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12 - Young Crusoe, or The Shipwrecked Boy by Barbara Hofland · Young Crusoe, or The Shipwrecked Boy

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Speaker 1: Shipwrecked Boy by Barbara Hofland, Chapter twelve. They arrive at
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Speaker 1: the Cape of Good Hope, departure for England. Saint Helena
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Speaker 1: Madeira storm in the Bay of Biscay. Charles useful and manly,
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Speaker 1: his timidity his choice of a profession. We must now
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Speaker 1: follow our happy wanderers to the Cape of Good Hope,
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Speaker 1: where they arrived in due time without any accident, to
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Speaker 1: the great joy of Charles, who, although he had been
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Speaker 1: too happy to complain, was heartily tired of the confinement
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Speaker 1: of a ship, and embraced with extraordinary delight the power
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Speaker 1: of walking about on dry land, listening to the birds,
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Speaker 1: which had lately been his sole companions, and gazing on
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Speaker 1: the trees and plants as objects of beauty and wonder.
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Speaker 1: The table mountain at the cape, by offering a striking
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Speaker 1: variety to the flat island on which he dwelt so long,
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Speaker 1: pleased him exceedingly, and he wished to set out to
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Speaker 1: it immediately, but his father told him that he must
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Speaker 1: not go anywhere until he had procured proper clothes for him,
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Speaker 1: which could not be done on shipboard. Of the truth
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Speaker 1: of this remark, Charles was soon convinced by the curious
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Speaker 1: eyes which were bent upon him on all sides, and
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Speaker 1: from which he was eager to fly. He had frequently
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Speaker 1: wished to behold a single human being as the greatest
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Speaker 1: possible treat in his days of solitude, and he was
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Speaker 1: now surprised at himself for considering a crowd annoying. Nevertheless,
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Speaker 1: he could not divest his mind of much timidity and
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Speaker 1: an earnest desire to run into the open country, unseen
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Speaker 1: and alone, to think on the goodness of God in
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Speaker 1: restoring his father to him and bringing him back into
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Speaker 1: the world. He felt a sense of the blessings of
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Speaker 1: society in his heart. But he wished for the freedom
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Speaker 1: of solitude in which to indulge his feelings. For having
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Speaker 1: accustomed himself to express his thoughts in words when he
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Speaker 1: was alone so long, he naturally desired to do it
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Speaker 1: now in the same way, For except to his father,
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Speaker 1: he felt fearful of speaking. Mister Crusoe sought by every
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Speaker 1: gentle means to wean him from this extreme bashfulness, which
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Speaker 1: was contracted entirely by his long retirement, And as his
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Speaker 1: friends at the cape showed him all possible attention and
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Speaker 1: were extremely anxious to see a son who was found
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Speaker 1: under such extraordinary circumstances. He took him a good deal
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Speaker 1: into company, and saw with much pleasure that every day
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Speaker 1: made a little improvement in his feelings and his manners.
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Speaker 1: It was evident that when he was with sensible people,
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Speaker 1: and especially with scientific persons, or those who had traveled
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Speaker 1: much and related their observations on different people and the
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Speaker 1: productions of nature, he was very happy. But trifling chit
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Speaker 1: chat or boisterous mirth teased and wearied him exceedingly. Really, Papa,
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Speaker 1: he would say, one had better sit in a hut
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Speaker 1: with a parrot than listen to such nonsense as some
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Speaker 1: people talk. When I lived by myself, I thought everybody
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Speaker 1: in the world were good and wise, and I used
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Speaker 1: to sit and fancy how ladies and gentlemen would talk
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Speaker 1: on certain subjects. But I don't find that they are
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Speaker 1: at all what I expected. I did not expect sailors
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Speaker 1: to speak of my favorite subjects. Therefore I had no
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Speaker 1: disappointment on shipboard. But with a few exceptions, I have
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Speaker 1: had many here. And pray, my dear, what were your
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Speaker 1: imaginary conversations? I mean, what were your favorite subjects? The
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Speaker 1: wonders of God? In the creation as to animals, trees, flowers,
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Speaker 1: and even stones, Papa, of which I have collected many
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Speaker 1: curious specimens in pebbles, and the goodness of God in
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Speaker 1: the redemption of the world by the death of his son.
