Section 116. Early Privations⁠

Admiral Jervis, Earl of St. Vincent, tells us the⁠ story of his early struggles, and, among⁠ other things, of his determination (S. 1, N. 2) to⁠ keep out of debt. “My father had a very large family,” said he, “with limited means. He gave me twenty pounds (S. 58, N. 3) at⁠ starting, and that was all (S. 3, N. 7) he ever⁠ gave me. After I had been a considerable time at⁠ the station at sea I⁠ drew for twenty more, but the bill came⁠ back protested. I⁠ was mortified⁠ at this rebuke, and made⁠ a promise, which I have ever⁠ kept, that⁠ I would never draw another bill without⁠ a certainty of its being paid. I immediately changed my mode of living, quitted⁠ my mess⁠, lived⁠ alone, and⁠ took up the ship’s allowance, which I found quite sufficient; washed and mended⁠ my own clothes; made a pair of trousers out of the ticking of my bed⁠, and, having (S. 55, N. 1) by⁠ these means saved as much money as⁠ would redeem my honour, I took⁠ up my bill. From (S. 102, N. 4) that time to this I⁠ have taken care to⁠ keep within my means.”

Jervis (S. 5, N. 2) for six years endured pinching⁠ privation, but preserved his integrity, studied his profession with success, and gradually rose⁠ by merit and bravery to the highest rank.—S. Smiles, Self-Help.

Early Privations, Jugendentbehrungen; the story — struggles. This passage, literally rendered, is not clear in German, and should be turned thus: of (von) the struggles with privations, which he had to go through (bestehen), when he was a youth (als Jüngling, which place after the subject ‘he’).

among other things = unter anderem.

sich von Schulden freihalten.

at starting, beim Beginn meiner Laufbahn; see App. § 9.

je; for the position of the pronoun ‘me’ see App. § 9, and use the verb in the Perfect, omitting, however, the auxiliary according to App. § 22.

auf meinem Posten zur See.

I — more = I drew another (noch ein) bill of twenty pounds. To draw a bill, einen Wechsel ziehen.

to come back protested, mit Protest wieder zurück´kommen.

I felt (sich fühlen).

mortified = humbled, gedemütigt; at, durch.

‘to make a promise’, here ein Gelübde ablegen.

ever = always, stets.

that — bill. This clause is best changed into a shortened subordinate clause in form of a supine: never to draw a bill again. Place ‘again’ after ‘never’.

without — paid, ohne auch sicher zu sein, daß man ihn honorieren würde.

‘To quit’, here to give up.

Offizierstisch.

To live, equivalent to reside or dwell, is generally rendered by wohnen; but equivalent to exist is rendered by leben.

und hielt mich an die Schiffsrationen; quite, durchaus.

here flicken.

bed = bed-covering; Comp. n. S. 36, N. 7, A.

by these means = in (auf) this manner.

as — honour = in order to redeem (wieder ein´lösen) my honour.

to take up one’s bill, seinen Wechsel bezahlen.

Say ‘I have always endeavoured’.

to keep within one’s means, nicht über seine Mittel hinaus leben; for six years, sechs Jahre lang.

We would use the superlative here; pinching, drückend.

‘to rise’, here empor´steigen; to, bis zu, contracted with the Dat. of the def. art.