ENGLISH POETS ON FISHING. 143 



Blakey published his Anglers Song Book 'm 1855, con- 

 taining nearly two hundred and fifty songs and poems of 

 various degrees of merit, and some of no merit at all, 

 ranging from John Dennys down to Wordsworth. The 

 collection, as a whole, is not one of which anglers can feel 

 very proud. 



The Songs of the Edinburgh Club (185 1), a new and 

 enlarged edition of which was published in 1879, is the last 

 collection we shall mention. This club was founded in 

 1S47, aiid the volume was "privately printed for members," 

 whose angling headquarters is " The Nest," on a famous 

 stretch of the Tweed rented by the club. Our quotations 

 from angling poets have already extended to so great a 

 length that we must forbear to quote but a few lines from 

 this elegant volume, which is full of suggestiveness of love 

 of nature, love of angling, and love of the brotherhood of 

 anglers, while at the same time it is to be prized for the 

 faultless typography and exquisite engravings. This is the 

 concluding " L'Envoy " — 



" 'Tis time to part ; the fleeting hours 

 Too soon have sped their course along ; 

 Yet surely we have tipped their wings 

 With golden mirth and silv'ry song. 

 Old Time, upon his labouring course, 

 Might pause to gaze on scenes so bright 

 And hours like these. But, no, he's past, 

 And we must part — ^Good night ! Good night ! 



" We'll meet again ; you know the spot, 

 Where rolls the river broad and fair. 

 Where peeps the modest violet, 

 And hawthorn blossoms scent the air. 

 Again with song and mirth we'll crown 

 Our long, long days of calm delight. 

 But now, alas ! 'tis time to part, 

 To each and all — Good night ! Good night ! " 



