2 s:^e 5!ntrot)uctton. 



conquer'd the difficulties of Angling, it will then not 

 onely prove pleafant, but profitable, and be like Ver- 

 tue, a Reward to it felf. 



Now that I may farther commend this ingenious 

 profeflion, be pleafed to take notice of the Antiquity 

 thereof^ feme faying it is as ancient as Deucalion's 

 Flood, Some attribute it to the invention of one Be- 

 huy the firft Author of vertuous Recreations. Others 

 fay that Seth left the knowledge of Angling to his 

 polterity ingravcn on brazen Pillars with the firft Ru- 

 diments of the Mathematicks, and other ufeful Arts ^ 

 by which means they were prefcrved from perifhing 

 in the univerfal Deluge. 



Divers are the opinions of men concerning the An- 

 tiquity of this Art: letitfuffice, that certainly it is 

 older than Chrill's Incarnation , for both foh and the 

 Prophet Amos m^ike mention of Fifli-hooks, and con- 

 fequently there raufl be Anglers then in thofe days 



The next thing that ofers it fdf in the commen- 

 dation of this Art, is the benefit of Contemplation, 

 -which is acquired hereby ^ which is a thing faccor- 

 dingto the opinion of fome learned Cloifter'd men) 

 to be preferred before Aftion, becaufe fay they) 

 it makes us mortr.ls the nearer to come to the Crea- 

 tor by wny of imitation ^ for he is all Contemplation 

 of his own infiaite Power Goodncis, d"c. 



But waving this, I cannot let flip the exprefllon of 

 an ingenious Forreiner, who faid, That Ri-vers and the* 

 Jrihabita-nts of the watry Elcmem wne made for wife 

 men tocomem^late^ afid fools to fa^ by without confide- 

 r^tion. Modefty will not permit me to rank my 

 fel f in the number of the firft ^ and Ifliall endeavour 

 to clear my Icif from thefcandal ofthe laft, by giving 

 you a (horc account of Rivers and their watry Inha- 

 bitants. 



1 niall fit ft difcourfe of Rivers : one whereof I have 



read 



