22 



Fly-FiJbing. 



though a trout will dart from a great depth and 

 feize a gnat of the minuteft fize, I do not find, if 

 he is at all hungry, he is difinclined to refufe an 

 artificial fly, if in colour, fhape, and fize it be in 

 imitation of one on the water, though in the eyes 

 of the Profeflbr fo marvelloufly little like. I have 

 no doubt at all that there is juft fufficient refem- 

 blance in a well-made artificial fly to a natural one, 

 if properly managed, to tempt a trout to try the 

 tafte of it. Hence it follows that (lightly ftained or 

 ruffled water is all in favour of aiding the deception. 

 That any new and ftrange notion (the newer 

 and ftranger the better) will enlift plenty of difci- 

 ples in its favour, I have only to fearch the annals 

 of quackery, and that not only in matters of 

 medicine, but of everything elfe. Have you for- 

 gotten how a few years ago the vaunted efficacy 

 of brandy and fait as a remedy was to flop for 

 the future the doctor's viiits, (what a bleffing you 

 will exclaim !) and cure every ailment under the 

 fun ? That a few perfons of nervous tempera- 

 ment tried it, in full reliance on its virtues, and 

 received benefit, (not from the mixture, but from 

 the confidence they felt in it re-a&ing in a bene- 

 ficial way on their nerves, and inducing them to 

 beftir themfelves more than ufual,) I do not deny : 



