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Post Captain (novel)
Encyclopedia
Post Captain is a 1972 historical naval novel by Patrick O'Brian
. It is second in the Aubrey–Maturin series
of stories set in the early-nineteenth century, concerning the adventures of Captain Jack Aubrey and naval surgeon Stephen Maturin. It has been described as Patrick O'Brian's tribute to Jane Austen
with part of it set in the domestic English countryside and the interaction of families.
and the start of the Peace of Amiens. Commander
Jack Aubrey returns to England to take up the life of a country squire. He meets the Williams family, and their cousin Diana Villiers. Aubrey courts Sophia Williams (the eldest daughter), but is also attracted to Diana, with whom he commences an affair.
Aubrey plans to marry Sophia Williams, but his fortune soon disappears when he is forced to repay the prize money
for a merchant ship which has been deemed an unlawful capture and his prize-agent absconds with much of the rest. Aubrey flees the country to avoid going to debtors' prison.
While in France, war with England breaks out again, and French authorities begin rounding up all English subjects. Tipped off by Jean-Anne Christy de la Pallière
, the French captain who had captured him in Master and Commander
, Stephen smuggles Jack out of the country dressed in a bear costume. Finally making it to Gibraltar
, Jack and Stephen take passage aboard a British East India Company
ship. The ship is captured by the privateer
Bellone, but a British squadron
overtakes them and rescues Jack and Stephen.
Returning to England at the outbreak of war in 1803, Jack is offered a letter of marque
by a Mr. Canning. Jack turns Canning down and is soon given command of , an odd ship that was designed to launch a secret weapon. The ship is structurally unsound and sails poorly, and its first lieutenant is very free with punishment. Placed under the command of Admiral Harte, with whose wife Jack had an affair, Jack is given a free hand in the hope that his lucky streak of capturing prizes will continue. Jack's luck does not prevail, only managing to drive the privateer Bellone aground outside a Spanish port, but with no other prizes. Disappointing Admiral Harte, Jack is assigned to escort convoys up and down the English Channel
. During this time, he gets a reputation for lingering in port as he carries on an affair with Diana.
Meanwhile, Stephen is sent on an intelligence gathering mission in Spain. Upon returning, Stephen is advised by Heneage Dundas
, a close friend of Jack's, to warn him about visiting Diana. When Stephen does so, Jack is angry and accuses Stephen of lying to him as to where he had been during his absence. Soon they challenge each other to a duel. While in port, Jack calls on Diana, but finds her with Canning. Prior to the date of the duel, Jack is ordered to raid the French port of Chaulieu
to sink the assembled French troopships and gunboat
s and to destroy the corvette
Fanciulla. On the way, the crew plans to mutiny because of the treatment they receive from Lieutenant Parker. Stephen overhears their plans and goes to Jack - the first time they have spoken since the challenge. Forewarned, Jack quashes the mutiny by separating the instigators and some loyal crew in a ship's boat.
During an engagement in Chaulieu, the Polychrest runs aground. Jack leads three of the ship's boats to board the Fanciulla. After a short battle, the Polychrests capture the ship and pull off the Polychrest from where it is stranded on a sand bar. However, after hours of pounding by the shore batteries, the Polychrest founders and sinks soon after leaving Chaulieu. After the battle, their duel is forgotten by both Stephen and Jack. Jack returns to England in the Fanciulla and is promoted to Post-captain
. Jack is offered a ship that is currently being built but will not be ready to sail for six months. Afraid of being seized by his creditors, he declines the wait and asks for any command. He is temporarily assigned to HMS Lively
whose Captain, Hamond
, has take leave to exercise his seat in Parliament
.
Stephen is again sent to Spain to gather more intelligence. This time, he returns with news that the Spanish will declare war as soon as four ships full of bullion from Montevideo
are safely in port. While Stephen is gone, Sophia, at Stephen's urging, asks Jack to transport her and Cecilia to the Downs. While on board, Sophia and Jack come to an agreement not to marry anyone else; Jack is currently too poor to propose a satisfactory marriage settlement to Mrs. Williams. Stephen, while attending an opera, also becomes aware of Diana's affair with Mr. Canning.
