The Compleat ^Angler 



VEN. O my good master, this morning-walk has been spent to 

 my great pleasure and wonder : but I pray, when shall I have your 

 direction how to make artificial flies, like to those that the trout 

 loves best, and also how to use them ? 



Pise. My honest scholar, it is now past five of the clock, we will 

 fish till nine, and then go to breakfast. Go you to yon sycamore- 

 tree and hide your bottle of drink under the hollow root of it ; for 

 about that time, and in that place, we will make a brave breakfast 

 with a piece of powdered beef, and a radish or two that I have in 

 my fish-bag ; we shall, I warrant you, make a good, honest, whole- 

 some, hungry breakfast, and I will then give you direction for the 

 making and using of your flies ; and in the meantime there is your 

 rod, and line, and my advice is, that you fish as you see me do, and 

 let's try which can catch the first fish. 



VEN. I thank you, master, I will observe and practise your direc- 

 tion as far as I am able. 



Pise. Look you, scholar, you see I have hold of a good fish : 

 I now see it is a trout, I pray put that net under him, and touch 

 not my line, for if you do, then we break all. Well done, scholar, 

 I thank you. 



Now for another. Trust me, I have another bite : come, scholar, 

 come lay down your rod, and help me to land this as you did the 

 other. So now we shall be sure to have a good dish of fish for supper. 



VEN. I am glad of that ; but I have no fortune : sure, master, 

 yours is a better rod and better tackling. 



Pise. Nay, then, take mine, and I will fish with yours. Look 

 you, scholar, I have another. Come, do as you did before. And now 

 I have a bite at another. Oh me ! he has broke all : there's half a 

 line and a good hook lost. 



VEN. Ay, and a good trout too. 



Pise. Nay, the trout is not lost ; for pray take notice, no man 

 can lose what he never had. 



VEN. Master, I can neither catch with the first nor second angle : 

 I have no fortune. 



Pise. Look you, scholar, I have yet another. And now, having 

 caught three brace of trouts, I will tell you a short tale as we walk 



