22 



an out-of-door recreation, by some of the most 

 intellectual ladies in the land. An old English 

 lady, " Dame Juliana Berners, prioress of the 

 nunnery of Sopwell, near St. Alban's, a lady 

 of a noble family, and celebrated for her learn- 

 ing and accomplishments by Leland, Bale, 

 Pits, Bishop Tanner, and others," was the 

 first who wrote upon the art of fishing with a 

 rod ; and we think it extremely unlikely, that 

 a female at the head of a religious establish- 

 ment, in which religion and chastity walked, 

 like angel twins, side by side, would have 

 written in laud of an art, if there were any 

 thing in it at all derogatory from the high 

 religious and virtuous tone that has ever 

 characterised Englishwomen. It contains no- 

 thing of the sort; and if, in our in-door 

 amusements, our thoughts, words, and actions 

 are refined by the presiding companionship 

 of females, we ought to do all that lies in our 

 power to attract them to accompany us, and 

 to participate in those field enjoyments which 

 seem most adapted to the tasteful texture of 

 their minds, and to the delicate structure of 

 their persons. 



Fly-fishing has still another recommenda- 

 tion. It may be considered of pure British 

 growth and practice. Out of England, Scot- 

 land, Ireland, and Wales, it will be in vain 



