44 



THE ANGLER'S SOUVENIR. 



enjoyment. " Live ever, sweet book, the silver 

 image of his gentle wit ! " 



SIMPSON. I highly admire Walton's work myself, 

 though I do not make it the text-book for a lay 

 sermon over a bottle of wine. 



FISHER. You have not much taste for sermons, 

 I belieA'e, whether lay, extempore, and over a 

 bottle ; or clerical, savouring of the lamp, and over 

 a cushion. But to have done with sermonizing. 

 This is a tolerably pleasant place, Simpson, for a 

 bachelor like yourself to spend a few days at, and 

 basket a stone or two of roach, or half a dozen 

 brace of jack, since you have nothing better that is 

 comeatable near London at this time of year. Do 

 you ever fish fly for trout now ? 



SIMPSON. yes, in the season. I subscribe to 

 two waters which afford trout, one at the Wandle 

 and the other at the Colne ; and I sometimes get a 

 day's fishing in the preserved waters of two friends, 

 one of whom resides at Mitcham, and the other 

 near Rickmansworth, 



FISHER. And do you manage to catch manyl 



SIMPSON. Why, as you, who count by dozens, 

 understand the word, I cannot say that I do. But 

 I have taken, T believe, in those streams in a season 

 more large trout than ever you caught in beck, 

 burn, or river, north of the Trent always except- 

 ing sea-trout in your life. In one season, from 

 the 1st of May to the 1st of September, I have 

 taken with the fly three trouts, each weighing 



