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Literary
February 4, 1841
The Madisonian
Washington, District Of Columbia
What is this article about?
Extract from Thomas Parker's log book, a naval officer from the Revolutionary War who died in Boston at 90. It uses a nautical metaphor for life: pleasant youth with generosity, variable middle with ingratitude, stormy adversity ending in calm view of eternity.
Clipping
OCR Quality
95%
Excellent
Full Text
An Old Sailor's Voyage through life.—The following is an extract from the log book of Mr. THOMAS Parker, a naval officer in the revolutionary war, who died some time since at Boston, aged ninety years:
'First part of the voyage, pleasant, with fine breezes and fair winds—all sails set—spoke many vessels in want of provisions—supplied them freely. Middle passage: Weather variable—short of provisions—spoke several of the vessels our supply had enabled to refit—made signals of distress—they up helm and bore away. Latter part: Boisterous, with contrary winds—current of adversity setting hard to leeward—toward the end of the passage cleared up—with the quadrant of honesty had an observation—corrected and made up my reckoning—and, after a passage of ninety years, came to in Mortality Road, with the calm, unruffled surface of the Ocean of Eternity in view.'
'First part of the voyage, pleasant, with fine breezes and fair winds—all sails set—spoke many vessels in want of provisions—supplied them freely. Middle passage: Weather variable—short of provisions—spoke several of the vessels our supply had enabled to refit—made signals of distress—they up helm and bore away. Latter part: Boisterous, with contrary winds—current of adversity setting hard to leeward—toward the end of the passage cleared up—with the quadrant of honesty had an observation—corrected and made up my reckoning—and, after a passage of ninety years, came to in Mortality Road, with the calm, unruffled surface of the Ocean of Eternity in view.'
What sub-type of article is it?
Allegory
Prose Fiction
What themes does it cover?
Death Mortality
Moral Virtue
What keywords are associated?
Life Voyage
Nautical Metaphor
Mortality
Honesty
Adversity
Eternity
What entities or persons were involved?
Mr. Thomas Parker
Literary Details
Title
An Old Sailor's Voyage Through Life.
Author
Mr. Thomas Parker
Key Lines
First Part Of The Voyage, Pleasant, With Fine Breezes And Fair Winds—All Sails Set—Spoke Many Vessels In Want Of Provisions—Supplied Them Freely.
Middle Passage: Weather Variable—Short Of Provisions—Spoke Several Of The Vessels Our Supply Had Enabled To Refit—Made Signals Of Distress—They Up Helm And Bore Away.
Latter Part: Boisterous, With Contrary Winds—Current Of Adversity Setting Hard To Leeward—Toward The End Of The Passage Cleared Up—With The Quadrant Of Honesty Had An Observation—Corrected And Made Up My Reckoning—And, After A Passage Of Ninety Years, Came To In Mortality Road, With The Calm, Unruffled Surface Of The Ocean Of Eternity In View.