SHADOWS. 75 



swer for it I shall have the same success. I 

 take your rod, Physicus. And lo! I have a 

 fish! 



PHYS. What can be the reason of this? 

 It is perfectly inexplicable to me. Yet 

 Poietes seems to throw as light as you do, 

 and as well as he did yesterday. 



HAL. I am surprised that you, who are 

 a philosopher, cannot discover the reason 

 of this. Think a little. 



ALL. We cannot. 



HAL. As you are my scholars, I believe 

 I must teach you. The sun is bright, and 

 you have been, naturally enough, fishing 

 with your backs to the sun, which, not being 

 very high, has thrown the shadows of your 

 rods and yourselves upon the water, and you 

 have alarmed the fish whenever you have 

 thrown a fly. You see I have fished with 

 my face towards the sun, and though incon- 

 venienced by the light, have not alarmed 

 the fish. Follow my example, and you will 

 soon have sport, as there is a breeze playing 

 on the water. 



PHYS. Your sagacity puts me in mind 



