My character and good name are in my own keeping. Life with disgrace is dreadful. A glorious death is to be envied.

Firstly, you must always implicitly obey orders, without attempting to form any opinion of your own respecting their propriety. Secondly, you must consider every man your enemy who speaks ill of your king; and thirdly, you must hate a Frenchman, as you do the devil.

If a man consults whether he is to fight, when he has the power in his own hands, it is certain that his opinion is against fighting.

The bravest man feels an anxiety 'circa praecordia' as he enters the battle; but he dreads disgrace yet more.

Never break the neutrality of a port or place, but never consider as neutral any place from whence an attack is allowed to be made.

Something must be left to chance; nothing is certain in a sea fight

England expects every man to do his duty