10 SALMONIA. [FIRST DAY. 



with the primrose and the daisy ; to wander upon the 

 fresh turf below the shade of trees, whose bright 

 blossoms are filled with the music of the bee ; and 

 on the surface of the waters to view the gaudy flies 

 sparkling like animated gems in the sunbeams, whilst 

 the bright and beautiful trout is watching them from 

 below ; to hear the twittering of the water-birds, who, 

 alarmed at your approach, rapidly hide themselves 

 beneath the flowers and leaves of the water-lily ; and 

 as the season advances, to find all these objects 

 changed for others of the same kind, but better and 

 brighter, till the swallow and the trout contend as it 

 were for the gaudy May-fly, and till in pursuing your 

 amusement in the calm and balmy evening, you are 

 serenaded by the songs of the cheerful thrush and 

 melodious nightingale, performing the offices of pater- 

 nal love, in thickets ornamented with the rose and 

 woodbine, 



PHYS. All these enjoyments might be obtained 

 without the necessity of torturing and destroying an 

 unfortunate animal, that the true lover of nature 

 would wish to see happy in a scene of loveliness. 



HAL. If all men were Pythagoreans and professed 

 the Brahmin's creed, it would undoubtedly be cruel 

 to destroy any form of animated life ; but if fish are to 

 be eaten, I see no more harm in capturing them by skill 

 and ingenuity with an artificial fly, than in pulling 



