DOVE DALE REVISITED 49 



my other sketches, is but the record of a few 

 brief holidays snatched from the anxieties and 

 worries incident to all who are involved 



" In the hodge-podge of business, and money, and care, 

 And care, and money, and trouble." 



The Angler's Song. 



It is to such holidays as these that I owe the 

 elasticity of spirit and vigour of bodily health 

 which they have always renewed in me. I have 

 not dared to intermingle my light sketches with 

 moral reflections, because I know that I could 

 not have made them interesting to my readers. 

 I hope, however, I am not devoid of a true spirit 

 of gratitude and thankfulness to the Giver of all 

 good gifts for the measure of good health and 

 other blessings which have accompanied me all 

 the days of my life. 



I have avoided any attempt to teach my 

 brother anglers how to angle; I have entered 

 into no discussion as to the breeding of trout or 

 grayling, or as to their times and places for 

 spawning ; I have no physiological or mysterious 

 theories as to close times or open times I only 

 know that it would have vastly added to my 

 enjoyment if I had been fishing in Dove Dale 

 at a time when both trout and grayling were 

 E 



