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journal of a voyage to lisbon-第12章

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sails; and; as if his power had been no less absolute over Aeolus

than it was over Neptune; he forced the wind to blow him on in

its own despite。



But as all men who have ever been at sea well know how weak such

attempts are; and want no authorities of Scripture to prove that

the most absolute power of a captain of a ship is very contemptible

in the wind's eye; so did it befall our noble commander; who;

having struggled with the wind three or four hours; was obliged

to give over; and lost in a few minutes all that he had been

so long a…gaining; in short; we returned to our former station;

and once more cast anchor in the neighborhood of Deal。



Here; though we lay near the shore; that we might promise

ourselves all the emolument which could be derived from it; we

found ourselves deceived; and that we might with as much

conveniency be out of the sight of land; for; except when the

captain launched forth his own boat; which he did always with

great reluctance; we were incapable of procuring anything from

Deal; but at a price too exorbitant; and beyond the reach even of

modern luxurythe fare of a boat from Deal; which lay at two

miles' distance; being at least three half…crowns; and; if we had

been in any distress for it; as many half…guineas; for these good

people consider the sea as a large common appendant to their

manor; in which when they find any of their fellow…creatures

impounded; they conclude that they have a full right of making

them pay at their own discretion for their deliverance:  to say

the truth; whether it be that men who live on the sea…shore are

of an amphibious kind; and do not entirely partake of human

nature; or whatever else may be the reason; they are so far from

taking any share in the distresses of mankind; or of being moved

with any compassion for them; that they look upon them as

blessings showered down from above; and which the more they

improve to their own use; the greater is their gratitude and

piety。  Thus at Gravesend a sculler requires a shilling for going

less way than he would row in London for threepence; and at Deal

a boat often brings more profit in a day than it can produce in

London in a week; or perhaps in a month; in both places the owner

of the boat founds his demand on the necessity and distress of

one who stands more or less in absolute want of his assistance;

and with the urgency of these always rises in the exorbitancy of

his demand; without ever considering that; from these very

circumstances; the power or ease of gratifying such demand is in

like proportion lessened。  Now; as I am unwilling that some

conclusions; which may be; I am aware; too justly drawn from

these observations; should be imputed to human nature in general;

I have endeavored to account for them in a way more consistent

with the goodness and dignity of that nature。  However it be; it

seems a little to reflect on the governors of such monsters that

they do not take some means to restrain these impositions; and

prevent them from triumphing any longer in the miseries of those

who are; in many circumstances at least; their fellow…creatures;

and considering the distresses of a wretched seaman; from his

being wrecked to his being barely windbound; as a blessing sent

among them from above; and calling it by that blasphemous name。



Friday; July 5。This day I sent a servant on board a man…of…war

that was stationed here; with my compliments to the captain; to

represent to him the distress of the ladies; and to desire the

favor of his long…boat to conduct us to Dover; at about seven

miles' distance; and at the same time presumed to make use of a

great lady's name; the wife of the first lord commissioner of the

admiralty; who would; I told him; be pleased with any kindness

shown by him towards us in our miserable condition。  And this I

am convinced was true; from the humanity of the lady; though she

was entirely unknown to me。



The captain returned a verbal answer to a long letter acquainting

me that what I desired could not be complied with; it being a

favor not in his power to grant。  This might be; and I suppose

was; true; but it is as true that; if he was able to write; and

had pen; ink; and paper on board; he might have sent a written

answer; and that it was the part of a gentleman so to have done;

but this is a character seldom maintained on the watery element;

especially by those who exercise any power on it。  Every

commander of a vessel here seems to think himself entirely free

from all those rules of decency and civility which direct and

restrain the conduct of the members of a society on shore; and

each; claiming absolute dominion in his little wooden world;

rules by his own laws and his own discretion。  I do not; indeed;

know so pregnant an instance of the dangerous consequences of

absolute power; and its aptness to intoxicate the mind; as that

of those petty tyrants; who become such in a moment; from very

well…disposed and social members of that communion in which they

affect no superiority; but live in an orderly state of legal

subjection with their fellow…citizens。



Saturday; July 6。This morning our commander; declaring he was

sure the wind would change; took the advantage of an ebbing tide;

and weighed his anchor。  His assurance; however; had the same

completion; and his endeavors the same success; with his formal

trial; and he was soon obliged to return once more to his old

quarters。  Just before we let go our anchor; a small sloop;

rather than submit to yield us an inch of way; ran foul of our

ship; and carried off her bowsprit。  This obstinate frolic would

have cost those aboard the sloop very dear; if our steersman had

not been too generous to exert his superiority; the certain

consequence of which would have been the immediate sinking of the

other。  This contention of the inferior with a might capable of

crushing it in an instant may seem to argue no small share of

folly or madness; as well as of impudence; but I am convinced

there is very little danger in it:  contempt is a port to which

the pride of man submits to fly with reluctance; but those who

are within it are always in a place of the most assured security;

for whosoever throws away his sword prefers; indeed; a less

honorable but much safer means of avoiding danger than he who

defends himself with it。  And here we shall offer another

distinction; of the truth of which much reading and experience

have well convinced us; that as in the most absolute governments

there is a regular progression of slavery downwards; from the top

to the bottom; the mischief of which is seldom felt with any

great force and bitterness but by the next immediate degree; so

in the most dissolute and anarchical states there is as regular

an ascent of what is called rank or condition; which is always

laying hold of the head of him who is advanced but one step

higher on the ladder; who might; if he did not too much despise

such efforts; kick his pursuer headlong to the bottom。  We will

conclude this digression with one general and short observation;

which will; perhaps; set the whole matter in a clearer light than

the longest and most labored harangue。  Whereas envy of all

things most exposes us to danger from others; so contempt of all

things best secures us from them。  And thus; while the dung…cart

and the sloop are always meditating mischief against the coach

and the ship; and throwing themselves designedly in their way;

the latter consider only their own security; and are not ashamed

to break the road and let the other pass by them。



Monday; July 8。Having passed our Sunday without anything

remarkable; unless the catching a great number of whitings in the

afternoon may be thought so; we now set sail on Monday at six

o'clock; with a little variation of wind; but this was so very

little; and the breeze itself so small; but the tide was our best

and indeed almost our only friend。  This conducted us along the

short remainder of the Kentish shore。  Here we passed that cliff

of Dover which makes so tremendous a figure in Shakespeare; and

which whoever reads without being giddy; must; according to Mr。

Addison's observation; have either a very good head or a very

bad; one; but which; whoever contracts any such ideas from the

sight of; must have at least a poetic if not a Shakesperian

genius。  In truth; mountains; rivers; heroes; and gods owe great

part of their existence to the poets; and Greece and Italy do so

plentifully abound in the former; because they furnish so

glorious a number of the latter; who; while they bestowed

immortality on every little hillock and blind stream; left the

noblest rivers and mountains in the world to share the same

obscurity with the eastern and western poets; in which they are

celebrated。  This evening we beat the sea of Sussex in sight of

Dungeness; with much more pleasure than progress; for the weather

was almost a perfect c
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