THE COMPLETE ANGLER 23 



Thus freely speaks Montaigne concerning cats ; and I 

 hope I may take as great a liberty to blame any man, 

 and laugh at him too, let him be never so grave, that 

 hath not heard what Anglers can say in the justification 

 of their art and recreation ; which I may again tell you 

 is so full of pleasure, that we need not borrow their 

 thoughts to make ourselves happy. 



VEN. Sir, you have almost amazed me ; for though 

 I am no scoffer, yet I have, I pray let me speak it without 

 offence, always looked upon Anglers as more patient and 

 more simple men, than I fear I shall find you to be. 



Pise. Sir, I hope you will not judge my earnestness 

 to be impatience : and for my simplicity, if by that 

 you mean a harmlessness, or that simplicity which was 

 usually found in the primitive Christians, who were, as 

 most Anglers are, quiet men, and followers of peace ; 

 men that were so simply wise, as not to sell their con- 

 sciences to buy riches, and with them vexation and a 

 fear to die ; if you mean such simple men as lived in 

 those times when there were fewer lawyers ; when men 

 might have had a lordship safely conveyed to them in 

 a piece of parchment no bigger than your hand, though 

 several sheets will not do it safely in this wiser age ; 

 I say, Sir, if you take us Anglers to be such simple men 

 as I have spoken, then myself and those of my profession 

 will be glad to be so understood : But if by simplicity 

 you meant to express a general defect in those that 

 profess and practise the excellent art of angling, I hope 

 in time to disabuse you, and make the contrary appear 

 so evidently that, if you will but have patience to hear 

 me, I shall remove all the anticipations that discourse, 

 or time, or prejudice, have possessed you with against 

 that laudable and ancient art ; for I know it worthy 

 the knowledge and practice of a wise man. 



But, gentlemen, though I be able to do this, I am not 

 so unmannerly as to engross all the discourse to myself ; 



