New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-01-10
Il GO A-FlSHlNG."
Reflections Upon the art Described
in "The CompIeat AngLer."

~ - wv
Fishing. Ike the inevitable. may be said TO have
all seasons for its own He who is profoundly de-
voted 10 the sport and has the means and leisure TO
follow his hobby always find the place where
he may ride II. II may be terra nrma on
the unsteady bottom OF a boat. it may be far north
IN midsummer or in the remote south IN winter. by
purllng stream out on the deep sea-somewhere.
somehow. he can find the spot TO beguile members
the Anny tribe with bare or baited hook their
fate.
For that nsh were made for fishing is the car
dinal principle OF your true fisherman. No matter
how many pounds OF fish food annually
sumed by the swarming millions OF all lands, no
matter how many books. essays articles and
poems the sport has led 20 the production OF. the
end and aim Of all fishing to the man devoted to
the gentle art" Is 20 secure sport.
And this is set forth by the writers the subject
from Izaak Walton TO Dr. Henry J. van Dyke,
who initiated Milady Graygown into the mysteries
OF the art on many a stream and pool
II go a-hshing" has served as the text OF many a
minister since Peter uttered the words and II has
been chosen the title Of a volume OF dlscursive
essays on fishing and kindred topics by William
Cowper Prime. who still enjoys "reminiscences OF the
art. and is not debarred by his nearly fourscore
years OF newspaper and book writing activity from
participation in the sport by trout stream lake
side.
1t Izaak Walton who said IN THE Compleat
Angler: You will find angling to be like the vir-
tue OF humility. which has calmness OF spirit and
a world OF other blessings attending upon IT. .
Doubt not but angling will prove to be SO pleasant
that II will prove TO be- like virtue, a reward TO
itself Sir Henry Wotton a most dear
lover and a frequent practiser OF the art Of ang-
ling; OF which he would say: Twas employ
ment for his idle time, which was then not idly
spent rest for his idle time. which was then not
idly spent; rest to his mind. a cheerer Of his
spirits. diverter OF sadness. calmer OF unquiet
thoughts, a moderator of passion, a procurer OF
contentedness, and that # begat habits OF peace
and patience in those who professed and practised
It. Angling may be said to be so like
mathematics that II never be fully learnt
AS no man is born an artist. man is
born an angler. 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. II might be Judge cod never
did make a more calm. quiet. innocent recreation
than angling"
or modern fishermen none has a wider renutatio,
than Grover Cleveland. twice President of the
United States who finds his greatest recreation in
the divine sport OF angling" Recently he has
begun to set forth TO the world his ideas on the
subject In recent article in THE independent
he wrote. under the title OF "A Word to Fisher
men, protest against the classification OF those
VINO hsh for pleasure with those who catch fish as
u matter OF business
Occasionally" he said 'awealx attenn+s h,r,a
been made to classify the rest OF the fraternity
under the name of Anglers or some title OF that
klnd but such efforts have always failed Even
l%aaA walton could not change the current OF
-N'i4i '4iOuSHt py Gaining MS immortal book The
Compieat Angler So 1t seems. however much those
VINO FISH may differ in social standing in disposition
ana character in motive and ambition and even I'm |
oue Oh operation all must abide. the end OF the
chapter. in the contemplation OF the outside world
"lthn the brotherhood called Fishermen Hanntlv
however. this grouping Of incongruous eIemants |
uIIueL common name does prevent rhoea 80
- VINO properly appreciate the importance or nm |
comins -, She Fespectaolhty OF decent fishing from
OF eongratulation and certain rules Of conduct eS
VINO claim 10 represent the highest fishing
sPlt otiOIls are sometimes inclined complain
days when the fish refuse TO bite Thara can ~ On
worse exhibition than this OF an entire misconcan
.i I,, "a wise arrangement for our benefit We
snouIu always remember that we have about M Or /
every side thousands of those who claim rnanoba n
s,lIP IN the nshlng fraternity. because In a wsv
1ney ove 10 hsh. when the FISH bte-and only then
tho thelr only conception of the pleasures az shn
rests upon uninterrupted slaughter II we refacS5 |
a1r ioaeht upon the consequences OF turning an
army or nshermen like these loose upon fish fbat
would bite every dav and every hour we sbau ' a
nov nicely the vicisstudes OF fishing have been
adjusted. and how precisely and usefully the so,ai
attack Of discouragng bad luck selects is
III on days when We catch few or no fish We rs.,
symptoms OF disappointment, these should imme
how many spurious and discouraged dshermsn ora
spendng their time In hammocks or under trees or
On golf felds instead Of with fishing outfits solely
On account OF Just such unfavorabe DAYS We bavss
no assurance that II fish could be easIy nave
All times the fishing waters within our reach would
not be depopulated, horrible thing to conterniatsa
Let II not be said that such consideraons
SAVIOR OF uncharitabeness and selhshness on Csc
part We are only recognizing the doctrine OF tbs |
,hance. '' w" oest
What has sssn said naturally leads ,o,.,. ,.,,-
are right minded fishermen reasonably to limit our
;elves as 70 the plumber OF nsh we should take on
favorable days On no account should edible ish BE-