SAMPSON LOW, MARSTON, SEARLE, & RIVINGTON, CROWN BUILDINGS, 188, FLEET STREET. 1877. [All rights reserved.] 265. b. 214. PREFACE. "GENTLE" READER-or, as probably I may call you, "Brother Angler"-and you, too, gentle or ungentle critic, as the case may be, please take the trouble to run through these few introductory lines. Nothing is more unfair to an author than to read or 66 dip into" his book before seeing what he has to say about it in his Preface. In this you will often find that he explains the scope and plan (or perhaps absence of plan) of his work, and tells his readers what to expect and what not. Thus, to some extent he is able, by way of anticipation, to protect himself against unfair objections which might be alleged against his performance, and to escape the wrath of some readers who might be disappointed at not finding what they expected to find, and what the author never meant they should find. Let me, then, say a word or two by way of explanation in reference to these "Notes." They are not intended to form a book of methodical instruction for anglers; nor do they pretend to be exhaustive of the subjects treated of. They are written on no very definite plan, though it will be seen that those which deal with the different fish con |