FISHING AS A SPORT. 89 



that it might make mankind to think miracles are -not ceased. He 

 that at midnight (when the very labourer sleeps securely) should hear 

 (as I have very often) the clear airs, the sweet descants, the natural 

 rising and falling, the doubling and redoubling of her voice, might 

 well be lifted above earth and say, Lord, what musick hast Thou pro- 

 vided for the Saints in Heaven when Thou affordest bad men such 

 musick on earth p " 



I do believe that something of this spirit pervades most 

 anglers ; though, as there are some who are deaf and blind 

 to the. sights and sounds of nature round them, so are 

 there some who, consequently, have no devout thoughts, 

 and to whom the " looking through nature up to nature's 

 God" are mere empty words. I would fain hope, however, 

 that these are the exceptions ; that the old lines which 

 date back as far as 1706, are in the main still true, — 



" Angling tends our bodies to exercise, 

 And also souls to make holy and wise 

 By heavenly thoughts and meditation — 

 This is the angler's recreation ;" 



and that most of those who seek recreation " with their 

 angle " amid the works of nature, sympathize with the 

 words and thoughts of old John Dennys, where he says, — 



" All these and many more of His creation, 



That made the heavens, the angler oft doth see, 



And takes therein no little delectation 



To think how strange and wonderfull they bee, 



Framing thereof an inward contemplation 

 To set his thoughts on other fancies free ; 



And while he looks on these with joyful eye, 



His mind is wrapt above the starry skie." 



But if angling does not make men " religious " or even 

 " devout," it certainly tends to make them philosophers — 

 good " heathens " — as its practice is formative of many 



