24 Wet-Fly Fishing 



large body of water, like the Tweed, at 

 least, in its lower reaches. He either was 

 so wedded to waters that he did not care 

 much for rivers, or he was unable to alter 

 his methods. The fact remains, that his 

 fame was that of a fisher of " waters" 

 rather than of " rivers." 



Stewart confessed his inferiority to James 

 Baillie (the professional), and refers to him 

 in glowing terms in his work. I remember 

 Stewart quite well, but only by sight. I 

 once heard Baillie's brother play the violin 

 in his cottage. He was gifted musically 

 to a wonderful degree for a man who was 

 wholly self-taught. Both of the brothers 

 Baillie, thus, were evidently men of genius ; 

 but alas ! theirs was the kind of genius of 

 which the Poet wrote 



" Genius left to shiver 

 Died, it is said, 

 On the bank of that River." 



Adam Dryden was also a very success- 

 ful, but professional, fisher of waters, and 

 his tiny book, " Hints to Anglers," is well 

 worth perusal. It is out of print, but can 

 be picked up occasionally at bookstalls. 

 Stewart, Baillie, and Dryden frequented 

 and loved the same type of streams, in the 

 south of Scotland ; as who does not ? 



