The Compleat ^Angler 



will direct me what kind of fishing for 

 a trout I shall read you a lecture on, 

 I am willing and ready to obey you. 



VIAT. Why, sir, if you will so far 

 oblige me, and that it may not be too 

 troublesome to you, I would entreat 

 you would run through the whole body 

 of it ; and I will not conceal from you 

 that I am so far in love with you, your 

 courtesy, and pretty More-Land seat, 

 as to resolve to stay with you long 

 enough by intervals (for I will not 

 oppress you) to hear all you can say 

 upon that subject. 



Pise. You cannot oblige me more 

 than by such a promise ; and therefore, 

 without more ceremony, I will begin 

 to tell you, that my father Walton 

 having read to you before, it would 

 look like a presumption in me and, 

 peradventure, would do so in any other 

 man, to pretend to give lessons for 

 angling after him, who, I do really 

 believe, understands as much of it at 

 least as any man in England, did I not 

 preacquaint you, that I am not tempted 

 to it by any vain opinion of myself, 

 that I am able to give you better di- 

 rections ; but having, from my child- 

 hood, pursued the recreation of angling 

 in very clear rivers, truly I think by 

 much (some of them at least) the 

 clearest in this kingdom, and the 

 manner of angling here with us, by 

 reason of that exceeding clearness, being 

 something different from the method 



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