PLEASURE SWEET BUT SUBORDINATE. 3 



are therefore peculiarly compatible, and each lends 

 an interest to the other. 



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 intermixed with verdant grass between ; 

 The silver scaled fish that softly swim 

 Within the sweet brook's crystal watery stream : 



All these, and 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. 



This ; in solemn truth, is the spirit in which 

 angling, and each pleasant recreation should ever be 

 regarded. Let all innocent amusements be sought 

 after with assiduity and gladness, if in due subor- 

 dination to more pressing or important duties, 

 and especially, with never ceasing reference to the 

 great Giver of all earthly blessings, of which a 

 tranquil and contented disposition is the chief. 

 Let the angler in the midst of all his light amuse- 

 ment remember to what high and holy calling his 

 ancient predecessors were promoted, and so walk 



" As ever in his great task master's eye," 



though casting not his nets by Galilean shore. 

 When the cheerful spring and all its glad remem- 

 brances rejoice his heart, let him forget not in re- 



