120 THE COMPLETE ANGLER. PART I. 



will make harder shift to get out of the salt into the fresh 

 rivers, to spawn, or possess the pleasures that they have 

 formerly found in them : to which end, they will force 

 themselves through flood-gates, or over weirs, or hedges, 

 or stops in the water, even to a height beyond common 

 belief. Gesner speaks of such places as are known to be 

 above eight feet high above water. And our Camden 

 mentions, in his Britannia, the like wonder to be in Pem- 

 brokeshire, where the river Tivy falls into the sea ; and 

 that the fall is so downright, and so high, that the people 

 stand and wonder at the strength and sleight by which 

 they see the Salmon use to get out of the sea into the said 

 river ; and the manner and height of the place is so nota- 

 ble, that it is known, far, by the name of the Salmon-leap. 

 Concerning which, take this also out of Michael Drayton, 1 

 my honest old friend; as he tells it you, in his Polyolbion: ' 



A when the Salmon seeks a fresher stream to find ; 

 (Which hither from the sea comes, yearly, by his kind,) 

 As he towards season grows ; and stems the wat'ry tract 

 Where Tivy, falling down, makes an high cataract, 

 Forc'd by the rising rocks that there her course oppose, 

 As tho' within her bounds they meaut her to inclose; 

 Here, when the labouring fish does at the foot arrive, 

 And finds that by his strength he does but vainly strive ; 

 Hi* tail take* iu his mouth, and bending like a bow 

 That's to full compass drawn, aloft himself doth throw. 

 Then springing i his hi iht, us doth a little wand 

 That bended end to end. and started from man's hand, 

 Far off itself doth cast ; so does the Salmon vault : 

 And if, at first, he fail, his second ;ummersault 



(1) An excellent poet, born in V/arwickshire, 1563. Among his works, which 

 re very numerous, is the Polyolbian. a choiographical description of the rivers, 

 mountains, forests, castles, &c. in this island. Though this poem has great 

 nerit, it is rendered much more valuable by the learned notes of Mr. Selden. 

 The author died in ifol , and lies buried among the poets in Westminster abbey. 



(:) Dr. Warburton, in the Preface to his Shukipeare, speaking of this poem, 

 says it was written by one Drayton : a mode of expression very common with 

 great men, when they mean to consign the memory of others over to oblivion 

 and contempt. Bishop Bornet speaking of the negociatioos previous to the 

 peace of Uuerht, says, in like manner, that "one Prior was employed to finish 

 the treaty." But both tho.e gentlemen, in their witty perversion of an innocent 

 monosyllable, were but imitators of the Swedish ambassador, who complained 

 to Wl:itlocke, that a featy had been sent to br translated by one Mr. Milton, n. 

 blind man. Whitlocke's Mem. 633. 



