142 ON THE NATURE OF THE PAR, ETC. 



we are now convinced, beyond a doubt, of the fact, that par are the 

 young of salmon in a certain state. 



Nor have we availed ourselves in the minutest degree of the obser- 

 vations of the Ettrick Shepherd, in the Agricultural Journal ; for we 

 esteem his method of proof as somewhat fallacious, and at war with the 

 established doctrine of chances ; yet we have conversed with those who 

 asserted the accuracy of Mr. Hogg's statement ; and we know it to be 

 the constant practice of the Bard of Altrive to mark the tail-fin of his 

 par with a peculiar incision, not difficult to recognise. We confess, 

 however, that it is wonderful : first, that Mr. Hogg should be able to 

 catch the ten-thousandth portion of the par frequenting Yarrow; 

 secondly, that out of a few hundreds which he might catch and muti- 

 late, such a number should reach the sea undergo the many chances 

 of disaster on the way thither the more hideous perils of that element 

 that they should ascend the stream of their birth in preference to 

 many others ; and, that when of good size, and liable to be taken on 

 ever so many occasions by human means, they should, escaping net and 

 hook, otter and leister, arrive uninjured before Mr. Hogg's nose, and 

 allow him to transfix them through and through in order to discover 

 their personal identity. All these circumstances combined, it seems as if 

 fortune were peculiarly gracious to the poet in overcoming what is next 

 to a physical impossibility in invalidating the origin of evidential law, 

 and throwing the calculating system of philosophers back among the 

 rubbish of ignorance and error. 



We have avoided upholding Mr. Hogg's method of supporting this 

 theory, for no other reason than that we find ourselves unable to 

 answer the many objections which it calls forth ; but we think, notwith- 

 standing, that the theory is a good one, that it is worthy of general 

 credit, and that such a manner of support might prove no small advan- 

 tage to our salmon fisheries in Scotland. We call not for the inter- 

 ference of an act of legislature in order to prevent the destruction of 

 par ; such a measure would fall too severely upon the brethren of the 

 streams ; it would rob the honestest of our countrymen of a kindly and 

 quiet privilege ; it would root out a better sort of men, and a nobler 

 pastime, than are to be found amid the hum of cities and the haunts 

 of viciousness ; and that in order to gratify the palates of epicures, and 

 adorn the tables of luxury. But we would submit it to every able angler 

 as a principle he ought to adopt, to commit again to the waters those 

 tiny fish which come ignorantly to his hook ; and at best are but a 

 meagre morsel, and give small proof of his skill in the gentle craft. 



