THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 169 



or all others whatsoever, a worm, a minnow, or a little frog, 

 of which you may find many in hay-time ; and of worms, the 

 dunghill-worm, called a brandling, I take to be best, being 

 well scoured in moss or fennel ; or he will bite at a worm 

 that lies under cow-dung, with a bluish head. And if you 

 rove for a pearcli with a minnow, then it is best to be alive, 

 you sticking your hook through his back fin, or a minnow 

 with the hook in his upper lip, and letting him swim up 

 and down about mid-water, or a little lower, and you still 

 keeping him to about that depth by a cork, which ought not 

 to be a very little one ; and the like way you are to fish for 

 the pearch, with a small frog, your hook being fastened 

 through the skin of his leg, towards the upper part of it ; 

 and lastly, I will give you but this advice, that you give the 

 pearch time enough when he bites, for there was scarce ever 

 any angler that has given him too much. And now I think 

 best to rest myself, for I have almost spent my spirits with 

 talking so long. 



YEN. Nay, good master, one fish more, for you see it 

 rains still, and you know our angles are like money put to 

 usury, they may thrive, though we sit still, and do nothing 

 but talk and enjoy one another. Come, come, the other fish, 

 good master. 



Pise. But scholar, have you nothing to mix with this 

 discourse, which now grows both tedious and tiresome ? Shall 

 I have nothing from you, that seem to have both a good 

 memory, and a cheerful spirit 1 



YEN. Yes, master, I will speak you a copy of verses that 

 were made by Doctor Donne, and made to show the world 

 that he could make soft and smooth verses when he thought 

 smoothness worth his labour ; and I love them the better 

 because they allude to rivers, and fish and fishing. They 

 be these : 



Come live with me, and be my love, 



And we will some new pleasures prove, 



Of golden sands and crystal brooks, 



With silken lines and silver hooks. 



There will the river whisp'ring run, 

 Warm'd by thy eyes more than the sun ; 

 And there th' enamell'd fish will stay, 

 Begging themselves they may betray. 



When thou wilt swim in that live bath,, 

 Each fish, which every channel hath, 

 Most amorously to thee will swim, 

 Gladder to catch thee, than thou him. 



