6 FISHES AND FISHING. 



How I became the inmate of this antiquated man 

 sion, I know not ; but I was, as I found after a little 

 time, as knowledge began to dawn upon me, born in it, 

 and was the only son of a gentleman and his wife, 

 who were the much-respected inhabitants of this 

 large building, and the only persons enjoying it, and 

 the luxuries of its prolific gardens ; but how I ac 

 quired that title is a mystery beyond the finite com 

 prehension of human beings ; we find ourselves in 

 that relationship to certain individuals, but when or 

 how we came into existence, we are in a state of 

 complete ignorance. 



One of the earliest of my reminiscences is that of 

 seeing a large basket brought into the garden through 

 a door near the mill pond, on to the grass plot which 

 surrounded the lake or canal, and a great number of 

 fish turned out upon the green sward, which my 

 father, aided by one or two of his men, were placing 

 in rows side by side, shifting them from one place to 

 another ; this, I since know, was for the purpose of 

 assorting them into braces or pairs, as nearly alike as 

 could be, to send away as presents; some were sent 

 into the house to be cooked for dinner, and some were 

 given to the workmen. It is now nearly, or quite 

 eighty-three years ago, yet the scene is fresh in my 

 memory, the beauty of their red spots now flash in 

 my eyes, and their fragrance even now, I can fancy 



