me. I could have kissed every man jack of them to death--and have cried
over every blue jacket on parting, and my dear Mids, they I believed
were surprised; they did not think I cared so much about them till I
took leave of them.

'My loss is great. God's Will be done. God only knows whether I shall
return to my ship again, but I think I have love enough for her to make
it no difficult task on my part.

'Nine o'clock at night, blowing strong from the N.W. course in the
dirtiest steamboat I ever was in, nevertheless she wears a pendant.

'June 23.--Foul wind--cold dark day--making little progress, that is 100
miles a day. What a change in seamen's distances, 100 miles a day, right
in the wind's eye, and call that doing ill. What would Benbow say if one
could tell him that? I will tell you, "You lubberly dog, you lie."

'Nevertheless I go fast towards home or--God knows what! What part in
the play am I to act, I wish my mind was made up on this cursed Reform
question. It will be carried, but I should like to do what I think right
and honourable towards myself, that is act and vote as I really think.
We must become republican England as well as republican France (damn
France, she is the root of all evil and the branch of no good). It
matters little how; whether by Reform which will produce national
bankruptcy, or by a starving population which will produce rebellion and
civil war. Reform certainly means No taxes and cheap bread. Have been
reading Moore's Byron. Poor Byron, quite what I believe him to be in
many things and more than I believe him to be in others. I saw him at
Missolonghi.