it seems probably to have been as
follows. Nelson mused for a little while, as one who phrases a thought
in his own mind before uttering it, and then said, "Suppose we
telegraph 'Nelson confides that every man will do his duty.'" In this
form it was the call of the leader to the followers, the personal
appeal of one who trusts to those in whom he trusts, a feeling
particularly characteristic of the speaker, whose strong hold over
others lay above all in the transparent and unswerving faith he showed
in their loyal support; and to arouse it now in full force he used the
watchword "duty," sure that the chord it struck in him would find its
quick response in every man of the same blood. The officer to whom the
remark was made, suggested "England" instead of "Nelson." To the fleet
it could have made no difference,--to them the two names meant the
same thing; but Nelson accepted the change with delight. "Mr. Pasco,"
he called to the signal officer, "I wish to say to the fleet, 'England
confides that every man will do his duty;'" and he added, "You must be
quick, for I have one more to make, which is for close action." This
remark shows that the columns, and particularly Collingwood's ship,
were already nearing the enemy. Pasco answered, "If your Lordship will
permit me to substitute 'expects' for 'confides,' it will be sooner
completed, because 'expects' is in the vocabulary,[141] and 'confides'
must be spelt." Nelson replied hastily, but apparently satisfied,
"That will do, Pasco, make it directly;" but the slightly mandatory
"expects" is less representative of the author of this renowned
sentence than the cordial and sympathetic "confides." It is "Allez,"
rather than "Allons;" yet even so, become now the voice of the distant
motherland, it carries with it the shade of reverence, as well as of
affection, which patriotism exacts.

It is said