第 21 节
作者:
敏儿不觉 更新:2021-02-19 21:45 字数:9322
different from what they had lately worn; the news that the ship
had almost lost its mizzen; and that we had procured very fine
clouted cream and fresh bread and butter from the shore; restored
health and spirits to our women; and we all sat down to a very
cheerful breakfast。 But; however pleasant our stay promised to
be here; we were all desirous it should be short: I resolved
immediately to despatch my man into the country to purchase a
present of cider; for my friends of that which is called Southam;
as well as to take with me a hogshead of it to Lisbon; for it is;
in my opinion; much more delicious than that which is the growth
of Herefordshire。 I purchased three hogsheads for five pounds
ten shillings; all which I should have scarce thought worth
mentioning; had I not believed it might be of equal service to
the honest farmer who sold it me; and who is by the neighboring
gentlemen reputed to deal in the very best; and to the reader;
who; from ignorance of the means of providing better for himself;
swallows at a dearer rate the juice of Middlesex turnip; instead
of that Vinum Pomonae which Mr。 Giles Leverance of Cheeshurst;
near Dartmouth in Devon; will; at the price of forty shillings
per hogshead; send in double casks to any part of the world。 Had
the wind been very sudden in shifting; I had lost my cider by an
attempt of a boatman to exact; according to custom。 He required
five shillings for conveying my man a mile and a half to the
shore; and four more if he stayed to bring him back。 This I
thought to be such insufferable impudence that I ordered him to
be immediately chased from the ship; without any answer。 Indeed;
there are few inconveniences that I would not rather encounter
than encourage the insolent demands of these wretches; at the
expense of my own indignation; of which I own they are not the
only objects; but rather those who purchase a paltry convenience
by encouraging them。 But of this I have already spoken very
largely。 I shall conclude; therefore; with the leave which this
fellow took of our ship; saying he should know it again; and
would not put off from the shore to relieve it in any distress
whatever。 It will; doubtless; surprise many of my readers to
hear that; when we lay at anchor within a mile or two of a town
several days together; and even in the most temperate weather; we
should frequently want fresh provisions and herbage; and other
emoluments of the shore; as much as if we had been a hundred
leagues from land。 And this too while numbers of boats were in
our sight; whose owners get their livelihood by rowing people up
and down; and could be at any time summoned by a signal to our
assistance; and while the captain had a little boat of his own;
with men always ready to row it at his command。
This; however; hath been partly accounted for already by the
imposing disposition of the people; who asked so much more than
the proper price of their labor。 And as to the usefulness of the
captain's boat; it requires to be a little expatiated upon; as it
will tend to lay open some of the grievances which demand the
utmost regard of our legislature; as they affect the most
valuable part of the king's subjectsthose by whom the commerce
of the nation is carried into execution。 Our captain then; who
was a very good and experienced seaman; having been above thirty
years the master of a vessel; part of which he had served; so he
phrased it; as commander of a privateer; and had discharged
himself with great courage and conduct; and with as great
success; discovered the utmost aversion to the sending his boat
ashore whenever we lay wind…bound in any of our harbors。 This
aversion did not arise from any fear of wearing out his boat by
using it; but was; in truth; the result of experience; that it
was easier to send his men on shore than to recall them。 They
acknowledged him to be their master while they remained on
shipboard; but did not allow his power to extend to the shores;
where they had no sooner set their foot than every man became sui
juris; and thought himself at full liberty to return when he
pleased。 Now it is not any delight that these fellows have in
the fresh air or verdant fields on the land。 Every one of them
would prefer his ship and his hammock to all the sweets of Arabia
the Happy; but; unluckily for them; there are in every seaport in
England certain houses whose chief livelihood depends on
providing entertainment for the gentlemen of the jacket。 For
this purpose they are always well furnished with those cordial
liquors which do immediately inspire the heart with gladness;
banishing all careful thoughts; and indeed all others; from the
mind; and opening the mouth with songs of cheerfulness and
thanksgiving for the many wonderful blessings with which a
seafaring life overflows。
For my own part; however whimsical it may appear; I confess I
have thought the strange story of Circe in the Odyssey no other
than an ingenious allegory; in which Homer intended to convey to
his countrymen the same kind of instruction which we intend to
communicate to our own in this digression。 As teaching the art
of war to the Greeks was the plain design of the Iliad; so was
teaching them the art of navigation the no less manifest
intention of the Odyssey。 For the improvement of this; their
situation was most excellently adapted; and accordingly we find
Thucydides; in the beginning of his history; considers the Greeks
as a set of pirates or privateers; plundering each other by sea。
This being probably the first institution of commerce before the
Ars Cauponaria was invented; and merchants; instead of robbing;
began to cheat and outwit each other; and by degrees changed the
Metabletic; the only kind of traffic allowed by Aristotle in his
Politics; into the Chrematistic。
By this allegory then I suppose Ulysses to have been the captain
of a merchant…ship; and Circe some good ale…wife; who made his
crew drunk with the spirituous liquors of those days。 With this
the transformation into swine; as well as all other incidents of
the fable; will notably agree; and thus a key will be found out
for unlocking the whole mystery; and forging at least some meaning
to a story which; at present; appears very strange and absurd。
Hence; moreover; will appear the very near resemblance between
the sea…faring men of all ages and nations; and here perhaps may
be established the truth and justice of that observation; which
will occur oftener than once in this voyage; that all human flesh
is not the same flesh; but that there is one kind of flesh of
landmen; and another of seamen。
Philosophers; divines; and others; who have treated the
gratification of human appetites with contempt; have; among other
instances; insisted very strongly on that satiety which is so apt
to overtake them even in the very act of enjoyment。 And here
they more particularly deserve our attention; as most of them may
be supposed to speak from their own experience; and very probably
gave us their lessons with a full stomach。 Thus hunger and
thirst; whatever delight they may afford while we are eating and
drinking; pass both away from us with the plate and the cup; and
though we should imitate the Romans; if; indeed; they were such
dull beasts; which I can scarce believe; to unload the belly like
a dung…pot; in order to fill it again with another load; yet
would the pleasure be so considerably lessened that it would
scarce repay us the trouble of purchasing it with swallowing a
basin of camomile tea。 A second haunch of venison; or a second
dose of turtle; would hardly allure a city glutton with its
smell。 Even the celebrated Jew himself; when well filled with
calipash and calipee; goes contentedly home to tell his money;
and expects no more pleasure from his throat during the next
twenty…four hours。 Hence I suppose Dr。 South took that elegant
comparison of the joys of a speculative man to the solemn silence
of an Archimedes over a problem; and those of a glutton to the
stillness of a sow at her wash。 A simile which; if it became the
pulpit at all; could only become it in the afternoon。 Whereas in
those potations which the mind seems to enjoy; rather than the
bodily appetite; there is happily no such satiety; but the more a
man drinks; the more he desires; as if; like Mark Anthony in
Dryden; his appetite increased with feeding; and this to such an
immoderate degree; ut nullus sit desiderio aut pudor aut modus。
Hence; as with the gang of Captain Ulysses; ensues so total a
transformation; that the man no more continues what he was。
Perhaps he ceases for a time to be at all; or; though he may
retain the same outward form and figure he had before; yet is his
nobler part; as we are taught to call it; so changed; that;
instead of being the same man; he scarce remembers what he was a
few hours before。 And this transformation; being o