48 AN APOLOGY FOR FISHING 



self involved in many difficulties connected with the 

 management of his rod and line. While he was 

 contemplating, his fly would speedily get itself 

 fastened to some neighbouring tree, or fixed, may 

 be, into some unattainable part of the contemplative 

 one's own costume ; while, if the line were suffered 

 to remain in the water, the flies would certainly be 

 carried by the current into a bed of weeds, or get 

 twisted round a stone at the bottom of the river. 



The study of the beauties of nature, again, is an 

 occupation which angling is supposed to lend itself 

 to. Yet even this, as it seems to me, is hardly 

 likely to be carried very far by the really keen 

 sportsman. When walking briskly across the hill 

 or on the moorland on his way to the river he may, 

 indeed, take note of the picturesque outlines of a 

 distant mountain or the rich colouring of a patch of 

 heather and fern, just as he is conscious of the 

 freshness of the air or the warmth of the sun ; but 

 he will hardly, when there is any fishing to do, be 

 likely to dwell on any of these delights, however 

 much he may revel in them at other times. When 

 once he gets really to work he is entirely absorbed 

 in the sport, and will think of little or nothing else 

 till the time comes for putting up his traps and 

 going home. And it is just this which gives such 

 value to every form of sport, and makes them 



