But Hornblower would clobber Aubrey at whist.
Aubrey’s scraping would do naught but fall on Hornblower’s tone-deaf ears.
Music is painfull to Hornblower.
And Jack believes that whist is a game for Frenchmen and faggots.
Damn me, Sir, there are other message boards!
Cross my hawse and I’ll fire on you! Damn, I will!
Some of us are capable of crossing our own hawses. And I will, too, as soon as I’ve found out who stole the strawberries.
'Kay.
The key is the Key! Look for the key!
I did not join His Majesty’s Navy to listen to your lame excuses, Mister mlees!
It’s Key Cay, off Biscayne, part of the Bright Bight. I’m not current on the currents…
Far from it. In fact, it’s mentioned on more than one occasion that Hornblower, because of his poverty, can’t buy the extras for the crew that wealthier captains do. He has to make do by force of personality alone, coupled with his abilities, to train his crews. The Atropos crew is particularly bad to start with, as others have noted.
From the first chapter of The Happy Return -
It comes out of a passage where Hornblower’s contemplating how to keep the men busy to forestall mutiny, and it goes on to have him working on the problem of how to stow everything in such a was as to maintain the balance and speed of the ship. Nevertheless, there’s at least one passage where he exercises the guns to maintain their skills.
See if you can get your hands on a copy of The Hornblower Companion, which holds many of those diagrams.
Regards,
Shodan
True, but the Navy Board in their infinite wisdom gives a very small allowance of practice ammunition, so even the most penurious captain can get some live fire exercises in. But prosperous captains like Jack buy their own powder and shot to increase the amount of practice fire.
From a bankrupt fireworks factory.
Hornblower is anylitical almost Sherlock Holmes like. Plays whist to earn money as a scientific exercise, but derives little if any joy from the game or the company of others.
Aubrey is a musician, lover of food and women and wit (poor wit and puns I grant, but derives great pleasure from them.) Practices his craft with joy.
Seamanship from 2 different outlooks. One sees every advantage, the other feels it. I can’t decide what’s better. My heart goes with Aubrey. Nelson is held up as a hero, I’ve always felt his tactics at Tralfalgar of crossing the enemy line was more an act of dash and cunning than a dry plot.
Hornblowers’ early years he was under the wing of Admiral Pellew. Aubrey was under the thumb of Admiral Harte. Unfair advantage to Hornblower. Aubrey had to work harder.
My favorite example of their differences, how to escape France when captured? Hornblower slinks away in a canoe. Aubrey walks out and across Spain dressed as a bear.
Winner- Aubrey.
The difference between the two is that, as fictional creations, Hornblower was the established figure.
Aubrey was created in the shadow of Hornblower and, while they are obviously very similar in many ways (both based on the same set of inspirations), Aubrey sometimes seems almost to have been created as an anti-Hornblower in the details.
He enjoys playing whist with Lady Barbara. I believe he enjoys playing with other good players as well, though I cannot come up with a cite.
And also answers the question, was Captain Sawyer pushed?
I’ve always thought that the Midshipman or Lieutenant that was killed after the crew is transferred pushed Sawyer. Why mention the poor guy’s death otherwise?
He or Hornblower.
I want a contest between Potwheal and Killick, too. Should it be toasted cheese making, coffee brewing or fisticuffs?
Somehow I do not think Killick would fight fairly.