MR. TINTERN 225 



clouds, had subsided. Mr. Tintern, however, being 

 too good-humoured to take Purdie's sarcasm to 

 heart, was so charmed with his success that he would 

 not join the leisterers, but preferred fishing with the 

 fly ; at the same time he delicately hinted to me, 

 that he thought there was something a little san- 

 guinary in the use of such a weapon, though he 

 owned that the invariable custom of knocking the 

 fish on the head immediately they were lifted made 

 their sufferings very short, and certainly, he thought, 

 not exceeding those of sheep and other animals in 

 the way they are commonly killed for the table. 



He then seceded, and I promised to join him at 

 Melrose. We went over the Webbs, and Craigover 

 boat-hole, setting nets and using various devices to 

 make the fish conceal themselves, in the way that 

 has been mentioned above. Upon the whole, we 

 were tolerably successful ; but having already 

 described the process of sunning, and being of a 

 compassionate disposition, I will trouble no one 

 with a relation of the particulars of our transactions, 

 especially as I mean to give a flaming description 

 of what is called " burning the water," towards the 

 end of these pages. 



I went home from Mertoun by Melrose Abbey, to 

 take Mr. Tintern along with me, according to agree- 

 ment. As he was in the habit of fishing and sketch- 

 ing alternately, I surmised he would establish himself 

 in the church-yard, and fall to work with his crayons : 

 nor was I deceived ; for when I came to the wicket 

 gate, I descried him very busy indeed ; whilst a 

 corpulent little gentleman in a snuff-coloured coat, 



