156 THE BORDER ANGLER. 



terrupted by trees, but towards its source it lias a 

 good deal of the usual character of hill- waters. After 

 it has flowed about five miles, and has been increased 

 by the Black and the Carter burns, it bends pleasantly 

 round Southdean kirk and manse, where James Thom- 

 son, the poet of the Seasons, was brought up, and 

 where it is said he planned and partly wrote " Win- 

 ter." His father was minister of the parish, having 

 been u translated" hither from Ednam, where, on the 

 banks of the Eden, Thomson was born. The poet 

 could not miss being an angler, reared as he was by 

 the side of the Jed ; and it was doubtless the remem- 

 brance of his boyish exploits that prompted his ad- 

 mirable description of fly-fishing in " Spring " : 

 " Just in the dubious point, where with the pool 

 Is mixed the trembling stream, or where it boils 

 Around the stone, or from the hollo w'd bank 

 Reverted, plays in undulating flow, 

 There throw, nice judging, the delusive fly ; 

 And as you lead it round in artful curves, 

 With eye attentive mark the springing game, 

 Straight as above the surface of the flood 

 They wanton rise, or, urged by hunger, leap ; 

 Then fix with gentle twitch the barbed hook ; 

 Some lightly tossing to the grassy bank, 

 And to the shelving shore slow dragging some, 

 With various hand proportioned to their force. 

 If yet too young, and easily deceived, 

 A worthless prey scarce bends your pliant rod, 

 Him, piteous of his youth, and the short space 

 He has enjoyed the vital light of heaven, 

 Soft disengage, and back into the stream 

 The speckled captive throw. But should you lure 

 From his dark haunt beneath the tangled roots 

 Of pendent trees, the monarch of the brook, 

 Behoves you then to ply your finest art. 

 Long time he, following cautious, scans the fly, 



