OF ANGLING. 209 



exquisite, and represent the rod-fisher in the most ludicrous 

 attitudes. 



The Dutch caricatures, and paintings generally of ang- 

 ling pursuits, are very finely executed, and very droll and 

 whimsical in their conception. The Hollanders were the 

 chief artists in caricaturing the amazing national folly, 

 the South Sea Bubble, and they sent over the fruits of 

 their genius for the ridiculous to England in vast quantities, 

 which were eagerly bought, and, indeed, widely circulated 

 over the continent generally. Fishing is one of the means 

 devised to represent the dupes ; and various illustrations 

 are given of men with rod and line, trying to catch any- 

 thing but real fish. 



In another of these Dutch caricatures, we find the fol- 

 lowing lines attached to it : 



c< How famous is the man that could contrive 

 To serve this gluttonous town with fish alive 5 

 But now we're bubbl'd by his fishing pools, 

 And as the men catch fish, the fish catch fools." 



There is a very curious and well-executed caricature, 

 of the date of 1660, representing Lent, under the figure of 

 a man riding on a lean horse, with a flag, made of a 

 fishing-net, with the tails of the fish sticking through the 

 meshes of it. There are likewise fish hanging on his coat 

 skirts, and he has a fishing rod with line in his hand. The 

 following lines are written underneath ; descriptive of a 

 contest between Lent and Shrovetide : 



18. 



