326 ikings of tbe 1Rofc, IRifle, an& (Bun 



"Hal. When a boy, I have felt an interest in sea- 

 fishing, for this reason that there was a variety of 

 fish ; but the want of skill in the amusement sinking 

 a bait with a lead, and pulling up a fish by main force, 

 soon made me tired of it. Since I have been a fly- 

 fisher, I have rarely fished in the sea, and then only 

 with a reel and fine tackle from the rocks, which is 

 at least as interesting an amusement as that of the 

 Cockney fishermen who fish for roach and dace in 

 the Thames, which I have tried twice in my life, but 

 shall never try again. 



Phys. You are severe on Cockney fishermen, and 

 I suppose would apply to them only, the observation 

 of Dr. Johnson, which on a former occasion you would 

 not allow to be just : ' Angling is an amusement with 

 a stick and a string ; a worm at one end, and a fool 

 at the other.' And then to yourself you would apply 

 it with this change : ' A fly at one end and a philosopher 

 at the other.' Yet the pleasure of the Cockney angler 

 appears to me of much the same kind, and perhaps 

 more continuous than yours ; and he has the happiness 

 of constant occupation and perpetual pursuit in as high 

 a degree as you have ; and if we were to look at the 

 real foundations of your pleasure, we should find them, 

 like most of the foundations of human happiness 

 vanity or folly. I shall never forget the impression 

 made upon me some years ago, when I was standing 

 on the pier at Donegal, watching the flowing of the 

 tide : I saw a lame boy of fourteen or fifteen years 

 old, very slightly clad, that some persons were attempt- 

 ing to stop in his progress along the pier ; but he 



