ANGLING REMINISCENCES. 6? 



tendest with thyself alone. Spake I against thy 

 dictum, Jack? Not in any wise. I decried no 

 measure of that natural and soul-stirring music 

 thou art propping so vigorously. 'Tis the core of 

 what I venerate, and shame be to the man who 

 injures or assails it ! No, Jack, 'twas to the modern 

 innovations I directed my enmity to the mystical 

 machines which fabricate our popular combinations 

 of notes and quavers to the German <and Italian 

 natures which are grafted upon our orchestras, and 

 have drunk up the sap and spirit of what is na- 

 tionally ours. The taste is low fallen, indeed 

 which prefers to the artless simplicity of olden 

 music the corrupt and insipid substitutes so infa- 

 tuatedly cherished by the amateurs of the day. 

 But thy song, Jack thy stave and, mind thee, 

 no extra flourishes or off- shews. 



[LEISTER sings.'] 



Sing, sweet thrushes, forth and sing ! 



Meet the morn upon the lea ; 

 Are the emeralds of spring 



On the anglers' try sting- tree ? 

 Tell, sweet thrushes, tell to me, 

 Are there buds on our willow tree ? 



Buds and birds on the trysting-tree ? 



