244 TROUT FISHING 



circumstances and his moods. No matter how 

 single-eyed his devotion to the brave pastime, no 

 matter how remote the solitudes to which he retires 

 for its better prosecution, he can never wholly 

 be free from the possibility of collision with this 

 something, and it is just as well that he should 

 realise the fact and be prepared to accept it. 



It is not wise for a man to be betrayed into unseemly 

 wrath, unless he has a reasonable prospect of carry- 

 ing matters through with a high and heavy hand. 

 Nor is it well for a man to add fuel to the foolish 

 fire of mirth by obviously and ridiculously resenting 

 the guffaws of the uninstructed. Nor should the 

 discreet angler unguardedly permit himself, by 

 some scruple of weak politeness or uncalculating 

 good nature, to act on such advice as may at any 

 moment be proffered by any stray comer. Nor 

 should he suffer his strong mind to be unnerved by 

 the glare of apparently stony and critical eyes 

 directed upon his proceedings. Nor should he — 

 but it is needless to tabulate the many things which 

 are inadvisable. The main thing is that those 

 mentioned and the others implied are all likely to 

 come to a man to his undoing, unless he is prepared 

 to meet emergencies and to suffer untowardness 

 with some measure of philosophy, and even gladness. 



For this something is widespread and pervading. 

 You may meet it in curiously -topped stockings, 



