CHAP. XI. THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 159 



Well, this fish, besides his eating, is very useful, both 

 dead and alive, for the good of mankind. But I will meddle 

 no more with that, my honest humble art .teaches no such 

 boldness : there are too many foolish meddlers in phy- 

 sic and divinity that think themselves fit to meddle with 

 hidden secrets, and so bring destruction to their followers. 

 But I'll not meddle with therrij any farther than to wish 

 them wiser; and shall tell you next, (for I hope I may 

 be so bold,) that the Tench is the physician ofjtshes, for 

 the Pike especially, and that the Pike, being either sick 

 or hurt, is cured by the touch of the Tench. And it is 

 observed that the Tyrant Pike will not be a wolf to his 

 physician, but forbears to devour him though he be never 

 so hungry. 



This fish, that carries a natural balsam in him to cure 

 both himself and others, loves yet to feed in very foul 

 water, and amongst weeds. And yet, I am sure, he eats 

 pleasantly, and, doubtless, you will think so too, if you 

 taste him. And I shall therefore proceed to give you 

 some few, and but a few, directions how to catch this 

 fish, of which I have given you these observations. 



He will bite at a paste, made of brown bread and 

 honey, or at a marsh-worm, or a lob-worm; he inclines 

 very much to any paste with which tar is mixt, and he 

 will bite also at a smaller worm, with his head nipped off, 

 and a cod-worm put on the hook before that worm. And 

 I doubt not but that he will also, in the three hot months, 

 (for in the nine colder he stirs not much) bite at a flag- 

 worm, or at a green gentle ; but can positively say no 

 more of the Tench, 1 he being a fish I have not often angled 

 for ; but I wish my honest scholar may, and be ever for- 

 tunate when he fishes. 



(1) The haunts of the Tench are nearly the same will) those of the Carp. They 

 delight more in ponds than in rivers; and lie under weeds, near sluices, and 

 at pond heads. . 



They spawn about the beginning of July; and are best in season from the 



