126 LITERATURE OF SEA AND RIVER FISHING. 



But this is somewhat of a digression ; and we must get 

 on to the eighteenth century, which, though it has been 

 called a " leaden " period as regards literature generally, is 

 prolific of piscatory poets of no mean attainments. Among 

 these Pope may be first mentioned, as he was busy versi- 

 ficating at the beginning of it. His name rightly finds a 

 place in the Bibliotheca Piscatoria and he is likely long 

 to remain dear to a large body of anglers because he so 

 sweetly sings their favourite river, " Old Father Thames," 

 and "The Fisher's Punt." The following passage from 

 Windsor Forest (17 13) is known to all disciples of Izaak 

 Walton— 



" In genial spring, beneath the quivering shade, 

 Where cooUng vapours breathe along the mead, 

 The patient fisher takes his silent stand. 

 Intent, his angle trembling in his hand : 

 With looks unmov'd, he hopes the scaly breed, 

 And eyes the dancing cork, and bending reed. 

 Our plenteous streams a various race supply — 

 The bright-ey'd perch, with fins of Tyrian dye ; 

 The silver eel, in shining volumes roU'd ; 

 The yellow carp, in scales bedropp'd with gold ; 

 Swift trouts, diversified with crimson stains ; 

 And pikes, the tyrants of the wat'ry plains. 



But Gay is specially the angler-poet of this period, and 

 perhaps it may be said the angler's poet of all periods. 

 The stock-in-trade quotations, the well-known passages in 

 his writings descriptive of angling, never seem to tire. We 

 learn from himself the kind of fishing he best liked — 



" I never wander where the bord'ring reeds 



O'erlook the muddy stream, whose tangling weeds 

 Perplex the fisher ; I nor chuse to bear 

 The thievish nightly net, nor barbed spear ; 

 Nor drain I ponds the golden carp to take, 

 Nor trowle for pikes, dispeoplers of the lake. 



