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treatise of "the Trinity," saw a young child taking water with a ladle from the sea, and pouring it into a small hole in the sand. Surprised at so strange an occupation, he questioned the boy, who replied he was emptying the sea into that hole. "It is impossible," Isaid the Saint. "If you find this impossible," rejoined the child, "how much more so is it for you to elucidate that which God chooses to keep a mystery?" The child disappeared in a glory, and the Saint recognised in him the young Saviour. The hole in the sand is the human intellect. It can comprehend but a little portion of the exceeding greatness of God.

CONNAUGHT SMUGGLERS.

THE following stories are taken from a recent publication, 'A Tour in Connaught," by the Rev. Mr. Otway,—a gentleman who has done as much as any modern writer to bring his native country under observation. With a fine eye for scenery, a keen perception and enjoyment of the ludicrous, a passionate love of the strange legends and droll stories of his countrymen, joined to a hearty, benevolent, thoughtful spirit, he has rambled over the face of the country, and produced, from time to time, a series of rich, racy, piquant "Sketches of Ireland," which none but such an Irishman could write. He is, to be sure, somewhat of a party man—all Irishmen are party men, and how could a clergyman of the Established Church avoid exhibiting esprit de corps ?-still he does not intrude his opinions very offensively, and they are speedily forgotten in the enjoyment of his singular, cough, racy, odd, droll, and eloquent descriptions. We shall, on one or two occasions,

make extracts from his "Sketches ;" and to such of our readers as can afford it, we recommend a perusal of his newly-published "Tour in Connaught."

"About the commencement of the present century, the Connaught secondary gentry, who seldom thought of going to Dublin, used, besides rigging themselves out at Ballinasloe fair, to have their common and occasional wants in the way of raiment, jewellery, and spicery, supplied by pedlars, who went about the country with large and strong chests stowed on carts, and which contained often valuable assortments of goods of all kinds. These persons were of such respectability, that some of them dined at the tables of the gentry, and giving, as they generally did, credit, they were very acceptable, and were treated with all possible consideration. In fact, there was a considerable smuggling trade carried on along the whole western coast; and, in return for our Irish wool, the French silks and jewellery, and the Flanders laces, came in without the intervention of a custom-house. In promoting this traffic, many of the western proprietors were concerned, and it is said that families who wear coronets became right wealthy by the export of wool and the import of claret and French fabrics. Be this as it may, the itinerant pedlars I have just alluded to were the convenient factors of this contrabandism, and their good offices were, on all hands, acknowledged. Of these, Mrs. Bridget Bodkin was not the least active, accommodating, or ingenious: she assumed to spring from one of the tribes of Galway, and though the gentry of the west looked down on regular traders and shop. keepers, yet Biddy Bod, as she was called, was considered as honourable and admissible; for she was very useful, and many a wedding, as well as wedding gear, was the result of her providence. But to my story:-A large fleet of East Indiamen, unable to beat up channel, from long-continued north-easterly winds, was obliged to put into Galway bay for water and provisions, and there these huge merchantmen lay at anchor, freighted not only, as at present, with tea and indigo, but with those delicate muslins which Manchester had not yet learned to imitate. Now, it was known to Bid Bod that each officer and sailor might have a supply of such valuable goods as a private venture, and, to make her own market, she went on board. Expert as she was in smuggling, she knew how and where about her own ample person to stow away soft goods; for she (mind you, fair reader,) was not strait-laced, as you may be ;-she, by nature large, still did not care to tighten herself up as if she would be a wasp;-no, on the contrary, the poor thing became quite dropsical-the swelling of her legs and body was sometimes awful. What medicine she used to get

down the enlargement, whether belladonna or digitalis, is not recorded; but she did now and then keep down her dropsical distensions, and, during the low state of her intermittent, became small by degrees, and beautifully less.' But, on her return from the India fleet, Bid Bod had a full fit of dropsy; her body was like a rhinoceros's-her legs like those of the largest elephant of the King of Siam : she might have got the elephantiasis, from being for a time so near, while on board the fleet, the elephant which the Nabob of Arcot was sending as a present to Queen Charlotte; and so she landed, in all her amplitude, west of Claddah, and there she (as I may say) tapped herself; for she unrolled all the gold and silver muslin, the wonders of the India loom; Cashmere shawls, that a lady might cover herself with from head to foot, and yet they would pass easily through her wedding ring ;-these she stuffed into the hollow of an immense pillion on which she rode.

