CHAP. I. THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 41 



I count it higher pleasure to behold 



The stately compass of the lofty sky ; 

 And in the midst thereof, like burning gold, 



The flaming chariot of the world's great eye ; 

 The wat'ry clouds that in the air up-roll'd 



With sundry kinds of painted colours fly; 

 And fair Aurora, lifting up her head. 

 Still blushing, rise from old Tithouus' bed. 



The hills and mountains raised from the plains, 

 The plains extended level with the ground ; 



The grounds divided into sundry veins, 

 The veins enclosed with rivers running round ; 



These rivers, making way through nature's chains, 

 With headlong course into the sea profound ; 



The raging sea, beneath the vallies low. 



Where lakes, and rills, and rivulet* do flow : 



The lofty woods, the forests wide and long, 



Adorn'd with leaves and branches fresh and green, 



In whose cool bowers the birds, with many a song, 

 Do welcome with their quire the summer's Queen ; 



The meadows fair, where Flora's gifts, among 

 Are intennixt, with verdant grass between; 



The silver-scaled fish that softly swim 



Within the sweet brook's crystal, wat'ry stream. 



All these, aud many more of his creation 

 That made the heavens, the angler oft doth see; 



Taking therein no little delectation, 

 To think how strange, how wonderful they be; 



Framing thereof an inward contemplation 

 To set his heart from other fancies free; 



And whilst he looks on these with joyful eye, 



His mind is rapt above the starry sky. 



Sir, I am glad my memory has not lost these last 

 verses, because they are somewhat more pleasant and 

 more suitable to May -day than my harsh discourse. 

 And I am glad your patience hath held out so long, as 

 to hear them and me : for both together have brought us 

 within the sight of the Thatch* d-house. And I must 

 be your debtor, if you think it worth your attention, for 

 the rest of ray promised discourse, till some other oppor- 

 tunity, and a like time of leisure. 



Ven. Sir, you have angled me on with much pleasure to 

 the Thatch* d-house; and I now find your words true, 

 " that good company makes the way seem short," for 

 trust me, Sir, I thought we had wanted three miles of 

 this house, till you shewed it to me. But now we are 



