MEHITS OF FLY-FISHING. 9 



world afford comfort and competence, acquired 

 bit by bit by efforts, slightly but sufficiently 

 stimulating to fresh and repeated exertion. The 

 narrow, precipitous paths of life lead to fame, 

 high honours, and high rank, and the ascent, ren- 

 dered enchanting by the allurements of ambi- 

 tious hope, is gained by daring activity, which 

 never flags but for breath, to bound onward more 

 and more bravely. The accessible streams that 

 meander soothingly through soil for the sickle 

 and scythe, yield to the industrious bottom - 

 fisher a full pannier, by a slowly and pleasantly 

 accumulating process. The fly-fisher with haply 

 a few casts of his artificial baits, surcharges his 

 creel with salmon or trout, whose retreat in waters 

 rushing by crag and fell he has attained by paths 

 which none save the sportsman intent on high 

 game would choose to tread. 



I have now run rapidly through the salient 

 merits of fly-fishing. Let me explain the practice 

 of it with less precipitation. 



