Cfnrti 



CHAPTER II. TO CHAPTER IV. 



PISCATOR AND VENATOR. 



VENATOR. Well, now let's go to your sport of Angling. 

 PISCATOR. Let's be going, 1 with all my heart. God keep 

 you all, Gentlemen; and send you meet, this day, with another 

 Bitch-otter, and kill her merrily, and all her young ones too. 



VENATOR. Now, Piscator, where will you begin to fish ? 



PISCATOR. We are not yet come to a likely place ; I must 

 walk a mile further yet before I begin. 



VENATOR. Well then, I pray, as we walk, tell me freely, how 

 do you like your lodging, and mine host 2 and the company? Is 

 not mine host a witty man ? 



3 PISCATOR. Sir, I will tell you, presently, what I think of 

 your host : but, first, I will tell you, I am glad these Otters were 

 killed ; * and I am sorry there are no more Otter- killers ; for 



VARIATIONS. 



1 Well now let's be going. ist and zd edit. 



* Tell me freely how do you like mine host. Till ^tk edit. 



3 In the first edition Piscator's reply commences with : 



Sir, to speak truly, he is not to me ; for most of his conceits were either, c. 



* Gay has thus alluded to the Otter : 



" Would you preserve a mim'rous finny race? 

 Let your fierce dogs the rav'nous Otter chase, 



