CURIOUS PHENOMENA. 83 



thing in perfect consonance with our notions of a 

 good day our own blood in free circulation to and 

 from the heart, bearing elasticity and comfort to the 

 nerves, and inducing even generous sympathies 

 the lark overhead sailing beside the light cloud, the 

 thrush and blackbird on bus.h and tree, and the 

 titmouse in the hedge below, swelling their little 

 throats in the joy of love : why are there no flies 

 come to the surface they are half an hour later than 

 I expected 1 While you turn and move and stand 

 in suspense, down floats a shower of flies literally 

 thatching the middle current, multitudes of them 

 whirling into creeks arid eddies (say beautiful March 

 Browns, bred up from the grub state on the bottom 

 stones of the ford above the stream), and not a trout 

 seen to flap a tail amongst them ! Why are all in 

 motion but the fish 1 No answer to this our ques- 

 tion of thought, no solution found, the pride of our 

 philosophy humbled. Even old father Walton and 

 Sir Humphry Davy were aback as far as I find 

 myself, having no reason to render for such a pheno- 

 menon. But we feel, we fret to stand inert, so keep 

 casting on, regardless of breaking the wings of fifty 

 living flies at every fall of our lumpish line and sham 

 flies, on the surface, though supposed by us com- 

 paratively fine ; and having come to fish, fish we will. 



