THE COMPLETE ANGLER 105 



that means they rob themselves of that pleasure that 

 hunger brings to poor men." And I do seriously approve 

 of that saying of yours, " that you would rather be a civil, 

 well-governed, well-grounded, temperate, poor angler, 

 than a drunken lord." But I hope there is none such ; 

 however, I am certain of this, that I have been at many 

 very costly dinners that have not afforded me half the 

 content that this has done, for which I thank God and 

 you. 



And now, good master, proceed to your promised 

 direction for making and ordering my artificial fly. 



Pise. My honest scholar, I will do it ; for it is a debt 

 due unto you by my promise. And because you shall 

 not think yourself more engaged to me than indeed 

 you really are, I will freely give you such directions as 

 were lately given to me by an ingenious brother of the 

 angle, an honest man, and a most excellent fly-fisher.* 



You are to note, that there are twelve kinds of artificial 

 made flies, to angle with upon the top of the water. 

 Note, by the way, that the fittest season of using these, 

 is a blustering windy day, when the waters are so troubled, 

 that the natural fly cannot be seen, or rest upon them. 

 The first, is the dun-fly, in March : the body is made 

 of dun wool ; the wings, of the partridge's feathers. 

 The second, is another dun-fly ; the body of black 

 wool : and the wings made of the black drake's feathers, 

 and of the feathers under his tail. The third, is the 

 stone fly, in April : the body is made of black wool ; 

 made yellow under the wings and under the tail, and 

 so made with wings of the drake. The fourth, is the 

 ruddy-fly, in the beginning of May : the body made of 

 red wool, wrapt about with black silk ; and the feathers 

 are the wings of the drake : with the feathers of a red 



* Walton knew very little about fly-fishing. In this passage he 

 admits his ignorance, by stating that the instructions he gives the 

 scholar are derived from " an ingenious brother of the angle." The 

 instructions are curious, but by no means useful. E. 

 100 D * 



