JET. 28.] MISSION TO PORTUGAL. 331 



at sea or when we reached the Tagus, and we all felt 

 desirous that it should end one way or another. 

 When we arrived, however, there was no prospect of 

 the kind. We found none of the fleet off the coast ; 

 it had all entered without the least opposition, or any 

 delay whatever interposed ; and then we found the 

 great admiral's plan clearly explained. 



I could not but recollect who this illustrious man 

 was, with and under whom it had become my lot to 

 act : not only his achievements, of which I had heard 

 Pitt, when in the act of moving a censure upon his 

 naval administration, " extol the vast renown," declar- 

 ing that they " shed a new lustre on our national 

 glory, and made his name a tower of strength in every 

 naval capacity/'? but his other great qualities, of 

 which, on the same occasion, I had heard Fox, in his 

 factious co-operation with his rival's proceeding, pro- 

 fess his unstinted " admiration when he found him 

 possessing in so high a degree what he truly described 

 as so much more rare than gallantry in the field, civil 

 courage and decision/' t Thus impressed with a deep 

 sense of his genius both in war and peace, I felt the 

 greatest deference for his judgment no less as a states- 

 man than a warrior; and it may well be supposed 

 how closely I observed his proceedings, and how 

 anxiously I cultivated his friendship. I soon found 

 that, like all great men, though having entire confi- 

 dence in his own judgment, he received patiently, 

 even kindly, any doubts or objections proposed by 



* House of Commons, 15th March 1804. f Same debate. 



