PARTING WORDS ON SPORT. 483 



asked by a class-fellow to spend a part of the vacation with 

 him on the banks of a noted salmon-river. The water being 

 in excellent ply, the host intended for his friend the intense 

 delight of hooking a salmon. What was his chagrin after 

 breakfast next day, to find him under the shade of a huge tree 

 surrounded by his tomes, and perfectly callous to all else ex- 

 cept their absorbing contents ! A remonstrance only brought 

 down the retort that, " Apart from the cruelty, what amuse- 

 ment could there be in slaughtering fish or birds ? For his 

 part he could see none." Had these two lads exchanged occu- 

 pations for the day, in place of sport it would have been 

 misery to both. 



A few years ago I paid a visit at a country-house, the pro- 

 prietor of which was a sagacious and successful merchant. 

 The shooting was good and varied, and a large party was ar- 

 ranged for a beat of the coverts, but " the Laird " did not join 

 it. Next day, when driven by my host's coachman to the 

 railway station, I said, " Your master does not seem to care 

 much for the gun." " Bless you, sir, he cares more for doing 

 a smart stroke of business than for all the shooting in the 

 county ! " 



When I was a youth, a London belle of the first water 

 married the owner of large Highland possessions, compre- 

 hending, among other wild sports, superior salmon-angling. 

 She became a noted rod-fisher, and used often to affirm that 

 one season on the river was worth half-a-dozen in London. 

 Whether she would have thought so before her marriage is 

 doubtful ; but, as a matron, she afforded a fair instance of 

 what Chalmers forcibly calls " the expulsive power of a new 

 affection." 



Those who occupy the front rank of the various walks of 

 life, as well as the men and women who follow music and 

 painting as a profession, live in an atmosphere of excitement. 

 In comparison with these pursuits, all other sport is tame to 



