6 FLY FISHING 



trivial inquiry. Rather let him not use his 

 own key for himself, being sure that the test 

 of any really kindred spirit will be the posses- 

 sion of a master key which will open this special 

 door of his mind for him. It is seldom enough 

 that this happens. Most of us live wherever 

 circumstances decide that we should, and live the 

 life that our work requires. We think of our 

 pleasures in night watches, in passing from one 

 place to another, upon the pavement, in trains 

 and cabs ; but the prospect on any given occa- 

 sion of meeting such a really kindred spirit seems 

 almost too good to be true. If, then, books are 

 written about a pursuit like fishing, it should 

 be not to preach, or to convert, or to dogma- 

 tise. Books about sport and country life should 

 be written and read, partly perhaps for the sake 

 of hints, information and instruction, but much 

 more in the hope that the sense of refreshing 

 pleasure, which has been felt by the writer, may 

 slide into a sympathetic mind. 



There remains yet another difficulty, that of 

 expressing pleasure at all. It may be that 

 language lends itself more easily to forms of 

 argument and thought than of feeling. An 



