CONCLUDING REMARKS. 
223 
the statesman, and the poet, however officially engaged, de 
lighting in a few hours’ daily recreation in the art, and speak- 
ing and writing enthusiastically in its favor, finding 
“Tongues in trees, books in the running brooks, 
Sermons in stones; 
we think the objectors might as well have tried to hold a 
whale with the thread of a spider’s web as to have caused any 
human being to abandon a recreation at once so delightful, 
amusing, and beneficial, by their aspersions ; and where the 
light and aiiy nothingness of ridicule has caused a doubt in 
the mind of one of its followers, the silken line of praise has 
caused thousands to pursue and defend it. 
Let all, then, who belong to the fraternity, having the 
great, the learned and the good for their example, follow in 
the footsteps of their illustrious predecessors ; and that they 
may enjoy many a day of delightful pleasure and happiness, 
coupled with holy and contemplative feeling, binding them 
by the cord of friendship to their fellow men ; and that 
" Their lines may always fall in lucky places,” 
is the sincere wish of an ardent admirer of the art. 
As the peruser of the foregoing pages might possibly be- 
come too ardent in his admiration of the science of angling, 
we close by inserting one more effusion of the objectors to 
angling, which, from the dangers seemingly attending the 
practice, will no doubt deter him from pursuing the sport 
TO A FISH OF THE BROOKE. 
Why flyost thou away with fear? 
Trust me, thoro’s nought of dungcr near: 
1 have no wicked kooke, 
