SIR. MIDSHIPMAN EASY.

FROM the works of MARRYAT, as from every fiction which is the result of a wide and close sursey of life, some valuable rules for conduct may be deduced ; but we should never have known, un- less the author had so assured us, that his novels are to be consi- dered as a species of nautical ethics, in which a character repre- sents a professional vice or virtue—the fate of a person indicates the degree of his excellence or turpitude, or the nature of the re. ward or punishment he ought to receive—and the remark of a hero is to be construed as a moral axiom. Neither should we have known that the sea novela of MARRYAT, capital as they are, had been able to penetrate the Admiralty, and stimulate the tor- pidity of official dullards. Yet so it is. In the King's Own, a captain never punishes till twenty-four hours after the olibnce, that anger may have time to cool. Some time after, an Admiralty order appeared embodying the hint ; and our author was assured by the First Lord that it was in consequence of the suggestion itt the book.

From the present novel as many nautical saws may doubtless be gleaned as from its predecessors; but its main moral has a far wider application than to one distinct class of men, however nu- merous they may be. To demolish the philosophical theory of " equality" is the object of Mr. Midshipman Easy: and this it does effectually enough, the author having first made the theory to demolish. The time of the novel, at the opening, is during the late avar ; although Managav disregards chronology at its close, to have his fling at the Rengto Ministry. Mr. Easy senior is a gen- tleman with eight thousand a year, who is deeply affected by the equality mania of some of the French Revolutionists; maintain- ing not only the equality of rights, but of property, rank; abilities, and any other absurdities by which the author thinks he can turn a sentence or cut a joke. These notions are duly impressed upon his son, the future Mr. Midshipman Easy. Jack does his best to carry theist into practice at home, at school, and upon the orchards and fish-ponds of his neighbours ; but, getting into numerous un- pleasant serapes in the practice of his theory of equality, which old Mr. Easy is not able to explain satisfSetorily, Jack determines to try if the principle is not more truly evolved at sea. His de- sire to enter the navy is displeasing to his father; but Jack, upon his (se n principles, having equal rights with himself, and re- maining unconvinced after arguing the point, there is nothing- to do but to submit. Luckily for a young gentleman with such phi- losophical opinions upon the rights of man, a distant relation, who is under some pecuniary obligations to old Mr. Easy, is ap- pointed to a vessel, and takes Jack with him. By a little manage- ment and a little blindness, Mr. Midshipman Easy, after a great many adventures with his shipmates, the enemy, and en shore, is gradually weaned front his philosophical opinions; end settles down, on his father's death and his own marriage, into a Conser- vative squire. Upon the philosophical purpose of the boek it is needless to comment. The sea-moralist " raises up phantoms of absurdity, end then chases them away." Ti.e idea, however, has given novelty, variety, and richness to the work. A midshipman with extreme notions of equality, in a Rine's ship, net only causes bread and striking iecidents which could nst reasonably occur inelsr other cireumstan;!cs, but he favour,: the development of rails of eletraioer which would liesiennant without such collision. la finish, and vecasional poetical beauty, Mr. Midshipman Easy falls below Peter Sitnple nor, altheugh several of its incidents are connected with battle and tempest, do they possess the ele- vated interest of such scenes in the latter work. But as a succes- sion of humorous adventures, we think Mr. Midshipnzan Easy un- rivalled. There are passages which SMOLLETT himself has not surpassed in ludicrous effect ; whilst the elder novelist is inferior to his successor in that nice exhibition bf character which renders a resort to caricatute less nscessary to raise laughter. Some of the scenes in the present novel, however, depend noire upon absurd incident than is usual with MARRYAT. Such is the adventure at Gibraltar, where, owing to a trick of Jack's, the boatswain is made La illustrate his own maxim of " duty before decency," by cour- sing through the streets of Gibraltar without his trousers, and having to get on board before the captain and the crew in the same predicament. Partly connected with this prank is the duel of three on the principles of the triangle—a scene which is equal to the celebrated Feast of the Ancients in Peregrine Pickle. It is ludicrous enough alone, but its humour is not fully to be comprehended without reading the book, for it rests upon foregone conclusions. Mr. Biggs, the boatswain, is the person referred to in the preceding paragraph; and his seamanlike obtuseness is stimulated by the ridicule attached to his adventure. Mr. Easthupp is a ci-devant member of the swell mob, who was originally sent into the ser- vice by the Magistrates, and got himself appointed to the post of purser's steward on board the Harpy, by means of forged certifi- cates. "Like most persons who have suffisred from the law, says the author, "Mr. Easthupp was, as he expressed it, a hout-an- hout Radical ;" and his dislike to Jack has arisen from the latter repelling his advances towards equality. In a moment of angers the challenges have been given by Jack ; and the gunner of the ship, a mathematical devotee, is chosen as tho secona of Biggs and Easthupp. This unconscious humorist, puzzled how to arrange that three were to fight at the same time,—for he had no idea of there being two duels,—retires to his cabin to read. The result of his studies are known when they get on shore at Malta. The scene is an inn where the boatswain is amusing himself over a glass of grog ; Jack is playing with a monkey ; and the two seconds have retired to consult.

