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bring hither that landing-net, Boy; and now, Sir, he is your own; and believe me a good one, sixteen inches long I warrant him; I have taken none such this year.

VIAT. I never saw a Grayling before look so black.

Pisc. Did you not? why then let me tell you, that you never saw one before in right season: for then a Grayling is very black about his head, gills, and down his back, and has his belly of a dark grey, dappled with black spots, as you see this is; and I am apt to conclude, that from thence he derives his name of Umber. Though I must tell you this fish is past his prime, and begins to decline, and was in better season at Christmas than he is now. But move on, for it grows towards dinner-time, and there is a very great and fine stream below, under that rock, that fills the deepest pool in all the river, where you are almost sure of a good fish.

VIAT. Let him come, I'll try a fall with him; but I had thought, that the Grayling had been always in season with the Trout, and had come in and gone out with him.

PISC. Oh no! assure yourself a Grayling is a Winter-fish but such a one as would deceive any but such as know him very well indeed, for his flesh, even in his worst season, is so firm, and will so easily calver, that in plain truth he is very good meat at all times; but in his perfect season, which, by the way, none but an over-grown Grayling will ever be,

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I think him so good a fish, as to be little inferior to the best Trout that ever I tasted in my life.

VIAT. Here's another skip-jack, and I have raised five or six more at least whilst you were speaking: Well, go thy way little Dove! thou art the finest river that ever I saw, and the fullest of fish. Indeed, Sir, I like it so well, that I am afraid you will be troubled with me once a year, so long as we two live.

PISC. I am afraid I shall not, Sir; but were you once here a May or a June, if good sport would tempt you, I should then expect you would sometimes see me; for you would then say it were a fine river indeed, if you had once seen the sport at the height.

VIAT. Which I will do, if I live, and that you please to give me leave: there was one; and there another.

Pisc. And all this in a strange river, and with a fly of your own making? why what a dangerous man are you!

VIAT. I, Sir, but who taught me ? and as Dametas says by his man Dorus, so you may say by me :

If my man such praises have,

What then have I, that taught the knave?

But what have we got here? a rock springing up in the middle of the river! this is one of the oddest sights that ever I saw.

'Tis a rock in the fashion of a spire-steeple, and

almost as big.
It stands in the

midst of the river
Dove ; and not
far from Mr.Cot-
ton's house, below
which place, this
delicate river

takes a swift career betwixt many mighty rocks, much higher and bigger than St. Paul's church, before 'twas burnt. And this Dove

Pisc. Why, Sir, from that Pike,* that you see standing up there distant from the rock, this is called Pike-Pool: and young Mr. Izaak Walton was so pleased with it, as to draw it in landscape in black and white, in a blank book I have at home, as he has done several prospects of house also, which I my keep for a memorial of his favour,

and will shew you, when we come up to dinner.

being opposed by one of the highest of them, has, at last, forced itself a way through it; and after a mile's concealment, appears again with more glory and beauty than before that opposition; running through the most pleasant valleys and most fruitful meadows, that this nation can justly boast of.

VIAT. Has young master Izaak Walton been here too?

:

Pisc. Yes, marry has he, Sir, and that again, and again too, and in France since, and at Rome, and at Venice, and I can't tell where but I intend to ask him a great many hard questions so soon as I can see him, which will be, God willing, next month. In the mean time, Sir, to come to this fine stream at the head of this great pool, you must venture over these slippery, cobbling stones: believe me, Sir, there you were nimble or else you had been down ; but now you are got over, look to yourself; for on my word, if a fish rise here, he is like to be such a one as will endanger your tackle: How now?

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