SECTION II-NARRATIVE ESSAYS. A Narrative Essay relates a course of events. Its purpose and plan are similar to those of the narrative paragraph (see p. 72); but it mentions details with greater minuteness, and admits of the introduction more freely of descriptive and reflective elements. The events should be related in the order of time. Sometimes, however, a narrative gains force by departing from this rule. For example, we may secure greater attention to both cause and effect in a sequence of events, by stating the effect first and the cause afterwards. Narrative essays may be classified, according to the subjects of which they treat, into Incidental, Biographical, and Historical. 1. INCIDENTAL NARRATION. Incidental Essays treat of events and circumstances which come within the writer's experience. GENERAL OUTLINE. I. Introduction.-Time, place, persons implicated. cumstances. III. Reflections.-Its causes and consequences. EXAMPLE. A MAN OVERBOARD! I. Introduction.-Off the Azores-a coming storm. II. Narrative. The last reef-sailor slipped in stepping on bulwarks, and fell over-alarm raised-boat lowered -the search-fresh squall-signal to return-growing dark-a brave struggle the boat returns without the 66 man overboard.” III. Reflections.-His birthday-his despair-gloom settled on the ship. I. Off the Azores, we were overtaken by a series of severe Equalls. A few moments after, one struck us; our gallant ship was drenched in foam and spray, and then it heavily rolled on a heavy sea. II. We were preparing ourselves for the coming storm, when a man, who was coming down from the last reef, slipped, as he stepped on the bulwarks, and went over backwards into the waves. In a moment, that most terrific of all cries at sea, "A man overboard! a man overboard!" flew like lightning over the ship. I sprang upon the quarterdeck, just as the poor fellow, with his "fearful human face" riding the top of a billow, fled past. In an instant all was commotion: plank after plank was cast over for him to seize and sustain himself on, till the ship could be put about and the boat lowered. The first mate, a bold, fiery fellow, leaped into the boat that hung at the side of the quarterdeck, and, in a voice so sharp and stern that I seem to hear it yet, shouted, "In, men! in, men!" But the poor sailors hung back, the sea was too wild. The second mate sprang to the side of the first, and the men, ashamed to leave both their officers alone, followed. "Cut away the lashings!" exclaimed the officer; the knife glanced round the ropes, the boat fell to the water, rose on a huge wave far over the deck, and drifted rapidly astern. The brave man stood erect, the helm in his hand, his flashing eye embracing the whole peril in a single glance, and his hand bringing the head of the gallant little boat on each high sea that otherwise would have swamped her. I watched them till nearly two miles astern, when they lay-to, to look for the lost sailor. Just then I turned my eyes to the southern horizon, and saw a squall, blacker and heavier than any we had before encountered, rushing down upon us. The captain also saw it, and was terribly excited. He called for a flag, and springing into the shrouds, waved it for their return. The gallant fellows obeyed the signal, and pulled for the ship. But it was slow work, for the head of the boat had to be laid on to almost every wave. It was now growing dark, and if the squall should strike the boat before it reached the vessel, there was no hope for it; it would either go down at once, or drift away into the surrounding darkness, to struggle out the night as it could. I shall never forget that scene. All along the southern horizon, between the black water and the blacker heavens, was a white streak of tossing foam. Nearer and clearer every moment, it boiled and roared on its track. I could not look steadily on that gallant little crew, now settling the question of life and death to themselves, and perhaps to us, who would be left almost unmanned in the middle of the Atlantic, and encompassed by a storm. The sea was making fast, and yet that frail thing rode on it like a duck. Every time she sank away, she carried my heart down with her; and when she remained a longer time than usual, I would think it was all over, and cover my eyes in horror; the next moment she would appear between us and the black rolling cloud, literally covered with foam and spray. The captain knew that a few minutes more would decide the fate of his officers and crew. He called for his trumpet, and springing up the rattlings, shouted out over the roar of the blast and waves, "Pull away, my brave bullies, the squall is cominggive way, my hearties!" and the bold fellows did "give way" with a will. I could see their ashen oars as they rose from the water, while the life-like boat sprang to their strokes down the billows, like a panther on the leap. On she came, and on came the blast. It was the wildest struggle I ever gazed on; but the gallant little boat conquered. Oh! how my heart leaped when she at length shot round the stern, and, rising on a wave far above our lee-quarter, shook the water from her drenched head, as if in delight to find her shelter again. The chains were fastened, and I never pulled with such right goodwill on a rope as on the one that brought that boat up the vessel's side. As the heads of the crew appeared over the bulwarks, I could have hugged the brave fellows in transport. As they stepped on deck, not a question was asked-no report given-but "Forward, men!" broke from the captain's lips. The vessel was trimmed to meet the blast; and we were again bounding on our way. If that squall had pursued the course of all the former ones, we must have lost our crew; but when nearest the boat (and it seemed to me the foam was breaking not a hundred rods off), the wind suddenly veered, and held the cloud in check, so that it swung round close to our bows. III. The poor sailor was gone; he came not back again. It was his birthday (he was twenty-five years old), and, alas! it was his death-day. Whether, a bold swimmer, he saw at a distance his companions hunting hopelessly for him, and, finally, with his heart growing cold with despair, beheld them turn back to the ship, and the ship itself toss its spars away from him for ever; or whether the sea soon took him under, we know not. We saw him no more; and a gloom fell on the whole ship. There were but few of us in all, and we felt his loss. It was a wild and dark night; death had been among us, and had left us with sad and serious hearts. And as I walked to the stern, and looked back on the foam and tumult of the vessel's wake, in which the poor sailor had disappeared, I instinctively murmured the mariner's hymn, closing with the sincere prayer-"Oh, sailor boy, sailor boy! peace to thy soul!"-Headley. 4. A Visit to a Mine. 5. A Day in London. 6. A Review, and Sham Fight. 8. A Yachting Expedition. 9. A Trial. 10. A Visit to a Paper-Mill. 11. A Storm at Sea. 7. A Parliamentary Election. 12. A State of Siege. 2. BIOGRAPHICAL NARRATION. Biographical Essays relate the incidents in the lives of distinguished persons. An essay of this kind should give prominence to those events on which the fame of its subject chiefly depends. GENERAL OUTLINE. I. Description.-Brief general statement of position and character. II. Birth and Early Life.-Time and place of birth; parentage; the surroundings of childhood; anecdotes. III. Education and Choice of Profession.-Schools; university, or other place of education; companions; influences bearing on the mind; considerations leading to the choice of a profession. IV. Career. - Different stages and appointments; events in public life; characteristic labours; events in private life; friendships; works, etc. V. Death. Its cause and accompanying circumstances; age; burial. VI. Character.-Estimate of in detail; the lessons of the life. Exercise 92. Write biographical essays on the following subjects: 1. SIR WALTER SCOTT. I. Description. The prince of historical novelists-poet, historian, and essayist. |