I heard on all sides your slow and broad northern pronunciation,
which was to me the tone of a foreign land. I am sensible I
myself have since that time acquired Scotch in perfection, and
many a Scotticism withal. Still the sound of the English
accentuation comes to my ears as the tones of a friend; and even
when heard from the mouth of some wandering beggar, it has seldom
failed to charm forth my mite. You Scotch, who are so proud of
your own nationality, must make due allowance for that of other
folks.

On the next morning I was about to set forth to the stream where
I had commenced angler the night before, but was prevented by a
heavy shower of rain from stirring abroad the whole forenoon;
during all which time, I heard my varlet of a guide as loud with
his blackguard jokes in the kitchen, as a footman in the shilling
gallery; so little are modesty and innocence the inseparable
companions of rusticity and seclusion.

When after dinner the day cleared, and we at length sallied out
to the river side, I found myself subjected to a new trick on the
part of my accomplished preceptor. Apparently, he liked fishing
himself better than the trouble of instructing an awkward novice
such as I; and in hopes of exhausting my patience, and inducing
me to resign the rod, as I had done the preceding day, my friend
contrived to keep me thrashing the water more than an hour with a
pointless hook. I detected this trick at last, by observing the
rogue grinning with delight when he saw a large trout rise and
dash harmless away from the angle. I gave him a sound cuff,
Alan; but the next moment was sorry, and, to make amends, yielded
possession of the fishing-rod for the rest of the evening, he