Shall break upon our wooing, love.
As life's young dream shall pass, my love,
Together let us gaily row,
And day by day, in sportive play,
Enjoy life's Meeting gloss, my love.

[Illustration: page163]

It was on one of those warm evenings in the month of July, when scarcely
a zephyr played upon the wanton wave, and the red sun had sunk to rest
behind the Castle turrets, giving full promise of another sultry
day, that our little band had attracted a more than usual display of
promenaders on the walk extending from the Fort point to the Marine
Hotel. With the report of the evening gun, or, as Horace termed it,
the _admiral's grog bell_, we had quitted the cabin, and mustering our
little party upon deck, suffered the Rover to drift nearer in shore with
the tide, that we might enjoy the gratifying spectacle of more
closely observing the young, the beautiful, and the ~163~~accomplished
_elegantes_ who traversed to and fro upon the beach to catch the soft
whispers of the saline air.

At the Castle Causeway a boat had just landed a group of beautiful
children, who appeared clinging round a tall well-formed man, in a blue
jacket and white trowsers, resting a hand upon each of two fine boys
dressed in a similar style: he walked on, with a slight affection of
lameness, towards the Castle entrance, preceded by three lovely little
female fairies, who gambolled in his path like sportive zephyrs.--"There
moves one of the bravest men, and best of fathers, in his majesty's
dominions," said Horace--"the commander of the Pearl." "What," said I,
"the Marquis of Anglesey?" "The same--who here seeks retirement in the
bosom of his family, and without ostentation enjoys a pleasure, which,
in its pursuit, produces permanent advantage to many, and enables
others, his friends and relations, to participate with him in his
amusements. We are much indebted to the marquis for the promotion of
this truly British sport, who with his brothers, Sir Charles and Sir
Arthur, were among the first members of the Royal Yacht Club. The group
of blue jackets to the left, whom the marquis recognised as he passed,
consist of that merry fellow, Sir Godfrey Webster, who lias a noble
yacht here, the Scorpion; the commander of the Sabrina, James Manse,
Esq. another jovial soul; the two Williams's, father and son, who have
both fine yachts in our roads; Sir Charles Sullivan; and the Polar
navigator, Captain Lyons