"Well, now suppose you see Bid with her padded pillion fastened on her large black buttoned-tailed mare, and she, by help of a convenient granite-stone, is mounted; and her man Luke is before her, and she has her arm confidingly placed around said Luke's waist, and they are jogging on slow-paced and sure. They have got clear of the town of Galway, the custom-house, the dreaded customhouse, is far behind, and she is entering on the interior,-the road to Athenry before her, and all seems safe. How she chuckles in her large and inmost soul over the success of her venture!-when, all of a sudden, at the turning of the road, out bounced a smart, the rein of her bridle. Madam,' said he, you must excuse me dapper, active-eyed, but rather diminutive man, and caught hold of for stopping you, while I have every desire to be civil to a lady; yet having received information I can depend on, that you have just landed from the East India fleet with a quantity of run goods about you, you must submit to be searched; which I must now proceed to do, in the most accurate manner consistent with my respect for your sex and quality.' "Bid was at this accost, no doubt, surprised and distressed, but in no way thrown off her centre, and, without any hesitation, she replied

"Sir, many thanks to you for your civility: I am quite aware you are but acting according to information, and doing what you consider your duty;-and, sir, in order to show how much you are mistaken, I shall at once alight; but I am sure, sir, a gentleman like you will help a poor, infirm woman, labouring under my sad The mare-bad manners to hercomplaint, to alight with ease. is skittish, and it requires all my servant's hands to hold her.Luke, avick! this gentleman insists on taking me down; hold hard the beast while I am alighting-I'll do my endeavours to get off-there, sir-so, Button,' (speaking to her horse.) 'Now, hold up your arms, sir, and I will gently drop;—yes, that will do:' and with that down she plopped herself into the little dapper exciseman's arms.

"A summer-tent, pitched on a Swiss meadow, might as well bear up against the down-tumbling avalanche, as this spare man could the mountain of flesh that came over him; so down he went sprawling, as Bid Bod intended he should do, and she uppermost, moaning and heaving over him,-and there they lay, when, with stentorian voice, Bet cried out to her boy Luke

"Luke, honey, ride off; never mind me; the gentleman, I'm sure, will help me up when he can! Skelp away, ma boughal.' ing. I shall not attempt to describe the remainder of this scene: "In the meanwhile, the exciseman lay groaning, and Bet moanI leave it to the imagination to suppose that the smuggler kept her position just so long as she thought it gave time enough for her property being carried far and away from the hands of the overwhelmed gauger."

The following is another story of a Connemara smuggler.

"A man who was known to have a large mountain-farm and extensive homestead in these hills, was observed very frequently to ride into the town of B. ; and he never made his appearance without a woman, supposed to be his wife, jogging steadily and uprightly on a pillion behind him. He was tall and gaunt in look-SHE large and rotund, and encumbered (as is the mode of all country wives) with a multitude of pet ticoats; they always rode into the yard of a man who kept a public-house, and, before they alighted off their horse, the gate was carefully shut. It was known, moreover, that this publican acted as fact or for this farmer in the sale of his butter; and so for a length of time things went on in a quiet and easy way, until one day it so happened (as indeed it is

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very common for idlers, in a very idle country-town, to stand
making remarks on the people as they come by,) that the gauger,
the innkeeper, and a squireen, were lounging away their day, when
the farmer slowly paced by, with his everlasting wife behind him.
'Well,' says the squireen, of all the women I ever saw bumping
on a pillion, that lump of a woman sits the awkwardest; she don't
sit like a nathural-born crathur at all; and do you see how modest
she is?-what with her flapped-down beaver hat, and all the frills
and fallals about her, not an inch of her sweet face is to be seen, no
more than an owl from out the ivy. I have a great mind to run
up alongside of her, and give her a pinch in the toe, to make old
Buckram look about her for once.' 'Oh, let her alone,' says the
innkeeper; they're a dacent couple from Joyce country. I'll be
bound, what makes her sit so stiff is all the eggs she is bringin' in
to Mrs. O'Mealey, who factors the butter for them.' There was,
while he said this, a cunning leer about the innkeeper's mouth, as
much as to denote that there was, to his knowledge, however he
came by it, something mysterious about this said couple. This
was not lost on the subtle gauger, and he thought it no harm just
to try more about the matter, and so he says, in a frolicsome way,
'Why, then, for cur'osity sake, I will just run up to them, and
give the mistress a pinch-somewhere--she won't notice me at all
in the crowd-and maybe then she'll look up, and we'll see her
own purty face.' Accordingly, no sooner said than done; he ran
over to where the farmer was getting on slowly through the market
crowd, and, on the side of the pillion to which the woman's back
was turned, attempted to give a sly pinch, but he might as well
have pinched a pitcher; nor did the woman even lift up her head,
or ask 'who is it that's hurting me?' This emboldened him to
give another knock with his knuckles; and this assault he found
not opposed, as it should be, by petticoats and flesh, but by what
he felt to be petticoats and metal. This is queer!' thought the
gauger. He now was more bold, and with the butt-end of his
walking-stick he hit what was so hard a bang, which sounded as if
he had struck a tin pot. Stop here, honest man,' cried the
gauger. 'Let my wife alone, will you, before the people,' cried
the farmer. Not till I see what this honest woman is made of,'
roared the gauger. So he pulled, and the farmer dug his heels
into his colt to get on, but all would not do ;-in the struggle down
came the wife into the street, and as she fell on the pavement the
whole street rang with the squash, and in a moment there was a
gurgling as from a burst barrel, and a strong-smelling water comes
flowing all about; and flat poor Norah lies, there being an irrup-
tion of all her intestines, which flowed down the gutter as like
potteen whiskey as eggs are like eggs.

