On the Ocean 237 



have such an opportunity. Hull would not have 

 committed either error, and would, for the matter 

 of that, have been an overmatch for either com 

 mander. But it must always be remembered that 

 Lawrence's encounters with the English had not 

 been such as to give him a high opinion of them. 

 The only foe he had fought had been inferior in 

 strength, it is true, but had hardly made any effec 

 tive resistance. Another sloop, of equal, if not 

 superior force, had tamely submitted to blockade 

 for several days, and had absolutely refused to fight. 

 And there can be no doubt that the Chesapeake, 

 unprepared though she was, would have been an 

 overmatch for the Guerrierc, Macedonian, or Java. 

 Altogether it is hard to blame Lawrence for going 

 out, and in every other respect his actions never 

 have been, nor will be, mentioned, by either friend 

 or foe, without the wannest respect. But that is 

 no reason for insisting that he was ruined purely 

 by an adverse fate. We will do far better to recol 

 lect that as much can be learned from reverses as 

 from victories. Instead of flattering ourselves by 

 saying the defeat was due to chance, let us try to 

 find out what the real cause was, and then take 

 care that it does not have an opportunity to act 

 again. A little less rashness would have saved 

 Lawrence's life and his frigate, while a little more 

 audacity on one occasion would have made Com 

 modore Chauncy famous for ever. And whether 

 a lesson is to be learned or not, a historian should 

 remember that his profession is not that of a 



