40 THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 



Ven. Sir, you have almost amazed me ; for 

 though I am no scoffer, yet I have, pray let me 

 speak it without offence, always looked upon 

 anglers as more patient and more simple men 

 than I fear I shall find you to be. 



Pise. Sir, I hope you will not judge my earnestness 

 to be impatience ; and for my simplicity, if by that 

 you mean a harmlessness, or that simplicity which 

 was usually found in the primitive Christians, who 

 were, as most anglers are, quiet men and followers 

 of peace, men that were so simply wise as not to 

 sell their consciences to buy riches, and with them 

 vexation and a fear to die ; if you mean such simple 

 men as lived in those times when there were fewer 

 lawyers, when men might have had a lordship safely 

 conveyed to them in a piece of parchment no big- 

 ger than your hand, though several sheets will not 

 do it safely in this wiser age, I say, sir, if you 

 take us anglers to be such simple men as I have 

 spoken of, then myself and those of my profession 

 will be glad to be so understood : but if by sim- 

 plicity you meant to express a general defect in 

 those that profess and practise the excellent art 

 of angling, I hope in time to disabuse you, 

 and make the contrary appear so evidently, that 

 if you will but have patience to hear me, I shall 

 remove all the anticipations that discourse or 

 time or prejudice have possessed you with 

 against that laudable and ancient art ; for I 

 know it is worthy the knowledge and practice 

 of a wise man. 



