THE COMMON TROUT. 29 



gilant eye and a diligent hand over him ; for patience 

 is not only an exercise, but an excellence in anglers, 

 provided they fall not asleep at their vocation, es- 

 pecially when angling or trolling with the ground 

 bait ; which, upon probate, proves most profitable, 

 after gluts of rain and discoloured waters : nor is 

 this ground bait, otherwise than a worm, variously 

 discoursed by me at several times, and in sundry 

 places. For that end (to avoid repetitions) where 

 the worm fails of success, make trial of the minnow, 

 in sharps and scours, by dragging at the bottom or 

 in mid water ; which, if performed (with the swivel), 

 by the hand of an artist, he shall seldom, or rarely 

 fail of success. 



But for the fly fishing, if that be the artist's in- 

 tention, let me soberly advise him to solicit mo- 

 derate winds, rather than intemperate and violent 

 gusts. Rally my reasons and sum them up ; you 

 will find them more copious in my former conference, 

 where at large I discourse and decipher both the 

 shape, colour, and the proportion of flies ; for I hate tau- 

 tologies, because hateful in themselves, and there 

 is nothing more troublesome to an ingenious artist, 

 than to be glutted by telling a story twice : the trout 

 therefore, judiciously 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 or 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 stretched, 



