THE ANGLER 



his thoughts, and float not away in day 

 dreams. 



Howsoever much he loves her, for 

 the time while he hath rod in hand 

 Mother Nature is a fish - woman, and 

 he prays that she may deal generously 

 with him. Though he be a parson, his 

 thoughts tend not to religion ; though a 

 savant, not to science ; though a states- 

 man, not to politics ; though an artist, 

 to no art save the art of angling. So 

 far removed from all these while he casts 

 his fly or guides his minnow, how much 

 further is his soul from all but the mat- 

 ter in hand when a fish has taken the 

 one or the other, and all his skill is taxed 

 to the utmost to bring his victim to 

 creel. Heresy and paganism may pre- 

 vail, the light of science be quenched, 

 the country go to the dogs, pictures go 

 unpainted, and statues unmoulded till he 

 has saved this fish. 



When the day is spent, the day's 

 sport done, and he wends his way home- 

 ward with a goodly score, satisfied with 

 himself and all the world besides, he 

 may ponder on many things apart from 

 that which has this day taken him by 

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