"The fact was, that our friend from the land of Joyce had got made, by some tinker, a tin vessel with head and body the shape of a woman, and dressed it out as a proper country dame. In this way he carried his DARLINT behind him, and made much of her." We can hardly part from these smuggling stories without adding another, which, though not a smuggler, is yet an amusing exemplification of the power of the "strong hand."

"It is not at all uncommon to find rabbits burrowing in the ruined abbeys of Ireland, and the loose soil of the nave, choir, and transepts, hollow as it is with graves and vaults, forms a secure place for breeding and retreat. A dignified clergyman lately related to me a circumstance of rather striking nature, that he witnessed in a Munster abbey. He had entered unattended, on a fine summer's eve, the precincts of the venerable pile, and the declining sun, casting its long beams through the windows, arches, and apertures, was effecting all those beautiful contrasts of light and shade that harmonised so well with all that was around. Nothing was within the enclosure to interrupt the quiet and lounging scrutiny he was making amidst the tombs, save the caw of the daw from the belfry, or the hum of the beetle urging its drowsy flight through the ivied windows,-when, on a sudden, a few yards off, he heard an agonising squeal, as of a being in great pain; and then, looking in the direction of the choir, he saw a weasel mounted on the neck of a large rabbit, that was thus giving its death-note as the fierce animal was sucking out its life's blood; when, all of a sudden, and to his utter astonishment, he saw from under the tomb adjoining to which the struggle was going on, a bare human arm protruded, which with strong grasp seized the rabbit, and dragged it into the vault. What could this be-a ghost?-pshaw! A miraculous interposition ?-what, for a rabbit! Take courage, oh my soul, and let us see. And it was soon explained; a mason who was repairing the interior of the vault, seeing the success of the hunting weasel, took a dirty advantage of the stout little vermin, and had the lion's share,"

THE BRITISH NAVY.

NO. IX.-QUARTER-DECK OFFICERS.
"Hark to the boatswain's call, the cheering cry!
While through the seaman's hands the tackle glides;
Or school-boy midshipman, that standing by,
Strains his shrill pipe as good or ill betides,
And well the docile crew that skilful urchin guides."
"White is the glassy deck, without a stain,

Where on the watch the staid lieutenant walks:
Look on that part which sacred doth remain
For the lone chieftain, who majestic stalks,
Silent, and feared by all."-BYRON,

WHILST our ship is cruising, and the orderly regulations adopted as to diet and exercise are producing their effects upon the crew, training the men into good condition, ready for the performance of any service, however arduous, we shall describe more particularly the qualifications and duties of the officers of each grade.

The young aspirant for naval honours should commence his noviciate at a very early age, particularly in a season of peace, when promotion is necessarily slow. As he becomes eligible for advancement at nineteen years of age, and is required to serve the proper time for him to enter the profession is at the age of six years at sea before he can pass his examination for lieutenant, thirteen.

Parents who design a son for the navy, should, therefore, not only study the disposition of the lad-for it would be cruel to force him into so dangerous a service against his will-but take care that his preparatory education is directed to the most useful points. There are other things to be considered, as regards the choice of the naval profession, and we may serve our readers by giving them some information on this head.

In the first place, they should consider, that the navy is a profession in which emolument is seldom to be looked for. There are but these are extremely rare, and speaking generally, perhaps there cases, to be sure, where large sums have been made by prize-money, is no vocation that can be selected holding out so little inducement in point of profit.

