THE FISHERMEN;

A DIALOGUE.

continually beats upon them, polihing their rugged furfaces, and

[From Mrs. Charlotte Smith's Rural throwing them up in fteep ridges.

Walks.]

NXIETY for a brother fhe A with other

The bed of the waves was a hard
and level fand, which, when they
ebbed, afforded a dry and delightful
of
walk of fome miles. It was here
early on the morning after
their arrival, the little party took
their walk.

loved, with other domeftic uneafinefs, had at length fo far af-that, fected Mrs. Woodfield's health, that it became abfolutely neceffary for her to follow the advice of a medical friend, and to go for a few weeks to the fea.

This fhe more readily complied with, as within five or fix miles of her house was one of thofe retired bathing-places where invalids find it convenient to refort, to avoid the expense and noise of those that are frequented as much for pleasure as health.

Mrs. Woodheld. Henrietta is as much enraptured with a walk by the fea-fide, as if it were the first she had ever taken.

Caroline. And I am as much captivated with it as if it were entirely new to me.

Mrs. Woodfield. It has often been faid, that a fea-view is monotonous, and offers nothing but a repetition of the fame objects, at high or low water; fmooth in a calm, or roughened by winds. But I think it has much more variety. What can be more beautiful than thofe fhades of purple, blue, and green, mingling. infenfibly with each other, like the foft fhadows of the rainbow, while fuddenly breaking beyond them is a dark mafs of fhadow, the reflection of clouds above, and then, as far as the horizon, the moft dazzling brightness. There is hardly an hour that does not prefent fome new and beautiful appearance; and, fo little am I wearied with continually looking on the fea, that it is to me the object of all others the most amufing.

Thither, therefore, Mrs. Woodfield and her three girls repaired, about the middle of September. The days were fhortening, and the yellow hues of autumn already touched the woods they left. In their garden, the most beautiful flowers were faded; hardly a few white fpangles remained on Henrietta's favourite jeffamine, which grew again the parlour window. The roses, and even the carnations, which had rendered their fhrubbery and borders fo gay, were now fucceeded by the uninterefting Michaelmas daily, the broad ftaring China after, the tawdry fun-flower, or the holyoak; flowers which, like fome characters in human life, are fhowy but worthlefs, and that hardly compenfate, by their glaring colours, for the pain they give us in reminding Mrs. Woodfield. I, on the contraus that they are the laft in the an-ry, am content to fee them pafs at a nual proceffion of flowers.

The fea profpects had all the charms of novelty. The rocks, that bounded the shore, were high, and afforded an extenfive horizon. Beneath them was a broad belt of fhingles-ftones that nature feems to have collected as the best defence against the incroaching ocean, which VOL. XXVII.

Elizabeth. But I think, mamma, I fhould like to fee large fhips, and different kinds of veffels.

diftance. Wherever large vefiels approach the fhore, there must be a deep harbour, formed by fome river that empties itfelf into the fea; of courfe the fhore is muddy, and at low water not only ugly but offenfive. Befides, I fhould be forry to have this pure air polluted by the fieil of all thofe things ufed about 3 L shipping;

fhipping; and to exchange the chirping of the fea-fnipes, or even the harfher cry of the fea-gulls and cormorants, or the tinkling fheep-tained by our cutting each other's

Mrs. Woodfield. Not if all nations would be equally reasonable, and learn that there is nothing to be ob

bell we now hear from the downs, throats. Good God! when I reflect for the fcreams of the horrible wo- on the calamities and the expenses men that frequent fea-ports, the of war, and the little advantage that buftle of failors, the noife of draw- has ever been gained by it, I own I ing up anchors, quarrelling, fwear-am astonished at the madnefs of maning, crying, and a thoufand unplea- kind. fant founds that are always heard in a port.

Caroline. A fleet is certainly a most beautiful fight.

Elizabeth. But, mamma, there have always been wars.

Mrs. Woodfeld. And one blushes, as a human being and as a Chriftian, to trace those wars to their sources.

Mrs. Woodfield. Certainly; the most beautiful that the ingenuity of man has formed. Yet the fpectacle of a fleet of forty fhips of war, which I once faw, however magnificent as a fight, conveyed to my mind only painful ideas. I figured to myself how many of those brave thoughtless beings, who were now rending the air with fhouts of tri-patting the head of a fierce lion. umph, proud of the fplendor of that fhow of which every one confidered hiinfelf as a part, and elate with the grandeur of his country, whofe ftrength lies in its navy, would, within a few days, perhaps, become mangled carcafes for the prey of the monsters of the deep, and dye, with their blood, the waves over which they were now fo gaily bounding; inflicting, at the fame time, equal evils on an equal or more confiderable number of human beings, whom they never faw before, and with whom they have no manner of quarrel.

Henrietta. But, mamma, is it not true that the English have always been glorious about fighting? Ob! how I like to hear of Edward the Black Prince, and his making the king of France ride by him upon a black poney, and to fee his picture in your great History of England,

Caroline. But, my dear aunt, if every body reasoned in this manner, there would be no wars.

