44 RULES FOR TROUT-FISHING. 



I resolve to land him, or lose all I have. And now 

 I fancy him weary of life, as aged people that are 

 burdened with infirmities ; yet I want courage to 

 encounter him, lest fearing to lose him, which if I 

 do, I impair my reputation. However, here is no- 

 body but trees to reprove me, except these rocks, 

 and they will tell no tales. Well, then, as he wants 

 no agility to evade me, I'll endeavour with activity 

 to approach him : so that the difference between us 

 will be only this, he covets acquaintance with but 

 one element, and I would compel him to examine 

 another. Now he runs, to divert me, or himself; 

 but I must invite him nearer home, for I fancy no 

 such distance. Though his fins fag, his tail riggles, 

 his strength declines, his gills look languid, and his 

 mettle decreaseth, all which interpret tokens of 

 submission, still the best news I bring him is sum- 

 mons of death. Yet let not my rashness pre-engage 

 me to the loss of my game ; for to neglect my ru- 

 diments is to ruin my design, which, in plain terms, 

 is the destruction of this resolute fish ; who seem- 

 ingly now measures and mingles his proportion with 

 more than one element, and, doomed to a trance, 

 he prostrates himself on the surface of the calms, 

 dead to apprehension, save only I want credit to 

 believe him dead, when calling to mind my former 

 precipitancy, that invited me to a loss : and so may 

 this adventure prove, if I look not well about me, to 

 land and strand him on that shelf of sand, where I 

 resolve with my rod to survey his dimensions. Wel- 

 come ashore, my languishing combatant, if only to 

 entertain my friend Arnoldus." 



