The First Day 27 



gling, of which I shall not say much, but only this ; 

 some say it is as ancient as Deucalion's flood : others, 

 that Belus, who was the first inventor of gotfly and 

 virtuous recreations, was the first inventor of An- 

 gling : and some others say, for former times have 

 had their disquisitions about the antiquity of it, 

 that Seth, one of the sons of Adam, taught it to 

 his sons, and that by them it was derived to pos- 

 terity : others say that he left it engraven on those 

 pillars which he erected, and trusted to preserve the 

 knowledge of the mathematicks, musick, and the 

 rest of that precious knowledge, and those useful 

 arts, which by God's appointment or allowance, and 

 his noble industry, were thereby preserved from 

 perishing in Noah's flood. 



These, Sir, have been the opinions of several men, 

 that have possibly endeavoured to make angling 

 more ancient than is needful, or may well be 

 warranted ; but for my part, I shall content myself 

 in telling you, that angling is much more ancient 

 than the incarnation of our Saviour ; for in the 

 Prophet Amos mention is made of fish-hooks ; and 

 in the book of Job, which was long before the days 

 of Amos, for that book is said to have been written 

 by Moses, mention is made also of fish-hooks, which 

 must imply anglers in those times. 



But, my worthy friend, as I would rather prove 

 myself a gentleman, by being learned and humble, 

 valiant and inoffensive, virtuous and communicable, 

 than by any fond ostentation of riches, or, wanting 

 those virtues myself, boast that these were in my 

 ancestors ; and yet I grant, that where a noble and 

 ancient descent and such merit meet in any man, it 

 is a double dignification of that person ; so if this 

 antiquity of angling, which for my part I have not 

 forced, shall, like an ancient family, be either an 

 honour or an ornament to this virtuous art which 



