DISHING. 



and civility, which I presume these open-hearted 

 lovers of angling return by a small addition to the 

 usual fee. I always think it a piece of good for- 

 tune whenever I find myself placed on the roof of 

 the coach near these light-hearted fishermen, with 

 their rods between their knees, and their fishing 

 l)askets properly secured. There is a sort of free- 

 masonry amongst anglers which speedily makes 

 them become acquainted with each other, and then 

 commences an agreeable relation of their exploits 

 in the piscatory art. It is certainly with no small 

 pride and self-satisfaction that these communica- 

 tions are made. Every minute detail of the cap- 

 ture of a trout is entered into; its length, its 

 weight, its condition, the sort of tackle used, the 

 species of bait, the mode of putting it on even the 

 very way in which the fish is dressed, and its 

 extraordinary fine flavour, are all eagerly detailed 

 in succession, and patiently listened to. Patience, 

 certainly, is a necessary qualification in an angler. 

 Indeed I remember a Thames fisherman, who, on 

 my evincing some displeasure at not having the 

 good sport he had promised me, very coolly told 

 me that I should never make a good angler if I 

 could not fish a whole day in a bucket of water 

 without shewing impatience. 



But to return to my companions on the Shep- 

 perton and Chertsey stage. Sometimes I meet 

 with humble ground-angiers, the height of whose 



