CHAP, ill.] THE SECOND DA Y. 239 



house, of anything I ever saw : it stands in a kind of peninsula 

 too, with a delicate clear river about it. I dare hardly go in, lest 

 I should not like it so well within as without : but by your leave, 

 I'll try. Why, this is better and better, fine lights, finely 

 wainscoted, and all exceeding neat, with a marble table and all 

 in the middle ! 



PlSCATOR. Enough, Sir, enough, I have laid open to you the 

 part where I can worst defend myself, and now you attack me 

 there. Come, boy, set two chairs ; and whilst I am taking a 

 pipe of tobacco, which is always my breakfast, we will, if you please, 

 talk of some other subject. 



VIATOR. None fitter, then, Sir, for the time and place, than 

 those instructions you promised. 



PISCATOR. I begin to doubt, by something I discover in you, 

 whether I am able to instruct you or no ; though, if you are 

 really a stranger to our clear northern rivers, I still think I can : 

 and therefore, since it is yet too early in the morning at this time 

 of the year, to-day being but the seventh of March, to cast a fly 

 upon the water, if you will direct me what kind of fishing for a 

 Trout I shall read you a lecture on, I am willing and ready to 

 obey you. 



VIATOR. Why, Sir, if you will so far oblige me, and that it 

 may not be too troublesome to you, I would entreat you would 

 run through the whole body of it ; and I will not conceal from 

 you that I am so far in love with you, your courtesy, and pretty 

 More Land seat, as to resolve to stay with you long enough by 

 intervals, for I will not oppress you, to hear all you can say upon 

 that subject. 



PlSCATOR. You cannot oblige me more than by such a pro- 

 mise : and therefore, without more ceremony, I will rjegin to tell 

 you, that my father Walton having read to you before, it would 

 look like a presumption in me (and, peradventure, would do so 

 in any other man) to pretend to give lessons for angling after 

 him, who, I do really believe, understands as much of it at least 

 as any man in England, did I not pre-acquaint you that I am 

 not tempted to it by any vain opinion of myself, that I am able to 

 give you better directions ; but having, from my childhood, pur- 

 sued the recreation of angling in very clear rivers, truly, I think, 

 by much (some of them, at least) the clearest in this kingdom, and 

 the manner of angling here with us, by reason of that exceeding 

 clearness, being something different from the method commonly 

 used in others, which, by being not near so bright, admit of 



