128 The Dedication. 



serious business, and (which is often) 

 dedicate a day or two to this Recreation. 



"At which time, if common Anglers 

 should attend you, and be eye-witnesses 

 of your success, not of your fortune, but 

 your skill, it would doubtless beget in 

 them an emulation to be like you, and 

 that emulation might beget an industrious 

 diligence to be so : but I know it is not 

 atainable by common capacities. 



" Sir, this pleasant curiositie of Fish and 

 Fishing (of w ch you are so great a Master) 

 has been thought worthy the pens and 

 practices of divers in other Nations, which 

 have been reputed men of great Learning 

 and Wisdome ; and amongst those of this 

 Nation, I remember Sir Henry Wotton (a 

 dear lover of this Art) has told me, that 

 his intentions were to write a discourse of 

 the Art, and in the praise of Angling, and 

 doubtless he had done so, if death had 

 not prevented him ; the remembrance of 

 which hath often made me sorry ; for, if 

 he had lived to do it, then the unlearned 

 Angler (of which I am one) had seen some 

 Treatise of this Art worthy his perusal, 

 which (though some have undertaken it) 

 I could never yet see in English. 



" But mine may be thought as weak 

 and as unworthy of common view : and 

 I do here freely confess, that I should 



