The Sun.
London, England, 1828-08-12 00:00:00

THE NIGHT WATCH, 2 VOLS. LONDOX, 1925.

This is a rambling incoherent sort of work,
with little or no attempt at any continuous inte-
rest, but nevertheless with a sufficient variety of
entertainment to render it generally welcome.
Why it is called the " Night Watch" we pro-
fess ourselves wholly at a loss to conjecture.
The tales are certainly connected with the sea—
a series of desultory maritime sketches—but do
not otherwise, as far as we can perceive, bear
out the appropriateness of the title. The first
story, entitled the " Captain," furnishes us with
some good details of the life and customs of a
sailor from the period of his entering the service
as a Midshipman, down to the time when he is
rated as a Post Captain, and allowed unques-
tionable supremacy over that place of authority
the quarter-deck. The inconveniences of his
situation as a Midshipman, where lie is perpe-
tually and incurably subjected to the rough un-
mannerly gibes and practical jests of his un-
couth young ship-mates, are very vividly pour-
trayed, and go far, we think, to realize the
notion of' an earthly Pandemonium. As a
specimen of the author's manner we give the
following sketch of the'battle of Trafalgar. After
Southey's magnificent description of that event
it will appear somewhat tame ; nevertheless, it
is not without its own merit :

" Daylight of the 21st of October, 1805; displayed the
signal for the enemy's fleet.—Let that iy never be for-
gotten ! The almost calmaeee that weNailed in the morn-
ing, and harbingered the bat*, seemed but to render the
deadly strife more conspicuous.
" As the British fleet was wafted by gentle winds to-
wards their powerful enemy, the preparations for battle
evinced every man to be in earnest,

" The cabin bulkheads on each deck were cleared away,
and displayed long, level, unbroken batteries, tended by
their gallant and rejoicing crews. Fire-buckets, match-
tubs, shot-racks, powder-boxes and wads, were arranged
in their proper places; arm-chests lay open, and pikes,
pistols, and cutlasses gleamed in every directioz...
" The tonipions were taken J 1.4 of the muzzles, and
there was a loud creaking vi the gun carriages, as tie
officers examined that everything was in fighting order.
" All wro now ; the fleets were dosing,
" Where was a dead silence till the signal of the Great
Patriot—c England expects every mau to do his duty'—
flew at the victory's maat-head. Instantly an enthusiastic
murmur of approbation spread from ship to ship, from
tc, dea, from gun to gun, from man to man.
" A few straggling shot hiving through the air indicatc4
the near approach of the fleets, and a loud len&-4,,r, rwn fire
of heavy cannon soon showed the lee-tliv,4.,ian breaking the
dark concave line of the enemy. 4 Bravo, Collingwood !'
was in every heals, anti fiAre was but one common soul in
the fleet,

"Maoy a valiant heart beat high expactation,
which 'was doomed never to surviyo pother day. Many
an eye gazed that moment on the instruments of death,
which in a few short ho-,tra were to close it for ever.
The. pa e.I au to their stations, the battle be-
cemt general, loud peals of cannon roared throughout the
line, tire gleamed on the ocean, and the air was filled with
the thick fumes of sulphur. The very masts she* in
their sockets, the silt trembled, and the affrighted. wind
breathed low.
" The stately ships, whic•bi so, late)/ sailed gaily forth,
now presented the ti-gletl; appearance of wreck, giving
efidenec.of the deadly strife that was at work, till ship
grapPTea with ship, And man with man. The day advanced,
crash succeeding crash of the falling masts, till amidst the
groans of the dying and the loud kuzzas of the victor, the
great struggle was decided iu favour of England„ and her
flag waved triumphant over the deep—b-4 her hero had
fallen. Nelson, the father of his men, the patriot of his
country, was no mo:o. Peace be to his ashes, and honour
to his name 1„"

The " Boatswain" is a story told, in the first
person, by a rough old gunner belonging to one
of his Majesty's' frigates. It lets us into the
history of his amours, which evince all the blunt
characteristic simplicity of the sailor, as well as
the numerous adventures, misadventures rather, be
encountered, previously to his being able to obtain
his present " high" preferment. This story is re-
lated with considerable powers of humour and
knowledge of sea-character, and from its being
throughout in the first person, a reality is thrown

over it that adds considerably to the effect. The
" Doctor," a third tale, displays also great
merit; and, indeed, with- the slight draw-back
we have hinted, we may confidently recommend
the " Night Watch" as a work full of lively, va-
ried, and innocent entertainment.

LORD BYRON AND THE DEAN OF