238 SALMONIA. 



ermen, and, I suppose, would apply to them 

 only, the observation of Dr. Johnson, which 

 on a former occasion you would not allow to 

 be just: " Angling is an amusement with a 

 stick and a string; a worm at one end, and 

 a fool at the other." And to yourself you 

 would apply it with this change: " a fly at 

 one end, and a philosopher at the other." 

 Yet the pleasure of the Cockney Angler 

 appears to me of much the same kind, and 

 perhaps more continuous than yours; and 

 he has the happiness of constant occupation 

 and perpetual pursuit in as high a degree as 

 you have ; and if we were to look at the real 

 foundations of your pleasure, we should find 

 them like most of the foundations of human 

 happiness vanity or folly. I shall never 

 forget the impression made upon me some 

 years ago, when I was standing on the pier 

 at Donegal, watching the flowing of the tide, 

 I saw a lame boy of fourteen or fifteen years 

 old, very slightly clad, that some persons 

 were attempting to stop in his progress along 

 the pier, but he resisted them with his 

 crutches, and halting along, threw himself 



