Alexander.--They say he is a very man per se, And stands alone.
Cressida.--So do all men, unless they are drunk, sick, or have no legs.
TROILUS AND CRESSIDA.
Charles Morton, whom we have somewhat abruptly1 introduced to our readers, and exhibited for two or three chapters, without much explanation, was the only surviving child of a wealthy merchant in one of the sea-ports in the southern part of Massachusetts. He had received a liberal education, as a collegiate course of studies is at present, and in many instances most absurdly, called. Morton could, however, lay a just claim to be called liberally educated. He went to college without contemplating2 to pursue either of the three learned professions, but merely to acquire a more intimate acquaintance with the classics, history, belles4 lettres, and mathematics, than it was then supposed he could obtain elsewhere. People begin to think differently at the present period, and have a faint sort of notion that a boy can become qualified5 for the every day duties of life, or for practice in the three professions, without having received a diploma from a college, exclusively controlled in all its attitudes and relations by one particular sect6 of religion, or passing four years of "toil7 and trouble" in another university, where he is kept wallowing and smothering8 in the darkness of metaphysics or the more abstruse9 and higher! branches of mathematics; both sciences as utterly10 useless to him in any situation of life as a knowledge of the precise language that the devil tempted11 Eve in, and which some ecclesiastical writers have laboured to prove was High Dutch. I have been several times to different parts of the East Indies, and on more than one voyage have kept a reckoning out and home, assisted in taking lunar observations and those for determining the time and variation of the compass, and without knowing any more of algebra12, fluxions, or conic sections, than a dog knows about his father.
After Morton had had the sacred A. B. "tailed on" to his name at a grand sanhedrim of solemn blacked-gowned fools, sagely13 called a commencement, because a youngster there finishes his studies, he felt a strong desire to visit "the round world and them that dwell therein," and, like many New England youth, not only then but within my own observation and time, and before the signature of the august "praeses" was dry on his sheep-skin diploma, was entered as an under graduate in a college of a somewhat different description--the forecastle of a large brig bound on a trading voyage up the Mediterranean14--a school not one whit16 inferior to old Harvard itself for morality, and one where a man, with his eyes and ears open, might acquire information fifty times more valuable than any that could be drilled into him at any learned seminary whatever--a knowledge, namely, of the world and of human nature.
This habit, if it can be called one, of exchanging the quiet of a college room for the bustle17 and privations of a sea-life, is not near so prevalent now as it was several years since; and yet I have known many instances, and have repeatedly met, in merchantmen and men of war, men who have received a collegiate education, and have known one case, on board of an English line-of-battle ship, the Superb, of a dissenting19 minister, a foretopman, who could clear away a foul20 topsail-clewline, or explain an obscure passage in Scripture21, with equal facility and address, and was both a smart seaman22 and a smart preacher:
"As some rats, of amphibious nature,
Are either for the land or water."
It is a pity our professional men do not travel more, especially clergymen, who, though generally learned men, are not deep in the knowledge of their own species. Of course I do not apply this remark to the Methodist clergy23; as their vagabond life makes them but too well acquainted with the weaknesses of one portion of the human race, while the alarming and arbitrary dominion24 they thereby25 acquire over the minds, bodies, and estates of both sexes, is beautifully illustrated26 in the trial, not many years since, of a reverend gentleman of oil of tansy and hay-stack celebrity27.
Morton's first voyage was rather a long one, but it introduced him to the most interesting portion of the world, the nations bordering upon the Mediterranean, while his knowledge of the Latin language was of no small advantage to him in acquiring a knowledge of the Spanish and Italian--an advantage that he certainly did not think of, when he was plodding28 through Virgil and Horace, Cicero and Tacitus. He returned from his first voyage a thorough practical seaman, and more than tolerably acquainted with European languages. He rose in his profession, and might at the time we introduced him have commanded a ship; but a sudden desire to go at least one whaling voyage seized him, and a whaling he accordingly went. In person Morton was above the middling height, some inches above it, in short he had attained29 the altitude of five feet eight inches--my own height to a fraction. Like most young men born in New England, and who choose a seafaring life, his frame had acquired a robustness30 and solidity, his countenance31 a healthy brown, his chest a depth, and his shoulders a breadth, that are each and all considered--and with justice--by the present generation, as irrefragable proofs and marks of vulgarity. But folks thought otherwise thirty years since, and, however incredible it may appear, there are actually now in existence a great many painters, sculptors33, anatomists, and perhaps as many as a dozen women, who persist in thinking that a human being looks much better as God made him, after his own image, than as the tailor makes him, after no image in heaven above, or in the earth beneath, or in the waters under the earth. Forty years since, ladies did not by tight lacing crush and obliterate34 all symptoms of fulness in the front of the bust18, nor did gentlemen stuff and pad their clothes till they resemble so many wet-nurses in coats and breeches.
