CHAPTER VI 



PROM YOUTH TO MANHOOD 



Younger Sister — Pleasant Gallop — Younger Brother — Pleasant Swim 

 — Dreadful Disaster at Sea — A Naval Ball — Self-confidence — 

 Domestic Sorrow — New Branch of an Old Acquaintance— Career 

 of an Officer — A Distressed Mother, her Trials and her Death — 

 Pleasant Life — A Welcome Visitor — Sad Calamity — A Trio — 

 Duel — Pleasant Body Companion — The Comets of 1858 and of 

 1811 — Description of — Astronomers. 



The reader must not infer from the perusal of the 

 preceding chapter, that I was inattentive to domestic 

 occurrences, or that I was deficient in marking the 

 progress, or rejoicing in the felicity, of any one member 

 of our very happy family. My father then lived in 

 a mansion or house he had built in the Forest — now 

 occupied by one of our great naval commanders ^ — where 

 he enjoyed the society of his neighbours and friends, and 

 where, I need scarcely say, he kept a very good table, 

 extending his hospitality to all around. Upon any extra 

 display, I was generally sent for, as Avell to partake 

 of some choice viands, as to participate in the hilarity of 

 the company, or to be introduced to some of his 

 numerous visitors. Upon one of these occasions I met 

 with what mi2:ht have been a serious accident. 



o 



^ Sir Charles Napier. 



