28 DOWN THE BECK 



Walton carved his initials on Casaubon's tablet in 

 Westminster Abbey ; and yet again, like the 

 Laureate's brook, 



" Chattering over stony ways, 



With many a silvery waterbreak 



Above the golden gravel," — 



happy combination of elements from the diverse 

 nationalities that make up the English nation. It 

 distinguishes the names of the parishes through 

 which it passes in some places by the Norman 

 addition to them of " le beck," while they them- 

 selves frequently terminate, after the Scandinavian 

 fashion, in "by" (i.e., dwelling). However, as 

 there are in Lincolnshire alone two hundred and 

 twelve places which have this termination, the 

 exact locality of this particular beck can only be 

 dimly guessed ; and, sooth to say, if the angler has 

 a failing, it consists in a natural dislike to reveal the 

 exact situation of his favourite " stickles " to another. 

 Few objects in nature are so beautiful as running 

 water ; it soothes the mind as well as the eye, and 

 disposes to reflection, sobering the jar of contending 

 passions in the soul as it gleams along, always 

 different in its chequered eddies, and yet always 

 the same. The vegetation that springs on the 

 brink of a stream very much heightens its charms 

 to the true angler, who is always more or less of an 



