POUSSIN 177 



So soon as I had changed my tackle, my enthusi- 

 astic companion came sauntering up to me. I am 

 not quite clear that he was fully sensible of my 

 presence, for his heart seemed still to be amongst 

 the Apennines with Poussin. I made an attempt 

 to dislodge him, and bring him down to the level 

 of my own ideas. 



' You know/' said I, " that Caspar was a great 

 sportsman, though it is not probable that he ever 

 caught a salmon, which is a northern fish ; but if 

 you will condescend to transport yourself from the 

 banks of the Arno to those of the Tweed, and to 

 walk an hour or two with me, I think I can promise 

 that you shall see such a feat performed/' 



Stranger (abstractedly) : 



" Fluminaque antiques subterlabentia muros." 



" Come now, sink Virgil and the artist a little ; 

 put your sketch-book in your pocket, and let us see 

 what can be done with the salmon. Your quotations, 

 my dear sir, with your permission, will keep, as they 

 have kept, for ages 



' Adde tot egregias urbes.' 



No, no ; there are no eminent cities or towns here, 

 only Melrose and Gattonside ; and if you call these 

 ' egregias urbes/ you are egregiously mistaken/' 



He made no reply, but looked at me with a smile 

 that seemed directed at the simplicity and absence 

 of his own character. 



[i Now," said I, " as you seem to have descended 

 from your stilts, which I beg to say are very be- 

 coming, though somewhat out of season, I will tell 



