2 SALMONIA. 



Phys. — Of your own catching? 



Hal. — Yes, with the artificial fly. 



Phys. — I admire the fish, but I cannot 

 admire the art by which it was taken ; and I 

 wonder how a man of your active mind and 

 enthusiastic character can enjoy what ap- 

 pears to me a stupid and melancholy occu- 

 pation. 



Hal. — I might as well wonder in my turn, 

 that a man of your discursive imagination 

 and disposition to contemplation should not 

 admire this occupation, and that you should 

 venture to call it either stupid or melancholy. 



Phys. — I have at least the authority of a 

 great moralist, Johnson, for its folly. 



Hal. — I will allow no man, however great 

 a philosopher, or moralist, to abuse an occu- 

 pation he has not tried; and as well as I re- 

 member, this same illustrious person praised 

 the book and the character of the great 

 Patriarch of Anglers, Isaac Walton. 



Phys. — There is another celebrated man, 

 however, who has abused this your patriarch, 

 Lord Byron, and that in terms not very qua- 

 lified. He calls him, as well as I can recol- 



