IX 



THE FESTIVAL OF THE GREEN 

 DRAKE 



To the angler who is modest in his desires 

 the May-fly must ever be somewhat of a 

 fearful joy. There is something uncanny 

 about finding the trout in a well-fished 

 stream, commonly epicurean of taste and 

 cautious of habit, converted in the twinkling 

 of an eye into omnivorous maniacs ; and it 

 is small wonder that the insect whose advent 

 causes this remarkable change has sometimes 

 been the object of invective as well as of 

 panegyric, for there are many men who 

 prefer a season of moderate (perhaps slight) 

 sport to the " crowded hour of glorious 

 life," which makes all after hours so dull 

 and spiritless. And I am by no means sure 

 that they are not right ; the passing of the 



May-fly from such a river as the Test is 



137 



