[A] It was a long one, when he talked about fishing.
[B] There the fish did not lie, but the miller did. He well knew that, since the letting of the fishery, his son had taken good care that the best of them should be gradually removed to Billingsgate by a more summary process than that of rod and line.
[C] Neither did Mr. Jackson think it necessary to explain to the ladies, or even to his friend Thompson, that the very fine fish, about which he had received so many compliments, had been taken by fixing his landing-net at the mouth of one of the narrow water-courses, up which they had worked their way in search of minnows;—a secret method of ensuring good sport, well known to some few very cunning anglers, whose motto is
"Unde habeas quærit Nemo, sed oportet habere."—Juv.
[D] I understand that Thompson has written a long letter, complaining of my not having given any maxim or hint on this important point. I beg leave here to apologise for the omission; and I have no hesitation in advising him, if he should ever put his rod together again, not to omit taking it to pieces as soon as he has done fishing.
[E] Piscium et summâ genus hæsit ulmo.—Hor.
[F] Infandum Regina jubes renovare dolorem.
[G] Acting on this principle, I was once supposed to have killed a brace less than nothing, viz., I went out partridge shooting with two other persons. At the end of the day one of these said that he had killed twelve brace, and the other claimed eleven brace. When the birds were afterwards counted, the number of them was forty-four. I therefore conclude that the brace which was wanting must have been considered as my share of the day's sport.
[H]
"Whose iron scourge and torturing hour
The bad extract, and clean the best."
[I]
"Thus fell two heroes, one the pride of Thrace,
And one the leader of the Epeian race;
Death's sable shade at once o'ercast their eyes:
In dish, the vanquish'd and the victor lies."