1 6a The Complete Angler 



let me add this, that the uncharitable Italian bids 

 us " give Eels and no wine to our enemies ". 



And I will beg a little more of your attention, to tell 

 you, that Aldrovandus, and divers physicians, com- 

 mend the Eel very much for medicine, though not 

 for meat. But let me tell you one observation, that 

 the Eel is never out of season ; as Trouts, and most 

 other fish, are at set times ; at least, most Eels are 

 not 



I might here speak of many other fish, whose 

 shape and nature are much like the Eel, and fre- 

 quent both the sea and fresh rivers ; as, namely, the 

 Lamprel, the Lamprey, and the Lamperne : as also 

 of the mighty Conger, taken often in Severn, about 

 Gloucester : and might also tell in what high esteem 

 many of them are for the curiosity of their taste. 

 But these are not so proper to be talked of by me, 

 because they make us anglers no sport ; therefore I 

 will let them alone, as the Jews do, to whom they 

 are forbidden by their law. 



And, scholar, there is also a FLp&NDER, a sea- 

 fish which will wander very far into fresh rivers, and 

 there lose, himself and dwell : and thrive to a hand's 

 breadth, and almost twice so long : a fish without 

 scales, and most excellent meat : and a fish that 

 affords much sport to the angler, with any small 

 worm, but especially a little bluish worm, gotten out 

 of marsh-ground, or meadows, which should be well 

 scoured. But this, though it be most excellent 

 meat, yet it wants scales, and is, as I told you, there- 

 fore an abomination to the Jews. 



But, scholar, there is a fish that they in Lanca- 

 shire boast very much of, called a CHAR ; taken 

 there, and I think there only, in a mere called 

 Winander Mere ; a mere, says Camden, that is the 

 largest in this nation, being ten miles in length, and 

 some say as smooth in the bottom as if it were 



