Publisher's Synopsis
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1889 edition. Excerpt: ... hooks from his mouth: no further attempt to catch a second. I seized the fish and my rod, and hurried home to exhibit my trophy. Since that day I have had the pleasure and privilege of fishing upon some of the finest lengths of trout and grayling water in the country, and captured thousands of both fish, but I question very much if the remembrance of any of those happy days will remain a green spot in my memory so long as the capture of that 8-oz. trout. But I think I can hear the reader say--" what has all this rigmarole to do with the preface?" Simply this, my friend: I am leading up to the inevitable apology that the author of a new work on any subject that has been pretty well exhausted by previous writers feels bound to make. Mine is this: --During the quarter of a century that I have been speaking about, angling has made more rapid strides in popularity than probably any other British sport; some take it up, as such individuals will take anything up, simply because "it is the thing" to sally forth on a Bank Holiday armed cap-a-pie with brand new rod, reel, line, and basket, and with a fly-book in their pockets stuffed to overflowing with the most astounding entomological collection ever exhibited to the eyes of trout or grayling; others take to it because they see that as a sport it is health-giving and soothing to the mind and nerves of an overworked townsman; because it takes them to the many beautiful valleys to be found throughout the length and breadth of our " tight little island "; because the sight of the green fields, the waving woodlands, the never-ending variety of ferns, mosses, and wild flowers, the voice of the birds and the ripple of the silvery stream act upon their overstrung nerves and jaded faculties as no amount...
