limbedsetofladsnever\"diddance\"uponthedeckofthefamed\"BellePoule\"inthedaysofhermemorablecombatwiththe\"SaucyArethusa。\"\"Thesefivehundredsailors，\"saysaFrenchnewspaper，speakingofthemintheproperFrenchway，\"swordinhand，intheseverecostumeofboard—ship（laseveretenuedubord），seemedproudofthemissionthattheyhadjustaccomplished。Theirbluejackets，theirredcravats，theturned—downcollarsofblueshirtsedgedwithwhite，ABOVEALLtheirresoluteappearanceandmartialair，gaveafavorablespecimenofthepresentstateofourmarine——amarineofwhichsomuchmightbeexpectedandfromwhichsolittlehasbeenrequired。\"——LeCommerce:16thDecember。
Theretheywere，sureenough;acutlassupononehip，apistolontheother——agallantsetofyoungmenindeed。Idoubt，tobesure，whethertheseveretenuedubordrequiresthattheseamanshouldbealwaysfurnishedwiththoseferociousweapons，whichinsundrymaritimemanoeuvers，suchasgoingtosleepinyourhammockforinstance，ortwinklingabinnacle，orluffingamarlinspike，orkeelhaulingamaintopgallant（allnavaloperations，mydear，whichanyseafaringnovelistwillexplaintoyou）——Idoubt，Isay，whethertheseweaponsareALWAYSwornbysailors，andhaveheardthattheyarecommonlyandverysensiblytoo，lockedupuntiltheyarewanted。
Takeanotherexample:supposeartillerymenwereincessantlycompelledtowalkaboutwithapyramidoftwenty—fourpoundshotinonepocket，alightedfuseandafewbarrelsofgunpowderintheother——theseobjectswould，asyoumayimagine，greatlyinconveniencetheartillerymaninhispeacefulstate。
Thenewspaperwriteristhereforemostlikelymistakeninsayingthattheseamenwereintheseveretenuedubord，orby\"bord\"
meaning\"abordage\"——whichoperationtheywerenot，inaharmlesschurch，hungroundwithvelvetandwax—candles，andfilledwithladies，surelycalledupontoperform。NorindeedcanitbereasonablysupposedthatthepickedmenofthecrackfrigateoftheFrenchnavyarea\"goodspecimen\"oftherestoftheFrenchmarine，anymorethanacuirassedcolossusatthegateoftheHorseGuardscanbeconsideredafairsampleoftheBritishsoldieroftheline。