THE ENGLISHMAN'S MAGAZINE. FEBRUARY, 1842. No. XIV. Contents. Life of Lord Exmouth The Library. No. IV. On the Intent and Use of Poetry Debt; its Peril, Pains, and Penalties The Christian Church The Man of Ross . Schoolmaster at Home. Chap. VIII. IX. A Lesson in History Poetry Notices of Books Miscellaneous Intelligence THE LIFE OF LORD EXMOUTH.' PRICE 4d. but with her six children, to Penzance in Cornwall (for they were a Cornish family); and three years afterwards, by an imprudent marriage, she deprived her children almost of their remaining parent, and threw them upon the world with very scanty means and very few friends. At his first school, Edward gave proof of his daring spirit; for a house in which was a quantity of gunpowder having taken fire, when others were afraid to approach it, he went alone into the burning house and brought out all the powder. Afterwards he was sent to the grammar-school at Truro, where having had a dispute with another boy, whom he had severely punished, to esTHERE is no sight more pleasing, no occupa-cape a flogging he ran away, and resolved to tion of the mind more generally agreeable, go to sea. His grandfather wished him to be than to behold the gradual growth of excel-placed in a merchant's counting-house; lence, to watch over the progress of some great and good man from his infancy to his grave, from the humblest beginnings, it may be, to the very highest point of human glory. We love to trace the growth, even of the most common and ordinary minds; the various steps of advancement by which the helpless babe reaches the condition of a perfect man, are objects of interest to all; nay, even in things without life or reason, it is sweet to observe their gradual improvement, as every one who has watched with care the tree of his own planting, or the house of his own building, can bear witness from experience. This natural feeling may be gratified, many noble lessons learned, and much good example brought before our minds, if we are willing to attend to the events of the life of Edward Pellew, whom we may follow through many years of danger, of trial, and of glory, tracing him from the helpless condition of an orphan child to the proud and well-earned rank of Admiral Viscount Exmouth. The brave sailor, of whose life I propose to place before you, gentle reader, the principal occurrences, was born at Dover (where his father commanded a post-office packet) in 1757. Being a very weakly infant, and not expected to live, he was baptised on the same day. But he recovered; and before he was yet eight years old, he had the misfortune to Lose his father. His mother then removed, 1 The reader who may feel curious to know more respecting the life of this English hero, is referred to "Osler's Life of Exmouth," published by Smith, Elder, and Co., Cornhill, London; to which interesting work the little sketch here attempted is indebted for all its facts. VOL. II. it was well that so bold and daring a spirit should be broken in by the hardships and discipline to be met with on board a ship. If the boy had remained a-shore, he would very likely have turned out badly. When he dined with his grandfather the last time before he sailed, the old gentleman told him that he might be answerable for every enemy he killed, adding, “If I can read your character, you will kill a great many." Well, grandpapa," was the boy's answer, who was not yet fourteen, "and if I do not kill them, they will kill me!" 66 It was in the year 1770 that young Pellew entered as a midshipman on board of the Juno. During the next five years he changed his ship several times, and had the happiness to sail with Captain Pownoll, whose kind and wise guidance was useful to the quick and determined, nay, we may almost say rash, character of the young midshipman. One of his frolics was to stand upon his head on the yard-arm ;2 and once he actually sprang from the fore-yard, while the ship was going fast through the water, and saved a man who had fallen overboard. This bold spirit was soon called forth in the service to which young Pellew belonged; and during the American war he gained promotion in the navy by as noble an action as ever a sailor was engaged in. The English had built some small vessels in a rough way, to cope with the Ameri 2 Yards (of a ship) are those long pieces of timber that are made a little tapering at each end, and are fitted each athwart its proper mast, with the sails made fast to them, so as to be hoisted up, or lowered down, as occasion serves.-Bailey's Dictionary. Nothing could have served better to cor cans on Lake Champlain ; and in one of these, the Carleton, Mr. Pellew was serving. Hav-rect the natural rashness of youth, to blend ing fallen in with an American squadron, containing fifteen vessels, carrying ninety-six guns, the Carleton being nearest to the enemy attacked at once, though she carried only twelve small guns. But unluckily the state of the wind hindered the other English vessels from coming up to her assistance, and she was obliged to engage single-handed the whole force of the enemy; nothing but artillery-boats could be sent to support her. The first midshipman soon lost an arm, and the lieutenant was soon afterwards so badly wounded, that he would have been thrown overboard as dead, but for the interference of the second