I remember Sir _Henry
Wotton_ (a dear lover of this Art) has told me, that his intentions
were to write a discourse of the Art, and in the praise of _Angling_,
and doubtless he had done so, if death had not prevented him; the
remembrance of which hath often made me sorry; for, if he had lived to
do it, then the unlearned _Angler_ (of which I am one) had seen some
Treatise of this Art worthy his perusal, which (though some have
undertaken it) I could never yet see in English._

_But mine may be thought: as weak and as _unworthy_ of common view: and
I do here freely confess, that I should rather excuse my self, then
censure others my own Discourse being liable to so many exceptions;
against which, you (Sir) might make this one, _That it can contribute
nothing to your knowledge_; and lest a longer Epistle may diminish your
pleasure, I shall not adventure to make this Epistle longer then to add
this following truth, _That I am really, Sir_,_

Your most affectionate Friend,
and most humble Servant,

IZ. WA.

[Decoration]

TO THE

_Reader of this Discourse_:

But especially,

To the honest ANGLER.

I think fit to tell thee these following truths; that I did not
undertake to write, or to publish this discourse of _fish_ and
_fishing_, to please my self, and that I wish it may not displease
others; for, I have confest there are many defects in it. And yet, I
cannot doubt, but that by it, some readers may receive so much _profit_
or _pleasure_, as if they be not very busie men, may make it not
unworthy the time of their perusall; and this is all the confidence
that I can put on concerning the merit of this Book.

And I wish the Reader also to take notice, that in writing of it, I
have made a recreation, of a recreation; and that it might prove so to
thee in the reading, and not to read _dull_, and _tediously_, I have in
severall places mixt some innocent Mirth; of which, if thou be a
severe, sowr complexioned man, then I here disallow thee to be a
competent Judg. For Divines say, _there are offences given; and
offences taken, but not given_. And I am the willinger to justifie this
_innocent Mirth_, because the whole discourse is a kind of picture of
my owne disposition, at least of my disposition in such daies and times
as I allow my self, when honest _Nat._ and _R. R._ and I go a fishing
together; and let me adde this, that he that likes not the discourse,
should like the