Mrs. Woodfield. And if there were not?

Caroline. Why then there would be no occafion for either armies or

navies.

Mrs. Woodfield. And what would there be in that to lament?

Caroline. Dear aunt, I don't know. But other nations would fall upon Ins and-deftroy us, if we had neither.

7

Mrs. Woodfield. Really, Henrietta, your ideas of glory are worthy a little Amazon; but they are not quite correct. The Black Prince, who, from the character that is given of him, was undoubtedly one of the best of our princes, was fo far from making his illuftrious prifoner ride by him upon a black poney, that he himself took the poney (if there was a poney in queftion), and gave to the captured king a beautiful horse, richly caparifoned. The evening after the battle he waited on the king of France at table, and generoufly endeavoured to confole him under his misfortunes; thus attaching to his character, as a man, praise infinitely fuperior to that of a mere conqueror. But, however, Henrietta, whatever paffion for the glory of your country you have caught from ftudying your little hiftories of England, and from looking at the imaginary refemblance of our kings in my great Rapin, I affure you, that the laurels of Britannia by no means compensate for her scars.

Elizabeth. Mamma, at a great

diflance

'Do they go up or down the Chan-holes of rocks or neglected buildings.

Mrs. Woodfield. They are then going up the Chamel, and are probably merchant-fhips, under convoy, Mrs. Woodfield. One would believe going to the port of London. fo; but I have often fhuddered to Caroline. Perhaps from the Weft-fee a party of boys engaged in the Indies; for now I fee eleven or twelve others, still farther off. Ah! how glad muft the paffengers be that they are fo near England! I remember I was, when I only came from France.

not go farther, as thefe fqualls from the fea, at this time of the year, are fudden and violent. Elizabeth, can you recollect no defcription of the fea which you have read lately? Elizabetb. I believe I can; it is in Cowper.

Mrs. Woodfield. Repeat it.
"Oceanxhibits, fathomlefs and broad,
Much of the power and majesty of God;
He fwathes about the well ng of the deep,
That shines and rents, as i fants fmile and
fleep.

Vaft as it is, it anfwers as it flows,
The breathings of the nightest air that

blows;

Curling and whit'ning over all the wafte,
The rifing waves obey th' in reafing blaft,
Ab.upt and horrid as the tempeft roars,
Thunder and flash upon the ftedfaft fhores,

Till he that rides the whirlwind checks
the rein:

The wind was

were out of fight.
against their returning; and as the
ftorm came on, their mothers and
wives were affembled on the high
grounds, in hopes of diftinguishing
their returning fails.

Mrs. Woodfield, who, from the converfation of the old men on fhore, and the anxiety they expreffed, began to feel very apprehenfive for the mariners of the village, defied the increafing wind, which now blew almoft an hurricane, to go to an height above, from whence, with a fmall telescope the had, the was in hopes of difcovering their diftant boats; but darknefs and tempeft fcowled over the fea, and it appeared as if the two elements of fire and wa ter were mingling together in dreary confufion. The women now fur

apprehenfions in terms of exagge rated terror, and others endeavouring to appear more courageous, and relating how on fuch and fuch a

Then all the world of waters fleeps again." Before they could reach their lodg-rounded her, fome expreffing their ings, the wind rofe, and dark clouds gathered over the fea, while the tops of the waves began to curl and whiten, as they rolled toward the fhore; and, as the clouds were fwift-night they were fure the storm was ly driven along, the fea in fome places affumed a deep green hue, and in others a dull purple; the fea birds forfook their fifhing, and flew, fhrieking, towards their rocky afyJums.

worfe, and yet no harm came of it.

Being too little verfed in this matter to be able to afford comfort to the anxious group, Mrs. Woodfield and her family retired to their fmall lodging, but were foon alarmed by the increafing violence of the tempeft.

This continued without much increase, however, till the fun funk, fiery and half obfcured by brown and Tremendous thunder now feemed purple fpots and wandering clouds, to rival the fury of the winds; and beneath the horizon, tinging the air floods of fire mingled with the rain, with that red and lurid appearance that drove in torrents fo violent, that which always foretells violent winds. it feemed as if the fea itfelf were It was not yet, however, fo ftrong, rufhing on the land. Could the but that Mrs. Woodfield and her danger of the poor men who were children determined on taking their out, and the agonies of the women fhort evening's walk. Early in the who belonged to them, have been a morning, the fishermen of the vil- moment difmiffed from her mind, lage, which poffeffed only ten or there would have been fomething of twelve boats, had gone out in pur-fublime horror in this war of elefuit of herrings and whitings. Be- ments. But her folicitude for these fore noon, their little veffels, the unhappy people fuffered her not to white fails appearing like feathers on feel any other fenfations than terror the broad blue fea, had been almoft and pity. The women now endea invifible, from the distance they had voured to hang out lights, that might gained; and foon afterwards they guide the boats to the landing-place;

but