viii DEDICATORY LETTER 



our prodigious list of Angling books, what kind of 

 a compliment do I pay you, upon whom responsi- 

 bility must so seriously fall ? I should be slight- 

 ing your taste most villainously. 



I decline, therefore, to follow that custom. I do 

 not apologise for the Angler at Large. I prefer 

 to say that the book is a good book, and that I 

 congratulate the public on its appearance. I do 

 not hesitate to own that it is a book which I am 

 glad to possess ; that I am sure it is one which a 

 great number of people ought to buy if only to 

 give it instantly away. I will even declare that it 

 is a book which should be translated into all polite 

 languages. 



I could develop this theme indefinitely, but I 

 find that, while I am putting its proper valuation 

 upon your judgment, I am almost losing sight of 

 that modesty which it still behoves an author in 

 some degree to preserve. 



I think enough has been said to show that 1 am 

 in a very embarrassing situation. 



So here is the book for you. 



Always yours, 



WILLIAM CAINE. 



HAMPSTEAD, 1911. 



