MOORLAND IDYLLS. 



It has been urged by anglers (who are in- 

 terested parties) that such conduct contains 

 an element of treachery ; but all is fair in 

 love and war, of which last our contest with 

 the wild creatures of nature is but a minor 

 variety ; and I cannot see that it matters 

 much, ethically, whether you land your trout 

 on the bank under pretence of titillating his 

 sense of touch, or treacherously hook him 

 by false show of supplying him with a dainty 

 dinner. Indeed, all the trout I have inter- 

 viewed on the subject are unanimously of 

 opinion that, if you must be caught and 

 eaten at all, they had rather be caught by a 

 gentle pressure of the naked hand than have 

 their mouths and feelings cruelly lacerated 

 by a barbed hook disguised as a mayfly. 

 Which reminds me of the charming French 

 apologue of the farmer who called his 

 turkeys together in order to ask them with 

 what sauce they would prefer to be eaten. 

 " Please, your Excellency," said the turkeys, 

 " we don't want to be eaten at all." " My 

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