the complete angler-第35部分

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The　fourth　day…continued

On　the　Perch

Chapter　XII

Piscator　and　Venator

Piscator。　The　Perch　is　a　very　good　and　very　bold　biting　fish。　He　is　one　of　the　fishes　of　prey　that；　like　the　Pike　and　Trout；　carries　his　teeth　in　his　mouth；　which　is　very　large：　and　he　dare　venture　to　kill　and　devour　several　other　kinds　of　fish。　He　has　a　hooked　or　hog　back；　which　is　armed　with　sharp　and　stiff　bristles；　and　all　his　skin　armed；　or　covered　over　with　thick　dry　hard　scales；　and　hash；　which　few　other　fish　have；　two　fins　on　his　back。　He　is　so　bold　that　he　will　invade　one　of　his　own　kind；　which　the　Pike　will　not　do　so　willingly；　and　you　may；　therefore；　easily　believe　him　to　be　a　bold　biter。

The　Perch　is　of　great　esteem　in　Italy；　saith　Aldrovandus：　and　especially　the　least　are　there　esteemed　a　dainty　dish。　And　Gesner　prefers　the　Perch　and　Pike　above　the　Trout；　or　any　fresh…water　fish：　he　says　the　Germans　have　this　proverb；　〃　More　wholesome　than　a　Perch　of　Rhine　〃：　and　he　says　the　River…Perch　is　so　wholesome；　that　physicians　allow　him　to　be　eaten　by　wounded　men；　or　by　men　in　fevers；　or　by　women　in　child…bed。

He　spawns　but　once　a　year；　and　is；　by　physicians；　held　very　nutritive；　yet；　by　many；　to　be　hard　of　digestion。　They　abound　more　in　the　river　Po；　and　in　England；　says　Rondeletius；　than　other　parts：　and　have　in　their　brain　a　stone；　which　is；　in　foreign　parts；　sold　by　apothecaries；　being　there　noted　to　be　very　medicinable　against　the　stone　in　the　reins。　These　be　a　part　of　the　commendations　which　some　philosophical　brains　have　bestowed　upon　the　freshwater　Perch：　yet　they　commend　the　Sea…Perch　which　is　known　by　having　but　one　fin　on　his　back；　of　which　they　say　we　English　see　but　a　few；　to　be　a　much　better　fish。

The　Perch　grows　slowly；　yet　will　grow；　as　I　have　been　credibly　informed；　to　be　almost　two　feet　long；　for　an　honest　informer　told　me；　such　a　one　was　not　long　since　taken　by　Sir　Abraham　Williams；　a　gentleman　of　worth；　and　a　brother　of　the　angle；　that　yet　lives；　and　I　wish　he　may：　this　was　a　deep…bodied　fish；　and　doubtless　durst　have　devoured　a　Pike　of　half　his　own　length。　For　I　have　told　you；　he　is　a　bold　fish；　such　a　one　as　but　for　extreme　hunger　the　Pike　will　not　devour。　For　to　affright　the　Pike；　and　save　himself；　the　Perch　will　set　up　his　fins；　much　like　as　a　turkey…cock　will　sometimes　set　up　his　tail。

But；　my　scholar；　the　Perch　is　not　only　valiant　to　defend　himself；　but　he　is；　as　I　said；　a　bold…biting　fish：　yet　he　will　not　bite　at　all　seasons　of　the　year；　he　is　very　abstemious　in　winter；　yet　will　bite　then　in　the　midst　of　the　day；　if　it　be　warm：　and　note；　that　all　fish　bite　best　about　the　midst　of　warm　day　in　winter。　And　he　hath　been　observed；　by　some；　not　usually　to　bite　till　the　mulberry…tree　buds；　that　is　to　say；　till　extreme　frosts　be　past　the　spring；　for；　when　the　mulberry…tree　blossoms；　many　gardeners　observe　their　forward　fruit　to　be　past　the　danger　of　frosts；　and　some　have　made　the　like　observation　of　the　Perch's　biting。

But　bite　the　Perch　will；　and　that　very　boldly。　And；　as　one　has　wittily　observed；　if　there　be　twenty　or　forty　in　a　hole；　they　may　be；　at　one　standing；　all　catched　one　after　another；　they　being；　as　he　says；　like　the　wicked　of　the　world；　not　afraid；　though　their　fellows　and　companions　perish　in　their　sight。　And　you　may　observe；　that　they　are　not　like　the　solitary　Pike；　but　love　to　accompany　one　another；　and　march　together　in　troops。

