54 THE COMPLETE ANGLER 



which was then not idly spent : " for angling was, after 

 tedious study, a rest to his mind, a cheerer of his spirits, 

 a diverter of sadness, a calmer of unquiet thoughts, a 

 moderator of passions, a procurer of contentedness : " 

 and " that it begat habits of peace and patience in those 

 that professed and practised it." Indeed, my friend, 

 you will find angling to be like the virtue of humility, 

 which has a calmness of spirit, and a world of other 

 blessings attending upon it. Sir, this was the saying of 

 that learned man. 



And I do easily believe, that peace and patience, and a 

 calm content, did cohabit in the cheerful heart of Sir 

 Henry Wotton ; because I know that when he was beyond 

 seventy years of age, he made this description of a part of 

 the present pleasure that possessed him, as he sat quietly 

 in a summer's evening, on a bank a-fishing. It is a descrip- 

 tion of the spring ; which, because it glided as soft and 

 sweetly from his pen, as that river does at this time, by 

 which it was then made, I shall repeat it unto you : 



This day dame Nature seem'd in love ; 



The lusty sap began to move ; 



Fresh juice did stir th' embracing vines ; 



And birds had drawn their valentines. 



The jealous trout, that low did lie, 



Rose at a well-dissembled fly ; 



There stood my friend, with patient skill, 



Attending of his trembling quill ; 



Already were the eaves possess'd 



With the swift pilgrim's daubed nest ; 



The groves already did rejoice 



In Philomel's triumphing voice, 



The showers were short, the weather mild, 



The morning fresh, the evening smiled. 



Joan takes her neat-rubbed pail, and now 

 She trips to milk the sand-red cow ; 

 Where, for some sturdy foot-ball swain, 

 Joan strokes a syllabub or twain. 

 The fields and gardens were beset 

 With tulips, crocus, violet ; 



