of health, and supposed infirmities arising from his former wounds and
hard services, precluded the probability of his long surviving the
battle of Trafalgar, had he fortunately escaped the Enemy's shot: but
the Writer of this can assert that HIS LORDSHIP'S health was uniformly
good, with the exception of some slight attacks of indisposition arising
from accidental causes; and which never continued above two or three
days, nor confined him in any degree with respect to either exercise or
regimen:[29] and during the last twelve months of his life, he
Complained only three times in this way. It is true, that HIS LORDSHIP,
about the meridian of life, had been subject to frequent fits of the
gout: which disease however, as well as his constitutional tendency to
it, he totally overcame by abstaining for the space of nearly two years
from animal food, and wine and all other fermented drink; confining his
diet to vegetables, and commonly milk and water. And it is also a fact,
that early in life, when he first went to sea, he left off the use of
salt, which he then believed to be the sole cause of scurvy, and never
took it afterwards with his food.

HIS LORDSHIP used a great deal of exercise, generally walking on deck
six or seven hours in the day. He always rose early, for the most part
shortly after day-break. He breakfasted in summer about six, and at
seven in winter: and if not occupied in reading or writing dispatches,
or examining into the details of the Fleet, he walked on the
quarter-deck the greater part of the forenoon; going down to his cabin
occasionally to commit to paper such incidents or reflections as
occurred to him during that time, and as might be hereafter useful to
the service of his country. He dined generally about half past two
o'clock. At his table there were seldom less than eight or nine persons,
consisting of the different Officers of the ship: and when the weather
and the service permitted, he very often had several of the Admirals and