The Fourth Day 89 



pray, put that net under him ; and touch not my 

 line, for if you do, then we break all. Well done, 

 scholar : I thank you. 



Now for another. Trust me, I have another bite. 

 Come, scholar, come lay down your rod, and help 

 me to land this as you did the other. So now we 

 shall be sure to have a good dish of fish for supper. 



VENATOR. I am glad of that : but I have no 

 fortune : sure, master, yours is a better rod and 

 better tackling. 



PlSCATOR. Nay, then, take mine ; and I will fish 

 with yours. Look you, scholar, I have another. 

 Come, do as you did before. And now I have a 

 bite at another. Oh me ! he has broke all : there's 

 half a line and a good hook lost. 



VENATOR. Ay, and a good Trout too. 



PlSCATOR. Nay, the Trout is not lost ; for pray 

 take notice, no man can lose what he never had. 



VENATOR. Master, I can neither catch with the 

 first nor second angle : I have no fortune. 



PlSCATOR. Look you, scholar, I have yet another. 

 And now, having caught three brace of Trouts, I 

 will tell you a short tale as we walk towards our 

 breakfast. A scholar, a preacher I should say, that 

 was to preach to procure the approbation of a parish 

 that he might be their lecturer, had got from his 

 fellow-pupil the copy of a sermon that was first 

 preached with great commendation by him that 

 composed it: and though the borrower of it 

 preached it, word for word, as it was at first, yet it 

 was utterly disliked as it was preached by the 

 second to his congregation, which the sermon- 

 borrower complained of to the lender of it: and 

 was thus answered : " I lent you, indeed, my fiddle, 

 but not my fiddle-stick ; for you are to know, that 

 every one cannot make musick with my words, 

 which are fitted for my own mouth". And so, my 