"Mr. Gascoigne," said the gunner, " have been very much puzzled how this duel should be fought, but I have at last fimnd it out. You see that there are three parties to tight: had there been twoor four, there would have been no difficulty, as the right line or square might guide its in that instance; but we must arrange if upon the trianyle in this."

Gescuigne stared ; be could not imagine what was coming. " Are you aware, Mr. Gascoigoe, of the properties of an equilateral tri- angle ?" " Yes," replied the midshipman, " it has three equal sides; but what the Devil has that to do with the duel?"

" Every thing, Mr. Gascoigne," replied the gunner ; " it has resolved the great dif6culty : indeed the duel between three can only be fought upon that principle. You observe," said the gunner, taking a piece of chalk out of his pocket, and making a triangle on the table, " m this figure we have three points, each equidistant from each other ; and we have three combatants—so that, placing raw at each point, it is all fair play for the three. Mr. Ea:y, for instance, stands here, the boatswain here, and the purser's steward at the third

corner. Now if the distance is fairly measured, it will be all right." " But then," replied Gascoigne delighted at the idea, " how are they to fire ? " " It certainly is not of much coosequence," replied the gunner , " but still, as sailors, it appears to me that they should lire with the sun ; that is, 31r. Easy fires at Mr. Biggs, Mr. Biggs fires at Mr. Easthupp, and Mr. Easthupp tires at Mr. Easy ; so that you perceive that each party has his shot at one, and at the same time receives the fire of another."

Gascoigue was in eestacies at the novelty of the proceeding ; the more so as be perceived that Low obtained every advantage by the arrangement.

" Upon my word, 31r. Tallboys, I give you great credit ; you have a profound mathematical head, and 1 am (lel:gide I with your arrangement. Of course, in these affairs, the priociwils ate bound to comply with the arrangements of the second's, and 1 shall insist upou Mr. Easy consenting to your excellent and scientific proposal."

Gascoigne went out, and pulling Jack away from the monkey, told him what the gunner had proposed ; at vvIlielt Jack laughed hear tily. The gunner a.so explained it to the boatswain; who did not very well corn- but replied, " 1 dare say it's all right, shot for shot, and d—n all favours."

The parties then repaired to the spot with two pairs of shop's pistols, which Mr. Tallboys had smuggled on shore; and as soon as they were on the ground, the gunner called Mr. Easthupp out of the cooperage. lu the mean time, Gascoigne had been measuring an equilateral triangle of twelve paces, and marked it out. 31r. 'fallhoys, on his return with the purser's steward, went over the ground, and finding that it was " equal angles subtended by equal sides," declared that it was all right. Easy took his station ; the boatswain was put into Lis; and Mr. Easthupp, who was quite in a mysterv, was led by the gunner to the third position. " But, Mr. Tallboys," said the purset's steward, " I don't understand this ; Mr. Easy will first fight Mr. Biggs, will he nut ?"

" No,'; replied the gunner, " this is a duel of three. You will fire at Mr. Easy, Mr. Easy will lire irt Mr. Biggs, and Mr. Biggs will fire at you. It is all arranged, Mr. Easthupp."

" But," said Mr. Easthupp, "I do not understand it. Why is Mr. Biggs to fire at mile? I have no quarry! with Mr. Biggs." " Because Mr. Easy fires at Mr. Biggs, awl Mr. Bins must have his shot as well."

