登陆注册
15987100000030

第30章

Mr.Barker commends several sorts of the palmer-flies; not only those ribbed with silver and gold, but others that have their bodies all made of black; or some with red, and a red hackle.You may also make the Hawthorn-fly: which is all black, and not big, but very small, the smaller the better.Or the oak-fly, the body of which is orange colour and black crewel, with a brown wing.Or a fly made with a peacock's feather is excellent in a bright day: you must be sure you want not in your magazine-bag the peacock's feather; and grounds of such wool and crewel as will make the grasshopper.And note, that usually the smallest flies are the best; and note also, that the light fly does usually make most sport in a dark day, and the darkest and least fly in a bright or clear day: and lastly note, that you are to repair upon any occasion to your magazine-bag: and upon any occasion, vary and make them lighter or sadder, according to your fancy, or the day.

And now I shall tell you, that the fishing with a natural-fly is excellent, and affords much pleasure.They may be found thus: the May-fly, usually in and about that month, near to the river-side, especially against rain: the Oak-fly, on the butt or body of an oak or ash, from the beginning of May to the end of August; it is a brownish fly and easy to be so found, and stands usually with his head downward, that is to say, towards the root of the tree: the small black-fly, or Hawthorn-fly, is to be had on any hawthorn bush after the leaves be come forth.With these and a short line, as I shewed to angle for a Chub, you may cape or cop, and also with a grasshopper, behind a tree, or in any deep hole; still making it to move on the top of the water as if it were alive, and still keeping yourself out of sight, you shall certainly have sport if there be Trouts; yea, in a hot day, but especially in the evening of a hot day, you will have sport.

And now, scholar, my direction for fly-fishing is ended with this shower, for it has done raining.And now look about you, and see how pleasantly that meadow looks; nay, and the earth smells so sweetly too.

Come let me tell you what holy Mr.Herbert says of such days and flowers as these, and then we will thank God that we enjoy them, and walk to the river and sit down quietly, and try to catch the other place of Trouts.

Sweet day, so cool, so calm, so bright, The bridal of the earth and sky, Sweet dews shall weep thy fall to-night, For thou must die.

Sweet rose, whose hue, angry and brave, Bids the rash gazer wipe his eye, Thy root is ever in its grave, And thou must die.

Sweet spring, full of sweet days and roses, A box where sweets compacted lie;My music shews you have your closes, And all must die.

Only a sweet and virtuous soul, Like season'd timber, never gives, But when the whole world turns to coal, Then chiefly lives.

Venator.I thank you, good master, for your good direction for fly-fishing, and for the sweet enjoyment of the pleasant day, which is so far spent without offence to God or man: and I thank you for the sweet close of your discourse with Mr.Herbert's verses; who, I have heard, loved angling; and I do the rather believe it, because he had a spirit suitable to anglers, and to those primitive Christians that you love, and have so much commended.

Piscator.Well, my loving scholar, and I am pleased to know that you are so well pleased with my direction and discourse.

And since you like these verses of Mr.Herbert's so well, let me tell you what a reverend and learned divine that professes to imitate him, and has indeed done so most excellently, hath writ of our book of Common Prayer; which I know you will like the better, because he is a friend of mine, and I am sure no enemy to angling.

What ! Pray'r by th' book ? and Common ? Yes; Why not ?

The spirit of grace And supplication Is not left free alone For time and place, But manner too: to read, or speak, by rote, Is all alike to him that prays, In's heart.what with his mouth he says.

They that in private, by themselves alone, Do pray, may take What liberty they please, In chusing of the ways Wherein to make Their soul's most intimate affections known To him that sees in secret, when Th' are most conceal'd from other men.

But he, that unto others leads the way In public prayer, Should do it so, As all, that hear, may know They need not fear To tune their hearts unto his tongue, and say Amen; not doubt they were betray'd To blaspheme, when they meant to have pray'd.

Devotion will add life unto the letter:

And why should not That, which authority Prescribes, esteemed be Advantage got ?

If th' prayer be good, the commoner the better, Prayer in the Church's words, as well As sense, of all prayers bears the bell.

And now, scholar, I think it will be time to repair to our angle-rods, which we left in the water to fish for themselves; and you shall choose which shall be yours; and it is an even lay, one of them catches.

