AND GLEANINGS. 21 



the highway side in Silesia, he found a noble- 

 man booted up to the groines, wading himself, 

 pulling the nets, and labouring as much as any 

 fisherman of them all ; and when some belike 

 objected to him the basenesse of his office, he 

 excused himselfe, that if other men might hunt 

 hares, why should not he hunt carpes ? Many 

 gentlemen in like sort with us, will wade up to 

 their arm-holes on like occasions, and voluntarie 

 undertake that to satisfie their pleasure, which 

 poore men for a good stipend would scarce be 

 hired to undergoe. But he that shall consider 

 the variety of baits, for all seasons, and pretty 

 devices which our anglers have invented, pe- 

 culiar lines, false flies, several sleights, &c. &c. 

 will say that it deserves commendation, requires 

 as much study as the rest, and is to be pre- 

 ferred before many of them. But this is still 

 and quiet; and if so be the angler catch no fish, 

 yet he hath a wholesome walk to the brooke's 

 side, pleasant shade by the sweet silver streames, 

 he hath good aire, and sweet smells of fine 

 fresh meadow flowres, he hears the melody of 

 birds, and sees the water -fowles, with their 

 brood, which he thinketh better than the noise 

 of hounds or homes, and all the sport they can 

 make. Burtons Anat. Melan. fol. p. 266. 



The recreation which the various methods of 

 taking fish afford, but particularly of that prac- 



