Note 5 — THE RIVAL CRUSOES; (continued 2)
Reading edition
The sciences requisite to form a complete seaman are beautifully described by Falconer:—
"Him Science taught by mystic lore to trace The planets wheeling in eternal race; To mark the ship in floating balance held, By earth attracted, and by seas repelled; Or point her devious track through climes unknown, That leads to every shore, and every zone.— He saw the moon through heaven's blue concave glide, And into motion charm the expanding tide; While earth impetuous round her axle rolls, Exalts her watery zone, and sinks the poles. Light and attraction from their genial source, He saw still wandering with diminish'd force; While on the margin of declining day Night's shadowy cone reluctant melts away."
To add to this,
"That never seaman more serenely brave Led Britain's conquering squadrons o'er the wave."
The Shipwreck.
Perhaps it will be considered that Falconer's beautiful poem is too generally known to give these extracts the charm of novelty; yet surely every one who is acquainted with the talents and fate of Falconer, will feel almost a tender emotion when his writings are alluded to, from a combination of circumstances. His poem is very interesting, his character and fate are still more so, and his memory is thrice hallowed and will be immortalized by the beautiful allusion to his Shipwreck in the "Pleasures of Hope."