EASY-CHAIR MEMORIES 43 



were borne down by a picturesque mantle of 

 snow ; now they are clad in the most gor- 

 geous apparel of every shade of luscious 

 verdure. 



This morning my good genius, or I think 

 I may more truthfully say a kind Providence, 

 had led me by devious ways, through many 

 green lanes bordered by luxurious young 

 foliage, and landed me here, in one of the 

 sweetest little " fishing boxes " that one could 

 wish to see or dream of. 



My brother angler, my ancient friend, Izaak 

 Walton, as I have quite appropriately named 

 him (for when clad in angling apparel he 

 resembles him exactly), dwells here, in what 

 Keble calls his " green retreat," l and you may 

 be sure he welcomed me with all the dignity 

 and old-world courtesy naturally to be ex- 

 pected from the representative of such a 

 master. He is my senior by a fortnight; he 

 has three more grandchildren and three more 

 great-grandchildren than I have. He is my 

 master ; I am only his youthful pupil in the 



1 " O who can tell how calm and sweet 



Meek Walton ! shows thy green retreat." 



KEBLE. 



