EIGHTEENTH CENTURY. 115 



the commencement of the sixteenth century. The first 

 Aldine edition of the works of the poet is that of Venice 

 of 1527, in 8vo. The most perfect edition is that printed 

 at the same place in 1535, 8vo. His 'Piscatoria ' will be 

 found in both collections of his poems. 



The Italian Jesuit, Nicolas Perthenius, wrote his 

 Piscatory Eclogues (Piscatoria et Nautica) a few years 

 after the times of Sanazarius. The c Eclogues ' were 

 published apart from other poetical effusions of the same 

 author, at Naples, in 1681 ; and a smaller edition, with 

 engravings, was published at the same place in 1686. 



From the commencement of the seventeenth century, 

 angling literature made rapid progress, and sensibly par- 

 took of the general intellectual improvement which this 

 active portion of European history pourtrays, in all 

 branches of useful and polite writing. 



Michael Drayton must not be passed over in silence. 

 His lines on the river Severn (] 612) are well entitled to 

 notice. He eulogises it for a numerous and varied stock 

 of fish. 



" So that of every kind, the new-spawn'd numerous fry, 

 Seem in me as the sands that on my shore do lie. 

 The barbel, than which fish a braver doth not swim, 

 Nor greater for the ford, within my spacious brim. 

 Nor (newly taken) more the curious taste doth please ; 

 The grayling, whose great spawn is big as any pease ; 

 The perch, with prickly fins, against the pike prepared, 

 As nature hath thereon bestowed this stronger guard, 



