Vice Admiral Cuthbert Collingwood: Wisdom will never go out of Fashion 7 March, 2012
Posted by Molly Joyful in Books, Cuthbert Collingwood, Family, Letters, Quotes, Royal Navy, things you don't need but probably want, Trivia, Vices and Virtues.Tags: advice, age of sail, Art, Books, collingwood, Cuthbert Collingwood, Family, Letters, personal, Quotes, Royal Navy, st. paul's cathedral, things you don't need but probably want, Vices and Virtues
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Vice Admiral Cuthbert Collingwood, 1st Baron Collingwood, died on 7th March, 1810 at the age of 61. Unfortunately, we couldn’t visit St. Paul’s Cathedral today as I’ve just started a new job, but be assured that “Old Cuddy” wasn’t deprieved of his annual gift of flowers. A very lovely flowerbox with red roses and berries, not unlike the one from last year, was placed on his tomb.
So rather than paying my respects in person, I’ll do so in writing. I won’t talk about naval battle strategies or politics, though. When asked why I took such an interest in some old admiral who died a gazillion of years ago, I usually say: “People with common sense never go out of fashion.” Collingwood was born in 1748, but had a more modern approach to many things and better understanding of human nature than a good number of people nowadays.
On 17 April, 1809, Collingwood wrote a letter to his daughters while aboard his ship, the Ville de Paris, anchored off Minorca. I dare say that we’d all live in a much better world if some of the advice he gave his girls was headed today. Actually, I petition for his pieces of advice to be printed on a 4x20ft banner and put up in the Houses of Parliament. I suggest neon pink vinyl, so that really nobody can miss it.
The education of a lady, and indeed of a gentleman too, may be divided into three parts; all of great importance to their happiness, but in different degrees.
The first part ist the cultivation of the mind, that they may have a knowledge of right and wrong, and acquire a habit of doing acts of virtue and honour. By reading history, you will perceive the high estimation in wihch the memories of good and virtuous people are held; the contempt and disgust which are affixed to the base, whatever may have been their rank in life.
The second part of education is to acquire a competent knowledge how to manage your affairs, whatever they may happen to be; to know how to direct the economy of your house; and to keep exact accounts of every thing which concerns you. Whoever cannot do this must be dependent on somebody else, and those who are dependent on another cannot be perfectly at their ease. (…)
The third part is, perhaps, no less in value than the others. It is how to practise those manners and that address which will recommend you to the respect of strangers. Boldness and forwardness are exceedingly disgusting, and such people are generally more disliked the more they are known; but, at the same time, shyness and bashfulness, and the shrinking from conversation with those with whom you ought to associate, are repulsive and unbecoming.
This quote was taken from the excellent book “The Five Hundred Best English Letters”, selected and edited by The First Earl of Birkenhead, first published in 1931. I’d like to thank Esteven for the many hours of enjoyment I spent reading it.
Letter by Collingwood up for auction: “Etc. etc. etc., Collingwood” 16 October, 2010
Posted by Molly Joyful in Books, Cuthbert Collingwood, Events, Family, Lady Sarah, Letters, Quotes, Royal Navy, things you don't need but probably want, Trivia, Vices and Virtues.Tags: age of sail, auction, Books, collingwood, collingwood 2010, Cuthbert Collingwood, Events, Family, Lady Sarah, Letters, Nelson, personal, Quotes, Royal Navy, things you don't need but probably want, trafalgar, Vices and Virtues
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If you should have a spare £ 1’000.00 in your piggy bank (plus £ 2.20 for postage), you have the chance to become the owner of a letter Cuthbert Collingwood sent to Captain Hoste in HMS Amphion “by Hind”, reporting the presence of a French frigate at Palma, and ordering him to attack if the enemy ship “is found to be in a situation where she is assailable”. The letter was written “off Toulon, 4 May 1808″.
CLICK HERE TO HAVE A LOOK AT THE AUCTION
Letter from Vice Admiral Lord Collingwood to Captain William Hoste, 1808
As most of us very likely don’t have that amount of money to spend on letters, I recommend you purchase
THE OFFICIAL FESTIVAL BROCHURE
instead. It contains articles, never-before seen pictures and commentaries.
The price is £5.00 + £0.60 p&p in the UK, £5.00 + £2.00 p&p in the rest of Europe and £5.00 + £3.35 p&p if ordered from elsewhere in the world. Credit card orders may be placed by telephone 0191 – 2650040 (from overseas +44 191 2650040) or send an email directly to the publisher, Powdene Publicity, on info @ powdene.com – thanks!
This is a must-have item for all Collingwoodites!
From the written word to music: has anybody attended the event with The New Scorpion Band in Collingwood’s honour on the 9th October? I haven’t found any reviews so far; Ylla was there and commented on it, but if anybody else should have been there, please yell and let us know what it was like.
UPCOMING EVENTS
21st October is coming closer, and the good people of North Tyneside Council have organised
Toast the Admiral!
At 1200 midday on 21st October 1805, the opening salvo was fired in the Battle of Trafalgar as Vice-Admiral Collingwood’s Royal Sovereign came within range of the French ship Fougeaux. At 12.00 midday on this year’s Trafalgar Day, we will “raise a glass” to Collingwood’s memory at the monument in Tynemouth. This forms the last public event of the Collingwood 2010 Festival and everyone who is a follower of Collingwood and the Festival is welcome to attend.
Proceedings will start at 11.30am and the toast will be at 12.00 noon.
For more information, please consult the Official Collingwood 2010 Website.
