THAMES ANGLING. 353 



in a Thames fisherman's punt, a mark was made in our 

 memory never to be effaced. We were certain to repeat 

 the experiment deliberately, and ten to one we became 

 enthusiastic Thames anglers. Thus a modern lyric poet 

 commemorates his " early days " of Thames angling : — 



" Was ever indolence so sweet, were ever days so fine, 

 As when we lounged in that old punt, and play 'd with rod and HneP 

 'Tis true few fish were caught there, but the good old ale we quaff'd; 

 As we chatted, too, and smoked there, and idled, dream'd, and laugh'd : 

 Then we thought only of to-day — of to-morrow had no fear — 

 For sorrow scarce had tinged the stream that flow'd thro' Blankton 

 Weir." 



As years passed on our poet evidently came to think 

 less of the " beer and tobacco " aspect of the matter, and 

 more of the " moral " charms of a day on the Thames. 

 Those of us to whom a hard lot has denied the many days 

 on the Thames we would wish to take, can sympathize 

 with him as he goes on to say : — 



" Amidst the whirl of weary life, its worry and its bore, 

 Comes back that well-known lullaby — the old weir's distant roar; 

 It gilds the cloud of daily toil with sunshine's fitful gleams, 

 It breaks upon my slumber, and I hear it in my dreams ; 

 Like music of the good old times, it strikes upon my ear — 

 If there's an air can banish care, 'tis that of Blankton Weir !" 



Happy the man who can take as many days on the 

 Thames as he will ! No happier man than the Thames 

 angler — I mean here the well-to-do angler, who can com- 

 mand a punt and all the purtenances thereof. 



No angler has a better field for his sport and his art. 

 Perhaps, as I have already intimated, the Trent anglers 

 are more artistic fishermen, and no one can deny that they 

 have a splendid river for fishing. It abounds in fish of all 



