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PREFACE 



IT will be admitted generally that for the 

 purpose of learning the art of dressing flies 

 one hour's practical demonstration by an ex- 

 pert will be of more service than whole 

 volumes of written directions. Nevertheless, 

 the latter are, I think, of some use, and will 

 at least serve the purpose of permanently 

 recording certain points of manipulation to 

 which attention may have been drawn in a 

 practical demonstration and which are apt to 

 escape the memory. 



Verbal precept, backed up though it may 

 be by ocular demonstration, will, by itself, 

 be of no more permanent service than the 

 mere written word. Whether you endeavour 

 to learn by spoken or by printed instructions, 

 you will never achieve success without con- 

 stant practice on your own account ; and 

 though the fingers of an expert will in five 



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