CONTENTS. 



CHAPTER T. 



In Praise of Fly-fishing. , 

 Page 117. 



Reasons for supposing that we can teach the art. Lord 

 Byron and Izaak Walton. Why we think fly-fishing the 

 highest branch of the art of angling. Encouragements 

 for the fly-fisher : the sort of fish he catches, the nature of 

 the rivers he fishes in, and of the scenery he traverses 

 when in pursuit of his recreation. Pliny's metaphorical 

 description of a river. Fly-fishing not liable to the charge 

 of cruelty : insensibility of fish ; Sir Humphrey Davy's 

 opinion thereon ; our own opinion : curious facts ; one 

 related by Captain Medwin. A fish caught by swallowing 

 its own eye ! The humanity of the English people con- 

 trasted with that of the French, the Italians, and the 

 Spanish. Out-of-door amusements : our opinion and 

 encouragement of them. Beautiful sentiment of Sir H. 

 Davy. Not a single angler to be found in the Newgate 

 Calendar ! The sort of exercig^ undergone by the fly- 

 fisher. The end of the chapter propped by Atlas. 



