BIBLIOTHECA PISCATORIA. 75 





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It IS proof of the vitality of Dcnnys' verse, that it retains its ^ 



strength, sweetness and savour in its more sober form. Those 

 curious in parallels may compare "The Qualities of an Angler," -^ 



in the third book of the poem, with chapter 2. ( its corresponding - 



passage) of the " Pleasures of Princes." ^ 



It is not needful that I should enter on a critical appreciation of 

 this little poem, the finest passages of which are well known and 



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~ !'"'■ ' -"^ ....X..... ,^„.,.«.f,^.. ^ V... - . 



highly esteemed. Thus much, however, may be said, that, so ^ ? 



O 



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replete is it, in its higher moods, with subtlety of rhythm, sweet- 

 ness of expression, and elevation of thought and feeling, that even 

 from the angling point of view, we cannot but consider it a notable > 



piece of condescension, and marvel at the devotion of so much real , ^ 



poetic genius to a theme so humble. With the exception of the \^ 



' Compleat Angler,' no higher compliment than this poem has been 

 paid to the sport. Subsequent rhymers, indeed, have achieved 

 analogous feats, but from other heights, or rather from other depths 

 — witness the " Innocent Epicure," a polished piece of artificiality, 

 and often grotesque, by force of polish ; and " The Anglers, P-ight 

 Dialogues in Verse," by Scott of Ipswich, in which the technical '^T" 

 and humorous are dexterously enough interwoven ; but such trifling 

 in verse, as these and other poems of their kind display, is not to be '^ "^ 

 confounded for an instant with the art and heart-work of John 't\ j 

 Dennys, ( the Angler's " (ilorious John " ) who could not have been v \ 



more in earnest, had he sung of men and angels ; who drapes him- •^i & 

 self in his singing robes on the very threshold of his theme, as by J^ ^ 

 an assured vocation, and only doffs them with his ultimate line : — j- 



" And now we are arived at the last, ^ 



In wished harbour where we meane to rest ; rT 



And make an end of this our journey past ; * 



Here then in quiet roade I think it best ^ 



We strike our sailes and stedfast Anchor cast, 

 For now the sunne low setteth in the west." 

 And " in quiet roade," in the grey old aisle of Pucklechurch, the 

 poet sleeps his sleep, not too far distant from his beloved Boyd, 

 that with " crooked winding way," past cliff and meadow, 

 ^ -■ ».!' Its rnother Avon runneth soft to seek."] 



Dabry de Ttiiersant (Pierre). La pisciculture et la peche en 

 Chine... Ouvrage accompagne de 51 planches rapresentant les 

 principaux instruments de pisciculture et engins de peche 

 employes par les Chinois... precede d'une introduction sur la 

 pisciculture chez les divers peuples par... J. L. Soubeiran. 

 Paris, 1872. fol. 



Dahl (Soren). Den fuldkomne Fiskefanger eller udfortig eg 

 fuldstsendig Anviisning til Ferskvandsfiskerie. Kjobenhavn. 

 1855. pp. 12. 12°. 



Dance (C.) Izaak Walton ; a drama. In four parts. Moon- 

 light — Sunrise — Noon — and Sunset. London, Chapman and 

 Hall, (1839). pp.vi. 42. 8°. 



[Performed at the Royal Olympic Theatre. The original MS. is 

 in the Denison collection.] 



