Printed at London by Richard Johnes, SPECIMEN. I am content to bend my pen, In rurall ryme to paynte The tale that thou haste toulde to me, And wyll denie in hermonie I bet the playne songe, no whit els To set in partes the learned must, And let them descant who so list, Thou toldest me of his vertuous lyfe In many an enterprise. How styll by friendship he dyd seeke JO. DAVORS. PERHAPS there does not exist in the circle of English Literature a rarer book than this which I am about to describe. It is quoted no where but by Isaac Walton, in his Complete Angler, where it is ascribed to Jo. Davors, esq. Of this person I can no where find any account. He has even escaped the indefatigable penetration and industry of Ritson. The book is so rare that Sir John Hawkins confesses he could never procure a sight of it. My friend Mr. Douce had given me the opportunity of describing it, when I afterwards found a less perfect copy in the British Museum. "THE SECRETS OF ANGLING. TEACHING The choicest tooles, baits and seasons for the taking of any fish, in pond or river, practised, and familiarly opened in three Bookes. By J. D. Esquire. Augmented with many approved experiments, by W. Lauson. London. Printed by T. H. for John Harison, and are to be sold by Francis Coles, at his Shop in the Old Bayly. 1652." As As I never heard of any other copies than that of Mr. Douce, and one belonging to the Museum, and as I know the book has eluded the diligent researches of some of our most acute and persevering collectors, I think the following specimen will be acceptable, at least to the lovers of the Art of Angling: TO KNOW EACH FISHES HAUNT. Now that the Angler may the better know Here shall he learn how every sort doth seeke Carp, Eele, and Tench do love a muddy ground, The Tench among thick weeds is soonest found, Bream, Chub, and Pike, where clay and sand abound, Pike loves great pooles and places full of frie: The Salmon swift the rivers sweet doth like, VOL. II. F Pearch, Pearch, Trout, and Salmon love clean waters all, So doth the Bulhead, Gudgion, and the Loch, Of spreading poplar, oake, or willow green, The mighty Luce great waters haunts alway, The Cavender amidst the waters faire, And flat upon the bottome lieth low. The Peele, the Mullet, and the Suants good But here experience doth my skill exceed, So So that by use and practice may be known, So then it shall be needlesse to declare And then it shall not discontent his minde This curious tract has been ascribed to the. pen of the celebrated Dr. Donne. See Sir John Hawkins's edition of Walton's Complete Angler, 1775. p. 153, note. At the end of this volume is a sort of Appendix, having the signature of R. R. This Sir John supposes to mean R. Roe. It should seem, that scarce as it really is, there were two editions of this work. RICHARD BARNFIELD. THIS old English Poet is slightly mentioned by Ritson, in his Catalogue of English Poets, and somewhat more at length by Mr. Bridges, in his improved edition of Philips's Theatrum Poetarum. Mr. Ellis had probably not seen any of his per |