‘It is just the kind of thing Nelson might have done — prompt — straight at ’em.’
‘You know Lord Nelson, sir?’
‘I had the honour of serving under him at the Nile,’ said Jack, ‘and of dining in his company twice.’ His face broke into a smile at the recollection.
‘May I beg you to tell me what kind of man he is?’
‘Oh, you would take to him directly, I am sure. He is very slight — frail — I could pick him up (I mean no disrespect) with one hand. But you know he is a very great man directly. There is something in philosophy called an electrical particle, is there not? A charged atom, if you follow me. He spoke to me one each occasion. The first time it was to say, “May I trouble you for the salt, sir?” — I have always said it as close as I can to his way ever since — you may have noticed it. But the second time I was trying to make my neighbour, a soldier, understand our naval tactics — weather-gage, breaking the line, and so on — and in a pause he leant over with such a smile and said, “Never mind manoeuvres, always go at them.” I shall never forget it: never mind manoeuvres — always go at ’em. And at that same dinner he was telling us all how someone had offered him a boat-cloak on a cold night and he had said no, he was quite warm — his zeal for his King and country kept him warm. It sounds absurd, as I tell it, does it not? And was it another man, any other man, you would cry out “oh, what pitiful stuff” and dismiss it as mere enthusiasm; but with him you feel your bosom glow.’

Master and Commander – Patrick O’Brian