Pessimists & Optimists:
On the third morning I rose refreshed in body and mind. I was in hopes of a fish bigger than Peter’s and a modest Pike was certain to be big enough to match Peter’s fish both in size and sport. But finding a likely spot on the river I did first set to the task of catching Bleak for live bait. A dozen were had with their equal in casts. The veracious pike will not be so easily had for even though securely hooked it might just as easily be lost.
So it was, my morning’s labour was at the cost of nine Bleak and no Pike, and the bleak all lost on the cast or river’s bottom. The shade of a broad oak did offer a comfortable resting place and methinks the tree chooses the place to fish and did leave the rod fish for itself. It could do no worse than I when held and cast about.
Unbidden thoughts did come into my mind as I rested. If they were merry I entertained them, if unpleasant I replaced them. But soon all previous thoughts were forgotten. A brute pike had gorged itself on my bait. After a fierce battle it lay before me. It was size enough to make Peter envy me and would make a rare and choicely good supper. So I did bring an early end to my fishing.
Arriving back at the George I found Venator had returned from hunting. I laid my fish before him.
‘On my! Mr Walton, I do envy you such a big fish – though it be ugly and vicious looking. I do confess that if I did hook such a fish while angling alone I might cut my line fearing the loss of a finger or hand.’
‘Fear not Mr Venator! When a Pike of such size does trash on the grass a timid angler might wish it back from whence it came, and with no loss, for he may still claim it caught. But by experience and familiarity the handling of such a fish is no great matter, as you will come to know. But I forget my manners. Tell me of your sport with the hounds Mr Venator?’
‘I will tell you gladly Mr Walton for it was a fair chase. We set off with the hounds while still night in hopes of a female Polecat and her young, for they do all sleep safe during the daytime. But we killed only a male who does desert the female and their young. So we could not find a nest with the still blind young vermin inside, for they do breed about this time.’
‘’Tis a small reward for your labours Mr Venator and methinks in killing it you do no service to the good farmer. It is said Polecats do kill adders and be immune from their poison, and that they do visit farmyards and prey upon worse vermin like rats and mice.’
‘What you say is true Mr Walton, but they do also like rabbits and chickens and fish upon which the poor oftentimes do depend for sustenance.’
‘Tis true they kill fish and frogs but they are not vicious as the base Otter who all who love fishing do hate.’
‘So say I Mr Walton and methinks tomorrow we shall have more sport once you have instructed me on how to fish a fly for a trout.’
‘I will do it gladly Mr Venator. But first we will drink a toast of best barley wine to my catch, the days sport, and our fair hostess who does now prepare it for our supper. When eaten we shall rest for tomorrow we rise again before the sun to go about our recreation,’
‘Your Pike is such a fine fish methinks no other shall better it this May.’
‘Methinks my brother Peter might try. But Mr Venator what say you of your scholarly friend. Will he sup with us this evening?’
‘Mr Walton your invitation extended I have secured lodging for him in this very place for tomorrow.’
‘Then such additions as he might make to our discourse will be welcomed. Now to my bed. Good night to you.’
Grey skies did greet us on rising, and rain did seem probable. We chose a likely place a mile from Ware with the least of those hazards as might hinder a man perfecting his art with a fly.
‘Mr Venator, you are to know the May-fly and the Oak-fly are the most excellent. I did tell you about the making of these flies from coloured crewel, and the like and now you will see a demonstration of it. Taking a willowish or greenish coloured crewel waxed silk, black hair or silver thread, and a mallard’s feathers, making such wings for the colour as we see the fly upon the water now. You are to note that at any occasion you might attend to your magazine bag, and vary and make your flies lighter or sadder according to your fancy or the day. But you are to take this as a rule, that the light fly does usually make the most sport on a dark day, and a dark fly on bright or clear day.’
‘’Tis an art not easily obtained.’
‘’Tis done and tied securely to your line Mr Venator.’
‘I thank you Master and hope to return a profit for your labours.’
‘Mr Venator ‘tis profit if in casting you improve your art, and I hope only for a modest increase before the fly is lost in a bush or branch. Come let us find a place with fewer obstacles that might snag a wayward fly.’
‘I will proceed only as you instruct Mr Walton for it is such a fine fly and I hate to lose it’.
‘Then you are to keep as far from the water as you can, and to fish down the stream. Nay, Sir, let no part of the line touch the water and while you be still let your fly move upon the water.’
‘Mr Walton, I have cast about but have no fish.’
‘Then we must move for you are to know that when fishing with a fly the angler is in constant motion down the stream.’
The grey clouds did all at once bring forth much of its promised rain. It did necessitate we take secure shelter, which was not easily had in a place chosen for practicing a man’s art with a fly. But the shelter was no sooner found the shower ceased so we returned to perfecting Venator’s art.
‘Mr Walton, I have no luck with a fly and methinks my efforts fail even to serve the ends of art.’
‘Sir, you are too easily discouraged.’
‘Mr Walton I should say only that my efforts are lamentable and the task hopeless.’