midshipman, Pellew, who now succeeded to the command of the vessel, and endeavoured to keep up the unequal struggle. A signal of recall was made; but the Carleton, with two feet of water in her hold, and half her crew killed and wounded, was not able to obey it. At last she was towed out of action || under a very heavy fire from the enemy; || and a shot cut the towing - rope, when some one was ordered to go and make it secure again. Pellew, seeing all hesitate, for indeed it appeared a death-service, ran forward and did it himself. So bravely had the Carleton and her little crew fought in this action, that, with the help of the artilleryboats, one boat of the enemy was sunk, and another, the largest schooner they had, was destroyed, while the Carleton contrived, after all, to make good her escape. The young midshipman, under whose command this gallant action had chiefly been fought, was honoured with a letter from the First Lord of the Admiralty, and was made a lieutenant upon his return to England in 1777. He saw a great deal of service, and underwent all the hardships of a very unsuccessful campaign, under General Burgoyne, by whom he was at last sent home with despatches. At this time a circumstance happened, which might have been the cause of perpetual grief to him. His younger brother, only seventeen years of age, had come out to join the army; and in the thoughtless sportfulness of youth, knowing that he was not expected, he resolved to surprise his brother Edward. Accordingly, he fell in with him in the night, and when hailed, answered "A friend!" "What friend?" exclaimed his brother; "tell who you are, or I'll shoot you!" "What do you not know me?" "No!" said the other, presenting a pistol. "Your brother John!" This occurred in the spring; and so uncertain is mortal life, especially in time of war, that in the October following, the frolicsome youth of seventeen was cut short in his career of life, the youngest brother of Edward Pellew was amongst the dead that lay stretched upon the field of battle! prudence and forethought with activity and courage, than the severe trials, hardships, and misfortunes, which were undergone by our bold midshipman in the American war. He was not employed in any active service for a year or two, which caused him great grief; and in one of the first engagements in which he was concerned, he had the misfortune of losing his friend Captain Pownoll, under whom he was serving as first lieutenant. In an hour after the action began, the captain was shot through the body; and saying to his young friend, "Pellew, I know you won't give his majesty's ship away," he immediately died in his arms. The English ship was not given away, but the French vessel with which she had been engaging succeeded in escaping, beaten and dismasted, into the port of Ostend; a circumstance which added to the sorrow felt by Pellew for the loss of his friend and commander, Captain Pownoll. In 1780 the young lieutenant was again promoted to the command of a small vessel; but having nothing but his profession to depend upon, he was much pressed for money to meet the needful expenses of his appointment. Mr. Vigurs, a tradesman in London, not only supplied him with uniforms, though candidly told that it was uncertain when he would be able to pay for them, but offered him a loan of money; and Captain Pellew accepted a sum which made the debt 70%. In a few weeks he received 1607. prize-money; and immediately, with the thoughtless yet noble-hearted generosity of an English sailor, sent 1007. to his creditor, desiring that the difference might be given to the children, or, as he expressed it, to "buy ribands for the girls." In 1782, he was raised to the rank of post-captain; and soon after this, peace followed, which left him without any active employment for the next four years, during which time he married, and lived first at Truro, and afterwards near Falmouth in Cornwall; but he was not happy without active occupation, and found a life on shore very irksome to him. In 1786 he was appointed to the command of the Winchelsea, which was stationed in North America, off the coast of Newfoundland; and here he was remarkable for his activity and the order he kept among his men. It was a frequent remark with them respecting their captain, "Well, he never orders us to do what he won't do himself;" and they would often observe, "Blow high, blow low, he knows to an inch what the ship can do, and he can almost make her speak." It once happened, when his ship was in St. John's Harbour, Newfoundland, that Captain Pellew had been invited to dine with the governor, on the 4th of June, the king's birth day; and he was on deck, dressed in full uniform, watching the men who were bathing. A lad, servant to one of the officers, was standing on the ship's side near to him, and said, “I'll have a good swim by and by too." "The sooner the better!" said the captain, and tipped him into the water. Instantly he perceived that the lad could not swim, and quick as thought he dashed overboard in his full-dress uniform, with a rope in one hand, by means of which he soon got the boy on board again. If ever Pellew was frightened, it was when he saw the lad struggling in the water; but he never lost his presence of mind, though alarmed at the consequences of his having