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all　are　disappointed　when　she　don't。　　Now；　the　other　steamer　is

coming　in；　and　the　Custom　House　prepares；　and　the　wharf…labourers

assemble；　and　the　hawsers　are　made　ready；　and　the　Hotel　Porters

come　rattling　down　with　van　and　truck；　eager　to　begin　more　Olympic

games　with　more　luggage。　　And　this　is　the　way　in　which　we　go　on；

down　at　Pavilionstone；　every　tide。　　And；　if　you　want　to　live　a　life

of　luggage；　or　to　see　it　lived；　or　to　breathe　sweet　air　which　will

send　you　to　sleep　at　a　moment's　notice　at　any　period　of　the　day　or

night；　or　to　disport　yourself　upon　or　in　the　sea；　or　to　scamper

about　Kent；　or　to　come　out　of　town　for　the　enjoyment　of　all　or　any

of　these　pleasures；　come　to　Pavilionstone。







OUT　OF　THE　　SEASON







IT　fell　to　my　lot；　this　last　bleak　Spring；　to　find　myself　in　a

watering…place　out　of　the　Season。　　A　vicious　north…east　squall　blew

me　into　it　from　foreign　parts；　and　I　tarried　in　it　alone　for　three

days；　resolved　to　be　exceedingly　busy。



On　the　first　day；　I　began　business　by　looking　for　two　hours　at　the

sea；　and　staring　the　Foreign　Militia　out　of　countenance。　　Having

disposed　of　these　important　engagements；　I　sat　down　at　one　of　the

two　windows　of　my　room；　intent　on　doing　something　desperate　in　the

way　of　literary　composition；　and　writing　a　chapter　of　unheard…of

excellence　…　with　which　the　present　essay　has　no　connexion。



It　is　a　remarkable　quality　in　a　watering…place　out　of　the　season；

that　everything　in　it；　will　and　must　be　looked　at。　　I　had　no

previous　suspicion　of　this　fatal　truth　but；　the　moment　I　sat　down

to　write；　I　began　to　perceive　it。　　I　had　scarcely　fallen　into　my

most　promising　attitude；　and　dipped　my　pen　in　the　ink；　when　I　found

the　clock　upon　the　pier　…　a　red…faced　clock　with　a　white　rim　…

importuning　me　in　a　highly　vexatious　manner　to　consult　my　watch；

and　see　how　I　was　off　for　Greenwich　time。　　Having　no　intention　of

making　a　voyage　or　taking　an　observation；　I　had　not　the　least　need

of　Greenwich　time；　and　could　have　put　up　with　watering…place　time

as　a　sufficiently　accurate　article。　　The　pier…clock；　however；

persisting；　I　felt　it　necessary　to　lay　down　my　pen；　compare　my

watch　with　him；　and　fall　into　a　grave　solicitude　about　half…

seconds。　　I　had　taken　up　my　pen　again；　and　was　about　to　commence

that　valuable　chapter；　when　a　Custom…house　cutter　under　the　window

requested　that　I　would　hold　a　naval　review　of　her；　immediately。



It　was　impossible；　under　the　circumstances；　for　any　mental

resolution；　merely　human；　to　dismiss　the　Custom…house　cutter；

because　the　shadow　of　her　topmast　fell　upon　my　paper；　and　the　vane

played　on　the　masterly　blank　chapter。　　I　was　therefore　under　the

necessity　of　going　to　the　other　window；　sitting　astride　of　the

chair　there；　like　Napoleon　bivouacking　in　the　print；　and　inspecting

the　cutter　as　she　lay；　all　that　day；　in　the　way　of　my　chapter；　O！

She　was　rigged　to　carry　a　quantity　of　canvas；　but　her　hull　was　so

very　small　that　four　giants　aboard　of　her　（three　men　and　a　boy）　who

were　vigilantly　scraping　at　her；　all　together；　inspired　me　with　a

terror　lest　they　should　scrape　her　away。　　A　fifth　giant；　who

appeared　to　consider　himself　'below'　…　as　indeed　he　was；　from　the

waist　downwards　…　meditated；　in　such　close　proximity　with　the

little　gusty　chimney…pipe；　that　he　seemed　to　be　smoking　it。

Several　boys　looked　on　from　the　wharf；　and；　when　the　gigantic

attention　appeared　to　be　fully　occupied；　one　or　other　of　these

would　furtively　swing　himself　in　mid…air　over　the　Custom…house

cutter；　by　means　of　a　line　pendant　from　her　rigging；　like　a　young

spirit　of　the　storm。　　Presently；　a　sixth　hand　brought　down　two

little　water…casks；　presently　afterwards；　a　truck　came；　and

delivered　a　hamper。　　I　was　now　under　an　obligation　to　consider　that

the　cutter　was　going　on　a　cruise；　and　to　wonder　where　she　was

going；　and　when　she　was　going；　and　why　she　was　going；　and　at　what

date　she　might　be　expected　back；　and　who　commanded　her？　　With　these

pressing　questions　I　was　fully　occupied　when　the　Packet；　making

ready　to　go　across；　and　blowing　off　her　spare　steam；　roared；　'Look

at　me！'



