ANCIENT ANGLING AUTHORS 157 



This book is the first I believe to recommend the 

 use of the floating fly. It is not recommended, 

 however, for the purpose of circumventing the wily 

 trout, but in order to prevent the fly being taken by 

 the minnows : 



Sing next the trouble of the Angling Rod, 

 The little Menow, and his blind abode, 



He'll nibble and do all that e'er he can 



To raise your passion, yet you must not swear, 



For frightning other Fishes that are neer. 



All baits he loves, and nothing will deny 



His Appetite, except it be the Fly, 



And this must on the water swim, if low, 



'Tis certain gone as other baits I know. 



The Dialogue between Piscator and Corydon 

 contains nothing of any interest, and therefore calls 

 for no comment. The book concludes with a post- 

 script describing a day's netting of the great Fish 

 Pond at Winckhurst : " I can justly sum up of that 

 day's action, that we took two Thousand Seven 

 Hundred and Fifty Carps." 



A list of angling books, written by William White, 

 Crickhowell, Brecknockshire, about the year 1806, 

 thus describes The Anglers Sure Guide: 



The Angler's sure Guide ; or, Angling improved, by 

 R. H. Esqre., Svo, 1706. It is the most Elaborate 

 Work of Fishing and making the Tackle now extant, 

 the Author is imagined to have been a Barrister at 

 Law, when after 40 Years practice in the Art of 

 Angling he devoted the remainder of his Life to the 



