78 THE COMPLETE ANGLER. [PART i. 



the cool shade, whilst others sported themselves in the cheerful 

 sun ; and saw others craving comfort from the swollen udders 

 of their bleating dams. As I thus sat, these and other sights 

 had so fully possest my soul with content, that I thought, as the 

 poet has happily exprest it, 



I was for that time lifted above earth ; 

 And possest joys not promis'd in my birth. 



As I left this place, and entered into the next field, a second 

 pleasure entertained me ; 'twas a handsome milkmaid, that had 7 

 not yet attained so much age and wisdom as to load her mind 

 with any fears of many things that will never be, as too many 

 men too often do ; but she cast away all care, and sung like a 

 nightingale. Her voice was good, and the ditty fitted for it ; it 

 was that smooth song which was made by Kit Marlow,* now at 

 least fifty years ago and the milkmaid's mother sung an answer 

 to it, which was made by Sir Walter Raleigh, in his younger 

 days. They were old-fashioned poetry, but choicely good ; I 

 think much better than the strong lines that are now in fashion 8 

 in this critical age. Look yonder ! on my word, yonder they 

 both be a-milking again. I will give her the Chub, and persuade 

 them to sing those two songs to us. 



God speed you, good woman ! I have been a-fishing ; and am 

 going to Bleak Hallf to my bed ; and having caught more fish 

 than will sup myself and my friend, I will bestow this upon you 

 and your daughter, for I use to sell none. 



MILKWOMAN. Marry ! God requite you, Sir, and we'll eat it 

 cheerfully. 9 And if you come this way a-fishing two months 

 hence, a grace of God ! I'll give you a syllabub of new verjuice, 



VARIATIONS. 



7 that had cast away all care, and sung, &c. tst, zd, -$d, and ^th edit. 



8 better than that now in fashion. ist, zd, %d, and $ttt edit. 



9 cheerfully. Will you drink a draught of red cow's milk ? 

 Piscator. No, I thank you, &c.~~ T.st edit. 



* Christopher Marlotv was a poet of some eminence, as may be inferred from the 

 frequent mention of him in the writings of his contemporaries. He was sometime a 

 student at Cambridge, and, after that, an actor on, and writer for, the stage. There are 

 extant, of his writing, five tragedies ; and a poem that bears his name, entitled Hero and 

 Leander (possibly a translation from Musasus), which, he not living to complete it, was 

 finished by Chapman. Some remarks will be found in a subsequent page on the song 

 mentioned by Walton. Of Marlow it is said that he was the author of divers atheistical 

 and blasphemous discourses ; and that in a quarrel with a serving-man, his rival in a 

 connection with a lewd woman, he received a stab with a dagger, and shortly after died 

 of the stroke. Wood, Athen. Oxon. vol. i. 338. H. Marlowe's Dramatic and other 

 Poetical Works have been collected, with some Account of his Life, by George Robinson, 

 Esq., 3 vols. cr. 8vo, Lond. 1826. 



t A fishing-house on the banks of the Lea, about one mile from Edmonton, was called 

 Bleak Hall, and is presumed to be the place alluded to. 



