True Blue--A British Seaman of the Old School, by W.H.G. Kingston.
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From an Introduction by Herbert Strang.
The present volume gives a capital description of life in the Navy in
days of the old three-decker, and many interesting particulars of the
naval warfare in the revolutionary period, including the battle of the
"glorious first of June." It differs from the average boys' story in
one important respect. The hero, instead of gaining a title and a
fortune, refuses to rise above the class in which he was born, and
attains no higher rank than that of a warrant-officer. The author
skilfully introduces little touches and incidents, such as True Blue's
conduct when at a theatrical performance, which make his career seem
entirely natural and reasonable, and enlists the sympathy and approval
of the reader. "He had not aimed high, in one sense of the word," says
Kingston in the closing pages, "and yet he had in another sense always
aimed high and nobly--to do his duty." In Kingston's eyes no mariner,
nor any other man, could have higher praise.
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