THE COMPLETE ANGLER 285 



thus I put on my wings ; thus I twirl and lap on my 

 dubbing; thus I work it up towards the head; thus I 

 part my wings ; thus I nip my superfluous dubbing 

 from my silk ; thus fasten ; thus trim and adjust my fly ; 

 and there's a fly made ; and now how do you like it ? 



VIAT. In earnest, admirably well, and it resembles a 

 fly : but we about London, make the bodies of our flies 

 both much bigger and longer, so long as even almost to the 

 very beard of the hook. 



Pise. I know it very well, and had one of those flies 

 given me by an honest gentleman, who came with my 

 father Walton to give me a visit ; which (to tell you the 

 truth) I hung in my parlour window to laugh at : but, 

 Sir, you know the proverb, " They who go to Rome must 

 do as they at Rome do ; " and believe me, you must 

 here make your flies after this fashion, or you will take no 

 fish. Come, I will look you out a line, and you shall put 

 it on, and try it. There, Sir, now I think you are fitted ; 

 and now beyond the farther end of the walk you shall 

 begin : I see, at that bend of the water above, the air 

 crisps the water a little : knit your line first here, and then 

 go up thither, and see what you can do. 



VIAT. Did you see that, Sir ? 



Pise. Yes, I saw the fish : and he saw you too, which 

 made him turn short. You must fish further off, if you 

 intend to have any sport here ; this is no New River, let 

 me tell you. That was a good trout, believe me : did 

 you touch him ? 



VIAT. No, I would I had, we would not have parted 

 so. Look you, there is another : this is an excellent fly. 



Pise. That fly I am sure would kill fish, if the day 

 were right : but they only chew at it, I see, and will not 

 lake it. Come, Sir, let us return back to the fishing- 

 house : this still water, I see, will not do our business to- 

 day : you shall now, if you please, make a fly yourself,* 



* To make a fly is so essential, that he hardly deserves the name 



