THE COMPLETE ANGLER. PART I. 



holy scripture, as may appear in his book of Psalms ; 

 where there is such a commixture, of his confessing of 

 his sins and unworthiness, and such thankfulness for 

 God's pardon and mercies, as did make him to be ac- 

 counted, even by God himself, to be a man after his own 

 heart : And let us, in that, labour to be as like him as 

 we can ; let not the blessings we receive daily from God, 

 make us not to value, or not praise him, because they 

 be common ; let us not forget to praise him, for the in- 

 nocent mirtli and pleasure we have met with, since 

 we met together. What would a blind man give to 

 see the pleasant rivers, and meadows, and flowers, and 

 fountains, that we have met with, since we met to* 

 gether! I have been told, that if a man that was born 

 blind, could obtain to have his sight for but only one 

 hour, during his whole life; and should, at the first 

 opening of his eyes, fix his sight upon the sun when it 

 was in its full glory, either at the rising or sctt'.ng of it; 

 he would be so transported and amazed, and so admire 

 the glory of it, that he would not willingly turn his eyes 

 from that first ravishing object, to behold all the other 

 various beauties this world could present to him. Arid 

 this, and many other like blessings, we enjoy daily. And 

 for most of them, because they be so common, most 

 men forget to pay their praises: but let not us; because 

 it is a sacrifice so pleasing to Him that made the sun 

 and us, and still protects us, and gives us flowers 

 and showers, and stomachs and meat, and content, and 

 leisure to go a fishing. 



Well, scholar! 1 have almost tired myself, and, I 

 fear, more than almost tired you. But I now seeTot^ 

 tenham-high-cross : and our short walk thither shall 

 put a period to my too long discourse; in which my 

 meaning was and is, To plant that in your mind, with 

 which I labour to possess my own soul, that is, a meek 

 and thankful heart. And to that end, I have shewed 

 you, That riches without them, [meekness and thank- 

 fulness] do not make any man happy. But let me tell 

 you> That riches with them, remove many fears and 

 cares. And therefore my advice is, That you endea- 

 vour to be honestly rich, or contentedly poor : but be 



