tion. Imagination is the great enemy of practicality.
It occurred to these souls that, since fishing seemed
an agreeable employment, cutting bait could not be
the whole duty of man. This idea possessed its vic-
tims like a demon, and presented itself in new and
attractive disguises. A few weak-minded fisher-
men were inclined to indulge it, but it was contrary
to the established order. It was pronounced de-
testable, unreasonable and unscientific by nearly
every member of the fishing classes. And it was
rejected by a majority of the slaves themselves.

These latter slaves had always cut bait. Their
fathers and grandfathers had cut bait before them.
They knew nothing of fishing. They felt unequal to
fishing. Who were they, slimy smelly wretches,
that they should intrude themselves on men of real
attainment? They believed that, according to na-
ture, they were not intended to fish. They argued
that, though they did not fish themselves, wiser men
than themselves gave them part of the fish that they
had caught, and they preferred to go on cutting bait,
a humble task, but useful, necessary and inevitable.
How, they asked, could fishing be carried on at all
unless some one cut bait, and was it fair to ask fine
fishermen to take up a task so menial? In this con-
clusion they were applauded by the fishermen, and
rewarded with an extra sprat. And men came to
them who never fished themselves, holy men in pet-
ticoats, and said: "Do not set your mind on fish.
Fish is the root of all evil. We, who neither fish
nor cut bait, but live on the little you provide for us,
we say that pious resignation is the height of phil-
osophy. At best, fishing is but vanity. Will a fish
add a cubit to your stature? Nay, nor two fishes.

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