It　became　a　positive　duty　to　look　at　the　Packet　preparing　to　go

across；　aboard　of　which；　the　people　newly　come　down　by　the　rail…

road　were　hurrying　in　a　great　fluster。　　The　crew　had　got　their

tarry　overalls　on　…　and　one　knew　what　THAT　meant　…　not　to　mention

the　white　basins；　ranged　in　neat　little　piles　of　a　dozen　each；

behind　the　door　of　the　after…cabin。　　One　lady　as　I　looked；　one

resigning　and　far…seeing　woman；　took　her　basin　from　the　store　of

crockery；　as　she　might　have　taken　a　refreshment…ticket；　laid

herself　down　on　deck　with　that　utensil　at　her　ear；　muffled　her　feet

in　one　shawl；　solemnly　covered　her　countenance　after　the　antique

manner　with　another；　and　on　the　completion　of　these　preparations

appeared　by　the　strength　of　her　volition　to　become　insensible。　　The

mail…bags　（O　that　I　myself　had　the　sea…legs　of　a　mail…bag！）　were

tumbled　aboard；　the　Packet　left　off　roaring；　warped　out；　and　made

at　the　white　line　upon　the　bar。　　One　dip；　one　roll；　one　break　of

the　sea　over　her　bows；　and　Moore's　Almanack　or　the　sage　Raphael

could　not　have　told　me　more　of　the　state　of　things　aboard；　than　I

knew。



The　famous　chapter　was　all　but　begun　now；　and　would　have　been　quite

begun；　but　for　the　wind。　　It　was　blowing　stiffly　from　the　east；　and

it　rumbled　in　the　chimney　and　shook　the　house。　　That　was　not　much；

but；　looking　out　into　the　wind's　grey　eye　for　inspiration；　I　laid

down　my　pen　again　to　make　the　remark　to　myself；　how　emphatically

everything　by　the　sea　declares　that　it　has　a　great　concern　in　the

state　of　the　wind。　　The　trees　blown　all　one　way；　the　defences　of

the　harbour　reared　highest　and　strongest　against　the　raging　point；

the　shingle　flung　up　on　the　beach　from　the　same　direction；　the

number　of　arrows　pointed　at　the　common　enemy；　the　sea　tumbling　in

and　rushing　towards　them　as　if　it　were　inflamed　by　the　sight。　　This

put　it　in　my　head　that　I　really　ought　to　go　out　and　take　a　walk　in

the　wind；　so；　I　gave　up　the　magnificent　chapter　for　that　day；

entirely　persuading　myself　that　I　was　under　a　moral　obligation　to

have　a　blow。



I　had　a　good　one；　and　that　on　the　high　road　…　the　very　high　road　…

on　the　top　of　the　cliffs；　where　I　met　the　stage…coach　with　all　the

outsides　holding　their　hats　on　and　themselves　too；　and　overtook　a

flock　of　sheep　with　the　wool　about　their　necks　blown　into　such

great　ruffs　that　they　looked　like　fleecy　owls。　　The　wind　played

upon　the　lighthouse　as　if　it　were　a　great　whistle；　the　spray　was

driven　over　the　sea　in　a　cloud　of　haze；　the　ships　rolled　and

pitched　heavily；　and　at　intervals　long　slants　and　flaws　of　light

made　mountain…steeps　of　communication　between　the　ocean　and　the

sky。　　A　walk　of　ten　miles　brought　me　to　a　seaside　town　without　a

cliff；　which；　like　the　town　I　had　come　from；　was　out　of　the　season

too。　　Half　of　the　houses　were　shut　up；　half　of　the　other　half　were

to　let；　the　town　might　have　done　as　much　business　as　it　was　doing

