An English Garner: Ingatherings from Our History and Literature (4 of 8)
History
An English Garner: Ingatherings from Our History and Literature (4 of 8)
English literature
My body is the Hull, the Keel my back, my neck the Stem; the Sides
are my ribs, the Beams my bones, my flesh the Planks; gristles and
ligaments are the Pintels and Knee-timbers; arteries, veins, and
sinews, the several Seams of the ship; my blood is the Ballast, my
heart the Principal Hold, my stomach the Cook-room, my liver the
Cistern, my bowels the Sink; my lungs the Bellows, my teeth the
Chopping-knives; except you divide them, and then they are the 32
Points of the Compass, both agreeing in number. Concoction is the
Cauldron, and hunger the Salt or Sauce. My belly is the Lower Deck,
my kidneys Close Cabins or receptacles, my thighs are Long Galleries
for the grace of the ship; my arms and hands the Canhooks, my midriff
is a large partition or Bulkhead. Within the circumference of my head
is placed the Steeridge Room and Chief Cabins, with the Round-house
[_now called the Captain's Cabin_] where the Master lieth: and these
for the more safety and decency are enclosed in a double fence; the
one _Dura mater_, something hard and thick [_the skull_], the other
_Pia mater_, very thin and soft [_the hair_], which serveth instead
of hangings. The ears are two doors or Scuttles fitly placed for
entertainment; the two eyes are Casements to let in light; under them,
is my mouth, the Stowage or Steward's Room. My lips are Hatches for
receipt of goods, my two nostrils serve as Gratings to let in air. At
the one end stands my chin, which is the Beakhead. My forehead is the
Upper Deck; all which being trimmed with my fat instead of Pitch, and
hair instead of Oakum, are coloured with my skin.
The Fore Deck is humility, the Stern, charity. Active obedience, the
Sails; which being hoisted up with the several Yards, Halliards, and
Bowlines of holy precepts and good purposes; are let down again by
fickleness, faintings and inconstancy. Reason is my Rudder, experience
the Helm, hope of salvation my Anchor, passive obedience the Capstan,
holy revenge the Cat and Fish to haul the Sheet Anchor or last hope.
Fear of offending is the Buoy, virtues are the Cables, holy desires
and sudden ejaculations the Shrouds. The zeal of GOD's glory is my
Mainmast, premeditation the Foremast, desire of my own salvation the
Mizenmast, saving knowledge the Bowsprit, circumspection a Sounding
line.
My Light is illumination; justice is the Card [_Map_]; GOD's Word, the
Compass; the meditation of life's brevity, a Four-Hour Glass [_i.e._,
_the length of a ship's watch_]; contemplation of the creatures, the
Cross-staff or Jacob's-staff; the creed, a Sea-Grammar; the life of
CHRIST, my Load-Star. The saint's falls are Sea-marks; good examples,
Land-marks. Repentance pumps out the sink of my sins, a good conscience
keeps me clean. Imputative righteousness is my Flag, having this motto,
_Being cast down, we perish not!_ the Flag-staff is sincerity.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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