148 THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 



but doubtless God never did ; " and so, if I might 

 be judge, " 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 : 't was 

 a wish, which I '11 repeat to you. 



THE ANGLER'S WISH. 1 



I in these flowery 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 west wind 

 Breathe health and plenty ; please my mind 

 To see sweet dew-drops kiss these flowers, 

 And then washed off by April showers : 

 Here hear my Kenna sing a song ; 

 There see a blackbird feed her young. 



Or a leverock build her nest ; 



Here give my weary spirits rest, 



And raise my low-pitched thoughts above 



Earth, or what poor mortals love : 



Thus free from law-suits and the noise 



Of princes' courts, I would rejoice : 



1 Probably written by Walton himself. " Kenna " is an allu- 

 sion to his second wife, whose maiden name was Ken. 



