Out of the Chalk. 89 



learned natives as most appropriate for the Darent, he 

 employs a big homely-looking fly, that resembles nothing in 

 Nature, and is not much as a work of Art ; it is indeed as 

 large as a humble bee, and a little like it in shape, only 

 the body is black and the wings large and light coloured. 

 Our friend,, however, must know what he is doing, and 

 before sunset dispatches to town fourteen heavy, handsome 

 trout that are- a credit to the water that bred and the man 

 that killed them. It so happens that he nearly monopolises 

 the sport of the day ; the other anglers give him all honour, 

 but they are of course unwilling to admit that his success is 

 the reward of absolute superiority, and explain away the 

 undoubted fact — swathed in green grass and half filling a 

 large basket — in a variety of ways. Truth compels me to 

 add that it was whispered about that the hero had 

 feloniously killed his fish with a worm, for which the coarse 

 tackle and large hook were well adapted. For the sake of 

 fair play I hope this rumour was ill-founded, as probably it 

 was, the angler being in position and education a gentle- 

 man, and one of the most regular visitors to the place. 



To the Carnival during the day come numerous persons, 

 simply to see the fun — strangers from London who have 

 driven down, and after luncheon will drive back again; 

 villagers of all grades who have throughout their lives been 

 accustomed to go dutifully to church in the morning and 

 lazily watch and gossip about the trout-teasers afterwards ; 

 and visitors, riding, driving, and walking, who are acquainted 

 with the manifold attractions of the country. A delightful 

 sequestered nook, indeed, is this ancient Kentish village : 

 the three-arched bridge, hundreds of years old ; the Norman 

 towered parish church, the cottage eaves, the gabled houses 

 and mills, and the trees far and near, are all venerable in 

 appearance; and in many another way Farningham, sur- 



