INFLUENCE OF THE BRAIN ON HEALTH. 261 



disposed found their best interest in working well. 

 The decks became cleaner than they had ever been 

 before ; the people dressed themselves more tidily ; 

 the sails looked better furled ; the yards better 

 squared ; the complaints of inattention and drunkenness 

 grew daily less frequent, and an air of general happi- 

 ness, as well as neiv-born energy, spread itself over the 

 whole ship." " So magical indeed was the effect of 

 this change, that I dare swear we should then have 

 engaged and beaten an enemy, whom it might not 

 have been considered by any means prudent to have 

 brought to action a week before." (p. 17.) 



Captain Hall gives other examples of the same 

 principle, and remarks, that in this way the simple 

 fact of Nelson joining the fleet off Trafalgar was al- 

 most equivalent to double manning every ship in the 

 line. The explanation which he gives of the " mys- 

 terious agency" by which the genius of a command- 

 ing officer imparts a portion of its spirit to every one 

 under his orders is perfectly philosophical. "When 

 a person of talents is placed under an able com- 

 mander, he feels confident that nothing he does will 

 be passed without notice, and consequently that his 

 exertions must tell to his advantage, exactly in pro* 

 portion as their utility makes itself felt. This con- 

 sciousness will, of course, stimulate him to fresh 

 endeavours to excel ; and, from thus feeling sure 

 that his conduct is duly appreciated, he has an im- 

 mediate motive to bring his whole strength into 

 play an exercise which must ever produce good 

 results." 



But " suppose the case differently put, and let the 

 superior in station be the inferior in abilities or ex- 

 perience, or not so zealous in the execution of his 

 duty as the men he commands. The situation of 

 the inferior is now far from being so independent, or 

 so well calculated to draw forth his powers, as it 

 was in the first case. The subordinate officer has 

 no longer the same animated stimulus to exertion ; 



