50 THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 



that are under the statute-size, sold daily amongst us, and of 

 which the conservators of the waters should be ashamed. 



Bui above all, the taking fish in spawning-time, may be said 

 to be against nature ; it is like the taking the dam on the nest 

 when she hatches her young : a sin so against nature, that 

 Almighty God hath in the levitical law made a law against it.* 



But the poor fish have enemies enough beside such unnatural 

 fishermen, as namely, the otters that I spake of, the cormorant, 

 the bittern, the osprey, the sea-gull, the heron, the king-fisher, 

 the gorara, the puet, the swan, goose, ducks, and the craber, 

 which some call the water-rat : against all which any honest man 

 may make a just quarrel, but I will not, I will leave them to be 

 quarrelled with, and killed by others ; for I am not of a cruel 

 nature, I love to kill nothing but fish. 



And now to your question concerning your host ; to speak 

 truly, t he is not to me a good companion : for most of his conceits 

 were either Scripture-jests, or lascivious jests ; for which I count 

 no man witty, for the devil will help a man that way inclined, to 

 the first ; and his own corrupt nature, which he always carries 

 with him, to the latter ; but a companion that feasts the company 

 with wit and mirth, and leaves out the sin which is usually mixed 

 with them, he is the man ; and indeed such a companion should 

 have his charges borne, and to such company I hope to bring you 

 this night ; for at Trout-hall,:}: not far from this place, where I 

 purpose to lodge to-night, there is usually an angler that proves 

 good company : and let me tell you, good company and good 

 discourse are the very sinews of virtue : but for such discourse 

 as we heard last night, it infects others, the very boys will learn 

 to talk and swear as they heard mine host, and another of the 

 company that shall be nameless ; I am sorry the other is a gen- 



* Deuteronomy, chap, xxii., G, 7. 



t Would that all who are anglers followed father Walton's opinion and 

 practice I 



X Piscator and his friend did not sleep, as he proposes here, at Trout- 

 hall, but returned to the ale-liouse where they dined, which we learn was 

 called Bleak-hall. The plan was changed, because the hostess, " on his 

 going out of the door, told him that his brother Peter and a cheerful com- 

 panion had sent word they would lodge there that night." 



