e called to the history
of the grandfather of our hero.

Admiral De Courcy was the lineal descendant of an ancient and wealthy
family, of high aristocratic connection. He had the misfortune, at an
early age, to lose his father, to be an only child, and to have a very
weak and doting mother. Add to all these, that he was the heir to a
large entailed property, and the reader will acknowledge that even the
best disposed child stood a fair chance of being spoiled.

But young De Courcy was not a well-disposed child; he was of a violent,
headstrong, and selfish disposition, and was not easily to be checked by
the firmest hand. He advanced to man's estate, the cruel tyrant of a
fond and foolish mother, and the dislike of all around him. His
restless disposition, backed by the persuasions of his mother to the
contrary, induced him to enter into the naval service. At the time we
are now describing, the name of the boy often appeared on the books of a
man-of-war when the boy himself was at school or at home with his
friends; if there were any regulations to the contrary, they were easily
surmounted by interest. The consequence was that,--without any
knowledge of his profession, without having commenced his career by
learning to obey before he was permitted to command,--at the early age
of eighteen years, young De Courcy was appointed captain of a fine
frigate; and, as the power of a captain of a man-of-war was at that time
almost without limit, and his conduct without scrutiny, he had but too
favourable an opportunity of indulging his tyrannical propensities. His
caprice and violence were unbounded, his cruelty odious, and his ship
was designated by the sobriquet of _The Hell Afloat_.

There are, however, limits to the longest tether; and as no officer
would remain in the ship, and the desertion of the men became so
extensive, that a fine frigate lay useless and unmanned, the government
at last perceived the absolute necessity of depriving of command one who
could not command himself. The ship was paid off, and even the interest
of Captain De Courcy, powerful as it was, could not obtain further
employment for him. Having for some time been in possession of his
large property, Captain De Courcy retired to the hall of his ancestors,
with feelings of anger against the government, which his vindictive
temper prompted him to indulge by the annoyance of all around him; and,
instead of diffusing joy and comfort by the expendi