CHAP. XVI.] THE FOURTH DAT. 265 



Hail 1 blest estate of lowliness ! 



Happy enjoyments of such minds, 



As, rich in self-eontentedness, 



Can, like the reeds in roughest winds, 



By yielding make that blow but small, 

 At which proud oaks and cedars fall. 



There came also into my mind at that time, certain verses 

 in praise of a mean estate and an humble mind : they were 

 written by Phineas Fletcher, 1 an excellent divine, and an 

 excellent angler, and the author of excellent " Piscatory 

 Eclogues," in which you shall see the picture of this good 

 man's mind ; and I wish mine to be like it. 



No empty hopes, no courtly fears him fright, 

 No begging wants, his middle-fortune bite, 



But sweet content exiles both misery and spite. 

 His certain life, that never can deceive him, 



Is full of thousand sweets, and rich content ; 

 The smooth-leaved beeches in the field receive him 



With coolest shade, till noon-tide's heat be spent : 

 His life is neither toss'd in boisterous seas, 

 Or the vexatious world, or lost in slothful ease : 

 Pleas'd and full blest he lives, when he his God can please. 



His bed, more safe than soft, yields quiet sleeps, 



While by his side his faithful spouse hath place ; 



His little son into his bosom creeps, 



The lively picture of his father's face. 



His humble house or poor state ne'er torment him ; 



Less he could like, if less his God had lent him ; 



And when he dies, green turfs do for a tomb content him. 



Gentlemen, these were a part of the thoughts that then 

 possessed me. And I there made a conversion of a piece of 

 an old catch, 2 and added more to it, fitting them to be 

 sung by us anglers. Come, master, you can sing well; 

 you must sing a part of it as it is in this paper. 



1 Phineas Fletcher was the son of Giles Fletcher, LL.D., and Ambassador 

 from Queen Elizabeth to the Duke of Muscovy. He is said to have been 

 born about 1584, was educated at Eton, and in 1600 became Fellow of 

 King's College, Cambridge. He was author of " Piscatory Eclogues," and 

 an allegorical poem of considerable merit, entitled "The Purple Island," 

 which, with other of his poems, were printed at Cambridge in 1633. He 

 died about 1650. ED. 



2 The song here sung can in no sense of the word be termed a catch : 

 It was probably set to music at the request of Walton, and is to be found 



[Continued at p. 268.] 



