CHAP. i. THE FIRST DAY. 189 



In the meantime, because we are now almost 'at Ashborn, I 

 shall freely and bluntly tell you that I am a brother of the 

 angle too, and, peradventure, can give you some instructions 

 how to angle for a trout in a clear river that my father Walton 

 himself will not disapprove, though he did either purposely 

 omit, or did not remember them, when you and he sat discours- 

 ing under the sycamore tree. And, being you have already told 

 me whither your journey is intended, and that I am better 

 acquainted with the country than you are; I will heartily and 

 earnestly entreat you will not think of staying at this town, but 

 go on with me six miles farther to my house, where you shall 

 be extremely welcome ; it is directly in your way, we have day 

 enough to perform our journey, and, as you like your entertain- 

 ment, you may there repose yourself a day or two, or as many 

 more as your occasions will permit, to recompense the trouble 

 of so much a longer journey. 



VIAT. Sir, you surprise me with so friendly an invitation upon 

 so short acquaintance ; but how advantageous soever it would 

 be to me, and that my haste, perhaps, is not so great but it 

 might dispense with such a clivertisement as I promise myself 

 in your company, yet I cannot, in modesty, accept your offer, 

 and must therefore beg your pardon : I could otherwise, I con- 

 fess, be glad to wait upon you, if upon no other account but to 

 talk of Mr. I. Walton, and to receive those instructions you say 

 you are able to give me for the deceiving a trout; in which art 

 I will not deny but that I have an ambition to be one of the 

 greatest dec-wzj?s : though I cannot forbear freely to tell you, 

 that I think it hard to say much more than has been read to me 

 upon that subject. 



PlSC. Well, sir, I grant that too; but you must know that the 

 variety of rivers require different ways of angling : however, 

 you shall have the best rules I am able to give, and I will tell 

 you nothing I have not made myself as certain of as any man 

 can be ina thirty years' experiejfrre. (for so long I have been a 

 dabbler mjfhat art) ; and that, if you please to stay a few days, 

 you shall, in a very great measure, see made good to you. . But 

 of that hereafter; and now, sir, if I am not mistaken, I have 



