A LETTER TO THE AUTHOR 



MY DEAR B. B., 



You pay me a signal compliment in 

 implying that I am in some degree responsible 

 for the fact that you set about the writing of this 

 book, for having had the privilege of reading it 

 in the proof sheets, I find it a worthy book, and 

 one that appeals strongly to all the wandering 

 angler that is in me. Indeed there is much of it 

 that does more than appeal to me. When, for 

 instance, you were catching "daddy-ruffes" at 

 Market Drayton or, a little later, pursuing some- 

 what bigger ambitions on or in the Severn at 

 Cound, I was not many miles away from you 

 engaged in extremely similar efforts. You appear 

 to have had more trout in your early adventures 

 than 1 (for the further one got down the Severn, 

 even in those far-off days, the greater rarity did 

 a trout become), and there you had the advantage 

 of me. But I am pretty sure that I never let my 

 feelings so far run away with me as to cause me 

 to forget the baiting of my hook, and that is 

 where I seem to have had the advantage of you. 



