x 



Kennet, near its confluence at that ])lace with the 

 Thames, and from Sonning up to Caversham and 

 Mapledurham whenever opportunities offered; in 

 fact, such chances were often made for me by my 

 tutor (,Mr. Charles Havell), who had been usher at 

 Dr. Valpy's celebrated grammar school, who, him- 

 self an accomplished angler, accompanied me, rod in 

 hand, and by his precept and example taught me 

 much useful knowledge by the way, and helped 

 me to develop my love of fishing and of 

 Nature's charming and reposeful scenery to which 

 it leads. 



From these early days of my life to adolescence 

 and middle age I was content to fish in the Thames, 

 and during my residence at Bridge House, Maiden- 

 head, I could always manage (given favourable 

 weather and the water in the right trim) to obtain 

 sufficient sport to make it the most attractive of all 

 pastimes and also an incentive to be frequently 

 afloat in a punt on the beautiful river in the pure 

 air for health, exercise, and contemplation. But I 

 was gradually weaned from the love of making big 

 catches of coarse fish. I no longer killed them 

 indiscriminately for the sake of killing, but sought 

 sport with each species separately, days for jack, 

 days for perch, &c., returning to the river all other 

 sorts captured on those days. I found much 

 advantage in such limitation, for the haunts of fish 



