ing, the tossing and the creaking begin again, with the same vexatious violence. This cease

less struggle between the vessel and the waves, with the shrill whistle of the gale through the strained rigging,-a wild melancholy sound, as of a strange Æolian harp played by the tempest; the heavy fall of breaking waves and showers of spray; the splashing of the seas as they wash backwards and forwards on the deck; the muffled cry of the sailors in the storm; the sharp rap of blocks, and the incessant creaking of the new wood-work, make the weathering of gales of wind in a small schooner a rough piece of experience.

The master is most indefatigable during this bad weather; never sparing himself, and hardly giving himself any rest, sleeping (as he expresses it)" with one leg out of bed," so as to be on deck in an instant. He must be as hard as a piece of his ship, for he is soaked daily, from the waves breaking over the vessel, and he finds that the wet clothes dry most effectually on his body, and therefore never changes them.

He is a man of so much determination that it is impossible not to feel entire confidence in his seamanship, and safety under his care; al

though a heavier wave breaking rather sooner or later than was expected, and in a direction unavoidable, might render all his skill ineffectual, and send us where so many more are now "suffering a sea-change.”

We had been wishing a day or two before, that we might see a gale on the Atlantic, and by a ludicrous confusion of cause and effect, of post" and "propter," in minds prone to superstition, the sailors believed that our wish had brought the storm! It was the sublimest scene I ever witnessed; yet it did not equal my expectation. "Waves mountain high" is an exaggeration. The horizon was circumscribed to very narrow bounds, and the ocean was like a rough country, divided into deep irregular valleys and lofty hills, without any level ground.

Our captain has tastes that would hardly have been expected under so rugged a crust. He has been a student of Shakspeare and Milton. He sat up day and night for a fortnight at sea, until he had read the Waverly novels. He has considerable knowledge of the Bible, and appreciates the sterling beauties of the Liturgy. The master of a vessel in which he sailed as mate when a youth, often made him recite parts of Shak

UNIVERSALITY OF GENIUS.

9

Thus he ac

speare's plays, to pass the time. quired his taste for the tragedies of this poet, with which his memory was well stored. His criticism on the "Tempest" was as high and as unintended a compliment, as Partridge's on the actor of Hamlet. "He did not think there

was much in Miranda's meeting with Ferdinand, for she only did what every young woman would do, on first meeting a fine young man."

But although he may overlook some of the less obvious beauties of Shakspeare, he has a strong relish for the more stirring passages, and recites some with considerable effect. There are few greater proofs of the universality of true genius, than this power of giving equal delight to all kinds of men, enabling the rough sailor to beguile his lonely nights upon the ocean, and affording pastime and happiness to refined and cultivated minds. This is true fame, as distinguished from the bubble reputation.

November 20.-The "great western" is still blowing furiously. Our gaff-foresail, made of the very best and strongest canvass, and quite a new sail, was torn away by the wind like a muslin handkerchief, and our jib-boom (the bowsprit of a schooner) snapped short off. The whole visible

ocean is whitened with foam. The highest waves are breaking in all directions; their snowy crests spread as they break in large white sheets, which are again dispersed in smaller ones, and every ridge or inequality of every wave is thus whitened by the wind. Some of the seas that broke over us flew through the cross-trees which are at the top of the main-mast.

There has been a moon for the last two or three nights. Landsmen seldom think of the happiness the moon gives to sailors; their weary night watches are divested of half their dulness by her calm light; the Italian mate says "We love the moon."

November 28.-The men on watch last night could scarcely show their faces over the bulwarks, such was the force of the wind. The captain says he never was out in so terrific a gale. The ocean was lashed into a lather as white as milk; and some enormous waves broke over us mast high.

We have had stormy tempers too, as well as stormy seas; the futile blasphemies of angry sailors, swearing, stamping, and raving at a gale. Anger is indeed at all times "a kind of baseness," but when fiercely pointed against "stormy winds

fulfilling His word," it is something more-it is Satanic.

November 29.-Another gale, which has now lasted two days and nights without intermission. Above, the sky is a clear watery blue; below, all the ocean is of a sparkling cobalt colour. Each wave is as brisk as soda water. Opposite to the sun, every sea as it curls up and falls over with a roar, like a cataract on a crystal pavement, is crested with a long white plume of spray, and spanned by a rainbow.

At breakfast this morning a long lurch brought down a black mangy hair-brush into the little boy's tea. The boy looked meek, and held up his basin for a fresh supply. "What now! I suppose your stomach, then 's, too delicate to drink that after my hair-brush has been in it, eh?" The boy's contrite silence said "Yes."

November 30.-This evening, as the gale had somewhat abated, I went on deck to enjoy the moonlight and the open air after twenty-four hours' confinement in a dismal den. It was blowing so hard that it was absolutely painful to face the wind; the sea was running very high; and the waves, which were breaking in all directions, and the sheets of foam upon them were rendered