" SUN-SPEAKING. " 135 



Mr. Carlyle's Pythons, though not exactly of the same 

 mud species in which that distinguished but rather 

 eccentric writer delights. It lies stretched at full 

 length on the bottom, some dozen of yards in advance 

 of Dingey ; and perfectly composed apparently as 

 if Dr. Simpson had just applied the cambric and the 

 chloroform to its nose. Now, then, by the lightest 

 and gentlest touches of the spear on the water, lead 

 up Dingey till its stern stands in a perpendicular 

 line with the eel below. All this, remember, must 

 be done as gently and with as little effort as a swan 

 oars himself about on Thames or Trent. But before 

 giving instructions for the stroke, it may be necessary 

 to remind the tyro that there are such things as 

 " laws of refraction ; " and that the eel does not 

 exactly occupy the spot which our eye takes it for 

 granted it does. For the same reason, the spear- 

 handle, when let into the water, seems bent or out of 

 line. But I should hope the youthful pupil has got 

 up these little matters sufficiently well for his 

 " Civil Service Examinations " to save me the trouble 

 of further boring him on the subject, or airing 

 my optics. Making, therefore, the necessary allow- 

 ance for distance and refraction, let down the spear 

 gently but rapidly non m scd arte to within three 

 or four feet of the prey he will not stir a peg and 

 then, invoking St. George and the Dragon, strike 

 home like a Briton ! A peculiar convulsive shock, 



