INTRODUCTION. 21 



Objections of a similar kind may be made to shooting, 

 cricketing, and boating ; to say nothing of the less doubt- 

 ful amusements of play-going, card-playing, billiards, 

 etc., etc. In what respect, then, we may demand, that 

 has reference either to the promotion of health, or the 

 elevation and discipline of the mental faculties, do any of 

 these pursuits possess the slightest advantage over the 

 calmer, and more placid recreation of the unpretending 

 angler? The world judges harshly and erroneously on 

 this subject; and the worst of it is, generally acts upon a 

 judgment which is altogether indefensible. The wealthy 

 and well-connected rector, in England, for instance, gallops 

 across the country after the hounds, shares in all the wild 

 excitement of the noble sport, and fights the battles of the day 

 over again, amidst the flow of generous wine, at some con- 

 vivial aristocratic board. The poor, working, drudging 

 curate of the next parish, who muses away a few quiet hours, 

 gladly stolen from graver pursuits, to lighten the burden 

 of " hope deferred," is sneered at as a dull spooney, or 

 reprehensible idler, with a " stick and a string," who may 

 pick his mutton-chop unregarded by his luckier neigh- 

 bour, and wonder over his tumbler of middling beer, what 

 will be the cut of the next act of Parliament, which will 

 be kindly made the law of the land, for the special direc- 

 tion, improvement, and control of the half-starved curates 

 of the establishment. Every body knows this to be the 

 truth ; and every body will be able to call to his recollec- 

 tion hundreds of instances of this kind ; and yet, every 

 body such is the uncontrollable influence of wealth and 

 outward appearance in stocking-weaving England every 

 body praises, and patronizes, the expensive, extravagant, 

 conviviality-producing amusements which appertain to 

 the wealthy, and upper classes, and joins in the vulgar 



