Доводы рассудка

           Onedaylastspring,intown,Iwasincompanywithtwomen,strikinginstancesofwhatIamtalkingof;LordStIves,whosefatherweallknowtohavebeenacountrycurate,withoutbreadtoeat;IwastogiveplacetoLordStIves,andacertainAdmiralBaldwin,themostdeplorable-lookingpersonageyoucanimagine;hisfacethecolourofmahogany,roughandruggedtothelastdegree;alllinesandwrinkles,ninegreyhairsofaside,andnothingbutadabofpowderattop.‘Inthenameofheaven,whoisthatoldfellow?’saidItoafriendofminewhowasstandingnear,(SirBasilMorley).‘Oldfellow!’criedSirBasil,‘itisAdmiralBaldwin.Whatdoyoutakehisagetobe?’‘Sixty,’saidI,‘orperhapssixty-two.’‘Forty,’repliedSirBasil,‘forty,andnomore.’Picturetoyourselvesmyamazement;IshallnoteasilyforgetAdmiralBaldwin.Ineversawquitesowretchedanexampleofwhatasea-faringlifecando;buttoadegree,Iknowitisthesamewiththemall:theyareallknockedabout,andexposedtoeveryclimate,andeveryweather,tilltheyarenotfittobeseen.Itisapitytheyarenotknockedontheheadatonce,beforetheyreachAdmiralBaldwin’sage.”

           “Nay,SirWalter,”criedMrsClay,“thisisbeingsevereindeed.Havealittlemercyonthepoormen.Wearenotallborntobehandsome.Theseaisnobeautifier,certainly;sailorsdogrowoldbetimes;Ihaveobservedit;theysoonlosethelookofyouth.