FISHES AND FISHING. 21 



Some time before we left our delightful home, a 

 succession of farewell dinners, or suppers, were in- 

 terchanged between my family and our local friends, 

 at which I was always present. One of these enter- 

 tainments was at the house of a Mr. Latham, our 

 medical attendant, and he amused us in the evening 

 with some experiments in electricity, which made a 

 great impression upon my mind, young as I was, and 

 induced me to study the science when I became older ; 

 and I think it can be proved, that I have carried its 

 successful medical application far beyond any other 

 person. 



At last came the sad morning of our departure. 

 The chaise was engaged to go throughout, as we had 

 much luggage ; and after travelling post about thirty- 

 five miles (no trifle then), we arrived, one chilly night 

 in the month of April, at cheerless furnished lodgings, 

 where everything was so different to the happy home 

 I had left, that I felt quite wretched, and went to 

 bed with a very heavy heart. In the morning I ac- 

 companied my parents to see the village, the mill, 

 and its dependencies, and to look for a house. My 

 mother felt so acutely the difference between our 

 former and present situation, that, in the bitterness 

 of her heart, she declared this village must be the 

 very last place which was created, when everything 

 good had been used up. 



