Among others, there was one person, whose case appeared
a little singular. He had a youth about eighteen
years old standing by his side. He told me,
“he had for many years been commander of a ship;
and in the sea fight at Actium had the good fortune
to break through the enemy’s great line of battle,
sink three of their capital ships, and take a fourth,
which was the sole cause of Antony’s flight,
and of the victory that ensued; that the youth standing
by him, his only son, was killed in the action.”
He added, “that upon the confidence of some
merit, the war being at an end, he went to Rome, and
solicited at the court of Augustus to be preferred
to a greater ship, whose commander had been killed;
but, without any regard to his pretensions, it was
given to a boy who had never seen the sea, the son
of Libertina, who waited on one of the emperor’s
mistresses. Returning back to his own vessel,
he was charged with neglect of duty, and the ship
given to a favourite page of Publicola, the vice-admiral;
whereupon he retired to a poor farm at a great distance
from Rome, and there ended his life.” I
was so curious to know the truth of this story, that
I desired Agrippa might be called, who was admiral
in that fight. He appeared, and confirmed the
whole account: but with much more advantage
to the captain, whose modesty had extenuated or concealed
a great part of his merit.
I was surprised to find corruption grown so high and
so quick in that empire, by the force of luxury so
lately introduced; which made me less wonder at many
parallel cases in other countries, where vices of
all kinds have reigned so much longer, and where the
whole praise, as well as pillage, has been engrossed
by the chief commander, who perhaps had the least
title to either.
As every person called up made exactly the same appearance
he had done in the world, it gave me melancholy reflections
to observe how much the race of human kind was degenerated
among us within these hundred years past; how the
pox, under all its consequences and denominations
had altered every lineament of an English countenance;
shortened the size of bodies, unbraced the nerves,
relaxed the sinews and muscles, introduced a sallow
complexion, and rendered the flesh loose and rancid.
I descended so low, as to desire some English yeoman
of the old stamp might be summoned to appear; once
so famous for the simplicity of their manners, diet,
and dress; for justice in their dealings; for their
true spirit of liberty; for their valour, and love
of their country. Neither could I be wholly unmoved,
after comparing the living with the dead, when I considered
how all these pure native virtues were prostituted
for a piece of money by their grand-children; who,
in selling their votes and managing at elections,
have acquired every vice and corruption that can possibly
be learned in a court.
CHAPTER IX.
[The author returns to Maldonada. Sails to the
kingdom of Luggnagg. The author confined.
He is sent for to court. The manner of his
admittance. The king’s great lenity to
his subjects.]
