278 FISHES AND FISHING. 



whilst holding his prize, with great exultation at his 

 good fortune, the fish gave a caper, the knot slipped, 

 and the carp descended into his native element, to the 

 great vexation of the poor angler, whom I think 

 every one who saw it pitied very sincerely. A type 

 of this world, when we think our labours have been 

 crowned with success, it all dissolves, and "like the 

 baseless fabric of a vision, leaves not a rack behind." 

 Anglers form a most numerous and influential 

 class of the community ; but for every respectable one 

 who can afford to fish any day in the week he may 

 think proper, there are probably fifty respectable 

 individuals who cannot devote any other time than a 

 portion of Sunday to their favourite sport, which in 

 duces them to go into the country, whereby they 

 cleanse their lungs from the foul air they have 

 breathed for the previous six days ; and there are an 

 equal number of the inferior class who are attached 

 to this amusement. Now taking the whole of the 

 disciples of Izaak Walton, there cannot be found a 

 more quiet, orderly, and temperate set of men than 

 they are ; and though I am not a Sunday angler my 

 self, 'yet I know many most moral worthy men whoare ; 

 and feeling as I do that angling is truly the contempla 

 tive man's recreation, and that the wisest and best of 

 men in all ages, distinguished for amenity of temper, 

 scientific attainment?, and unaffected piety of life, 



