the complete angler-第4章

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　Sturgeons；　Lampreys；　and　Mullets；　which　they　would　purchase　at　rates　rather　to　be　wondered　at　than　believed。　He　that　shall　view　the　writings　of　Macrobius；　or　Varro；　may　be　confirmed　and　informed　of　this；　and　of　the　incredible　value　of　their　fish　and　fish…ponds。

But；　Gentlemen；　I　have　almost　lost　myself；　which　I　confess　I　may　easily　do　in　this　philosophical　discourse；　I　met　with　most　of　it　very　lately；　and；　I　hope；　happily；　in　a　conference　with　a　most　learned　physician；　Dr。　Wharton；　a　dear　friend；　that　loves　both　me　and　my　art　of　Angling。　But；　however；　I　will　wade　no　deeper　into　these　mysterious　arguments；　but　pass　to　such　observations　as　I　can　manage　with　more　pleasure；　and　less　fear　of　running　into　error。　But　I　must　not　yet　forsake　the　waters；　by　whose　help　we　have　so　many　known　advantages。

And　first；　to　pass　by　the　miraculous　cures　of　our　known　baths；　how　advantageous　is　the　sea　for　our　daily　traffick；　without　which　we　could　not　now　subsist。　How　does　it　not　only　furnish　us　with　food　and　physick　for　the　bodies；　but　with　such　observations　for　the　mind　as　ingenious　persons　would　not　want！

How　ignorant　had　we　been　of　the　beauty　of　Florence；　of　the　monuments；　urns；　and　rarities　that　yet　remain　in　and　near　unto　old　and　new　Rome；　so　many　as　it　is　said　will　take　up　a　year's　time　to　view；　and　afford　to　each　of　them　but　a　convenient　consideration！　And　therefore　it　is　not　to　be　wondered　at；　that　so　learned　and　devout　a　father　as　St。　Jerome；　after　his　wish　to　have　seen　Christ　in　the　flesh；　and　to　have　heard　St。　Paul　preach；　makes　his　third　wish；　to　have　seen　Rome　in　her　glory；　and　that　glory　is　not　yet　all　lost；　for　what　pleasure　is　it　to　see　the　monuments　of　Livy；　the　choicest　of　the　historians；　of　Tully；　the　best　of　orators；　and　to　see　the　bay　trees　that　now　grow　out　of　the　very　tomb　of　Virgil！　These；　to　any　that　love　learning；　must　be　pleasing。　But　what　pleasure　is　it　to　a　devout　Christian；　to　see　there　the　humble　house　in　which　St。　Paul　was　content　to　dwell；　and　to　view　the　many　rich　statues　that　are　made　in　honour　of　his　memory！　nay；　to　see　the　very　place　in　which　St。　Peter　and　he　lie　buried　together！　These　are　in　and　near　to　Rome。　And　how　much　more　doth　it　please　the　pious　curiosity　of　a　Christian；　to　see　that　place；　on　which　the　blessed　Saviour　of　the　world　was　pleased　to　humble　himself；　and　to　take　our　nature　upon　him；　and　to　converse　with　men：　to　see　Mount　Sion；　Jerusalem；　and　the　very　sepulchre　of　our　Lord　Jesus！　How　may　it　beget　and　heighten　the　zeal　of　a　Christian；　to　see　the　devotions　that　are　daily　paid　to　him　at　that　place！　Gentlemen；　lest　I　forget　myself；　I　will　stop　here；　and　remember　you；　that　but　for　my　element　of　water；　the　inhabitants　of　this　poor　island　must　remain　ignorant　that　such　things　ever　were；　or　that　any　of　them　have　yet　a　being。

Gentlemen；　I　might　both　enlarge　and　lose　myself　in　such　like　arguments。　I　might　tell　you　that　Almighty　God　is　said　to　have　spoken　to　a　fish；　but　never　to　a　beast；　that　he　hath　made　a　whale　a　ship；　to　carry　and　set　his　prophet；　Jonah；　safe　on　the　appointed　shore。　Of　these　I　might　speak；　but　I　must　in　manners　break　off；　for　I　see　Theobald's　House。　I　cry　you　mercy　for　being　so　long；　and　thank　you　for　your　patience。

Auceps。　Sir；　my　pardon　is　easily　granted　you：　I　except　against　nothing　that　you　have　said：　nevertheless；　I　must　part　with　you　at　this　park…wall；　for　which　I　am　very　sorry；　but　I　assure　you；　Mr。　Piscator；　I　now　part　with　you　full　of　good　thoughts；　not　only　of　yourself；　but　your　recreation。　And　so；　Gentlemen；　God　keep　you　both。

Piscator。　Well；　now；　Mr。　Venator；　you　shall　neither　want　time；　nor　my　attention　to　hear　you　enlarge　your　discourse　concerning　hunting。