And　the　baits　for　this　bold　fish　are　not　many：　I　mean；　he　will　bite　as　well　at　some；　or　at　any　of　these　three；　as　at　any　or　all　others　whatsoever：　a　worm；　a　minnow；　or　a　little　frog；　of　which　you　may　find　many　in　hay…　time。　And　of　worms；　the　dunghill　worm　called　a　brandling　I　take　to　be　best；　being　well　scoured　in　moss　or　fennel；　or　he　will　bite　at　a　worm　that　lies　under　cow…dung；　with　a　bluish　head。　And　if　you　rove　for　a　Perch　with　a　minnow；　then　it　is　best　to　be　alive；　you　sticking　your　hook　through　his　back　fin；　or　a　minnow　with　the　hook　in　his　upper　lip；　and　letting　him　swim　up　and　down；　about　mid…water；　or　a　little　lower；　and　you　still　keeping　him　to　about　that　depth　by　a　cork；　which　ought　not　to　be　a　very　little　one：　and　the　like　way　you　are　to　fish　for　the　Perch　with　a　small　frog；　your　hook　being　fastened　through　the　skin　of　his　leg；　towards　the　upper　part　of　it：　and；　lastly；　I　will　give　you　but　this　advice；　that　you　give　the　Perch　time　enough　when　he　bites；　for　there　was　scarce　ever　any　angler　that　has　given　him　too　much。　And　now　I　think　best　to　rest　myself；　for　I　have　almost　spent　my　spirits　with　talking　so　long。

Venator。　Nay；　good　master；　one　fish　more；　for　you　see　it　rains　still：　and　you　know　our　angles　are　like　money　put　to　usury；　they　may　thrive；　though　we　sit　still；　and　do　nothing　but　talk　and　enjoy　one　another。　Come；　come；　the　other　fish；　good　master。

Piscator。　But；　scholar；　have　you　nothing　to　mix　with　this　discourse；　which　now　grows　both　tedious　and　tiresome　？　Shall　I　have　nothing　from　you；　that　seem　to　have　both　a　good　memory　and　a　cheerful　spirit？

Venator。　Yes；　master；　I　will　speak　you　a　copy　of　verses　that　were　made　by　Doctor　Donne；　and　made　to　shew　the　world　that　he　could　make　soft　and　smooth　verses；　when　he　thought　smoothness　worth　his　labour：　and　I　love　them　the　better；　because　they　allude　to　Rivers；　and　Fish　and　Fishing。　They　be　these：

Come；　live　with　me；　and　be　my　love；　And　we　will　some　new　pleasures　prove；　Of　golden　sands；　and　crystal　brooks；　With　silken　lines；　and　silver　hooks。

There　will　the　river　whisp'ring　run；　Warm'd　by　thy　eyes　more　than　the　sun　And　there　the　enamel'd　fish　will　stay　Begging　themselves　they　may　betray。

When　thou　wilt　swim　in　that　live　bath；　Each　fish；　which　every　channel　hash；　Most　amorously　to　thee　will　swim；　Gladder　to　catch　thee。　than　thou　him。

If　thou；　to　be　so　seen；　beest　loath　By　sun　or　moon；　thou　dark'nest　both；　And　if　mine　eyes　have　leave　to　see；　I　need　not　their　light；　having　thee；

Let　others　freeze　with　angling　reeds；　And　cut　their　legs　with　shells　and　weeds；　Or　treacherously　poor　fish　beset　With　strangling　snares　or　windowy　net；

Let　coarse　bold　hands；　from　slimy　nest；　The　bedded　fish　in　banks　outwrest；　Let　curious　traitors　sleeve　silk　flies；　To　'witch　poor　wand'ring　fishes'　eyes。

For　thee；　thou　need'st　no　such　deceit；　For　thou　thyself　art　shine　own　bait；　That　fish　that　is　not　catcht　thereby；　Is　wiser　afar；　alas；　than　I。

Piscator。　Well　remembered；　honest　scholar。　I　thank　you　for　these　choice　verses；　which　I　have　heard　formerly；　but　had　quite　forgot；　till　they　were　recovered　by　your　happy　memory。　Well；　being　I　have　now　rested　myself　a　little；　I　will　make　you　some　requital；　by　telling　you　some　observations　of　the　Eel；　for　it　rains　still：　and　because；　as　you　say；　our　angles　are　as　money　put　to　use；　that　thrives　when　we　play；　therefore　we'll　sit　still；　and　enjoy　ourselves　a　little　longer　under　this　honeysuckle　hedge。





The　fourth　day…continued

Of　the　Eel；　and　other　Fish　that　want　Scales

Chapter　XIII

Piscator

It　is　agreed　by　most　men；　that　the　Eel　is　a　most　dainty　fish：　the　Romans　have　esteemed　her　the　Helena　of　their　feasts；　and　some　the　queen　of　palate…pleasure。　But　most　men　differ　about　their　breeding：　some　say　they　breed　by　generation；　as　other　fish　do；