Greed:	Medium
Gluttony:	Medium
Wrath:	Very Low
Sloth:	High
Envy:	Low
Lust:	High
Pride:	Low

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Unknown "Mr.D " - 16 years, 2 months, 24 days ago

I just wanted to say what a great film the Peter Weir movie 'Master and Commander' is!

I went to see it at the pictures when it came out and loved it and have watched it many times since on DVD. A lot of people find it too slow with not enough action but they don't realise that it isn't an action film; it's a film about character, friendship, duty and sacrifice amongst other things, although there are some fabulously shot action scenes in it as well.

Watching the film inspired me to read the series of novels that its based upon, by Patrick O'Brian. The Aubrey Maturin series is a set of 20 novels that chart the highs and lows of the career of 'lucky' Jack Aubrey, an officer in the Royal Navy in the early 19th Century and his friend Stephen Maturin, ships surgeon, natural philosopher and secret agent.
O'Brians skill at story telling and creating rounded, believable, engaging characters is almost unparalled in my experience as is his ability to create an utterley convincing and authentic world for his characters to inhabit. The reader is transported to a napoleonic era world as believable as that found in any Jane Austin novel.

So far I've read, and reread, 17 of the novels, I could have read the last three a long time ago but am reluctant to do so, I guess its because once I've read the last one I know that there will be no more (O'Brian being dead) and I'm not ready to face upto that yet lol.

The following sea shanty is one thats sung in the film by the crew of Aubreys ship HMS Surprise and is an authentic one of the period, I liked it and so have stuck it in my tales.

Unknown "Mr.D " - 16 years, 5 months, 23 days ago

'Spanish Ladies', an old sea shanty.


Farewell and adieu to you, Spanish Ladies,
Farewell and adieu to you, ladies of Spain;
For we've received orders for to sail for ole England,
But we hope in a short time to see you again.

We will rant and we'll roar like true British sailors,
We'll rant and we'll roar all on the salt sea.
Until we strike soundings in the channel of old England;
From Ushant to Scilly is thirty five leagues.


Unknown "Mr.D " - 16 years, 8 months, 24 days ago

We hove our ship to with the wind from sou'west, boys
We hove our ship to, deep soundings to take;
'Twas forty-five fathoms, with a white sandy bottom,
So we squared our main yard and up channel did make.

We will rant and we'll roar like true British sailors,
We'll rant and we'll roar all on the salt sea.
Until we strike soundings in the channel of old England;
From Ushant to Scilly is thirty five leagues.


Unknown "Mr.D " - 16 years, 8 months, 24 days ago

The first land we sighted was called the Dodman,
Next Rame Head off Plymouth, off Portsmouth the Wight;
We sailed by Beachy, by Fairlight and Dover,
And then we bore up for the South Foreland light.

We will rant and we'll roar like true British sailors,
We'll rant and we'll roar all on the salt sea.
Until we strike soundings in the channel of old England;
From Ushant to Scilly is thirty five leagues.


Unknown "Mr.D " - 16 years, 8 months, 24 days ago