another severe contest, and foiled two determined efforts at escape down an impassable rapid, and when compelled to follow him. through some very rough water, did it in a masterly style, standing erect in the canoe, which was ably handled by the two Chamberlains, and guiding the fish through the safest channel. Nearly an hour had been expended, and the fish, almost exhausted, made one last effort to reach the next rapid, and being prevented, came alongside, feebly turning over and over. My friend unfortunately had put on a double leader and could not reel up short, so the salmon lay deep under water, dimly seen, when John attempted to gaff him. At that instant the fish turned, the gaff slipped, he made a rush into the current, and one cry from my friend, "There, he's off,' told the tale. The line sprung up into the air, we looked at one another in silence; the occasion was too sad for words. My friend sat down upon the rocks in despair; I felt for, but had no power to console him. At last, slowly and sadly, he broke the mournful silence : 'Let us go home,' he said; and we went." pp. 143, 144.

Now for the Thousand Isles," and a hunt along their enchanting shores and channels for a surlier sort of these divers into dark holes and frequenters of obscure hiding-places.

66 My boatman struck well in toward the Canadian shore; but although we crossed places where he had had wonderful success on many a previous occasion, and of which there were extraordinary stories of mascallonge, our luck had deserted us. However, perseverence was rewarded; suddenly my hand-line was taughtened as though it had struck a log; for a moment it was still, then I felt the motion of the fish. The boatman instantly dropped his oars and reeled in as quickly as possible the other lines—just in time; for the fish, feeling he was caught, made one rush directly toward us. I drew in the line hand over hand, to have something to give out when he should make away again, but not nearly so fast as he moved. He passed close to us; we could see the broad back, the long nose, the fierce eye, the mighty length of the mascallonge.

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"Turn the boat broadside toward him,' I whispered as he passed. Away he went, the slack of the line hissed through the water as his increasing distance took it up, and partially deadened his way as he reached the end of it and came against the light though steady strain with which I held it. Giving to him, at first readily then more sparingly I again turned him; this time he did not approach so near, but swung round well in-shore. Then, with a sudden rush, he came straight on, and flashed directly beneath the bottom of the boat. If

the line once touched the rough surface, or caught in a splinter of the wood, we knew it would part like pack-thread. The oarsman tried to swing her round; there was no time; hastily gathering a few coils, I threw them into the water at the stern, and passing the line over my head, anxiously watched them sink. Suddenly they were taken up, the line in my hand taughtened and lifted out of water; it had not caught and that danger was past. The struggle lasted long; again and again he darted away; once he nearly exhausted my line, and compelled me to use considerable force, but generally I held the least possible strain on him. Finally, he made one grand rush, was foiled, allowed himself to be drawn alongside, and was neatly gaffed by the boatman.

"He was an immense fish, a triton even among pickerel of ten pounds. Beauty he certainly did not possess, but grandeur and ferocity marked every lineament. His huge head, immense jaws, and terrible teeth, his long, narrow body, large fins, and broad tail, and above all, his fierce; gleaming, savage eye, marked him as the undisputed master of the fresh waters. His enormous size and prodigious strength, the latter exemplified by his nearly springing over the gunwale, indicated that he had no match even in our extensive lakes, while his merciless ferocity, that would spare neither large nor small, friend nor foe, was but too apparent. His weight, as afterward ascertained, was thirty-five pounds, and his length was excessive proportionally to other fish. Although he fought well, he had not exhibited in the water the vigor he did out of it. Now that his fate was sealed, he lashed about, struggled and flounced as though his capture had just commenced, and scarcely showed an intimation of approaching death or surrender. It appears to be a peculiarity of the pickerel family that they exhibit their courage and strength too late, waiting till they are manacled before they fairly rouse themselves to the emergency. Their efforts consequently afford little pleasure to the sportsman or profit to themselves." pp. 195— 197.

This " peculiarity" does not belong exclusively to "the pickerel family." It has been the infirmity of other better educated people, as well, and we fear will continue to cripple more important issues than the deliverance of even so stout a denizen of the floods from bondage and death. "Courage and strength are good for fish or flesh just as they are put forth at the right time and in the right way. "Waiting to be manacled" before rousing oneself to the emergency" is bad enough in a pickerel: but when it becomes the folly of a church or nation of

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free and considerate men and women, a very small tragedy suddenly enlarges and intensifies itself into an unspeakably pitiable and terrible catastrophe. But, we are a fishing now, and not a talking. Before we pull in and reel up our lines we must scud out on the salt wave a furlong or two, and lay into the bottom of our boat a brace of striped bass-we have eaten delicious ones along the coast from Manomet to Sandwich, and nothing which swims the sea is more toothsome when skillfully dressed.

