A Defense of Fishermen 



the hook, the fisherman's code of mor- 

 als will not condemn beyond forgive- 

 ness the holder of the straightened 

 rod if he impulsively, but with all the 

 gentility at his command, exclaims: 

 "Damn that fish !" It is probably bet- 

 ter not to speak at all; but if strong 

 words are to be used, perhaps these 

 will serve as well as any that can do 

 justice to the occasion. 



Uncle Toby, overcome with ten- 

 der sympathy, swore with an unctious, 

 rotund oath, that his sick friend 

 should not die; and we are told that 

 "the accusing spirit which flew up to 

 Heaven's chancery with the oath 

 blushed as he gave it in; and the re- 

 cording angel as he wrote it down 

 dropped a tear upon the word and 

 blotted it out forever." 

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