if we
may judge from the amusing account which Saumarez gave in after-life
of his acquirements in that seminary. Fortunately, as he said, when he
had been there ten months, his father being in London, sent for him,
and to his great joy took him home, and with this portion of education
he was launched into the world; as a few months after he went to
Portsmouth to join the Montreal, Captain Alms, who had been a friend
of his uncles, and who had visited his father at Guernsey.

On the 9th of August 1769, the ship sailed for the Mediterranean.
Great pains were taken by the captain to improve the talents of young
Saumarez, which soon became apparent: but the commodore being obliged
to return home on account of ill health, he placed him in the
Winchelsea; and we find that he went on board the Pembroke, bearing
the broad pendant of Commodore Proby, and commanded by Captain Durell,
who was a relative of the family, on the 14th August 1770, and joined
the former ship on the 28th September following.

Nature happily had endowed young Saumarez with talents, and qualities
of mind and heart, which in a great measure repaired the want of a
regular and more enlarged education: a sound judgment and quick
sensibility soon led him to perceive his deficiency in acquired
knowledge; and he was inspired with a laudable ambition, to remedy it
by every exertion the feeble means within his reach could accomplish.
When, indeed, it is considered that only a few volumes of the
Spectator and Idler, with some stray volumes of the Roman History,
composed his little library, it may justly be inferred that it was no
ordinary capacity or moderate application which could form a character
such as was manifested by him.

Frigates, in those days, had neither chaplains nor schoolmasters; and
the "young gentlemen," when off duty, were left to spend their time as
they thought fit. The midshipmen of the present day can have but a
faint idea of the hardships and privations of a naval aspirant's life
at the period Saumarez entered the service. Biscuits with insects, and
tainted meat, was the usual fare when at sea at their mess-table; and
none would have thought of procuring such _luxuries_ as are now
indispensable _necessaries_ to their successors in the service. While
there is great cause to rejoice in the change which has taken place,
it should not prevent the expression of just and well-founded regret
that the amelioration has spread to the opposite extre