Section 116 Early Privations1
Admiral Jervis, Earl of St. Vincent, tells us the1 story of his early struggles, and, among2 other things, of his determination (S. 1, N. 2) to3 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) at4 starting, and that was all (S. 3, N. 7) he ever5 gave me. After I had been a considerable time at6 the station at sea I7 drew for twenty more, but the bill came8 back protested. I9 was mortified10 at this rebuke, and made11 a promise, which I have ever12 kept, that13 I would never draw another bill without14 a certainty of its being paid. I immediately changed my mode of living, quitted15 my mess16, lived17 alone, and18 took up the ship’s allowance, which I found quite sufficient; washed and mended19 my own clothes; made a pair of trousers out of the ticking of my bed20, and, having (S. 55, N. 1) by21 these means saved as much money as22 would redeem my honour, I took23 up my bill. From (S. 102, N. 4) that time to this I24 have taken care to25 keep within my means.”
Jervis (S. 5, N. 2) for six years endured pinching26 privation, but preserved his integrity, studied his profession with success, and gradually rose27 by merit and bravery to the highest rank.—S. Smiles, Self-Help.
Notes
1 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’).
2 among other things = unter anderem.
3 sich von Schulden freihalten.
4 at starting, beim Beginn meiner Laufbahn; see App. § 9.
5 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.
6 auf meinem Posten zur See.
[7] I — more = I drew another (noch ein) bill of twenty pounds. To draw a bill, einen Wechsel ziehen.
8 to come back protested, mit Protest wieder zurück´kommen.
9 I felt (sich fühlen).
10 mortified = humbled, gedemütigt; at, durch.
11 ‘to make a promise’, here ein Gelübde ablegen.
12 ever = always, stets.
13 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’.
14 without — paid, ohne auch sicher zu sein, daß man ihn honorieren würde.
15 ‘To quit’, here to give up.
16 Offizierstisch.
17 To live, equivalent to reside or dwell, is generally rendered by wohnen; but equivalent to exist is rendered by leben.
18 und hielt mich an die Schiffsrationen; quite, durchaus.
19 here flicken.
20 bed = bed-covering; Comp. n. S. 36, N. 7, A.
21 by these means = in (auf) this manner.
22 as — honour = in order to redeem (wieder ein´lösen) my honour.
23 to take up one’s bill, seinen Wechsel bezahlen.
24 Say ‘I have always endeavoured’.
25 to keep within one’s means, nicht über seine Mittel hinaus leben; for six years, sechs Jahre lang.
26 We would use the superlative here; pinching, drückend.
27 ‘to rise’, here empor´steigen; to, bis zu, contracted with the Dat. of the def. art.