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Speaker 1: I did not remember people talking much of religion at
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Speaker 1: Bombay when I was present, it is true, but I
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Speaker 1: concluded that they forbore to do so because I was
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Speaker 1: a child, and that I should have that pleasure when
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Speaker 1: I was a man. But my dear Charles, you do
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Speaker 1: not call yourself a man. No, Papa, I think in
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Speaker 1: some respects I am more a child than ever. But still,
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Speaker 1: when I was on the island, time moved slowly, and
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Speaker 1: I read much and thought much, so that I fancied
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Speaker 1: I was growing quite a man. I hope it was
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Speaker 1: not conceit in me. Do you think it was, my
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Speaker 1: dear sir, No, my dear Charles, it was the natural
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Speaker 1: result of an ardent and inquiring mind left without a
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Speaker 1: guide at that period of life when the desire of
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Speaker 1: knowledge is most lively and the expansion of intellect most rapid.
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Speaker 1: You are far from being a man, and have of
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Speaker 1: course much to learn. But you are a manly boy
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Speaker 1: and when we arrive in Europe, you shall have every
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Speaker 1: advantage of education. In the meantime, you cannot do better
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Speaker 1: than exercise your mind on the subjects you mention, for
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Speaker 1: whether people talk of them or not, they are the
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Speaker 1: most worthy contemplation of anything presented to the human mind.
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Speaker 1: I must, not, however, disguise from you the truth that
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Speaker 1: in the world people in general are so busy with
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Speaker 1: the cares or the pleasures of life, that they do
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Speaker 1: not think so much on these subjects as is consistent
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Speaker 1: with their duty or their happiness. I am well aware
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Speaker 1: that everybody here have come out to get their fortunes farther,
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Speaker 1: and that they think very little of anything else. But
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Speaker 1: I suppose in London society is much superior. In London,
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Speaker 1: my dear, superior society may be best found, but it
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Speaker 1: is always a jewel to be sought, not a commodity
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Speaker 1: to be stumbled on. I wish you, my dear boy,
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Speaker 1: to be very choice in your society, for to a
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Speaker 1: young man it is the very life of his life.
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Speaker 1: But in the meantime you must be affable withal, for
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Speaker 1: it is scarcely possible to converse with any person without
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Speaker 1: learning something from their experience and observation. Within a fortnight
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Speaker 1: after their arrival at the Cape, they procured the means
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Speaker 1: of prosecuting their voyage in a noble ship with many
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Speaker 1: pleasant passengers, so that the latter part of their long
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Speaker 1: suspended voyage to England made amends in a great measure
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Speaker 1: for the hardship and misfortunes of the first portion of it. Charles,
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Speaker 1: being now in a much larger vessel than before, and
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Speaker 1: supplied by the passengers with a variety of books, passed
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Speaker 1: his time more pleasantly, and his past history being unknown
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Speaker 1: to the crew and passengers, he was not subject to
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Speaker 1: those inquiries or jokes which formerly troubled him. He had
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Speaker 1: been very sorry to part with mister Parker, for whose
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Speaker 1: kindness he was truly grateful, and whom his father intended
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Speaker 1: to establish in England. But his present society was exceedingly agreeable,
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Speaker 1: and he endeavored to render his own manners as much
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Speaker 1: like theirs as he could, conscious that in his long
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Speaker 1: seclusion he had contracted habits that were a little uncouth,
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Speaker 1: and might two others appear silly and ludicrous. They touched
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Speaker 1: at Saint Helena, and of course visited the tomb of Bonaparte,
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Speaker 1: and talked much about him. All the passengers seemed to
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Speaker 1: think residing in such a small island a terrible punishment,
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Speaker 1: and a lady observed that it was surprising to her
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Speaker 1: that the ex emperor had lived so long in such
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Speaker 1: a frightful solitude, saying to Charles, who had hitherto been
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Speaker 1: silent on the subject, don't you think the poor man
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Speaker 1: must have been very wretched, very much to be pitied,
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Speaker 1: Master Crusoe, I don't think him much to be pitied
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Speaker 1: for living here, ma'am, for it appears to me a
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Speaker 1: very pretty place. Nor can I conceive a man to
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Speaker 1: be very wretched who had so many friends about him
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Speaker 1: as he had. You are too young to understand the matter.
