56 A YEAR OF liberty; OR, 



professor's cliair, I will finish 1113' lecture with a story, every word of 

 which is, however, true. 



A long while ago, a sharp, active, good-humoured young fellow, an 

 old schoolfellow of mine, made his first visit to this country. Of 

 course he took his tackle with him, and the entire stock might have 

 easily packed into his waistcoat pocket. His enemies asserted that 

 he carried it in his aunt's snuff-box, but I solemnly assure you 

 gentlemen, that this was scandal. 



Well, to Ireland he came, and having some common sense, soon 

 found that (piscatorially speaking) he knew nothing he ought to 

 know. And how do you think he set about his education ? "Why, 

 he went on his travels, and visited nearly every river and lake in the 

 island. 



On arriving at a new station, his first visit was to some profes- 

 sional, to whom he put such questions as these ; " Have you any 

 spring fish ? At what time do the grilse arrive ? Ditto white trout ? 

 What would you consider a good day's angling ? Is leave to be 

 bought, or had for the asking ?" Being rather a modest young man, 

 he did not put above a dozen or two questions besides. Our friend 

 believed about half he heard (which, as you will remark, was a very 

 liberal allowance), posted his books, and next set off for the river. 

 Here he hooked the first unfortunate angler he saw, and put him 

 through the same examination. If prosperous, he said as little as 

 possible ; did he fail, no terms were strong enough " The river was 

 a humbug ; there was not a fish in it never had been, he believed, 

 nor ever would be." Here, again, our judicious traveller struck a 

 balance, made up his notes, and hurried to the lessee, who, in turn, 

 submitted to the infliction as best he might. 



Thus he went on from day to day, raising all sorts of hopes in the 

 minds of professionals, and boring innumerable other innocent 

 people nearly to death. At length his journey brought him to 

 Dublin, and by this time he knew a thing or two. So he bought 

 three or four rods, lots of seals' furs, pig's wool, and no end of useful 

 things ; and having done all this, went calmly home with a quiet 

 conscience, and waited, not too patiently, for the coming season ; 



