THE COMPLETE ANGLER 37 



Ven. Sir, mine is a mixture of both, a little 

 business and more pleasure ; for I intend this day 

 to do all my business, and then bestow another 

 day or two in hunting the otter, which a friend that 

 I go to meet tells me is much pleasanter than any 

 other chase whatsoever ; howsoever I mean to try 

 it ; for to-morrow morning we shall meet a pack of 

 otter-dogs of noble Mr. Sadler's, upon Amwell Hill, 

 who will be there so early that they intend to pre- 

 vent the sun-rising. 



Pise. Sir, my fortune has answered my desires, 

 and my purpose is to bestow a day or two in help- 

 ing to destroy some of those villanous vermin, for 

 I hate them perfectly, because they love fish so 

 well, or rather, because they destroy so much, in- 

 deed so much that, in my judgment, all men that 

 keep otter-dogs ought to have pensions from the 

 King to encourage them to destroy the breed of 

 these base otters, they do so much mischief. 



Ven. But what say you to the foxes of the na- 

 tion? Would not you as willingly have them de- 

 stroyed ? for doubtless they do as much mischief 

 as otters do. 



Pise. Oh, sir, if they do, it is not so much to 

 me and my fraternity as those base vermin the 

 otters do. 



Auc. Why, sir, I pray, of what fraternity are you, 

 that you are so angry with the poor otters ? 



Pise. I am, sir, a brother of the angle, and there- 

 fore an enemy to the otter : for you are to note 

 that we anglers all love one another, and therefore 



