34 FLY FISHING 



or felt by different persons, varies within very 

 wide limits. A large number of people leave 

 their homes, and make considerable pecuniary 

 sacrifices, in order apparently to spend the best 

 part of the spring and early summer in London 

 and out of the country. There are others, on the 

 contrary, to whom it is a calamity to be shut up 

 in a town for the whole of the months of May 

 and June ; and whom no purely self-regarding 

 misfortune, except perhaps the complete loss of 

 liberty or of health, could make more wretched 

 than this. It is, however, not only the season of 

 the year, but the places for dry fly angling, that 

 add to the attractions of the sport. It would be 

 arrogant to say that the valleys of the Test and 

 Itchen are better than any other part of the 

 country in May and June, but I do say that no 

 part is better than they are. The angler who is 

 fishing in one of these rivers at this time of year, 

 is seeing the most beautiful season at its best. 

 This is the time of blossom and promise, every- 

 where there should be visible growth responding 

 to increasing warmth, a sense of luxuriant and 

 abundant young life all around us. All this is 

 assured every year in the valleys of such rivers 



