fc 



NOTES ON FISH AND FISHING. 



authors entering on the field till nearly the end of the 

 century, when in 1 784 John Kirby published his Anglers 

 Museum, or the whole art of Float and Fly. I do not see 

 this little but by no means uninteresting book mentioned 

 in any of the " Catalogues." The edition I have is the 

 third. In 1786 the North Country Angler, a very read- 

 able book, appeared, and in the year following, 1787, 

 Mr. Thomas Best published his Concise Treatise on the Art 

 of Angling. Since then it has reached at least the twelfth 

 edition, for I see mine is of that issue and dated 1838. 

 It is a fair little book enough ; and that it is or rather was 

 very popular is seen from the fact stated in the preface of 

 the twelfth edition, that since its first publication upwards 

 of twenty^five thousand had been sold. It must be 

 remembered, however, that notwithstanding the literary 

 barrenness of the period above mentioned several editions 

 of what may be called the then " standard " authors 

 were issued at intervals* 



Here, though a little out of order, I cannot refrain from 

 introducing as a " Curiosity of Angling Literature " an 

 extract from a sermon preached by St. Anthony of Padua 

 (251 to 356 a.d.) as given in Addison's Travels. When 

 the heretics would not regard his preaching, he betook 

 himself to the sea-shore, where the river Marecchia falls 

 into the A driatic, and there be called the fish together " in 

 the name of God, that they might hear His Holy Word." 

 They immediately appeared from sea and river in vast 

 multitudes, and " quickly arrayed themselves according to 

 their several species into a very beautiful congregation." 

 At this miraculous display the good saint was so struck 

 that he felt "a secret sweetness distilling upon his soul," 

 and thus addressed the assembled shoals : — • 



