74 Fly-Fifhing. 



Moft of thofe who are accuftomed to fifh in 

 the Wye, are as much in the water as out of 

 it. Now I have always felt a fecret repugnance to 

 wading, not only becaufe in fmall rivers and brooks 

 it does, I am convinced, often more harm than 

 good, and completely deftroys the fport (for a 

 time at leaft) of thofe behind you ; but becaufe, 

 under all circumftances, it lays up for the evening 

 of life, if you are permitted to reach it, a double 

 amount of aches and pains than would ordinarily, 

 I am fure, be the cafe. 



Fly-fiftiing with me would lofe its prime charm, 

 if it were not, as I have ever found it, indebted 

 for its attraction more to the accompaniments that 

 are ufually aflbciated with it, than to its bare naked 

 character of killing fifh, as the eye of a poacher 

 would only regard it in. Without the excitement 

 of the latter, it would, of courfe, ceafe to intereft 

 me, or any one elfe, I prefume ; but this is only 

 one of the many pleafures that are infeparable from 

 the practice of the gentle art. 



Rambling careleffly for hours in fine weather 

 befide "the fair ftreams," that the " Sketcber" fo 

 touchingly yet truthfully tells us 



" ever ran 

 With the fame mufic, fmce the world began ; " 



