MR. TINTERN. 215 



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 dis- 

 position, 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 u 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 sketching 

 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, with a cane in his 

 hand, was looking over his shoulder. As I thought some 

 amusing contrast of character would take place, I 

 listened to what was going on ; in fact, the little man's 

 gestures were so grotesque that I was willing to enjoy 

 them as long as possible. He would stand still and 

 look over the artist's paper with a scrutinising expres- 

 sion ; then he would draw back a little, and stamp his 



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