IV. INTBODUCTlOff. 



been found expedient to omit the puerilities of an 

 antiquated and obsolete philosophy, to make room 

 for extracts from modern writers, more useful and 

 interesting. 



In order to render this new edition of " Bowlker's 

 Art of Angling" more deserving of general appro- 

 bation, it has been carefully corrected, improved, 

 and greatly enlarged; in every part of the work 

 these improvements will be recognized and duly 

 appreciated by the judicious angler; but especially 

 in that part which treats on Fly-fishing. 



This branch of the art is the most agreeable and 

 important, and may be practised with the artificial 

 ily so as to be freed from an objection sometimes 

 brought against angling as a cruel and ungenerous 

 amusement, deriving great part of its attendant 

 pleasure from the sufferings of the miserable insect 

 writhing in torment, impaled upon the hook. Now, 

 though it will be admitted on all hands, that this 

 objection has no proper bearing on the subject, so 

 far as concerns the pleasure derived from it, yet as 

 every humane angler will wish to remove from his 

 favourite amusement such attendant circumstances 

 as produce painful feelings on reflection, he will be 

 induced to use the imitative in preference to the 

 living bait. If the activity necessary to this mode 

 be taken into consideration, it must be considered 



