THE OLD MARGATE HOY
CanIforgetthee,thouoldMargateHoy,withthyweatherbeaten,sun-burntcaptain,andhisroughacmodation——illexchangedforthefopperyandfresh-waternicenessofthemodernsteam-packet?Tothewindsandwavesthoumittedstthygoodlyfreightage,anddidstasknoaidofmagicfumes,andspells,andboilingcauldrons.Withthegalesofheaventhouwentestswimmingly;or,whenitwastheirpleasure,stoodeststillwithsailor-likepatience.Thycoursewasnatural,notforced,asinahot-bed;nordidstthougopoisoningthebreathofoceanwithsulphureoussmoke——agreatsea-chimera,chimneyingandfurnacingthedeep;orlikertothatfire-godparchingupScamander.
CanIforgetthyhonest,yetslendercrew,withtheircoyreluctantresponses(yettothesuppressionofanythinglikecontempt)totherawquestions,whichweofthegreatcitywouldbeeverandanonputtingtothem,astotheusesofthisorthatstrangenavalimplement?`SpeciallycanIforgetthee,thouhappymedium,thoushadeofrefugebetweenusandthem,conciliatinginterpreteroftheirskilltooursimplicity,fortableambassadorbetweenseaandlandwhosesailor-trowsersdidnotmoreconvincinglyassuretheetobeanadopteddenizenoftheformer,thanthywhitecap,andwhiterapronoverthem,withthyneat-fingeredpracticeinthyculinaryvocation,bespoketheetohavebeenofinlandnurtureheretofore——amastercookofEastcheap?Howbusilydidstthouplythymultifariousoccupation,cook,mariner,attendant,chamberlain;here,there,likeanotherAriel,flamingatonceaboutallpartsofthedeck,yetwithkindlierministrations——nottoassistthetempest,but,asiftouchedwithakindredsenseofourinfirmities,tosoothethequalmswhichthatuntriedmotionmighthaplyraiseinourcrudeland-fancies.Andwhentheoer-washingbillowsdroveusbelowdeck(foritwasfargoneinOctober,andwehadstiffandblowingweather)howdidthyofficiousministerings,stillcateringforourfort,withcards,andcordials,andthymorecordialconversation,alleviatetheclosenessandtheconfinementofthyelse(truthtosay)notverysavoury,norveryinviting,littlecabin!
Withtheseadditamentstoboot,wehadonboardafellow-passenger,whosediscourseinveritymighthavebeguiledalongervoyagethanwemeditated,andhavemademirthandwonderaboundasfarastheAzores.Hewasadark,Spanishplexionedyoungman,remarkablyhandsome,withanofficer-likeassurance,andaninsuppressiblevolubilityofassertion.Hewas,infact,thegreatestliarIhadmetwiththen,orsince.Hewasnoneofyourhesitating,halfstory-tellers(amostpainfuldescriptionofmortals)whogoonsoundingyourbelief,andonlygivingyouasmuchastheyseeyoucanswallowatatime——the`nibblingpickpocketsofyourpatience——butonewhomitteddownright,day-lightdepredationsuponhisneighboursfaith.Hedidnotstandshiveringuponthebrink,butwasaheartythorough-pacedliar,andplungedatonceintothedepthsofyourcredulity.Ipartlybelieve,hemadeprettysureofhispany.Notmanyrich,notmanywise,orlearned,posedatthattimethemonstowageofaMargatepacket~Wewere,Iamafraid,asetofasunseasonedLondoners(letourenemiesgiveitaworsename)asAldermanbury,orWatling-street,atthattimeofdaycouldhavesupplied~Theremightbeanexceptionortwoamongus,butIscorntomakeanyinvidiousdistinctionsamongsuchajolly,panionableshipspany,asthosewerewhomIsailedwith.SomethingtoomustheconcededtotheGeniusLoci.Hadtheconfidentfellowtoldushalfthelegendsonland,whichhefavoureduswithontheotherelement,Iflattermyselfthegoodsenseofmostofuswouldhaverevolted.Butwewereinanewworld,witheverythingunfamiliaraboutus,andthetimeandplacedisposedustothereceptionofanyprodigiousmarvelwhatsoever.Timehasobliteratedfromthymemorymuchofhiswildfablings;andtherestwouldappearbutdull,aswritten,andtobereadonshore.HehadbeenAid-de-camp(amongotherrareaccidentsandfortunes)toaPersianprince,andatoneblowhadstrickenofftheheadoftheKingofCarimaniaonhorseback.He,ofcourse,marriedthePrincesdaughter.Iforgetwhatunluckyturninthepoliticsofthatcourt,biningwiththelossofhisconsort,wasthereasonofhisquittingPersia;butwiththerapidityofamagicianhetransportedhimself,alongwithhishearers,backtoEngland,wherewestillfoundhimintheconfidenceofgreatladies.TherewassomestoryofaPrincess——Elizabeth,ifIremember——havingintrustedtohiscareanextraordinarycasketofjewels,uponsomeextraordinaryoccasion——butasIamnotcertainofthenameorcircumstanceatthisdistanceoftime,ImustleaveittotheRoyaldaughtersofEnglandtosettlethehonouramongthemselvesinprivate.IcannotcalltomindhalfhispleasantwondersbutIperfectlyremember,thatinthecourseofhistravelshehadseenaphoenix;andheobliginglyundeceivedusofthevulgarerror,thatthereisbutoneofthatspeciesatatime,assuringusthattheywerenotunmoninsomepartsofUpperEgypt.Hithertohehadfoundthemostimplicitlisteners.Hisdreamingfancieshadtransportedusbeyondthe"ignorantpresent."Butwhen(stillhardyingmoreandmoreinhistriumphsoveroursimplicity)hewentontoaffirmthathehadactuallysailedthroughthelegsoftheColossusatRhodes,itreallybecamenecessarytomakeastand.AndhereImustdojusticetothegoodsenseandintrepidityofoneofourparty,ayouth,thathadhithertobeenoneofhismostdeferentialauditors,who,fromhisrecentreading,madeboldtoassurethegentleman,thattheremustbesomemistake,as"theColossusinquestionhadbeendestroyedlongsince:"towhoseopinion,deliveredwithallmodesty,ourherowasobligingenoughtoconcedethusmuch,that"thefigurewasindeedalittledamaged."Thiswastheonlyoppositionhemetwith,anditdidnotatallseemtostaggerhim,orheproceededwithhisfables,whichthesameyouthappearedtoswallowwithstillmoreplacencythanever,confirmed,asitwere,bytheextremecandourofthatconcession.WiththeseprodigieshewheedledusontillwecameinsightoftheReculvers,whichoneofourownpany(havingbeenthevoyagebefore)immediatelyrecognising,andpointingouttous,wasconsideredbyusasnoordinaryseaman.
Allthistimesatupontheedgeofthedeckquiteadifferentcharacter.Itwasalad,apparentlyverypoor,veryinfirm,andverypatient.Hiseyewaseveronthesea,withasmile:and,ifhecaughtnowandthensomesnatchesofthesewildlegends,itwasbyaccident,andtheyseemednottoconcernhim.Thewavestohimwhisperedmorepleasantstories.Hewasasone,beingwithus,butnotofus.Heheardthebellofdinnerringwithoutstirringandwhensomeofuspulledoutourprivatestores——ourcoldmeatandoursalads——heproducednone,andseemedtowantnone.Onlyasolitarybiscuithehadlaidin;provisionfortheoneortwodaysandnights,towhichthesevesselsthenwereoftentimesobligedtoprolongtheirvoyage.Uponaneareracquaintancewithhim,whichheseemedneithertocourtnordecline,welearnedthathewasgoingtoMargate,withthehopeofbeingadmittedintotheInfirmarythereforsea-bathing.Hisdiseasewasascrofula,whichappearedtohaveeatenalloverhim.Heexpressedgreathopesofacure;andwhenweaskedhim,whetherhehadanyfriendswherehewasgoing,hereplied,"hehadnofriends."Thesepleasant,andsomemournfulpassages,withthefirstsightofthesea,cooperatingwithyouth,andasenseofholydays,andout-of-dooradventure,tome——thathadbeenpentupinpopulouscitiesformanymonthsbefore,haveleftuponmymindthefragranceasofsummerdaysgoneby,bequeathingnothingbuttheirremembranceforcoldandwintryhourstochewupon.