It was the established rule with novel-writers, and that until very lately, to represent their heroes as tall grenadier-looking fellows, never under six feet, and as much above as they dared to go, and keep within credible32 bounds. "Tall and slightly but elegantly formed," was the only approved recipe for making a hero. So that a black snake walking erect35 upon his tail, provided he had two of them, or an old-fashioned pair of kitchen tongs36, with a face hammered out upon the knob by the blacksmith, would convey a tolerably correct idea of the proportions of the Beverleys, and Mortimers, and Hargraves, of a certain class of novels. Sir Walter Scott, Mr. James, and most of the best writers, have disbanded this formidable regiment37 of thread-paper giants, and we now see courage, manly38 beauty, talents, wit, and eloquence39, reduced to a peace-establishment size, instead of those long-splice scoundrels, that used to go striding about our imaginations, like Jack40 the giant-killer in his seven-league boots, kicking the shins and treading on the toes of every common sized idea that came in their way.
It was also considered indispensably necessary, that the heroine should be "as long as the moral law," and accordingly we heard of nothing but "her tall and graceful41 figure," "her majestic42 and commanding height," &c. &c. Let those who prefer tall women take them; for my part, I wish to have nothing to say to such Anakim in petticoats: conceive the embarrassment43 and confusion of a common sized bridegroom compelled, before a room-full of company, to request his Titan of a bride to be seated, that he might greet her with the holy kiss of wedded44 love! On the other hand, it was by no means unusual to represent the heroine as a mere3 pigmy; so that the lovers whose destinies we were interested in, might be represented by the following lines from an old sea-song, which, for the benefit of musical readers I beg leave to observe, is generally "said or sung" to the tune45 of "The Bold Dragoons:"
"He looked like a pole-topgallant-mast,
She like a holy-stone."
Thank Heaven! the taste for this species of writing has "had its day," and we have something better in the place of it. Bulwer has indeed tried very hard to compel the public to admire murderers and highwaymen, and our own dear, darling Cooper, the American Walter Scott, has held up for admiration46 and imitation sundry47 cut-throats, hangmen, pirates, thieves, squatters, and other scoundrels of different degrees, showing his partiality and fellow-feeling for the kennel48; and, if he had not at last, as we say at sea, "blown his blast, and given the devil his horn," would have managed to set the whole female portion of the romance-reading community to whimpering and blowing their noses over the sorrows of Tardee and Gibbs--the wholesale49 pirates and murderers, the loves of Mina--the poisoner, the trials of Malbone Briggs--the counterfeiter50, or the buffetings in the flesh that Satan was permitted to bestow51 upon the old Adam of that god-fearing saint, Ephraim K. Avery.
The hero of a novel of the by-gone class was always and ex officio a duellist52; and though the best English writers err15 against morality and religion in following this absurd track, it may be urged in extenuation53 of their offence, that duelling is generally considered in Europe as part of a gentleman's education and accomplishments54, and in this country to refuse a challenge brands a man with everlasting55 infamy56, though the crime is held in the most profound speculative57 abhorrence58, and every state has a whole host of theoretical punishments, never inflicted59, for the violation60 of its equally theoretical laws, that are daily evaded61, outquibbled, or broken, with impunity62.
Morton's countenance we have taken the liberty to describe elsewhere. His disposition63 was naturally cheerful and mild, his temper even, and not easily provoked. Although somewhat inclined to taciturnity, yet when drawn64 out to converse65 upon any subject he was acquainted with, he was naturally fluent, and in his language pure and correct. He was a universal favorite with the youth of both sexes in his native town, and, during the intervals66 between his voyages, was always in demand when a Thanksgiving ball was contemplated67, or a sleigh-ride, or a "frolic," as all such parties of pleasure were and still are called in New England. At sea he was always beloved, by both officers and seamen68, for his nautical69 skill and good-nature. Notwithstanding the confinement70 that his duties made unavoidable, he had managed to make himself acquainted with men and manners, and, during the many leisure hours that those engaged in the whale-fishery always find, he had amused himself with drawing--for which he possessed71 a natural talent, reading, and keeping a sort of memorandum72 of different occurrences and his reflections upon the habits of the different nations he visited,--and was, in short, one of those somewhat rare but still existing prodigies73, a well educated, well informed gentleman with a hard hand and short jacket, many individuals of which nearly extinct species of animals I have had the singular good fortune to fall in with during my voyage through life.
