174 FLY FISHING AND SPINNING 



excellence of your system of manipulation and 

 teaching. It seems to me that anyone of reasonable 

 capacity, by grasping and following out your instruc- 

 tions, can get a ' regularity of pattern ' impossible 

 under any system less thorough ; there is between 

 yours and any other teaching that I have ever 

 received, the whole difference between what is 

 scientific and what is merely empirical. 



" May I say further that it seems to me that to 

 any one who can practise it, your system affords 

 a very satisfactory test of rods and lines. Uniformity 

 of method in casting requires uniformity of rod- 

 action ; the one must accompany the other if 

 satisfactory results are to be obtained. Anyone 

 who has acquired your method of casting, should 

 therefore, be able to know by the feel of a rod whether 

 it is a good one or not ; accurate mechanical action 

 should give an accurate mechanical test. If, as I 

 believe, I am right in holding this view, the gain to 

 your pupils should be a double one ; not merely should 

 they be able to cast, but also to choose themselves 

 a suitable weapon. I do not think that there is a 

 better proof of the scientific soundness of your 

 method. 



" Moreover, by insisting not merely upon accurate 

 movements, but upon the principles that underlie 

 them, you can provide your pupils with a basis upon 

 which they can continue and extend your lessons 

 for themselves. I wish that this science of physical 

 motion could be applied to other branches of athletics. 

 I am inclined to think that the results would be 

 surprising. 



" Believe me, 



" With many thanks, 

 " Yours truly, 



Now, as we have already seen, all that is necessary in 

 order to make an accurate cast forward is first, an extension 



