“Ideas upon matters of honour are altogether different in the two kingdoms. Before now I have given Englishmen provocation that would necessarily have called for a meeting in Ireland, with no result. We should call […]
The decades directly preceding the beginning of our beloved series marked the start of the tradition of sailors receiving tattoos on their voyages. While very few characters within the series are specifically referred to as […]
*SPOILERS* Captain’s Log Friday Oct. 5 1804 P.M. Light Airs and Calms. Employed Blacking the [Beams B%] – St. Mary’s NNE 5 Leagues A.M. Light breezes and Clear. Squadron in Co[mpany].
*SPOILERS* One of the most fantastic and least believable plot points in our entire beloved series (bear suit notwithstanding) occurs at the end of Post Captain.
Behold a delightful series of drawings made in 1820 by Captain Frederick Marryat (author of Mr. Midshipman Easy) about his life as a midshipman circa 1806 – 1812. They are definitely not “high art”, but […]
Upon first starting this website I also started something I called The Aubreyad Press Gang to do a group read of the series. We got through the first and second novels before the project fell […]
This pinch of wisdom was published in 1899. Unfortunately there is no indication about its origin except that it’s dated around 1770. It bears the impress of its truth.
O’Brian wrote this short piece, included in the first of the New York Times Magazine’s six millennium issues. It appeared among a page of “The Best” written by a score of other notable writers. O’Brian’s department […]
“Is a privateer a discreditable thing? I ask in pure ignorance.” “Well, a privateer is there for a different motive altogether. A privateer does not fight for honour, but for gain. It is a mercenary. […]
While Jack and Stephen sometimes encounter enemies from other nations, the overwhelming villain of our beloved series is Napoleon Bonaparte acting through the French Navy. Of course, English antipathy towards the French dates back much […]
Copyright © 2018 The Dear Surprise | Code is poetry.