and that the War Office or Admiralty does not; accordingly, don't write to the papers telling the Generals and Admirals what they ought to do; but if you have an opinion that you could do it much better, keep that opinion for your own fireside, and tell it to as few people as possible.
6. Don't get nervous because the progress of the war is slow; it can only be slow in these stages.
7. Don't believe all you read in the newspapers, particularly when it comes from Berlin.
8. Don't underrate the enemy.
9. Don't waste breath in attempting to ascertain what is to happen to the German Emperor in this world or the next. We will endeavour to dispose of him in this world, and we will leave his ulterior destiny to others.
10. Don't begin to divide the German Empire before you have got hold of it.
11. Don't listen to any one who cries "Halt" before we have carried out the full purpose for which we are fighting.
12. When the war is over don't throw away its lessons.
In connection with my eleventh piece of advice let me add this. As I drove out from London just now I saw a placard announcing that a famous divine will preach next Sunday on "The Terms of Peace." I am afraid that divine is going to waste his labours. I, at any rate, shall not be in his church to listen to his advice. It will be time to discuss terms of peace when peace can be obtained with honour; but it is premature, it is impertinent, even in the pulpit, to talk about terms of peace now.
And now, how am I to end in a manner appropriate to this audience? I suppose that I ought to give you a quotation in a language which you will all understand—I need hardly say that I refer to Greek! Perhaps, however, for my own sake, you will allow me to translate it into a tongue with which I am now more familiar, and to repeat to you in English what Demosthenes said on a similar occasion to his fellow citizens in Athens, when his country was threatened by a like danger to ours:—
"Yet, O Athenians, yet is there time! And there is one manner in which you can recover your greatness, or, dying, fall worthy of your past at Marathon and Salamis. Yet, O Athenians, you have it in your power; and the manner of it is this. Cease to hire your armies. Go yourselves, every man of you, and stand in the ranks; and either a victory beyond all victories in its glory awaits you or, falling, you shall fall greatly and worthy of your past!"
