TO THE THIRD CANTO. PAGE 97. 1. 1. When in a barbarous Age, These beautiful introductory Reflections on the beneficial influence of Poetry, as promoting the civilization, and consequently the happiness of mankind, form an unanswerable reply to the enthusiastic ravings of Rousseau, and his fellow madmen; who have attempted to raise the character of the human savage, above the mind that has been polished with the embellishments of social life. PAGE 100. 1. 15, 16. While round before th' enlarging Wind it falls, The Wind is said to enlarge, when it veers from the side towards the Stern. To square the Yards, is, in this place, to haul them directly across the Ship's length. FALCONER. PAGE ibid. 1. 19. So, steady! meet her! Steady! is an order to steer the Ship according to the line on which she then advances, without deviating to PAGE 101. 1. 1. Then back to port, The left side of a Ship is called PORT in steering, that P the Helmsmen may not mistake larboard, for starboard. In all large Ships, the Tiller, (or long bar of Timber, that is fixed horizontally to the upper end of the Rudder,) is guided by a WHEEL, which acts upon it with the powers of a Crane, or Windlass. FALCONER. PAGE 102. 1. 5-12. As that rebellious Angel, This allusion to the flight of Satan from Hell, forms one of the most beautiful Similes in the Poem. It is described by Milton in two separate passages, at the conclusion of his second Book of Paradise Lost. PAGE ibid. 1. 19, 21. Poor, Bow, POOP, from the Latin word Puppis, is the hindmost, and highest deck of a Ship. The Bow, is the rounding part of a Ship's side forward, beginning at the place where the planks arch inwards, and terminating where they close at the Stem, or Prow. FALCONER. PAGE 103. 1. 13. .....when past the Beam it flies, On the BEAM, implies any distance from the Ship on a line with the Beams, or at right Angles with the Keel: thus, if the Ship steers northward, any object lying east, or west, is said to be on her starboard, or larboard beam. FALCONER. PAGE 104. 1. 16. : They did for in this desert, joyless Soil, The whole of what follows would have been more clearly expressed, had our Author substituted our, for this: since the reader is at first troubled to find out, whether the soil of the classic Territory of Greece is not alluded to "They did for in our desert, joyless Soil —" Or in our uneducated miserable profession, no love of Science, or of Literature, ever appears. In these and the following lines, Falconer very unjustly abuses the Taste, and classical acquirements of naval Officers: his own Mind was alone sufficient to contradict such an assertion. No Profession, whatever, cherishes with more assiduity the "flowers of genial Science," and the glowing numbers of Poesy, than the British Navy. To the name of Falconer, may be added that of Mickle, and many others, who were, as Mr. Pye says, "Nursed on the Waves, and cradled in the Storm." Nor can I allow, that Ocean's Genius withers the bloom of every springing flower: the sublime Camoens composed the greater part of his LUSIADAS at Sea, under the immediate influence of this Genius; and, if I were requested to select a person, whose taste for Poetry, and other classic acquirements was superior to that of the rest of Mankind, I should be justified in mentioning a name,which will ever be engraven on my heart-the late Admiral J. W. Payne. PAGE 105. 1. 19. Immortal Athens first, in ruin spread, Contiguous lies at Port LIONO's head; PORTO LEONE, the ancient PIRÆUM, received its modern title from a large Lion of white Marble, since carried by the Venetians to their Arsenal. The Ports of ancient ATHENS Were-1. Phalerim; 2. Munichia, and 3. Pyræus, the most capacious. A particular account of modern ATHENS, or as it is now called Athini, is given by Dr. Chandler: it was also visited by Lord Sandwich in his Voyage round the Mediterranean. Its Antiquities have been amply described by Le Roy, and Stuart. I have already mentioned the dangerous Navigation of the Archiepelago, and it is considerably increased as you advance towards Porto Leone; particularly if the Ship is of any great burden. At the close of the year 1802, the Braakel of 54 guns, commanded by my brother Capt. George Clarke, was sent on this hazardous service; which he accomplished at the most imminent risk-the following extract from his Letter will illustrate the danger which Falconer so well describes: "From the ignorance of the Pilot, the Braakel, when in stays, struck at Midnight on a point of land, that forms the entrance of the harbour of Porto Leone, eight miles from the town of ATHENS, I contrived to land a quantity of Provisions on the Rocks, and was obliged to order half the guns to be hove overboard; at the same time a Sheet Anchor, and Cable, were got out astern to heave the Ship off, which we in vain attempted for many hours: at length, to our great joy, being assisted by the Wind coming strong right off the Land, we swung round off, and rode stern to wind by the above mentioned Anchor. In about an hour the Weather changed; the Wind shifted, and placed the Ship with a strong Gale, and heavy Sea close to the Shore. The Cable was instantly cut, and we made sail to get round the northern extremity of the point; when the Pilot, again mistaking the Land, we anchored in a wrong position, yet clear of the Rocks; until the wind shifting, placed the Ship in the middle of a second dark stormy Night. We came slap on shore, along-side the Rocks: fortunately the Ship lay tolerably easy, being assisted by the Anchor; which owing to the Wind shifting, brought it well out on the starboard Bow. Day-break at length appeared, and the Gale shifted again: hove on the Anchor, and succeeded in getting her off after a few hard knocks, the loss of a little Copper, and part of the false Keel. Made sail again, weathered our danger, and anchored for want of Wind; when, a breeze springing up, we got safe into Porto Leone. In performing this we lost the Sheet Anchor, the Stream, and the Kedge. On leaving this Harbour we were driven back three times; when I bore up for Port Oliver, in the Island of METELIN, where there is an Harbour beyond description safe, and spacious. I do not think this is generally known; or what is more, that the Turks build Frigates there; one of 32 guns was at this time on the stocks." G. C. PAGE 108. 1.18. That pipes among the Shades of Endermay. A Song entitled the Birks of Endermay, was written by Mallet, and is mentioned by Dr. Currie in his Life of Burns. (Page 278.) |