Post Captain (1972)

Post Captain is the second historical novel in the Aubrey–Maturin series by Patrick O'Brian, first published in 1972. It features the characters of Captain Jack Aubrey and naval surgeon Stephen Maturin, and is set in the early 19th century during the Napoleonic Wars.

During the brief Peace of Amiens, Aubrey and Maturin live in a country house in England, where they meet women with whom they fall in love. The mores of courtship restrict both men as to making marriage proposals. Then their lives are turned upside down when Aubrey loses his money due to decisions of the prize court and a dishonest prize-agent. To avoid seizure for debt, they proceed through France to Maturin's property in Spain. When the war begins afresh, Aubrey has a command aboard HMS Polychrest, gaining fewer prizes yet succeeding in his military goals. He is eventually promoted and is given temporary command of the frigate HMS Lively while its captain is ashore. The emotions of his love life interfere with his ways at sea, showing him sharply different in his decisiveness at sea compared to his clumsiness on land.

The novel was received well at its initial publishing, but received more and better notice after its re-issue in 1990. That much of the story is set on land drew some to consider it O'Brian's homage to Jane Austen, one of his favorite authors. Author Mary Renault gave the novel high praise, while Alison Sulentic commended it for the two different ways that Maturin and Aubrey "come to know wisdom" as a result of falling in love.

Plot summary

With the Peace of Amiens, Jack Aubrey returns to England and rents a house with Stephen Maturin, with shipmates running the household, and the friends spending their time fox hunting. They meet the Williams family, who live on a neighboring estate. Aubrey courts Sophia Williams, the eldest of three daughters, while Maturin pursues Diana Villiers, Sophia's cousin. Jack wants to marry Sophia, but they delay making a firm engagement. His fortune disappears when his prize-agent absconds with his funds and the prize court finds that two merchant ships he had captured were owned by neutral nations. The court demands he repay the value of the ships (rather than gain the prize money he expected), a sum beyond his means. Mrs Williams takes her daughters away to Bath on this news. Jack also dallies with Diana, straining his friendship with Stephen and showing himself indecisive on land, in contrast to his decisive ways at sea. Aubrey and Maturin flee England to avoid Aubrey being taken for debt.

In Toulon to visit Christy Pallière, the French captain who had captured Aubrey's first command Sophie before the peace, they learn that a renewal of the war is imminent. French authorities round up all English subjects. Jack and Stephen escape over the Pyrenees to Stephen's property in Catalonia, with Stephen disguised as an itinerant bear trainer and Jack as the bear, Flora. They reach Gibraltar, where Jack and Stephen take passage aboard a merchant ship of the British East India Company, the Lord Nelson. The ship is captured by the French privateer Bellone, but a British squadron overtakes them and rescues Aubrey, Maturin, and the other passengers.

In England, Jack is offered a letter of marque by Mr Canning, a wealthy Jewish merchant. At the same gathering at Queeney's, Mrs Williams and her daughter Cecilia are among the guests. Unaware Jack would be there, Sophia had stayed home with her sister Frances. Mrs Williams learns of Stephen's castle in Spain and his training as a physician, raising his status in her eyes. An inadequate thief approaches Jack as he walks outdoors; this Mr Scriven proves to be a useful friend, knowing the law of debt and where Jack can be safe from bailiffs. Aubrey and Maturin move to The Grapes, safe in the Liberty of the Savoy.

Offered command of HMS Polychrest, Jack turns Canning down. Polychrest is an oddly designed ship that was purpose-built as an experimental weapon, though the project is now abandoned and the Admiralty has tried to refit her for ordinary service. She is structurally weak and sails poorly, and the first lieutenant, Parker, is liberal with his punishments of the crew. Jack asks that Tom Pullings be promoted to lieutenant. Jack is given a free hand by Admiral Harte, who stands to benefit personally from any prizes taken. To Harte's disappointment, Jack captures no prizes. When he drives the French privateer Bellone aground outside a Spanish port, the merchants reward him. Harte then assigns Jack to escort convoys in the English Channel. Jack gains a reputation for lingering in port as he carries on a furtive affair with Diana. Meanwhile, Stephen is sent on an intelligence-gathering mission in Spain. On his return, Stephen is advised by Jack's friend Heneage Dundas to warn Jack about his reputation with the Admiralty. When Stephen does so, Jack gets angry, their competition over Diana is acknowledged, and the two agree to fight a duel. Jack calls on Diana, but finds her with Canning, ending Jack's interest in her.

Jack is ordered to raid the French port of Chaulieu to sink the French troopships and gunboats gathered there and to destroy the Fanciulla. The crew plans to mutiny because of their harsh treatment under Parker, but Stephen overhears their plans and warns Jack. Jack rues his angry words with Stephen, and then quashes the mutiny by putting the instigators and some loyal crew in a ship's boat and quickly beginning the attack. During the engagement, Polychrest runs aground between two enemy batteries. Jack leads three of the ship's boats to board and capture Fanciulla. The successful party then attempts to refloat Polychrest, which founders after leaving Chaulieu, and the crew transfer to Fanciulla. After the battle, Stephen and Jack, who has been seriously wounded in the battle, resume their friendship.