THE COMPLETE ANGLER 175 



panions perish in their sight. And you may observe, 

 that they are not like the solitary pike, but love to 

 accompany one another, and march together in troops. 



And the baits for this bold fish are not many ; I 

 mean, he will bite as well at some or at any of these 

 three, as at any, or all others whatsoever, a worm, a 

 minnow, or a little frog, of which you may find many in 

 hay-time ; and of worms, the dunghill-worm, called a 

 brandling, I take to be best, being well scoured in moss 

 or fennel ; or he will bite at a worm that lies under 

 cow-dung, with a bluish head. And if you rove for* 

 a perch with a minnow, then it is best to be alive, you 

 sticking your hook through his back-fin, or a minnow 

 with the hook in his upper lip, and letting him swim 

 up and down about mid-water, or a little lower, and 

 you still keeping him to about that depth by a cork, 

 which ought not to be a very little one ; and the like 

 way you are to fish for the perch, with a small frog, your 

 hook being fastened through the skin of his leg, towards 

 the upper part of it ; and lastly, I will give you but this 

 advice, that you give the perch time enough when he 

 bites, for there was scarce ever any angler that has 

 given him too much. And now I think best to rest myself, 

 for I have almost spent my spirits with talking so long. 



VEN. Nay, good master, one fish more, for you see 

 it rains still, and you know our angles are like money 

 put to usury, they may thrive, though we sit still, and 

 do nothing but talk and enjoy one another. Come, come, 

 the other fish, good master. 



Pise. But, scholar, have you nothing to mix with 

 this discourse, which now grows both tedious and 

 tiresome ? shall I have nothing from you, that seem to 

 have both a good memory, and a cheerful spirit ? 



YEN. Yes, master, I will speak you a copy of verses 

 that were made by Doctor Donne, and made to shew 

 the world that he could make soft and smooth verses 



