quisite for the art of ground angling, his strictly adhering to the theory laid down, in his practice, is the only thing he has to do, and he may depend on his endeavours being crowned with success. The second part of this little essay will treat of artificial fly-fishing, under every head that can prove of utility to the angler; which certainly bears the bell in that delightful recreation, that adds strength and vigour to the body, keeps the mind in a perfect state of serenity, and tranquillity, and alleviates the cares and troubles attendant on mortality.

In short, how delightful is every species of this diversion, in such a paradise as the Poet describes:

Behind, where alders from the weather screen,
Before the lawn presents its lengthen'd scene:
Close on that side trills soft the emptying brook,
While this fresh woods and sloping hills o'erlook:
Thick over head the rose and woodbine meet,
Uniting shade to shade, and sweet to sweet;
The pea and blooming bean their odours yield,
And new-mown hay perfumes the fragrant field.
To hear the nightingale delights the meads,
And grashoppers chirp shrill amid the reeds;
While from the pinfold, there, the bleating sheep,
Cheer the still twilight, and divert from sleep;
The gale's perfume, the echo's mimic sound,
The night-bird's song, and lowing kine around;
In hollow banks the hum of must'ring bees,
And zephyrs whisp'ring soft amid the trees.

END OF THE FIRST PART.

PART II.

THE

COMPLETE FLY-FISHER;

OR

EVERY MAN HIS OWN FLY-MAKER.

With pliant rod athwart the pebbled brook,
Let me with judgment cast the feather'd hook,
Silent along the mazy margin stray,

And with a fur-wrought fly delude the prey.
To frame the little animal, provide

All the gay hues that wait on female pride.
Let Nature guide thee: sometimes golden wire
The shining bellies of the fly require;
The peacock's plumes thy tackle must not fail,
Nor the dear purchase of the sable's tail.
Each gaudy bird some slender tribute brings,
And lends the growing insect proper wings:
Silks of all colours must their aid impart,
And every fur promote the fisher's art.

GAY.

THE

COMPLETE FLY-FISHER,

&c. &c.

CHAP. I.

Observations concerning Artificial-Fly-Angling, with proper Directions for the Angler's Rods, Lines, &c.

HE art of artificial fly-fishing, certainly has the pre-eminence over the other various methods that are used to take fishes in the art of angling. It requires a great deal of ingenuity and attention, and the variety, which attends it makes it one both pleasant and agreeable. The angler is not confined to any particular part of the water in fly-fishing, but roves from one place to another, trying his fortune, by throwing his flies into the different eddies, and the most likely places he meets with, to make a captive of the speckled trout: enjoying at the same time the harmonious warblings of the numerous songsters of the groves: beholding the diversity of the prospect spread around him, and gaining that health and serenity of mind, not to be purchased by all the riches in the universe.

The imitations of nature, in regard to the flies necessary for use suiting the different colours so exactly as to resemble the natural fly; and observing the greatest nicety in regard to its symmetry, contribute to make it still more delightful. Whenever he makes a fly, let him have the natural one always before him, which will enable him to be a competent judge of the materials must necessary to dub it with; a list of which, and of the best way to make the Palmer and May-fly, (which are the ground of artificial fly-angling, I shall give him by and by); for if he is not able to make his own flies, he never will be a good flyfisher, nor experience that pleasure, which he will receive by taking fishes with one of his own making. He must never think a fly ill made because it will not kill fishes as well in any other river as that he particularly angles in; because the same flies differ very much both in colour and size in different counties; besides which, flies that will be taken on their peculiar water one year in April, will perhaps not be taken in the next till the middle of May, the whole depending on the warmth or coldness of the season.Mr. Taylor in his treatise, where he describes the superiority of fly-fishing to the other branches of angling, with great humour observes, that the angler is surprised, at the manner in which the fish take the flies; and by seeing their surprise, when they find they are hooked, by rising at the flies! I shall proceed to give the angler a descrip tion of the rods and lines best calculated for artificial fly-fishing; but before I do, shall make this one observation: that theory, without practice, can never make a man a proficient.