The Compleat ^Angler 



VEN. Sir, you have almost amazed me : for though I am no 

 scoffer, yet I have (I pray let me speak it without offence) always 

 looked upon Anglers as more patient and more simple men, than I 

 fear I shall find you to be. 



Pise. Sir, I hope you will not judge my earnestness to be im- 

 patience : 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 consciences to buy 

 riches, and with them vexation 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 spoken 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 I know it worthy the knowledge 

 and practice of a wise man. 



But, gentlemen, though I be able to do this, I am not so unman- 

 nerly as to engross all the discourse to myself ; and, therefore, you 

 two having declared yourselves, 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 to 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, 



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