Fearing that a change in parliamentary leadership will leave Jack without a command, Stephen asks that the Lively be included in the squadron sent to intercept the Spanish. The Admiralty grants this request, assigns Stephen the title of captain pro tem so he will receive a generous share of the prize money, and tasks him to negotiate the treasure fleet's surrender. Because of Stephen's temporary rank and his now-obvious connection to the Admiralty, Jack realizes that Stephen has long been involved in intelligence work for Britain, which highlights Stephens previous travel and apparent willingness to explain himself.
The Spanish convoy refuses to surrender and a quick battle breaks out
. One Spanish frigate explodes and the other three surrender.
The French:
The Spanish:
poet Ossian
's writing and authenticity. This references similar controversy which had arisen during the period about the true authorship of James Macpherson
's translation of his epic cycle, and continues to be questioned today in literary circles. In this same conversation, MacDonald references the Roman legal principle "falsum in unam, falsum in omnibus," which translates to "false in one thing, fall in all things."
Patrick O'Brian
Patrick O'Brian, CBE , born Richard Patrick Russ, was an English novelist and translator, best known for his Aubrey–Maturin series of novels set in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars and centred on the friendship of English Naval Captain Jack Aubrey and the Irish–Catalan physician Stephen...
. It is second in the Aubrey–Maturin series
Aubrey–Maturin series
The Aubrey–Maturin series is a sequence of nautical historical novels—20 completed and one unfinished—by Patrick O'Brian, set during the Napoleonic Wars and centering on the friendship between Captain Jack Aubrey of the Royal Navy and his ship's surgeon Stephen Maturin, who is also a physician,...
of stories set in the early-nineteenth century, concerning the adventures of Captain Jack Aubrey and naval surgeon Stephen Maturin. It has been described as Patrick O'Brian's tribute to Jane Austen
Jane Austen
Jane Austen was an English novelist whose works of romantic fiction, set among the landed gentry, earned her a place as one of the most widely read writers in English literature, her realism and biting social commentary cementing her historical importance among scholars and critics.Austen lived...
with part of it set in the domestic English countryside and the interaction of families.
Plot introduction
The novel starts during the Peace of Amiens. Jack Aubrey sets up a bachelor household in a country district, becoming friendly with a neighbouring household with several marriageable daughters. When he falls into financial difficulty, he leaves England with his friend Stephen Maturin. When the Peace is ended, they escape from France and return to England. Aubrey pleads for any ship. After many tribulations and disagreements with Maturin and others, he is eventually successful in his career.Plot summary
The book begins in 1802 with the conclusion of the French Revolutionary WarsFrench Revolutionary Wars
The French Revolutionary Wars were a series of major conflicts, from 1792 until 1802, fought between the French Revolutionary government and several European states...
and the start of the Peace of Amiens. Commander
Commander
Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
Jack Aubrey returns to England to take up the life of a country squire. He meets the Williams family, and their cousin Diana Villiers. Aubrey courts Sophia Williams (the eldest daughter), but is also attracted to Diana, with whom he commences an affair.
Aubrey plans to marry Sophia Williams, but his fortune soon disappears when he is forced to repay the prize money
Prize money
Prize money has a distinct meaning in warfare, especially naval warfare, where it was a monetary reward paid out to the crew of a ship for capturing an enemy vessel...
for a merchant ship which has been deemed an unlawful capture and his prize-agent absconds with much of the rest. Aubrey flees the country to avoid going to debtors' prison.
While in France, war with England breaks out again, and French authorities begin rounding up all English subjects. Tipped off by Jean-Anne Christy de la Pallière
Jean-Anne Christy de la Pallière
Jean-Anne Christy de la Pallière was a French Navy officer.Born to a captain of the French East India Company, Christy-Pallière started sailing in 1773, as an apprentice on an East Indiaman...
, the French captain who had captured him in Master and Commander
Master and Commander
Master and Commander is a historical naval novel by Patrick O'Brian. First published in 1969 , it is first in the Aubrey-Maturin series of stories of Captain Jack Aubrey and the naval surgeon Stephen Maturin. Closely based on the historical feats of Lord Cochrane, O'Brian's novel is set in the...
, Stephen smuggles Jack out of the country dressed in a bear costume. Finally making it to Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
, Jack and Stephen take passage aboard a British East India Company
British East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
ship. The ship is captured by the privateer
Privateer
A privateer is a private person or ship authorized by a government by letters of marque to attack foreign shipping during wartime. Privateering was a way of mobilizing armed ships and sailors without having to spend public money or commit naval officers...
