The Compleat ^Angler 



Pise. Come, come, cross the bridge, and go down the other side 

 lower, where you will find finer streams and better sport, I hope, than 

 this. Look you, sir, here is a fine stream now, you have length 

 enough, stand a little further off, let me intreat you, and do but fish 

 this stream like an artist, and peradventure a good fish may fall to 

 your share. How now ! what ! is all gone ? 



VIAT. No, but I touched him ; but that was a fish worth taking. 



Pise. Why now, let me tell you you lost that fish by your own 

 fault, and through your own eagerness and haste ; for you are never 

 to offer to strike a good fish, if he do not strike himself, till you 

 first see him turn his head after he has taken your fly, and then you 

 can never strain your tackle in the striking, if you strike with any 

 manner of moderation. Come, throw in once again, and fish me 

 this stream by inches ; for I assure you here are very good fish ; 

 both trout and grayling lie here ; and at that great stone on the 

 other side, 'tis ten to one a good trout gives you the meeting. 



VIAT. I have him now, but he is gone down towards the bottom : 

 I cannot see what he is, yet he should be a good fish by his weight ; 

 but he makes no great stir. 



Pise. Why then, by what you say, I dare venture to assure you 

 'tis a grayling, who is one of the deadest-hearted fishes in the world, 

 and the bigger he is, the more easily taken. Look you, now you 

 see him plain ; I told you what he was : bring hither that landing- 

 net, boy : and now, sir, he is your own ; and believe me a good one, 

 sixteen inches long, I warrant him : I have taken none such this year. 



VIAT. I never saw a grayling before look so black. 



Pise. Did you not ? Why then, let me tell you, that you never 

 saw one before in right season ; for then a grayling is very black 

 about his head, gills, and down his back, and has his belly of a dark 

 grey, dappled with black spots, as you see this is ; and I am apt to 

 conclude that from thence he derives his name of umber. Though 

 I must tell you this fish is past his prime, and begins to decline, and 

 was in better season at Christmas than he is now. But move on : 

 for it grows towards dinner-time ; and there is a very great and 

 fine stream below, under that rock, that fills the deepest pool in all 

 the river, where you are almost sure of a good fish. 



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