10 MERITS OF FLY-FISHING. 



admirable, unerring, and tally in delightful diver- 

 sity. The smooth waters of lowland rivers and. 

 ponds afford the placid bottom-fisher his sport. 

 The mountain torrents and lakes hold the quarry 

 the active fly-fisher is ambitious of capturing. 

 The broad, straight, even thoroughfares of the 

 world afford comfort and competence, acquired 

 bit by bit by efforts, slightly but sufficiently 

 stimulating to fresh and repeated exertion. The 

 narrow, precipitous paths of life lead to fame, 

 high honours, and high rank ; and the ascent, 

 rendered enchanting by the allurements of am- 

 bitious hope, is gained by daring activity, which 

 never flags but for breath to bound onward more 

 and more bravely. The accessible streams that 

 meander soothingly through soil for the sickle 

 and scythe, yield to the industrious bottom-fisher 

 a full pannier by a slowly and pleasantly accu- 

 mulating process. The fly-fisher, with haply a 

 few casts of his artificial baits, surcharges his ca- 

 pacious creel with salmon or trout, whose retreat 

 in waters rushing by crag and fell he has attained 

 by paths which none, save the sportsman intent 

 on high game, would choose to tread. 



I have now run rapidly through the salient 

 merits of fly-fishing. With less precipitation, I 

 will explain the practice of it. 