For the first two years, the rating is usually "Volunteer of the first class," the pay being merely nominal, (in fact but £14 6s. per annum), and afterwards, the wages of a midshipman* is very far from sufficient to enable the youth to maintain the station he must support. This being the case, captains, when receiving youngsters, stipulate that their friends shall make them an allowance of forty pounds per annum, over and above their pay, during the whole term of their noviciate, or "until they pass their two examinations, and obtain the rating of master's mate."

The first question is, therefore, to consider whether such an obligation can be conveniently incurred, in addition to the outfit, which costs fifty or sixty pounds? If it cannot, or indeed should the smallest doubt exist, it is better to decline entering on it; mortifications he must endure if his mess is not regularly paid, because it would be cruel to submit a high-spirited youth to the and he has not the means of maintaining a proper appearance.

The next consideration is the influence the friends may possess with men in power, to further the young man's advancement. Mere merit will ensure promotion to a lieutenant, after a while, wanting the assistance of influential friends, be content to wait his to be sure, but it will probably be a long while; for he must, if turn in this respect; his services and pretensions will be scanned in comparison with others in the same condition; and when he disgusted with a profession where his service has been so poorly obtains his rank at last, it finds him broken-spirited, and probably rewarded, and where he has witnessed the advancement of more fortunate messmates. These considerations should deter those who, although they may conveniently incur pecuniary sacrifice, cannot afterwards make interest in high quarters, from permitting a choice of a profession which holds out such slender prospects: for the time and talent, to say nothing of the money, necessary to reach the first step of his promotion in the navy, would serve to establish a young man in some lucrative vocation.

Supposing all these things considered, and the youngster devoted to the navy, his studies must be directed particularly to mathematics, French, and drawing, these being the essential branches wherein it is desirable he should be grounded. If brought up at a classical school, he will be able to continue his readings on board

* We have detailed the pay of each rating in the third of these Navy articles, in No. X. of the Journal.

and be directed in his progress by the "naval instructor," who being a University graduate, is quite competent in this respect. When we consider the various situations in which naval officers are placed, and the diplomatic duties those in command are often required to perform, it is most desirable that they should be as well educated and well informed as possible; and so that the boy is grounded in the rudiments, he may (now that competent instructors have been provided) be able to continue his labours for two years at least, during which he is not required to perform any duty that prevents his schooling, with nearly the same facility and advantage as if he had continued at school.. Application must be made to some captain in command of a ship, who is willing to receive the young aspirant, and this effected, he should be inducted as soon after the age of thirteen as possible. Any outfitter, or military and naval tailor, will inform the parents of the stock of articles usually required; and these should be adapted to the season, and the station the ship is designed for, and need not be abundant when the lad is growing. The young middy's uniform is very handsome, and the contemplation of strutting in cocked hat and dirk, has no doubt tempted many a boy to enter the navy, who has had abundant reason to curse his folly when he afterwards perceived his brothers and schoolfellows, of more humble aspirations, making fortunes in lucrative professions. The whole of the young gentleman's clothes are contained in a chest proper for the occasion, and of specified dimensions, and he usually engages a marine to brush his clothes and shoes, and a seaman to carry his hammock up and down, scrub it, &c. &c. To the first of these he pays five shillings a month, and to the other two shillings.

For awhile, and until he has acquired some acquaintance with the strange sights he encounters on board, established his sea legs* and completely recovered from the effects of sea-sickness-little duty is exacted from him. He is kept at school morning and evening, and required to be on deck when taking altitudes of the sun or stars, also the sun's azimuth; and made practically acquainted with the mode of using and adjusting the instruments necessary for these purposes.

As he attains strength and confidence he is taught to knot and splice, to go aloft, to reef, hand, and steer, and gradually acquires the manual duties of a seaman. He is seldom required to keep watch at night for the first two years, but in the day when all hands are called, he is expected to appear, and also at divisions and quarters, at which latter his station is the quarter-deck, acting as aide-de-camp to the captain, and ready to carry his orders to the lieutenants in command on the decks below.

