THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 183 



intend to fish for him, with big worms cut into pieces ;* and 

 note, that none did ever overbait the place, nor fish too early 

 or too late for a barbel. And the barbel will bite also at 

 gentles, which not being too much scoured, but green, are a 

 choice bait for him j and so is cheese, which is not to be too 

 hard, but kept a day or two in a wet linen cloth to make it 

 tough : with this you may also bait the water a day or two 

 before you fish for the barbel, and be much the likelier to 

 catch store j and if the cheese were laid in clarified honey 

 a short time before, as namely, an hour or two, you are still 

 the likelier to catch fish : some have directed to cut the 

 cheese into thin pieces, and toast it, and then tie it on the 

 hook with fine silk : and some advise to fish for the barbel 

 with sheep's tallow and soft cheese beaten or worked into a 

 paste, and that it is choicely good in August, and I believe 

 it ; but doubtless the lob-worm well scoured, and the gentle 

 not too much scoured ; and cheese ordered as I have directed, 

 are baits enough, and I think will serve in any month, 

 though I shall commend any angler that tries conclusions, 

 and is industrious to improve the art. And now, my honest 

 scholar, the long shower and my tedious discourse are both 

 ended together ; and I shall give you but this observation, 

 that when you fish for barbel, your rod and line be both long 

 and of good strength, for, as I told you, you will find him a 

 heavy and a dogged fish to be dealt withal, yet he seldom or 

 never breaks his hold if he be once strucken. And if you 

 would know more of fishing for the umber or barbel, get 

 into favour with Doctor Sheldon, whose skill is above others ; 

 and of that the poor that dwell about him have a comfortable 

 experience. 



And now let us go and see what interest the trouts will 

 pay us for letting our angle-rods lie so long and so quietly 

 in the water, for their use. Come, scholar, which will you 

 take up 1 



YEN. Which you think fit, master. 



Pise. Why, you shall take up that, for I am certain, by 

 viewing the line, it has a fish at it. Look you, scholar ! well 

 done ! Come, now take up the other too : well ! now you 

 may tell my brother Peter, at night, that you have caught a 

 leash of trouts this day. And now let's move towards our 



* All this paragraph deserves the attention of the reader. The observations 

 made in it prove that Walton was an expert barbel fisher. ED. 