‘Mr Venator I should agree you are currently possessed of a meagre talent with a fly. But I do not suppose your efforts hopeless. To wit; you suppose the conditions which prevail, as namely you being poor in the art of casting a fly, are permanent and unalterable. For my part I do suppose your art improved by constant effort, thus only temporary and alterable.’
‘Mr Walton, I admire your optimism.’
‘Nay Sir, ‘tis easy to see how a man might think me an optimist, but I reject the naming.’
‘Sir, if a man is not an optimist he is surely a pessimist.’
‘I will tell you Mr Venator, opposites do form much of men’s conception of the world, as in right or wrong, true or false and the like. Optimism and pessimism are likewise conceived, but ‘tis an ill-conception and I nothing to commend it.’
‘Mr Walton, I should hear what more you have to say on the matter.’
‘Then I shall say simply the only difference between the pessimist and optimist is that the pessimist expected to be disappointed.’
‘Surely what you say cannot be so.’
I did not document the whole history of reasoned optimism and pessimism as would require touching on the whole history of thought, both theological and philosophical. I might make do with less.
‘Mr Venator, I might easily embark upon a short treatise on the character of optimism and pessimism. But a brief sketch of each will be sufficient such that you might know my reasoning.’
‘I shall gladly hear what you have to say, be it short or long.’
‘Then I will tell. In your guise of pessimist you do view your prevailing lack of skill with rod and fly as permanent and unalterable. In contrast the optimist would see your mournful action with rod line and hapless fly as only temporary and alterable. ‘Tis the like in all matters for the pessimistically and optimistically minded man in all matters.’
‘Mr Walton, there is something in what you say, but tell me more.’
‘I thank you. To that already stated I should not indulge on you attentiveness, too long save to tell you that Christian doctrine is optimistic. Though you are to note we must exclude the Calvinists in this reckoning for no man is bleaker in his outlook.’
‘So say I! But why is the Christian man optimistic?’
‘He is optimistic because he believes God is accessible and susceptible to influence by his prayer. Moreover, on the last day the Bible does say good will prevail over evil. Methinks this optimistic in outlook.’
‘Then good Christians make good anglers Mr Walton.’
‘’Tis not certain Mr Venator for optimism alone does not make a man Christian. I have yet to tell you why the optimist is as likely as the pessimist to be disappointed.’
‘Sir, I was so swayed I did forgot the twist in the tale.’
‘Then you are to know I would say there exists for an optimistic man a powerful motive not to trouble himself. But the Christian man must assert himself daily. It is not sufficient to do no harm, rather he must do good. 'Tis the like concerning fishing. Were an angler too optimistic in his outlook he would have no need to trouble himself in applying his art skilfully. He would simply cast his line in unlikely place with an unlikely bait believing the best. And though he had high hopes for some sport it would surely end for the most part in disappointment.’
‘Mr Walton, the opposing conceptions and their shortcomings made known I should prefer neither. But there is no other choice between being an optimist or pessimist.’
‘Then I shall make known to you that which I do believe to be a practical creed by which men might live, serve God and angle better and more profitably.’
‘Make haste Sir.’
‘Mr Venator, as courage does sit between cowardice and rashness a man might also stand between optimism and pessimism. Now you are to know that courageousness is part composed of cowardice and rashness in that a man acting courageously recognises the danger, like the coward. Yet he does not give way to fear in acting with boldness of spirit, like the rash. Thus a man might be part composed pessimist part composed optimist.
In the same manner the angler is never so optimistic as to suppose he might catch fish without constant practice and improvement of his art, nor is he so pessimistic as to refuse to rise in the morning from between clean lavender sheets. Thus the angler who recognises he lacks art knows that only by his constant effort will he improve. In so doing he changes what would otherwise be permanent and unalterable and makes it temporary and alterable.’
‘Mr Walton you speak wisely and I will direct my efforts with a fly to becoming an artist.’
‘I thank you Mr Venator and though you have been attentive I will end this too long discourse.’
‘Nay Sir, I do commend you for it and think myself the happier for having heard it.’
‘Come then the sun does shine brightly now, so let us attend to our fishing, but first a darker fly which you will tie.’
By casting his line until the sun casts it long lines across the fields Venator did improve his art. But no fish came to the net. Such improvements as a man makes to his art are to be counted no less to his credit than a fish on the grass does count as a demonstration of it. Failures do not count against a man as when he applies such artistry to its desired end. Thus when a man knows he practices and his end is artfulness not fish his temper of mind dos remain calm upon the occasion of a false cast or lost fly, and so too his instructor’s.
‘Mr Venator methinks I not enough crewel or silk to make another fly of any colour.’
‘Let us walk to yonder meadow and as we do collect whatever we might find to replenish my magazine-bag.’
A short walk across the meadow put us in sight of the road and Ware but a half-mile distance. Here we did make our final casts of the day to modest profit. A small Perch caught to a worm to the credit of Venator. I a lusty Rudd with bread cast upon the surface in the dying light. We did quit such slight sport as slight eyes permit. In parting we left the Lea and the timid rustlings along its length to the night creatures and those who do prey upon them.
Next in series #9 - Izaak Walton's The Compleat Angler Returns - Mr Philomath