At the expiration of two years our youngster is generally rated midshipman, and thenceforth stationed in a watch, in a subdivision of the guns on one of the decks at quarters, and aloft at reefing or furling. His school instruction still goes forward, but he cannot attend to it as punctually as before. He is now supposed capable of keeping a ship's reckoning, and required to produce an account of the same, called his "day's work"-every day, as soon after noon as possible, setting forth the course and distance run during the last twenty-four hours, the latitude and longitude the ship is in, and the bearing by compass, and distance of the nearest land. His duty is to repeat the orders of the lieutenant, to see them carried into effect, and to visit the men on the looks-out and keep them alert. He paces the lee-side of the quarter-deck during his watch, and is always ready to answer the call of his superior. The lieutenant, if considerate, will generally send the youngest of the mids to bed before the end of a four hours' watch -for the sea air has a most somnolent effect, and youngsters are very apt to skulk away, and "caulk," that is, lie down in their clothes; and when found in this situation, their messmates have an effective, although somewhat violent mode of rousing, by sluicing them with a bucket of salt water, called "blowing the grampus.' As our middy grows in years and strength, he becomes mate of the watch, and then he has the duty of heaving the log and marking the ship's course, her rate of sailing, and the direction of the wind with chalk upon the log-board. He also arouses the lieutenant who is to relieve the watch-musters the men-and when all hands are called, acquaints the first lieutenant and the rest of the officers. He is required to keep a log or journal of the principal events, filling up a printed form, and this, as well as certificates from the captains he has served under, must be produced on the day of his examination for lieutenant. If, in addition to the events usually detailed in the log, he adds drawings of head-lands, and observations upon places visited tending to their description,

• To walk steadily, notwithstanding the oscillating motion of the ship.

it tells in his favour: for the passing captains will probably report his proficiency to the Admiralty, and be willing to receive him in their own ships, should he so desire.

It sometimes happens that the midshipman is rated master's mate before he has served six years, this being at the option of the captain; but the regulations require that he shall serve six entire years at sea, two of which must be in the rating of master's mate or midshipman; and when he can produce certificates of this, and also that he has attained his nineteenth year, he may present himself before the three captains appointed to examine his qualifications. Formerly this was the only examination he underwent, and it embraced questions in seamanship and navigation also: at present he is interrogated as to his proficiency in navigation and astronomy, by a committee at the Naval College, Portsmouth, the captains confining their examination to the test of his ability to manage and command a ship in any situation that may occur; and for this purpose they put such questions as to them seem meet, and if they are satisfied, give the young gentleman a certificate to the effect that "he has passed."

This and the college examination over, he is considered competent to any duty that a seaman may be called on to perform; he is thenceforth always rated master's mate, and he is eligible for a lieutenant's commission as soon as he is lucky enough to obtain it. It is very seldom that even those who have influential friends, acquire their promotion in less than two years after passing; and such being the rule generally acted on, it becomes the more necessary that the noviciate should commence so early. During the time that elapses between the passing and the promotion, our young officer is, however, acquiring as much experience as if his advancement had taken place. He is either a deck mate, a day mate, or a signal mate; the duty of the former being the care of the main, lower, and orlop deck and hold, and serving out the provisions; and of the latter, the care and disposition of the signal flags. He is moreover frequently required to do the duty of a lieutenant; to take charge of a watch should one of these be absent, or ill, or under arrest; and he has his subdivision of seamen to scrutinize, and his log to keep.

The step from master's mate to lieutenant is the greatest in the service. In the former rating he had no recognized rank, nor half-pay to support him when unemployed, and he could be discharged and turned adrift a burden upon his friends at the caprice of his captain; besides that he frequently experienced difficulty in obtaining a rating. The possession of a lieutenant's commission at once removes the whole of these troubles, gives him rank equivalent to that of a captain in the army,-a half-pay, which although scanty, is still sufficient for his support,—and he cannot be deprived of his commission, except by sentence of a courtmartial for some proved offence.

But his duties are now more arduous and responsible. During his watch, the ship and all on board are entrusted to his sole charge, dependent for their safety upon his skill and promptitude to meet occasions continually occurring. He has command of a division of seamen, whose clothes and appointments it is his duty to inspect periodically. He attests the log-book, or that portion which relates to the occurrences of his watch; commands a portion of the ship's battery in battle; and has some special duty to perform at every evolution that requires the service of all hands.

It is part of the duty of the lieutenant of the watch to call the captain during the night, and report any change of weather, and also, should necessity arise for making alteration in the course of the ship, or the sail ordered to be carried during the night. This is a general order, and although highly inconvenient for the officer of the watch to leave the deck for an instant on this, or any other occasion, it is nevertheless generally exacted. There is an anecdote told of a captain (now an admiral) who was most particular in this respect. One night the lieutenant of the watch repaired to the cabin about eleven o'clock, aroused the captain, informing him that it looked dirty to windward, and that it was necessary to reef. "Very well, do so," replied he," and call me if it blows harder." The gale came on, and the captain was frequently informed of its increase, as necessity arose for reducing sail, until at last the ship was brought under her storm stay-sails; when about four o'clock the lieutenant again repaired to the cabin to report a sail split. "Very well, Mr. Haulaway," replied the captain, "bend another sail, and call me if it blows harder.' -"I imagine, sir,” replied the lieutenant, "the gale is at its height; I never knew it blow so hard, and I do not think it can blow harder."-" Oh!" said the chief, turning himself in his cot," call me when it moderates ! ''

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* A midshipman's half-pay is facetiously estimated at three farthings per annum, and paid quarterly to puzzle the clerks.

