A Sanskrit Work on Angling of the Early Twelfth Century

Abstract

BASHFORD DEAN'S “Bibliography of Fishes” records an anonymous work entitled “Dit Boecxken leert hoe men mach voghelen vanghen metten handen. Ende hoe men mach visschen vangen metten handen. Ende oeck andersing. Ende oeck tot wat tyden vanden iare dat een yeghelyck visch tsynen besten is. Hier eyndet een boecxken dat seer profiteliick is voor allen visschers, ende vogheleers” and published at Antwerp in 1492 as the earliest known work on angling. In 1872, Alfred Denison, as editor, published “A literal translation into English of the earliest known book on fowling and fishing, written originally in Flemish and printed at Antwerp in the year 1492”. The editors of Dean's “Bibliography of Fishes” have supplied the following useful information concerning another earlier book on angling: “This Flemish tract appears to have priority over the ‘Boke of St. Albans’, as far as fishing is concerned; that is, as a printed book. There are a number of early German versions, appearing under the title of ‘Büchlin’ or ‘Fischbüchlin’, published between 1552 and 1700. One of these is included in the Fischbach of Gregory Mangolt, published at Zurich in 1598. Three other editions are known: one in 4°, without place or date, having an identical title; the other, slightly changed in verbiage, in 1583 without place; and the third in 1584.”