XXXV 



contemplating a preparation for death. And ivhat 

 is death but the key of eternity ? These and such 

 like pious considerations, lift up the standard of 

 the mind to the elevations of contemplation. For 

 if the progress of life be but one single scene of a 

 tragedy, of necessity the world must be the thea- 

 tre, life the prologue, heaven the design, and death 

 the exit. So not only to live, but to live well, im- 

 ports a well-dying ; and to die to sin, is to live 

 eternally. 



Thus u'hilst premeditating the life of solitudes, 

 give vie leave to publish to tJie world this mysti- 

 cal art, and the intrigues of angling ; and because 

 animated by the mediums of experience, I thought 

 it argument good enough to gratify the age, and 

 reward the indust?ious with trophies of the art, 

 which indeed is the ultimate end and period of ex- 

 periment. Now tell me a better accommodation 

 than what naturally flows from solitary hours so- 

 lemnly dedicated to the Divinest ; ichen to dis- 

 course with birds in shady bowers, and converse 

 with fish in rivers and rivulets ; to obliterate the 

 icorld and vain conversation; so take our flight 

 as high as heaven, by divine faith and heavenly 

 contemplation : such a life as this explains the 

 angler not only a monument of patience, but expe- 

 rience : so that ambition can never be a bait to en- 

 snare him, that already is delivered from pride, 

 and the arrests of arrogancy. O, how sweetly 



