2io THE COMPLETE ANGLER. PART n. 



to-day : I will walk along by you, and look on, and after dinner 

 I will proceed in my lecture of fly-fishing. 



VlAT. I confess I long to be at the river, and yet I could sit 

 here all day to hear you : but some of the one, and some of the 

 other, will do well; and I have a mighty ambition to take a 

 trout in your river Dove. 



PlSC. I warrant you shall : I would not for more than I will 

 speak of but you should, seeing I have so extolled my river to 

 you : nay, I will keep you here a month, but you shall have one 

 good day of sport before you go. 



VIAT. You will find me, I doubt, too tractable that way ; for 

 in good earnest, if business would give me leave, and that it 

 were fit, I could find in my heart to stay with you for ever. 



PlSC. I thank you, sir, for that kind expression ; and now let 

 me look out my things to make this fly. 



CHAPTER VI. 



A PRACTICAL LESSON IN FLY-FISHING FOR TROUT 

 AND GRAYLING. 



PlSC. Boy, come, give me my dubbing-bag here presently; 

 and now, sir, since I find you so honest a man, I will make no 

 scruple to lay open my treasure before you. 



VIAT. Did ever any one see the like ! What a heap of 

 trumpery is here ! Certainly never an angler in Europe has 

 his shop half so well furnished as you have. 



PlSC. You, perhaps, may think now, that I rake together this 

 trumpery, as you call it, for show only ; to the end that such as 

 see it, which are not many I assure you, may think me a great 

 master in the art of angling : but, let me tell you, here are some 

 colours, as contemptible as they seem here, that are very hard 

 to be got; and scarce any one of them which, if it should be 

 lost, I should not miss, and be concerned about the loss of it, 

 too, once in the year. But look you, sir, amongst all these I 



