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Is mix'd the trembling stream, or where it

boils

Around the stone, or from the hollow'd
bank

Reverted plays in undulating flow,
There throw nice-judging the delusive fly:
And as you lead it round in artful curve,
With eye attentive mark the springing game.
Straight as above the surface of the flood
They wanton rise, or urged by hunger leap,
Then fix with gentle twitch the barbed
hook:

Some lightly tossing to the grassy bank,
And to the shelving shore slow dragging

some,

With various hand proportion'd to their force.

If yet too young, and easily deceived,

A worthless prey scarce bends your pliant rod:

Him, piteous of his youth and the short

space

He has enjoy'd the vital light of Heaven,
Soft disengage, and back into the stream
The speckled captive throw. But should
you lure

From his dark haunt, beneath the tangled

roots

Of pendent trees, the monarch of the brook,
Behoves you then to ply your finest art.
Long time he, following cautious, scans the
fly;

And oft attempts to seize it, but as oft
The dimpled water speaks his jealous fear.
At last, whi e haply o'er the shaded sun
Passes a cloud, he desperate takes the
death,

With sullen plunge. At once he darts along,
Deep struck, and runs out all the length-
en'd line;

Then seeks the farthest ooze, the sheltering
weed,

The cavern'd bank, his old secure abode;
And flies aloft, and flounces round the pool,
Indignant of the guile. With yielding hand
That feels him still, yet to his furious course
Gives way, you now retiring, following now
Across the stream, exhaust his idle rage:
Till floating broad upon his breathless side,
And to his fate abandon'd, to the shore
You gaily drag your unresisting prize.

Spring.

Burton in his Anatomy of Melancholy makes the following observations upon Angling :

66 Fishing is a kind of hunting by water, be it by nets, weeles, boats, angling, or otherwise, and yields all out as much pleasure to some men, as dogs, hawkes. When they draw their fish upon the bank, saith Nic. Henselius, Silesiographia, cap. 3, speaking of that extraordinary delight his countrymen took in fishing and making of pooles. James Dubravius, that Moravian, in his book De Piscibus, telleth, how travelling by the highways side in Silesia, he found a nobleman booted up to the groins, and wading himself, pulling the nets, and labouring as much as any fisherman of them all; and when some belike objected to him the baseness of his office, he excused himself, that if other men might hunt hares, why should not he hunt carps? Many gentlemen in like sort with us, will wade up to the arm-holes upon such occasions, and voluntarily undertake that to satisfy their pleasure, which a poor man of a good stipend would scarce be hired to undergo. But he that shall but consider the variety of baits, and pretty devices which our anglers have invented, peculiar lines, false flies, several sleights, &c., will say that it deserves as much commendation, requires as much study, and perspicacy as the rest, and much to be preferred before many of them.-But this is still and quiet; and if so be the angler catch no fish, yet he hath a wholesome walk to the brook's side, pleasant shade by the sweet silver streams, he hath fresh air, and sweet smells of fine fresh meadow flowers, he hears the melodious harmony of birds, he sees the swans, herons, ducks, water-hens, cootes, &c., and many other fowl, with their brood, which he thinketh better than the noise of hounds or blast of horns, and all the sport that they can make."-Part 2, sec. 2, m. 4, edit. Oxf. 1621.

For the reasons stated in the following extract from the advertisement prefixed to a reprint of the "Treatyse of Fysshyng wyth an Angle," ascribed to Juliana Berners, in 1827, it is desirable that the most striking passages of that treatise should be inserted among these notes :

T

It is not, however, merely as a literary curiosity that this treatise is of interest, for independently of the information which it contains of the state of Angling at the period in which it was written, there are some grounds for presuming that it suggested to Walton the idea of his "Complete Angler," for the most superficial reader cannot fail to be struck with the general resemblance between them. “The Treatyse of Fysshynge wyth an Angle," commences with some observations, which are remarkable for their truth and simplicity; and after comparing the pursuits of Hunting, Hawking, and Fowling, with that of Angling, the preference is of course given to the latter. Then follow instructions for making tackle, rods, baits, &c., and a description of the most skilful manner of using them, together with an account of the various kinds of river fish, and their respective merits as food; and the treatise is concluded by some admirable rules for the conduct of Anglers towards each other, and towards those whose lands they frequent, an observance of which, it is emphatically added, would secure "the blessing of God and Saint Peter which he them grant that with his precious blood us bought."

