PERCH. 45 



take our two trout, and the three perch, 

 to the kitchen, and let them be dressed as 

 usual. You shall have a good dish of fish, 

 worthy of such determined anglers. But .1 

 see one of your party coming up by the 

 side of the river, who seems tired and out of 

 spirits. 



HAL. It is Physicus, who has this day 

 commenced his career as a fly fisher; and 

 who, I dare say, has been as successful as 

 the uninitiated generally are. I hope you 

 have followed my advice and been suc- 

 cessful ? 



PHYS. I caught two trout in the rapid 

 where you left me ; but they were small, and 

 the fisherman threw them in. Below the 

 wear, in the quick stream, I caught two 

 dace, and what astonished me very much, 

 a perch, which you see here, and which I 

 thought never took the fly. 



HAL. O yes, sometimes; and particularly 

 when it is below the surface : and what more ? 



PHYS. By creeping on my knees, and 

 dropping my fly over the bank, I hooked a 

 very large fish which I saw rising, and 



