ANGLING IMPROVED. 19 



seasons, they rise most freely, and bite most eagerly, 

 save as before in droughts, notwithstanding at that sea- 

 son some sport may be had, though not with the fly, 

 whereas nothingat all will be done in muddy slow rivers. 

 2. My second supposition was, whether, accord- 

 ing to that old received axiom, suo quseque, similima 

 coelo, the fish might not partake of the nature of the 

 river, in which they are bred and live, as we see in men 

 born in fenny, boggy, low, moist grounds, and thick 

 air, who ordinarily want that present quickness, vivacity, 

 and activity of body and mind, which persons born in 

 dry, hilly, sandy soils and clear air, are usually endued 

 withal. The fish participating of the nature of the 

 muddy river, which is ever slow, for if they were swift, 

 the stream would cleanse them from all mud, are not 

 so quick, lively, and active, as those bred in swift, sandy, 

 or stony rivers, and so coming to the fly with more de- 

 liberation, discern the same to be counterfeit, and for- 

 sake it ; whereas, on the contrary, in stony, sandy, swift 

 rivers, being colder, the fish are more active, and so 

 more hungry and eager, the stream and hand keeping 

 the fly in continual motion, they snap the same up with- 

 out any pause, lest so desirable a morsel escape them. 

 / J You must have a very quick eye, a nimble rod 

 and hand, and strike with the rising of the fish, or he 

 instantly finds his mistake, and forces out the hook 

 again : I could never, my eye-sight being weak, discern 

 perfectly where my fly was, the wind and stream carry- 

 ing it so to and again, that the line was never any cer- 

 tain direction or guide to me -, but if I saw a fish rise, I 



