( 137 ) 
your honour, fays the Boatfwain to the 
Captain, we have a young Midfhipman on 
board, who underftands navigation as well 
as any man in the King's fervice; he's al- 
ways at his books and charts, and never 
neglects taking an obfervation at noon. If 
your honour will make him Pilate for the 
voyage, I am fure God will fave the Bri- 
tannia-, for this young man neither gets 
drunk, nor gambles, nor fwears an oath." 
The ftrongeft argument in favour of vir- 
tue, is, that vicious men have no depen- 
dence on vice; and that, in every diflrefsful 
emergency, they fly to virtue for protection. 
Let us imagine a fhip, in the fituation of 
that in the firft fcene of Shakefpear's 'Tem- 
feft. Sailors believe that fhipwreck difTolves 
all fubordination. Neverthelefs, fuppofe 
them now caft on an unknown coaft; every 
individual fufpicious of his companions; 
apprehenfive of favage men and beafts, and 
confcious of the necefllty of appointing a 
commander. Their quondam Captain is a 
man of abilities; but they have no opinion 
of his honefty ; they knew him to be a gam- 
bler, and inattentive to the duties of reli- 
gion. The firft Lieutenant, on the contrary, 
js a man of equal abilities, of ftrict morals, 
and 
