

ZTbe jfatbers of angling 33 



should be thought to go about to magnify my own 

 judgement, in giving yours so small a portion of its 

 due, I humbly take leave, with no more ambition but 

 to kiss your hand, and to be accounted your 

 humble thankful servant 



IZAAK WALTON." 



Now, considering that Venables ranks fly-fishing as 

 "the most pleasant and delightful part of angling," 

 and places it first of all kinds of fishing, that com- 

 mendatory letter from a confirmed bottom-fisher is 

 creditable to the broad-mindedness of the revered 

 Izaak. 



I will just give one short quotation from the 

 Parliamentary General's book as a specimen of his 

 style. 



" When you come first to the river in the morning, 

 with your rod beat upon the bushes or boughs which 

 hang over the water, and by their falling upon the 

 water you will see what sort of flies are there in 

 greatest numbers ; if divers sorts, and equal in number, 

 try them all, and you will quickly find which they 

 most desire. Sometimes they change their fly ; though 

 not very usual, twice or thrice in one day ; but 

 ordinarily they do not seek another sort of fly till 

 they have for some days even glutted themselves with 

 a former kind, which is commonly when those flies 

 die and go out. Directly contrary to our London 

 gallants, who must have the first of everything, when 

 hardly to be got, but scorn the same when kindly 

 ripe, healthful, common and cheap ; but the fish 



