CHAP. I. THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 103 



Ven. Sir, I am now become so full of expectation, 

 that I long much to have you proceed, and in the order 

 that you propose. 



Pise. Then first, for the antiquity of Angling, 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 godly and virtuous recre- 

 ations, was the first inventor of Angling : 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 posterity : others say, that he left it engraven 

 on those pillars which he erected, and trusted to pre- 

 serve 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 perish- 

 ing in Noah y 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 

 offish-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 my- 

 self 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 



* Those that say this, are very safe in their assertion, for there is no 

 remaining evidence to contradict it. It may however be observed, that 

 the same has been said in favour of many other arts, and if I mistake 

 not, of the Hermetic Science and Free Masonry; concerning the former 

 whereof, Ashmole has the confidence to affirm, that by means of it, Adam 

 and the fathers before the Flood, as also Abraham, Moses, and Solomon, 

 wrought many wonders. See the Prolegomena to his Tbcatrum Cbcmiium 

 which there is more such nonsense and absurdity. 



