ANGLING REMINISCENCES. 15 



cause, 'mid their freedom from sorrows, they are 

 deprived alike of their joys. 



At the period of our introduction to this assem- 

 bly of ancients, it was evidently the purpose of our 

 grandsire, in conjunction with the other wise mem- 

 bers belonging to the C h Angling Club, to 



provide against the chances of its extinction by 

 drafting into it as many young recruits as they 

 possibly could muster. Accordingly, a week had 

 scarcely elapsed after our admission, when two 

 other candidates were proposed to the fraternity, 

 viz. Messrs Leister and Otter. These young gen- 

 tlemen were about the same age as ourselves. They 

 had both completed the ordeal of killing a Tweed 

 salmon, and we believe in a more honest fashion 

 than we did. 



Before enlarging upon their respective qualities, 

 we find ourselves compelled to take some notice of 

 the singular plan of reinforcement adopted by the 

 old members of the Angling Club. When formed 

 under the direction of our great-grandsire, the fra- 

 ternity consisted of twenty-five members, including 

 the president. To these it seems, by a standing 

 rule, no addition on any account was to be made, 

 and should a vacancy by demise, expulsion, or re- 

 signation, occur, it was not to be filled up without 

 the entire consent of the whole remaining members* 



It so chanced, that among these primitive bro- 

 thers of the craft was one Simon Cockle-pate, a 

 self-willed, obstinate, and opinionative bully, whose 



