214 The Complete Angler 



VENATOR. Well, Master, these verses be worthy 

 to keep a room in every man's memory. I thank 

 you for them ; and I thank you for your many in- 

 structions, which, God willing, I will not forget. 

 And as St. Austin, in his Confessions, commem- 

 orates the^ETndness of his friend Verecundus, for 

 lending him and his companion a country house, 

 because there they rested and enjoyed themselves, 

 free from the troubles of the world, so, having had 

 the like advantage, both by your conversation arid 

 the art you have taught me, I ought ever to do 

 the like ; for, indeed, your company and discourse 

 have been so useful and pleasant, that, I may truly 

 say, I have only lived since I enjoyed them and 

 turned angler, and not before. Nevertheless, here 

 I must part with you ; here in this, now saqkplace, 

 where I was so happy as first to meet you : but < I 

 shall long for the ninth of May ; for then- I hope 

 again to enjoy your beloved company, at the ap- 

 pointed time and place. And now I wish for some 

 somniferous potion, that might force me to sleep 

 away the intermitted time, which will pass away , 

 with me as tediously as it does with men in sorrow^ 

 nevertheless I will make it as short as I can, by my 

 hopes and wishes : and, my good Master, I will not 

 forget the doctrine which you told me Socrates 

 taught his scholars, that they should not think to 

 be honoured so much for being philosophers, as to 

 honour philosophy by their virtuous lives. You 

 advised me to the like concerning Angling, and I 

 will endeavour to do so; and to live like those 

 many worthy men, of which you made mention in 

 the former part of your discourse. This is my firm 

 resolution, f And as a pious man advised his friend, 

 that, to be^et mortification, he should frequent 

 churches, and view monuments, and charnel-houses, 

 and then and there consider how many dead bodies 



