244 THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 



father Walton will be seen twice in no man's company he does 

 not like, and likes none but such as he believes to be very honest 

 men, which is one of the best arguments, or at least of the best 

 testimonies I have, that I either am, or that he thinks me one 

 of those, seeing I have not yet found him weary of me. 



Viator. You speak like a true friend, and, in doing so, render 

 yourself worthy of his friendship. May I be so bold as to ask 

 your name ? 



Piscator. Yes, surely, sir ; and, if you please, a much nicer 



question : my name is , and I intend to stay long enough 



in your company, if I find you do not dislike mine, to ask yours 

 too. In the meantime, (because we are now almost at Ashborn,) 

 I shall freely and bluntly tell you, that I am a brother of the 

 angle too, and, peradventure, can give you some instructions 

 how to angle for a Trout in a clear river, that my father Walton 

 himself will not disapprove, though he did either purposely 

 omit, or did not remember them, when you and he sat dis- 

 coursing under the sycamore tree. And, being you have already 

 told me whither your journey is intended, and that I am better 

 acquainted with the country than you are, I will heartily and 

 earnestly entreat you will not think of staying at this town, but 

 go on with me six miles farther to my house, where you shall 

 be extremely welcome ; it is directly in your way, we have day 

 enough to perform our journey, and, as you like your enter- 

 tainment, you may there repose yourself a day or two, or as 

 many more as your occasions will permit, to recompense the 

 trouble of so much a longer journey. 



Viator. Sir, you surprise me with so friendly an invitation, 

 upon so short acquaintance; but how advantageous soever it 

 would be to me, and that my haste, perhaps, is not so great but 

 it might dispense with such a divertisement as I promise myself 

 in your company, yet I cannot, in modesty, accept your offer, 

 and must therefore beg your pardon : I could other wise, I con- 

 fess, be glad to wait upon you, if upon no other account but to 

 talk of Mr Izaak Walton, and to receive those instructions you say 

 you are able to give me for the deceiving a Trout, in which art 

 I will not deny but that I have an ambition to be one of the 

 greatest deceivers ; though I cannot forbear freely to tell you, 

 that I think it hard to say much more than has been read to me 

 upon that subject. 



Piscator. Well, sir, I grant that, too ; but you must know, 

 that the variety of rivers require different ways of angling : 

 however, you shall have the best rules I am able to give, and I 

 will tell you nothing I have not made myself as certain of, as 

 any man can be in thirty years' experience, (for so long I have 

 been a dabbler in that art ;") and that, if you please to stay a few 

 days, you shall, in a very great measure, see made good to you. 



