CHAP. I.] THE FIRST DA K 55 



Let me live harmlessly, and near the brink 



Of Trent or Avon have a dwelling-place ; ' 

 "Where I may see my quill, or cork, down sink 



With eager bite of Perch, or Bleak, or IJace ; 6 

 And on the world and my 7 Creator think : 



Whilst some men strive ill-gotten goods t* embrace ;P 

 And others spend their time in base excess 

 Of wine, or worse, in war and wantonness. 

 Let them that list, these pastimes still ^ pursue, 



And on such ^ pleasing fancies feed their fill ; 

 So I the fields and meadows green may view, 



And daily by fresh rivers walk at will,2 

 Among the daisies and the violets blue. 



Red hyacinth, and yellow daffodil, 

 Purple Narcissus like the morning rays. 

 Pale gander-grass, 3 and azure culver-keys. 



1 count it higher* pleasure to behold 

 The stately 5 compass of the loft^ sky ; 



And in the midst thereof, like burning gold, 

 The flaming chariot of the world's great eye : 



The watery clouds that in the air up-roU'd 

 With sundry kinds of painted colours fly ; 



And fair Aurora, lifting up her head, 



Still^ blushing, rise from old Tithonus' bed. 



The hills and mountains raised from the plains. 

 The plains extended level with the ground, 



The grounds divided into sundry veins, 



The veins inclos'd with rivers running^round ; 



These 8 rivers making way through nature's chains, 

 With headlong course, into the sea profound ; 



The raging 9 sea, beneath the valties low, 



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



The lofty woods, the forests wide and long, 



Adorned with leaves and branches fresh and green, 



In whose cool bowers the birds with many a song,2 

 Do welcome with their quire the summer's Queen S 



The meadows fair, where Flora's gifts, among 

 Are intermixt, with 3 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 5 therein no little delectation, 

 To think how strange, now 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. 



VARIATIONS. 



5 Oh, let me rather on the pleasant brink 



Of Tyne and Trent possess some dwelling-place. 



6 With eager bite of Barbel, Bleak, or Dace. 



7 his. ■ ^ While they proud /Thais painted sheet embrace, 



And with the fume of strong tobacco's smoke, 



All quaffing round are ready for to choke. 

 9 then. 1 their. 



2 And by the rivers fresh may walk at will. 



^ ganderglas. * better. ^ goodly. 6 AU. 



7 running rivers. ^ The. 9 surging. 



^ The vallies sweet, and lakes that lovely flow. 



2 In whose cool brows the birds with chanting song. 

 ^ the. * Within the brooks and crystal wat'ry brim, 



^ And takes. ^ his thoughts on. 