Bellone, but a British squadron
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
overtakes them and rescues Jack and Stephen.
Returning to England at the outbreak of war in 1803, Jack is offered a letter of marque
Letter of marque
In the days of fighting sail, a Letter of Marque and Reprisal was a government licence authorizing a person to attack and capture enemy vessels, and bring them before admiralty courts for condemnation and sale...
by a Mr. Canning. Jack turns Canning down and is soon given command of , an odd ship that was designed to launch a secret weapon. The ship is structurally unsound and sails poorly, and its first lieutenant is very free with punishment. Placed under the command of Admiral Harte, with whose wife Jack had an affair, Jack is given a free hand in the hope that his lucky streak of capturing prizes will continue. Jack's luck does not prevail, only managing to drive the privateer Bellone aground outside a Spanish port, but with no other prizes. Disappointing Admiral Harte, Jack is assigned to escort convoys up and down the English Channel
English Channel
The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
. During this time, he gets a reputation for lingering in port as he carries on an affair with Diana.
Meanwhile, Stephen is sent on an intelligence gathering mission in Spain. Upon returning, Stephen is advised by Heneage Dundas
George Heneage Dundas
Rear Admiral George Heneage Lawrence Dundas CB was a senior naval officer and First Naval Lord.-Family:He was the fifth son of Thomas Dundas by his wife Charlotte, daughter of the third Earl Fitzwilliam.-HMS Queen Charlotte:In February 1800 George Heneage Dundas was aboard Lord Keith's flagship,...
, a close friend of Jack's, to warn him about visiting Diana. When Stephen does so, Jack is angry and accuses Stephen of lying to him as to where he had been during his absence. Soon they challenge each other to a duel. While in port, Jack calls on Diana, but finds her with Canning. Prior to the date of the duel, Jack is ordered to raid the French port of Chaulieu
Chaulieu
Chaulieu is a commune in the Manche department in Normandy in north-western France....
to sink the assembled French troopships and gunboat
Gunboat
A gunboat is a naval watercraft designed for the express purpose of carrying one or more guns to bombard coastal targets, as opposed to those military craft designed for naval warfare, or for ferrying troops or supplies.-History:...
s and to destroy the corvette
Corvette
A corvette is a small, maneuverable, lightly armed warship, originally smaller than a frigate and larger than a coastal patrol craft or fast attack craft , although many recent designs resemble frigates in size and role...
Fanciulla. On the way, the crew plans to mutiny because of the treatment they receive from Lieutenant Parker. Stephen overhears their plans and goes to Jack - the first time they have spoken since the challenge. Forewarned, Jack quashes the mutiny by separating the instigators and some loyal crew in a ship's boat.
During an engagement in Chaulieu, the Polychrest runs aground. Jack leads three of the ship's boats to board the Fanciulla. After a short battle, the Polychrests capture the ship and pull off the Polychrest from where it is stranded on a sand bar. However, after hours of pounding by the shore batteries, the Polychrest founders and sinks soon after leaving Chaulieu. After the battle, their duel is forgotten by both Stephen and Jack. Jack returns to England in the Fanciulla and is promoted to Post-captain
Post-Captain
Post-captain is an obsolete alternative form of the rank of captain in the Royal Navy.The term served to distinguish those who were captains by rank from:...
. Jack is offered a ship that is currently being built but will not be ready to sail for six months. Afraid of being seized by his creditors, he declines the wait and asks for any command. He is temporarily assigned to HMS Lively
HMS Lively (1804)
HMS Lively was a 38-gun fifth rate frigate of the Royal Navy, launched on 23 July 1804 at Woolwich Dockyard, and commissioned later that month. She was the prototype of the eponymous Lively class of 18-pounder frigates, designed by the Surveyor of the Navy, Sir William Rule...
whose Captain, Hamond
Sir Graham Hamond, 2nd Baronet
Admiral of the Fleet Sir Graham Eden Hamond, 2nd Baronet GCB was a Royal Navy officer who served during the French Revolutionary Wars and Napoleonic Wars....
, has take leave to exercise his seat in Parliament
Parliament
A parliament is a legislature, especially in those countries whose system of government is based on the Westminster system modeled after that of the United Kingdom. The name is derived from the French , the action of parler : a parlement is a discussion. The term came to mean a meeting at which...
.
