206 TO THE READER. 



I confess I have not had that experience in the art 

 which many have that have made it their business for 

 the space of several years, and I but a late pretender ; 

 however this may invite some that are more judicious 

 and able to undertake the work ; in the mean time use 

 this till a better comes, and think of that of the* poet. 



Si quid novisii rectius istis 



Candidus imperti^ si non his utere mecum. 



If any thing thou know'st that better is, 

 Impart it, else content thyself with this. 



It cannot be expected that this work could be large, 

 these heing only the private sentiments and collections 

 of my own experience. The first edition is always the 

 least ; if it were worthy of a second impression, it 

 might receive some additions, as having the advantage 

 of being enlarged, by the help of some new and more 

 refined notions ; nor is the subject copious enough to 

 make a fuller treatise, it being confined to one par- 

 ticular manner of fishing, which if it had extended to 

 the generality of the art, and to all. the fresh-water in- 

 habitants, it might have made this diminutive piece swell 

 into a folio. 



The design of it is only to give those some insight 

 and instructions who are wholly ignorant, but desire to 

 learn : not that it can benefit those that are already 

 taught, and perhaps may find, or at least pretend to 

 find, many errors in it ; for this I can attest, that what 

 is said is as true as probatum est riot having confided 

 to any man's judgment, but to my own experience. 

 Whether then U be. approved of or not, it must take 

 its fortune, as all other books do, which are blamed by 

 some and commended by others : 



Habcnt suafata libelli 

 -The Poet sings, 



Books have their ehance as well as other thing?, 



