THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 55 



the devotions that are daily paid to Him at that 

 place ! Gentlemen, lest I forget myself, I will stop 

 here, and remember you that but for my element 

 of water the inhabitants of this poor island must 

 remain ignorant that such things ever were, or that 

 any of them have yet a being. 



Gentlemen, I might both enlarge and lose my- 

 self in such like arguments. I might tell you that 

 Almighty God is said to have spoken to a fish, but 

 never to a beast ; that he hath made a whale a ship 

 to carry and set his prophet Jonah safe on the 

 appointed shore. Of these I might speak, but I 

 must in manners break off, for I see Theobald's 

 House. I cry you mercy for being so long, and 

 thank you for your patience. 



Auc. Sir, my pardon is easily granted you. I 

 except against nothing that you have said ; never- 

 theless, I must part with you at this park-wall, for 

 which I am very sorry ; but I assure you, Mr. 

 Piscator, I now part with you full of good thoughts, 

 not only of yourself, but of your recreation. And 

 so, gentlemen, God keep you both. 



Pise. Well, now, Mr. Venator, you shall neither 

 want time nor my attention to hear you enlarge 

 your discourse concerning hunting. 



Ven. Not I, sir. I remember you said that an- 

 gling itself was of great antiquity, and a perfect 

 art, and an art not easily attained to ; and you have 

 so won upon me in your former discourse, that I 

 am very desirous to hear what you can say further 

 concerning those particulars. 



