Fly-Fifliing. 117 



kindnefs than a fhrug of the moulders, or a tofs 

 of the head, I pity him from my very foul ! 



That Bedlamite of old, Praife-God-Barebones, 

 and prince of Puritans, the fanatical Oliver, 

 what more inftru&ive lefTons could two indi- 

 viduals have handed down for our warning of the 

 folly and mifchief of fuch pride as this, when car- 

 ried to its utmoft extent. 



Talk of a bull in a china-mop, indeed ! Poor 

 infenfate brute ! he is only following the bias of 

 his natural inftincT: of felf-prefervation. But for a 

 man like Cromwell, of undoubted talent, and 

 dauntlefs courage, to tear down for his pleafure 

 and paftime the beautiful in art, and exquifite in 

 tafte, and noble in conception ! alas, for fuch 

 bigotry as his !* 



Pifcator. My dear fellow, do let the dead reft 

 in peace. What connection there is between a 

 poor Pifcator and a prince of Puritans, as you call 

 the defunct Oliver, I am at a lofs to underftand. 



Clericus. Only this, that the habit many per- 



* " The civil fury of the time 



Made fport of facrilegious crime ; 

 For dark fanaticifm rent 



Altar and fcreen and ornament." 



SIR W. SCOTT. 



