Fly-Dressing an Art. 65 



the art itself, in the application of these principles, 

 must be acquired. And should the tyro ask, How ? 

 I am inclined to answer him, as Opie answered 

 his pupil who wished to know with what the great 

 painter mixed his colours, " With brains, sir ! " 



But, postulating the "brains," I can instruct 

 the beginner in the materials for fly-making, and 

 tell him, as far as words can, what he is to do with 

 them. I may tell him, too, that he must train 

 his eye to discern the features of the natural fly, 

 and his hand to reproduce these features in all 

 their delicacy and grace. But I cannot give him 

 the true eye and the delicate touch ; they come not 

 by instruction. They may come, however, through 

 close observation and constant practice in intelli- 

 gently following the natural model after a good 

 method. "Practice makes perfection," says the 

 proverb. Yes; but until we reach perfection, we 

 shall never know how much practice leads thereto. 

 There is no finality in this art, any more than in 

 any other; and even our best imitation is, after 

 all, only the " cunning'st pattern of excelling na- 

 ture." And though the pattern must be submitted 

 to the critical eye of the fish before I am able to 

 boast its cunningness, I can, even in these days 

 of secondary education of trout, always approach 

 sufficiently near to the perfection of nature as to 

 deceive the critics and fill the basket. And to 



