Walton's River. 97 



the Lea and all its tributaries have been described with a 

 minuteness that omits scarcely a roach swim or reach of 

 any importance. As a set off against my picture of " the 

 residuum," I will put Mr. Greville Fennell into the witness 

 box. I call him as to character, and this is his evidence : 



"Nine-tenths of the Lea anglers are men of sedentary 

 habits, and they bring these habits out with them. They 

 walk from the rail to the river, and when there to seat them- 

 selves before some six or seven feet of water is the extent 

 of their ambition, and whether they take from fifteen pounds 

 to forty pounds weight of white fish home or not, they 

 appear ever contented and thankful for the opportunity of 

 getting out into the fields and inhaling the sweet air of 

 heaven. As a body they are remarkable for their sober 

 industry when at their various trade avocations, and when 

 following their darling pursuits by the stream for. their un- 

 obtrusive manners and almost taciturn disposition." 



Should any reader wish for practical information respect- 

 ing Lea angling he will obtain it in No. 1 of " The Rail and 

 the Rod," and should any prefer a more general description 

 of the country through which the river flows its gentle 

 course, I can recommend him nothing better than the pages 

 devoted to the subject in one of that river-loving author 

 James Thome's " Rambles." The fact of the Lea being so 

 distinctly Walton's river will probably account for the exten- 

 sive literature which it may call its own; and the stream, 

 though possessing no such romantic and diversified scenery 

 as the Thames, passes through so many centres of historical 

 interest that the literary taskmaster, taking up the subject, 

 has been provided with an "abundance of very excellent 

 straw for his brick-making. 



The hills are very gentle in their undulations, the uplands 

 are a charming specimen of pastoral England, the river is 



H 



