INTRODUCTORY. 23 



cause, 'mid their freedom from sorrows, they are 

 deprived alike of their joys. 



At the period of our introduction to this assembly 

 of ancients, it was evidently the purpose of our grand- 

 sire, in conjunction with the other wise members 



belonging to the C h Angling Club, to provide 



against the chances of its extinction by drafting into 

 it as many young recruits as they possibly could 

 muster. Accordingly, a week had scarcely elapsed 

 after our admission, when two other candidates were 

 proposed to the fraternity, viz., Messrs. Leister and 

 Otter. These young gentlemen were about the same 

 age as ourselves. They had both completed the ordeal 

 of killing a Tweed salmon, and we believe in a more 

 honest fashion than we did. 



Before enlarging upon their respective qualities, we 

 find ourselves compelled to take some notice of the 

 singular plan of reinforcement adopted by the old mem- 

 bers of the Angling Club. When formed under the 

 direction of our great-grandsire, the fraternity con- 

 sisted of twenty-five members, including the president. 

 To these it seems, by a standing rule, no addition on 

 any account was to be made, and should a vacancy by 

 demise, expulsion, or resignation, occur, it was not to 

 be filled up without the entire consent of the whole 

 remaining members. 



It so chanced, that among these primitive brothers 

 of the craft was one Simon Cockle-pate, a self-willed, 

 obstinate, and opinionative bully, whose whole delight 



