THE ANGLER AND HUNTSMAN 21 



mortals come to God by way of imitation, the more happy 

 we are. And they say that God enjoys himself only by a 

 contemplation of his own infiniteness, eternity, power, 

 and goodness, and the like. And upon this ground, many 

 cloisteral men of great learning and devotion prefer con- 

 templation before action. And many of the fathers seem 

 to ai)prove this opinion, as may appear in their commen- 

 taries upon the words of our Savior to Martha (Luke x. 

 41, 42). 



And on the contrary, there want not men of equal au- 

 thority and credit, that prefer action to be the more excel- 

 lent; as namely, experiments in physic, and the application 

 of it, both for the ease and prolongation of man's life; by 

 which each man is enabled to act and do good to others, 

 either to serve his country or do good to particular per- 

 sons. And they say also that action is doctrinal, and 

 teaches both art and virtue, and is a maintainer of human 

 society, and for these, and other like reasons, to be pre- 

 ferred before contemplation. 



Concerning which two opinions, I shall forbear to add 

 a third by declaring my own; and rest myself contented in 

 telling you, my very worthy friend, that both these meet 

 together, and do most properly belong to the most honest, 

 ingenious, quiet and harmless art of angling. 



And first I shall tell you what some have observed, and 

 I have found it to be a real truth that the very sitting by 

 the river's side is not only the quietest and fittest place 

 for contemplation, but will invite an angler to it; and this 

 seems to be maintained by the learned Peter Du Moulin, 

 who in his discourse of the fulfilling of prophecies, ob- 

 serves what when God intended to reveal any future events 

 or high notions to his prophets, he then carried them eith- 

 er to the deserts or the seashore, that having so separated 

 tli em from amidst the press of people and business, and 

 the cares of the world, he might settle their mind in a quiet 

 repose, and there make them fit for revelation. 



