Троє в човні крім собаки

           Georgesaidhelittlethoughtthatafternoonthatheshouldevercometoreallylikeboating. 

           Harrisismoreaccustomedtosearowingthantoriverwork,andsaysthat,asanexercise,heprefersit. Idon’t. IremembertakingasmallboatoutatEastbournelastsummer:Iusedtodoagooddealofsearowingyearsago,andIthoughtIshouldbeallright; butIfoundIhadforgottentheartentirely. Whenonescullwasdeepdownunderneaththewater,theotherwouldbeflourishingwildlyaboutintheair. TogetagripofthewaterwithbothatthesametimeIhadtostandup. Theparadewascrowdedwithnobilityandgentry,andIhadtopullpasttheminthisridiculousfashion. Ilandedhalf-waydownthebeach,andsecuredtheservicesofanoldboatmantotakemeback. 

           Iliketowatchanoldboatmanrowing,especiallyonewhohasbeenhiredbythehour. Thereissomethingsobeautifullycalmandrestfulabouthismethod. Itissofreefromthatfretfulhaste,thatvehementstriving,thatiseverydaybecomingmoreandmorethebaneofnineteenth-centurylife. Heisnotforeverstraininghimselftopassalltheotherboats. Ifanotherboatovertakeshimandpasseshimitdoesnotannoyhim;asamatteroffact,theyalldoovertakehimandpasshim—allthosethataregoinghisway. Thiswouldtroubleandirritatesomepeople;thesublimeequanimityofthehiredboatmanundertheordealaffordsusabeautifullessonagainstambitionanduppishness.