THOMAS KEN AND IZAAK WALTON 85 



aia attack brought on by a festive and very hot day 

 on the Downs witnessing a sham fight, and in the 

 evening wading after grayling. Happily he is still 

 among us, just of my own age. Then there was 

 another dear old friend on the Avon and elsewhere, 

 now gone hence and will be no more seen. He 

 always reminded me of Christopher North, very like 

 him in outward appearance, an all-round sportsman, 

 at home with the deer on the mountains, the grouse 

 on the moors, the partridge on the stubble, salmon 

 in the lochs, and the trout in the Avon ; full of 

 manly vigour, jolly, outspoken, brimful of humorous 

 anecdote and story. 



The British race may be divided into two classes, 

 and between them there is a distinctly marked line 

 of division — they are anglers, or they are not anglers. 

 Your non-angler knows absolutely nothing about 

 "the gentle Art," and he cares less. You cannot 

 interest him in it. You may tell him the most 

 marvellous, and at the same time the most truthful, 

 tales of your own skill in the catching of trout ; 

 you may boast, of course always with the veracity 

 which is the angler's distinguishing merit, of your 

 exploits with big salmon and monster pike; but 

 you will inspire no enthusiasm in him, and the 

 most you can get out of him is a smile lingering 



