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258

REFLECTIONS ON HUMAN FAILINGS.

ancient history and the experience of every day, although it be most true that while

"The evil that men do lives after them,
The good is oft interred with their bones."

They call upon us, therefore, to regard the wicked, not as being too bad to be redeemed, but as being bad enough to need our warning voice, our helping hand; to believe them not such as we may virtuously persecute for their wickedness, but such as we may confidently hope our exertions may awaken, and our earnestness retrieve. To take the worst light, whether of men or actions, is not, to say the least, the most charitable part; and it is but a small degree removed from the vanity of self-applause, and the pride of conscious superiority!

I have been led unwillingly into this subject, but it can hardly be thought an unnecessary digression. And if I have suggested any thing which may check the impulses of an outrageous animosity, or obviate the poisonous virulence with which some delight to bespatter frail humanity, I shall not lament the occasion which has led to it.

INTENDED PRESENT TO CAPT. HAMILTON.

259

Monday Noon. The Seringapatam just arrived: she has been at Hydra and Spetzia, as well as at Milo. The Greek government at Hydra, we hear, has provided two fine Arabian horses for Captain Hamilton, as a testimony of the great esteem in which he is held. It is thus that his enlightened and humane policy secures the respect and approbation of all parties;-Turks, Greeks, and Franks!

gen

Thursday, 24th Feb.-Sailed from Vourla with a light wind. Two of our passengers were turned over to the Seringapatam, the Hon. Mr. Strangways, and MR. HALL. The latter tleman left England with us intending to go no further than Gibraltar; but our company proved so agreeable to him, that he has remained ever since. Happy Cambrian! when she can produce so unquestionable a testimonial of good conduct! May the Seringapatam prove as happy!!

With Mr. Strangways I feel loth to part, as I always do with a well-informed and gentlemanly man; and it seems probable, that we shall meet again at Smyrna. Our eternal old friend, MR. HALL, likewise anticipates this particular pleasure; and I doubt not, although

260

HINTS TO PASSENGERS IN A MAN-OF-WAR.

it is "absolutely requisite that he should return home in June," that he will be delighted to renew his intimacy with us (us of the Cambrian!) at the same place, in that, or in any one given month of the year! " But its Jove's doing; and Jove make us thankful!" We have been much incommoded by the number of the passengers; and the difficulty of finding them births is not small. I cannot, in this place, forbear throwing out a hint to those who may hereafter be favoured with a passage in a manof-war, not to consider themselves as sailing in a public conveyance ; nor to assume such a deportment as may authorise a conclusion, that they think themselves conferring a favour, rather than receiving one. I would also humbly suggest, that to press upon the good-nature of the Captain, even when it is obviously contrary to his inclination-to solicit a passage for one port, and being arrived, to require it for "another, and another, and another," is as indelicate as for any one to come a mere stranger to your house, and, finding the quarters good, there to set up his rest. The cases are perfectly similar; and it seems to me to imply such a total want of proper feeling, as

HINTS TO PASSENGERS IN A MAN-OF-WAR. 261

to render those, who are thus deficient, objects of merited contempt. I cannot, for my part, comprehend the principle on which they act. A person is slightly introduced to a Captain of a man-of-war, in order to obtain a gratuitous present of bed and board. The cost is wholly on the side of the commander; and if he be not a man of independent fortune, he has to endure a tax upon his income, which he can perhaps very hardly support. Besides this, he is obliged to surrender his own comforts to the encroachments of his passengers, who, in many cases, think themselves entitled to the attention which they would exact from the hired servant of a packet-boat.

What I have here said, I wish to be understood as a common feeling among the officers of a man-of-war; and without meaning to impute any thing further to particular individuals than inexperience and want of consideration, it may be useful to future voyagers, to understand in what light their presence is considered, and how they are expected to act. We have, indeed, several distinguished exceptions to the method upon which I have ani

262 HINTS TO PASSENGERS IN A MAN-OF-WAR.

madverted; but I am persuaded some comment is needed for the rest: and I hope it will be taken in good part.

With regard to the ward-room passengers, a system somewhat different is, for various reasons, adopted: but here too, I have seen more than one individual conduct himself as he would, where not only a full equivalent was paid, but where his superiority of rank authorized an unceremonious disposal of whatsoever he might desire. Such practices never will be tolerated in a man-of-war; at least, not on a peace establishment, when the officers are generally men of fortune and family. For the present I quit the subject; if I should see occasion, it shall certainly be resumed.

The Seringapatam is to cruise up and down the islands, and to take the part that would have been taken by the Cambrian had she not received the damage before alluded to. It is extremely annoying to have seen just enough of these places to augment my avidity for research and travel, and then to be carried off and detained elsewhere, one knows not how long! Our next voyage will, I hope, be more

fortunate.

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