26 THE COMPLETE ANGLER. PART i. 



old and new Rome, so many as it is said will take up a year's 

 time to view, and afford to each of them but a convenient con- 

 sideration ! And therefore it is not to be wondered at that so 

 learned and devout a father as St. Jerome, after his wish to 

 have seen Christ in the flesh, and to have heard St. Paul 

 preach, makes his third wish, to have seen Rome in her glory ; 

 and that glory is not yet all lost, for what pleasure is it to see 

 the monuments of Livy, the choicest of the historians; of Tully, 

 the best of orators ; and to see the bay-trees that now grow out 

 of the very tomb of Virgil ! These, to any that love learning, 

 must be pleasing. But what pleasure is it to a devout Christian 

 to see there the humble house in which St. Paul was content to 

 .well, and to view the many rich statues that are made in 

 honour of his memory ! nay, to see the very place in which St. 

 Peter and he lie buried together ! These are in and near to 

 Rome. And how much more doth it please the pious curiosity 

 of a Christian to see that place on which the blessed Saviour of 

 the world was pleased to humble himself, and to take our nature 

 upon him, and to converse with men : to see Mount Zion, Jeru- 

 salem, and the very sepulchre of our Lord Jesus ? How may it 

 beget and heighten the zeal of a Christian to see the devotions 

 that are daily paid to him at that place ! Gentlemenjjest I 

 forget myself I will stppheje and rem ember ypUjJJTajL fcnt for 

 my element ot water7 the j^habitajUs^^fjhjs_oor island must 

 remain_ignorant that such things_ever were, or that any of 

 them have yet a being. 



Gentlemen, I might both enlarge and lose myself in such-like 

 arguments ; I might tell you that Almighty God is said to have 

 spoken to a fish but never to a beast ; that he hath made a 

 whale a ship to carry, and set his prophet Jonah safe on the 

 appointed shore. Of these I might speak, but I must in man- 

 ners break off, for I see Theobald's house. I cry your mercy for 

 being so long, and thank you for your patience. 



Auc. Sir, my pardon is easily granted you : I except against 

 nothing that you have said ; nevertheless I must part with you 

 at this park wall, for which I am very sorry ; but I assure you, 

 Mr. Piscator, I now part with you full of good thoughts, not 