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Speaker 1: You do not know the miseries of solitude, but your
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Speaker 1: father can tell you that legislators agree there is no
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Speaker 1: punishment so bad as a solitary cell, and they never
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Speaker 1: inflicted upon any but hardened criminals. But this is very
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Speaker 1: different to a solitary cell, and even that is far
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Speaker 1: better than a really solitary island, For there the criminal
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Speaker 1: knows that the end of a certain day, month, or year,
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Speaker 1: he shall be again restored to society, where is a
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Speaker 1: man cut off by a wide ocean from all the
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Speaker 1: rest of the world, has no such cause for comfort.
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Speaker 1: His spirits droop and no voice cheers him. He is sick,
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Speaker 1: and no hand brings him food. His affections are vividly
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Speaker 1: excited towards every human being, the meanest of whom would
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Speaker 1: be to him an invaluable friend. But he dares not
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Speaker 1: believe that he must never be cheered by the sight
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Speaker 1: of one human face again. He is buried before he dies,
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Speaker 1: and feels as he ought to be dead. Yet with
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Speaker 1: his heart so warm the life and his limbs so strong,
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Speaker 1: he cannot die. And besides, God commands him to live,
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Speaker 1: and gives some little prospect, some glimmering of hope that
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Speaker 1: incites him still to struggle on, still to endure the
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Speaker 1: hunger that gnaws him, the grief that consumes him. My
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Speaker 1: dear boy, you are absolutely eloquent, cried the lady, as
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Speaker 1: poor Charles, overcome with the recollections, thus excited, suddenly stopped.
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Speaker 1: I have no idea that a person at your age
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Speaker 1: could have looked so deeply into a case of this nature,
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Speaker 1: especially an imaginary one. It makes one think of Alexander
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Speaker 1: Selkirk and the poor fellow only a few years ago,
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Speaker 1: left by a brutal captain on a desolate shore. You
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Speaker 1: are really quite poetical in your conception of the case.
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Speaker 1: Charles hastened away to conceal his emotions and avoid hearing
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Speaker 1: praise to which he had no pretension, for he well
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Speaker 1: knew that he had unaware spoken simply from his heart
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Speaker 1: and not from his imagination, and was vexed with himself
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Speaker 1: for so nearly revealing the circumstance he had earnestly desired
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Speaker 1: both his father and Sambo to conceal. He was not
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Speaker 1: sorry when they again sailed to find that the great
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Speaker 1: exile and his banishment was soon forgotten, as every personnel
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Speaker 1: began to look forward to Maderra and to speak of
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Speaker 1: it in terms of unqualified admiration. The captain one, they observed,
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Speaker 1: when the subject was spoken of, that he could not
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Speaker 1: see any reason for disputing an assertion once relied on,
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Speaker 1: that this beautiful island was originally discovered by an Englishman
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Speaker 1: named Matcham or Matcham, who, having married an heiress without
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Speaker 1: the consent of her friends, set out with her for
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Speaker 1: the continent, and was driven by contrary winds to this island, which,
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Speaker 1: in the name of its province Maechico, authorizes the account.
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Speaker 1: It has observed mister Crusoe been considered fabulous by some writers,
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Speaker 1: I really believe, for no other reason than because it
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Speaker 1: was connected with a romantic story, just as if real
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Speaker 1: life never presented us with circumstances in themselves as singular
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Speaker 1: as any imagination can conceive. They have also asserted that
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Speaker 1: there is no English name of that description, another proof
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Speaker 1: of ignorance, since there are several families of that name
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Speaker 1: now living in the populous towns of Manchester and cheffel Yield,
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Speaker 1: and the small but pretty and ancient town of Masham
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Speaker 1: in Yorkshire, is sufficiently like the word to warrant the
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Speaker 1: English derivation of this unfortunate person. Many comments were added
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Speaker 1: of pity to the poor man who had been wrecked
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Speaker 1: with his bride on this beautiful island, and conjectures were
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Speaker 1: made as to his power of providing for subsistence. But
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Speaker 1: Charles now made no observation, though he listened with profound interest,
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Speaker 1: and could not forbear in his own mind contriving accommodation
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Speaker 1: in such a case for a delicate female. And as
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Speaker 1: he thought more about his mother and sister. The nearer
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Speaker 1: he approached to them. He sincerely rejoiced that they had
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Speaker 1: escaped the troubles which had befallen himself and his father.
