CIIAF. I. THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 87 



Pise. Sir, my fortune has answered my desires, and 

 my purpose is to bestow a day or two in helping to 

 destroy some of those villainous vermin, for I hate 

 them perfectly, because they love fish so well, or ra- 

 ther, because they destroy so much; indeed so much, 

 that in my judgment, all men that keep Otter-dogs, 

 ought to have pensions from the King to encourage <hem 

 to destroy the breed of these base Otters, they do so 

 much mischief. 



Ven. But what say you to the Foxes of the nation, 

 wuld not you as willingly have them destroyed ? for 

 doubtless they do as much mischief as Otters do. 



Pise. Oh Sir, if they do, it is not so much to me 

 and my fraternity, as those base vermin the Otters do. 



Auc. Why, Sir, I pray, of what fraternity are 

 you, that you are so angry with the poor Otters ? 



Pise. 1 am, Sir, a Brother of the Angle, and there- 

 fore an enemy to the Otter : for you are to note, that 

 we Anglers all love one another, and-therefore do I hate 

 the Otter both for my own, and for their sakes who are 

 of my brotherhood. 



Ven. And I am a lover of Hounds ; I have followed 

 many a pack of dogs many a mile, and heard many 

 merry Huntsmen make sport and scoff at Anglers. 



Auc. And I profess myself a Falconer, and have 

 heard many grave, serious men pity them, it is such a 

 heavy, contemptible, dull recreation. 



Pise. You know, Gentlemen, it is an easy thing 

 to scoff at any art or recreation ; a little wit mixed 

 with ill-nature, confidence, and malice, will do it ; but 

 though they often venture boldly, yet they are often 

 -caught, even in their own trap, according to that of 

 Lucian, the father of the family of Scoffers : 



Lucian, well skill'd in scoffing-, this hath writ, 

 Friend, that's your folly, which you think your wit : 

 This you vent oft, void both of wit and fear, 

 Meaning another, when yourself you jeer. 



If to this you add what Solomon says of Scoffers, 

 that they are an abomination to mankind, let him that 

 thinks fit scoff on., and be a Scoffer still ; but 1 ao 



F2 



