Ii8 LITERATURE OF SEA AND RIVER FISHING. 



" For thee, thou need'st no such deceit, 

 For thou thyself art thine own bait : 

 That fish that is not catcht thereby. 

 Is wiser far, alas, than I." 



This is quoted by Walton in the " Fourth Day," and it 

 is in imitation of that sung by the milkmaid in the " Third 

 Day," which is attributed to the sweet-singing Christopher 

 Marlowe, 



And now we must refer to Izaak Walton himself as a 

 poet in verse, though the Complete Angler itself is sufficient 

 to testify to him as one in prose, for, as Coleridge said, the 

 true antithesis of poetry is not prose, but science. This is 

 " The Angler's Wish," which first appeared in the third 

 edition, and was, as he {Piscator) says, of his own " com- 

 posure." 



" I in these flowery meads would be : 



These crystal streams should solace me ; 



To whose harmonious bubbling noise 



I with my angle would rejoice : 



Lit here, and see the turtle-dove 



Court his chaste mate to acts of love : 



" Or, on that bank, feel the west wind 



Breathe health and plenty : please my mind, 

 To see sweet dewdrops kiss these flowers, 

 And then washed off by April showers : 

 Here, hear my Kenna sing a song ; 

 There, see a blackbird feed her young, 

 Or a leverock build her nest : 

 Here, give my weary spirits rest. 

 And raise my low-pitch'd thoughts above 

 EartR, and what poor mortals love : 



Thus free from lawsuits and the noise 



Of princes' courts, I would rejoice : 



" Or, with my Bryan, and a book. 

 Loiter long days near Shawford-brook ; 

 There sit by him, and eat my meat. 

 There sec the sun both rise and set ; 



