XVll. 



(Eato^.) — I informed you the little Work treated upon Bees, Pigeons, Rabbits, 

 and Canary Birds. Allow me simply to inform you all I know about Bees. On one 

 fine summer's evening,- about 50 years ago, a schoolfellow and I were going to a place 

 called the Pound, in the JSTew River, to bathe, in passing through Canonbury Fields we 

 stopped to see a gentleman who was at Fly Fishing with house flies, which he had in a 

 bottle, we were surprised how fast he caught the various fish ; we made up our minds 

 to try our luck at this new science of Fishing, for neither of us, I believe, had seen it 

 before, at all events, with such success ; I can almost fancy I now see us on the bank, 

 for I have a sti'ong recollection of the fact — although my schoolfellow, brother Bob, 

 (George Freeman), for we were two young disciples of old *'Izaac," is dead ; my much 

 respected old schoolfellow, Henry Major, and my self followed him to the grave — with our 

 traps ready to begin Fly Fishing ; we had stiff bottom rods, this was not from choice but 

 from necessity, we knew well what we stood in need of ; having our pockets oftener 

 to let than tenanted, I hope I may be spared the trouble of trying to impress it upon 

 your minds that we were poor, not from choice but from necessity. All being now 

 ready to commence Fly Fishing, we discovered we had made a little mistake, that of 

 coming -without the flies in the bottle ; we were too good pupils of old Izaac to be 

 daunted, owing to our forgetfulness, recollecting that hope and patience supports the 

 Fisherman. It Avas a beautiful fine evening when Ave saw the gentleman Fly Fishing ; 

 but the foUoAving evening when we thought of going at it, was bitter cold, we looked 

 round the fields and trees for May flies (although in June), or any other fly, we were 

 not particular, flies being scarce owing to the coldness of the evening, we looked hard 

 for flies, it was labour in vain ; we got disheartened for that evening and agreed to put 

 up our traps. I felt as though I wanted something to warm and waken me up ; at this 

 moment a Bee came flying by, I knocked it down with my hat, told my schoolfellow I 

 xpected to take a large Chub \rith it ; I almost imagined I heard the fish say to my 

 bait as I intended — I'll eat you, body and all ; I expected the hook would stick in his 

 giU or somewhere ; I was not pai-ticular, but reasoned that a large bait deserved a 

 large fish, I was sanguine in my mind I should catch a rum-un — so I did ; have a little 

 patience with me, I AviH teU you all about it, I was a good arithmetician, and under- 

 stood Cocker well for my age ; a little learning is a dangerous thing, — I was aware the 

 Bee had a sting, and supposed the fang or trunk in the head was the sting, but not be 

 wrong in my Cocker, and it is acknowledged in a multitude of council there is safety. 

 I consulted my brother Bob where its sting was, he pointed to me its fang or trunk, 

 which made me doubly sure and confirmed my opinion, (I thought two heads better than 

 one if they were only calves' heads, and then best hot, which they proved to be) ; 

 although I had knocked the Bee doAvn with my hat, I had only stunned it; being aware, 

 as I thought, where its sting was, and acting Avith the utmost caution, narrowly watch- 

 ing with my eyes his trunk, I proceeded Avith the corn-age of an Angler, but Avith an 

 especial eye (on its trunk lest it should sting me) to place it on the hook ; quick as 

 lightning I dropped my rod, as though red hot ; I was half way down the field on 

 one leg before you could have said " Jack Robinson," my brother Bob ran after me, to 

 know what was the matter ; do you suppose I could stop and tell him, — no more than 

 the man with the steam leg, — if it had been possible, I could have stopped, it would 

 have bothered me, not knowing myself; my brother Bob no doubt thought I was 

 crack'd ; he certainly was right this time, decidedly wrong as to where the sting 

 was ; I knew I was crack'd, it was very small, what it wanted in size was made up 

 with virulence. I have often thought of it in my sober moments. At last, my legs 

 Stop'd, when I came to my old school-fellow aU in a sweat — no doubt, a cold 

 sweat — I had a colour like a turnip, although my head red-hot ; we looked volumes at 

 each other, the subject would not do to dwell upon. It is said there is not any 

 mistakes in figures, although persons may be out in their Cocker ; I had several ideas 

 in this httle affair, I thought I wanted warming, and, waking up, I thought a large 

 bait deserved a large fish ; I made sure of catching a rum-un, 1 did not care where the 

 hook caught so it held fast, it was all carried out by the Bee hooking in the tender part 

 of the thumb — a Jack, a John, and a Flat — it might have been worse, it might have 

 jaw lock'd me. Several fly rods since then have come into my possession ; I believe I 

 never attempted since, whenever I see a Bee I am lost in wonder and astonishment 

 at it. Those beautiful words of Watts, How doth the little busy Bee, &c. — "How" 

 indeed, too big for Solomon to answer — comes to my mind, at the the same time always 

 keeping a respectful distance from them for auld lang syne ; I richly deserved all I 

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