232 ON SURREY HILLS. 



CHAPTER VIII. 



MORE FISHING NOTES. 



There is a pleasure in going back, as we smoke 

 our quiet pipe in the corner of our own fireside, on 

 those expeditions for the capture of the gamesome, 

 if coarse, sort of fish ; memory calling up not only 

 the fish but the men ; those quaint characters, with 

 their tackle of a bygone day, whom Thackeray loved, 

 and even Lytton did not despise to take cognisance 

 of; who have often made Leech's drawings full of 

 flavour, and whose primitive manners and racy speech 

 gave added interest to water-side wanderings. Poor 

 old "fishing Billy," as he was always called! We 

 know him and his fraternity well. Some of these 

 quietly rest in the village churchyard ; but " rheu- 

 matiz " and lifelong habit leave as yet no rest to Billy, 

 who frequented the water-side so long, that at last his 



