Dennys 1613. Fine lead and quills, with corks both great and small, Plummets to sound the depth of clay and sand, And now we are arrived at the last In wished harbour, where we mean to rest, HOU THAT desir'st to fish with line and hook, To bless thy bait and make the fish to bite, WILLIAM LAUSON. Comments on The Secrets of Angling. [Second Edition, Augmented with many approved experiments ] To the Reader. T may seem in me presumption to add this little But Master HARRISON the Stationer's request and desire to give his country satisfaction; must be satisfied, and in it I myself rest excused. What mine observations are, I refer to censure. Assuredly, the truth stands on so well-grounded experience; that but my haste, nothing can do them injury. What to me is doubtful; I have, as I can, explained. What wants, in my judgment, I have supplied as the time would suffer; what I pass by, I approve. The Author by verse hath expressed much Learning, and by his Answer to the Objection shows himself to have been virtuous. The subject itself is honest and pleasant; and sometimes profitable. Use it! and give GOD all glory. Amen. W. LAUSON. I [p. 149]. Beath [bathe] them a little, except the top, all in a furnace: they will be lighter and not top heavy; which is a great fault in a rod. 2 [p. 149]. Tie them together at every bout, and they will keep one another straight. 3 [p. 149]. White or gray are likest the sky, and therefore of all colours offend the least. 4 [p. 149]. Besides the fish with the stiffness of the rod discerns it, and is put away whereas on the contrary the weak rod yields liberty to the fish without suspicion, to run away with the bait at his pleasure. 5 [p. 150]. Knit the hair you mean to put in one link at the rod's end, and divide them as equally as you can: put your three lowest fingers betwixt, and twine the knot; and your link shall be equally twist. If you wet your hair, it will twine better. A nimble hand, a weak and light rod that may be easily guided with one hand, needs but four or five hairs at the most for the greatest river fish, though a salmon or a luce, so you have length enough: and except the luce and salmon, three will suffice. 6 [p. 150]. Intermixing with silver or gold is not good: because: First, the thread and hair are not of equal reach. Secondly, the colours differing from the hairs or fly, affright the fish. Thirdly, they will not be[n]d and twist with the hairs. 7 [p. 150]. An upper end also, to put it to and fro the rod. 8 [p. 150]. The same colour, to wit, grey like the sky; the like bigness and strength: is good for all the line, and every link thereof. Weight is hurtful; so unequal strength causeth the weakest to break. 9 [p. 151]. I utterly dislike your Southern corks. First, for they affright the fish in the bite and sight; and because they follow not so kindly the nimble rod and hand. Secondly. they breed weight to the line; which puts it in danger, hinders the nimble jerk of the rod, and loads the arm. good eye and hand may easily discern the bite. A 10 [p. 151]. I use [am accustomed] to make mine own hooks; so that I shall have them of the best Spanish and Milan needles of what size, bent or sharpness as I like and need. Soften your needles in an hot fire, in a chafer. . The Instruments. First. An holdfast. Secondly. A hammer to flatten the place or the beard. Thirdly. A file to make the beard, and sharpen the point. Fourthly. A bender, viz. a pin bended, and put in the end of a stick, an handful long, thus. C When they are made, lap them in the end of a wire; beat them again, and temper them in oil or butter. 11 [p. 152]. The best form for ready striking and sure holding and strength, is a straight and somewhat long shank and straight nibbed; with a little compass: not round in any wise, for it neither strikes surely nor readily; but is weak, as having too great a compass. Some use to batter the upper end thus to hold the faster: but good thread or silk, good baud [? band] may make it fast enough. It is botcherly, hinders the biting, and sometimes cuts the line. 12 [p. 152]. He means the hook may be too weak at the point. It cannot be too sharp, if the metal be good steel. 13 [p. 153]. Or wind them on two or three of your fingers, like an Orph-Arion's string. 14 [p. 153]. Worm poke of cloth, or boxes. 15 [p. 153]. A plummet you need not; for your line being well leaded and without a float, will try your depths. When the lead above your hook comes to the earth, the line will leave sinking. 16 [p. 154]. That is good: but a forked rod about two yards long is better. When your hook is fastened in the water, take a rod thus fashioned and put the line in the fork, and so follow down to your hook. So letting your line be somewhat slack, move your fork to and fro, especially downwards; and so shall your hook be loosed. 17 [p. 154]. White and grey are good, answering to the colours of the sky. 18 [p. 167]. The Gudgeon hath his teeth in his throat (as |