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Home  »  Familiar Quotations  »  4727 Horatio

John Bartlett (1820–1905). Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. 1919.

4727 Horatio

 
NUMBER:4727
AUTHOR:Horatio, Viscount Nelson (1758–1805)
QUOTATION:England expects every man to do his duty. 1
ATTRIBUTION:Life of Nelson (Southey). Vol. ii. p. 131.
 
Note 1.
This famous sentence is thus first reported: “Say to the fleet, England confides that every man will do his duty.” Captain Pasco, Nelson’s flag-lieutenant, suggested to substitute “expects” for “confides,” which was adopted. Captain Blackwood, who commanded the “Euryalis,” says that the correction suggested was from “Nelson expects” to “England expects.” [back]