CHAP. i. THE FIRST DAY. 15 



Auc. Why, sir, I pray, of what fraternity are you, that you 

 are so angry with the poor Otters ? 



PlSC. I am, sir, a brother of the Angle, and therefore an 

 enemy to the Otter: for you are to note that we Anglers all 

 love one another, and therefore do I hate the Otter, both for 

 my own and for their sakes who are of my brotherhood. 



VEN. And I am a lover of Hounds ; I have followed many a 

 pack of dogs many a mile, and heard many merry huntsmen 

 make sport and scoff at Anglers. 



Auc. And I profess myself a Falconer, and have heard many 

 grave serious men pity them, it is such a heavy, contemptible, 

 dull, recreation. 



PlSC. You know, gentlemen, it is an easy thing to scoff at 

 any art or recreation; a little wit, mixed with ill-nature, con- 

 fidence, and malice, will do it ; but though they often venture 

 boldly, yet they are often caught, even in their own trap, 

 according to that of Lucian, the father of the family of scoffers. 



" Lucian, well skill'd in scoffing, this hath writ, 

 Friend, that's your folly, which you think your wit; 

 This, you vent oft, void both of wit and fear, 

 Meaning another, when yourself you jeer." 



Jf to this you add what Solomon says of scoffers, that "they 

 are an abomination to mankind," let them that think fit scoff on, 

 and be scoffers still ; but I account them enemies to me and to 

 all that love virtue and angling. 



And for you, that have heard many grave, serious men, pity 

 Anglers; let me tell you, sir, there be many men that are by 

 others taken to be serious and grave men, whom we contemn 

 and pity. Men^tha^re Xaken t.O-ba.gra3e^.Jiecause nature hath 

 made them of a sour complexion ; money-getting men, men 

 thal^spend all their time, first in getting, and next in anxious 

 carejp keep it ; men that are condemned to be rich, and then 

 always busy or discontented ; for thesepoor rich men, we 

 Anglers pity them perfectly, and stancTIn no need toTborrow 

 their thoughts to think ourselves so happy. No, no, sir, we 

 enjoy a contentedness above the reach of such dispositions, 



