NORTHERN MEMOIRS. 59 



licious, pleasant, and fragrant banks, enameled 

 with flowers, and green coverings, where every 

 chrystal purling stream is overshadowed with 

 a stately fir tree, or some spreading sycomore, 

 through which Zephyrus inspires a softned 

 breath of air, to curl the surface of the milder 

 streams ; and where the glittering shores shine 

 like Peru, or the golden sands of the admired 

 Tagus, as if purposely erected for a tomb or se- 

 pulchre, therein to inter the generous trout, 

 which is the angler's trophies, and the ultimate 

 period of art. Reach me that rod, Arnoldus, 

 and furnish me with tackle to try my fortune. 

 Are these flies proper, and sutable to the sea- 

 son ? Is the line tapred, and the rod rush- 

 grown ? Every thing answers to promise suc- 

 cess, and now have amongst them ; for I resolve, 

 beyond dispute, to approve myself an angler, or 

 shame the art. 



Arn. An angler ! an allegator rather ; to rush 

 so rudely upon a river, and forget your rudi- 

 ments. 



Theoph. My passionate zeal, hurried on by 

 avarice, confirm'd the difficulty of catching fish, 

 no more than a cast of my fly to summon them 

 ashore. 



Arn. That wou'd excuse your over-forward- 

 ness to put a force upon your exercise. The 



