i 4 THE COMPLETE ANGLER. PART i. 



morning ; and I hope we shall each be the happier in the other's 

 company. And, gentlemen, that I may not lose yours, I shall 

 either abate or amend my pace to enjoy it ; knowing that, as the 

 Italians say, "Good company in a journey makes the way to 

 seem the shorter." 



Auc. It may do so, sir, with the help of good discourse, which 

 methinks we may promise from you that both look and speak so 

 cheerfully ; and for my part I promise you, as an invitation to 

 it, that I will be as free and open-hearted as discretion will 

 allow me to be with strangers. 



VEN. And, sir, I promise the like. 



PiSC. I am right glad to hear your answers, and in confidence 

 you speak the truth, I shall put on a boldness to ask you, sir, 

 whether business or pleasure caused you to be so early up, and 

 walk so fast ; for this other gentleman hath declared that he is 

 going to see a hawk that a friend mews for him. 



VEN. Sir, mine is a mixture of both, a little business and more 

 pleasure ; for I intend this day to do all my business, and then 

 bestow another day or two in hunting the Otter, which a friend, 

 that I go to meet, tells me is much pleasanter than any other 

 chase whatsoever : howsoever, I mean to try it ; for to-morrow 

 morning we shall meet a packo Otter-dogs of^jioble Mr. 

 Sadler's, upon Am well Hill, who will be there so early that 

 they intend to prevent the sun-rising. 



PiSC. Sir, my fortune has answered my desires, and my 

 purpose is to bestow a day or two in helping to destroy some 

 of those villanous vermin ; for I hate them perfectly, because 

 they love fish so well, or rather, because they destroy so much ; 

 indeed so much that, in my judgment, all men that keep 

 Otter-dogs ought to have pensions from the king, to encourage 

 them to destroy the very breed of those base Otters, they do so 

 much mischief. 



VEN. But what say you to the Foxes of the Nation, would 

 not you as willingly have them destroyed ? for doubtless they 

 do as much mischief as Otters do. 



PiSC. O sir, if they do, it is not so much to me and my 

 fraternity, as those base vermin the Otters do. 



