CHAP. V.] THE COMPLETE ANGLER. - 



Angling is an art, either by practice, or a long observation, 

 or both. But take this for a rule, when you fish for a Trout 

 with a worm, let your line have so much, and not more lead 

 than will fit the stream in which you fish ; that is to say, more 

 in a great troublesome stream than in a smaller that is quieter : 

 as near as may be, so much as will sink the bait to the bottom, 

 and keep it still in motion, and not more. 



But now let 's say grace and fall to breakfast. What say 

 you, Scholar, to the providence of an old Angler? Does 

 not this meat taste well ? and was not this place well chosen 

 to eat it ? for this sycamore-tree will shade us from the sun's 

 heat. 



VEN. All excellent good ; and my stomach excellent good 

 too. And now I remember, and find that true which devout 

 Lessius says, "that poor men, and those that fast often, have 

 much more pleasure in eating than rich men and gluttons, that 

 always feed before their stomachs are empty of their last meat, 

 and call for more ; for by that means they rob themselves of 

 that pleasure that hunger brings to poor men." And I do seri- 

 ously approve of that saying of yours, " that you had rather be 

 a civil, well-governed, well-grounded, temperate, poor Angler, 

 than a drunken lord ' ' : but I hope there is none such. How- 

 ever, I am certain of this, that I have been at many very costly 

 dinners that have not afforded me half the content that this has 

 done, for which I thank God and you. 



And now, good Master, proceed to your promised direction 

 for making and ordering my Artificial Fly. 



Pise. My honest Scholar, I will do it, for it is a debt due 

 unto you by my promise. And because you shall not think 

 yourself more engaged to me than indeed you really are, I will 

 freely give you such directions as were lately given to me by an 

 ingenious Brother of the Angle, an honest man, and a most ex- 

 cellent fly-fisher. 



You are to note, that there are twelve kinds of artificial-made 

 Flies to angle with upon the top of the water. Note by the 



