, resulted an
entire and wholly beneficial revolution in the science and practice of
naval warfare. And, though many of his personal wrongs were redressed,
he was allowed to die without the complete wiping out of the stain that
had been put upon his honour.

Of this long course of suffering, it must be admitted, he was himself in
some measure the cause. Endowed, as few others have been endowed, with
the highest mental qualities, he lacked other qualities necessary to
worldly advancement and the prosperous enjoyment of life. Truth and
justice he made the guiding principles of all his actions; but he knew
nothing of expediency, and was no adept in the arts of prudence.
Unrivalled strategy was displayed by him in all his warlike enterprises;
but against the strategy of his fellow-workers he was utterly
defenceless. He made enemies where a cautious man might have made
friends, and he allowed those enemies to assail him, and to inflict upon
him injuries almost irreparable, with weapons and by onslaughts which a
cautious man would easily have warded off. Judged by the harshest rules
of worldly wisdom, however, it must be acknowledged that these faults
brought upon him far heavier punishment than he merited. And perhaps it
will be deemed by posterity that they were faults very nearly akin to
virtues.

The same want of prudence caused trouble to him in other respects. It
led him, in furtherance of the inventions and other projects by which he
sought to benefit the world, into expenses by which his scanty sources
of income were very heavily taxed. It also sometimes made him the victim
of others. Guileless himself, he was not proof against the guile of many
with whom he came in contact. Every kind word sounded in his ear, every
kind act appeared in his eye, as if it proceeded from a heart as full of
kindness as his own, and he often lavished sympathy and gratitude on
unworthy objects. But shall we blame him for this?

Kindness, indeed, was as much a characteristic of him as valour. While
the world was full of the fame of his warlike achievements, all who came
within the circle of his acquaintance marvelled to find a man so simple,
so tender, so generous, and so courteous. When he was bowed down by
sorrows that nearly crushed him, he sought comfort in zealous efforts
for alleviating the sufferings of others.

Fortunate circumstances would have placed him in a station of universal
honour, which he could have occupied to the adm