"In striking a bass you cannot be too quick, and when fishing with a float your line will sink in the water and enable you to trip the float and fix the hook at once. The fish must then be kept well in hand; but never exhibit severity unless compelled by circumstances; be rough, and the fish will be rough; be gentle, and he will come to you like a friend. Keep him from the rocks and bottom if possible; but give to his wilful rushes till he is content to listen to reason. By this course you will avoid feeling often that sinking of the heart that follows when the strain suddenly ceases on your line, and you know he has escaped." pp. 215, 216.

This last touch is pathetic. The author has our experimental sympathy. We hardly know a more mortifying and depressing sensation than just that glimpse of the flashing tail of a ten or twenty pounder making head foremost for the bottom when your line so suddenly takes an unexpected lift in the contrary direction. We wonder the Country Parson did not make a telling point of this in his "Gone." Certainly it would have helped towards the superlative that "feeling of blankness" of which this monosyllable of the auction-block is so suggestive. He might have done a worse thing, moreover, than to have discoursed a half page concerning this very kind of disappointment in his paper on "Resignation." Fishermen from Simon Peter downwards have needed a large inlay of this special grace, as that traditional individual (always attempting the impracticable) proved so thoroughly who is said to have spent a considerable part of his life sitting on a rock, bobbing for whales. But we must shake a parting hand with our friend of the rod and line, thanking him for his exhilarating companionship, and commending not less the gentle spirit of this true sentiment,

which should never be forgotten in the ardor of these recreations:

"The man who kills to kill, who is not satisfied with reasonable sport, who slays unfairly or out of season, who adds one wanton pang, that man receives the contempt of all good sportsmen and deserves the felon's doom. Of such there are but few." p. 36.

Within this reservation, we regard the pursuits chronicled on these pages sanctioned by the original permission of the Creator of all things to man, to "have dominion over the fish of the sea," as well as over fowl and cattle and all animal life. We add this proof-text, remembering the criticisms which good, kind-hearted people sometimes venture, in our public prints, especially about vacation-time, upon the alleged unclerical and unchristian character of these and similar pastimes. We do not see it in that light.

ARTICLE V.

JOHN CALVIN.

FROM the time that Calvin made up his mind to return to Geneva, and this decision was acquiesced in by those whose permission he thought it necessary to obtain, in order that his conscience might be freed from all doubt, a deep conviction seems to have taken possession of his soul, that this was the field of labor appointed to him by God. As he never would have left it at first unless compelled, so he did not afterwards feel himself entitled to forsake it, either impelled by discouragements and difficulties there encountered, or won by hope of usefulness elsewhere. The magistrates of Geneva in their circular letter, entreating the intercession of the other churches of Switzerland in their behalf, had thus expressed themselves: "We are as it were the very gate of Italy and France, and a place from which either wonderful edification or ruin may proceed." This fact

was profoundly realized by Calvin. It was in full earnest that he entered upon his work, with a deep and stern sense of respon sibility, which carried him far above the reach of ordinary motives and impulses, and enabled him to face boldly and withouflinching, practical questions of the greatest and most awful moment, which there presented themselves before him for solution. A certain timidity which was native to him' vanished in the presence of danger, and was otherwise more than counterbalanced by that decision which was one of the most prominent traits in his character.

It was at his very first interview with the magistrates and immediately on his arrival, that Calvin represented the necessity of setting about the work of ecclesiastical ordinances. They passed a resolution that they would apply themselves to it without delay, and appointed six commissioners to assist the ministers in drawing up a set of ecclesiastical ordinances, and rules of life which were afterwards to be submitted to the government of the city, and the general assembly for their approval. The record adds: "Resolved also to retain Calvin here always." His salary was soon after assigned him at five hundred florins, (about forty-five dollars,) twelve measures of corn, and two tuns of wine. They furnished him also with a house and garden. The relative value of money was of course much greater then than it now is. Nearly one half of this salary he afterwards voluntarily surrendered, while he several times refused presents that were offered him by the council in consideration of his extraordinary services, or of sicknesses; and when he was finally disabled from attending to the duties of his office he gave up his usual stipend altogether. Yet he was not able to avoid the imputation of amassing riches. People circulate ridiculous stories (says he) respecting my treasures, my great power, and my wealthy sort of life. But if a man satisfies himself with such simple fare, and such common clothing, and does not require more moderation in the humblest than he himself exercises, how can it be said that he is a spendthrift, and fond of self-display? My death will prove what they would not believe in my life." And so it turned out, indeed. It is said that the cardinal Sadoletus was at one time much surprised, when, as he was travelling incognito through Geneva and feeling a desire to

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