PREFACE TO THE TWENTY-THIRD VOLUME

Summary

We cannot but reflect, with some degree of satisfaction, that amidst other valuable naval documents, which our Chronicle has either originally brought forward, or been the means of rescuing from oblivion, it has given to the profession two biographical memoirs of eminent admirals, from memoranda, written by themselves, viz. Lord Nelson and Lord Collingwood; and in our present Volume we have inserted an exact copy of the letter which we received from the latter officer. To expatiate on the utility of this biographical department of our work, which has now been extended throughout twenty-three Volumes, would be superfluous: and yet we have thus ventured to glance at it, from the great difficulty we sometimes experience, in procuring information on this head from naval men of acknowledged talents and reputation. We sometimes, therefore, may seem to neglect names, which ought to appear in our biography, when the real cause of such omission does not rest with ourselves, but with the over delicacy of those leading characters in the navy, to whom we had applied. This delicacy, as it merits the respect of every one, and marks that modesty which invariably attends real merit, has been always respected by us. Many biographical memoirs that have been drawn up from materials furnished by the friends of naval officers, have frequently afterwards been withdrawn by us, on finding this nervous delicacy of professional men alarmed, and others of less importance, and that frequently at a short notice, substituted instead.