Thus it is manifest, that in the most important features, Walton has closely followed the treatise, and although he has much enlarged upon it, and introduced his remarks in a dialogue, there is so great a similarity between them, as to justify the opinion, that if the original idea of his work was not derived from this tract, he was indebted to it in an eminent degree. In piety and virtue, in the inculcation of morality, in an ardent love for their art, and still more, in that placid and Christian spirit, for which the amiable Walton was so conspicuous, the early writer was scarcely inferior to his more celebrated successor. Nor ought the suggestion to offend the admirers of the latter, that judging from their writings upon the same subject, and making a proper allowance for the different state of manners in the fifteenth and seventeenth centuries, it would be difficult to find two more kindred spirits than the authors of "The Treatyse of Fysshynge wyth an Angle," and of "The Complete Angler.”

"Here beginneth the Treatise of Fishing with an Angle.—Solomon in his parables saith that a good spirit maketh a flowering age, that is, a fair age and a long. And, sith it is so: I ask this question, which be the means and the causes that induce a man into a merry spirit? Truly, to my best discretion, it seemeth good disports and honest games in whom a man joyeth without any repentance after. Then followeth it that good disports and honest games be cause of man's fair age and long life. And, therefore, now will I choose of four good disports and honest games, that is to wit of hunting, hawking, fishing, and fowling. The best to my simple discretion which is fishing; called angling with a rod, and a line and a hook. And thereof to treat as my simple wit may suffice; both for the said reason of Solomon, and also for the reason that physic maketh in this wise. Si tibi deficiant medici, medici tibi fiant: hec tria mens læta labor et moderata dieta. Ye shall understand that this is for to say, if a man lack leech or medicine he shall make three things his leech and medicine, and he shall need never no more. The first of them is a merry thought; the second is labour not outrageous; the third is diet measurable. First, that if a man will evermore be in merry thoughts and have a glad spirit, he must eschew all contrarious company, and all places of debate, where he might have any occasions of melancholy; and if he will have a labour not outrageous, he must then ordain him, to his heart's ease and

pleasance, without study, pensiveness, or travail, a merry occupation which may rejoice his heart, and in which his spirits may have a merry delight; and if he will be dieted measurably, he must eschew all places of riot, which is cause of surfeit and of sickness; and he must draw him to places of sweet air and hunger, and eat nourishable meats and defiable also.

Now then will I describe the said disports and games, to find the best of them, as verily as I can, albeit that the right noble and full worthy prince, the Duke of York, late called master of game, hath described the mirths of hunting, like as I think to describe of it and of all the other. For hunting as to my intent is too laborious, for the hunter must always run and follow his hounds, travelling and sweating full sore; he bloweth till his lips blister; and when he weneth it be a hare, full oft it is a hedgehog. Thus he chaseth and wots not what. He cometh home at even, rain-beaten, pricked, and his clothes torn, wet shod, all miry, some hound lost, some surbat. Such griefs and many other happeneth unto the hunter, which for displeasance of them that love it I dare not report. Thus truly me seemeth that this is not the best disport and game of the said four. The disport and game of hawking is laborious and noisome also as me seemeth; for often the falconer loseth his hawks, as the hunter his hounds, then is his game and his disport gone; full often crieth he and whistleth till that he be right evil athirst. His hawk taketh a bow and list not once

