--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Treat every Frenchman as if he was the…" description: "\"Treat every Frenchman as if he was the devil himself.\" — Horatio Nelson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f5/horatio-nelson-11575_devil_treat-every-frenchman-as-if-he-was-the-d_791781.png" --- # Treat every Frenchman as if he was the devil himself. ![“Treat every Frenchman as if he was the devil himself.” quote by Horatio Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f5/horatio-nelson-11575_devil_treat-every-frenchman-as-if-he-was-the-d_791781.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f5/horatio-nelson-11575_devil_treat-every-frenchman-as-if-he-was-the-d_791781.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f5/horatio-nelson-11575_devil_treat-every-frenchman-as-if-he-was-the-d_791781.png) > “Treat every Frenchman as if he was the devil himself.” [Horatio Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horatio-nelson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Treat Frenchmen as if they were devilish. **In simple terms:** View Frenchmen with extreme suspicion. Key Takeaway Question stereotypes before acting. Themes war prejudice enemy perception Mood cautious strategic Type historical military When to use this quote - military strategy - diplomacy - cultural interaction - historical analysis Key Concepts nationalism psychology Questions to Reflect On - How do stereotypes affect conflict? - What alternative approaches exist? A Different Perspective Such blanket hostility can be counterproductive. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Devil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/devil/) [Frenchman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/frenchman/) [Frenchman Devil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/frenchman-devil-1556885/) [Treat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/treat/) [Treat Frenchman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/treat-frenchman-1556886/) ## Related quotes > [You must consider every man your enemy who speaks ill of your King, and you must treat every Frenchman as if he were the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horatio-nelson/you-must-consider-every-man-your-enemy-who-speaks-ill-of-your-king/) [Horatio Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horatio-nelson/) > [Close with a Frenchman, but out-maneuver a Russian.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horatio-nelson/close-with-a-frenchman-but-out-maneuver-a-russian/) [Horatio Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horatio-nelson/) > [At war with savages and idiots. To be a Frenchman abroad is to be miserable; to be an American abroad is to make others…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/at-war-with-savages-and-idiots-to-be-a-frenchman-abroad-is-to-be/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [I speak French with timidity, and not flowingly--except when excited. When using that language I have often noticed that I have hardly ever been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/i-speak-french-with-timidity-and-not-flowingly-except-when-excited/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [An imitation of a Frenchman would not make me a Frenchman. I am a German and I would have to be "reborn" to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-huegel/an-imitation-of-a-frenchman-would-not-make-me-a-frenchman-i-am-a/) [F. Huegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-huegel/) > [If I knew of something that could serve my nation but would ruin another, I would not propose it to my prince, for I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-i-knew-of-something-that-could-serve-my-nation-but-would-ruin/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The difference between the vanity of a Frenchman and an Englishman seems to be this: the one thinks everything right that is French, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/the-difference-between-the-vanity-of-a-frenchman-and-an-englishman/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [But I don't think of myself as a foreigner or a Frenchman! I just think of myself as a director.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-hazanavicius/but-i-don-t-think-of-myself-as-a-foreigner-or-a-frenchman-i-just/) [Michel Hazanavicius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-hazanavicius/) > [“The difference between the vanity of a Frenchman and an Englishman is this: The one thinks everything right that is French, while the other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/the-difference-between-the-vanity-of-a-frenchman-and-an-englishman-is/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [I received a letter just before I left office from a man. I don't know why he chose to write it, but I'm glad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/i-received-a-letter-just-before-i-left-office-from-a-man-i-don-t-know/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [I am the most un-French Frenchman you will ever meet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-marie-messier/i-am-the-most-un-french-frenchman-you-will-ever-meet/) [Jean-Marie Messier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-marie-messier/) > [I'm French - it's less important. Meaning, I remain a Frenchman in America, but I adapt to American culture. I feel good there -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivier-martinez/i-m-french-it-s-less-important-meaning-i-remain-a-frenchman-in/) [Olivier Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivier-martinez/) > [“The very fact that a Frenchman was prepared, after tow minutes of conversation, to be so friendly towards anyone, especially one who had come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahir-shah/the-very-fact-that-a-frenchman-was-prepared-after-tow-minutes-of/) [Tahir Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahir-shah/) > [I am unusual for a Frenchman - I have absolutely nothing against the United States.