THE CONFERENCE. 37 



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 ? Nay, 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 ; 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. 



VEN. 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. 



PlSC. 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 piece of parchment no bigger than your hand, 

 though several sheets will not do it safely in this wiser age ; I 



