NORTHERN MEMOIRS. 307 



proportion of flies ; for I hate tautologies, be- 

 cause hateful in themselves ; and there's nothing 

 more troublesom to an ingenious artist, than to 

 be glutted by telling a story twice. The trout, 

 therefore, judicially considered, his mouth is not 

 by much so large as the salmon's, nor requires 

 he so copious nor so large a hook, nor need his 

 tackle be so robust and strong. But for the rod 

 and line, take care, that they in all respects be 

 exactly tapered. And to hit the mark as near 

 as may be, let care be taken that the line in 

 every part be equally stretch'd, and the steel of 

 your hook of an even temper ; nor matters it 

 how light you are arm'd at the hook ; so that 

 on the surface, when you flourish your fly, be 

 sure that you gain the head of the stream ; and 

 if possible, the wind, to facilitate your cast. But 

 if the ground-bait be your exercise, then let the 

 length of your line seldom or rarely exceed the 

 rule of your rod : whilst the fly- diversion grants 

 a larger charter, distance and dimension also 

 come under the consideration of every artist that 

 is mindful to measure exact proportion, by con- 

 cealing himself from the streams he sports in. 

 So that if at any time the fly fails of success, as 

 frequently it has happened to my self and others, 

 let the angler then have recourse to the ash- 

 tree-grub, the palmer-worm, caterpillar, green 

 or gray drak, the depinged grasshopper, or that 



