CURIOSITIES OF ANGLING LITERATURE. 265 



in Ude, Francatelli, or Soyer : " Pastes are a species 

 of artificial baits, to be angled with at ground, or 

 within the water. Tliere are, or may le, as many 

 distinct sorts of them as the luxuriancy of every fancy 

 will suggest." Lucullian is it not? Could a Bel- 

 gravian Gunter, throwing open bis doors to the 

 aristocratic lovers of all that is gustatory, have ex- 

 pressed himself in a more comprehensive or enticing 

 manner? Then follows the query Did the fish of 

 the period appreciate this "luxuriance of fancy?" 

 and have they, just in an inverse ratio to the 

 civilisation of man, eschewed the high feeding of a 

 past age to content themselves with the simple fare 

 of plain bread and water in this ? It would seem so, 

 if we are to believe the modern fisherman, who may 

 be here inclined to deny that these piscatorial desires 

 ever had an existence, excepting in the imagination 

 of men living in a benighted age insinuating that 

 even modern cooks have been known to ask for 

 champagne, as an addendum to stewed kidneys, 

 which never reached beyond the neck of the bottle 

 (unless it was to run down the throat of the chef), 

 and hint at a cuisine whose sauce was encouraged 

 by burnt brandies obtained under the excuse of 

 requirements of mince-pies and plum-puddings. 

 Those cynics who are inclined to take this view 

 of the great masters of pisciculture, must be pre- 

 pared to back their slanders with something better 



