DACE-FISHING AT ISLEWORTH 37 



fishable at about two. A light ten- foot rod, a reel, 

 fly-box, and basket take no long time to collect ; the 

 rubber knee-boots stand ready in their corner. One is 

 equipped and away almost as soon as the idea has been 

 formed. 



It matters little that the train stops at all stations,- 

 and that the carriages are primitive almost to archaism. 

 En route for Richmond these things are just and 

 proper. One likes to see people getting in and out 

 full of business. Even if one does not quite under- 

 stand why anyone living in Gunnersbury should 

 apparently be in such a hurry, so impatient to get to 

 Kew Gardens and urgent affairs, this does not mar the 

 sense of personal emancipation ; rather it enhances it 

 by contrast. One could get out at Kew Gardens 

 oneself, by the way, walk down to the towpath, and 

 fish up to Isleworth, and I have done this once or 

 twice. But I prefer on the whole to go on to Richmond 

 now and walk downstream. Richmond has made 

 efforts of late to get into line with the times, but 

 mercifully its fascination will not easily be destroyed. 

 Modernity mellows there by the side of age better than 

 in almost any place I know. As a matter of fact, one 

 sees little of the town, for almost opposite the station 

 yard is a gate leading to the old deer park. It is 

 about ten minutes' walk across the park to the tow- 

 path, which one strikes just above the lock, and yet 

 ten minutes more to the church ferry at the bottom of 

 Isleworth eyot. Above the lock there are always 

 anglers, but I have never yet seen one of them actually 

 catch anything at the time of my passing. From 

 below it one can see the weir, the only one on the 



