CHAP. V. "O! let not pride avert its eye The banquet rich, the rout, the ball, Th' applauded scene, Italia's strain CONTENT AND HEALTH OUTWEIGH THEM ALL! " ANON. OUR friend, Mr. GREENDRAKE, has got into a rude and sporting part of the county of Wicklow. His accommodations are homely, and so are the persons by whom they are ministered; but, if he be a genuine lover of the angle, he feels not the absence of luxuries and polished society, and all associations and circumstances connected with his favorite amusement become dear to him. He will be found to dwell minutely on that which, in appearance and manner, was so strange to him, as an Englishman, and we are much mistaken if those who are acquainted with the little cabin inn at Round-wood, and the adjacent scenery, will not be well pleased with his faithful and circumstantial description of them. LUGGELA. "From Round-wood to the lodge of Luggela is about three miles distant, by a good carriage road, winding along the mountain. We went by a shorter, but more difficult way, across a bog. On attaining the summit of the mountain, over which our path lay, the first striking feature of Luggela challenged our attention. It is a steep precipitous mountain, rising high and abrupt, at the opposite side of the lake, and presenting the sublime aspect of one unbroken mass of grey rock. At this point of view neither lake nor wood is visible, and nothing is seen to relieve the obdurate sterility of the face of the mountain. Winding down the hill, for less than a quarter of a mile, a beautiful landscape opens all at once to the eye; immediately before you, the lake, of nearly a circular form, and about two English miles in circumference, displays its calm bosom, protected by the surrounding mountains from the winds, which agitate waters more exposed. To the left, a stream, issuing from Luggela, or Loughtay, its more proper name, winds through a valley between the mountains, a distance of less than three English miles, until it discharges itself into Loughdan, a larger lake, and of wilder character, one end of which, in silvery light, catches the eye. The advance to Luggela lodge is by a beautiful road, gradually descending through a wood, composed of oak, fir, larch, birch, alder, holly, and hazel, mingling their various shades of green. On the left, this wood slopes, in some parts, easily; in others precipitately, down to the edge of the lake, into which, amidst a line of bordering rocks, its trees immerse their wavy and incumbent branches; close into this woody shore is the best ground in the lake for angling. On the right of the road the wood rises bold and steep above our heads, and its face is diversified by naked rocks, shooting their grey and spiral heads from amidst the surrounding foliage. The lodge, a neat commodious building, stands at the upper extremity of an amphitheatre, closed in, at the rere, by mountains, which hang over it, as if threatening momentary destruction. In front is a lawn tastefully planted, through which a stream, falling from one of the mountains, winds into the lake, which, and its bordering wood and frowning mountains, are seen from the lodge. In summer, scarcely a day passes without Luggela being visited by parties of pleasure, which, on presenting a ticket from any member of the La Touche family, are accommodated with beds, and receive every other attention which the lodge can afford. At the lodge is an album, for the purpose of the visitor recording any observation arising out of the conduct of the domestics, who are instructed to be very attentive, or the impressions made upon him by the scene. We were told that those common places have sometimes shamefully recorded the ignorance, indecency, and ingratitude of wretches, unworthy of the privilege so liberally granted to them. From the first page of the book presented to us, I copy the following admonitory lines-- 'Sweet seat of sylvan peace and rest, In nature's richest bounty drest, Fain would my verse thy landscape draw, That these thy magic charms impart, As that pure hand which placed it here; As her, in whom the graces blend As her, whom blessings, when her race is run, Shall wing to that Heav'n which her acts have won. 'May 28, 1816. 'H. B. C.' "Proceeding by a delightful path, and crossing the stream over a rustic bridge, we arrived at the edge of the lake; and setting up our rods, we got into a good *Mrs. La Touche, of Bellevue, founder, and principal patroness, of the female Orphan-house, Circular-road.-EDITOR. row boat, which Carr worked, unassisted. There are localities attached to every water that enable the person acquainted with them to angle with more effect than if he were a stranger. In books, specially written on the subject of angling, you will find a great number of flies, and of various kinds, enumerated, as suitable to each month; but I know, from experience, that a few cardinal flies, selected from these, will render the intelligent angler independent of the remainder. My companion, who seemed to be well acquainted with the lake, put up the three following flies, advising me to do the same:— for his stretcher, or tail fly, a black cock's hackle, tipped with silver tinsel; a red hackle, also tipped, for the farther dropper, and a wren's hackle over a yellow body, next the hand; all these were extremely small, tied on hooks, No. 8 or 9. The gut for the foot-line, of the very finest description, stained with tea-water, and the wheel line proportionably light. I had in my book the two first mentioned flies, but not the last; and in place thereof, I mounted a small yellow palmer, ribbed. Our tackle adjusted, we commenced our operations, drifting, for the most part, on the wooded shore, to which the wind inclined, and casting in close to the very edge, among the rocks; the water was of a fine brown or beer colour, with lines of froth on the surface, and nothing could be in better order. I have angled a variety of waters in England and Wales, but never did I meet with any, that, for a merry take, could compare with Luggela lake. I assure you that I do not exaggerate |