THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 103 



CHAPTER X. 



PiscATOR. Oh, Sir, are you returned ? you have but just pre- 

 vented me. I was coming to call you. 



ViAT. I am glad, then, I have saved you the labor. 



Pisc. And how have you sped ? 



ViAT. You shall see that, Sir, presently : look you, Sir, here 

 * Spoke like are three* brace of trouts, one of them the biggest, 

 a South-country, but one, that ever I killed with a fly in my life ; 

 man. and yet I lost a bigger than that, with my fly to 



boot : and here are three graylings, and one of them longer by 

 some inches than that I took yesterday ; and yet I thought that a 



good one too. 



Pisc. Why you have made a pretty good morning's work on't: 

 and now. Sir, what think you of our river Dove ? 



ViAT. I think it to be the best trout-river in England ; and am 

 so far in love with it, that if it were mine, and that I could keep 

 it to myself, I would not exchange that water for all the land it 

 runs over, to be totally debarred from it. 



Pisc. That compliment to the river speaks you a true lover of 

 the art of angling. And now, Sir, to make part of amends for 

 sending you so uncivilly out alone this morning, I will myself 

 dress you this dish of fish for your dinner ; walk but into the 

 parlor, you will find one book or other in the window to entertain 

 you the while, and you shall have it presently. 



ViAT. Well, Sir, I obey you. 



Pisc. Look you. Sir, have I not made haste ? 



ViAT. Believe me, Sir, that you have ; and it looks so well, I 

 long to be at it. 



Pisc. Fall to, then. Now, Sir, what say you ? am I a tolera- 



ble cook or no ? 



