MARLBOROUGH COLLEGE. iiq 



able amount of chaff as I hurried along to the river bank, for every 

 one would ask in hilarious tones what I hoped to catch; and when 

 I landed a small trout and spoke of my success, I was supposed 

 to be romancing. But lack of sport in angling could always 

 be compensated in other ways. For life was quite worth living, 

 when seated by the stream I saw Camberwell beauties and 

 painted-ladies come flitting b}-, or watched the vultures soaring 

 overhead beneath a cloudless sk}'. One day, as I was whipping a 

 stream with an " orange grouse," a stone came flying from some 

 rocks above into the water by my side, and looking up I saw an evil 

 looking fellow slyly making ready to have another shy. I put down 

 my rod and clambered up the bank to give the man a thrashing — if 

 I could — but when I got near I saw he had a wooden leg, which 

 made me burst out laughing, and I contented myself with menacing 

 him with a stick and driving him away. Some of his countrymen 

 presently came strolling by, and I heard from them the fellow was 

 more or less an idiot, much given to impish tricks. 



It always appears strange to me that so few people are able to 

 identify the plants around ; and on the occasion of the pic-nic I was 

 holding forth on the splendid flora which this beautiful region 

 enjoys — for it is pleasant to impart knowledge when one can. Here, 

 however, whenever the Professor opened his lips, I had to hold my 

 tongue, and experience the mortification which Goldsmith felt, when 

 a German interrupted him with, " Silence ! Silence ! Toctor 

 Shonson is going to speak." 



We were all reduced to silence, when the Professor, perched on 

 the very summit of the hill with his arms folded, and his eyes 

 screwed up, evidently was preparing for a lecture, whilst everyone 

 gathered round to hear the honied words which should proceed 

 from such a well stored fountain. We had not long to wait, for 

 raising his arm and extending it towards a spur of the Pyrenees, he 

 said, " Wellington drove Soult over the hills we see." Here he 

 paused, looking around to satisfy himself that everyone was listen- 

 ing, and he was about to re-commence when a Britisher, who looked 



