CONCLUDING REMARKS. 223 



the statesman, and the poet, however officially engaged, de 

 lighting in a few hours' daily recreation in the art, and speak 

 ing and writing enthusiastically in its favor, finding 



" Tongues in trees, books in the running brooks, 

 Sermons in stones ; 



we think the objectors might as well have tried to hold a 

 whale with the thread of a spider's web as to have caused any 

 human being to abandon a recreation at once so delightful, 

 amusing, and beneficial, by their aspersions ; and where the 

 light and airy nothingness of ridicule has caused a doubt in 

 the mind of one of its followers, the silken line of praise has 

 caused thousands to pursue and defend it. 



Let all, then, who belong to the fraternity, having the 

 great, the learned and the good for their example, follow in 

 the footsteps of their illustrious predecessors ; and that they 

 may enjoy many a day of delightful pleasure and happiness, 

 coupled with holy arid contemplative feeling, binding them 

 by the cord of friendship to their fellow men ; and that 



" Their lines may always fall in lucky places," 



is the sincere wish of an ardent admirer of the art. 



As the peruser of the foregoing pages might possibly be- 

 come too ardent in his admiration of the science of angling, 

 we close by inserting one more effusion of the objectors to 

 angling, which, from the dangers seemingly attending the 

 practice, will no doubt deter him from pursuing the sport 



TO A FISH OF THE BROOKE. 



Why flyest thou away with fear? 

 Trust me, there's nought of danger near: 

 I have no wicked hooke, 



