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clergyman, while the band occupied the front of the poop. A pendant was hoisted at the peak, no boats were allowed to come near, and as the heavy ship rode majestically over the tide, her seamen assembled in prayer.

Morland was deeply impressed with this ceremony, which was performed according to the ritual of the Church of England; and when the band played psalm and a few strong

voices repeated the sublime words,

"Let Israel trust in God,

No bounds his mercy knows," &c.

he felt most forcibly the beauty and pathos of that holy religion he had been taught, free alike from the mummery of superstition, and the cold, calculating presumption of worldly philosophy.

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CHAPTER VII.

Vice must be vice, virtue be virtue still,

Though thousands rail at good, and practise ill.

CHURCHILL.

KNOW, gentle reader, that the pertinacious determination to adhere to a settled plan, prevents us passing over the Captain's advice to his nephew.

So soon as divine worship was finished, the Captain sent for Morland into his cabin.

"You will find in this ship," said he, “ much to astonish you, Morland; and thrown as you now are among a set of young men and boys, who, in a private point of view, may be said to act entirely for themselves, a few words of advice cannot be amiss to you.

"Among those with whom you are about to associate there are (in despite of all that can be done to the contrary) some with much vice, and who laugh and scoff at religion and every other principle, save that which contributes to their own pleasure, aggrandizement, vanity, or selfishness.

"These may be easily distinguished by their licentious conduct, an apparent contempt for their profession, and a general incorrect behaviour. You will find others, too, who will mock with considerable wit every sentiment of patriotism; but you must not take all this in earnest, for, believe me, there is not one of them but is more or less proud of his country, and, at heart, glories in serving under her flag.

“A lack of rational occupation often leads to this kind of folly; therefore, I advise you, when duty permits, to proceed in those acquirements which your father has so father has so judiciously pointed

out.

"You are now entered into an honourable

profession; endeavour to gain a meritorious name in it; and, remember, that can only be accomplished by attention, industry, and per

severance.

"You will have occasion to observe, that although the British navy is governed but by one code of laws and regulations, yet the dif ferent modes of administering them produce the most obvious effects on the interior regulations of every different ship, clearly showing how much may be effected by a wise and judicious commander.

"He may be compared to the mainspring of a watch, or the balance of a chronometer, which, when justly tempered, produces the most admirable and regular effect on the whole complex machinery, reducing the result of its motions to a certainty.

"Those officers in his Majesty's service who have had an opportunity of witnessing good as well as bad discipline, cannot be at a loss to determine, that the former is produced by a

decided conduct in those in command, grounded upon judicious regulations and arrangements, systematically observed and executed, together with a just, impartial, and equitable administration of the laws of the service; and that the latter is the result of indecision and indifference, combined with an unwise, capricious, and oftentimes severe enforcement of bad regulations for it cannot be denied that severity, when injudiciously directed, increases the evil which it is intended to cure.

"There is no profession or sphere of life where strict obedience is more necessary than in the navy, from the commander-in-chief down to the humblest individual in the fleet; indeed, without it, all is confusion and irregularity; and there are but too many fatal instances on record, where the neglect of it has been followed by the loss of ship, fame, and life.

"The obedience which is most conducive to the acceleration of public duty, is not of that passive description which is produced by the fear of punishment; but it is founded upon a

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