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the water, for nearly half a day, till he has 

 killed his creel full, about the size of a fish- 

 woman's pannier, with some three or four 

 dozen besides, strung on his garters, and 

 suspended over his rod. In this guise, light- 

 hearted for he has reason to be proud of his 

 success though heavily laden, he takes his 

 way homeward; and there does he, for the 

 first time, note how rapidly the hours have 

 fled. He came out about two in the after- 

 noon, just thinking to try if the trout would 

 rise, as there had been a shower in the 

 morning, and the water was a little coloured ; 

 and he now perceives, that the sun, which is 

 shedding a flood of glory through the rosy 

 clouds that for half an hour before partly 

 obscured his rays, will in ten minutes sink 

 behind the western hill, although it be the 

 twenty-first of June. Involuntarily he stands 

 for a while to gaze upon the scene. Every 

 thing around him, in the solitude of the hills 

 for there is no human dwelling within five 

 miles appears quiet and composed, but not 

 sad. The face of nature appears with a cha- 

 stened loveliness, induced by the departing 

 day; the winds are sleeping, and so are the 

 birds lark and linnet, blackbird and thrush; 

 the leaves of the aspen are seen to move, but 

 not heard to rustle : the bubbling of the 