mistaken for truth what was merely a vain boast. Nor was this the only instance of his saving the life of a fellow-creature in the midst of the waves-many other cases might be named; and, in fact, whenever there was any danger, he was ready to risk his own for the preservation of another's life. Captain Pellew remained on the Newfoundland station until 1791; and here it was that he was one day called upon to decide on a case in which the captain of a merchant-vessel had not acted strictly according to law in punishing one of his men, though the man deserved a far greater punishment. "You have done quite right in coming here," said Pellew to the man; "your captain had no business to punish you as he has done; and that he may learn to be more cautious in future, we order him to be fined-a shilling!" The man, quite disappointed at this, was about to leave the cabin; but, to his surprise, he was addressed thus: "Stop, sir; we must now try you for the theft;" and the fact being proved, the culprit was brought to punishment. This story was told to the Lord Chancellor Thurlow, who laughed heartily at it, saying, 'Well, if that is not law, it is at least justice. Captain Pellew ought to have been a judge." ful an evil to be lightly entered upon. Only patriotism, with all its elevating and endearing associations of country, homes, and altars, can throw a veil over its horrors, and a glory around its actions. Patriotism, which gives to victory all its splendour, sheds lustre even on defeat. But he who goes forth to fight the battles of another state, what honour can victory itself bestow upon him? or how shall he be excused, if he attack the allies of his own country, whom, as a subject, he is bound to respect? These were the feelings which led Captain Pellew to refuse the offer of the Russian government; and it was not long before his courage and abilities were called forth in defence of his own land, during one of the severest but noblest struggles that this country or any other ever carried on. On the 21st of January, 1793, the French republicans murdered their king, after he had endured almost every kind of misery which the cruelty of a mob could invent, or its lawless power of brute-force could inflict. And twelve days afterwards, the wretched nation, which had cast off its God and put its king to death, declared war against England -a nation still continuing to "fear God and honour the king." This act of the French was quite unexpected, and took England and the English government by surprise; but instantly preparations for war were begun, and a signal made to call forth from retirement and domestic life many a brave and noble hero, besides him of whose actions I am writing. And here let it be observed how ignorant, if not deceitful, is that outcry which is often still raised against the memory of the great William Pitt, then prime minister of England, and his party, as if they were the persons who had plunged the English nation into a long and expensive, though a most successful war. Who first declared war? it may be asked, when such silly complaints About this time, the captain, whose means are made in our hearing. Who forced the were but scanty, and his family increasing, English into a war,-not of common characmade an unsuccessful attempt at farming-an ter, but a struggle for life and death,—a war employment for which he was by no means in defence of their king, their country, and fitted. He was afterwards offered a com- their Church? For what did the French fight mand in the Russian navy, which, however, but for mere victory, and that they might he honourably, and fortunately too, consi- render other nations as wicked and as miserdered it to be his duty to refuse. The reaable as themselves? whereas it was for its sons for declining to enter into the service of very existence that old England struggled, a foreign nation which his brother gave him, and bravely, nobly, successfully, thank God! when consulted on the subject, are so good was the struggle conducted. Who carried and sensible, that they may deserve to be on the war so gloriously? It was Pitt and repeated. Every man, it was urged, owes his party. Who brought it at length to a his services, blood, and life, so exclusively to most successful close? The same party unhis own country, that he has no right to give der the banners of a Wellington. And, lastly, them to another; and he should reflect how who was it that begun the war after the short he would answer for it to his God, if he lost interval of peace in 1802, and by thus renewhis life in a cause which had no claim upon ting it stamped its principles of self-defence him. These high considerations of patriotism with their own approval? Why, it was Fox and religion are the true ground upon which-Charles James Fox-the very man whose the question should rest. War is too dread-admirers and followers may now be so often observing at the same time, "This is our friend;" bearing in mind, probably, the opposite principles (that of honouring the king, and that of upsetting every thing) on which the two vessels had met and fought. But our noble sailor, boldly as he fought against the principles, waged no war with the persons of his enemies; and though his own means were confined, and he had new honours to support, besides being in constant