242 THE COMPLETE ANGLER. PART n. 



question: is there no art to be used to worms, to make them 

 allure the fish, and in a manner compel them to bite at the bait? 



PlSC. Not that I know of; or did I know any such secret, I 

 wouFd not use it myself, and therefore would not teach it you. 

 Though I will not deny to you, that in my younger days, I have 

 made trial of oil of osprey, oil of ivy, camphire, asafcetida, juice 

 of nettles, and several other devices that I was taught by several 

 anglers I met with; but could never find any advantage by 

 them ; and can scarce believe there is anything to be done that 

 way; though I must tell you, I have seen some men who I 

 thought went to work no more artificially than I, and have yet, 

 with the same kind of worms I had, in my own sight taken five, 

 and sometimes ten to one. But we'll let that business alone, if 

 you please ; and because we have time enough, and that I would 

 deliver you from the trouble of any more lectures, I will, if you 

 please, proceed to the last way of angling for a trout or grayling, 

 which is in the middle; after which I shall have no more to 

 trouble you with. 



VlAT. 'Tis no trouble, sir, but the greatest satisfaction that 

 can be : and* I attend you. 



CHAPTER XII. 



OF ANGLING AT THE MIDDLE FOR TROUT OR GRAYLING: 

 FAREWELL OF VIATOR WITH PISCATOR JUNIOR. 



PlSC. Angling in the middle, then, for a trout or grayling, is 

 of two sorts : with a penk or minnow for a trout ; or with a worm, 

 grub, or cadis, for a grayling. 



For the first. It is with a minnow, half a foot or a foot within 

 the superficies of the water. And as to the rest that concerns 

 this sort of angling, I shall wholly refer you to Mr. Walton's 

 directions, who is undoubtedly the best angler with a minnow 

 in England ; only, in plain truth, I do not approve of those baits 

 he keeps in salt, unless where the living ones are not possibly 

 to be had (though I know he frequently kills with them, and 



