THE COMPLETE ANGLER 203 



No empty hopes, no courtly fears him fright ; 

 No begging wants his middle fortune bite : 

 But sweet content exiles both misery and spite. 



His certain life, that never can deceive him, 



Is full of thousand sweets and rich content ; 

 The smooth-leaved beeches in the field receive him, 

 With coolest shade, till noontide's heat be spent. 

 His life is neither toss'd in boisterous seas 

 Or the vexatious world, or lost in slothful ease : 

 Pleased and full bless'd he lives, when he his God can 

 please. 



His bed, more safe than soft, yields quiet sleeps, 

 While by his side his faithful spouse hath place ; 



His little son into his bosom creeps, 

 The lively picture of his father's face ; 



His humble house or poor state ne'er torment him 



Less he could like, if less his God had lent him ; 

 And when he dies, green turfs do for a tomb content him. 



Gentlemen, these were a part of the thoughts that 

 then possessed me. And I there made a conversion of a 

 piece of an old catch, and added more to it, fitting them 

 to be sung by anglers. Come, master, you can sing 

 well ; you must sing a part of it as it is in this paper. 



Man's life is but vain ; for 'tis subject to pain, 



And sorrow, and short as a bubble ; 

 'Tis a hodge-podge of business, and money, and care, 



And care, and money, and trouble. 



But we'll take no care when the weather proves fair ; 



Nor will we vex now though it rain ; 

 We'll banish all sorrow, and sing till to-morrow, 



And angle, and angle again. 



PETER. Ay many, Sir, this is music indeed ; this has 

 cheered my heart, and made me to remember six verses in 

 praise of music, which I will speak to you instantly. 



Music 1 miraculous rhetoric, that speakest sense 

 Without a tongue, excelling eloquence ; 