on him reward; when he would have her for to flee, then will she bathe ; with misfeeding she shall have the fronce, the rye, the cray, and many other sicknesses that bring them to the souse. Thus by proof this is not the best disport and game of the said four. The disport and game of fowling me seemeth most simple, for in the winter season the fowler speedeth not, but in the most hardest and coldest weather, which is grievous; for when he would go to his gins he may not for cold. Many a gin and many a snare he maketh yet sorrily doth he fare; at morn-tide in the dew he is wet shod unto his tail. Many other such I could tell, but dread of meagre maketh me for to leave. Thus me seemeth that hunting and hawking and also fowling be so laborious and grievous, that none of them may perform nor be very mean that induce a man to a merry spirit: which is cause of his long life according unto the said parable of Solomon. Doubtless then followeth it that it must needs be the disport of fishing with an angle; for all other manner of fishing is also laborious and grievous: often making folks full wet and cold, which many times hath been seen cause of great infirmities. But the angler may have no cold nor no disease nor anger, but if he be causer himself. For he may not lose at the most but a line or a hook: of which he may have store plenty of his own making, as this simple treatise shall teach him. So then his loss is not grievous, and other griefs may he not have, saving but if any fish break away after that he is taken on the hook, or else that he catch nought: which be not grievous. For if he fail of one he may not fail of another, if he doth as this treatise teacheth; but if there be nought in the water. And yet at the least he hath his wholesome walk and merry at his ease, a sweet air of the sweet savour of the mead flowers: that maketh him hungry. He heareth the melodious harmony of fowls. He seeth the young swans, herons, ducks, coots, and many other fowls with their broods; which me seemeth better than all the noise of hounds, the blast of horns, and the cry of fowls that hunters, falconers, and fowlers can make. And if the angler take fish,

surely then is there no man merrier than he is in his spirit. Also whoso will use the game of angling, he must rise early, which thing is profitable to man in this wise, that is to wit, most to the heal of his soul. For it shall cause him to be holy, and to the heal of his body, for it shall cause him to be whole. Also to the increase of his goods, for it shall make him rich. As the old English proverb saith in this wise, whoso will rise early shall be holy, healthy, and zealous. Thus have I proved in my intent that the disport and game of angling is the very mean and cause that induceth a man into a merry spirit: which after the said parable of Solomon, and the said doctrine of physic, maketh a flowering age and a long. And therefore, to all you that be virtuous, gentle, and free-born, I write and make this simple treatise following, by which ye may have the full craft of angling to disport you at your last, to the intent that your age may the more flower and the more longer to endure.

"Ye that can angle and take fish to your pleasures, as this foresaid treatise teacheth and showeth you, I charge and require you in the name of all noble men that ye fish not in no poor man's several water, as his pond, stew, or other necessary things to keep fish in, without his license and goodwill. Nor that ye use not to break no man's gins lying in their weirs and in other places due unto them; nor to take the fish away that is taken in them. For after a fish is taken in a man's gin, if the gin be laid in the common waters, or else in such waters as he hireth, it is his own proper goods and if ye take it away ye rob him, which is a right shameful deed to any noble man to do that that thieves and bribers do: which are punished for their evil deeds by the neck and otherwise, when they may be espied and taken. And also if ye do in like manner as this treatise showeth you, ye shall have no need to take of other men's while ye shall have enough of your own taking if ye list to labour therefore, which shall be to you a very pleasure to see the fair bright shining scaled fishes deceived by your crafty means and drawn upon land. Also that ye break no man's hedges in going about your disports: nor open no man's gates but that ye shut them again. Also ye shall not use this foresaid crafty disport for no covetousness, to the increasing and sparing of your money only, but principally for your solace, and to cause the health of your body, and specially of your soul. For when ye purpose to go on your disports in fishing, ye will not desire greatly many persons with you, which might let you of your game; and then ye may serve God devoutly in saying affectuously your customable prayer. And thus doing ye shall eschew and avoid many vices, as idleness, which is principal cause to induce man to many other vices, as it is right well known. Also ye shall not be too ravenous in taking of your said game, as too much at one time, which ye may lightly do if ye do in every point as this present treatise showeth you in every point, which lightly be occasion to destroy your own disports and other men's also. As when ye have a sufficient mess ye should covet no more as at that time. Also ye shall busy yourself to nourish the game in all that ye may, and to destroy all such things as be devourers of it. And all those that do after this rule shall have the blessing of God and Saint Peter, which he them grant that with his precious blood us bought."

"

INDEX.

"ACADEMY OF COMPLIMENTS," 1650, 111 n.
Accomplishment of the Prophecies," by
Du Moulin, 8vo, 1613, 40.