then；　if　it　had　been　at　the　bottom　of　the　sea。　　Nobody　seemed　to

flourish　save　the　attorney；　his　clerk's　pen　was　going　in　the　bow…

window　of　his　wooden　house；　his　brass　door…plate　alone　was　free

from　salt；　and　had　been　polished　up　that　morning。　　On　the　beach；

among　the　rough　buggers　and　capstans；　groups　of　storm…beaten

boatmen；　like　a　sort　of　marine　monsters；　watched　under　the　lee　of

those　objects；　or　stood　leaning　forward　against　the　wind；　looking

out　through　battered　spy…glasses。　　The　parlour　bell　in　the　Admiral

Benbow　had　grown　so　flat　with　being　out　of　the　season；　that　neither

could　I　hear　it　ring　when　I　pulled　the　handle　for　lunch；　nor　could

the　young　woman　in　black　stockings　and　strong　shoes；　who　acted　as

waiter　out　of　the　season；　until　it　had　been　tinkled　three　times。



Admiral　Benbow's　cheese　was　out　of　the　season；　but　his　home…made

bread　was　good；　and　his　beer　was　perfect。　　Deluded　by　some　earlier

spring　day　which　had　been　warm　and　sunny；　the　Admiral　had　cleared

the　firing　out　of　his　parlour　stove；　and　had　put　some　flower…pots

in　…　which　was　amiable　and　hopeful　in　the　Admiral；　but　not

judicious：　the　room　being；　at　that　present　visiting；　transcendantly

cold。　　I　therefore　took　the　liberty　of　peeping　out　across　a　little

stone　passage　into　the　Admiral's　kitchen；　and；　seeing　a　high　settle

with　its　back　towards　me　drawn　out　in　front　of　the　Admiral's

kitchen　fire；　I　strolled　in；　bread　and　cheese　in　hand；　munching　and

looking　about。　　One　landsman　and　two　boatmen　were　seated　on　the

settle；　smoking　pipes　and　drinking　beer　out　of　thick　pint　crockery

mugs　…　mugs　peculiar　to　such　places；　with　parti…coloured　rings

round　them；　and　ornaments　between　the　rings　like　frayed…out　roots。

The　landsman　was　relating　his　experience；　as　yet　only　three　nights

old；　of　a　fearful　running…down　case　in　the　Channel；　and　therein

presented　to　my　imagination　a　sound　of　music　that　it　will　not　soon

forget。



'At　that　identical　moment　of　time；'　said　he　（he　was　a　prosy　man　by

nature；　who　rose　with　his　subject）；　'the　night　being　light　and

calm；　but　with　a　grey　mist　upon　the　water　that　didn't　seem　to

spread　for　more　than　two　or　three　mile；　I　was　walking　up　and　down

the　wooden　causeway　next　the　pier；　off　where　it　happened；　along

with　a　friend　of　mine；　which　his　name　is　Mr。　Clocker。　　Mr。　Clocker

is　a　grocer　over　yonder。'　　（From　the　direction　in　which　he　pointed

the　bowl　of　his　pipe；　I　might　have　judged　Mr。　Clocker　to　be　a

merman；　established　in　the　grocery　trade　in　five…and…twenty　fathoms

of　water。）　　'We　were　smoking　our　pipes；　and　walking　up　and　down　the

causeway；　talking　of　one　thing　and　talking　of　another。　　We　were

quite　alone　there；　except　that　a　few　hovellers'　（the　Kentish　name

for　'long…shore　boatmen　like　his　companions）　'were　hanging　about

their　lugs；　waiting　while　the　tide　made；　as　hovellers　will。'　　（One

of　the　two　boatmen；　thoughtfully　regard