6 SALMONIA. 



young ladies, I am told, is a most accom- 

 plished and skilful salmon fisher. And if 

 you require a poetical authority against that 

 of Lord Byron, I mention the philosophical 

 and powerful poet of the lakes, and the 

 author of 



" An Orphic tale indeed, 

 A tale divine, of high and passionate thoughts, 

 To their own music chaunted ;"* 



who is a lover both of fly fishing afnd fly fish- 

 ermen. Gay's poem you know, and his pas- 

 sionate love for the amusement, which was 

 his principal occupation in the summer at 

 Amesbury; and the late excellent John 

 Tobin, author of the Honey Moon, was an 

 ardent angler. 



Phys. — I am satisfied with your poetical 

 authorities. 



Hal. — Nay, I can find authorities of all 

 kinds, statesmen, heroes, and philosophers ; 

 I can go back to Trajan, who was fond of 

 angling. Nelson wasf a good fly fisher, and 



* The Friend, page 303, by S. T. Coleridge. 



f I have known a person who fished with him at 



