in　which　his　skill　was　somewhat　deficient；　at　least　that　branch
  of　tapping　for　the　dropsy；　for　he　very　ingenuously　and　modestly
  confessed　he　had　never　seen　the　operation　performed；　nor　was
  possessed　of　that　chirurgical　instrument　with　which　it　is　performed。
  Friday；　June　28。By　way　of　prevention；　therefore；　I　this　day
  sent　for　my　friend；　Mr。　Hunter；　the　great　surgeon　and　anatomist
  of　Covent…garden；　and；　though　my　belly　was　not　yet　very　full　and
  tight；　let　out　ten　quarts　of　water；　the　young　sea…surgeon
  attended　the　operation；　not　as　a　performer；　but　as　a　student。
  I　was　now　eased　of　the　greatest　apprehension　which　I　had　from　the
  length　of　the　passage；　and　I　told　the　captain　I　was　become
  indifferent　as　to　the　time　of　his　sailing。　　He　expressed　much
  satisfaction　in　this　declaration；　and　at　hearing　from　me　that　I
  found　myself；　since　my　tapping；　much　lighter　and　better。　　In
  this；　I　believe；　he　was　sincere；　for　he　was；　as　we　shall　have
  occasion　to　observe　more　than　once；　a　very　good…natured　man；　and；
  as　he　was　a　very　brave　one　too；　I　found　that　the　heroic　constancy
  with　which　I　had　borne　an　operation　that　is　attended　with　scarce
  any　degree　of　pain　had　not　a　little　raised　me　in　his　esteem。
  That　he　might　adhere；　therefore；　in　the　most　religious　and
  rigorous　manner　to　his　word；　when　he　had　no　longer　any　temptation
  from　interest　to　break　it；　as　he　had　no　longer　any　hopes　of　more
  goods　or　passengers；　he　ordered　his　ship　to　fall　down　to
  Gravesend　on　Sunday　morning；　and　there　to　wait　his　arrival。
  Sunday；　June　30。Nothing　worth　notice　passed　till　that　morning；
  when　my　poor　wife；　after　passing　a　night　in　the　utmost　torments
  of　the　toothache；　resolved　to　have　it　drawn。　　I　despatched
  therefore　a　servant　into　Wapping　to　bring　in　haste　the　best
  tooth…drawer　he　could　find。　　He　soon　found　out　a　female　of　great
  eminence　in　the　art；　but　when　he　brought　her　to　the　boat；　at　the
  waterside；　they　were　informed　that　the　ship　was　gone；　for　indeed
  she　had　set　out　a　few　minutes　after　his　quitting　her；　nor　did　the
  pilot；　who　well　knew　the　errand　on　which　I　had　sent　my　servant；
  think　fit　to　wait　a　moment　for　his　return；　or　to　give　me　any
  notice　of　his　setting　out；　though　I　had　very　patiently　attended
  the　delays　of　the　captain　four　days；　after　many　solemn　promises
  of　weighing　anchor　every　one　of　the　three　last。
  But　of　all　the　petty　bashaws　or　turbulent　tyrants　I　ever　beheld；
  this　sour…faced　pilot　was　the　worst　tempered；　for；　during　the
  time　that　he　had　the　guidance　of　the　ship；　which　was　till　we
  arrived　in　the　Downs；　he　complied　with　no　one's　desires；　nor　did
  he　give　a　civil　word；　or　indeed　a　civil　look；　to　any　on　board。
  The　tooth…drawer；　who；　as　I　said　before；　was　one　of　great
  eminence　among　her　neighbors；　refused　to　follow　the　ship；　so　that
  my　man　made　himself　the　best　of　his　way；　and　with　some　difficulty
  came　up　with　us　before　we　were　got　under　full　sail；　for　after
  that；　as　we　had　both　wind　and　tide　with　us；　he　would　have　found
  it　impossible　to　overtake　the　ship　till　she　was　come　to　an　anchor
  at　Gravesend。
  The　morning　was　fair　and　bright；　and　we　had　a　passage　thither；　I
  think；　as　pleasant　as　can　be　conceived：　　　for；　take　it　with　all
  its　advantages；　particularly　the　number　of　fine　ships　you　are
  always　sure　of　seeing　by　the　way；　there　is　nothing　to　equal　it　in
  all　the　rivers　of　the　world。　　The　yards　of　Deptford　and　of
  Woolwich　are　noble　sights；　and　give　us　a　just　idea　of　the　great
  perfection　to　which　we　are　arrived　in　building　those　floating
  castles；　and　the　figure　which　we　may　always　make　in　Europe　among
  the　other　maritime　powers。　　That　of　Woolwich；　at　least；　very
  strongly　imprinted　this　idea　on　my　mind；　for　there　was　now　on　the
  stocks　there　the　Royal　Anne；　supposed　to　be　the　largest　ship　ever
  built；　and　which　contains　ten　carriage…guns　more　than　had　ever
  yet　equipped　a　first…rate。
  It　is　true；　perhaps；　that　there　is　more　of　ostentation　than　of
  real　utility　in　ships　of　this　vast　and　unwieldy　burden；　which　are
  rarely　capable　of　acting　against　an　enemy；　but　if　the　building
  such　contributes　to　preserve；　among　other　nations；　the　notion　of
  the　British　superiority　in　naval　affairs；　the　expense；　though
  very　great；　is　well　incurred；　and　the　ostentation　is　laudable　and
  truly　political。　　Indeed；　I　should　be　sorry　to　allow　that
  Holland；　France；　or　Spain；　possessed　a　vessel　larger　and　more
  beautiful　than　the　largest　and　most　beautiful　of　ours；　for　this
  honor　I　would　always　administer　to　the　pride　of　our　sailors；　who
