16 THB COMPLETE ANGLER. 



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 that are taken to be grave, because nature 

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

 1 men that spend all their time, first in getting, and next in, 

 anxious care to keep it ; men that are condemned to be rich, 

 and then always busy or discontented ; for these poor rich 

 men, we Anglers pity them perfectly, and stand in no need to 

 borrow their thoughts to think ourselves so happy. No, no, 

 sir, we enjoy a contentedness above the reach of such dis- 

 positions, and as the learned and ingenuous Montaigne says 

 like himself, freely, " When my cat and I entertain each 

 other with mutual apish tricks, as playing with a garter, who 

 knows but that I make my cat more sport than she makes 

 me ? Shall I conclude her to be simple, that has her time to 

 begin or refuse to play as freely as I myself have ? ^Tay, who 

 knows but that it is a defect of my not understanding her 

 language (for doubtless cats talk and reason with one another), 

 that we agree no better? And who knows but that she pities 

 me for being no wiser than to play with her, and laughs and 

 censures my folly for making sport for her, when we two play 

 together ? ' 



Thus freely speaks Montaigne concerning cats j and I hope 

 I may take as great a liberty to blame any man, and laugh at 

 him too, let him be never so grave, that hath not heard what 

 Anglers can say in the justification of their art and recreation ; 

 which I may again tell you is so full of pleasure, that we need 

 not borrow their thoughts to make ourselves happy. 



YEN. Sir, you have almost amazed me ; for though I am 

 no scoffer, yet I have, I pray let me speak it without offence, 

 always looked upon Anglers as more patient and more simple 

 men, than I fear I shall find you to be. 



Pise. Sir, I hope you will not judge my earnestness to be 

 impatience : and for my simplicity, if by that you mean a 

 harmlessness, or that simplicity which was usually found in 

 the primitive Christians, who were, as most Anglers are, quiet 

 men, and followers of peace ; men that were so simply wise, 

 as not to sell their consciences to buy riches, and with them 

 vexation and a fear to die ; if you mean such simple men as 

 lived in those times when there were fewer lawyers ; when 

 men might have had a lordship safely conveyed to them in a 



