412 THE COMPLETE ANGLER. PART II. 



and line; thus I put on my wings; thus I twirl and 

 lap on my dubbing ; thus I work it up towards the 

 head; thus I part my wings; thus I nip my superflu- 

 ous dubbing from the silk ; thus fasten ; thus trim and 

 adjust my fly. And there is a fly made; and now how 

 do you like it ? 



Viat. In earnest, admirably well ; and it perfectly 

 resembles a fly : but we about London make the bodies 

 of our flies both much bigger and longer, so long as 

 even almost to the very beard of the hook. 



Pise. I know it very well: and had one of those 

 flies given me by an honest gentleman, who came with 

 my father Walton to give me a visit; which, to tell 

 you the truth, I hung in my parlour-window to laugh 

 at : but, Sir, you know the proverb, " They who go 

 " to Rome, must do as they at Rome do ;" and believe 

 me, you must, here, make your flies after this fashion, 

 or you will take no fish. Come! I will look you out a 

 line; and you shall put it on, and try it. There, Sir, 

 now I think you are fitted. And now beyond the 

 farther end of the walk you shall begin ; I see, at that 

 bend of the water above, the air crisps the water a little : 

 knit your line first, here ; and then go up thither, and 

 see what you can do. 



Viat. Did you see that. Sir? 



Pise. Yes, I saw the fish : and he saw you too, 

 which made him turn short. You must fish further 

 off, if you intend to have any sport here; this is no 

 New River, let me tell you. That was a good Trouf, 

 believe me! did you touch him ? 



Viat. No, 1 would I had we would not have 

 parted so. Look you, there was another ; this is an 

 excellent fly ! 



Pise. That fty, I am sure, would kill fish, if the 

 day were right: but they only chew at it, I see, and 

 will not take it. Come, Sir, let us return back to the 

 fishing-house : this still water ^ I see, will not do our 

 business to-day: you shall now, if you please, make a 

 fly yourself*, and try what you can do in the streams 



* To make a fly is so essential, that he hardly deserves the name <rf 



