44 THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 



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 '"hink ourselves happy. 



Venator. 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. 



Piscator. 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 say, sir, if you take us 

 anglers to be such simple men as I have spoke of, 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 arid practise the excellent art of angling, 1 

 hope in time to disabuse 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 is 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, there- 

 fore, 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 recreation 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 can 

 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. 



Auceps. 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 1 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 some- 

 times deal in both, yet the air is most properly mine land my 

 hawks use that most, and it yields us most recreation : it stops 

 not the high soaring of my noble generous falcon ; in it she 