Willitbethoughtadigression(itmaysparesomeunweleparisons),ifIendeavourtoaccountforthedissatisfactionwhichIhaveheardsomanypersonsconfesstohavefelt(asIdidmyselffeelinpartonthisoccasion),atthesightoftheseaforthefirsttime?Ithinkthereasonusuallygiven——referringtotheincapacityofactualobjectsforsatisfyingourpreconceptionsofthem——scarcelygoesdeepenoughintothequestion.Letthesamepersonseealion,anelephant,amountain,forthefirsttimeinhisandheshallperhapsfeelhimselfalittlemortified.Thethingsdonotfillupthatspace,whichtheideaofthemseemedtotakeupinhismind.Buttheyhavestillacorrespondencytohisfirstnotion,andintimegrowuptoit,soastoproduceaverysimilarimpression:enlargingthemselves(ifImaysayso)uponfamiliarity.Butthesearemainsadisappointment——Isitnot,thatinthelatterwehadexitedtobehold(absurdly,Igrant,but,Iamafraid,bythelawofimaginationunavoidably)notadefiniteobject,asthosewildbeasts,orthatmountainpassablebytheeye,butalltheseaatonce,THEMENSURATEANTAGONISTOFTHEEARTH!Idonotsaywetellourselvessomuch,butthecravingofthemindistobesatisfiedwithnothingless.Iwillsupposethecaseofayoungpersonoffifteen(asIthenwas)knowingnothingofthesea,butfromdescription.Heestoitforthefirsttime——allthathehasbeenreadingofitallhislife,andthatthemostenthusiasticpartoflife,——allhehasgatheredfromnarrativesofwanderingseamen;whathehasgainedfromtruevoyages,andwhathecherishesascredulouslyfromromanceandpoetry;crowdingtheirimages,andexactingstrangetributesfromexpectation——Hethinksofthegreatdeep,andofthosewhogodownuntoit;ofitsthousandisles,andofthevastcontinentsitwashes;ofitsreceivingthemightyPlata,orOrellana,intoitsbosom,withoutdisturbance,orsenseofaugmentation;ofBiscayswells,andthemariner
Formanyaday,andmanyadreadfulnight,
IncessantlabouringroundthestormyCape;
offatalrocks,andthe"still-vexedBermoothes;"ofgreatwhirlpools,andthewater-spout;ofsunkenships,andsumlesstreasuresswallowedupintheunrestoringdepths:offishesandquaintmonsters,towhichallthatisterribleonearth——
Bebutasbuggstofrightenbabeswithal,
Comparedwiththecreaturesintheseasentral;
ofnakedsavages,andJuanFernandez;ofpearls,andshells;ofcoralbeds,andofenchantedisles;ofmermaidsgrots——
Idonotassertthatinsoberearnestheexpectstobeshownallthesewondersatonce,butheisunderthetyrannyofamightyfaculty,whichhauntshimwithconfusedhintsandshadowsofallthese;andwhentheactualobjectopensfirstuponhim,seen(intameweathertoomostlikely)fromourunromanticcoast——aspeck,aslipofsea-water,asitshowstohim——whatcanitprovebutaveryunsatisfyingandevendiminutiveentertainment?Orifhehasetoitfromthemouthofariver,wasitmuchmorethantheriverwidening?and,evenoutofsightofland,whathadhebutaflatwateryhorizonabouthim,nothingparabletothevastoer-curtainingsky,hisfamiliarobject,seendailywithoutdreadoramazement?——Who,insimilarcircumstances,hasnotbeentemptedtoexclaimwithCharuba,inthepoemofGebir,
IsthisthemightyoceanI——isthisall?
