NORTHERN MEMOIRS. 355 



and exorbitancy of life. I write to the intelli- 

 gent, and not to alphabet anglers, that wander 

 up and down besides themselves, to lick up the 

 spumous froth of fiction, and rally the records 

 of fabulous pamphleteers, to swell their impo- 

 verished empty volumes, on purpose spread 

 abroad to amuze the unwary : but this I resolve 

 against, by exhorting ingenuity to consult ex- 

 perience, notwithstanding my rudiments and la- 

 borious directions ; for without due observation 

 in the exercise of angling, besides speculation in 

 the progress of theory, (in this, or indeed in any 

 other art,) no man shall level a right founda- 

 tion. 



Theoph. Such signal remonstrations (like an 

 ingres si ve spirit) strike deep impressions into 

 my thoughtful breast. It must be a master ; 

 and what master but experience must we have, 

 to induct us into the methods, mediums, and re- 

 gularities of science ? Does experience any more 

 obliterate theory, than rudiments rip up the 

 foundation of art ? which they do riot, nor can- 

 not : then ought the rules of practicks to be the 

 solicitation of every artist, which analysis of ne- 

 cessity I cannot but comply with ; or let the 

 surviving ages engrave on my tomb-stone, post 

 est occasio calva. 



Arn. To compleat a scholar, therefore, we are 

 to consider that every pedagogue that initiates 



