6 THE PRACTICAL FISHERMAN. 



the gentle craft. To be able to accept, and by an inward process to 

 turn all natural examples of beneficence as furnished by our lakes 

 and rivers and general natural scenery to the delectation of the 

 intellectual and moral nature, in every case implies the true poetic 

 faculty in its fullest fruition. Many are able to use it in its entirety. 

 The best anglers I have ever met have been keen, intelligent men, of 

 strong, sanguine, sensitive and eloquent natures, and possessed of that 

 rare power of making the hand answer to the eye intuitive judg- 

 ment, and, chiefly, strong athletic bodies. This is my experience, 

 and, as such, I think it will bear scrutiny. The gross picture of 

 " Patience in a Punt," either under the broiling sun or bursting heavens, 

 sans sport, sans cheerfulness, sans everything that makes life endurable, 

 is the absolute opposite to the general truth. Under all circumstances the 

 true angler is infinite in schemes and stratagems" dodges " is the better 

 term is ever hopeful and watchful, spares no pains, and absorbs as a 

 sponge does water the pleasaunce around him, his quick well balanced 

 wrist and his clear eyesight can hook and play the fish and on the finest 

 tackle land him. It is a miracle of fishing to land a large fish on such a 

 fragile thread that a half pound dead weight would break it. The Field 

 reported the capture of a pike in its 'teens, brought to bank by an angler 

 roach fishing with fine hair this captor was an angler-hero. 



To show, in conclusion of a somewhat longer "introduction" than I 

 at first intended, that there are large numbers of anglers who, in effect, 

 feel and think as I have written, an interesting calculation has been 

 made by Mr. Manley, in his book on "Fish and Fishing," on London 

 angling, which I am sure he will allow me to reproduce. He says : 

 "I gather that there are at the present time about eighty angling 

 clubs or societies in the metropolitan districts, fifty-three of which are 

 associated together under the name of the United London Anglers, 

 and pay social visits in relation to the head centre. The fifty-three 

 clubs have, in round numbers, 1700 members, and the other clubs 500, 

 the very great majority of whom are small shopkeepers, mechanics, and 

 working men. Of the same class there are at least 1000 regular 

 anglers in the London districts who belong to no club. Further, it may 

 be calculated that there are 500 more regular anglers who reside in the 

 vicinity of the Thames and Lea. To these may be added 1000 at least 

 of regular anglers of the upper classes, gentlemen, merchants, and large 

 shopkeepers. These, added together, will give a grand total of 5000 

 persons who make angling their chief recreation in a moderately circum- 

 scribed area of which London is the centre." Now, these figures are cer- 

 tainly within the mark, and the estimate recently made in " The Country ' ' 

 journal that there are 50,000 anglers properly so called in England and 



