Thomas Tod Stoddart 



THE late Mr. Grant Allen made fishing his " chief 

 diversion " because " it was an occupation which gave 

 him time to think." John Bright took up the rod some- 

 what late in life because it was the only form of out-door 

 pastime which secured him healthy exercise without 

 much exertion. Now, men who regard fishing from such 

 points of view are not anglers in the true Waltonian 

 sense of the word, for, to quote old Izaak's immortal 

 apophthegm, " Angling is something like poetry, men 

 are to be born so." Your true angler thinks of nothing 

 but the sport whilst the rod is in his hand. He is 

 oblivious to everything else in the world. He has no 

 time to think of his surroundings, however picturesque 

 and beautiful, until, as Matthew Arnold has it, he lies 

 tired on the mountain sod, 



stretched out, 



And, eased of basket and of rod, 

 Counts his day's spoil, the spotted trout. 



Then he may light his pipe and lazily enjoy those sweet 

 and peaceful reflections which the literary angler loves 



484 



