THE LITERATURE OF FLY FISHING. 195 



sight. For cleanly and innocent Bees, of all 

 other things, love and become, and thrive in an 

 Orchard.' I would that he had written a fish- 

 ing book. In the little which he wrote on the 

 fly there is that intangible something which 

 puts him among the mighty : indeed, if I do not 

 exaggerate, he stands as high as any. And 

 these quotations show that he could read nature 

 and describe her. He might have written an 

 angling book for which collectors would be 

 scrambling. 



Markham was in close alliance with Lawson, 

 and their books were published together As 

 a writer he is colourless. However, either he 

 or whoever wrote the fly dressing section of his 

 book put original work into it. But he also 

 used grosser baits, and you are told to use 'in 

 September either Cherries, Mice before they 

 have any hayre, or the great Sow-worme.' The 

 trout of those days must have been coarse 

 feeders. I should feel no confidence if I had 

 on a hairless mouse. 



We now reach Walton and the golden age. 

 I have already been rash enough to express an 

 opinion of him : now for a specimen of his 

 prose. I will take a passage which, though 

 often quoted, is appropriate, for it tells of the 

 only day's fly fishing : 'My honest Scholar, it is 

 now past five of the Clock, we will fish till nine, 

 and then go to breakfast : Go you to yonder 

 Sycamore-tree, and hide your Bottle of drink 

 under the hollow root of it ; for about that time, 