" If you have ever been in the company of gentlemen, Mr. Easthupp," ob- served Gascoigne. " you must linow smartie., about duelling." Ye-, y;:,, hcpt the best company, Mr. Gascolgue, rind I can give a gentleman oatisfaetion ; but "—

" Then, Sir, if that is the casc, you must know that your honour is in the hands of yorm seeond, rind that Ito rentleuran appeals." yes, I know that, 31r. Gasecrigue ; but still, Eve no (panel with Mr. 11:ggs• and therelare, Mr. Blvo:rs. of course you will not aim at me." ‘• Why, yr,u don't th'r that l'ia going to lir, thou at ;Ire nothing ? " relied the leratsw.tin ; "rim, no. I'll I, ice mm shut, any bow."

" Bet at Our nri.rioi, ?

" 4t Ii the same. I shall :ire at s.ruirrherly ; shot for slint. and hit the lochiest ! " " Veit r.o•7rrlormr, I plirrest zr;ain-t I): Oe. replied ; " I came here to have ,atisfaetwa front Mr. Ea,y, and not to be tired at by Mr. Biggs."

"'Don't yott have satisfarrtian whin you fire at Mr. Eitsy ?" replied the guoney ; " what more wotthl Imve ? "

"1 purtest against Mr. 13iggs liming at IOC."

" S, pat %email have a shot without receiving one cried Gascoigne. " The fact is, that this fellow's a confeunded coward, and ought to be kicked into the cooperage again."

At this affront Mr. Easthupp rallied, and accopted the pistol °Emil by the gunner. " You ear those words, Mr. Biggs ; pretty language to use to a gentleman. You shall ear 120111 sir, as soon as the slop is paid off. I purtest no longer, Mr. Tallboys ; death before dishonour— I'm a gentleman, damme!" At all events the swell was not a very courageous gentleman, fur he trembled most exceedingly as he pointed his pistol. The gunner gave the word as if he were exercising the great guns on board ship. " Cock your hocks!" " Take good aim at the object !" "Fire ! " " Stop your vents '

The only one of the combatants who appeared to comply with the latter sup- plementary order, was 31r. Easthupp; who clapped his hand to his trousers be- hind, gave a loud tell, and then dsopped down ; the bullet having passed clean through his seat of honour, from his having presented his broadside as a target to the boatswain as he faced towards our hero. Jack's shot had also taken effect, having passed through both the boatswain's rhoeks, without further mis- chief than extracting two of his best upper double teeth, and forcing through' the hole of the further cheek the boatswain's own quid of tobacco. As for Mr. Easthupp's ball, as he was very unsottlesl, and shut his eyes before he tired, it had gone the Lord knows where.

The purser's steward lay on the ground and screamed ; the boatswain spit his double teeth and two or three mouthfuls of blood out, and then threw down his pistols in a rage. "A pretty business, by God !" sputtered he; " he's put my pipe out. How the devil am I to pipe to dinner when I'm ordered, all my wind 'heaping through the cheeks ?"

In the mean time, the others had gone to the assistance of the purser's steward, who continued his vociferations. They examined him, and considered a wouud in that part not to be dangerous.

" Hold your confounded bawling," cried the gunner, " or you'll have the guard down here : you're not hurt." " Ilan% hi?" roared the steward: " Oh let me die, let me die; don't move me !"

" Nonsense," cried the gunner, " you must get up and walk down to the boat ; if you don't we'll leave you : hold your tongue, confound you. You wont ? then I'll give you something to halloo for."

Whereupon Mr. Tallboys commenced coning the poor wretch right and left ; who received so many swinging boxes of the ear, that he was 000n reduced to merely pitiful plaints of " Oh dear !—such inhumanity-1 purtest—Oh dein ! Must I get up? 1 can't, indeed."

"I do not think be can move, Mr. Tallboys," said Gascoigne; "I should think the hest plan would be to call up two of the men from the cooperage, and let them take him at once to the hospital."

The gunner went down to the cooperage to call the men. Mr. Ili;gs, who had hound up his face as if he had a toothache, for the bleeding had been very slight, came up to the purser's steward. " What the hell are you making such a bowling about? Look at me, with two shot-holes through my figure-head, while you have only one in your stern: I wish I could change with you, by heavens, for 1 could use my whistle then; now if 1 attempt to pipe, there will he such a wasteful expenditure of his Ma- jesty's stores of wind, that I never shall get out a note.