According to Noah's own statement, his success was anything but flattering.

"If they would give a body room, Sir John," he said, in a complaining accent, "I should think nothing of it--but you are expected to stand shoulder to shoulder--yard-arm and yard-arm--and throw a flap-jack as handy as an old woman would toss a johnny-cake! It's unreasonable to think of wearing ship without room; but give me room, and I'll engage to get round on the other tack, and to luff into the line again, as safely as the oldest cruiser among 'em, though not quite so quick.

They do go about spitefully, that's sartain." Nor were the Great National Allegories without their difficulties.
Noah perfectly understood the images of the two tripods, though he was disposed to think that neither was properly secured.

A mast would make but bad weather, he maintained, let it be ever so well rigged and stayed, without being also securely stepped.

He saw no use in trusting the heels of the beams to anybody.