To do nothing was disgraceful; therefore I made use of my understanding.
Interpretation
Taking action is essential, and inaction can lead to shame.
Horatio Nelson emphasizes the importance of taking initiative and using one's intellect to make decisions. He reflects on the disgrace of idleness, suggesting that it is better to engage and utilize one's understanding rather than remain passive, as active participation is both a responsibility and a path to honor.
In practice
Using this quote in a motivational speech about taking action in personal life.
Firstly, you must always implicitly obey orders, without attempting to form any opinion of your own respecting their propriety. Secondly, you must consider every man your enemy who speaks ill of your king; and thirdly, you must hate a Frenchman, as you do the devil.
Never break the neutrality of a port or place, but never consider as neutral any place from whence an attack is allowed to be made.
Let me alone: I have yet my legs and one arm. Tell the surgeon to make haste and his instruments. I know I must lose my right arm, so the sooner it's off the better.
In honour I gained them, and in honour I will die with them.
Duty is the great business of a sea officer; all private considerations must give way to it, however painful it may be.
First gain the victory and then make the best use of it you can.
The tyranny of some is possible only through the cowardice of others.
In 70s America, protest used to be very effective, but in subsequent decades municipalities have sneakily created a web of "overpermiticisation" - requirements that were designed to stifle freedom of assembly and the right to petition government for redress of grievances, both of which are part of our first amendment.
Nathaniel closes his eyes and jumps, his arms glued to his sides like that fly's. He doesn't try to break his fall, just hits hard, because it hurts less than everything else.
A really strong woman accepts the war she went through and is ennobled by her scars.
You do wonder - when you are at 28,000 feet, the height that aeroplanes cruise at, when you are struggling to draw breath and every limb aches - why do I do this?
I remember one time being told I could not play in a basketball game at the College of William and Mary because I was black, even though I was playing with a United States Army team.
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