danger of leaving a wife and family unprovided for, he was generous enough to send over to Captain Mullon's widow, who was in narrow circumstances, not only her husband's property, but what assistance he was able to afford. Of such men a nation may well be proud,-for such men it cannot be too thankful: long may England have such men to be proud of, to be thankful for! Another noble instance of generosity occurred in one of the cruising squadrons; and since Sir Edward was at that time commander of the little fleet, it may not be out of place to mention it, though it does not concern him personally. The Artois, under Captain Nangle, had been closely engaged with a French ship for forty minutes, when Sir Sydney Smith came up with his vessel. He would not, however, allow a shot to be fired at first, saying that Nangle had fought his ship well, and must not lose the credit of the victory; but finding that the enemy held on, he said that they must not be allowed to do mischief, and ordered the guns to be got ready. Then taking out his watch, he said, "We'll allow her five minutes; if she do not then strike, we'll fire into her." He stood with the watch in his hand; and just before the five minutes had passed, down came the French colours, and the ship was taken. heard abusing the long war against the French, and railing against Pitt's party, as if they alone were answerable for all its consequences! But we must return to Captain Pellew, who was immediately appointed to a ship, which, from the scarcity of seamen, he was obliged to man with Cornish miners chiefly. The order and discipline kept up in the mines of Cornwall, the habit of climbing and of being exposed to dangers, the skill in wrestling which most Cornish men could. then boast, all combined to render these miners more apt to become tolerably good sailors than could have been expected. The first action in which the powers of this crew of landsmen were tried, was in an engagement between the Nymphe, Captain Pellew's ship, which had formerly been a French frigate, and the Cleopatra, a frigate still belonging to that nation. Pellew's plan was to bring the vessels at once to close action, and then to leave the result to the courage of his men, to whose honour and spirit, as Cornish men, he trusted to make up their deficiency as sailors. Just before the engagement began, the English crew shouted, "Long live King George!" and gave three good cheers; whilst on the other side, the cap of liberty was hoisted, and the new-fangled cry of "Vive la république!" ("the republic for ever!") made itself heard. These republicans were superior in numbers, but not in courage, to the sturdy English sailors; and after a fierce battle the flag of the Cleopatra was lowered, and it became the prize of the brave captain and crew of the Nymphe. The French captain (Mullon) was killed in the action; and displayed in his death a heroism worthy of a far better cause than that of the French revolution. He had in his pocket the signals; and, in order to It would be quite impossible, without going prevent their falling into the hands of the beyond the limits of this sketch, to follow English, whose knowledge of them would Sir E. Pellew through all the changes and render them quite useless, he endeavoured actions of a life spent in the sea-service, and to swallow them, even in his dying agony; so the most remarkable only can be noticed; but by mistake he devoured a paper contain-while for the other, not less amusing and iming his captain's commission, instead of that on which the signals were described; and, owing to this mistake, the important paper was found by Captain Pellew, and sent by him to the Admiralty. This, we must remember, was the first frigate taken in the war; and of the manner in which it was done, Lord Howe's words bear sufficient witness: "I never doubted," said he, " that you would take a French frigate; but the manner in which you have done it will establish an example for the war." The engagement took place on the 19th of June, 1793, and on the 29th of the same month Captain Pellew was presented to George the Third, who made him a knight, and his brother Israel, who had very much assisted him in the action, a post-captain. His majesty presented Sir Edward to the queen, proving passages of his life, the reader must be referred to Osler's account of Lord Exmouth,—a book which will repay him for his trouble in reading it. After many adventures undergone, and much service done to his country, Sir Edward in 1796 was commanding the Indefatigable,-no bad name for a ship belonging to such a captain; and here he had very nearly lost his life in an attempt to save that of others. It was Sunday, the weather was bad, and the captain was at dinner with his officers, when a bustle was heard on deck ; and on running towards the spot, two men were seen in the water, who had jumped into a boat, which they had found unhooked, intending to secure it, but another sea dashed it to pieces. The captain, seeing this, got into a light boat, which he ordered to be let down into the sea, though his officers per who might disobey him. His well-known name, with his calmness and firmness, united in giving hope and confidence to the despair suaded him not to run the risk. Just then, the ship made a deep plunge, the boat was broken, and