SIMPSON. I highly admire Walton's work myself, 

 though I do not make it the text-book for a lay 

 sermon over a "bottle of wine. 



FISHER. You have not much taste for sermons, I 

 "believe, whether lay, extempore, and over a bottle ; 

 or clerical, savouring of the lamp, and over a cushion. 

 But to have done with sermonizing. This is a tole- 

 rably pleasant place, Simpson, for a "bachelor like 

 yourself to spend a few days at, and basket a stone 

 or two of roach, or half a dozen "brace of jack, since 

 you have nothing "better that is come-at-able near 

 London at this time of year. Do you ever fish fly 

 for trout now? 



SIMPSON. O yes, in the season. I subscribe to 

 two waters which afford trout, one at the Wandle, 

 and the other at the Colne ; and I sometimes get a 

 day's fishing in the preserved waters of two friends, 

 one of whom resides at Mitcham, and the other 

 near Kickmansworth. 



FISHER. And do you manage to catch many? 



SIMPSON. Why, as you, who count by dozens, 

 understand the word, I cannot say that I do. But I 

 have taken, I believe, in those streams in a season 

 more large trout than ever you caught in beck, burn, 

 or river, north of the Trent always excepting sea- 

 trout in your life. In one season, from the 1st of 

 May to the 1st of September, I have taken with the 

 fly three trouts, each weighing upwards of five pounds, 

 besides two others which weighed three pounds 

 and a half each. 



