i88 ANGLING REMINISCENCES. 



amber ground, which, shaded off towards the belly, 

 became gradually like mother-of-pearl. The head was 

 small, the back curved, and the fins yellow, as a newly 

 minted guinea. 



THE ETTRICK SHEPHERD. 



But not for the loss of these is it, that I shall 

 never visit Yarrow any more ; it is because the 

 genius loci the Ettrick Shepherd has departed ! 

 Alas ! gentlemen, I have too many angling associa- 

 tions connected with James Hogg, ever to endure again 

 the sight of his favourite Yarrow. Times without 

 number have we traversed its banks together, our 

 slender wands bending alternately with the weight 

 of a struggling trout ; and on St. Mary's too, and 

 Loch Skeiie, and Meggat - water, have we twain 

 fashioned our thoughts and converse to the wild, 

 mystic, unviolated scenery around us. But those 

 thoughts and that converse may not be renewed ; from 

 the crushings of the mould there is no rescue, and 

 nature's ordinance cannot be disturbed by any turbu- 

 lent aspiration of ours. 



The Ettrick Shepherd was a singular character 

 a combination of many virtues with some defects 

 genius mingled up with its foibles ; and these latter 

 the more conspicuous, seeing that no measures were 

 ever put in force to conceal them. In the sphere 

 where most men of talent move, they learn the art of 

 hiding, by a splendid hypocrisy, their other weak- 



