FISHES AND FISHING. 301 



end with her death, or her going into weeds. If you 

 are single, the loss of the fish, when you thought the 

 prize your own, may remind you of some more serious 

 disappointment." — Jesse's ** Natural History.'* 



I have mentioned the antiquity of angling ; the 

 noble, good, pious, and learned men who have prac- 

 tised and patronized this recreation ; but it has also 

 had some well-known opponents ; for instance, the 

 float-fisher, drew from the prejudiced and surly Dr. 

 Johnson, the very amiable and agreeable expression 

 of his opinion — that it was an amusement carried on 

 by " a stick and a string, with a worm at one end, 

 and a fool at the other." And he, in the plenitude of 

 his self-conceit and ill-nature, fancied himself a wit, 

 in uttering this sarcasm. The fact was, he was so 

 near-sighted he could not see a float ; and, therefore, 

 never could know what the sport was : and as to fly- 

 fishing, it was totally beyond his comprehension. 



Lord Byron also wished to be considered witty on 

 the subject : 



" And angling too, that solitary vice, 

 Whatever Isaac Walton sings, or says, 

 The quaint old cruel coxcomb in his gullet 

 Should have a hook, and a small trout to pull it." 



The noble (?) lord was lame, and could not enjoy the 

 amusement latterly , though he did when young, ac- 

 cording to Hofland, in the large ponds at New stead 



