38 THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 



say, Sir, if you take us anglers to be such simple men as I 

 have spoken, then myself and those of my profession will 

 be glad to be so understood. But if by simplicity you 

 meant to express a general defect in those that profess and 

 practise the excellent art of angling, I hope in time to dis- 

 abuse you, and make the contrary appear so evidently that, 

 if you will but have patience to hear me, I shall remove all 

 the anticipations that discourse, or time, or prejudice have 

 possessed you with against that laudable and ancient art ; 

 for I know it worthy the knowledge and practice of a wise 

 man. 



But, gentlemen, though I be able to do this, I am not so 

 unmannerly as to engross all the discourse to myself; and 

 therefore, you two having declared yourselves, the one to be 

 a lover of hawks, the other of hounds, I shall be most glad 

 to hear what you can say in the commendation of that re- 

 creation which each of you love and practise ; and having 

 heard what you can say, I shall be glad to exercise your 

 attention with what I say concerning my own recreation 

 and art of angling, and by this means we shall make the 

 way to seem the shorter ; and if you like my motion, I 

 would have Mr. Falconer to begin. 



AUG. Your motion is consented to with all my heart; 

 and to testify it, I will begin as you have desired me. 



And first, for the element that I use to trade in, which is 

 the air, an element of more worth than weight an element 

 that doubtless exceeds both the earth and water; for though 

 I sometimes deal in both, yet the air is most properly mine. 

 I and my hawks use that most, and it yields us most re- 

 creation : it stops not the high soaring of my noble, gene- 

 rous falcon ; in it she ascends to such a height as the dull 



