IZAAK WALTON AND HIS FRIENDS 27 



death merely of his quarry, and takes "no com- 

 fort " in killing. He would rather hide his eyes, 

 if possible, over that part of the business, con- 

 sidering that it rather detracts from his enjoyment 

 than otherwise. We have the right to believe 

 that fish suffer no more pain when taken by a 

 fly or minnow than when captured by nets. 

 Unless we are strict vegetarians we surely have 

 every right to indulge in fishing and field sports, 

 but this is very far from justifying vivisection, 

 which — allowing for the sake of argument that 

 discoveries have been, or may be, made by its 

 practice for the benefit of man and also beasts — 

 is so absolutely hellish that it should cease to be 

 tolerated in this country at least. The late Bishop 

 Westcott, of Durham, has written : — 



'' If He who made us made all other creatures 

 also, if they find a place in His providential plan, 

 if His tender mercies reach to them — and this we 

 Christians most certainly believe — then I find it 

 absolutely inconceivable that He should have so 

 arranged the avenues of knowledge that we can 

 attain to truths which it is His will that we should 

 master only through the unutterable agonies of 

 beings which trust in us. Life is more than a 

 bundle of physical facts. Life in each distinct 

 form is a sacred gift to be dealt with reverently. 

 Life for the Christian is an energy not apart from 

 Christ. Better, then, than any precarious increase 



