journal of a voyage to lisbon-第12节

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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