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-hazanavicius/i-am-unusual-for-a-frenchman-i-have-absolutely-nothing-against-the/) [Michel Hazanavicius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-hazanavicius/) > [Every day I think about where I come from and I am still proud to be who I am: first, a Kabyle from La…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zinedine-zidane/every-day-i-think-about-where-i-come-from-and-i-am-still-proud-to-be/) [Zinedine Zidane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zinedine-zidane/) ## More by Horatio Nelson > [England expects every man to do his duty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horatio-nelson/england-expects-every-man-to-do-his-duty/) [Horatio Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horatio-nelson/) > [Duty is the great business of a sea officer; all private considerations must give way to it, however painful it may be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horatio-nelson/duty-is-the-great-business-of-a-sea-officer-all-private/) [Horatio Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horatio-nelson/) > [When I came to explain to them the 'Nelson Touch', it was like an electric shock. Some shed tears, all approved - 'It was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horatio-nelson/when-i-came-to-explain-to-them-the-nelson-touch-it-was-like-an/) [Horatio Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horatio-nelson/) > [Buonaparte has often made his boast that our fleet would be worn out by keeping the sea and that his was kept in order…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horatio-nelson/buonaparte-has-often-made-his-boast-that-our-fleet-would-be-worn-out/) [Horatio Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horatio-nelson/) > [Had we taken ten sails, and let the eleventh to escape, being able to get at her, I could never have called it well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horatio-nelson/had-we-taken-ten-sails-and-let-the-eleventh-to-escape-being-able-to/) [Horatio Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horatio-nelson/) > [Something must be left to chance; nothing is certain in a sea fight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horatio-nelson/something-must-be-left-to-chance-nothing-is-certain-in-a-sea-fight/) [Horatio Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horatio-nelson/) > [The politics of courts are so mean that private people would be ashamed to act in the same way; all is trick and finesse,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horatio-nelson/the-politics-of-courts-are-so-mean-that-private-people-would-be/) [Horatio Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horatio-nelson/) > [Frigates are the eyes of a fleet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horatio-nelson/frigates-are-the-eyes-of-a-fleet/) [Horatio Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horatio-nelson/) > [I am ill every time it blows hard, and nothing but my enthusiastic love for the profession keeps me one hour at sea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horatio-nelson/i-am-ill-every-time-it-blows-hard-and-nothing-but-my-enthusiastic/) [Horatio Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horatio-nelson/) > [If a man consults whether he is to fight, when he has the power in his own hands, it is certain that his opinion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horatio-nelson/if-a-man-consults-whether-he-is-to-fight-when-he-has-the-power-in-his/) [Horatio Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horatio-nelson/) > [Laurels grow in the Bay of Biscay, I hope a bed of them may be found in the Mediterranean.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horatio-nelson/laurels-grow-in-the-bay-of-biscay-i-hope-a-bed-of-them-may-be-found/) [Horatio Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horatio-nelson/) > [When I follow my own head, I am, in general, much more correct in my judgment than following the opinion of others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horatio-nelson/when-i-follow-my-own-head-i-am-in-general-much-more-correct-in-my/) [Horatio Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horatio-nelson/) > [A ship's a fool to fight a fort.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horatio-nelson/a-ship-s-a-fool-to-fight-a-fort/) [Horatio Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horatio-nelson/) > [Whoever gains the palm by merit, let him hold it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horatio-nelson/whoever-gains-the-palm-by-merit-let-him-hold-it/) [Horatio Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horatio-nelson/) > [The bravest man feels an anxiety 'circa praecordia' as he enters the battle; but he dreads disgrace yet more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horatio-nelson/the-bravest-man-feels-an-anxiety-circa-praecordia-as-he-enters-the/) [Horatio Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horatio-nelson/) [Explore all 59 Horatio Nelson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horatio-nelson/) ## More Devil quotes > [“The Devil can cite Scripture for his purpose, Sergeant,’ Anthony Payne replied. ‘That is from The Merchant of Venice, but it holds great truth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-arnold/the-devil-can-cite-scripture-for-his-purpose-sergeant-anthony-payne/) [Michael Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-arnold/) > [Alimony - the ransom that the happy pay to the devil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/alimony-the-ransom-that-the-happy-pay-to-the-devil/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [“Beauty is not only a terrible thing, it is also a mysterious thing. There God and the Devil strive for mastery, and the battleground…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/beauty-is-not-only-a-terrible-thing-it-is-also-a-mysterious-thing/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [The devil has been defeated, stop trying to defeat him. What we have left is the fight of faith, and it's a good fight!