Ilovetown,orcountry;butthisdetestableCinquePortisneither.Ihatethesescrubbedshoots,thrustingouttheirstarvedfoliagefrombetweenthehorridfissuresofdustyinnutritiousrocks;whichtheamateurcalls"verduretotheedgeofthesea."Irequirewoods,andtheyshowmestuntedcoppices.Icryoutforthewater-brooks,andpantforfreshstreams,andinlandmurmurs.Icannotstandalldayonthenakedbeach,watchingthecapricioushuesofthesea,shiftinglikethecoloursofadyingmullet.Iamtiredoflookingoutatthewindowsofthisisland-prison.Iwouldfainretireintotheinteriorofmycage.WhileIgazeuponthesea,Iwanttobeonit,overit,acrossit.Itbindsmeinwithchains,asofiron.Mythoughtsareabroad.IshouldnotsofeelinStaffordshire.Thereisnohomeformehere.ThereisnosenseofhomeatHastings.Itisaplaceoffugitiveresort,anheterogeneousassemblageofsea-mewsandstock-brokers,Amphitritesofthetown,andmissesthatcoquetwiththeOcean.Ifitwerewhatitwasinitsprimitiveshape,andwhatitoughttohaveremained,afairhonestfishingtown,andnomore,itweresomethingwithafewstragglingfishermenshutsscatteredabout,artlessasitscliffs,andwiththeirmaterialsfilchedfromthem,itweresomething.IcouldabidetodwellwithMeschek;toassortwithfisher-swains,andsmugglers.Thereare,orIdreamthereare,manyofthislatteroccupationhere.Theirfacesbeetheplace.Ilikeasmuggler.Heistheonlyhonestthief.Herobsnothingbuttherevenue,——anabstractionInevergreatlycaredabout.Icouldgooutwiththemintheirmackarelboats,orabouttheirlessostensiblebusiness,withsomesatisfaction.Icaneventoleratethosepoorvictimstomonotony,whofromdaytodaypacealongthebeach,inendlessprogressandrecurrence,towatchtheirillicitcountrymen——townsfolkorbrethrenperchance——whistlingtothesheathingandunsheathingoftheircutlasses(theironlysolace),whounderthemildnameofpreventiveservice,keepupalegitimatedcivilwarfareinthedeplorableabsenceofaforeignone,toshowtheirdetestationofrunhollands,andzealforoldEngland.Butitisthevisitantsfromtown,thateheretosaythattheyhavebeenhere,withnomorerelishoftheseathanapondperch,oradacemightbesupposedtohave,thataremyaversion.Ifeellikeafoolishdaceintheseregions,andhaveaslittletolerationformyselfhere,asforthem.Whatcantheywanthere?iftheyhadatruerelishoftheocean,whyhavethey`broughtallthislandluggagewiththem?orwhypitchtheircivilisedtentsinthedesert?Whatmeanthesescantybook-rooms——marinelibrariesastheyentitlethem——iftheseawere,astheywouldhaveusbelieve,abook"toreadstrangematterin?"whataretheirfoolishconcert-rooms,iftheye,astheywouldfainbethoughttodo,tolistentothemusicofthewaves?Allisfalseandhollowpretention.Theye,becauseitisthefashion,andtospoilthenatureoftheplace.Theyaremostly,asIhavesaid,stockbrokers;butIhavewatchedthebettersortofthem——nowandthen,anhonestcitizen(oftheoldstamp),inthesimplicityofhisheart,shallbringdownhiswifeanddaughters,totastetheseabreezes.Ialwaysknowthedateoftheirarrival.Itiseasytoseeitintheircountenance.Adayortwotheygowanderingontheshingles,pickingupcockle-shells,andthinkingthemgreatthings;but,inapoorweek,imaginationslackens:theybegintodiscoverthatcocklesproducenopearls,andthen——Othen!——ifIcouldinterpretfortheprettycreatures(Iknowtheyhavenotthecouragetoconfessitthemselves)howgladlywouldtheyexchangetheirsea-sideramblesforaSundaywalkonthegreen-swardoftheiraccustomedTwickenhammeadows!
Iwouldaskofoneofthesesea-charmedemigrants,whothinktheytrulylovethesea,withitswildusages,whatwouldtheirfeelingsbe,ifsomeoftheunsophisticatedaboriginesofthisplace,encouragedbytheircourteousquestioningshere,shouldventure,onthefaithofsuchassuredsympathybetweenthem,toreturnthevisit,andeuptosee——London.Imustimaginethemwiththeirfishingtackleontheirback,aswecarryourtownnecessaries.WhatasensationwoulditcauseinLothbury?Whatvehementlaughterwoulditnotexciteamong
ThedaughtersofCheapside,andwivesofLombard-street.
Iamsurethatnotown-bred,orinland-bornsubjects,canfeeltheirtrueandnaturalnourishmentatthesesea-places.Nature,whereshedoesnotmeanusformarinersandvagabonds,bidsusstayathome.Thesaltfoamseemstonourishaspleen.Iamnothalfsogood-naturedasbythemilderwatersofmynaturalriver.Iwouldexchangethesesea-gullsforswans,andscudaswallowforeveraboutthebanksofThamesis.