150 



THE ANGLER'S SOUVENIR. 



bent in meditation while he awaits the summons 

 to breakfast. He is tall and broad-shouldered, 

 and is gathering flesh, as becomes a man of his 

 years. His broad, high forehead bespeaks intel- 

 lect ; his mouth and chin have the impress of 

 firmness, but in his eye there shine the kindness 

 of heart and liberality of judgment which have 

 made him valued as a friend, and sought for as 

 a counsellor, through the country-side. As an 

 angler he is one whom old Izaak would have loved, 

 for with him angling is an idyllic pastime, a con- 

 templative man's recreation. He has no care for 

 the more exciting branches of the art. He cares 

 but little for the toils of salmon-fishing, or the 

 excitement of landing the savage pike. More to 

 ^J his taste is the quiet ramble by the side of a trout - 



j stream, the seat in a punt, gudgeon-fishing, or a 

 ^ 



otill, calm evening by a pool-side, angling for 



tench. He himself would tell you that he is an 

 ) angler because of the opportunities it affords for 

 \ pleasant and profitable reverie. 



It was very little matter whether he caught fish 

 or not when he went a-fishing. ' ' Atte the leest 

 he hath his holsom walke, and merry at his ease, 

 a swete ayre of the swete savoure of the meede 

 floures that makyth him hungry ; he heareth the 

 melodyous harmony of fowles ; he seeth the younge 

 swaunes, heerons, ducks, cotes, and many other 

 fowles and theyr brodes, whyche me seemyth 

 better than all the noyse of hounds, the blaste 



