48 FLY FISHING FOR TROUT. 



copy natural insects, and he tells you to have 

 natural flies before you when you dress the 

 artificial. His Discourse is included in most of 

 the innumerable republications Markham's 

 works went through. 



This however is the sum of the advance of 

 one hundred and fifty years, and truly it is not 

 great. The implements remained much the 

 same. The fisherman used a long rod and no 

 reel, and, if he followed Markham, who recom- 

 mends five hairs and two threads of silk for 

 trout, a thick line. But under the surface other 

 forces were moving. Lawson, in advance of 

 his time, shows that there existed in the north 

 of England a school of practice higher than 

 anything previously known, a school which was 

 to reach its apex first in Cotton, and two cen- 

 turies later in Stewart, north countrymen both. 

 But this was below the surface, and its time 

 was not yet. For the rest, fishing was immensely 

 popular. Every haberdasher's shop sold rods, 

 while creels, landing nets, hooks and other 

 tackle could readily be bought, and any book- 

 seller could get you a copy of one of Markham's 

 multitudinous works. The world was ready for 

 the big movement which the next half century 

 was to bring. 



