[NatureNS] Aubrey/Maturin

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Date: Sun, 30 Sep 2012 12:54:15 +0000
From: desolatechair@gmail.com
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Aboard HMS Surpirse, cruising Nootka Sound, circa 1812:

Stephen, (excited): "Jack, Jack! For all love, Jack, in the rigging - I  
believe that is an Ancient Murrelet!"

Jack: " Why yes Stephen, to be sure he looks somewhat grizzled - can it be  
et?"

Best series ever.

Jamie Simpson

On , Peter Payzant <pce@accesswave.ca> wrote:





> Let me second desolatechair's
> recommendation for the Aubrey/Maturin series. It is set during the
> Napoleonic wars and details the adventures and friendship of a
> consummate sailor (Jack Aubrey) and his friend, the penniless
> Irish surgeon Stephen Maturin. They get off to a bad start, almost
> having to fight a duel over Jack's behaviour at a concert in the
> governor's house in Minorca, but after that their friendship
> blossoms.



> Not only is the series great literature, but Maturin is a
> naturalist (as well as a surgeon and a spy). He has wonderful
> adventures with nature all over the world, including birds,
> insects, mammals and plants. In one episode, a sloth which he has
> brought aboard Jack's ship is pining a little because of the cold.
> Jack takes pity:



> The sloth sneezed, and looking up, Jack caught its
> gaze fixed upon him; its inverted face had an expression of
> anxiety and concern. 'Try a piece of this, old cock,' he said,
> dipping his cake in the grog and proffering the sop. 'It might
> put a little heart into you.' The sloth sighed, closed its
> eyes, but gently absorbed the piece, and sighed again.



> Some minutes later he felt a touch on his knee; the sloth had
> silently climbed down and it was standing there, its beady eyes
> looking up into his face, bright with expectation. More cake,
> more grog; growing confidence and esteem. After this, as soon
> as the drum had beat the retreat, the sloth would meet him,
> hurrying towards the door on its uneven legs: it was given its
> own bowl and would grip it with its claws, lowering its round
> face into it and pursing its lips to drink. Sometimes it went
> to sleep in this position, bowed over the emptiness.


> Later, Stephen is horrified to discover his sloth completely under
> the influence. He utters the deathless words, "Jack! You have
> debauched my sloth!"



> Peter Payzant









> On 2012-09-28 10:00 AM, desolatechair@gmail.com wrote:



> And for a definitive education on all things nautical
> in the great age of sail you can't do any better than the
> Aubrey/Maturin series by the late great Patrick O'Brian - part of
> which(The Surgeons Mate I believe) is set in Halifax. Outstanding
> read and perfect for long winter nights!








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Aboard HMS Surpirse, cruising Nootka Sound, circa 1812:<br /><br />     Ste=
phen, (excited): &quot;Jack, Jack!  For all love, Jack, in the rigging - I =
believe that is an Ancient Murrelet!&quot;<br />    <br />     Jack:  &quot=
; Why yes Stephen, to be sure he looks somewhat grizzled - can it be et?&qu=
ot;<br /><br />Best series ever.<br /><br />Jamie Simpson<br /><br />On , P=
eter Payzant &lt;pce@accesswave.ca&gt; wrote:<br />&gt; <br />&gt;   <br />=
&gt;     <br />&gt;   <br />&gt;   <br />&gt;     Let me second desolatecha=
ir&#39;s<br />&gt;       recommendation for the Aubrey/Maturin series. It i=
s set during the<br />&gt;       Napoleonic wars and details the adventures=
 and friendship of a<br />&gt;       consummate sailor (Jack Aubrey) and hi=
s friend, the penniless<br />&gt;       Irish surgeon Stephen Maturin. They=
 get off to a bad start, almost<br />&gt;       having to fight a duel over=
 Jack&#39;s behaviour at a concert in the<br />&gt;       governor&#39;s ho=
use in Minorca, but after that their friendship<br />&gt;       blossoms. <=
br />&gt; <br />&gt;       <br />&gt; <br />&gt;       Not only is the seri=
es great literature, but Maturin is a<br />&gt;       naturalist (as well a=
s a surgeon and a spy). He has wonderful<br />&gt;       adventures with na=
ture all over the world, including birds,<br />&gt;       insects, mammals =
and plants. In one episode, a sloth which he has<br />&gt;       brought ab=
oard Jack&#39;s ship is pining a little because of the cold.<br />&gt;     =
  Jack takes pity:<br />&gt; <br />&gt;       <br />&gt; <br />&gt;       T=
he sloth sneezed, and looking up, Jack caught its<br />&gt;         gaze fi=
xed upon him; its inverted face had an expression of<br />&gt;         anxi=
ety and concern. &#39;Try a piece of this, old cock,&#39; he said,<br />&gt=
;         dipping his cake in the grog and proffering the sop. &#39;It migh=
t<br />&gt;         put a little heart into you.&#39;=A0 The sloth sighed, =
closed its<br />&gt;         eyes, but gently absorbed the piece, and sighe=
d again. <br />&gt; <br />&gt;         <br />&gt; <br />&gt;         Some m=
inutes later he felt a touch on his knee; the sloth had<br />&gt;         s=
ilently climbed down and it was standing there, its beady eyes<br />&gt;   =
      looking up into his face, bright with expectation.=A0 More cake,<br /=
>&gt;         more grog; growing confidence and esteem.=A0 After this, as s=
oon<br />&gt;         as the drum had beat the retreat, the sloth would mee=
t him,<br />&gt;         hurrying towards the door on its uneven legs: it w=
as given its<br />&gt;         own bowl and would grip it with its claws, l=
owering its round<br />&gt;         face into it and pursing its lips to dr=
ink.=A0 Sometimes it went<br />&gt;         to sleep in this position, bowe=
d over the emptiness.<br />&gt; <br />&gt;       <br />&gt;       Later, St=
ephen is horrified to discover his sloth completely under<br />&gt;       t=
he influence. He utters the deathless words, &quot;Jack! You have<br />&gt;=
       debauched my sloth!&quot;<br />&gt; <br />&gt;       <br />&gt; <br =
/>&gt;       Peter Payzant<br />&gt; <br />&gt;       <br />&gt; <br />&gt;=
       <br />&gt; <br />&gt;       <br />&gt; <br />&gt;       <br />&gt; <=
br />&gt;       On 2012-09-28 10:00 AM, desolatechair@gmail.com wrote:<br /=
>&gt; <br />&gt;     <br />&gt; <br />&gt;     And for a definitive educati=
on on all things nautical<br />&gt;       in the great age of sail you can&=
#39;t do any better than the<br