298 THE COMPLETE ANGLER. [part ii. 



and laid up in some dry place, may afterwards 

 be set together again in their former postures, and 

 will be as straight, sound, and good, as the first 

 hour they were made ; and being laid in oil and 

 colour, according to your Master Walton s direction, 

 will last many years. 



The length of your line, to a man that knows 

 how to handle his rod, and to cast it, is no manner 

 of encumbrance, excepting in woody places and in 

 landing of a fish, which every one that can afford 

 to angle for pleasure, has somebody to do for 

 him. And the length of line is a mighty advantage 

 to the fishing at distance ; and to fish fine, and 

 far-off, is the first and principal rule for Trout- 

 Angling. 



Your line in this case should never be less, nor 

 ever exceed two hairs next to the hook ; for one 

 (though some I know will pretend to more art than 

 their fellows) is indeed too few, the least accident, 

 with the finest hand, being sufficient to break it ; 

 but he that cannot kill a Trout of twenty inches 

 long with two, in a river clear of wood and weeds, 

 as this and some other of our's are, deserves not 

 the name of an Angler. 



Now to have your whole line as it ought to be, 

 two of the first lengths nearest the hook should 

 be of two hairs a-piece ; the next three lengths 

 above them of three ; the next three above them of 

 four ; and so of five, and six, and seven, to the very 

 top : by which means your rod and tackle will, in a 





