ON RAPID STREAMS. O 



'jrenial warmth of the summer sun stupidly sleep- 

 ing out an indolent existence. To watch their 

 gills in slow movement induces a yawn in face as 

 a whole there is a perceptible want of animation, 

 variety, and stimulus. Should chance lead him 

 to the stream of greater speed rolling along with 

 rapidity, now and then impeded at lengthened 

 intervals by accumulations of stones or other 

 artificial or natural barriers, sinuous in course, of 

 clear aspect, flowing through luxuriant valleys, 

 flanked by hills of gentle slope, adorned by woods 

 succeeding the rich pasture land of its banks, 

 indulging itself here and there in the calm repose 

 of a large pool, shaded with overhanging bushes, 

 where indeed fishermen delight and love to watch 

 the tempting waters, with the busy populace of 

 flies hovering over them, and the fat large-sized 

 trout on all sides greedily feeding on the lively 

 insect now bathing in, now hovering over the 

 sides of the eddies, or perhaps just burst its 

 chrysalis cell and dropping from the bough of an 

 overhanging tree in innocence to trust its epho- 

 meral body to instinctively attractive water, little 

 knowing that in close proximity is the watchful 

 trout, which presently opens wide his jaws, and 

 on a sudden the poor insect is extinct, and added 

 to the numbers now partially digested in the 

 gullet of the dainty fish, here indeed his occupation 

 and his thoughts will be more cheerful than when 

 on the sluggish stream; but if with this he is 

 always content, I pity him, for assuredlv he has 

 never felt the mirth-giving gaiety of the bubbling- 

 B 2 



