Quotes by Horatio Nelson

“Gentlemen, when the enemy is committed to a mistake we must not interrupt him too soon.”

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

“England expects that every man will do his duty.”

“I owe all my success in life to having always been a quarter of an hour beforehand”

“You must hate a Frenchman as you do the devil”

“No captain can do very wrong if he places his ship alongside that of the enemy.”

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

“Time is everything; five minutes make the difference between victory and defeat.”

“First gain the victory and then make the best use of it you can.”

“Firstly you must always implicitly obey orders, without attempting to form any opinion of your own regarding 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 hate the devil.”

No captain can do very wrong if he places his ship alongside that of the enemy.

Aft the more honour, forward the better man

Gentlemen, when the enemy is committed to a mistake we must not interrupt him too soon.

First gain the victory and then make the best use of it you can.

Something must be left to chance nothing is sure in a sea fight.

Something must be left to chance nothing is sure in a sea fight beyond all others.

But in case signals can neither be seen or perfectly understood no captain can do very wrong if he places his ship alongside the enemy.

Duty is the great business of a sea officer; all private considerations must give way to it, however painful it may be.

I could not tread these perilous paths in safety, if I did not keep a saving sense of humor.

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