“This forms the last public event of the 2010 Festival” – what about the future?
My health has unfortunately forced me these last months to cut back drastically on my time spent in front of a computer, TV set or anything else that’s flickering and blinking. So, until very recently, I’ve planned to stop updating this blog on Trafalgar Day and leave it up as a part of the 2010 celebrations; an archive, so to speak.
And then I thought: there are 8089230582395238 blogs in honour of Lady Gaga, but only one exclusively dedicated to Old Cuddy (to my knowledge, maybe there are 8709089080 others out there I haven’t found yet), get over yourself, woman!
So I’m very happy to tell you that not only “Old Cuddy” will stay, it will also be updated whenever I come across something interesting and Collingwood-related.
Furthermore, I can confirm that laying flowers in front of Lord Collingwood’s grave at St. Paul’s Cathedral will become a yearly event.
Our dear regular reader ShipRat has posted a lovely excerpt recently from the correspondence between Collingwood and his wife, which I just have to share:
Queen, off Carthagena, Dec. 20, 1805.
“… The editors of the Naval Chronicle have written to me for the history of my life and progress, for which they are pleased to say the world is very impatient. Now this rather embarrasses me, for I never could bear the trumpeter of his own praise. So, to get rid of it as well as I can, I have employed _____ to write a history for me. For my birth and parentage he has selected two or three chapters of Bamfylde Moore Carew*: for my service in the ‘West Indies and on the Spanish main, he has good assistance in the History of the Buccaneers; and for my shipwreck he has copied a great deal out of Robinson Crusoe: all which, with a few anecdotes from the Lives of the Admirals, a little distorted, will make, I am inclined to think, a very respectable piece of biography.”
*i.e., “The Life and Adventures of Bampfylde Moore Carew, the noted Devonshire stroller and dogstealer“ (1745) a.k.a. “The Accomplished Vagabond”
He didn’t like to trumpet his own praise, but I think he can live with one wee blog. ;-)
Fantastic news: Max Adams’ “Collingwood – Northumberland’s Heart of Oak” as Audio Book – for free! 13 July, 2010
Posted by Molly Joyful in Books, Cuthbert Collingwood, Events, General, Online articles, Royal Navy, things you don't need but probably want, Vices and Virtues.Tags: age of sail, audio books, Books, collingwood, collingwood 2010, Cuthbert Collingwood, Events, max adams, newcastle, Online articles, things you don't need but probably want, trafalgar, Vices and Virtues
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A wave of updates has swept across the Official Collingwood 2010 Website, and I hope I won’t forget to point anything of importance out in this entry.
First things first, though, because I know how many of you are truly dedicated aficionados of audio books!
MAX ADAMS’ “COLLINGWOOD – NORTHUMBERLAND’s HEART OF OAK” IS NOW AVAILABLE AS AN AUDIO BOOK!
And what’s more: it’s for free!
“Collingwood – Northumberland’s Heart of Oak” has been split into 12 individual parts and is available from the official website (please click the link above). And please don’t let the audio book keep you from buying the print edition! An illustrated bicentenary edition of the printed book is available from Newcastle Libraries, Tyne Bridge Publishing.
Also new on the website is an addition that I find very important, and which I’d like to recommend especially to the teachers and homeschoolers among you:
Teaching materials, lessons plans and resources for you to educate (yourself, your students or young ones) on all things Collingwood. His portrayal here on this blog is, of course, biased in favour of Collingwood. I’m not blind to his shortcomings, though, and had we ever met, it might have ended in a huge argument and broken plates… well. Here you’ll find everything for you and others to make up their own mind.
For further research, you can find all relevant (and other) information on Collingwood here:
His life, his achievements, his fights – it’s all here, with a very helpful timeline. Perfect for those who don’t want to read all the books!
And of course, always keep an eye on
where you’ll find all scheduled events. Check back regularly to see if anything’s on that you might be interested in.
Upcoming events are:
Tue 13th – Sun 18th July 2010
‘Heroes, Past and Present’ Festival: flower and music festival
(assoc. – they have adopted Collingwood as a hero past)
And an event close to all our hearts:
Sat 7th- Tue 10th August 2010
Tallships Hartlepool 2010
(assoc.)
What else? Ah, you’ll have to wait for a little while, this year’s Trafalgar Day promises to prove some goodies for us Collingwoodies!
And I have some updates as well. I wish my days had 48 hours, then I could get more done…
Quote #1: “You do not find pigeons associated with hawks…” 17 January, 2010
Posted by Molly Joyful in Cuthbert Collingwood, Lane, Letters, Quotes, Vices and Virtues.Tags: advice, Cuthbert Collingwood, Letters, Quotes, Vices and Virtues
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Going home on a Saturday night after the movies is like hopscotch- it’s difficult not to step on some completely plastered git (male or female) passed out on the pavement. Reading through Collingwood’s correspondence, I think it’s safe to say that he wouldn’t have approved. Or spent his summer holidays on Ibiza.
Every day affords you instances of the evils arising from drunkenness. Were a man as wise as Solomon, and as brave as Achilles, he would still be unworthy of trust if he addicted himself to grog. (…)
We can also rule out that he’d ever have participated in “I’m A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here”…
Young men are generally introduced to this vice by the company they keep: but do you carefully guard against ever submitting yourself to be the companion of low, vulgar, and dissipated men; and hold it as a maxim, that you had better be alone than in mean company.
Quote: “Dear Lane…” – Cuthbert Collingwood, London, Nov 7, 1787
