As with all books of this nature, it is very tedious to actually read - but It is chock full of interesting individuals - counts, bishops, earls, judges, physicans and ancestor that slightly parellels the character from the movie, "Master and Commander" - a Nathaniew Lawrence, who entered the American Navy at the age of ten years. He was in the action of the "President" with the "Belvedere" where he lost an arm: and was aid to Commodore McDonough at his victory on Lake Champlain - He was commissiojned as a Lieutenant at 16 for his gallant and meritorious services; it is believed he was the youngest officer ever thus commissioned in the US Navy.