PREFACE 



Despite Francis Bacon's dictum that "prefaces are great 

 wastes of time, and, though they seem to proceed of modesty, 

 they are bravery," I hazard a few words as to this book, which, 

 like Topsy, "growed, I 'spects," from a chance request for 

 a quotation from Homer on Fishing with a Rod for my sister's 

 game-book. 



It is, as far as I can discover, the first attempt to examine 

 classical and other ancient writers on Fishing from the standpoint 

 of one who has not only been a practical Pisciculturist for many 

 years and an Angler all his life, but has also been taught (though 

 somewhat forgotten) his Greek and Latin, 



If my work, in the main, is necessarily based on the compila- 

 tions of others, it yet by serendipity (to adopt Horace Walpole's 

 mintage) has unearthed some rare authors, who, judging from 

 lack of mention, were unknown to previous writers on the 

 subject. It contains also— if I may venture a " bravery "—several 

 points which are apparently original. 



Instances of these are : — 



(i) The definite establishment of Aristotle as our first, 

 if through lack of microscope primitive, scale-reader ; 



(2) The acquittal without a stain on his character of Plutarch 

 from the charge, under which he has lain for centuries, of libelling 

 and contemning Fishing ; 



(3) The discussion by whom, Martial or ^Elian, was the use 

 of (a) the natural, or (d) the artificial fly first suggested or 

 implied ; 



(4) The examination whether the crescens harundo of Martial 

 was a jointed Rod, somewhat like our own ; 



