xxxvi The Complete Angler 



the first word of God, and the second of the fish ". 

 As for angling, " it is somewhat like poetry : men 

 are to be born so " ; and many are born to be both 

 rhymers and anglers. But, unlike many poets, the 

 angler resembles "the Adonis, or Darling of the 

 Sea, so called because it is a loving and innocent 

 fish," and a peaceful ; " and truly, I think most 

 anglers are so disposed to most of mankind ". 



Our Saviour's peculiar affection for fishermen is, 

 of course, a powerful argument. And it is certain 

 that Peter, James, and John made converts among 

 the twelve, for " the greater number of them were 

 found together, fishing, by Jesus after His Resur- 

 rection". That Amos was "a good-natured, plain 

 fisherman," only Walton had faith enough to believe. 

 He fixes gladly on mentions of hooks in the Bible, 

 omitting Homer, and that excellent Theocritean 

 dialogue of the two old anglers and the fish of gold, 

 which would have delighted Izaak, had he known 

 it ; but he was no great scholar. "And let me tel! 

 you that in the Scripture, angling is always taken 

 in the best sense," though Izaak does not dwell on 

 Tobias's enormous capture. So he ends with com- 

 mendations of angling by Wotton, and Davors 

 (Dennys, more probably) author of The Secrets of 

 Angling (1613). To these we may add Words- 

 worth, Thomson, Scott, Hogg, Stoddart, and many 

 minor poets who loved the music of the reel. 



Izaak next illustrates his idea of becoming mirth, 

 which excludes "Scripture jests and lascivious jests," 

 both of them highly distasteful to anglers. Then he 

 comes to practice, beginning with chub, for which 

 I have never angled, but have taken them by mis- 

 adventure, with a salmon fly. Thence we proceed 

 to trout, and to the charming scene of the milkmaid 

 and her songs by Raleigh and Marlowe, " I think 

 much better than the strong lines that are now in 



