Page:The Naval Officer (1829), vol. 3.djvu/89

 other ever since the memorable affair of swimming away from the ship at Spithead; from that time he used jecularly to call me "Leander."

But before I proceed any further with this part of my history, I must beg leave to detain the reader one minute only, while [ attempt to make a sketch of my dear little sister Clara. She was rather fair, with a fine, small, oval, wellproportioned face, sparkling black and speaking eyes, good teeth, pretty red lips, very dark hair, and plenty of it, hanging over her face and neck in curls of every size; her arms and bust were such as Phidias and Praxiteles might have copied; her waist was slender; her hands and feet small and beautiful. I used often to think it was a great pity that such a love as she was, should not be matched with some equally good specimen of our sex; and I had long fixed on my friend Talbot, as the person best adapted to command this pretty little, tight, fast-sailing, well rigged smack.

Unluckily, Clara, with all her charms, had one