134 



fly or insect whatever, can, by the mere 

 motion given to it in drawing it along the 

 water, assume the appearance of being a living 

 insect. If mere motion had such a wonderful 

 effect, as that of changing a thing unlike to a 

 thing like, it would be the greatest waste of 

 time in the world, to sit down to dress and 

 dub hooks. Why the hooks themselves, if 

 such were the case, would be quite sufficient 

 for the ordinary purposes of fly-fishing. 

 Besides, it will be seen that the professor 

 again runs into a contradiction, when he says, 

 that the "aim of the angler, accordingly, 

 ought to be, to have his artificial fly calcu- 

 lated, by its form and colours, to attract the 

 notice of the fish." What, we will ask, in the 

 name of common sense, is the meaning of the 

 word " form," as it is here used ? Does it not 

 in some degree imply similarity ? What form 

 is to be used, we modestly ask the learned 

 professor, in order to attract the notice of 

 the fish? Is it the form of Hamlet's camel, 

 or whale, or the form of a water- fly ? We 

 " pause for a reply." Now if it be the form of 

 any of the above creatures, the substance used 

 to give such form must produce resemblance, 

 at least, as to shape. What becomes now of 

 the professor's assertion, that an artificial fly 

 does not ^bear the most distant resemblance 



