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for you to look for a fly-fisher. We have 

 roamed through most of the countries of 

 Europe, and though here and there we did 

 meet with a foreign fly-fisher or two, they 

 were so "few and far between," nearly all of 

 them having acquired a smattering of the art 

 in this country ; and their tackle was so rude, 

 and their mode of using it so un-English-like, 

 that we may safely say that the art is peculiar to 



"The land of the brave and free." 



Long may it continue so ! And if in this our 

 modest treatise upon it, we add to its further 

 extension, and draw one disciple more over to 

 the "gentle craft," we shall not, so lowly is 

 our ambition, repine that our labours have 

 been thrown away. 



As a conclusion to this chapter, we will 

 subjoin a few extracts from different authors 

 in praise of fly-fishing : ' ' Fly-fishing, or 

 fishing at the top of the water, is the most 

 genteel, ingenious, pleasant, and profitable of 

 the innocent recreations of angling ; to the 

 perfect accomplishment of which is required, 

 not only great attention and frequent practice, 

 but also diligent observation and considerable 

 judgment. It is the cleanest and neatest that 

 can possibly be imagined, being quite free 

 from the trouble of baiting your hook or foul- 