Should the lieutenant on his first appointment find himself the junior officer, he is denominated "Boots"—a term given him, because he is called on to perform any chance duty that may be necessary, such as answering signals, &c., his principal business being to drill the seamen at small-arms, and to take care that the muskets, pistols, and cutlasses, are kept clean, and free from rust. If he has been instructed in the theory and practice of gunnery on board the Excellent at Portsmouth, he is called the gunnery lieutenant, and appointed to teach first the captains of guns, and then divisions of two or three crews of guns at a time, the established mode of performing the exercise, so as to produce an uniform manual; as he advances in seniority, he at last attains to be first lieutenant, or executive officer, through whom the captain's orders are carried into effect, and in whom, in fact, centres the whole routine of the ship's discipline. Whenever all hands are called, the first lieutenant takes command on the quarter-deck, and issues the orders, or "works the ship," as it is called. In action he supports the captain; if he falls, succeeds him; and to become what is considered a "smart" first lieutenant, the life and soul of the officer must be in his profession. The ship should absorb all his thoughts, and his mind be constantly employed with reference to perfecting the very many matters connected with that complicated machine. Upon his tact, temper, and disposition, very much of the comfort of the whole will depend; for he has many opportunities of obliging, as well as disobliging, punishing, and rewarding, and therefore every one on board is anxious to conciliate his good opinion.

After an officer has served several years as lieutenant, particularly in peace, when opportunities for distinguishing himself so rarely occur, he is seldom solicitous for employment afloat, unless he can obtain the post of first lieutenant. The half-pay being 5s. per diem, is very nearly as much as the full-pay, as reference to the scale already alluded to will show; and if he is married, but a small portion of his pay can be allotted to the support of his family. He is therefore naturally desirous to remain on shore, if he possesses no influential interest to further his promotion; and having already acquired a full knowledge of his profession, he prefers residing with his family, and appropriating his small income to their comfort, than actual service under circumstances which not only absorbs the greatest portion of his pay; but his commission itself is at stake should he unfortunately fall under the strict letter of the Articles of War.

It is by no means necessary that the lieutenant should have been in the situation of "first," before he is eligible for his next step; all required is, that he shall have served at sea in that rank two complete years. As our ship has no commander on board, we shall not dwell upon the duties of that officer, but dismiss him by merely observing, that when in a line-of-battle ship he performs the duties of a first lieutenant, and when in command of a sloopof-war, he is in all respects the same as a captain. He ranks with a major in the army, sits on court-martials, and, in fact, associates whilst on shore, shares prize-money with, and is admitted into the society of captains (commonly called post-captains), although one step below them.

The captain of a seventy-four gun ship has generally held that rank (corresponding to a colonel in the army) for fifteen or twenty years, and probably commanded frigates and vessels of smaller rates in his course of service; but this is not a necessary condition of his appointment. He must serve in command of a rated ship three years in war, or six in peace, before he is eligible for promotion to his flag; and this is the reason why so much desire is manifested by officers for a ship, notwithstanding the pecuniary sacrifice it involves, in order to uphold the dignity of the station.

The multifarious duties that fall on the captain are such as to require first-rate ability for their proper performance. Although he seldom takes an active part in the executive duties of the ship, he is responsible for the service he is ordered upon being well or ill executed. It frequently happens that he has intricate diplomatic correspondence to conduct, and cases to meet, when he has no opportunity to consult authorities, and must act upon his individual judgment; and when we consider that he has small opportunity for qualifying himself in this respect-we mean in comparison with those who have the advantage of a university education-it is matter of astonishment that so little inconvenience has resulted from the conduct of naval officers. The admirals in command on the Mediterranean station, as well as in South America, at several very critical periods displayed a judgment and ability in conducting the most intricate correspondence to a successful issue, such as might excite the admiration and envy of the trained diplomatist.

