20 I GO A -FISHING. 



as I have felt, exactly as scores of men have felt who 

 knew the charm of the gentle art, as we now call it. No 

 other has such attraction. Men love hunting, love boat- 

 ing, love games of varied sorts, love many amusements 

 of many kinds, but I do not know of any like fishing to 

 which men go for relief in weariness, for rest after labor, 

 for solace in sorrow. I can well understand how those 

 sad men, not yet fully appreciating the grand truth that 

 their Master had risen from the dead, believing, yet 

 doubting, how even Thomas, who had so lately seen the 

 rounds and heard the voice, how even John, loving and 

 loved, who had rejoiced a week ago in Jerusalem at the 

 presence of the triumphant Lord, how Peter, always fear- 

 ful, how Nathanael, full of impulsive faith, how each and 

 all of them, wearied with their long waiting for him on 

 the shore of the sea, sought comfort and solace, oppor- 

 tunity and incitement to thought in going a-fishing. 



I can understand it, for, though far be it from me to 

 compare any weariness or sorrow of mine with theirs, I 

 have known that there was no better way in which I could 

 find rest. And I have gathered together the chapters of 

 this book, if perchance it may serve as a companion to 

 any one who would go a-fishing if he could, but can not, 

 or help another who has gone a-fishing to enjoy the rest 

 which he has thus obtained. I have written for lovers of 

 the gentle art, and if this which I have written fall into 

 other hands, let him who reads understand that it is not 

 for him. We who go a-fishing are a peculiar people. 

 Like other men and women in many respects, we are like 

 one another, and like no others, in other respects. We 

 understand each other's thoughts by an intuition of which 

 you know nothing. We cast our flies on many waters, 

 where memories and fancies and facts rise, and we take 



