Well was it said, "Vanity, vanity--all is vanity!" He that lives as
long as I have lived, will have seen most of his opinions, and I think
I may add, _all_ his tastes, change. Nothing short of revelation
has a stronger tendency to convince us of the temporary character of
our probationary state in this world, than to note for how short a
period, and for what imperfect ends, all our hopes and success in life
have been buoying us up, and occupying our minds. After fifty, the
delusion begins to give way; and, though we may continue to live, and
even to be happy, blind indeed must be he who does not see the end of
his road, and foresee some of the great results to which it is to
lead. But of all this, our quartette thought little in the year 1799.
CHAPTER VIII.
"Thou art the same, eternal sea!
The earth hath many shapes and forms
Of hill and valley, flower and tree;
Fields that the fervid noontide warms,
Or Winter's rugged grasp deforms,
Or bright with Autumn's golden store;
Thou coverest up thy face with storms,
Or smilest serene--but still thy roar
And dashing foam go up to vex the sea-beat shore."
LUNT.
I had a free conversation with my guardian, shortly after we reached
town, on the subject of my going to sea again. The whole country was
alive with the armament of the new marine; and cocked-hats, blue coats
and white lapels, began to appear in the streets, with a parade that
always marks the new officer and the new service.
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