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Speaker 1: The beauties of Madeira, Charles found had not been overrated,
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Speaker 1: and like others, he was delighted to find himself once
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Speaker 1: more on shore, but he did not regret exchanging it
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Speaker 1: for the vessel which was taking him to a more
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Speaker 1: permanent abode. The society of the ladies on board had
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Speaker 1: brought his own mother continually to his mind, And although
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Speaker 1: he did not love his father less, it is yet
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Speaker 1: certain that he did love his mother more than he
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Speaker 1: had done for the last two or three years, and
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Speaker 1: every idea that he formed for the future was closely
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Speaker 1: connected with her and that sister to whom he looked
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Speaker 1: for a companion and friend. Charles had too much real
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Speaker 1: manliness of mind and conduct to be one of those
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Speaker 1: boys who pique themselves on being above the company of girls.
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Speaker 1: And as he knew Emily had possessed advantages of education
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Speaker 1: superior to his own, he expected to receive information and
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Speaker 1: repay it by protection in his intercourse with her, and
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Speaker 1: he was well aware from all he remembered of her
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Speaker 1: temper and disposition, that she would sympathize in his past
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Speaker 1: sufferings and do her best for his present improvement. His
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Speaker 1: pleasant reveries were interrupted by the bad weather encountered in
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Speaker 1: the Bay of Biscay, at all times affording a rough sea,
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Speaker 1: but now absolutely tempestuous. Great distress prevailed among the passengers,
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Speaker 1: and at one time mister Crusoe feared that he and
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Speaker 1: his unfortunate son should be again doomed to the horrors
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Speaker 1: of a second shipwreck. At this time, Charles passed from
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Speaker 1: an apparently timid, retiring boy into an active, clever young man,
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Speaker 1: exercising that acute observation which arises from decided natural talents
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Speaker 1: united to experience, and displaying an equanimity of spirit that
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Speaker 1: astonished and in many instances reproved the elder persons around him.
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Speaker 1: He had attained during his residence in the island a
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Speaker 1: knowledge of the usual progress of storms that appeared, to
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Speaker 1: those who were ignorant of such a phenomena a kind
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Speaker 1: of prophecy. And as the captain found that every prediction
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Speaker 1: he made was regularly fulfilled, he soon placed extraordinary confidence
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Speaker 1: in him and kept him continually near him. In consequence
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Speaker 1: of this confidence, the passengers frequently inquired of Charles that
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Speaker 1: which they could not intrude on the captain to learn,
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Speaker 1: and were surprised to find the self possession as well
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Speaker 1: as information shown by one who held himself in general
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Speaker 1: so humbly, but who now seemed equal not only to
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Speaker 1: command himself but others, and frequently issued orders that were
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Speaker 1: always obeyed with alacrity from those who dared to rely
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Speaker 1: on their propriety. The storm was at length outridden, the
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Speaker 1: waves that had risen mountains high subsided, and exhibited only
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Speaker 1: a gentle curl that promised them a speedy passage to
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Speaker 1: their native land, and every person on board fell into
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Speaker 1: their usual habits. But was not possible for our young
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Speaker 1: friend to step back into insignificance. Young as he was,
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Speaker 1: he had gained the esteem of the old, and every
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Speaker 1: person was eager to show him the respect they felt
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Speaker 1: for his abilities and fortitude, and the affection awakened by
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Speaker 1: his kind attentions and consolatory manners in the hour of
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Speaker 1: alarm and dangers. And they now crowded around him to
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Speaker 1: inquire how he came by so much knowledge, and how
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Speaker 1: he acquired so much self command. I have been shipwrecked once,
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Speaker 1: said Charles. So we understand, mister Crusoe, but we cannot
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Speaker 1: see how a single shipwreck, when you must have been
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Speaker 1: almost frightened to death, could have given you that acute
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Speaker 1: perception of every change in the atmosphere which the captain
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Speaker 1: says you possess. I have accustomed myself to look earnestly
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Speaker 1: into the skies and trace the congregating of those magnificent
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Speaker 1: storms in which clouds electrify each other. I like to gaze,
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Speaker 1: even whilst I tremble at the sublime offects produced by tempest,
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Speaker 1: and like the prophet, can watch the cloud no bigger
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Speaker 1: than a man's hand, cover by degrees the face of
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Speaker 1: heaven with a curtain of thick darkness. You have, of
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Speaker 1: course determined to pursue a seafaring life, said one of
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Speaker 1: the gentlemen. Indeed, Sir, I have never thought of such
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Speaker 1: a thing. I am much too young to determine on anything,
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Speaker 1: seeing I have a father who will determine for me.
