And all that we suppos'd most fair Is but a mockery now; No beam illumes the silken hair That traced thy smiling brow. The cheerless dust upon thee lies, Death's seal is on thee set, But the bright spirit of thine eyes Shines o'er our mem'ry yet! As in some dark and hidden shell Lies ocean's richest gem, So in our hearts shall ever dwell The spells thou'st breath'd in them! Why should we weep o'er the young flow'rs That cluster on thy sod? Stars like them glow in heav'n's bright bow'rs To light thee up to God! R.A. * * * * * "TROUT BINNING" IN WEST-MORELAND.</h3< (_To the Editor of the Mirror_.) --"Now is the time, While yet the dark-brown water aids the guile, To tempt the trout." THOMSON. I have not yet done with this subject; and as it strikes me you are an angler, I think the article a seasonable _bait_ for you. I was certainly much entertained with your extracts from Sir Humphry Davy's _Salmonia_; and from your being pleased to mention my name in commenting on its merits, I took the hint, and resolved to send you another leaf from my journal. You will easily imagine the abundance of fish in Westmoreland when I inform you, that they seldom use the line there, except in rivers, since they can take them much easier with their hands as before mentioned. I will now account for the trout frequenting such small brooks. There are frequent floods in that county, at certain periods of the year, which sweep the fish in shoals from the mountain rivulets, or perhaps the fish always go down with the flood, for the rivers and rivulets are all well stocked afterwards; and in my opinion it is on account of the rivers being so full, that great quantities are obliged to inhabit the neighbouring brooks, all which empty themselves in the rivers. At the latter end of the year, that is, the spawning season, the large trouts (which are become very loose and flabby) take to the small brooks to deposit their spawn; after which they return to the rivers. At this time there are, in consequence, many young trouts, which remain, I should imagine, till next year, when I believe they go to the rivers; for during that time I have seldom caught trouts weighing more than from half a pound to a pound, though in such a "beck" as "Cannon's," which runs directly into the Eden, I have taken them at all times very large--and this is how I account for the difference. I should observe, that at the "_back end_" of the year, immensely large trouts may be caught, which come up to spawn; but they are generally, when caught, immediately thrown into their element again, as they are worth nothing, on account of the looseness of their flesh.