CHAP. I. THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 89 



Pise. Sir, I hope you will not judge my earnest- 

 ness to be impatience: and for my simplicity $ if by 

 that you mean a harmlessness, or that simplicity which 

 was usually found in the primitive Christians, who 

 were, as most Anglers are, quiet men, and followers 

 of peace ; men that were so simply wise, as not to sell 

 their Con sciences to buy riches, and with them vexa- 

 tion and a fear to die ; if you mean such simple men 

 as lived in those times when there were fewer Lawyers ; 

 when men might have had a Lordship safely conveyed 

 to them in a piece of parchment no bigger than your 

 hand, though several sheets will not do it safely in this 

 wiser age ; I say, Sir, if you take us Anglers to be 

 such simple men as I have spoke of, then myself and 

 those of my profession will be glad to be so understood : 

 But if by simplicity you meant to express a general 

 defect in those that profess and practise the excellent 

 Art of Angling, I hope in time to disabuse you, and 

 make the contrary appear so evidently, that if you will 

 but have patience to hear me, I shall remove all the 

 anticipations that discourse, or time, or prejudice, have 

 possessed you with against that laudable and ancient 

 Art ; for 1 know it is worthy the knowledge and prac- 

 tice of a wise man. 



But, Gentlemen, though I be able to do this, I am 

 not so unmannerly as to engross all the discourse to 

 myself; and therefore, you two having declared your- 

 selves, the one to be a lover of Hawks, the other of 

 Hounds, I shall be most glad to hear what you can say 

 in the commendation of that recreation which each of 

 you love and practise ; and having heard what you can 

 say, I shall be glad to exercise your attention with 

 what I can say concerning my own recreation and art 

 of Angling, and by this means, we shall make the 

 way seem the shorter : and if you like my motion, I 

 would have Mr. Falconer to begin. 



Auc. Your motion is consented to with all my heart, 

 and to testify it, I will begin as you have desired me 



And first, for the Element that I use to trade in, 

 which is the Air, an .Element of more worth than 

 weight, an Element that doubtless exceeds both vhe 