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Speaker 1: But as your bent is so decided, as it is
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Speaker 1: plain you love the sea and possess the talon called
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Speaker 1: for in a navigator I hope your father will not
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Speaker 1: forbid you to indulge your wishes. My wishes do not
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Speaker 1: tend that way, sir. I like the sea very well,
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Speaker 1: though not as well as I used to do, but
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Speaker 1: I have no desire to live upon it or subject
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Speaker 1: myself again to the troubles I have experienced from it.
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Speaker 1: I wish my profession to be a very different one
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Speaker 1: at present, but I shall certainly express no wish to
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Speaker 1: my father on the subject till my education is much
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Speaker 1: farther advanced, and I may be supposed to have better
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Speaker 1: reasons for choice than I can have now, So saying,
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Speaker 1: Charles skipped away to his father, who was at that
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Speaker 1: time walking on deck and feeding the parrot, which was
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Speaker 1: an universal favorite, and like his master, had recovered his
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Speaker 1: power of mixing in general society. The sailors were just
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Speaker 1: now particularly fond of Paul, because in the height of
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Speaker 1: a storm he had never ceased to cry, don't despair,
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Speaker 1: my dear boy. And mister Crusoe now learned from his
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Speaker 1: son the reason why the poor creature had been taught
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Speaker 1: these words, and how often he had chanced to use
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Speaker 1: them in the most suitable moment, and with the happiest effect.
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Speaker 1: When the fond father was told of the above conversation,
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Speaker 1: he rejoiced exceedingly to hear that his son had no
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Speaker 1: predilection for a seaman's life, having, like others, believed that
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Speaker 1: to be the case, notwithstanding all that had occurred, and
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Speaker 1: he now became solicitous to know to what his desires turned.
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Speaker 1: This he told Charles, adding that since he had unavoidably
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Speaker 1: lost much time, if he desired to enter on a
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Speaker 1: learned profession, he would engage for him the best masters
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Speaker 1: as soon as they arrived. Then, Papa said Charles, I
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Speaker 1: will tell you frankly that I do earnestly desire to
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Speaker 1: be brought up to the church, considering it the best
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Speaker 1: way I have of showing gratitude to God for the
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Speaker 1: preservation of my life and my understanding in circumstances so
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Speaker 1: extraordinary as those I have experienced. But as I know
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Speaker 1: myself to be not only very young, but in many
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Speaker 1: respects ignorant, I did not like on such a serious
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Speaker 1: subject to excite any ridicule, So if you please, we
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Speaker 1: will say nothing about it for some time to come.
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Speaker 1: You seem to me, Charles, to have a greater dread
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Speaker 1: of ridicule than I should expect from a boy of
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Speaker 1: your good sense. In other respects, perhaps I have the
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Speaker 1: people on board the ship that rescued me, though they
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Speaker 1: were really good at the bottom, called me the wild
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Speaker 1: man of the woods, you know, and the speaking orangutang,
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Speaker 1: and used to tell me my own mother would not
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Speaker 1: know me. So that I have got a kind of
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Speaker 1: fear that I am like nobody else, My dear boy
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Speaker 1: replied mister Crusoe, I am very sorry you should suffer
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Speaker 1: pain from such an unworthy cause, for even allowing that
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Speaker 1: from long seclusion and peculiar habits, you might, when you
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Speaker 1: were first found, appear singular, depend upon it that would
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Speaker 1: very soon go off for young people, soon contract, and
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Speaker 1: soon lose any impression or habit. However, since one of
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Speaker 1: two evils were always likely to arise, either that you
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Speaker 1: should be exalted into a hero in your own eyes
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Speaker 1: and made for the rest of your youth a conceited coxcomb,
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Speaker 1: I had much rather of the two, that you should
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Speaker 1: experience the fear which now affects you when you mix
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Speaker 1: with boys of your own age. This timidity, so far
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Speaker 1: as it is painful, will subside, and in the mean time,
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Speaker 1: comfort yourself with knowing that your father is not ashamed,
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Speaker 1: but very proud of you. End of Chapter twelve,