X PREFACE. 



the embryonic stage. These need not therefore be neglected by 

 the historian, as they, equally with the others, indicate wants 

 and suggest remedies which may have failed to find acceptance 

 from our legislators from other causes than lack of merit. 



The list of Statutes repealed, spent, or in force, concerning 

 the fisheries, the preservation of fish, &c., is a nearly complete 

 conspectus of our legislation on these subjects. They show the 

 early appreciation of the importance of this source of national 

 wealth. The endeavours to encourage the fisheries in Ireland 

 are clearly indicated in a long list ol statutory enactments, 

 some of which appear to have been so liberal in their character, 

 that they drew forth remonstrances from the Scotch and 

 English fishermen, whose trade suffered severely in conse- 

 quence of the inordinate bounties given to their Irish competi- 

 tors. Notwithstanding such encouragement and the possession 

 of waters abounding in fish, the pursuit never seems to have 

 taken much root in Ireland. 



We have added, as an appendix, a collection of citations 

 from the elder Poets, Dramatists, &c., in which the sport is dealt 

 with. To Sir Harris Nicolas is due the honour of this initiative, 

 though only in a very limited degree. Thus his quotations 

 from Shakespeare, were but four in number. We have ex- 

 tended them to twenty-nine. For two or three of these we are 

 indebted to the Rev. H. N. Ellacombe's interesting article, 

 "Shakespeare as an Angler,'' published in the ''Antiquary." 

 It must, however, be distinctly understood that this collection 

 is not offered as exhaustive, and we trust to the kindness ot such 

 of our readers as the subject may interest, to continue the search 

 in the wide field still unexplored, and to communicate the result 

 of their gleanings. 



We have endeavoured to arrange our entries in the simplest 

 manner. Books are inscribed under the names of their res- 

 pective writers, real or fictitious, if these are found in title 

 or preface. Anonymous books are entered under the first 

 proper name in the title, or failing a proper name, under the first 

 substantive. In the case of books published under the initials of 

 their writers, cross references are generally inserted from and to 

 the title, which is treated as if the work were anonymous. All 

 words not enclosed in square brackets will be found on the title- 

 pages of the books recorded, and where words are omitted, the fact 

 is shown. The spelling and punctuation are in all cases carefully 

 preserved. When the reader finds " varity " for "variety," 

 " filies " for "flies," " published " for " published," etc^ he must 

 understand that the vagary is due to the author or his printer. 

 The customary sic is never used in such cases. 



