--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm cap'n here by 'lection. I'm cap'n…" description: "\"“I'm cap'n here by 'lection. I'm cap'n here because I'm the best man by a long sea-mile. You won't fight, as gentlemen o' fortune should; then, by thun..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18b/robert-louis-stevenson-289_jim-hawkins_i-m-cap-n-here-by-lection-i-m-cap-n-here_1836476.jpg" --- # I'm cap'n here by 'lection. I'm cap'n here because I'm the… ![“I'm cap'n here by 'lection. I'm cap'n here because I'm the best man by a long sea-mile. You won't fight, as gentlemen o' fortune should; then, by thunder, you'll obey, and you may lay to it! I like that boy, now; I never seen a better boy than that. He's more a man than any pair of rats of you in…” quote by Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18b/robert-louis-stevenson-289_jim-hawkins_i-m-cap-n-here-by-lection-i-m-cap-n-here_1836476.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18b/robert-louis-stevenson-289_jim-hawkins_i-m-cap-n-here-by-lection-i-m-cap-n-here_1836476.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18b/robert-louis-stevenson-289_jim-hawkins_i-m-cap-n-here-by-lection-i-m-cap-n-here_1836476.jpg) > ““I'm cap'n here by 'lection. I'm cap'n here because I'm the best man by a long sea-mile. You won't fight, as gentlemen o' fortune should; then, by thunder, you'll obey, and you may lay to it! I like that boy, now; I never seen a better boy than that. He's more a man than any pair of rats of you in this here house, and what I say is this: let me see him that'll lay a hand on him--that's what I say, and you may lay to it.”” [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A leader asserts authority and loyalty, demanding respect and protection for a valued subordinate. **In simple terms:** A leader demands respect and protects a trusted ally. Key Takeaway Stand firm, protect those you trust. Themes leadership loyalty authority protection Mood determined protective Type command motivational When to use this quote - military command - team leadership - family dynamics - sports coaching - political leadership Key Concepts hierarchy trust responsibility Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance authority with empathy? - When should you challenge a leader's command? A Different Perspective May suppress dissent or encourage blind obedience. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Best man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-man/) [Pirates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pirates/) [Treasure island](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/treasure-island/) ## Related quotes > [“Alexander Smollett, master; David Livesey, ship's doctor; Abraham Gray, carpenter's mate; John Trelawney, owner; John Hunter and Richard Joyce, owner's servants, landsmen--being all that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/alexander-smollett-master-david-livesey-ship-s-doctor-abraham-gray/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [“And then, all of a sudden, he stopped, and his jaw dropped as though he had remembered something. "The score!" he burst out. "Three…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/and-then-all-of-a-sudden-he-stopped-and-his-jaw-dropped-as-though-he/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [“Ah, said Silver, it were fortunate for me that I had Hawkins here. You would have let old john be cut to bits, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/ah-said-silver-it-were-fortunate-for-me-that-i-had-hawkins-here-you/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [“You may lay to that.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/you-may-lay-to-that/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [“And he took another swallow of the brandy, shaking his great fair head like a man who looks forward to the worst.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/and-he-took-another-swallow-of-the-brandy-shaking-his-great-fair-head/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [“I think I made a better boy than I do a man, I admitted ruefully to the wolf. Why not wait until you've been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/i-think-i-made-a-better-boy-than-i-do-a-man-i-admitted-ruefully-to/) [Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) > [Boy: I heard you found someone new¦ Girl: Yes.. And he is better than you¦ Boy: Oh really? Can he make you smile, like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curly-girl/boy-i-heard-you-found-someone-new-girl-yes-and-he-is-better-than-you/) Curly Girl > [“was dog-tired when, a little before dawn, the boatswain sounded his pipe and the crew began to man the capstan-bars. I might have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/was-dog-tired-when-a-little-before-dawn-the-boatswain-sounded-his/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [I have never seen the sea quiet round Treasure Island. The sun might blaze overhead, the air be without a breath, the surface smooth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/i-have-never-seen-the-sea-quiet-round-treasure-island-the-sun-might/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [I lived on rum, I tell you. It's been meat and drink, and man and wife, to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/i-lived-on-rum-i-tell-you-it-s-been-meat-and-drink-and-man-and-wife/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [“Squire Trelawney, Dr. Livesey, and the rest of these gentlemen having asked me to write down the whole particulars about Treasure Island, from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/squire-trelawney-dr-livesey-and-the-rest-of-these-gentlemen-having/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [“May the Lord lay His hand on all that I do so that it may be in accordance with His holy will; this is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-of-vila/may-the-lord-lay-his-hand-on-all-that-i-do-so-that-it-may-be-in/) [Teresa of Ávila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-of-vila/) > [I like it not that Mr. Parris should lay his hand upon my baby. I see no light of God in that man. Ill…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-proctor/i-like-it-not-that-mr-parris-should-lay-his-hand-upon-my-baby-i-see/) [John Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-proctor/) > [“I slept and I woke. She gave me a ring made from a leaf, a cluster of golden berries, a flower that opened and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/i-slept-and-i-woke-she-gave-me-a-ring-made-from-a-leaf-a-cluster-of/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [“If you ever lay a hand on me. Slap me, hit me, grab me, push me, anything. I’m gone. I’ll leave you and never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-hildreth/if-you-ever-lay-a-hand-on-me-slap-me-hit-me-grab-me-push-me-anything/) [Scott Hildreth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-hildreth/) ## More by Robert Louis Stevenson > [You must suffer me to go my own dark way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/you-must-suffer-me-to-go-my-own-dark-way/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [Nobody speaks of a beautifful view for 5 minutes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/nobody-speaks-of-a-beautifful-view-for-5-minutes/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [“We are all travelers in the wilderness of this world, and the best that we find is an honest friend. He is a fortunate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/we-are-all-travelers-in-the-wilderness-of-this-world-and-the-best/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [The little rift between the sexes is astonishingly widened by simply teaching one set of catchwords to the girls and another to the boys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/the-little-rift-between-the-sexes-is-astonishingly-widened-by-simply/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [The problem of education is twofold: first to know, and then to utter. Everyone who lives any semblance of an inner life thinks more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/the-problem-of-education-is-twofold-first-to-know-and-then-to-utter/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [“For thirty years," he said, "I've sailed the seas and seen good and bad, better and worse, fair weather and foul, provisions running out,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/for-thirty-years-he-said-i-ve-sailed-the-seas-and-seen-good-and-bad/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [“Mutiny, it was plain, hung over us like a thunder-cloud.