glorious result
if fourteen were captured. He replied: "I shall not be satisfied with
less than twenty." Soon afterwards he asked him if he did not think
there was a signal wanting. Captain Blackwood made answer, that he
thought the whole fleet seemed very clearly to understand what they were
about. These words were scarcely spoken before that signal was made,
which will be remembered as long as the language, or even the memory, of
England shall endure; Nelson's last signal:--"ENGLAND EXPECTS EVERY MAN
TO DO HIS DUTY!" It was received throughout the fleet with a shout of
answering acclamation, made sublime by the spirit which it breathed, and
the feeling which it expressed. "Now," said Lord Nelson, "I can do no
more. We must trust to the great Disposer of all events, and the justice
of our cause. I thank God for this great opportunity of doing my duty."

He wore that day, as usual, his admiral's frock-coat, bearing on the
left breast four stars, of the different orders with which he was
invested. Ornaments which rendered him so conspicuous a mark for the
enemy were beheld with ominous apprehensions by his officers. It was
known that there were riflemen on board the French ships, and it could
not be doubted but that his life would be particularly aimed at. They
communicated their fears to each other; and the surgeon, Mr. Beatty,
spoke to the chaplain Dr. Scott, and to Mr. Scott the public secretary,
desiring that some person would entreat him to change his dress,
or cover the stars; but they knew that such a request would highly
displease him. "In honour I gained them," he had said when such a thing
had been hinted to him formerly, "and in honour I will die with them."
Mr. Beatty, however, would not have been deterred by any fear of
exciting his displeasure from speaking to him himself upon a subject in
which the weal of England, as well as the life of Nelson, was concerned;
but he was ordered from the deck before he could find an opportunity.
This was a point upon which Nelson's officers knew that it was hopeless
to remonstrate or reason with him; but both Blackwood, and his own
captain, Hardy, represented to him how advantageous to the fleet it
would be for him to keep out of action as long as possible; and he
consented at last to let the LEVIATHAN and the TEMERAIRE, which were
sailing abreast of the VICTORY, he ordered to pass ahead. Yet even here
the last infirmity of this noble mind was indulged, for these ships
co