And, let me tell you, this kind of fishing with a dead rod, and laying night-hooks, are like putting money to use; for they both work for the owners when they do nothing but sleep, or eat, or rejoice, as you know we have done this last hour, and sat as quietly and as free from cares under this sycamore, as Virgil's Tityrus and his Meliboeus did under their broad beech-tree.No life, my honest scholar, no life so happy and so pleasant as the life of a well-governed angler; for when the lawyer is swallowed up with business, and the statesman is preventing or contriving plots, then we sit on cowslip-banks, hear the birds sing, and possess ourselves in as much quietness as these silent silver streams, which we now see glide so quietly by us.Indeed, my good scholar, we may say of angling, as Dr.Boteler said of strawberries, " Doubtless God could have made a better berry, but doubtless God never did "; and so, if I might be judge, God never did make a more calm, quiet, innocent recreation than angling.

同类推荐
  • 曲洧旧闻

    曲洧旧闻

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 羽林恩召观御书王太

    羽林恩召观御书王太

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 本草撮要

    本草撮要

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 清奏疏选汇

    清奏疏选汇

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • A Rebellious Heroine

    A Rebellious Heroine

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • 超时空狂兵

    超时空狂兵

    形形色色的穿越者散落各个空间,肆意篡改历史打破平衡,现实空间岌岌可危。人造人张楚从出生的一刻起就注定要游走在各种各样的世界和位面中,与能力各异的穿越者们展开殊死搏斗。有人说他不是人,但他活得比所有人都清醒,不畏惧,不退缩,敢爱,敢恨,在一个又一个世界中从不迷失自我。
  • 我从北山来

    我从北山来

    人这一辈子,总有太多的遗憾。遗憾做了错误的选择,遗憾浪费了大把的时光,遗憾在跌跌撞撞中成长却早已丢失最开始的自己。宋北曾无数次想过,若给她重来一次的机会,一切都会不一样吧。这样想着,就似从一场梦中醒来,青春依旧,年华似火。她下定决心让自己的这一生再无遗憾,可世事难料,她无疑招惹那个人啊……
  • 小鬼认妈

    小鬼认妈

    人家考古她考古,她倒好,考了个小鬼出来。考个小鬼也就算了,但这小鬼喊她什么?娘亲?妈咪?噢~!买葛,好不容易才找到一个男人勉强愿意和她爱爱,所以…这小鬼还是哪边凉快哪边呆去吧…带着小鬼去看古董展览,他倒好顺手A了一副棺材给回来。说棺材里面躺着她老公,让她郁闷个半死…她的亲亲男友昨天明明还好好的,怎么今天就进了棺材?不会吧…这个吸血鬼帅哥是她的老公?真的假的?
  • 王爷有种我们单挑

    王爷有种我们单挑

    一场狗血的穿越,但有着不狗血的爱恋,当野蛮霸道,碰上冷酷无情,最终,他们将会相依相偎,还是遍体鳞伤?
  • 福妻驾到

    福妻驾到

    现代饭店彪悍老板娘魂穿古代。不分是非的极品婆婆?三年未归生死不明的丈夫?心狠手辣的阴毒亲戚?贪婪而好色的地主老财?吃上顿没下顿的贫困宭境?不怕不怕,神仙相助,一技在手,天下我有!且看现代张悦娘,如何身带福气玩转古代,开面馆、收小弟、左纳财富,右傍美男,共绘幸福生活大好蓝图!!!!快本新书《天媒地聘》已经上架开始销售,只要3.99元即可将整本书抱回家,你还等什么哪,赶紧点击下面的直通车,享受乐乐精心为您准备的美食盛宴吧!)
  • 简明医彀

    简明医彀

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 玉罗汉

    玉罗汉

    不一样的盗墓,不一样的传奇……出生时天降大雨乌云密布,是被父母遗弃还是从天而降?罗汉吊坠的现世是刻意的安排,还是机缘巧合?犹如一张白纸的聂震雨将带着对世界的爱意还是恨意?踏上那条非一般的道路……
  • 高冷男神腹黑狼:糖心宝贝小心

    高冷男神腹黑狼:糖心宝贝小心

    糖心被顾北爵盯得全身发烫:顾北爵你,你怎么啦?干嘛一直看着我...我脸上有什么东西吗?某狼:糖心,你好香啊!该怎么慢慢的吃掉你呢?糖糖:什么?我不能吃的。某狼邪恶的看着身下的人:我们来做些好玩的事吧!糖糖:顾北爵,我害怕!某狼:没事,不用怕,我在。糖糖:好吧,那你吃掉我吧!但是你要轻点,不然我会疼的。某狼瞬间把糖糖压在身下:那我要开吃咯!
  • Hamlet

    Hamlet

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 至尊红颜:医女杀手太温柔

    至尊红颜:医女杀手太温柔

    誓言一次次的背叛,当长剑入体他亲手结束了她的生命,侥幸活过来,这一次她决定不再为他不顾一切,可说好了要报仇最后却被他当做筹码换取了十座城池。她恨之入骨,身世之谜揭开,她才发现自己的身后原来还有另一人守护。