It was low ebb when our vessel made the offing of Dublin bay, and it
being then night, we lay at anchor till morning. The moon shone
remarkably bright, and reflected in silver shades upon the sea, which
waved with a gentle heaving---a murmur---it was nature sighing with a
love-creating respiration.
For some leagues on each side the harbour’s mouth it was encircled with
a fleet of herring boats, and I not being inclined to sleep, accompanied
the captain in the yawl, to visit them.
The drawing of the herring nets, is, perhaps, the most pleasing and
beautiful sight the human mind can conceive: the fish, as they are
hawled up the vessel’s side, sparkle like diamonds.
I could not but express my surprize to the captain at the quantity
taken; and by him was informed, that these sculls approached the coast
by millions and tens of millions, extending many miles, and swimming
several fathoms deep over one another. They make their way through the
sea, as men do on earth, each individual striving to be uppermost, and
with this stronger circumstance of similarity, that the fish which gets
uppermost is always in most danger.
“I shall eat half a dozen of these herrings,” said the captain, as he
took about a dozen out of a net without leave or notice, to the boatman,
who made no objection. “I shall eat half a dozen of these herrings,”
said he, “when I return to my vessel.”---“What, captain, must six lives
be sacrificed to satisfy your appetite at one meal?”
For half a moment I was converted by this reflection to the religion of
the Indian Bramins, who refuse all animal food; but the captain who was
a philosopher, as suddenly induced me to apostatize from my new opinion.
A number of large porpoises or sea hogs, were sporting round.---“Why not
eat them?” said the captain, pointing to the porpoises; “those creatures
feed upon herrings, and innumerable great fish feed upon them; and it is
the same to the herring, whether he is eaten by a porpoise or by a man.”
“Very true,” said I, “there are sea monsters, who live upon their
fellow-creatures as well as land monsters, who devour each other.”
“It is impossible to understand those affairs, or the reason of them,”
observed the captain; “I have got a microscope on board, and I’ll prove
to you that innumerable animals perish at every suction of your breath.
The great difference between voracious fish, voracious quadrupeds,
voracious birds, and voracious man, is this: the first three classes eat
to satisfy hunger only, and devour without preparation; but the cruelty
which man inflicts upon those creatures Providence has empowered him to
use for his sustenance, may be considered as a species of ingratitude,
which of all crimes merits the severest punishment.”
* * * * *
+Wisdom and Virtue.+
Wisdom or virtue is nothing more than the disposition to attain and
enjoy the greatest happiness, with the knowledge how to attain and to
bestow it.
Wisdom has ever some benevolent end in her purposes and actions; on the
contrary, folly either mistakes evil for good, or, when she assumes the
nature of vice, entertains a malevolent intention.
The advantages and defects of nature mould be considered as common to
society: the weak have a claim to the assistance of the strong; the
strong derive a pleasure from assisting the weak; and the wise are so
far happy as the well disposed partake of their wisdom.
There is no one virtue that includes not, in a general sense, all other
virtues. Wisdom cannot subsist without justice, temperance, and
fortitude, for wisdom is the sum of all these. It is impossible to be
just without temperance, or temperate without fortitude, and so
alternately of the rest.
* * * * *