The Preface. 



observations which I have truly related, with 

 some Accidents which gave me good Divertion, 

 and am as well pleased to see my self baulked 

 sometimes, by loosing a well grown Fish by 

 Carelessness or Accident, as to have him in 

 my Bag, as you may perceive in some places 

 in the Poem; I look upon him to be a good 

 Artist, that takes some, not he that takes all ; 

 I am no engrosser, neither am I covetous of 

 them, giving most and the best to Friends, and 

 willingly instruct any that bear me Company, 

 and are desirous to be Proficients in the Art. 

 By giving them all the Instructions I 

 can, with the knowledge of the baits I use, 

 which frees me from the thoughts of using 

 preposterous baits, some who have been An- 

 gling with me, have been possessed with a 

 fancy that I had an Art to mingle something 

 with my baits, and for that reason took more 

 Fish than themselves, to undeceive them, I 

 have given them of the same they have seen 

 me bait my Hook with, yet they were never 

 the better Artists; Nay, I have given them 

 my Rod and Line, and taken theirs, with 

 which I took some, tho they were with my 

 Tackling no wiser then before. I solemnly 

 protest, all the Craft 1 used to succeed better 

 then they, was only due observation of the 

 depth of the water, and absconding my self from 

 sight, with advantage to Sun and Wind, 'tis true, 

 my Tackling is generallyjincr then most used in 

 our Rivers, who are afraid of breaking a Line 

 or loosing a Hooky by reason of the great ob- 

 struction 



