Viii PREFACE. 



Notwithstanding I have endea- 

 voured to render the following in- 

 structions clear and concise, yet I 

 am sensible (however copious the 

 English language) some difficulties 

 may arise in the application, and 

 which experience only can remove. 

 I have confined myself closely to the 

 subject, avoiding every thing which 

 was not necessary to elucidate the 

 method of angling I have recom- 

 mended; thus the opinions of the 

 ancients, with many other conceits, of 

 eels being bred from mud, pike from 

 the pickerel weed, and some fish from 

 rain and dew, have been unnoticed 

 since the doctrine of equivocal gene- 

 ration has been justly exploded; 

 these digressions though suited to the 

 time of honest Walton, can be of lit- 

 tle use, encrease the size cf the book, 



