The Compleat ^Angler 



an element of more worth than weight, an element that doubtless 

 exceeds both the earth and water ; for though I sometimes deal in 

 both, yet the air is most properly mine, I and my hawks use that 

 most, and it yields us most recreation : it stops not the high soaring 

 of my noble, generous falcon ; in it she ascends to such a height as 

 the dull eyes of beasts and fish are not able to reach to ; their bodies 

 are too gross for such high elevations : in the air my troops of 

 hawks soar up on high, and when they are lost in the sight of men, 

 then they attend upon and converse with the gods ; therefore I think 

 my eagle is so justly styled "Jove's servant in ordinary ;" and that 

 very falcon that I am now going to see, deserves no meaner title, for 

 she usually in her flight endangers herself, like the son of Daedalus, 

 to have her wings scorched by the sun's heat, she flies so near it ; 

 but her mettle makes her careless of danger ; for then she heeds 

 nothing, but makes her nimble pinions cut the fluid air, and so 

 makes her highway over the steepest mountains and deepest rivers, 

 and in her glorious career looks with contempt upon those high 

 steeples and magnificent palaces which we adore and wonder at ; 

 from which height I can make her to descend by a word from my 

 mouth (which she both knows and obeys), to accept of meat from 

 my hand, to own me for her master, to go home with me, and be 

 willing the next day to afford me the like recreation. 



And more : this element of air which I profess to trade in, the 

 worth of it is such, and it is of such necessity, that no creature what- 

 soever, not only those numerous creatures that feed on the face of 

 the earth, but those various creatures that have their dwelling within 

 the waters, every creature that hath life in its nostrils, stands in need 

 of my element. The waters cannot preserve the fish without air, 

 witness the not breaking of ice in an extreme frost : the reason is, 

 for that if the inspiring and expiring organ of an animal be stopped, 

 it suddenly yields to nature, and dies. Thus necessary is air to the 

 existence both of fish and beasts, nay, even to man himself; the air 

 or breath of life with which God at first inspired mankind, he, if he 

 wants it, dies presently, becomes a sad object to all that loved and 

 beheld him, and in an instant turns to putrefaction. 



Nay more, the very birds of the air (those that be not hawks) are 



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