30 FLY FISHING 



lection of days that are past, the vision of these 

 things perpetually rises up and fills us with joy. 

 Then there comes the longing, which is intense, 

 to escape and be again amongst the surroundings 

 that we remember, and we plan to set apart our 

 leisure for angling, partly for its own sake, but 

 partly also because we cannot Jet the season go 

 by without revisiting chosen places, when we 

 know that spring or summer is there. One 

 thing perhaps should be borne in mind to pre- 

 vent disappointment, and that is not to ask too 

 much of Nature suddenly, when we have been 

 strained by overwork ; at such times we are out 

 of tune, and more fit for rest than for enjoyment. 

 If we are to enter into the moods of Nature, we 

 must bring with us some vigour and elasticity 

 of spirit. A feeble mind looking upon fair 

 scenes with a languid eye will not feel the joy 

 of them, and it is with Nature as with friendship 

 we cannot take all and bring nothing. On 

 the other hand work, if it be of an interesting 

 sort and not crushing in amount, is a fine pre- 

 paration for the country. Such work is stimulat- 

 ing, and when we make our escape we do it with 

 faculties erect and active, with every sense alert 