Perhaps there is no individual in authority under the Crown ir.trusted with so much discretionary power as the captain of a vessel of war. Upon his own quarter-deck his will is supreme: no man dares to question it; and it is wonderful that, possessed of almost absolute power, so very few are found to abuse it. During the war there were, we grieve to say, many commanders who exercised a severity, and sometimes a tyranny over their crews, that could only be justified by the quality of the materials they had to deal with. When a portion of their ships' companies were men of desperate character, whose punishment for crimes committed on shore was commuted for service at sea, it was necessary that a species of terror should be upheld as the only means of restraining their vicious propensities; and the frequent recurrence of corporal punishment blunted the feelings of officers, and probably occasioned greater severity than would otherwise have been the case. But as such characters are never received at present, and the infliction of flogging is also restrained under certain regulations, it is but seldom that severity is necessary. Nevertheless, an illdisposed or ill-tempered captain may harass his men extremely with secondary punishments, besides depriving them of the usual indulgences; and all this without placing himself in a position to incur the displeasure of the authorities. Hence the necessity for every officer selected to command being of established reputation in the service, and the great responsibility which rests upon those who make the selection.

To detail the duties of the captain would be to describe the whole routine of the ship, for his authority extends over all, being responsible for every act performed. No stores or provisions can be procured or expended without his approval, and all the accounts are submitted to his inspection and attested by his signature. Over the officers, and more particularly the younger portion, he exercises a paternal authority, indorses their bills abroad, and often supplies their necessities. The sick he regards with particular attention, frequently appropriating the largest portion of his live stockmaintained on board, be it recollected, at great expense-to such cases as the surgeon reports to require better food than the ship's allowance; yet, with all this power and authority, his high rank considered, and the necessity which custom imposes upon him to maintain an establishment out of his pay equal to that for which, in every other navy, an allowance is made, the captain of a British ship of war is undoubtedly the worst paid servant under the Crown. In our next article we shall sketch the duties of the remaining officers.

SELF-GOVERNMENT.

MAN then is free; he has the power to seek happiness in his own way. He enters upon existence and sets forward in the path of life. But as he passes along, a thousand tempters beset him. Pleasure comes to beckon him away, offering him present flowers, and unfolding beautiful prospects in the distance. Wealth seeks to make him her votary, by disclosing her magic power over men and things. Ambition woos him with dreams of glory. Indolence essays to soften and seduce him to her influence. Love, envy, malice, revenge, jealousy, and other busy spirits, assail him with their various arts. And man is free to yield to these temptations, if he will; or he has the power to resist them, if he will. God has surrendered him to his own discretion, making him responsible, however, for the use and the abuse of the liberty bestowed upon him.

If a person mounts a high-spirited horse, it is important that he should be able to control him, otherwise he may be dashed in pieces. If an engineer undertakes to conduct a locomotive, it is necessary that he should be able to guide or check the panting engine at his pleasure, else his own life, and the lives of others, may be sacrificed. But it is still more indispensable that an individual, who is entrusted with the care of himself, should be able to govern himself.

This might seem a very easy task; but it is one of the most difficult that we are called upon to perform. History shows us that some of the greatest men have failed in it. Alexander could conquer the legions of Persia, but he could not conquer his passions. Cæsar triumphed in a hundred battles, but he fell a victim to the desire of being a king. Bonaparte vanquished nearly the whole of Europe, but he could not vanquish his own ambition. And in humbler life, nearer home, in our own every-day affairs, most of us are often drawn aside from the path of duty and discretion, because we cannot resist some temptation or overcome some prejudice.-Fireside Education.

AN INCIDENT IN THE CAFE' D'ORLEANS. THIS Coffee-house, situated in the new Galerie d'Orléans, in the Palais Royal, is one of the handsomest and most convenient in Paris.

To assist the "mind's eye" of the reader, during our description of a little scene which occurred recently in that place of resort, it may be as well to commence with a sketch of its general appearance.

There are four entrances to the Cafe,-two from the gallery, and two from the opposite arcade. The interior is very elegant; it is surrounded by large looking-glasses, and the panels are ornamented with great taste. The ceiling is divided into compartments of white and gold, from which several handsome chandeliers are suspended. The tables are of fine and highly polished marble, and in the centre of the saloon is a poéle, or stove, of a peculiarly novel form, and richly gilt. The comptoir is of superior mahogany, with gilt ornaments,-all in the best taste. But the Café d'Orléans is rendered particularly agreeable by the obligingness of the master of the establishment,-the extreme civility and attention of the waiters, the excellent supply of newspapers,—the good quality of the refreshments, and the moderate charges.

A glass of eau-sucrée is handed to you with as much alacrity and respect as an ice, or a déjeune à-la-fourchette ;-you meet with the same politeness from the dame du comptoir, when you present to her a few sous, in payment for a slight refection, as though the bill amounted to several francs; and if one sou be dropped into the urn for the garçon, it is recognised as a suitable offering.

