56 



" Imperfect in this naughty world of ours/' 



this " delicate-minded creature's" humanity 

 was not universal ; trouts, it would seem, 

 had no share in his tender mercies no ; 

 files only were the objects of his refined sym- 

 pathy, and trouts might be hooked and played 

 with in their agony before being landed, 

 without in the least exciting his compassion. 

 Humane, delicate-minded, and consistent 

 man, he would indeed be " incapable of the 

 extravagancies of I. Walton !" The nauseous, 

 loathsome cant of mock humanity, which 

 first trifles with conscience and then assumes 

 the right to delude the world, has seldom 

 gone beyond this specimen of a delicate- 

 minded angler, whose tender feelings caused 

 him to use painted fiies when he angled 

 for living fish. Had he angled for painted 

 trouts too, his humanity would have been 

 complete, and his character then might have 

 stood without reproach, and claimed to future 

 ages the admiration of the world. 