  should　challenge　it　from　all　their　neighbors　with　truth　and
  success。　　And　sure　I　am　that　not　our　honest　tars　alone；　but　every
  inhabitant　of　this　island；　may　exult　in　the　comparison；　when　he
  considers　the　king　of　Great　Britain　as　a　maritime　prince；　in
  opposition　to　any　other　prince　in　Europe；　but　I　am　not　so　certain
  that　the　same　idea　of　superiority　will　result　from　comparing　our
  land　forces　with　those　of　many　other　crowned　heads。　　In　numbers
  they　all　far　exceed　us；　and　in　the　goodness　and　splendor　of　their
  troops　many　nations；　particularly　the　Germans　and　French；　and
  perhaps　the　Dutch；　cast　us　at　a　distance；　for；　however　we　may
  flatter　ourselves　with　the　Edwards　and　Henrys　of　former　ages；　the
  change　of　the　whole　art　of　war　since　those　days；　by　which　the
  advantage　of　personal　strength　is　in　a　manner　entirely　lost；　hath
  produced　a　change　in　military　affairs　to　the　advantage　of　our
  enemies。　　As　for　our　successes　in　later　days；　if　they　were　not
  entirely　owing　to　the　superior　genius　of　our　general；　they　were
  not　a　little　due　to　the　superior　force　of　his　money。　　Indeed；　if
  we　should　arraign　marshal　Saxe　of　ostentation　when　he　showed　his
  army；　drawn　up；　to　our　captive　general；　the　day　after　the　battle
  of　La　Val；　we　cannot　say　that　the　ostentation　was　entirely　vain；
  since　he　certainly　showed　him　an　army　which　had　not　been　often
  equaled；　either　in　the　number　or　goodness　of　the　troops；　and
  which；　in　those　respects；　so　far　exceeded　ours；　that　none　can
  ever　cast　any　reflection　on　the　brave　young　prince　who　could　not
  reap　the　laurels　of　conquest　in　that　day；　but　his　retreat　will　be
  always　mentioned　as　an　addition　to　his　glory。
  In　our　marine　the　case　is　entirely　the　reverse；　and　it　must　be
  our　own　fault　if　it　doth　not　continue　so；　for　continue　so　it　will
  as　long　as　the　flourishing　state　of　our　trade　shall　support　it；
  and　this　support　it　can　never　want　till　our　legislature　shall
  cease　to　give　sufficient　attention　to　the　protection　of　our
  trade；　and　our　magistrates　want　sufficient　power；　ability；　and
  honesty；　to　execute　the　laws；　a　circumstance　not　to　be
  apprehended；　as　it　cannot　happen　till　our　senates　and　our　benches
  shall　be　filled　with　the　blindest　ignorance；　or　with　the　blackest
  corruption。
  Besides　the　ships　in　the　docks；　we　saw　many　on　the　water：　　the
  yachts　are　sights　of　great　parade；　and　the　king's　body　yacht　is；
  I　believe；　unequaled　in　any　country　for　convenience　as　well　as
  magnificence；　both　which　are　consulted　in　building　and　equipping
  her　with　the　most　exquisite　art　and　workmanship。
  We　saw　likewise　several　Indiamen　just　returned　from　their　voyage。
  These　are；　I　believe；　the　largest　and　finest　vessels　which　are
  anywhere　employed　in　commercial　affairs。　　The　colliers；　likewise；
  which　are　very　numerous；　and　even　assemble　in　fleets；　are　ships
  of　great　bulk；　and　if　we　descend　to　those　used　in　the　American；
  African；　and　European　trades；　and　pass　through　those　which　visit
  our　own　coasts；　to　the　small　craft　that　lie　between　Chatham　and
  the　Tower；　the　whole　forms　a　most　pleasing　object　to　the　eye；　as
  well　as　highly　warming　to　the　heart　of　an　Englishman　who　has　any
  degree　of　love　for　his　country；　or　can　recognize　any　effect　of
  the　patriot　in　his　constitution。　　Lastly；　the　Royal　Hospital　at
  Greenwich；　which　presents　so　delightful　a　front　to　the　water；　and
  doth　such　honor　at　once　to　its　builder　and　the　nation；　to　the
  great　skill　and　ingenuity　of　the　one；　and　to　the　no　less　sensible
  gratitude　of　the　other；　very　properly　closes　the　account　of　this
  scene；　which　may　well　appear　romantic　to　those　who　have　not
  themselves　seen　that；　in　this　one　instance；　truth　and　reality　are
  capable；　perhaps；　of　exceeding　the　power　of　fiction。　　When　we　had
  passed　by　Greenwich　we　saw　only　two　or　three　gentlemen's　houses；
  all　of　very　moderate　account；　till　we　reached　Gravesend：　　these
  are　all　on　the　Kentish　shore；　which　affords　a　much　dryer；
  wholesomer；　and　pleasanter　situation；　than　doth　that　of　its
  opposite；　Essex。　　This　circumstance；　I　own；　is　somewhat
  surprising　to　me；　when　I　reflect　on　the　numerous　villas　that
  crowd　the　river　from　Chelsea　upwards　as　far　as　Shepperton；　where
  the　narrower　channel　affords　not　half　so　noble　a　prospect；　and
  where　the　continual　succession　of　the　small　craft；　like　the
  frequent　repetition　of　all　things；　which　have　nothing　in　them
  great；　beautiful；　or　admirable；　tire　the　eye；　and　give　us
  distaste　and　aversion；　instead　of　pleasure