The Practical Fisherman: Dealing with the Natural History, the Legendary Lore, the Capture of British Freshwater Fish, and Tackle and Tackle Making

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"The Bazaar" Office, 1881 - 481 pages
 

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Page 4 - Look, under that broad beech-tree I sat down, when I was last this way a-fishing, and the birds in the adjoining grove seemed to have a friendly contention with an echo, whose dead voice seemed to live in a hollow tree, near to the brow of that primrose hill...
Page 5 - But the Nightingale, another of my airy creatures, breathes such sweet loud music out of her little instrumental throat, that it might make mankind to think miracles are not ceased. He that at midnight, when the very labourer sleeps securely, should hear, as I have very often, the clear airs, the sweet descants, the natural rising and falling, the doubling and redoubling of her voice, might well be lifted above earth, and say, " Lord, what music hast thou provided for the Saints in Heaven, when thou...
Page 2 - Now for the Art of catching fish, that is to say, How to make a man that was none, to be an Angler by a book, he that undertakes it shall undertake a harder task than Mr. Hales, a most valiant and excellent fencer, who in a printed book called A Private School of Defence undertook to teach that art or science, and was laughed at for his labour.
Page 212 - Your worm is your only emperor for diet: we fat all creatures else to fat us, and we fat ourselves for maggots: your fat king and your lean beggar is but variable service; two dishes, but to one table: that's the end.
Page 5 - ... which broke their waves and turned them into foam : and sometimes I beguiled time by viewing the harmless lambs, some leaping securely in the cool shade, whilst others sported themselves in the cheerful sun ; and saw others craving comfort from the swollen udders of their bleating dams.
Page 53 - ... of the machinery in operation. The miller's ear is constantly directed to the note made by the running-stone in its circular course over the bed-stone, the exact parallelism of their two surfaces, indicated by a particular sound, being a matter of the first consequence ; and his hand is as constantly placed under the meal-spout, to ascertain by actual contact the character and qualities of the meal produced. The thumb, by a particular movement, spreads the sample over the fingers ; the thumb...
Page 156 - ... course, that the fish has an opportunity of changing his mind if he thinks proper, and rejecting the bait before swallowing. The hooks on the other hand are less conspicuous than those used in the snap-tackle, and the fish are consequently less likely to be scared by them. TROLLING WITH DEAD GORGE-BAIT. The pike, my joy of all the scaly shoal. And of all fishing instruments— the troll.— SCOTT.
Page 259 - ... rejects the skipping hook, He shakes the boughs that on the margin grow, Which o'er the stream a waving forest throw, When if an insect fall, (his certain guide) He gently takes him from the whirling tide, Examines well his form with curious eyes, His gaudy vest, his wings, his horns, and size ; Then round his hook the chosen fur he winds, And on the back a speckled feather binds ; So just the colours shine through every part, That Nature seems to live again in Art.
Page 355 - The bishop's men having gathered eel-nets everywhere, cast them into the sea, and by the blessing of God took three hundred fishes of several sorts, which, being divided into three parts, they gave a hundred to the poor, a hundred to those of whom they had the nets, and kept a hundred for their own use.
Page 346 - MacBride had not been by her side, With the Gardener; they both their assistance supplied, And managed to hold her up. — But, when she "comes to,

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