xii BIBLIOGRAPHICAL PREFACE. 



of which, a boy, going aloft to set the main-royal, was a 

 grey-headed man when he came down. We might multiply 

 such curiosities to any extent, but those who wish more 

 may go to Athena3us himself (bs. i., vii., viii.). Our con- 

 cern is with catching fish ; and we must leave the cooking 

 of them to Mrs. Glasse, and the eating of them to her 

 guests. 



It can scarcely be believed, that, in these circumstances, 

 the taking of fish as a pastime was not known to the lovers 

 of sport. Indeed, the earnestness with which Plato often 

 declaims against young men practising it, because, he says, 

 there is nothing in it "noble," or "daring," or "exer- 

 cising skill," shows that there was a tendency to our gentle 

 art, though the honey-lipped ])hilosopher had not tasto 

 enough to feel its merits.* We have, however, no very 

 ancient distinct traces of fishing, especially angling, as an 

 amusement, unless we approve the doubtlul title to a votive 

 inscription by Leonidas of Tarentum, as given by Meri- 

 vale (p. 129)^ 



" Three brothers dedicate, O Pan, to thee, 



Their nets, the emblems of their various toil, 

 Pigris, who brings from realms of air his spoil, 

 Damis from woods, and Clitor from the sea. 

 So may the treasures of the sea be giv'n 

 To this; to those, the fruits of earth and heaven." 



• Burton (Anat. of Mel., ii., 2, § 2) says that Plutarch speaks in his 

 book De Soler. Anim. "against all fisliing ;" whereas Plutarch is only put- 

 ting Plato's words into the mouth of Aristotimus ; for which he is no 

 more responsible than Walton for what Venator says. It is but justice, 

 however, to the erudite foe of melancholy to add, that he takes up the 

 defence of the angler manfully, thus : " But he that shall consider the 

 "•ariety of baits for all seasons, which our anglers have invented, peculiar 

 lines, false flies, several sleights. &.c., will say that it deserves like 

 commendation with other diversions, and is to be preferred to many of 

 them ; because hawking and hunting are very laborious, much riding and 

 many dangers accompanying them, but this is still and quiet." He then 

 quotes that tine, well-known passage from Juliana Berners: " Atte the 

 leest hec hathe," &,c. 



