Considered as a Sport. 237 



streams/' " drink like a fish," though he may, and 

 as he ought has all his wits about him when he 

 is most in need of them ; and though his " chance 

 may faint under our better cunning," when he finds 

 he has been deceived, he manfully fights for liberty 

 and life ; while the grayling, shy in fight, but not 

 of lure, tamely yields herself a reeling captive ; 

 and ere she measures her unhonoured length upon 

 the strand, drowns what remains of her conscious- 

 ness of cowardice in the self-gratulatory toast, 



" Doubtless the pleasure is as great 

 Of being cheated as to cheat." 



In such a case the pleasure of the angler must be 

 small indeed, unless, of course, he considers every- 

 thing as fair in fishing as it is said to be in love, 

 and that will cover a good deal. 



There are, we are told, some "trout that must 

 be caught with tickling " and there may be some 

 folk too, for that matter, but then I opine that 

 though their feelings are thus literally played upon, 

 they are at least pleasingly conscious of the titil- 

 lation, and gratefully responsive thereto. Cupid 

 is always blind, but he needn't be drunk as well. 

 And yet we have all heard of the swain who, under 

 the influence of mighty ale, was decoyed by his too 

 fond Phillis before the parson to be united to her 

 "for better or for worse." "Take him away," said 

 the minister, shocked at the insensate condition of 



