6 The Complete Angler 



places mixed, not any scurrility, but some innocent; 

 harmless mirth, of which, if thou be a severe, sour- 

 complexioned man, then I here disallow thee to be 

 a competent judge; for divines say, there are 

 offences given, and offences not given but taken. 



And I am the willinger to justify the pleasant 

 part of it, because though it is known I can be 

 serious at seasonable times, yet the whole Discourse 

 is, or rather was, a picture of my own disposition, 

 especially in such days and times as I have laid 

 aside business, and gone a-fishing with honest Nat 

 and R. Roe; but they are gone, and with them 

 most of my pleasant hours, even as a shadow that 

 passeth away and returns not. 



And next let me add this, that he that likes not 

 the book, should like the excellent picture of the 

 Trout, and some of the other fish, which I may 

 take a liberty to commend, because they concern 

 not myself. 



Next, let me tell the Reader, that in that which is 

 the more useful part of this Discourse, that is to 

 say, the observations of the nature and breeding, 

 and seasons, and catching of fish, I am not so 

 simple as not to know, that a captious reader may 

 find exceptions against something said of some of 

 these ; and therefore I must entreat him to con- 

 sider, that experience teaches us to know that 

 several countries alter the time, and I think, almost 

 the manner, of fishes 1 breeding, but doubtless of 

 their being in season ; as may appear by three 

 rivers in Monmouthshire, namely, Severn, Wye, 

 and Usk, where Camden observes, that in the river 

 Wye, Salmon are in season from September to 

 April ; and we are certain, that in Thames and 

 Trent, and in most other rivers, they be in season 

 the six hotter months. 



Now for the Art of catching fish, that is to say, 