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/mutiny-it-was-plain-hung-over-us-like-a-thunder-cloud/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [Jealousy is the most radical primeval and naked form of admiration in war paint, so to speak.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/jealousy-is-the-most-radical-primeval-and-naked-form-of-admiration-in/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [It is the property of things seen for the first time, or for the first time after long, like the flowers in spring, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/it-is-the-property-of-things-seen-for-the-first-time-or-for-the-first/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [You have no idea, unless you have tried it, how endlessly long is a summer's day, that you measure out only by hunger, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/you-have-no-idea-unless-you-have-tried-it-how-endlessly-long-is-a/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [Do not measure success by today's harvest. Measure success by the seeds you plant today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/do-not-measure-success-by-today-s-harvest-measure-success-by-the/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [To be idle requires a strong sense of personal identity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/to-be-idle-requires-a-strong-sense-of-personal-identity/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [Saints are sinners who kept on going.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/saints-are-sinners-who-kept-on-going/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [Loving God, help us remember the birth of Jesus, that we may share in the song of the angels, the gladness of the shepherds,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/loving-god-help-us-remember-the-birth-of-jesus-that-we-may-share-in/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [The friendly cow, all red and white, I love with all my heart; She gives me cream with all her might, To eat with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/the-friendly-cow-all-red-and-white-i-love-with-all-my-heart-she-gives/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) [Explore all 701 Robert Louis Stevenson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) ## More Best man quotes > [“Instantly, I was overwhelmed with gratitude. I didn't know exactly what I was feeling, but my buddy JD - my best man, whom I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-bishop/instantly-i-was-overwhelmed-with-gratitude-i-didn-t-know-exactly-what/) [Bryan Bishop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-bishop/) > [Social control is best managed through fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-crichton/social-control-is-best-managed-through-fear/) [Michael Crichton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-crichton/) > ['Tempting the Best Man' centers around Madison Daniels, who's had a major crush on her brother's best friend since she was a girl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-armentrout/tempting-the-best-man-centers-around-madison-daniels-who-s-had-a/) [Jennifer Armentrout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-armentrout/) > [In this coming year, I will seek knowledge from those wiser than me and try to teach those who wish to learn from me.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duane-allman/in-this-coming-year-i-will-seek-knowledge-from-those-wiser-than-me/) [Duane Allman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duane-allman/) > [“The best man. You know? He hands you the ring and has to marry the bride if you ran away and so on. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-best-man-you-know-he-hands-you-the-ring-and-has-to-marry-the/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [For me it's really tough because you have to go to that place where you really, really don't want to go to or revisit.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morris-chestnut/for-me-it-s-really-tough-because-you-have-to-go-to-that-place-where/) [Morris Chestnut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morris-chestnut/) > [“Thank you. Thank you for raising my best friend. For raising the best man I have ever met.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-frank/thank-you-thank-you-for-raising-my-best-friend-for-raising-the-best/) [Ella Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-frank/) > [Well, that’s just a little hard, since I can’t even talk her into sparing your life, huh? You haven’t exactly endeared yourself to her.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/well-that-s-just-a-little-hard-since-i-can-t-even-talk-her-into/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [My mother is the best not because she cooks great or wash my clothes well… she is the BEST because she gave birth of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mharwhyn/my-mother-is-the-best-not-because-she-cooks-great-or-wash-my-clothes/) MHARWHYN > [“But destiny will be accomplished, and the best man will hold his ground while the undeserving one will vanish into his back-alley for ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/but-destiny-will-be-accomplished-and-the-best-man-will-hold-his/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [Joss Whedon is the best man on the planet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cobie-smulders/joss-whedon-is-the-best-man-on-the-planet/) [Cobie Smulders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cobie-smulders/) > [“Gillette--The best a man can get." I stared at the screen. What happened to me? I was meant to be one of those guys,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-ferguson/gillette-the-best-a-man-can-get-i-stared-at-the-screen-what-happened/) [Craig Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-ferguson/) > [As a boy I heard this story in church. A man was patching a pitched roof of a tall building when he began sliding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-paul-evans/as-a-boy-i-heard-this-story-in-church-a-man-was-patching-a-pitched/) [Richard Paul Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-paul-evans/) > [It's time for male leaders to not only ask for binders of qualified women, but to re-write the definition of 'qualified.' The best man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-m-kunin/it-s-time-for-male-leaders-to-not-only-ask-for-binders-of-qualified/) [Madeleine M. Kunin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-m-kunin/) > [Sir Alex, one of the best managers of all time. After 26 years of success in the game, we all owe him a tribute.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-kompany/sir-alex-one-of-the-best-managers-of-all-time-after-26-years-of/) [Vincent Kompany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-kompany/) [Browse all 304 Best man quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-man/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I'm cap'n here by 'lection. I'm cap'n here because I'm the best man by a long sea-mile. You won't fight, as gentlemen o' fortune should; then, by thunder, you'll obey, and you may lay to it! I like that boy, now; I never seen a better boy than that. 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