THE TALE OF THE FISHES 



plative Man's Recreation," which has reached its one 

 hundredth edition. Of this book Charles Lamb wrote : 

 "It would sweeten a man's temper at any time to read 

 it; it would Christianize every discordant angry pas- 

 sion." Behither the date of its first publication, at 

 least one thousand volumes have been written on sub- 

 jects connected with fishing, so that the literature of 

 angling is one of the richest departments of English 

 letters. The enthusiast who wades through this litera- 

 ture may dredge from its mud of commonplace many 

 a pearl of thought and not a little gold of practical 

 suggestion. And, when so informed by the angling 

 writers of other days, he is prepared to receive enlight- 

 enment from a constellation of modern specialists, and 

 graduate a proficient not only in the literature of the 

 knightly art, but in every branch of its technic. 



And then your angler is a scientician. He discrimi- 

 nates, reflects, strives to master mysteries. Investigation 

 is a favorite divertisement. A trout with strange mark- 

 ings stirs his curiosity. He looks for accurate knowl- 

 edge regarding its origin and life history. He reaches 

 back into those absolute beginnings that are beyond the 

 stretch of exact cognizance, and becomes deep scienced 



