20 THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 



lads, and plenty of fish ; of which it is observed in story, that 

 the greatest part of the world now do. And it may be fit to 

 remember that Moses appointed fish to be the chief diet for the 

 best commonwealth that ever yet was.* 



And it is observable, not only that there are fish, as namely, 

 the whale, three times as big as the mighty elephant ; that is so 

 fierce in battle ; but that the mightiest feasts have been of fish. 

 The Romans in the height of their glory have made fish the 

 mistress of all their entertainments ; they have had music to 

 usher in their sturgeons, lampreys, and mullets, which they 

 would purchase at rates rather to be wondered at than believed. f 

 He that shall view the writings of Macrobius or Varro, may be 

 confirmed and informed of this, and of the incredible value of 

 their fish and fish ponds. 



But, Gentlemen, I have almost lost myself, which I confess I 

 may easily do in this philosophical discourse ; I met with most 

 of it very lately, and, I hope, happily, in a conference with a 

 most learned physician, Dr. Wharton,:]: a dear friend ; that loves 

 both me and my art of angling. But, however, I will wade no 

 deeper in these mysterious arguments, but pass to such observa- 

 tions as I can manage with more pleasure, and less fear of run- 

 ning into error. But I must not yet forsake the waters, by 

 whose help we have so many known advantages. 



And first, to pass by the miraculous cures of our known 

 baths, how advantageous is the sea for our daily traflic : without 

 which we could not now subsist ? How does it not only furnish 

 us with food and physic for the bodies, but with such observa- 

 tions for the mind as ingenious persons would not want ? 



How ignorant had we been of the beauty of Florence, of the 

 monuments, urns, and rarities, that yet remain in and near unto 

 old and new Rome, so many as it is said will take up a year's 

 time to view, and atTord to each of them but a convenient con- 



* Lev. xi., 9 ; Deut. xiv., 9 



t See Bib. Preface.— >^m. Ed. 



X Thomas Wharton, M. D., resided in London durino; the great Pbg:ue, 

 16r).5. He published a work on the glands, jJdenographia, sine Glandu- 

 larum totitts Corporis Descriptio, 1G56. Amsterdam, 1659. Vesaliae, 

 1671 Wharton's name is not in the text until the fifth edition 



