Page:The history of yachting.djvu/183

 Rh as Pepys mentions under date of September 12th: "In my way upon the Thames, I saw the King's new pleasure-boat that is come now for the King to take pleasure in above bridge; and also two Gundaloes that are lately bought, which are very rich and fine."

September 14th, Sir R. Slingsby made up a barge-party of ladies and gentlemen, including Pepys and his wife, and took them to see the yachts of the King and the Duke. Pepys records that they had "great pleasure in seeing all four yachts—these two and the Dutch ones." That is, this little fleet was composed of the King's new yacht Catherine, the Duke of York's new yacht Anne, and the King's Dutch yachts Mary and Bezan. And this is the first record of a squadron of yachts in England.

The King and Duke of York were wholly different in temperament, as brothers frequently are. Charles appears to have been a man of unusual intelligence and ability, good-natured and generous; regarding things in general, and particularly human nature, as problems not to be taken too seriously or from which much could be expected. In a proper light, he viewed them rather as subjects from which much amusement might be derived. He was a man of refined tastes, who exerted himself toward introducing art and science into England. Flattery he detested. Once, also, he declared to Bishop Burnett that he looked upon "falsehood and cruelty as the greatest crimes in the sight of God."