The Admiralty immediately confirmed the nomination3 of Captain Cooke; and further, in consideration of the character and services of the young naval4 officer, promoted him to the rank of master and commander.
The voyagers were accompanied back by Omiah, a native of Ulitea, one of the Otaheitean islands. Captain Burney, who had studied the language of this stranger during the voyage home, and had become his particular favourite, was anxious to introduce the young South-Sea islander to his father and family; who were at least equally eager to behold5 a native of a country so remote, and of such recent discovery.
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A time was quickly fixed6 for his dining and spending the day in Queen-Square; whither he was brought by Mr., afterwards Sir Joseph, Bankes, and Dr. Solander; who presented him to Dr. Burney.
The behaviour of this young Otaheitean, whom it would be an abuse of all the meaning annexed7 to the word, to call a savage8, was gentle, courteous9, easy, and natural; and shewed so much desire to please, and so much willingness to be pleased himself, that he astonished the whole party assembled to receive him; particularly Sir Robert Strange and Mr. Hayes; for he rather appeared capable to bestow10, than requiring to want, lessons of conduct and etiquette11 in civilized12 life.
He had a good figure, was tall and well-made; and though his complexion13 was swarthy and dingy14, it was by no means black; and though his features partook far more of the African than of the European cast, his eyes were lively and agreeable, and the general expression of his face was good-humoured and pleasing.
He was full dressed on this day, in the English costume, having just come from the House of Lords, whither he had been taken by Sir Joseph Bankes, to see, rather than to hear, for he could not understand
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it, the King deliver his speech from the throne. He had also been admitted to a private audience of his Majesty15, whom he had much entertained.
A bright Manchester velvet16 suit of clothes, lined with white satin, in which he was attired17, sat upon him with as much negligence19 of his finery, as if it had been his customary dress from adolescence20.
But the perfect ease with which he wore and managed a sword, which he had had the honour to receive from the king, and which he had that day put on for the first time, in order to go to the House of Lords, had very much struck, Sir Joseph said, every man by whom it had been observed; since, by almost every one, the first essay of that accoutrement had been accompanied with an awkwardness and inconvenience ludicrously risible21; which this adroit22 Otaheitean had marvellously escaped.
Captain Burney had acquired enough of the Otaheitean language to be the ready interpreter of Omiah with others, and to keep him alive and in spirits himself, by conversing23 with him in his own dialect. Omiah understood a little English, when addressed in it slowly and distinctly; but could speak it as yet very ill; and with the peculiarity25, whether adopted from the idiom of his own tongue,
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or from the apprehension26 of not being clearly comprehended, of uttering first affirmatively, and next negatively, all the little sentences that he attempted to pronounce.
Thus, when asked how he did, he answered “Ver well; not ver ill.” Or how he liked any thing, “Ver nice; not ver nasty.” Or what he thought of such a one, “Ver dood; not ver bad.”
On being presented by Captain Burney to the several branches of the family, when he came to this memorialist, who, from a bad cold, was enveloped27 in muslin wrappings, he inquired into the cause of her peculiar24 attire18; and, upon hearing that she was indisposed, he looked at her for a moment with concern, and then, recovering to a cheering nod, said, “Ver well to-morrow morrow?”
There had been much variation, though no serious dissension, among the circumnavigators during the voyage, upon the manner of naming this stranger. Captain Burney joined those officers who called him Omai; but Omiah was more general; and Omy was more common still. The sailors, however, who brought him over, disdaining28 to scan the nicety of these three modes of pronunciation, all, to a man, left each of them unattempted and undiscussed, and,
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by universal, though ridiculous agreement, gave him no other appellation29 than that of Jack30.
His after visits to the house of Dr. Burney were frequent, and evidently very agreeable to him. He was sure of a kind reception from all the family, and he was sincerely attached to Captain Burney; who was glad to continue with him the study of the Otaheitean language, preparatory to accompanying Captain Cooke in his third circumnavigation, when Omiah was to be restored to his own island and friends.
In the currency of this intercourse31, remarks were incessantly32 excited, upon the powers of nature unassisted by art, compared with those of art unassisted by nature; and of the equal necessity of some species of innate33 aptness, in civilized as well as in savage life, for obtaining success in personal acquirements.
The diserters on the instruction of youth were just then peculiarly occupied by the letters of Lord Chesterfield; and Mr. Stanhope, their object, was placed continually in a parallel line with Omiah: the first, beginning his education at a great public school; taught from an infant all attainable34 improvements; introduced, while yet a youth, at foreign courts; and brought forward into high life with all
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the favour that care, expense, information, and refinement35 could furnish; proved, with all these benefits, a heavy, ungainly, unpleasing character: while the second, with neither rank nor wealth, even in his own remote island; and with no tutor but nature; changing, in full manhood, his way of life, his dress, his country, and his friends; appeared, through a natural facility of observation, not alone unlike a savage, but with the air of a person who had devoted36 his youth to the practice of those graces, which the most elaborately accomplished37 of noblemen had vainly endeavoured to make the ornament38 of his son.
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1
eldest
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| adj.最年长的，最年老的 | |
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2
lieutenant
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| n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员 | |
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3
nomination
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| n.提名，任命，提名权 | |
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4
naval
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| adj.海军的，军舰的，船的 | |
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5
behold
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| v.看，注视，看到 | |
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6
fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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7
annexed
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| [法] 附加的，附属的 | |
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8
savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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9
courteous
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| adj.彬彬有礼的，客气的 | |
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10
bestow
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| v.把…赠与，把…授予；花费 | |
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11
etiquette
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| n.礼仪，礼节；规矩 | |
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12
civilized
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| a.有教养的，文雅的 | |
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13
complexion
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| n.肤色；情况，局面；气质，性格 | |
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14
dingy
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| adj.昏暗的，肮脏的 | |
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15
majesty
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| n.雄伟，壮丽，庄严，威严；最高权威，王权 | |
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16
velvet
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| n.丝绒，天鹅绒；adj.丝绒制的，柔软的 | |
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17
attired
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| adj.穿着整齐的v.使穿上衣服，使穿上盛装( attire的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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18
attire
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| v.穿衣，装扮[同]array；n.衣着；盛装 | |
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19
negligence
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| n.疏忽，玩忽，粗心大意 | |
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20
adolescence
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| n.青春期，青少年 | |
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21
risible
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| adj.能笑的；可笑的 | |
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22
adroit
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| adj.熟练的，灵巧的 | |
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23
conversing
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| v.交谈，谈话( converse的现在分词 ) | |
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24
peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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25
peculiarity
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| n.独特性，特色；特殊的东西；怪癖 | |
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26
apprehension
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| n.理解，领悟；逮捕，拘捕；忧虑 | |
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27
enveloped
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| v.包围，笼罩，包住( envelop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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28
disdaining
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| 鄙视( disdain的现在分词 )； 不屑于做，不愿意做 | |
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29
appellation
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| n.名称，称呼 | |
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30
jack
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| n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克 | |
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31
intercourse
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| n.性交；交流，交往，交际 | |
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32
incessantly
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| ad.不停地 | |
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33
innate
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| adj.天生的，固有的，天赋的 | |
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34
attainable
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| a.可达到的，可获得的 | |
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35
refinement
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| n.文雅；高尚；精美；精制；精炼 | |
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36
devoted
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| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
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37
accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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38
ornament
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| v.装饰，美化；n.装饰，装饰物 | |
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