revives from time to time, but al-
ways when I have done I feel that
it would have been better if I
had not fished. I think I am
not mistaken. It is a faint in-
timation–yet so are the first
streaks of morning. It tempts me
perhaps, if I attempt ['attempt' written over illegible text] can to) anylize my motive
continually because ^ it is a means
of becoming acquainted with na-
ture–not only with fishes ^merely–(but
It introduces me to the night & to the wildest scenes & detains me
with the night and the water and the other
there. The best way to become acquainted with any scenery is to follow some pursuit
scenery–which I should not
in it which harmonizes with it. Fishermen & hunters see nature at an advantage
otherwise see under the same as–
which the philosopher ['the philosopher' written over illegible word] never enjoys. She is not afraid to exhibit herself to them.
pects.–and occasionally, though
not so often, ^ I fish because I wish
to add fish to my fare for variety–
I actually fish sometimes ( as nat–
urally–and ) from the same kind
of necessity–as the first fishermen
did. I love sometimes to take rank
hold on life, and spend my day
more as the animals do. The novelty
and adventure that are in this
pursuit recommend it to me. What-
ever humanity I may conjure up
against it is all factitious, &
concerns my philosophy more
than my actual feelings–
not that I am less humane than