I occasionally go to the Café d'Orléans, to skim the French papers; read Galignani's Messenger all through, because its contents transport my imagination to my beloved country; pry into the Moniteur, to see whether there be any official communications, revelations, or refutations; stare the Caricature in the face, or dip into the literary journal called the Cabinet de Lecture. Being there the other day, my attention was suddenly diverted from my newspaper, by some persons speaking English in loud Raising my eyes, I perceived a lady and gentleman walking across the coffee-room.

tones.

"What a nice place!" said the lady.

"Isn't it handsome?" inquired the gentleman.

"It is indeed," replied the lady, looking all round the saloon. Thus loudly praising the Café, and exciting the admiration of the habitués, they advanced towards a little round table, close to the door opposite to that by which they had entered, apparently with the intention of ordering some refreshment. No such thing: -out they popped, and at the same moment in marched the remainder of the party through the other door.

This division consisted of four persons,---namely, a male and female, of a certain age, extremely well dressed, and two young ladies; one of whom was very tall, and very slim, and distinguished by a profusion of light hair, falling in graceful ringlets down each side of her face. The other was a pretty, quiet-looking young gentlewoman, simply but elegantly attired.

The man expatiated loudly on the superiority of the Café.
"Observe the looking-glasses," said he.
"And the ceiling," added the lady.

"Beautiful! beautiful!" exclaimed the fair-haired lass. The dame du comptoir rang her little bell, to call the attention of the waiters to the party. A garçon approached, napkin in hand, and made a movement to prepare seats at a handsome marble table. No notice was taken by the English visiters.

"It is really very elegant," roared the male--of a certain age. "Ma-ag-ni-fi-cent!" rejoined his well-matched companion. Upon this, the tall young lady shook her ambrosial locks, and pointing to the richly-gilt poêle, cried out, "What's that? what's that?"

The garçon gaily waved his serviette (napkin.) "De l'orgeat ? (sugared barley-water) oui, madame, de suite," said he, and was running off to fetch the refreshing beverage, when the leader of the party grunted, "Well, shall we go?"

"Yes," squeaked his rib (I presume she was bone of his bone), and off they went by the opposite door.

The tall young lady kept her eyes fixed on the poêle" What's that?" again she cried; but finding the seniors had decamped, she hastily followed their steps. As her companion, the gentlelooking young creature before mentioned, passed me, our eyes met-I think we felt alike-we were ashamed of our compatriots. She blushed, and retired in confusion. I imagine she must have been a poor relative, or a humble friend; but how much more dignified and amiable did she appear than her arrogant, selfish companions!-who, however, will pass for very intelligent people, and, on their return to England, will doubtless talk like oracles about Paris, its cafés, its institutions, and all its lions. The unassuming girl will, perhaps, never be asked for an opinion, and will be too modest to offer one.

After the departure of the intruders, I observed the waiters. They certainly appeared somewhat surprised, and waited a few seconds, as though they expected that the party would return: they then put the seats they had prepared into their places, ready for other guests; and one of them went up to the comptoir, and said something in a low tone of voice to the dame, who smiled-I will not say ironically, but significantly.

Is it surprising that the English are sometimes quizzed by the Parisians? No one can love and honour his country and his countrymen more than I do mine; and as to my fair compatriotes, they are, in my opinion, superior to any women in the world. Neither am I a panegyrist of the French, to the detriment of the English. I give our neighbours credit for the numerous good qualities they possess, but I am not blind either to the faults or the prejudices they too generally entertain on many points connected with England; which prejudices travel and impartial reading would tend to dispel. It is, however, deplorable to see how ridiculously a great number of English people conduct themselves when they are abroad. Too many of them seem to think that they may take all sorts of liberties with foreigners. Numbers of tourists return to their firesides, without having gained any knowledge whatever of the manners and customs they profess to come over to observe; and, above all, they often lose sight of that decency of demeanour towards strangers which they practise in their own country.

What, let me ask, would be the effect of behaviour such as I have described, in an English tavern, coffee-house, oyster-room, pastrycook's, or other place of public entertainment? Why, the waiter would tell the gentlefolks that they were no gentlefolks,—and very properly so. It is much the fashion, too, to run down Old England, and to extol the superior and multifarious agrémens of France. In Paris, many are apt to say, you can visit every public place without payment; whereas, in London, you are deprived of this advantage.

This observation is correct in many respects-not in all : but well may those who act as the male-of a certain age-and his inquisitive companions, dilate upor the exemption from charge, and the facility with which all places of public resort in Paris may be viewed!

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