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understanding I mean is inspired by love； and love； though in a
sense it may be admitted to be stronger than death； is by no means
so universal and so sure。 In fact； love is rare … the love of men；
of things； of ideas； the love of perfected skill。 For love is the
enemy of haste； it takes count of passing days； of men who pass
away； of a fine art matured slowly in the course of years and
doomed in a short time to pass away too； and be no more。 Love and
regret go hand in hand in this world of changes swifter than the
shifting of the clouds reflected in the mirror of the sea。
To penalize a yacht in proportion to the fineness of her
performance is unfair to the craft and to her men。 It is unfair to
the perfection of her form and to the skill of her servants。 For
we men are； in fact； the servants of our creations。 We remain in
everlasting bondage to the productions of our brain and to the work
of our hands。 A man is born to serve his time on this earth； and
there is something fine in the service being given on other grounds
than that of utility。 The bondage of art is very exacting。 And；
as the writer of the article which started this train of thought
says with lovable warmth； the sailing of yachts is a fine art。
His contention is that racing； without time allowances for anything
else but tonnage … that is； for size … has fostered the fine art of
sailing to the pitch of perfection。 Every sort of demand is made
upon the master of a sailing…yacht； and to be penalized in
proportion to your success may be of advantage to the sport itself；
but it has an obviously deteriorating effect upon the seamanship。
The fine art is being lost。
VIII。
The sailing and racing of yachts has developed a class of fore…and…
aft sailors； men born and bred to the sea； fishing in winter and
yachting in summer； men to whom the handling of that particular rig
presents no mystery。 It is their striving for victory that has
elevated the sailing of pleasure craft to the dignity of a fine art
in that special sense。 As I have said； I know nothing of racing
and but little of fore…and…aft rig； but the advantages of such a
rig are obvious； especially for purposes of pleasure； whether in
cruising or racing。 It requires less effort in handling； the
trimming of the sail…planes to the wind can be done with speed and
accuracy； the unbroken spread of the sail…area is of infinite
advantage； and the greatest possible amount of canvas can be
displayed upon the least possible quantity of spars。 Lightness and
concentrated power are the great qualities of fore…and…aft rig。
A fleet of fore…and…afters at anchor has its own slender
graciousness。 The setting of their sails resembles more than
anything else the unfolding of a bird's wings； the facility of
their evolutions is a pleasure to the eye。 They are birds of the
sea； whose swimming is like flying； and resembles more a natural
function than the handling of man…invented appliances。 The fore…
and…aft rig in its simplicity and the beauty of its aspect under
every angle of vision is； I believe； unapproachable。 A schooner；
yawl； or cutter in charge of a capable man seems to handle herself
as if endowed with the power of reasoning and the gift of swift
execution。 One laughs with sheer pleasure at a smart piece of
manoeuvring； as at a manifestation of a living creature's quick wit
and graceful precision。
Of those three varieties of fore…and…aft rig； the cutter … the
racing rig PAR EXCELLENCE … is of an appearance the most imposing；
from the fact that practically all her canvas is in one piece。 The
enormous mainsail of a cutter； as she draws slowly past a point of
land or the end of a jetty under your admiring gaze； invests her
with an air of lofty and silent majesty。 At anchor a schooner
looks better； she has an aspect of greater efficiency and a better
balance to the eye； with her two masts distributed over the hull
with a swaggering rake aft。 The yawl rig one comes in time to
love。 It is； I should think； the easiest of all to manage。
For racing； a cutter； for a long pleasure voyage； a schooner； for
cruising in home waters； the yawl； and the handling of them all is
indeed a fine art。 It requires not only the knowledge of the
general principles of sailing； but a particular acquaintance with
the character of the craft。 All vessels are handled in the same
way as far as theory goes； just as you may deal with all men on
broad and rigid principles。 But if you want that success in life
which comes from the affection and confidence of your fellows； then
with no two men； however similar they may appear in their nature；
will you deal in the same way。 There may be a rule of conduct；
there is no rule of human fellowship。 To deal with men is as fine
an art as it is to deal with ships。 Both men and ships live in an
unstable element； are subject to subtle and powerful influences；
and want to have their merits understood rather than their faults
found out。
It is not what your ship will NOT do that you want to know to get
on terms of successful partnership with her； it is； rather； that
you ought to have a precise knowledge of what she will do for you
when called upon to put forth what is in her by a sympathetic
touch。 At first sight the difference does not seem great in either
line of dealing with the difficult problem of limitations。 But the
difference is great。 The difference lies in the spirit in which
the problem is approached。 After all； the art of handling ships is
finer； perhaps； than the art of handling men。
And； like all fine arts； it must be based upon a broad； solid
sincerity； which； like a law of Nature； rules an infinity of
different phenomena。 Your endeavour must be single…minded。 You
would talk differently to a coal…heaver and to a professor。 But is
this duplicity？ I deny it。 The truth consists in the genuineness
of the feeling； in the genuine recognition of the two men； so
similar and so different； as your two partners in the hazard of
life。 Obviously； a humbug； thinking only of winning his little
race； would stand a chance of profiting by his artifices。 Men；
professors or coal…heavers； are easily deceived； they even have an
extraordinary knack of lending themselves to deception； a sort of
curious and inexplicable propensity to allow themselves to be led
by the nose with their eyes open。 But a ship is a creature which
we have brought into the world； as it were on purpose to keep us up
to the mark。 In her handling a ship will not put up with a mere
pretender； as； for instance； the public will do with Mr。 X； the
popular statesman； Mr。 Y； the popular scientist； or Mr。 Z； the
popular … what shall we say？ … anyt