PREFACE 
DESPITE Francis Bacon’s dictum that “prefaces are great 
wastes of time, and, though they seem to proceed of modesty, 
they are bravery,” I hazard a few words as to this book, which, 
like Topsy, “growed, I ’spects,” from a chance request for 
a quotation from Homer on Fishing with a Rod for my sister’s 
game-book. 
It is, as far as I can discover, the first attempt to examine 
classical and other ancient writers on Fishing from the standpoint 
of one who has not only been a practical Pisciculturist for many 
years and an Angler all his life, but has also been taught (though 
somewhat forgotten) his Greek and Latin. 
If my work, in the main, is necessarily based on the compila- 
tions of others, it yet by serendipity (to adopt Horace Walpole’s 
mintage) has unearthed some rare authors, who, judging from 
lack of mention, were unknown to previous. writers on the 
subject. It contains also—if I may venture a “ bravery ”—several 
points which are apparently original. 
Instances of these are :— 
(1) The definite establishment of Aristotle as our first, 
if through lack of microscope primitive, scale-reader ; 
(2) The acquittal without a stain on his character of Plutarch 
from the charge, under which he has lain for centuries, of libelling 
and contemning Fishing ; 
(3) The discussion by whom, Martial or Elian, was the use 
of (a) the natural, or (4) the artificial fly first suggested or 
implied ; 
(4) The examination whether the crescens harundo of Martial 
was a jointed Rod, somewhat like our own; 
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