Venator。　Not　I；　Sir：　I　remember　you　said　that　Angling　itself　was　of　great　antiquity；　and　a　perfect　art；　and　an　art　not　easily　attained　to；　and　you　have　so　won　upon　me　in　your　former　discourse；　that　I　am　very　desirous　to　hear　what　you　can　say　further　concerning　those　particulars。

Piscator。　Sir；　I　did　say　so：　and　I　doubt　not　but　if　you　and　I　did　converse　together　but　a　few　hours；　to　leave　you　possessed　with　the　same　high　and　happy　thoughts　that　now　possess　me　of　it；　not　only　of　the　antiquity　of　Angling；　but　that　it　deserves　commendations；　and　that　it　is　an　art；　and　an　art　worthy　the　knowledge　and　practice　of　a　wise　man。

Venator。　Pray；　Sir；　speak　of　them　what　you　think　fit；　for　we　have　yet　five　miles　to　the　Thatched　House；　during　which　walk；　I　dare　promise　you；　my　patience　and　diligent　attention　shall　not　be　wanting。　And　if　you　shall　make　that　to　appear　which　you　have　undertaken；　first；　that　it　is　an　art；　and　an　art　worth　the　learning；　I　shall　beg　that　I　may　attend　you　a　day　or　two　a…fishing；　and　that　I　may　become　your　scholar；　and　be　instructed　in　the　art　itself　which　you　so　much　magnify。

Piscator。　O；　Sir；　doubt　not　but　that　Angling　is　an　art；　is　it　not　an　art　to　deceive　a　Trout　with　an　artificial　Fly　？　a　Trout　！　that　is　more　sharp…　sighted　than　any　Hawk　you　have　named；　and　more　watchful　and　timorous　than　your　high…mettled　Merlin　is　bold　？　and　yet；　I　doubt　not　to　catch　a　brace　or　two　to…morrow；　for　a　friend's　breakfast：　doubt　not　therefore；　Sir；　but　that　angling　is　an　art；　and　an　worth　your　learning。　The　question　is　rather；　whether　you　be　capable　of　learning　it？　angling　is　somewhat　like　poetry；　men　are　to　be　born　so：　I　mean；　with　inclinations　to　it；　though　both　may　be　heightened　by　discourse　and　practice：　but　he　that　hopes　to　be　a　good　angler；　must　not　only　bring　an　inquiring；　searching；　observing　wit；　but　he　must　bring　a　large　measure　of　hope　and　patience；　and　a　love　and　propensity　to　the　art　itself；　but　having　once　got　and　practiced　it；　then　doubt　not　but　angling　will　prove　to　be　so　pleasant；　that　it　will　prove　to　be；　like　virtue；　a　reward　to　itself。

Venator。　Sir；　I　am　now　become　so　full　of　expectation；　that　I　long　much　to　have　you　proceed；　and　in　the　order　that　you　propose。

Piscator。　Then　first；　for　the　antiquity　of　Angling；　of　which　I　shall　not　say　much；　but　only　this；　some　say　it　is　as　ancient　as　Deucalion's　flood：　others；　that　Belus；　who　was　the　first　inventor　of　godly　and　virtuous　recreations；　was　the　first　inventor　of　Angling：　and　some　others　say；　for　former　times　have　had　their　disquisitions　about　the　antiquity　of　it；　that　Seth；　one　of　the　sons　of　Adam；　taught　it　to　his　sons；　and　that　by　them　it　was　derived　to　posterity：　others　say　that　he　left　it　engraver　on　those　pillars　which　he　erected；　and　trusted　to　preserve　the　knowledge　of　the　mathematicks；　musick；　and　the　rest　of　that　precious　knowledge；　and　those　useful　arts；　which　by　God's　appointment　or　allowance；　and　his　noble　industry；　were　thereby　preserved　from　perishing　in　Noah's　flood。

These；　Sir；　have　been　the　opinions　of　several　men；　that　have　possibly　endeavoured　to　make　angling　more　ancient　than　is　needful；　or　may　well　be　warranted；　but　for　my　part；　I　shall　content　myself　in　telling　you；　that　angling　is　much　more　ancient　than　the　incarnation　of　our　Saviour；　for　in　the　Prophet　Amos　mention　is　made　of　fish…hooks；　and　in　the　book　of　Job；　which　was　long　before　the　days　of　Amos；　for　that　book　is　said　to　have　been　written　by　Moses；　mention　is　made　also　of　fish…hooks；　which　must　imply　anglers　in　those　times。

