66 FISH AND PISHING. 



Shepherd goes on to illustrate his subject in the following 

 fashion. I was once in a remote loch in Appin, and in the 

 burn that ran from it ; when I remarked to my associate, 

 who was a stern Radical rather a stern character among 

 the Stuarts of Appin, 



" Is it not a strange thing, Mr. Stuart, that if the small 

 fishes begin to rise at the fly, as they are doing to-day, it 

 is very rare that you ever raise a large one ; and on the 

 contrary, if the large ones begin to rise, you never raise a 

 small one ? " 



" It is very true," said he ; " and I have noted it in 

 all my life." 



" So have I," returned I ; " but to assign any specious 

 reason for it is beyond my capacity." 



" ! what is it, sir ; said he, " but a species of that 

 detestable tyranny which pervades all nature, the rich 

 always lording it over the poor, and the strong over the 

 weak? But, then, a secondary power is always more 

 arbitrary than a first ; for you will observe, that when 

 the salmon are astir and rising, the little fishes rise 

 fearlessly likewise : but when the secondary sort are upon 

 the look-out, they hide themselves, and not one of them 

 is to be seen." 



His theory is nonsense as far as regards the fishes ; 

 nevertheless the illustration is true, but must depend on 

 the lens of the eyes in small and large fishes, and likewise 

 those of a medium power. However, among mankind, 

 there is not the least doubt that a delegated power is 



