The Epistle to the Reader 7 



How to make a man that was none to be an Angler 

 by a book, he that undertakes it shall undertake a 

 harder task than Mr. Hales, a most valiant and 

 excellent fencer, who in a printed book called 

 A Private School of Defence undertook to teach that 

 art or science, and was laughed at for his labour. 

 Not but that many useful things might be learned 

 by that book, but he was laughed at because that 

 art was not to be taught by words, but practice : 

 and so must Angling. And note also, that in this 

 Discourse I do not undertake to say all that is 

 known, or may be said of it, but I undertake to ac- 

 quaint the Reader with many things that are not 

 usually known to every Angler ; and I shall leave 

 gleanings and observations enough to be made out 

 of the experience of all that love and practise this 

 recreation, to which I shall encourage them. For 

 Angling may be said to be so like the Mathe- 

 maticks, that it can never be fully learnt ; at least 

 not so fully, but that there will still be more new 

 experiments left for the trial of other men that suc- 

 ceed us. 



But I think all that love this game may here , ^ 

 learn something that may be worth their money,' v / 

 if they be not poor and needy men : and in case 

 they be, I then wish them to forbear to buy it ; for 

 I write not to get money, but for pleasure, and this 

 Discourse boasts of no more, for I hate to promise 

 much, and deceive the Reader. 



And however it proves to him, yet I am sure I 

 have found a high content in the search and confer- 

 ence of what is here offered to the Reader's view 

 and censure. I wish him as much in the perusal of 

 it, and so I might here take my leave; but will 

 stay a little and tell him, that whereas it is said by 

 many, that in fly-fishing for a Trout, the Angler 

 must observe his twelve several flies for the twelve 



