THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 69 



with sand, or watch it, or hide it in some secret 

 place unfrequented by vermin or by any fish but 

 themselves. 



Sir, these examples may, to you and others, 

 seem strange; but they are testified, some by 

 Aristotle, some by Pliny, some by Gessner, and 

 by many others of credit, and are believed and 

 known by divers, both of wisdom and experience, 

 to be a truth ; and indeed are, as I said at the be- 

 ginning, fit for the contemplation of a most serious 

 and a most pious man. And, doubtless, this made 

 the prophet David say, "They that occupy them- 

 selves in deep waters see the wonderful works of 

 God ; " indeed, such wonders and pleasures too 

 as the land affords not. 



And that they be fit for the contemplation of 

 the most prudent and pious and peaceable men, 

 seems to be testified by the practice of so many 

 devout and contemplative men as the patriarchs 

 and prophets of old, and of the apostles of our 

 Saviour in our latter times ; of which twelve, we 

 are sure, he chose four that were simple fisher- 

 men, whom he inspired, and sent to publish his 

 blessed will to the Gentiles, and inspired them 

 also with a power to speak all languages, and by 

 their powerful eloquence to beget faith in the un- 

 believing Jews, and themselves to suffer for that 

 Saviour whom their forefathers and they had cru- 

 cified ; and, in their sufferings, to preach freedom 

 from the incumbrances of the law, and a new way 

 to everlasting life : this was the employment of 



