CHAP. IV. THE COMPLETE ANGLER, 147 



and let's be going. But turn out of the way a little, 

 good scholar ! toward yonder high honeysuckle hedge ; 

 there, we'll sit and sing, whilst this shower falls so 

 gently upon the teeming earth, and gives yet a sweeter 

 smell to the lovely flowers that adorn these verdant 

 meadows. 



Look! under that broad beech-tree, I sat down, when 

 I was last this way a-fishing. And the birds in the 

 adjoining grove seemed to have a friendly contention 

 with an echo, whose dead voice seemed to live in a 

 hollow tree, near to the brow of that primrose-hill. 

 There, I sat viewing the silver streams glide silently 

 towards their centre, . the tempestuous sea; yet some- 

 times opposed by rugged roots and pebble-stones, 

 which broke their waves, and turned them into foam. 

 And sometimes I beguiled time by viewing the harm- 

 less lambs ; some leaping securely in the cool shade, 

 whilst others sported themselves in the chearful 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 1 thought, as the poet has happily ex* 

 prest 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 

 milk-maid, that had 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 nightin- 

 gale ; her voice was good ; and the ditty, fitted for it, 

 it was that smooth song, which ^was made by Kit Mar- 

 low*, now at least fifty years ago. And the milk- 



* Christopher Marlotv was a poet of no small eminence in his day, as 

 may be inferred from the frequent mention of him in the writings of his 

 contemporaries. He was, some time, a student at Cambridge ; and, after 

 that, an actor on, and a 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 Musseus which, he not living 



