The Fourth Day 97 



darkest and least fly in a bright or clear day : and 

 lastly note, that you are to repair upon any occasion 

 to your magazine-bag : and upon any occasion, 

 vary and make them lighter or sadder, according 

 to your fancy, or the day. 



And now I shall tell you, that the fishing with a 

 natural-fly is excellent, and affords much pleasure. 

 They may be found thus : the May-fly, usually in 

 and about that month, near to the river-side, especi- 

 ally against rain : the Oak-fly, on the butt or body 

 of an oak or ash, from the beginning of May to the 

 end of August ; it is a brownish fly and easy to be 

 so found, and stands usually with his head down- 

 ward, that is to say, towards the root of the tree : 

 the small black-fly, or Hawthorn-fly, is to be had 

 on any hawthorn bush after the leaves be come 

 forth. With these and a short line, as I shewed to 

 angle for a Chub, you may dape or dop, and also 

 with a grasshopper, behind a tree, or in any deep 

 hole; still making it to move on the top of the 

 water as if it were alive, and still keeping yourself 

 out of sight, you shall certainly have sport if there 

 be Trouts ; yea, in a hot day, but especially in the 

 evening of a hot day, you will have sport 



And now, scholar, my direction for fly-fishing is 

 ended with this shower, for it has done raining. 

 And now look about you, and see how pleasantly 

 that meadow looks ; nay, and the earth smells so 

 sweetly too. Come let me tell you what holy Mr. 

 Herbert says of such days and flowers as these, and 

 then we will thank God that we enjoy them, and 

 walk to the river and sit down quietly, and try to 

 catch the other brace of Trouts. 





Sweet day, so cool, so calm, so bright, 

 The bridal of the earth and sky, 

 Sweet dews shall weep thy fall to-night, 

 For thou must die. 

 G 



