CHAP. xi. THE FOURTH DAY. 129 



of all things, even from the cedar to the shrub) delivered by 

 tradition, from the father to the son, and so from generation to 

 generation, without writing ; or (unless it were casually), with- 

 out the least communicating them to any other nation or tribe ; 

 for to do that they account a profanation. And yet it is thought 

 that they, or some spirit worse than they, first told us that lice 

 swallowed alive were a certain cure for the yellow-jaundice. 

 This, and many other medicines, were discovered by them, or 

 by revelation ; for, doubtless, we attained them not by study. 



Well, this fish, ^H- K; C ^H^ ,v *, Mj r i T .j. dead 

 and alive for the good of mankind. Bi*t I will meddle no more 

 with that ; my hnnpgfr Vmmhlp ^t teaches no such boldness ; 



there qrg_tnnjyinny fnnli'gli mPrMWc in physjr find divinity, that 



think thpmsplvftsjit fo mprMlp with hidden .serretSj Qnri gr> I^-'*\Q; 

 HpQfrnrfjnp tn tVipjr followers. But Til not meddle with them, 

 any further than to wish them wiser; and shall tell you next, for 

 I hope I may be so bold, that the tench is the physician of 

 fishes, for the pike especially ; and that the pike, being either 

 sick or hurt, is cured by the touch of the TENCH. And it is 

 observed that the tyrant pike will not be a wolf to his physician, 

 but forbears to devour him though he be never so hungry. 



This*fish, that carries a natural balsam in him to rnrr himself 

 ai>d. others, loves yet to feed in very foul water^ and amongst 

 weeds. ^Tnd yet I am sure he eats pleasantly, and doubtless 

 you will think so too, if you taste him. And I shall therefore 

 proceed to give you some few, and but a few, directions how to 

 catch this Tench, of which I have given you these observations. 



He will bite a paste made of brown bread and honey, or at a 

 marsh-worm, or a lob-worm ; he inclines very much to any paste 

 with which tar is mixed : and he will bite also at a smaller worm, 

 with his head nipped off, and a cod- worm put on the hook before 

 that worm ; and I doubt not but that he will also in the three 

 hot months for in the nine colder he stirs not much bite at a 

 flag-worm, or at a green gentle ; but I can positively say no 

 more of the tench, he being a fish I have not often angled for ; 

 but I wish my honest scholar may, and be ever fortunate when 

 he fishes. 



9 



