76 A DAY ON THE TEME 



a fool at the other," Sir Humphry Davy accepts 

 it as originating with Dr. Johnson ; but he 

 says : " The true adage should be ' A fly at one 

 end and a philosopher at the other.' " It has 

 been repeatedly shown not only that no such 

 expression is to be found anywhere in Dr. John- 

 son's works, but that it was originated by a 

 Frenchman fifty years before Dr. Johnson's 

 time. 



The following extract from " Salmonia " may 

 appropriately come in here : 



"Dr. Paley was evidently attached to this 

 amusement so much so that when the Bishop 

 of Durham inquired of him when one of his 

 most important works would be finished, he said, 

 ' My lord, I shall work steadily at it when the 

 fly-fishing season is over.' " 



