Natural Hi /lory of the Ancients. 225 



Oppian, in whom any number of fimilar marvels 

 may be found, fome of the moft curious fimilarities 

 between fea and land creatures, the hermit, Adonis, 

 and the like. The latter fifh finds much favour 

 in his eyes, " becaufe it is a loving and innocent 

 fifh, a fifh that hurts nothing that hath life, and 

 is at peace with all the numerous inhabitants of 

 that vaft watery element ; and truly, I think, 

 moft Anglers are Jo difpojed to moft of mankind'' 1 

 Spenfer, who fwept everything into his verfe, 

 was not unmindful of the refources of pifcine 

 monfters offered him by the fea. They may 

 amufe fifhermen, when, as his own Colin fays : 



" Sad winter welked hath the day, 

 And Phoebus, wearie of his yearlie tafke, 

 Yftabled hath his fteedes in lowly lay, 

 And taken up his ynne in Fifties haflce." 2 



And for his unknown pifcine terrors, they are not 

 even furpafTed by the monfters of the deep which 

 Schiller makes his Diver fee in the perilous plunge 

 for the goblet. In truth, it is a gruefome cata- 

 logue : 



" Eftfoones they faw an hideous hoaft arrayd 

 Of huge fea-monfters, fuch as living fence difmayd. 



" Moft ugly ftiapes and horrible afpe"ls, 



Such as dame Nature felfe mote feare to fee, 

 Or ftiame, that ever mould fo fowle defefts 

 From her moft cunning hand efcaped bee ; 

 All dreadful portraits of deformitee : 

 Spring-headed hydres ; and fea-fhouldring whales, 

 Great whirlpools, which all fifties make to flee ; 

 Bright fcolopendraes armd with filver fcales ; 



Mighty monoceros with immeafured tayles ; 



1 See " Compleat Angler," part i. 



2 " The Shepheard's Calender," November. 



