its branches, for the which he glorified himself
exceedingly. As I had made many friends, there was no difficulty in
procuring for me a ship, and I was to have joined the _Sappho_, a
first-class brig of war, as soon as she arrived, and she was expected
almost immediately. However, as at that particular time we were
relieving the Danes from the onerous care of their navy, the sloop was
sent, directly she arrived, to assist in the amiable action.

Having many who interested themselves about me, some apparent and others
hidden, a ship was soon found for me, but by what chain of
recommendation I could never unravel. As far as the ship was concerned,
I certainly had nothing to complain of. She was a fine frigate, and
every way worthy to career over the ocean, that was, at that time,
almost completely an English dominion. The usual quantity of hopes and
wishes were expressed, and my final leave was taken of all my village
friends. Mr R enjoined me to correspond with him on every opportunity,
gave me his blessing, and some urgent advice to eschew poetry, and
prophesied that he should live to see me posted. There was nothing
outwardly very remarkable in the manner of Mrs Cherfeuil on the eve of
my departure. I went to bed a school-boy, and was to rise next morning
an officer--that is to say, I was to mount my uniform for the first
time. I believe that I was already on the ship's books; for at the time
of which I am writing, the clerk of the cheque was not so very frequent
in his visits, and not so particular when he visited, as he is at
present. Notwithstanding the important change that was about to take
place in everything connected with myself, I did sleep that night,
though I often awoke,--there was a female hovering round my bed almost
the whole of the night.

CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN.

RALPH COMMENCES HIS PUBLIC CAREER BY ACCEPTING AN IOU, HE HARDLY KNOWS
WHY--HE FINDS HIS FUTURE CAPTAIN BASED ON A BOTTLE--HE IS NOT TAKEN BY
THE HAND.

So ignorant were those few, on whom devolved my fitting out, of what my
station required, that I had made for me three suits of uniform, all of
which had the lion upon the buttons instead of the anchor, and from
which the weekly account was absent. My transmission from school to
town was by the stage; at town I was told to call on a lawyer in the
King's Bench Walk, in the Temple, who furnished me with twenty pounds,
and a letter for my future captain, telling me I might draw u