Life on hoard Ship. 



21 



The occurrences of the day, the sunset, the curious for- 

 mation of the clouds, or the bewitching beauty of a brilliant 

 tropical sky at night, form interesting topics for lively discus- 

 sion. It is, however, rather daring to institute a comparison 

 between the splendour of the sky in the tropics and that of our 

 higher latitudes. For, most men become more or less unjust 

 towards the beauties of a new and foreign natural scenery, in 

 consequence of their not being able to divest themselves of 

 former impressions produced in them by phenomena of a 

 similar nature. What impressions are, for instance, deeper in 

 young and old, and excite more delightful recollections than 

 the starry sky of home? And can it be disputed that the 



