6 ANGLING & ART IN SCOTLAND 



than most, as there is no need for him to mope in 

 the house, rain causing less discomfort to him than 

 to other sportsmen. 



I suppose the love of it must be born in a 

 man, or else he cannot become a good angler, nor 

 thoroughly appreciate its joys. This love, of course, 

 may remain latent in him during his youth, op- 

 portunities not having occurred to develop it ; 

 under such circumstances, the chance given him, 

 he may still become a skilful and enthusiastic 

 fisherman, even when he has arrived at life's half- 

 way-house. 



For my part, I was fortunate enough when 

 very young to live in a country where trout fish- 

 ing could be prosecuted to some advantage. There 

 were four of us brothers, all ardent fishermen ; 

 but, luckily for me, the profession of an artist has 

 permitted me to spend more time in the country 

 than was the case with the other three, thus 

 enabling me to devote more leisure than they to 

 the pursuit of the gentle art. 



It was in the Yorkshire dales that we received 

 our earliest education in angling ; and I can still 

 recall the feeling of triumph with which I hurled 

 my first trout over my head. In those days we 



