118 THE COMPLETE ANGLER. [parti. 



" God never did make a more calm, quiet, innocent 

 " recreation, than Angling." 



I'll tell you, Scholar, when I sat last on this 

 primrose-bank, and looked down these meadows, I 

 thought of them as Charles the Emperor did of the 

 City of Florence: " That they were too pleasant to 

 " be looked on, but only on holy-days : " as I then 

 sat on this very grass, I turned my present thoughts 

 into verse : 'twas a Wish, which I'll repeat to you. 



THE ANGLER'S WISH. 



J in these flow 'ry meads would be : 



These crystal streams should solace me ; 



To whose harmonious bubbling noise, 



I with my Angle would rejoice : 

 Sit here, and see the turtle-dove, 

 Court his chaste mate to acts of love : 



Or, on that bank, feel the ivest wind 

 Breathe health and plenty ; please my mind 

 To see sweet dew-drops kiss these flowers, 

 And then, wash'd off by April-showers : 



* Like Her- Here, hear my Kenna sing * a song ; 



mit poor. There, see a black-bird feed her young, 



Or a leverock build her nest ; 



Here, give my weary spirits rest, 



And raise my low-pitch' d thoughts above 



Earth, or what poor mortals love : 



Thus free from Law-suits, and the noise 

 Of princes' courts, I would rejoice : 



