BIBLIOGRAPHY OF ANGLING. 265 



fishes, and are, as usual, more remarkable for onginality 

 than truth. A unique feature in this work is, that at 

 the end of each chapter there is a condensed version of 

 it in rhymes, which the author says are partly copied from 

 The Innocent Epicure, a Poem on Angling, i6gy. Upon 

 silk and hair lines he says : — 



Choose well your Hair, and know the vig'rous Horse, 



Not only reigns in Beauty, but in Force ; 



Reject the Hair of Beasts, ev"n newly dead, 



Where all the Springs of Nature are decay 'd. 



Be sure for single Links the fairest chuse, 



Such single Hairs will best supply your Use ; 



And of the rest your sev'ral Lines prepare. 



In all still less'ning ev'ry Link a Hair. 



If for the Fly, be long and slight your Line, 



The Fish is quick, and hates what is not fine ; 



If for the Deep, to stronger we advise, 



Tho' still the Finest takes the Finest prize. 



Before you twist your upper Links take care 



Wisely to match in Length and Strength your Hair ; 



Hair best with Hair, and Silk with Silk agrees, 



But mix'd have great Inconveniences. 



All the famous recipes for fishing ointments, including 

 " Unguentum Piscatorum mirabile," are copied direct 

 from Chetham (of eighty years before) with the most 

 unscrupulous disregard of vieuvi and tunni. We have 

 the now trite maxim handed on to us, "fish fine and 

 far off." We are told — 



It is a Custom with many to fish for a Salmon with a Ring of Wire on 

 the Top of their Rod, through which the Line may run to as great a Length as 

 is necessary when he is hooked. And to that End some use a Wheel about 

 the middle of their Rod or near their Hand. 



Again we are informed that — 



The River Irk, in Lancashire, is famed for very excellent Eels, 



