#marryat

[konyvboritok]

[elyksina]

1812 Frank Mildmay & companion. Commission for @clove-pinks!

[kung-laos-hat]

"There is no situation perhaps more difficult, and demanding so much caution, as the occasional meeting with a doubtful ship. On the one hand, it being necessary to be fully prepared and not allow the enemy the advantage which may be derived from your inaction; and on the other, the necessity of prudence, that you may not assault your friends and countrymen. Captain Wilson had hoisted the private night-signal, but here again it was difficult, from his sails intervening, for the other ship to make it out. Before the two frigates were within three cables length of each other, Captain Wilson, determined that there should be no mistake from any want of precaution on his part, hauled up his courses and brailed up his driver that the night-signal might be clearly seen."

(Midshipman Easy, Captain Frederick Marryat | A Moonlit Night, Aivazovsky)

[clove-pinks]

How many Captain Marryat books have you read? Is there anything in particular you like about his writings? Anything you don't like?

I am kind of assuming my wife sent this, since I JUST told her to check my tumblr to make sure anon asks were turned on. (ETA: she confessed on messenger, destroying the suspense, and also my faint hopes that some other person follows my main for Marryat-related reasons.)

TO PROCEED: this was more challenging than I expected for such a simple question lol. Counting only books I've read cover-to-cover: seven of the novels. (I've read a lot of Diary in America and some of his Metropolitan Magazine editorials as well.) If you're counting biographies of Marryat I've read four of them.

Favorite things: the sense of experiencing a slice of life in the early 19th century Royal Navy has to be tops. You really can't beat someone speaking of their lived experiences in this time period, even in a fictionalized way. I love his stupid goofy sense of humor, and I have learned countless details about his world that fascinate me. Without writing a novel of my own here: I am basically like one of those obsessed superfans of Jane Austen who wants to dress up like her characters and eat the food that they ate and understand their vocabulary and society and other references and virtually live in their world etc. etc. except substitute Frederick Marryat instead of Austen. (So instead of having a huge, huge fandom behind me, I'm out here rowing my little boat alone-- but I'll do whatever it takes.)

Least favorite things: definitely the period-typical bigotry and racism. I've hesitated to discuss this on tumblr because of the purity culture mindset that makes things either Exalted or Cancelled and god forbid anyone loves something and critically examines its flaws. But yeah, an upper-class white man born in 1792 does not always have the most enlightened hot takes (who knew!!) Marryat definitely evolved and grew as a person over his career, in his defense, and like all us he is a product of his society and time period. I was ready to throw hands with him via time machine when I first started reading his books.

[southwestcollectionarchives]

This month we’re sharing excerpts from a the fictionalized tale of a journey through the U.S. southwest: the “Narrative of the Travels and Adventures of Monsieur Violet in California, Sonora, and Western Texas.” Written in 1843 by Captain Frederick Marryat (1792-1848), Monsieur Violet was based loosely on Marryat’s own North American journey. Marryat is also credited with creating the first of the “sea story” genre of novels (think “Master and Commander” or “Moby Dick.”)

 Need more “Monsieur Violet”? Here you go! https://southwestcollection.wordpress.com/

[kung-laos-hat]

"Philosophy is said to console a man under disappointment, although Shakespeare asserts that it is no remedy for toothache; so Mr Easy turned philosopher, the very best profession a man can take up, when he is fit for nothing else; he must be a very incapable person indeed who cannot talk nonsense."

Mr Midshipman Easy, Frederick Marryat.

[kung-laos-hat]

There are certain events in our lives poetically and beautifully described by Moore as “green spots in memory’s waste.” Such are the emotions arising from the attainment, after a long pursuit, of any darling object of love or ambition; and although possession and subsequent events may have proved to us that we had overrated our enjoyment, and experience have shown us “that all is vanity,” still recollection dwells with pleasure upon the beating heart, when the present only was enjoyed, and the picture painted by youthful and sanguine anticipation in glowing and delightful colours. Youth only can feel this; age has been often deceived—too often has the fruit turned to ashes in the mouth. The old look forward with a distrust and doubt, and backward with sorrow and regret.

(Frank Mildmay, or, The naval officer, Marryat)

[kung-laos-hat]

😂😂😂😂

"Stay here! stay in the hall like a footman? What do you mean, you rascal?” cried Jack, attempting to push by the man.

“Oh, that won’t do here, master; this is Equality Hall; one man’s as good as another.”

“Not always,” replied Jack knocking him down. “Take that for your insolence, pack up your traps, and walk out of the house to-morrow morning.

(Mr Midshipman Easy, Marryat)

Edit: also

"His father!” said one of the men to the other; “he’s not exactly a chip off the old block."