ancient design of the building, or have men of our day thus sadly disfigured the place?
Pisc. I doubt not they are new, dear Scholar. For indeed I was here but a few years since, and saw naught of these things. But what book is that I see lying by the water's edge?
Ven. A book of ancient ballads, and truly I am glad to see it, as we may herewith beguile the tediousness of the day, if our sport be poor, or if we grow aweary.
Pisc. This is well thought of. But now to business. And first I'll tell you somewhat of the fish proper to these waters. The Commoner kinds we may let pass: for though some of them be easily Plucked forth from the water, yet are they so slow, and withal have so little in them, that they are good for nothing, unless they be crammed up to the very eyes with such stuffing as comes readiest to hand. Of these the Stickle-back, a mighty slow fish, is chiefest and along with him you may reckon the Fluke, and divers others: all these belong to the 'Mullet' genus, and be good to play, though scarcely worth examination.
I will now say somewhat of the Nobler kinds, and chiefly of the Gold-fish, which is a species
