The Compleat ^Angler 



possesses what he has with a meek and contented quietness, such a 

 quietness as makes his very dreams pleasing, both to God and 

 himself. 



My honest scholar, all this is told to incline you to thankfulness ; 

 and to incline you the more, let me tell you, that though the prophet 

 David was guilty of murder and adultery, and many other of the 

 most deadly sins ; yet he was said to be a man after God's own 

 heart, because he abounded more with thankfulness than any other 

 that is mentioned in Holy Scripture, as may appear in his book of 

 Psalms ; where there is such a commixture of his confessing of his 

 sins and unworthiness, and such thankfulness for God's pardon and 

 mercies, as did make him to be accounted, even by God himself, to 

 be a man after his own heart : and let us, in that, labour to be as like 

 him as we can ; let not the blessings we receive daily from God make 

 us not to value, or not praise him because they be common ; let us 

 not forget to praise him for the innocent mirth and pleasure we have 

 met with since we met together. What would a blind man give to 

 see the pleasant rivers and meadows and flowers and fountains, that 

 we have met with since we met together ? I have been told that if 

 a man that was born blind could obtain to have his sight for but 

 only one hour during his whole life, and should, at the first opening 

 of his eyes, fix his sight upon the sun when it was in its full glory, 

 either at the rising or setting of it, he would be so transported and 

 amazed, and so admire the glory of it, that he would not willingly 

 turn his eyes from that first ravishing object, to behold all the other 

 various beauties this world could present to him. And this, and 

 many other like blessings, we enjoy daily. And for most of them, 

 because they be so common, most men forget to pay their praises ; 

 but let not us, because it is a sacrifice so pleasing to Him that made 

 that sun and us, and still protects us, and gives us flowers and 

 showers, and stomachs and meat, and content and leisure to go 

 a-fishing. 



Well, scholar, I have almost tired myself, and, I fear, more than 

 almost tired you ; but I now see Tottenham High Cross, and our 

 short walk thither shall put a period to my too long discourse, in 

 which my meaning was and is, to plant that in your mind, with 



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