and nothing could turn or stop her. On-on she flew, till she was tired, and then only she showed a knowledge of her artificial state; for, if run into in a wide piece of water, she would seek me or my brother for protection, come to the side of the pond, or river, and, without a struggle, allow us to put our whips round her neck, and capture her in safety. When I gave up the staghounds, at Cranford, she was enlarged, for life, in the park at Berkeley, and at this moment- and, for a deer, at an immense age-she walks about at the head of the herd, unharmed by all

her adventures!

In the capture of hunted deer, particularly when they have been stags of any head, I have, of course, seen many amusing adventures: houses stormed, and steady, middleaged, and unoffending gentlemen, unceremoniously butted in different parts of their persons; but though anger, and even blows, have sometimes arisen, as a probable consequence, yet, nine times out of ten, good humour and mirth from the assailed and assailing, arising from the temporary inconvenience of individuals, have crowned the day's diversions, and banished from the field all unworthy recollections.

72

HINTS TO ANGLERS.

PROBABLY BY THE LATE JONATHAN SWIFT, D.D.

It is absolutely necessary to go out of town after the month of August, and to do a little sporting talk when you return. Therefore, if your feelings are known to be too refined to admit of your firing off a loaded gun, you will have to adopt the "gentle art" as the object of your "fancy." Angling has certainly this advantage, that although you may find no enjoyment in the actual practice of it, you may, notwithstanding, claim a sort of sentimental attachment to it, founded on its rural nature. If this be your view, you should gather a quotation or two from old Isaak, about daisied meads and honeysuckle hedgerows, which will, doubtless, be found somewhere, or in the moon if you turn her over. It may not be amiss to learn his Song to the Milkmaid; and if you can, immediately after, favour your friends with her reply, with something like the appropriate simplicity of manner and action, it will add to their

entertainment.

But, perhaps, your attachment to fishing is more rationally platonic, and you agree with us, that its chief attraction lies in the ability it gives to enjoy a vast deal more of good eating and drinking than one could manage without it. It is delightful even to think of the breakfast one makes when the dear girls remind us, as they sweeten our tea, or help us to muffin, that we are going from home, and

don't know when we may be back, and thus induce us, "nothing loath," to draw a little upon the anticipated appetite to be created by our intended exertions. Rolls, eggs, chops, fish, ham, coffee, and cogniac-how satisfactory are one's feelings after such a climax! Having acted upon Captain Dalgetty's campaigning principle, and "garrisoned the fortress as if for three days," put the remainder in the basket beside the fowls, tongue, sherry, and bottled porter. They will be a capital source of consolation, if you have no other sport.

If you think you may get wearied, we need hardly recommend you to take a portable stool with you. You are likely to meet with none but toad-stools at the water-side. Of course you would wish to look knowing: therefore wear a French jelly-bag cap, with a long, hanging crown and tassel, and put your lines and flies inside. If the points of the latter trouble your head a little, they will be the less likely to be blown away when you lift your cap to get them out and if they do drop out, and fall in the water, they will not be altogether lost, but will serve to bait the stream for you. You can't have too many pockets to your fishing-jacket: it looks business-like. And as flies are plaguy catchy things, and will be hooking every thing but what they ought, if they now and then fasten in your coat, it needs only a slit with one of the numerous blades of your sportsman's knife, and they are free again.

Your ardour will no doubt hurry you to the scene of action at your best pace. This will be a little painful so soon after so redoubtable a breakfast; but if you should be overpowered with heat and perspiration, you have only to hasten into the water, and commence business, and you

L

will soon feel a grateful chill, as much allied to rheumatism and ague as to heat and fever. We may here venture an opinion, that pumps of japanned leather would be the best thing to wade in; for, besides the appearance (which is something, whatever people may pretend), instead of being injured, like other leather, by water, it is the common application for renovating the "patent ;" and if the high-lows admit the water, they approach the nearer to the Irishman's brogues, and let it the quicker out again.

You are not so young, we dare say, as ever to ask leave to angle anywhere; because, if you are refused, you cannot so well afterwards fish (which of course you mean to do) without a deliberate trespass. Whereas, if you have never asked, and are caught walking coolly into a preserve, it is only a mistake (from ignorance); and on being turned off, you are no worse than if you had asked, and been refused. By-the-bye, in such a case never give your We rather think it is not wanted for any good.

name.

We need not recommend you to buy all the tackle you can pick up. You may not be able to foresee that you shall want it, but then, "keep a thing for seven years, and you will find a use for it." On the other hand, if you throw away a chance of buying, you will be sure to imagine, next time you are unsuccessful, that the scarlet and sky-blue insect which you let slip, might now have been the very ticket for fish. And who can say it would not?

But as to carrying all your tackle with you, that would be out of the question. And if it were not, you would not be such a spooney as that slow old fogrum your uncle, whom you have seen laying out his flies, and looking over his rod and tackle, before starting to the water, as if he

were not sure they were his own. If you find, on coming to the river-side, that your line is not looped, or, perhaps, that your reel or fishing-book, flies and all, are forgotten at home, the case is not altogether hopeless, but may be remedied by a walk of five or six miles and back; or, at the worst, if you lose that day, you may possibly be able to return the next, provided the weather suit your purpose. "Carpe diem," was an ancient attempt at a wretched pun, but does not apply here, as we were speaking of trout.

You will find it delightful to take a party of your acquaintance with you to the water. They will amuse you with talking and romping, pushing each other into it, and the like: and if you chance to catch a fish, they will cheer you on to greater exertions, which, of course, ought to be crowned with greater success. They may also be made useful by being sent into the river, some above, and some below your position, to herd the fish towards you, so as you may be sure of their being brought to see your tackle, when, of course, your skill will do the rest. Take care, however, not to be taken in by mistaking pebbles, wickedly thrown by your friends, for fish rising : nor betray undue anxiety by hurrying to the spot, and casting carefully over the supposed ripple, for this might excite their ill-timed merriment, and would gratify them by the undeserved success of what is a very poor joke. You may not, perhaps, consider it worth your while to waste your time by fishing during rain, or soon after it; seeing that the water being then discoloured, the fish will not distinguish between your beautifully made flies, and the natural ones. This is a disadvantage you will not be