The C ample at ^Angler 



The hills and mountains raised from the plains, 

 The plains extended level with the ground ; 



The grounds divided into sundry veins, 



The 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 valleys low, 



Where lakes and rills and rivulets do flow. 



The lofty woods, the forests wide and long, 



Adorned with leaves and branches fresh and green, 



In whose cool bowers the birds, with many a song, 

 Do welcome with their choir the summer's queen; 



The meadows fair, where Flora's gifts among 

 Are intermixed, with verdant grass between ; 



The silver-scaled fish that softly swim 



Within the sweet brook's crystal watery stream. 



All these, and many more of His creation 



That made the heavens, the angler oft doth see: 



Taking therein no little delectation, 



To think how strange, how wonderful they be ! 



Framing thereof an inward contemplation 

 To set his heart from other fancies free ; 



And whilst he looks on these with joyful eye, 



His mind is wrapt above the starry sky. 



Sir, I am glad my memory has not lost these last verses, because 

 they are somewhat more pleasant and more suitable to May-day than 

 my harsh discourse. And I am glad your patience hath held out so 

 long, as to hear them and me ; for both together have brought us 

 within the sight of the Thatched House : and I must be your debtor 

 (if you think it worth your attention) for the rest of my promised 

 discourse, till some other opportunity, and a like time of leisure. 



VEN. Sir, you have angled me on with much pleasure to the 

 Thatched House ; and I now find your words true, "that good com- 

 pany makes the way seem short ;" for trust me, sir, I thought we 

 had wanted three miles of this house, till you showed it to me. But 



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