the captain left in the midst of the waves, very much hurt, and bleedinging crowd, who received him with three profusely, having been dashed against the rudder, and his nostril being torn by a hook in the tackle. However, he calmly called for a rope, and slinging himself to one of those thrown out to him, he cheerfully ordered the men on board to haul away. As soon as possible, a boat with an officer and crew was hoisted out; and the two men were saved, as well as their commander. This was the third time in that single year that Sir Edward had placed his own life in peril, that he might preserve that of other men. But there is one noble act of this kind performed by him, which deserves more especial notice and peculiar praise. It was in the beginning of the year 1796, when Sir Edward was on shore at Plymouth, and was going out to dinner with Lady Pellew, that he observed a crowd; and found, upon inquiry, that the Dutton, a large vessel || with soldiers on board, bound for the West Indies, had got upon a shoal; and having lost || her rudder, was beating about at the mercy of the winds and waves. All her masts were gone, and she was lying in a deplorable state at no great distance from the shore. Having heard this, Sir Edward sprang out of the carriage in which he was sitting, and went off with the rest of the people to the beach, where crowds were assembling. He could scarcely see how the loss of nearly all on board, between five and six hundred, could be prevented. They had no commander; for the captain had landed, from illness, only the day before-so all was confusion; and although the officers had succeeded in getting a rope to the shore, by which several of the people had landed, yet this was a slow and difficult operation at a time when each moment was precious; for night was drawing on, and the wreck was fast breaking to pieces. Sir Edward wanted to send a message to the officers, and offered rewards to pilots and others to carry it; but no one liked to venture to board the wreck; so he soon exclaimed, "Then I will go myself!" By means of the rope he was hauled on board through the surf,-a very dangerous adventure; for the masts were in the way, having fallen towards the shore, and he was hurt on the back by being dragged under the main-mast; but although the wound was bad enough to confine him to his bed for a week afterwards, he disregarded it at the time, and as soon as he got on board, declared who he was, and took upon himself the command. He assured the people that all would be saved, if they would quietly attend to his orders, promising to be the last to quit the wreck; and at the same time threatening to run any one through the body cheers, which were heartily returned by the thousands that stood upon the shore. Meanwhile, assistance was brought from Pellew's own ship, and from a merchant-vessel; so that the ends of two additional ropes were got on shore, and then cradles were contrived to be slung upon them, with travelling-ropes to pass forward and backward between the ship and the beach. Each rope was held on shore by men, who watched the rolling of the wreck in the waves, and kept the ropes tight and steady. With much difficulty, one or two small boats were worked near enough to the remains of the Dutton to receive the more helpless of the passengers. Sir Edward, with his sword drawn, directed the proceedings, and kept order,-no easy task, since some of the soldiers had got at the spirits before he came on board, and many were drunk, even at that awful time, when every fresh wave was threatening them all with instant death. The children, the sick, and the women, were landed first; and nothing more impressed Sir Edward than the struggle of feelings which took place in the case of one woman, the mother of a child only three weeks old, before she would trust her infant to his care; nor did any thing give him more pleasure than the success of his attempt to save it. The soldiers were next got on shore, then the ship's company, and lastly the hero himself, to whom, under Providence, they all owed their safety; and presently after this || daring and noble action had been completed, the wreck went to pieces. On this occasion the freedom of the town of Plymouth was voted to him by the corporation-the merchants of Liverpool presented him with a valuable service of plate-and in the following March he was created a baronet, and received an honourable addition to his family arms; namely, a civic wreath,' a stranded ship for a crest, and a motto' signifying a wish, that, God assisting him, fortune might follow him in his undertakings, which modest motto he chose rather than one that was proposed in terms more flattering to himself. It was in the same year (1796), that a beautiful French frigate, the Virginie, was taken by the Indefatigable, after a very brave and skilful resistance. Bergeret, the French captain, was much affected at his misfortune, and wept bitterly, when a boat was sent to 3 It is almost needless to state, that a knight and baronet are both alike entitled to the "Sir" prefixed to their names, but differ in this, that the knight bears the title for his life only, while it goes to the baronet's eldest son. 4 A civic wreath was a crown formed of oak-leaves, and bestowed by the general upon any Roman soldier that had |