Walton's Artificial Minnow. 173 



out much variation," as he tells us in his 

 first edition ; but it does not follow that he 

 knew nothing about it himself. Cotton 

 distinctly tells us " it would look like a pre- 

 sumption in me, and peradventure would 

 do so in another man, to pretend to give 

 lessons for angling after him [Walton], 

 who I do really believe understands as 

 much of it, at least as any man in Eng- 

 land " ; and he explains that it is the style 

 of fishing necessitated by the very clear 

 waters he fished in that he will describe. 

 In another place he tells Viator he will 

 give him some instructions how " to angle 

 for a Trout in a clear River, that my Father 

 Walton himself will not disapprove, though 

 he did either purposely omit, or did not 

 remember them, when you, and he sate 

 discoursing under the Sycamore Tree." 



" Ephemera " says how astonished 

 Walton would have been could he have 

 seen the artificial minnows and other baits 

 made nowadays. Yes, he would indeed 

 have been astonished ; but if he wished to 

 kill a dish of trout, I think he would still 

 prefer that beautiful artificial minnow he so 

 lovingly describes, " made by a handsome 

 Woman that had a fine hand, and a live 

 Minnow lying by her" to copy. His de- 

 scription of the way to make a natural 

 or artificial minnow spin so that " a large 



