.ARTIFICIAL FLY-FISHING. J37 



smuii pocket-book, (hat you may be able always 

 to i:nitate any fly you see the fish rise at more 

 than others. 



The lighter your flies fall on the water the 

 better ;* tliis you will not accomplish by strength, 

 but by practice > always raising your rod by de- 

 grees, after you have ir.ade your cast. A 

 young angler should never use more than one 

 fly on the stretcher at first, but when he can 

 throw out pretty well, he may add to the 

 stretcher one or more droppers, observing always 

 to let them be one yard asunder. 



I shall now conclude these rules by giving the 

 reader a passage relating to artificial fly-fish ing, 

 (with the alteration only of two or three mono- 

 syllables) from the Spring of that elegant and 

 natural descriptive poet, Mr. Thomson, which 

 cannot fail of contributing as well to his amuse- 

 ment as instruction. 



Soon as the first foul torrent of the brooks, 

 Sweli'd with the vernal rains, is ebb'd away, 

 And, whit'ning, down their mossv-tmctur'd stream 

 Descends the billowy foam, then is the time. 

 While yet the dark-brown water aids the guile, 

 To tempt the trout. The well-dissembled i'y, 

 The rou fine tap'riiig with elastic spring, 

 SnatchM from the hoary steed the floating line,. 

 And all thy slender wat'ry stores prepare ; 

 But let not on thy hook the tortur'd worm, 

 Convulsive twist in agonizing folds, 

 Which, by rapacious hunger swallowed deep, 

 Gives, as you tear it from the bleeding breast 

 Of the weak helpless uncomplaining wretch, 

 Harsh pain and horror to the tender hand. 

 When with his lively ray the potent sun 

 Has piert'd the streams, and rous'd the finny race, 

 Then, is-uing cheerful to thy sport repair; 

 Chief 'should the western breezes curling play, 

 And light o'er ether bear the shadowy cloud?. 

 N2 



