154

QUOTATIONS ON ANGLING.

much more indebted to the dexterity of our fingers, than the guidance of our eyes in fixing the bait properly."

"What a happy thought that was of Shakespeare, in the very play you have just quoted, Sir," said Mr. Singleton, "to make Cleopatra addicted to so characteristic a sport, where she says:—

"Give me mine angle, - -we 'll to the river; there,
My music playing far off, I will betray

Tawny-finn'd fishes; my bended hook shall pierce
Their slimy jaws; and, as I draw them up,
I'll think them every one an Antony,
And say, Ab, ha! you 're caught.'"

"Yes," said Lucy England; "and her attendant reminding her of a trick she once played Antony:

""Twas merry when

You wager'd on your angling; when your diver
Did hang a salt-fish on his hook, which he

With fervency drew up."

While little George and the other children were laughing at this whimsical notion, Mr. Warden was bidding Mr. Rightley good morning, with thanks for the information he had given them, and apologies for the disturbance of his sport, saying he had borne the interruption with the true meekness of an angler inspired by the advice of old Izaak, when he bids them "be patient and forbear swearing, lest they be heard, and so catch no fish."

"And pray," added he, "present my compliments to Mr. Meadows, and tell him I 'm sorry to find he has become so degenerate an angler. I hear he thinks more now of a quartett of Beethoven than of all the fish in the Thames."

“Ah!” sighed Mr. Rightley, "very different from those glorious days of ours I was telling you of; I'll be bound it's a packet of violoncello strings, or some new arrange

THE WALK RESUMED.

155

ment of Mozart's quartetts, just come down from London, that has kept him from joining me here this morning. Well, well; its all for the best; he gives me some capital musical evenings now, after my day's sport out of doors. You'd better join us in our music to-night, and bring your company with you."

Mr. Warden thanked him, explaining how they were engaged at home that evening, and begging him to come over to them, with Mr. Meadows, instead; and with this arrangement they parted.

Out-of-door Studies-The long Walk continued-Geology-Astronomy -Poetical Orreries - Botany - Drawing from Nature- FlowerGardening.

"I HOPE you are going to take us as far as the hill side, Papa, where the curious geological remains were found some time ago," said William, as they emerged from the copse with the trout-stream; "it is not only a very pretty walk along the meadows, across the corn-fields, by the lone farm-house the Grange,' you know-and so over the downs; but the hill itself would I think be very interesting to Mr. Singleton."

"I'm afraid, William," said his father, "that will be rather too extensive a walk for us to-day, certainly for some of our party; but we can stroll on in the direction as I want to introduce our friends to you propose, Mrs. Newton's beautiful flowers; and, as she will be coming over to our house about the time we reach there, she can

give a place in her carriage to any of our party who may have had walking enough."

"You seem interested in these geological remains you speak of, William," said Mr. Singleton; "do you know anything of geology? It is a delightful out-of-door study." "Very little indeed, Sir," answered William, "but that 'very little' makes me long to know more."

"It is, indeed, one of those fascinating branches of science that reward a man a hundred-fold, for the time he may bestow on its cultivation," said Mr. Singleton. "In travelling, for instance, how infinitely our pleasure may be enhanced by possessing some knowledge of the ground we are passing over; and instead of posting through a country with our senses packed up in a portmanteau, to use such faculties as we are blessed with, in adding to our stock of information and enjoyment."

"All the difference between eyes and no eyes,' as we are shown by the pretty story in the 'Evenings at Home,' said Mrs. Warden.

"With even a moderate knowledge of science, a man may be changed from a listless idler into an enquiring and useful observer," said Mr. Warden, "and may gain the power of converting a dull and dreary road into a district teeming with instruction and pleasure. He will soon acquire such habits of observation as will lead him to appreciate what he sees, and to express what he feels; and thus he becomes master of a sort of mental alchemy, transmuting things of 'low price' and slight estimation, into subjects of rich thought and value, by minute investigation and close regard."

"As witness the ineffably trivial topic selected by one of our most elegant essayists," said Mr. Singleton, "who has written a brilliant and eloquent dissertation 'on a pebble.""

"And to the mind of a geologist," said Mr. Warden, "this very pebble suggests images of the probable structure of our earth, strange secrets of its revolutions and changes, hints of its wondrous self-contained treasures, and indications of its true age and history."

"It has been well said," remarked Mr. Singleton, "that these fossils and petrifactions that were formerly collected as mere curiosities, are now to the globe itself what coins are to the history of its inhabitants; they denote the periods of revolution, and ascertain at least comparative dates."

"Yes," replied Mr. Warden, "and this it is which

BIRD'S FOOTPRINT, AND IMPRES- renders a previous acquaint

SION OF RAINDROPS.

ance with mineralogy so

essential to the geological student. His science, indeed, is confirmed by and bears relation to the whole range of natural knowledge, and a man deeply versed in the principles of chemistry, electri

city, zoology, conchology, comparative anatomy, and mathematics, is best fitted for a geologist; still, mineralogy is the absolute requisite as an introductory aid to geology, and has been aptly termed its alphabet."

"The student must at least be

DEVONIAN NAUTILUS.