But；　my　worthy　friend；　as　I　would　rather　prove　myself　a　gentleman；　by　being　learned　and　humble；　valiant　and　inoffensive；　virtuous　and　communicable；　than　by　any　fond　ostentation　of　riches；　or；　wanting　those　virtues　myself；　boast　that　these　were　in　my　ancestors；　and　yet　I　grant；　that　where　a　noble　and　ancient　descent　and　such　merit　meet　in　any　man；　it　is　a　double　dignification　of　that　person；　so　if　this　antiquity　of　angling；　which　for　my　part　I　have　not　forced；　shall；　like　an　ancient　family；　be　either　an　honour；　or　an　ornament　to　this　virtuous　art　which　I　profess　to　love　and　practice；　I　shall　be　the　gladder　that　I　made　an　accidental　mention　of　the　antiquity　of　it；　of　which　I　shall　say　no　more；　but　proceed　to　that　just　commendation　which　I　think　it　deserves。

And　for　that；　I　shall　tell　you；　that　in　ancient　times　a　debate　hath　risen；　and　it　remains　yet　unresolved；　whether　the　happiness　of　man　in　this　world　doth　consist　more　in　contemplation　or　action？　Concerning　which；　some　have　endeavoured　to　maintain　their　opinion　of　the　first；　by　saying；　that　the　nearer　we　mortals　come　to　God　by　way　of　imitation；　the　more　happy　we　are。　And　they　say；　that　God　enjoys　himself　only；　by　a　contemplation　of　his　own　infiniteness；　eternity；　power；　and　goodness；　and　the　like。　And　upon　this　ground；　many　cloisteral　men　of　great　learning　and　devotion；　prefer　contemplation　before　action。　And　many　of　the　fathers　seem　to　approve　this　opinion；　as　may　appear　in　their　commentaries　upon　the　words　of　our　Saviour　to　Martha。

And　on　the　contrary；　there　want　not　men　of　equal　authority　and　credit；　that　prefer　action　to　be　the　more　excellent；　as　namely；　experiments　in　physick；　and　the　application　of　it；　both　for　the　ease　and　prolongation　of　man's　life；　by　which　each　man　is　enabled　to　act　and　do　good　to　others；　either　to　serve　his　country；　or　do　good　to　particular　persons：　and　they　say　also；　that　action　is　doctrinal；　and　teaches　both　art　and　virtue；　and　is　a　maintainer　of　human　society；　and　for　these；　and　other　like　reasons；　to　be　preferred　before　contemplation。

Concerning　which　two　opinions　I　shall　forbear　to　add　a　third；　by　declaring　my　own；　and　rest　myself　contented　in　telling　you；　my　very　worthy　friend；　that　both　these　meet　together；　and　do　most　properly　belong　to　the　most　honest；　ingenuous；　quiet；　and　harmless　art　of　angling。

And　first；　I　shall　tell　you　what　some　have　observed；　and　I　have　found　it　to　be　a　real　truth；　that　the　very　sitting　by　the　river's　side　is　not　only　the　quietest　and　fittest　place　for　contemplation；　but　will　invite　an　angler　to　it：　and　this　seems　to　be　maintained　by　the　learned　Peter　du　Moulin；　who；　in　his　discourse　of　the　fulfilling　of　Prophecies；　observes；　that　when　God　intended　to　reveal　any　future　events　or　high　notions　to　his　prophets；　he　then　carried　them　either　to　the　deserts；　or　the　sea…shore；　that　having　so　separated　them　from　amidst　the　press　of　people　and　business；　and　the　cares　of　the　world；　he　might　settle　their　mind　in　a　quiet　repose；　and　there　make　them　fit　for　revelation。

And　this　seems　also　to　be　imitated　by　the　children　of　Israel；　who　having　in　a　sad　condition　banished　all　mirth　and　musick　from　their　pensive　hearts；　and　having　hung　up　their　then　mute　harps　upon　the　willow…trees　growing　by　the　rivers　of　Babylon；　sat　down　upon　those　banks；　bemoaning　the　ruins　of　Sion；　and　contemplating　their　own　sad　condition。

And　an　ingenious　Spaniard　says；　that　〃　rivers　and　the　inhabitants　of　the　watery　element　were　made　for　wise　men　to　contemplate；　and　fools　to　pass　by　without　consideration　〃。　And　though　I　will　not　rank　myself　in　the　number　of　the　first；　yet　give　me　leave　to　free　myself　from　the　last；　by　offering　to　you　a　short　contemplation；　first　of　rivers；　and　then　of　fish；　concerning　which　I　doubt　not　but　to　give　you　many　observations　that　will　appear　very　considerable：　I　am　sure　they　have　appeared　so　to　me；　and　made　many　an　hour　pass　away　more　pleasantly；　as　I　have　sat　quietly　on　a　flowery　bank　by　a　calm　river；　and　contemplated　what　I　shall　now　relate　to　you。

And　first　concerning　rivers；　there　be　so　many　wonders　reported　and　writte