Salmon Fishing. 29 



anger and exultation, one after the other pre- 

 ponderates, as the discussion proceeds. 



Now, in a room full of fishermen, though it 

 is marvellous to witness the eagerness of the 

 latter, it is all the more pleasant to find, that 

 the favourite topic seldom, if ever, degenerates 

 into strife. In itself, let flies and fly-fishing 

 be as insignificant a subject as possible, if it can 

 only amuse a number of educated men for hours 

 together, and leave them not the less in love 

 with their fellow-creatures than usual, the wise 

 ones of this world, who do not sympathise with 

 them, will hardly go out of their way to 

 denounce it. 



Though we all have our u fancies " in respect 

 to flies, nothing displeases my eye more, than 

 a glaring want of harmony in the colours that 

 compose them. Perhaps it is somewhat owing 

 to this, that I prefer very plain, to very gaudy 

 patterns. . A fanciful, though a very skilful fly- 

 tier of my acquaintance delights, I believe, to 

 run quite counter to others in the colour of 



