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"In the Chimney lies one whistling, another gaping, another swearing and cursing, and all of them in such a Tempest of Imagination, that had not the Master of the House interpos'd his Authority, and seasonably assum'd the Office of Master of the supposed Pinnace, commanding all hands down in the Hold; they were upon the point of casting all the Lading Over-board, and hoysting all his Goods out of the Window into the Street."

— Dunton, John (1659-1732)

Author

Dunton, John (1659-1732)

Work Title

A Voyage Round the World: or, a Pocket-Library, Divided into several Volumes.

Place of Publication

London

Publisher

Printed for Richard Newcome

Date

1691

Metaphor

"In the Chimney lies one whistling, another gaping, another swearing and cursing, and all of them in such a Tempest of Imagination, that had not the Master of the House interpos'd his Authority, and seasonably assum'd the Office of Master of the supposed Pinnace, commanding all hands down in the Hold; they were upon the point of casting all the Lading Over-board, and hoysting all his Goods out of the Window into the Street."

Metaphor in Context

Some young Sea-faring Sparks were got together a fudling in this Chamber, and having drank themselves into Land Calentures, fancy'd the Room to be a Pinnace, floating on the Sea in a Storm (for the Wind indeed was high, and made the Windows clatter) attributing their Reeling to the rocking of the Vessel, and being strongly possess'd with this conceit, and the danger they were in, every one begins to act his part, and consult the common safety; there was a noise of Haul Cat, Starboard, and the rest of the Marine Cant, Fly (saith one) up to the Main-Top, and discover: He climbs by the Bed-post to the Tester, there reports a turbulent Sea and Tempest towards, and wills them, if they'l save their Ship and Lives, to cast their Lading Over-board. At this, all to work, and hoist into the Street, as to the Sea, what next comes to their hands, Stools, Tables, Tressels, Trenchers, Bedsteds, Cups, Pots, Plate and Glasses. Here a Fellow swaggering, they take him for the Boatswain; one lies strugling upon the floor, as if he swom for Life; a third takes the Bass-Viol for the Cock-Boat, sits in the Belly on't, labours, sweats, and rows, his Oar the Stick with which the Fidler play'd: A fourth bestrides his Fellows, thinking to 'scape that way: In the Chimney lies one whistling, another gaping, another swearing and cursing, and all of them in such a Tempest of Imagination, that had not the Master of the House interpos'd his Authority, and seasonably assum'd the Office of Master of the supposed Pinnace, commanding all hands down in the Hold; they were upon the point of casting all the Lading Over-board, and hoysting all his Goods out of the Window into the Street. But at his Command they all ran down Stairs helter skelter, with a hideous out-cry of, All hands to the Pump, imagining a Leak was sprung in the Hold. When they were come down into the Entry, the Air began to work upon their floating Stomachs, and there was a mighty mambling within them; one springs a Leak in his Fore-Castle and Cook-Room, another in the Stern, till having unladed their drunken Carkasses, they began to awake out of their Dreams, and shaking their Ears, tumbled out of doors as fast as they could. What became of them afterwards I know not, for Philaret and I taking our Landlord along with us, entred now upon viewing the Town, and the Rarities in it: Which when we beheld, we were so far from being over-ravish'd with joy at the Sight, that we took it for some inchanted Castle, in regard we could not see so much as one Stone of all that magnificent Pile, which our Landlord had been building in our fancy; rather we were more than usually surprized at the humility of the Structures, and the lowliness of the Owners.
(III, pp. 365-6)