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1
abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
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contemplating
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| 深思，细想，仔细考虑( contemplate的现在分词 )； 注视，凝视； 考虑接受（发生某事的可能性）； 深思熟虑，沉思，苦思冥想 | |
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mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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belles
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| n.美女( belle的名词复数 )；最美的美女 | |
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qualified
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| adj.合格的，有资格的，胜任的，有限制的 | |
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sect
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| n.派别，宗教，学派，派系 | |
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7
toil
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| vi.辛劳工作，艰难地行动；n.苦工，难事 | |
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smothering
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| （使）窒息， （使）透不过气( smother的现在分词 )； 覆盖； 忍住； 抑制 | |
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abstruse
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| adj.深奥的，难解的 | |
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utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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tempted
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| v.怂恿（某人）干不正当的事；冒…的险（tempt的过去分词） | |
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12
algebra
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| n.代数学 | |
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sagely
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| adv. 贤能地，贤明地 | |
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Mediterranean
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| adj.地中海的；地中海沿岸的 | |
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err
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| vi.犯错误，出差错 | |
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16
whit
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| n.一点，丝毫 | |
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bustle
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| v.喧扰地忙乱，匆忙，奔忙；n.忙碌；喧闹 | |
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bust
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| vt.打破；vi.爆裂；n.半身像；胸部 | |
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dissenting
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| adj.不同意的 | |
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foul
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| adj.污秽的；邪恶的；v.弄脏；妨害；犯规；n.犯规 | |
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scripture
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| n.经文，圣书，手稿；Scripture:(常用复数)《圣经》，《圣经》中的一段 | |
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22
seaman
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| n.海员，水手，水兵 | |
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clergy
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| n.[总称]牧师，神职人员 | |
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dominion
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| n.统治，管辖，支配权；领土，版图 | |
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thereby
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| adv.因此，从而 | |
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illustrated
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| adj. 有插图的，列举的 动词illustrate的过去式和过去分词 | |
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celebrity
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| n.名人，名流；著名，名声，名望 | |
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plodding
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| a.proceeding in a slow or dull way | |
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attained
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| （通常经过努力）实现( attain的过去式和过去分词 )； 达到； 获得； 达到（某年龄、水平、状况） | |
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robustness
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| 坚固性，健壮性；鲁棒性 | |
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countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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credible
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| adj.可信任的，可靠的 | |
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sculptors
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| 雕刻家，雕塑家( sculptor的名词复数 )； [天]玉夫座 | |
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obliterate
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| v.擦去，涂抹，去掉...痕迹，消失，除去 | |
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erect
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| n./v.树立，建立，使竖立；adj.直立的，垂直的 | |
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tongs
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| n.钳；夹子 | |
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regiment
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| n.团，多数，管理；v.组织，编成团，统制 | |
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manly
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| adj.有男子气概的；adv.男子般地，果断地 | |
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eloquence
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| n.雄辩；口才，修辞 | |
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40
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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41
graceful
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| adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的 | |
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42
majestic
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| adj.雄伟的，壮丽的，庄严的，威严的，崇高的 | |
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43
embarrassment
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| n.尴尬；使人为难的人(事物)；障碍；窘迫 | |
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wedded
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| adj.正式结婚的；渴望…的，执著于…的v.嫁，娶，（与…）结婚( wed的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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45
tune
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| n.调子；和谐，协调；v.调音，调节，调整 | |
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46
admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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47
sundry
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| adj.各式各样的，种种的 | |
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48
kennel
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| n.狗舍，狗窝 | |
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49
wholesale
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| n.批发；adv.以批发方式；vt.批发，成批出售 | |
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50
counterfeiter
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| n.伪造者 | |
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51
bestow
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| v.把…赠与，把…授予；花费 | |
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52
duellist
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| n.决斗者；[体]重剑运动员 | |
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53
extenuation
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| n.减轻罪孽的借口；酌情减轻；细 | |
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54
accomplishments
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| n.造诣；完成( accomplishment的名词复数 )；技能；成绩；成就 | |
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everlasting
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| adj.永恒的，持久的，无止境的 | |
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56
infamy
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| n.声名狼藉，出丑，恶行 | |
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57
speculative
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| adj.思索性的，暝想性的，推理的 | |
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58
abhorrence
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| n.憎恶；可憎恶的事 | |
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59
inflicted
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| 把…强加给，使承受，遭受( inflict的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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violation
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| n.违反(行为)，违背(行为)，侵犯 | |
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evaded
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| 逃避( evade的过去式和过去分词 )； 避开； 回避； 想不出 | |
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62
impunity
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| n.(惩罚、损失、伤害等的)免除 | |
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disposition
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| n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署 | |
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drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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converse
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| vi.谈话，谈天，闲聊；adv.相反的，相反 | |
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intervals
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| n.[军事]间隔( interval的名词复数 )；间隔时间；[数学]区间；（戏剧、电影或音乐会的）幕间休息 | |
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67
contemplated
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| adj. 预期的 动词contemplate的过去分词形式 | |
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68
seamen
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| n.海员 | |
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69
nautical
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| adj.海上的，航海的，船员的 | |
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70
confinement
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| n.幽禁，拘留，监禁；分娩；限制，局限 | |
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71
possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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memorandum
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| n.备忘录，便笺 | |
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prodigies
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| n.奇才，天才（尤指神童）( prodigy的名词复数 ) | |
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