118 THE COMPLETE ANGLER* PART I* 



And he that reads Plutarch, shall find, that Angling 

 was not contemptible in the days of Mark Antony and 

 Cleopatra, and that they in the midst of their wonder- 

 ful glory used angling as a principal recreation*. And 

 let me tell you, that in the Scripture y Angling is always 

 taken in the best sense; and that though hunting may 

 be sometimes so taken, yet it is but seldom to be so under- 

 stood. And let me add this more : he that views 

 the ancient Ecclesiastical Canons, shall find hunting 

 to be forbidden to Churchmen, as being a turbulent, 

 toilsome, perplexing recreation ; and shall find Angling 

 allowed to clergymen, as being a harmless recreation, 

 a recreation that invites them to contemplation and 

 quietness, 



I might here enlarge myself, by telling you what com- 

 mendations our learned Perkins bestows on Angling : 



* I must here so far differ from my author as to say, that if Angling 

 was not contemptible in the days of Mark Antony and Cleopatra, that 

 illustrious prostitute endeavoured to make it so. The fact related by 

 Plutarch is the following: 



" It would be very tedious and trifling to recount all his follies : but his 

 " [p a lp a ble finesse in] fishing must not be forgot. He went out one day to 

 ' angle with Cleopatra, and being so unfortunate as to catch nothing in 

 * the presence of his mistress, he was very much vexed, and gave secret 

 *' orders to the fishermen to dive under water, and put fishes that had 

 " been fresh taken upon his hook. After he had drawn up two or three, 

 " Cleopatra perceived the trick; she pretended, however, to be sur- 

 c ' prised at his good fortune and dexterity ; told it to all her friends, and 

 * invited them to come and see him fish the next day. Accordingly, a 

 " very large company went out in the fishing vessels, and as soon as An- 

 '* tony had let down his line, she commanded one of her servants to be 

 * before-hand with Antony's, and .diving into tjie water, to fix upon 

 " his hook a salted fish, one of those which were brought from the uxine 

 " Sea" 



The story here told affords matter of serious reflection. Behold, 

 here, two persons of the highest rank, who had exhausted all the sources 

 of delight ; their appetites palled, and every gratification rendered 

 tasteless; stooping to partake of the recreations of the meaner sort, 

 and, of tyrants, and persecutors of their fellow-creatures, to become the 

 deceivers of silly fish, and of each other. Doubtless we may suppose 

 that long before the tragical end, which they severally made, of a profli- 

 gate and wicked life, they were grown tired and sick of the world ; and 

 had frequent occasion to exclaim and that with greater reason, than 

 their Predecessor in worldly glory that all the pomp and splendour of 

 dominion, all the pomp and authority resulting from regal grandeur, all 

 ambitious enterprises ; all merely human projects, pursuits, and plea- 

 sures; without a tranquil and composed mind, such as God vouchsafe 1 ! 

 only to the meek and humble; are vanity and vexation of Spirit. 



