3 2 Fly-FiJhing. 



non-defcript kind of cap on his head, half-military, 

 half " Monkeylfh" a jacket of all colours that are 

 dingy, fave the original one ; and inexpreffibles 

 oh ! what would a fpinfter of refpe&able years fay 

 of the wondrous patchwork ? an enormous rod 

 in his hand, and as enormous a bafket in pro- 

 portion flung round his fhoulders very like Ro- 

 binfon Crufoe in the eyes of Friday, I imagine, did 

 the individual who fpoke appear to me. Such in 

 facl: was his trim, fuch his equipments in the fim- 

 ing way, that had I fuddenly come acrofs him on 

 fome moonlight night, I fhould have taken him at 

 once for a poacher of the defperate fchool bent on 

 mifchief. 



That I was never more miftaken in my life, the 

 following colloquy will abundantly mow : 



Stranger. You handle your rod, fir, as if you 

 knew fomething about fly-fiftiing. 



Glericus. Why, my good man, to tell you the 

 honeft truth, I have fifhed fo little of late that I was 

 juft trying a few throws when you came up to fee 

 what fort of a hand I might make of it. 



Stranger. No fear of your fuccefs, fir ; fly-fifh- 

 ing is like fwimming, once learnt never forgotten. 

 There was fome talk of a ftranger coming to the 

 court who had a tafte for it, and I thought Pd juft 