Acre, carrier-pigeons used at the siege of, 27.
Action, question whether preferable to con-
templation, 39; Lord Clarendon's opinion
thereon, 39.

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Adenographia; sive Glandularum totus
corporis descriptio," by Dr Wharton, 8vo,
1656, 33 ".

Adonis, or darling of the sea, a fish so called
by Elian, 46.

Elianus, Caudius, quoted by Walton, 46.
Air, the element of the fowler, 25.

Aire, the river, made subject to the fence
months by stat. 13 Edw. I., 62 n.
Albertus Magnus, quoted by Walton, 7,4, 160.
Alcilia. Philoparthens loving Folly," xix.
Aldersgate Street, Doctor Wharton's house
in, 33 2.

A dridge, Anne, wife of Robert, gent. of
Burton, c.v.

Aldrovandus, Ulysses, quoted by Walton, 96,
121, 156, 164.

Ale, a balad in commendation of, 281, v.
Ashbourn.

Aleppo, carrier-pigeons used at, 27.
Alfred, King, turned the course of the Lee
to prevent the return of the Danes, who
had sailed up it, 196 n.

Algiers, the pirates of, clxxxi.
Allington, Cordell, daughter of Richard,
Esq., ccii.

Alstonefield Church, arms of Cotton carved
on a pew in, 226.
Ambrose, St, Bishop of Milan, styles the
grayling "the flower of fishes," 121.
Amerly trout considered superior to others,

73, 140.

Amos, the Prophet, mention of fish-hooks
made by, 38, 49.

Amwell Hill, li, 21, 22; engraving of, 56.
Andrew, St, a fisherman, 49.

Andrews, Matthew, of Mathfield, co. Stafford,
clv.

Angel, a coin of the value of ten shillings,
209 .; explanation of the term to "vie
angels," 209 n.

Angler, the idea of making one by a book
justly ridiculed by Walton, xlvii; the
qualifications of an, from Markham's
Country Contentments," 37 n., vide
"Complete Ang er."

Anglers, Walton's character of the generality
of, 24.

"Angler's Song," the, written by William
Basse, 88, 178.

"Angler's Wish," the, by Walton, 110; con-
tains the only allusion to his having resided
at or near Stafford, xli.

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'Angler's Wish," the, by John Davors, Esq.,
extract from, 55.

Angling, verses in praise of, addressed to
Walton by the Rev. Thomas Weaver,
xlix; a song in praise of, made by Basse,
an eminent composer, at Walton's request,
cxiv; the favourite amusement of Charles
Cotton, clxx; not forgotten among his
regrets at taking leave of his home, clxxiv;
the antiquity of, 24 m., 36; the art of, said
to be as ancient as Deucalion's flood, 37:
first invented by Belus, 37; of high esteem
and of much use in other nations, 50;
allowed to Churchmen by the ancient
ecclesiastical canons, as a harmless recrea-
tion, 50; a recreation used by Cleopatra
and Mark Antony, 50; commendations
bestowed on, by the learned Perkins, 51;
Dr Whitaker, a great lover of, 51; account
of memorable men, ornaments of the art
of, 51-53; a short discourse by way of
postscript, touching the laws of, 212-214;
different sorts of, and directions for, 241,
et seq.; verses descriptive of the art and
of the pleasures of, by Shakespeare, 286;
by Quarles, Bunyan, Pope, and Gay, 287;
by Thomson, 288.

Ankham, in Lincolnshire, famous for eels,
164 N.

Ant-fly, the, a bait for chub, 69; directions
for preserving the, 184; directions for
making the artificial, 261.

Anthony, St, the picture of, bequeathed to
Lord Newport by Dr Donne the younger,
cxii.

"Antidote against Melancholy," 8vo, 1669,
by Playford, 85 n.

Antonia, the wife of Drusus, had a lamprey
at whose ears she hung jewels or ear-
rings, 119, 160 n.

Anus, the river, in Spain, 41.
Arabia, a river in, of which all the sheep that
drink have their wool turned to a vermil-
ion colour, 41.

Archer, Charlotte, cc; bequest made to, by
her father, Dr Stanhope, cci.

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