Stephen is again sent to Spain to gather more intelligence. This time, he returns with news that the Spanish will declare war as soon as four ships full of bullion from Montevideo
Montevideo
Montevideo is the largest city, the capital, and the chief port of Uruguay. The settlement was established in 1726 by Bruno Mauricio de Zabala, as a strategic move amidst a Spanish-Portuguese dispute over the platine region, and as a counter to the Portuguese colony at Colonia del Sacramento...
are safely in port. While Stephen is gone, Sophia, at Stephen's urging, asks Jack to transport her and Cecilia to the Downs. While on board, Sophia and Jack come to an agreement not to marry anyone else; Jack is currently too poor to propose a satisfactory marriage settlement to Mrs. Williams. Stephen, while attending an opera, also becomes aware of Diana's affair with Mr. Canning.
Fearing that a change in parliamentary leadership will leave Jack without a command, Stephen asks that the Lively be included in the squadron sent to intercept the Spanish. The Admiralty grants this request, assigns Stephen the title of captain pro tem so he will receive a generous share of the prize money, and tasks him to negotiate the treasure fleet's surrender. Because of Stephen's temporary rank and his now-obvious connection to the Admiralty, Jack realizes that Stephen has long been involved in intelligence work for Britain, which highlights Stephens previous travel and apparent willingness to explain himself.
The Spanish convoy refuses to surrender and a quick battle breaks out
Action of 5 October 1804
The Battle of Cape Santa Maria was a naval action that took place off the southern Portuguese coast, in which a British squadron under the command of Commodore Graham Moore attacked a Spanish squadron commanded by Brigadier Don José de Bustamante y Guerra, in time of peace, without...
. One Spanish frigate explodes and the other three surrender.
Characters in "Post Captain"
- Jack AubreyJack AubreyJohn "Jack" Aubrey, KB , is a fictional character in the Aubrey–Maturin series of novels by Patrick O'Brian. The series portrays his rise from Lieutenant to Rear-Admiral in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars. The twenty -book series encompasses Aubrey's adventures and various commands along...
- Commander of the Polychrest and later appointed Captain of HMS Lively. - Stephen Maturin - ship's surgeon, friend to Jack and intelligence officer.
- Sophie Williams - Jack's love interest
- Mrs. Williams - Sophie's mother
- Diana VilliersDiana VilliersDiana Villiers is a fictional character in the Aubrey-Maturin series of novels by Patrick O'Brian. Described as beautiful, mercurial, and entirely unreliable, she is the great love and great sorrow of Stephen Maturin's life....
- Stephen's love interest, and one of Jack's mistresses - Lt. Parker - 1st Lieutenant of the Polychrest
- Lt. Pullings - 2nd Lieutenant of the Polychrest
- William Babbington – midshipman in Polychrest
Ships in Post Captain
The British:- HMS LivelyHMS Lively (1804)HMS Lively was a 38-gun fifth rate frigate of the Royal Navy, launched on 23 July 1804 at Woolwich Dockyard, and commissioned later that month. She was the prototype of the eponymous Lively class of 18-pounder frigates, designed by the Surveyor of the Navy, Sir William Rule...
- frigate - HMS PolychrestHMS PolychrestHMS Polychrest is a fictional naval vessel from Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey–Maturin series of historical novels about the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars...
- sloop - HMS MedusaHMS Medusa (1801)HMS Medusa was a 38-gun 5th rate frigate of the Royal Navy that served in the Napoleonic Wars. Launched on 14 April 1801, she took part in the Action of 5 October 1804 against a Spanish squadron, in the River Plate Expedition in 1807, and made several captures of enemy ships, before being converted...
- frigate - HMS IndefatigableHMS Indefatigable (1784)HMS Indefatigable was one of the Ardent class 64-gun third-rate ships-of-the-line designed by Sir Thomas Slade in 1761 for the Royal Navy. She had a long career under several distinguished commanders, serving throughout the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars...
- frigate - HMS AmphionHMS Amphion (1798)HMS Amphion was a 32-gun fifth rate frigate of the Royal Navy. She served during the Napoleonic Wars.Amphion was built by Betts, of Mistleythorn, and was launched on 19 March 1798....
- frigate - HMS AmethystHMS Amethyst (1799)HMS Amethyst was a Royal Navy 36-gun Penelope-class fifth-rate frigate, launched in 1799 at Deptford. Amethyst served in the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars, capturing several prizes. She also participated in two boat actions and two ship actions that won her crew clasps to the...
