Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Life And Adventures Of Peter Porcupine;
THE LIFE AND ADVENTURES » OF ___ PETER PORCUPINE ;
. WITH A I'ULL AN'fa FA IB ACCOUNT Of ALL HIS AUTHORISING TRANSACTIONS .
^ CONTINUED FROM OUR LAST . ]
TOWARDS the autumn of 1782 I went to visit a relation who lived in the neighbourhood of Portsmouth . From the top of Portsdown , I , for the first time , beheld the sea , and no sooner did I behold it than I wished to be a sailor . I could never account for this sudden impulse , nor can I now . Almost all English boys feel the same inclination : it would seem that , like young ducks , instinct leads them to rush on the bosom of the water .
But it was not the sea alone that I saw : the grand Fleet was riding at anchor at S p ithead . 1 had heard of the Wooden Walls of Old England ; I had formed my ideas of a ship and of a fleet ; but what I now beheld so far surpassed what I had ever been able to form a conception of , that 1 stood lost between astonishment and admiration . I had heard talk of the glorious deeds of our Admirals and Sailors , of
the defeat of the Spanish Armada , and of all those memorable combats that good and true Englishmen never fail to relate to their children about one hundred times a year . The brave Rodney ' s victories over our natural enemies , the French and Spaniards , had long been the theme of our praise , and the burthen of our songs . The sight of the
Fleet brought all these into my mind ; in confused order , it is true , but with irresistible force . My heart was inflated with national pride . The Sailors were my countiymen , the Fleet belonged to my country , and surely I had my part in it , and all its honours : yet these honours I had not earned ; I took to myself a sort of reproach for possessing what I had no rig ht to , and resolved to have a just claim , by sharing in the hardships and the dangers .
I arrived at my uncle ' s late in the evening , with m } ' mind full of my sea-faring projects . Though I had walked thirty miles during the day , and consequently was well wearied , I slept not a moment . It was no sooner day-light than 1 arose , and walked down towards the old castle on the beach at Spithead . For a sixpence given to an invalid 1 got permission to go upon the battlements ; here 1 had a closer
view of the Fleet , and at every look my impatience to be on board increased . In short , I went from the castle to Portsmouth , got intoa boat , and was in a few minutes on board the Pegasus man of war , commanded by the Hon . George Beikeley , brother to the Ei-. il of Berkelev .
The Captain had more compassion than is generally met with in men of his profession : he represented to me the toils 1 must undergo , and the punishments that the least disobedience or neglect would subject me to . lie persuaded me to relurn home , and I remember he concluded his advice b y telling me , that it was better to be led to VOL . ix . X
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Life And Adventures Of Peter Porcupine;
THE LIFE AND ADVENTURES » OF ___ PETER PORCUPINE ;
. WITH A I'ULL AN'fa FA IB ACCOUNT Of ALL HIS AUTHORISING TRANSACTIONS .
^ CONTINUED FROM OUR LAST . ]
TOWARDS the autumn of 1782 I went to visit a relation who lived in the neighbourhood of Portsmouth . From the top of Portsdown , I , for the first time , beheld the sea , and no sooner did I behold it than I wished to be a sailor . I could never account for this sudden impulse , nor can I now . Almost all English boys feel the same inclination : it would seem that , like young ducks , instinct leads them to rush on the bosom of the water .
But it was not the sea alone that I saw : the grand Fleet was riding at anchor at S p ithead . 1 had heard of the Wooden Walls of Old England ; I had formed my ideas of a ship and of a fleet ; but what I now beheld so far surpassed what I had ever been able to form a conception of , that 1 stood lost between astonishment and admiration . I had heard talk of the glorious deeds of our Admirals and Sailors , of
the defeat of the Spanish Armada , and of all those memorable combats that good and true Englishmen never fail to relate to their children about one hundred times a year . The brave Rodney ' s victories over our natural enemies , the French and Spaniards , had long been the theme of our praise , and the burthen of our songs . The sight of the
Fleet brought all these into my mind ; in confused order , it is true , but with irresistible force . My heart was inflated with national pride . The Sailors were my countiymen , the Fleet belonged to my country , and surely I had my part in it , and all its honours : yet these honours I had not earned ; I took to myself a sort of reproach for possessing what I had no rig ht to , and resolved to have a just claim , by sharing in the hardships and the dangers .
I arrived at my uncle ' s late in the evening , with m } ' mind full of my sea-faring projects . Though I had walked thirty miles during the day , and consequently was well wearied , I slept not a moment . It was no sooner day-light than 1 arose , and walked down towards the old castle on the beach at Spithead . For a sixpence given to an invalid 1 got permission to go upon the battlements ; here 1 had a closer
view of the Fleet , and at every look my impatience to be on board increased . In short , I went from the castle to Portsmouth , got intoa boat , and was in a few minutes on board the Pegasus man of war , commanded by the Hon . George Beikeley , brother to the Ei-. il of Berkelev .
The Captain had more compassion than is generally met with in men of his profession : he represented to me the toils 1 must undergo , and the punishments that the least disobedience or neglect would subject me to . lie persuaded me to relurn home , and I remember he concluded his advice b y telling me , that it was better to be led to VOL . ix . X