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-oyakhilome/the-devil-has-been-defeated-stop-trying-to-defeat-him-what-we-have/) [Chris Oyakhilome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-oyakhilome/) > [You gonna take the case?" It's not a case. It's a missing person. Sort of." You're gonna have a devil of a time finding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-evanovich/you-gonna-take-the-case-it-s-not-a-case-it-s-a-missing-person-sort-of/) [Janet Evanovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-evanovich/) > [Your head's like mine, like all our heads; big enough to contain every god and devil there ever was. Big enough to hold the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grant-morrison/your-head-s-like-mine-like-all-our-heads-big-enough-to-contain-every/) [Grant Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grant-morrison/) > [And so it is, that both the Devil and the angelic Spirit present us with objects of desire to awaken our power of choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/and-so-it-is-that-both-the-devil-and-the-angelic-spirit-present-us/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) > [Remember that Abraham Lincoln was a Whig far longer than he was a Republican. As a whole, the Whigs looked upon banks and corporations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-c-guelzo/remember-that-abraham-lincoln-was-a-whig-far-longer-than-he-was-a/) [Allen C. Guelzo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-c-guelzo/) > [Wine is the first weapon that devils use in attacking the young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-jerome/wine-is-the-first-weapon-that-devils-use-in-attacking-the-young/) [St. Jerome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-jerome/) > [“I tend to agree with that little devil more and more these days.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elle-casey/i-tend-to-agree-with-that-little-devil-more-and-more-these-days/) [Elle Casey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elle-casey/) > [This is the gift of your species and this is the danger, because you do not choose to control your imaginings. You imagine wonderful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-crichton/this-is-the-gift-of-your-species-and-this-is-the-danger-because-you/) [Michael Crichton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-crichton/) > [“The devil?” Jason heaved the tick over his shoulder like a collier with his sack. “Satan. The adversary. The enemy of the plan of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/the-devil-jason-heaved-the-tick-over-his-shoulder-like-a-collier-with/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [God never talks. But the devil keeps advertising, Father. The devil does a lot of commercials.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-peter-blatty/god-never-talks-but-the-devil-keeps-advertising-father-the-devil-does/) [William Peter Blatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-peter-blatty/) > [If it was a sin for you to choose me . . . then I would go to the Devil himself and bless him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/if-it-was-a-sin-for-you-to-choose-me-then-i-would-go-to-the-devil/) [Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/) > [“The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn’t exist”—Charles Baudelaire “The second greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-baudelaire/the-greatest-trick-the-devil-ever-pulled-was-convincing-the-world-he/) [Charles Baudelaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-baudelaire/) [Browse all 4,283 Devil quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/devil/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Treat every Frenchman as if he was the devil himself.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Horatio Nelson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horatio-nelson/treat-every-frenchman-as-if-he-was-the-devil-himself/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Devil" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horatio-nelson/treat-every-frenchman-as-if-he-was-the-devil-himself/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f5/horatio-nelson-11575_devil_treat-every-frenchman-as-if-he-was-the-d_791781.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f5/horatio-nelson-11575_devil_treat-every-frenchman-as-if-he-was-the-d_791781.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f5/horatio-nelson-11575_devil_treat-every-frenchman-as-if-he-was-the-d_791781.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Treat every Frenchman as if he was the devil himself.” — Horatio Nelson", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Horatio Nelson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horatio-nelson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Treat every Frenchman as if he...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horatio-nelson/treat-every-frenchman-as-if-he-was-the-devil-himself/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horatio-nelson/treat-every-frenchman-as-if-he-was-the-devil-himself/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```