THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 43 



Let me live harmlessly, and near the brink 

 Of Trent or Avon, have a dwellings-place ; 

 Where I may see my quill or cork dovn sink 

 With eager bite of perch, or bleak, or dace. 

 And on the loorld. and my Creator think ; 

 Whilst some men strive ill-gotten goods f embrace, 

 And others spetid their time in base excess 

 Of wine, or worse, in tear and wantonness. 



Let them that list, these pastimes still pursue. 

 And on such phasing fancies feed their fill, * 

 So I the fields and meadows green rncy view. 

 And daily by fresh rivers walk at will. 

 Among the daisies and the violets blue. 

 Red hyacinth, and yellow daffodil. 



Purple narcissus like the morning rays. 

 Pale gander-grass, and azure culverkeys. 



I count it higher pleasure to behold 

 The stately compass of the lofty sky. 

 And in the midst thereof, like burning gold. 

 The flaming chariot of the world's great eye ; 

 The watery clouds that, in the air up rolVd, 

 With sundry kinds of painted colors fly ; 

 And fair Aurora lifting up her head, 

 Still blushing, rise from old Tithonus' bed. 



The hills and mountains raised from the plains. 

 The plains extended level with the ground. 

 The grounds divided into sundry veins. 

 These veins enclosed with rivers running round; 

 These rivers making way through nature's chains 

 With headlong course into the sea profound ; 

 The raging sea, beneath the vallies low. 

 Where lakes, and rills, and rivulets do flow. 



Avon," " Tyne and Trent," " Barbel " for " Perch ;" and the three last 

 lines of the first verse instead of those of Dennys, which are, 



" While they proud Thais' painted cheek embrace. 

 And with the fume of strong tobacco smoke, 

 And quaffing round, are ready for to choke." 



besides other less noticeable changes. — Am. Ed. 



