ANGLING. 255 



To those who have no feeling on this subject, angling 

 might be supposed to want that kind of excitement, 

 which we have described as necessary to healthful ex- 

 ercise. But if such an one will only just touch on the 

 subject, in presence of a " lover of the rod," he will find 

 his mistake ; for there is certainly not a more enthusias- 

 tic body of men on the subject of sportive recreations, 

 or rather recreation, than the anglers ; and to these 

 therefore it presents a source of all the mental exhilara- 

 tion, both as a conservative, and curative means, which 

 could be desired. 



But the uninitiated, and the ignorant, are ready to in- 

 quire, " From what source can this interest, this excite- 

 ment, arise ?" To which inquiry we will reply, for we 

 have more than once been witness to the intense feeling 

 which men of gravity, and of sound minds, exhibit on 

 such occasions. 



In the first place then, an early breakfast, and a ride 

 of several miles on a May morning, with the expectation 

 of a fine day, (that is, a little cloudy,) and fine luck, are 

 preliminaries by no means wanting in interest. 



When arrived at the trout-brook, there is the prepar- 

 ation of inserting the joints of the poles, of fixing the 

 lines, and eeeing to the bait, during which nothing else 

 can be thought of. JBut now the chief source of mental 

 excitement begins. 



The hook all baited, and ready, is thrown into the wa- 

 ter, and perhaps a bite is instantly felt ; or as is some- 

 times the case, possibly the Trout may jump out of the 

 water and seize it ; and who could avoid feeling at such 

 a beginningl What cold heart could remain unmoved 

 with such a crown of success ? But if no fish jumps up 

 to welcome the bait ; if no bite, not even a nibble is felt, 

 still the excitement does not fail, for what is not realized, 

 is every instant expected, and therefore from the very 

 nature of the case, the mind is constantly occupied, the 

 brain continually excited, and nothing but the expected 

 bite can be thought of. 



And then, after an early breakfast, a ride and a walk 

 along the limpid, gurgling stream, with the mind intense- 

 ly fixed on an object, then comes on an animal sensa- 

 tion, which after a while predominates over the mental 