- frigate - Lord NelsonLord Nelson (East Indiaman)Lord Nelson was an East Indiaman, launched in late 1799, sailing for the East India Company. She made five voyages, of which she completed four. On her second voyage the French privateer Bellone captured her, but the Royal Navy recaptured her within about two weeks...
- East Indiaman
The French:
- Fanciulla
- Bellone (Privateer)
The Spanish:
- Medea - frigate
- Fama - frigate
- Clara - frigate
- MercedesNuestra Señora de las MercedesThe Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes was a Spanish frigate which was sunk by the British off the south coast of Portugal on 5 October 1804 during the Battle of Cape Santa Maria....
- frigate
History
Stephen, in presenting his radical position against the tyranny of the navy in a fit of rage, says that he would "certainly have joined the mutineers" had he been at the Spithead Mutiny.Literature
In a conversation with MacDonald, Stephen argues about the various qualities of the gaelicGaels
The Gaels or Goidels are speakers of one of the Goidelic Celtic languages: Irish, Scottish Gaelic, and Manx. Goidelic speech originated in Ireland and subsequently spread to western and northern Scotland and the Isle of Man....
poet Ossian
Ossian
Ossian is the narrator and supposed author of a cycle of poems which the Scottish poet James Macpherson claimed to have translated from ancient sources in the Scots Gaelic. He is based on Oisín, son of Finn or Fionn mac Cumhaill, anglicised to Finn McCool, a character from Irish mythology...
's writing and authenticity. This references similar controversy which had arisen during the period about the true authorship of James Macpherson
James Macpherson
James Macpherson was a Scottish writer, poet, literary collector and politician, known as the "translator" of the Ossian cycle of poems.-Early life:...
's translation of his epic cycle, and continues to be questioned today in literary circles. In this same conversation, MacDonald references the Roman legal principle "falsum in unam, falsum in omnibus," which translates to "false in one thing, fall in all things."
Literary significance & criticism
- "One of the finest seafaring novels of the Napoleonic wars." — R. W., Taranaki Herald (New Zealand), on Post Captain
- "Master and Commander raised almost dangerously high expectations, Post Captain triumphantly surpasses them. Mr. O'Brian is a master of his period, in which his characters are finely placed, while remaining three-dimensional, thoroughly human beings. This book sets him at the very top of his genre; he does not just have the chief qualifications of a first-class historical novelist, he has them all. The action scenes are superb; towards the end, far from being aware that one is reading what is, physically, a fairly long book, one notes with dismay that there is not much more to come....A brilliant book." — Mary Renault, on Post Captain
Release details
- 1972, UK, Collins Publishers ISBN 0002216574, Pub Date ? ? 1970, hardback (First edition)
- 1972, USA, Lippincott ISBN 0006129137, Pub Date ? ? 1972, hardback
- 1975, UK, Fontana ISBN 0006136664, Pub date 1 April 1975, paperback
- 1990, USA, W. W. Norton ISBN 0393307069, Pub date ? November 1990, paperback
- 1994, USA, W. W. Norton ISBN 0393037029, Pub date ? ? 1994, hardback
- 2000, USA, Chivers, Windsor, Paragon ISBN 0754014231, Pub date 1 December 2000, hardback (large print)
- 2001, USA, Chivers, Windsor, Paragon ISBN 0754023206, Pub date 1 September 2001, paperback (large print)
- 1996, UK, HarperCollins ISBN 0006499163, Pub date 7 October 1996, paperback
- 1997, UK, HarperCollins ISBN 0001053302, Pub date 21 April 1997, Audio book cassette (narrated by Robert Hardy)
- 1998, UK, HarperCollins ISBN 0002216574, Pub Date 27 January 1998, hardback
- 2001, USA, Recorded Books ISBN 1402502214, Pub date ? September 2001, Audio book cassette (narrated by Patrick Tull)
- 2002, UK, Soundings ISBN 1842832611, Pub date ? September 2002, Audio book CD (narrated by Stephen Thorne)
- 2004, UK, Blackstone ISBN 0786187034, Pub date ? January 2004, Audio book MP3 cassette (narrated by Robert Whitfield)
- 2011, USA, W. W. Norton & Company (ISBN 978-0-393-05993-9), Pub date 5 December 2011, e-book