228 THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 



than his wise God has allotted for his share ; but he possesses 

 what he lias with a meek and contented quietness, such a 

 quietness as makes his very dreams pleasing, both to God and 

 himself. 



My honest scholar, all this is told to incline you to thank- 

 fulness ; and to incline you the more, let me tell you, that 

 though the prophet David was guilty of murder and adultery, 

 and many other of the most deadly sins, yet he was said to be 

 a man after God's own heart, because he abounded more with 

 thankfulness than any other that is mentioned in holy Scrip- 

 ture, as may appear in his book of Psalms ; where there is 

 such a commixture of his confessing of his sins and un worthi- 

 ness, and such thankfulness for God's pardon and mercies, as 

 did make him to be accounted, even by God himself, to be a 

 man after his own heart : and let us, in that, labour to be as 

 like him as we can; let not the blessings we receive daily 

 from God make us not to value or not praise him because 

 they be common ; let us not forget to praise him for the 

 innocent mirth and pleasure we have met with since we met 

 together. What would a blind man give to see the pleasant 

 rivers and meadows and flowers and fountains that we have 

 met with since we met together 1 I have been told, that if a 

 man that was born blind could obtain to have his sight for 

 but only one hour during his whole life, and should, at the 

 first opening of his eyes, fix his sight upon the sun when it 

 was in its full glory, either at the rising or setting of it, he 

 would be so transported and amazed, and so admire the glorv 

 of it, that lie would not willingly turn his eyes from that first 

 ravishing object, to behold all the other various beauties this 

 world could present to him. And this, arid many other like 

 blessings, we enjoy daily. And for most of them, because 

 they be so common, most men forget to pay their praises : 

 but let not us, because it is a sacrifice so pleasing to Him that 

 made that sun and us, aud still protects us, arid gives us 

 flowers and showers, and stomachs and meat, and content 

 and leisure to go a-fishing. 



Well, scholar, I have almost tired myself, and, I fear, more 

 than almost tired you; but I now see Tottenham High-cross, 

 and our short walk thither shall put a period to my too long 

 discourse, in which my meaning was and is, to plant that in 

 your mind, with which I labour to possess my own soul : that 

 is, a meek and thankful heart. And to that end, I have 

 -showed you that riches, without them, do not make any man 



