40 ANGLING. 



him read this book, and we promise to be as little 

 prolix as we can. We take it for granted that 

 his dress is decent and very dry, we have seen a 

 row of anglers sitting arrayed in blankets, and 

 enduring rather to resemble ancient Eomans than 

 sit in wet , for all sportsmen should, at least 

 to that extent, be influenced by a love of change, 

 that the mists of evening, like gigantic snakes of 

 down, have stretched their folds " voluminous and 

 vast" along the river courses, and that he has 

 drawn himself and chair towards a clear light fire, 

 with feet on fender (sofas are few in fishing 

 districts), and conscience free from guile. Let 

 him then read what follows, or portions of the 

 same, but not aloud, lest he should disturb the 

 slumbers of his quiet friend, who has just laid his 

 forehead in his hands, and his hands on the ma- 

 hogany. Peace to the ashes of his cigar. 



SECTION II. 



External Form and Attributes of Fishes. 



To aid the Angler in his scientific researches, as 

 well as to add to the interest of the ordinary ob- 

 server, we now proceed to a brief exposition of the 

 principal characteristics of the class of fishes, and 

 shall, at an after period, expatiate upon the more 

 peculiar attributes of each particular kind, when 

 we come to treat of the species in their order. 



