24 THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 



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 preserve the knowledge of the mathema- 

 tics, music, and the rest of that precious knowledge, and thnse 

 useful arts which by God's appointment or allowance and his 

 noble industry, were thereby preserved from perishing in Noah's 

 flood. 



These, Sir, have been the opinions of several men, that have 

 possibly endeavored to make angling more ancient than is need- 

 ful, 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* men- 

 tion is made of fish-hooks ; and in the Book of Job,-|- which was 

 long before the days of Amos, for that book is said to be writ 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 myself a gen- 

 tleman 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 I grant that where a noble and ancient 

 descent and such merits meet in any man, it is a double dignifi- 

 cation of that person : — so if this antiquity of angling, which for 

 my part I have not forced, shall, like an ancient family, be either 

 an honor or an ornament to this virtuous art which I profess to 

 love and practise, I shall be the gladder that I made an acci- 

 dental mention of the antiquity of it ; of which I shall say no 

 more, but proceed to that just commendation which I think it 

 deserves. 



And for that I shall tell you, that in ancient times a debate 

 hath risen, and it remains yet unresolved, whether the happiness 

 of man in this world doth consist more in contemplation or 

 action. 



Concerninf]: which some have endeavored to maintain their 

 opinion of the first, by saying, that the nearer we mortals come 

 to God by way of imitation, the more happy we are. And they 



• iv., 2. t xii., 1, 2. See my remarks Bib. Pref.— w2m. Ed. 



