1 6 Fly-Fifhing. 



this refpecl: !) by winding the hackle with fuch 

 care, as to take the fame direction ? 



If I am not miftaken in my views refpecting a 

 palmer, there is no fear of my being fo in the 

 ordinary flies it is cuftomary to make. 



Take a May-fly the one, perhaps, the beft 

 known, in your hands, and examine it well. Oh ! 

 how dazzling in beauty, and delicate in form does 

 it fpring from Nature's incomparable mould ! 

 How vain the attempt to imitate its gauze-like 

 wings the brilliancy of its prominent eyes the 

 matchlefs grace of its (lender body ! What then ! 

 Are you to give up the attempt in defpair becaufe 

 of this impoffibility ? Juft as reafonably may the 

 painter caft his brufh away, and thruft his can- 

 vafs into the fire, becaufe, excel as he may, he 

 falls fo wondroufly fhort of the lovely fcene that 

 fires his foul. No, you are not to give up the at- 

 tempt you are to do your beft. 



Endeavour to tie your flies as neatly as you can, 

 and imitate as clofely as poffible the natural ones, 

 in colour, fhape, and proportions, though the lat- 

 ter fhould, I think, be reduced in the cafe of large 

 flies. 



And here I cannot help faying a few words, 

 though with fome degree of hefitation, as they 



