258 THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 



would look like a presumption in me (and, peradventure, would 

 do so in any other man,) to pretend to give lessons for angling 

 after him, who, I do really believe, understands as much of it 

 at least as any man in England, did I not preacquaint you, that 

 I am not tempted to it by any vain opinion of myself, that I am 

 able to give you better directions ; but having, from my child- 

 hood, pursued the recreation of angling in very clear rivers, 

 truly, I think, by much (some of them, at least,) the clearest 

 in this kingdom, and the manner of angling here with us, by 

 reason of that exceeding clearness, being something different 

 from the method commonly used in others, which, by being not 

 near so bright, admit of stronger tackle, and allow a nearer 

 approach to the stream, I may peradventure give you some 

 instructions, that may be of use, even in your own rivers, and 

 shall bring you acquainted with more flies, and shew you how 

 to make them, and with what dubbing, too, than he has taken 

 notice of in his Complete Angler. 



Viator. I beseech you, sir, do ; and if you will lend me your 

 steel, I will light a pipe the while, for that is commonly my 

 breakfast in a morning, too. 



CHAPTER IV. 



OF ANGLING FOR TROUT OR GRAYLING. 



Piscator, junior. WHY then, sir, to begin methodically, as a 

 master in any art should do, (and I will not deny, but that I 

 think myself a master in this,) I shall divide angling for 

 Trout or Grayling into these three ways: at the top, at the 

 bottom, and in the middle. Which three ways, though they 

 are all of them, (as I shall hereafter endeavour to make ft 

 appear,) in some sort, common to both those kinds of fish; yet 

 are they not so generally and absolutely so, but that they will 

 necessarily require a distinction, which, in due place, I will also 

 give you. 



That which we call angling at the top, is with a fly ; at the 

 bottom, with a ground-bait; in the middle, with a Minnow 

 or ground-bait. 



Angling at the top is of two sorts : with a quick-fly, or witli 

 an artificial fly. 



That we call angling at the bottom, is also of two sorts : by 

 hand, or with a cork or float. 



That we call angling in the middle, is also of two sorts : with 

 a Minnow for a Trout, or with a ground-bait for a Grayling. 



Of all which several sorts of angling, I will, if you can have 

 the patience to hear me, give you the best account I can. 



