Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-11-22
CHRISTOPHER NORTH.
An INTERESTING CHAPTER on THE
SCOTTISH WALTON.
The Humanity That Fills the Breast
Of the Average Angier-MethOdsO of
FishiDg-Faculty for Contri,nnce
In Emergency.

There is a tradition that Imperial Nero,
of ever-notorious memory, was an eX-
pert angler The tradition. which bears
the imprimatur of no less chromcler
han Suetonius, has. it is pitiful TO say,
been used as libel on numberiess gene
rations Of the disciples OF the gentle art,
both before and. To some extent, after
Walton's time. But. If the Islander was
only scotched by the publication Of the
"Compleat Angler" it was unquestionably
slain out-and-Out by the redoubtabie au-
thor OF the "NOctes Ambrosianae. And
so. the assertion that a genuine hu-
manity invariably fills the breast OF the
average angler and dominates all ms
dongs, not only by the margin of the
pastime, but also amid the Maynard tides
and currents of life and experience.
is surely in no danger OF ever again
helms reiuted, even Ia spite OF the cruel
tradition referred to. what a debt OF
gratitude. therefore. DO anglers owe 10
the two champions VINO have rendered
such signal service to one OF the most
delightful pastimes ever inventcd-tne
enc. Il simple. unpretentiOus English
man. whose famous book Was given 10
The world as kind Of literary aftermath
90 busy life. spent, most Of 81, amid Tie
noise OF Fleet street, the other,
strong. robust. resoiute Scot. who 50
successfully leashed his philosophy and
his sport together. as he ran mes race,
Tat lie won for himself the unique dis
a. CtIOu OF being FOR all time remembered
by as countrymcn as not only The Pro
= klff flfrf
To be held In such high and loving re-
gard by their countfymen, TO be 50 well
esteemed by all who admire pure and
entertaining literature OF the highest sort
lsaak Walton ana Christopher North had,
perlOrCc. to be characters Of dll-rOund
STERLING worth and genuineness. To the
peculiar charm Of their respective lite
rary writings (what a dclghtful opcn-air
feeling there Is about then-tne O1or OF
the meadow and the breeze Of the hill
sideD there required 10 be added the
personal qualifications of natural sound
ness and wholesomeness Of physique and
temperament, thus giving 10 the picture
OF each writer its adequate and aIprO-
pirate setting. Both men were exceed
imgly fortunate IN possessing these re-
quirements, and the "Compieat Angler
and "Noctes Ambrosianac.' alouS with
it, complement, christopher in His
Sporting Jacket" could only have been
written 10y men thus favored In these
respects, Christopher North has ap-
preached nearer to the Completeness" OF
lsaak Walton than any other sportsman
whose exploits with the rod have done
anything TO immortalize the gentle art.
In each there was the same youthful
ardor and buoyancy OF disposition. the
same happy spirit that was ever eager to
find
Tongues in trees, books In the running
brooks.
Sermons in stones, and good In every
lin everything unless. perhaps. when
the hostel cider ran sour or when the
still at Tibbie Shiels's proved unequal
to the demands that were. ii has been
alleged. ofttimes made upon it,
A spae-wife would have had IL that
Christopher North John WILSON, was
born lucky loon" IL was "A blast O.
Janwar Wind' that blew harsol in on
Robert Burns. The "Ettrick Shepherd
(of whom more anon was ushered into
this world, like his great plouShman-prO-
totype on tempestuous. wintry day.
and was. moreover, proud Of the fact.
Even Thomas Carlyle first opened his
eyes on this theatre OF shams and fOllies
on "drear-nlghted December away
yonder on the cold uplands OF Anandale.
But the author OF the "Noctes Ambro-
sianae." "a with better appreciation of the
worlds good cheer. came in" with that
charming season Of the year he loved so
well-when the May-fies dance on the
twlnkling stream wherein the lusty trout
are darling hither and th.ther, even while
the wary angler is nigh.
BELIEF IN ASTROLOGY.
Himself a believer in astroloRy, and
student Of the mystic signs young Chris
tOpher-with 10 'musty -tusty cuisines
about him then,-may be- truly said 20
have been born under the ben'pnest Ok
skyey influences In his parentage In his
physical ana moral disposition. ia his
youthful upbringing and enyironment-in
each advantage there was bciokeuea for
the pOssessor more than common pOssi-
bility OF power and success. Al OH eve. Is,
i'm these Fundamentals as We say IN
Scotland. he was exceptionally fortunate.
Moreover, the fact that h. had when
arrived at early manhood, and a very
critical period OF ms career when be
assumed a grave responsibility involving
the happiness Of others beside himself
TO win his own way in the world. like
many "a Paisley man" before ana after
him aroused his spirit OF seli-reliance
deed. always a prominent feature 'f his
character Altogether, II may be- SAID
Of CHRISTOPHER North th-t the circLm-
stances attending the outset ana the
onset Of his life were unusually pfOni-
tious. and in great measure, account TOT
lis admirable results For. whether we
consider his achievements as poet. or
as a man Of letters alike In the creative
and critical sense. or as n university
professor OF one Of the Hottest sciences
that can occupy the human NINA. Or as
a sportsman adept at almost every sort
Of healthy and manly sport. he stood
"a buirdly chier'-head and shoulders
above most Of his contemporaries. And
10 rs. looking back through the decades
that have elapsed since lie passed on.
his most interesting and commanding Ag-
ure seems still TO tower az hish as ever
II did at least, in the estimation or his
countrymen.
II is. however. as a sportsman, but
mos especialy in the character or the
Scottish high-prest of the gentle craft
which he bore so worthily, that We have
more particularly to do with Christopher
North at present. OF his other sports
an-proficiencies-wit his gun on moor
or fell. or his feats with his fists. or his
character as an athlete who could DO
almost anything possib 70 human hardi-
hood and endurance-we shall have litte
10 tell in the mean time, exc nt TO endorse
the dlctum of his contemporaries mat
all In all, he was one OF tha most re-
markable men ever known, in so far as
his mental powers were the complement
Of his great physical force and proves.
The Samsons OF mankind are. for the
most mart dolts and dunderheads; where
% tho highest lntellccts are often en-
cased in the weakest frames. In Chris
tonher North there was that combination
of mental strength and bodily vigor
which Is only 20 be met with at the rarest
intervals in the history OF our race.
What Isaak Walton achieved for his be-
loved pastime in England has been. in
some measure, done for IL by Christopher
North in the land OF the mountain and
the Hood" Both men have, once and for