1 LIFE OF IZAAK WALTON. [1655, 



the usual compliments he expresses a hope that they were going 

 towards Ware. Venator replies that he is going to the Thatched 

 House in Hoddesden, where he has appointed some friends to 

 meet him ; and Auceps says he will accompany them as far as 

 Theobalds, and there leave them, as he must then turn off to a 

 friend's house, who mews a hawk for him, which he wishes to see. 

 They agree to proceed together, and Venator observes, in answer 

 to Piscator, that a little business and more pleasure was the occa- 

 sion of his journey, for after devoting that day to the former, he 

 intended to bestow another day or two in hunting an otter ; on 

 which Piscator remarks that "his fortune has answered his 

 desires," as he wished also to employ a day or two in destroying 

 " those villanous vermin '■" the otters, which he " hated perfectly, 

 because they loved fish so well ; " and adds, that in his opinion 

 all men who " keep otter-dogs ojight to have pensions from the 

 Commonwealth," which expression'is changed in the third edition, 

 printed after the Restoration, J;o "pension? from the King." 

 Venator slily replies, ^' But what say you to the foxes of the 

 Nation, would hot you p.s wiUingly have them destroyed, for 

 doubtless they do as much mischief as otters do ? " — a political 

 allusion, of which the whole point cannot now be understood; 

 but Piscator waives the subject by rejoining, " Oh, Sir, if they do, 

 it is not so much to me and my fraternity as those vile vermin the 

 otters do." On the hunter's and falconer's speaking slightingly 

 of Angling, Piscator obsarves with much justice, "You know, 

 Gentlemen, 'tis an easy thing to scoff at any art or recreation ; a 

 little wit mixed with ill-nature, confidence, and malice, will do it, 

 but though they often venture boldly, yet they are often caught 

 even in their own trap." This produces a challenge that each 

 shall say what he can in favour of his own pursuit ; and a disser- 

 tation accordingly follows upon Hunting, Hawking, and Angling. 

 Piscator's observations are, as might be expected, the longest; 

 and his discourse is illustrated by passages from numerous authors 

 ancient and modem, which, if not always entertaining, show a 

 considerable extent of reading. He also introduced a poem 

 written by Sir Henry Wotton when above seventy years of age, 

 " as he sat quietly in a summer's evening on a bank a-fishing ; " 

 and Walton poetically observes, that it "glides as soft and 

 sweetly from his pen, as that river does now by which it was then 

 made." 



Auceps leaves them at the park wall of Theobalds ; and when 

 Piscator and Venator arrive at the Thatched House, they refresh 



