like sunbeams in the rainbow, and scoured along the moor! All was wonderful and wild, and what eager rapture leapt at our hearts, when the Tarcel flew aloft, and kept circling in the air till the game was sprung, and then the flight of fury and of fear! But we forget ourselves, and therefore say, in the words of Auceps

But lest I should break the rules of civility with you, by taking up more than the proportion of time allotted to me, I will here break off, and entreat you, Mr Venator, to say what you are able in the commendation of Hunting, to which you are so much affected."

Venator now takes up the argument, and following the same train of reasoning with Auceps, who began with eulogizing the air, he pronounces the following brief panegyric on the earth :

“Well, sir, and I will now take my turn, and will first begin with a commendation of the Earth, as you have done most excellently of the Air; the earth being that element upon which I drive my pleasant, wholesome, hungry trade. The earth is a solid, settled element; an element most universally beneficial both to man and beast to men who have their several recreations upon it, as Horse-races, Hunting, sweet smells, pleasant walks; the Earth feeds man, and all those several beasts that both feed him, and afford him recreation : What pleasure doth man take in hunting the stately Stag, the generous Buck, the Wild Boar, the cunning Otter, the crafty Fox, and the fearful Hare? And if I may descend to a lower game, what pleasure is it sometimes with gins to betray the very vermin of the earth? as namely, the Fichat, the Fulimart, the Ferret, the Polecat, the Mouldwarp, and the like creatures that live upon the face, and within the bowels of the earth? How doth the earth bring forth herbs, flowers, and fruits, both for physic and the pleasures of mankind? and above all, to me at least, the fruitful Vine, of which, when I drink moderately, it clears my brain, cheers my heart, and sharpens my wit. How could Cleopatra have feasted Mark Antony with eight Wild Boars roasted whole at one supper, and other meat suitable, if the earth had not been a bountiful mother? But to pass by the mighty Elephant, which the earth breeds and nourisheth, and descend to the least of creatures, how doth the earth afford us a doctrinal example in the little Pismire, who in the Summer provides and lays up her Winter provision, and teaches man to do the like? The earth feeds and carries those horses that carry us. If I would be prodigal of my time and your patience, what might pot I say in commendations of the earth? that puts limits to the proud

and raging sea, and by that means preserves both man and beast that it destroys them not, as we see it daily doth those that venture upon the sea, and are there shipwrecked, drowned, and left to feed Haddocks; when we that are so wise as to keep ourselves on earth, walk, and talk, and live, and eat, and drink, and go a hunting: of which recreation I will say a little, and then leave Mr Piscator to the commendation of Angling."

Having thus extolled hunting as a game for princes and noble persons, observing that it was one of the qualifications that Xenophon bestowed on his Cyrus, that he was a hunter of wild beasts, and that hunting trains up the younger nobility to the use of manly exercises in their riper age, Venator sounds the praises of his pack.

"And for the dogs that we use, who can commend their excellency to that height which they deserve? how perfect is the Hound at smelling, who never leaves or forsakes his first scent, but follows it through so many changes and varieties of other scents, even over, and in the water, and into the earth? What music doth a pack of dogs then make to any man, whose heart and ears are so happy as to be set to the tune of such instruments? How will a right Greyhound fix his eye on the best Buck in a herd, single him out, and follow him, and him only, through a whole herd of rascal game, and still know and then kill him? For my Hounds, I know the language of them, and they know the language and meaning of one another, as perfectly as we know the voices of those with whom we discourse daily."

It is now Piscator's turn to speak; and, following the example of his two friends, he first of all pronounces a very long and a very learned eulogy on the element of earth. When that is finished, he exclaims,

"PISC. 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 art worth your learning: the question is rather, whether you be capable of learning it? for Angling is somewhat like Poetry, men are to be born so: 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 practised it, then doubt not but Angling will prove to be so pleasant, that it will prove to be like virtue, a reward to itself."

Piscator then descants on the antiquity of angling, remarking, that some say it is as ancient as Deucalion's flood; some that Belus was the inventor of it; while others maintain, 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 it was engraven on those pillars which he erected, and trusted to preserve the knowledge of the mathematics, music, 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." After a good deal more to the same purpose, Piscator, from treating the subject historically, turns to the philosophy of the occupation:

"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 endea voured 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, (Luke x, 41, 42.)

"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 physic, 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 humane 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 ri

ver'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 Pet. Du Moulin, who in his discoursing 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 intimated

by the Children of Israel, (Psal. 137,) who having in a sad condition banished all mirth and music from their pensive hearts, and having hung up their then mute harps of Babylon, sat down upon those banks upon the willow-trees growing by the rivers 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."

concern

Piscator now discourses 66 ing rivers" most eruditely indeed, and must no doubt have astonished Venator and Auceps, who were not very learned persons. The grand conclusion he draws from this vast display of authorities, is, that

"In the Scripture, Angling is always taken in the best sense, and that though Hunting may be sometimes so taken, yet it is but seldom to be so understood. And let me add this more, he that views the ancient Ecclesiastical Canons, shall find hunting to be forbidden to Churchmen, as being a turbulent, toilsome, perplexing recreation; and shall find Angling allowed to Clergymen, as being a harmless recreation, a recreation that invites them to contemplation and quietness."

Nothing in the whole volume is more characteristic of Walton's style than the following quotation. We wish we could also quote the effigy of old Dr Nowel; but we want the woodcut-block-so, gentle reader; look at George Buchanan on our cover, and you will have a tolerably good idea of

the phiz of the honest angling "Dean of the Cathedral Church of St Paul's in London, 1550." By the way, we wonder if George Buchanan was an angler. Is there anything about it in his Latin poems? We hope that we are not shewing our ignorance in putting this query.

“I might here enlarge myself by telling you, what commendations our learned Perkins bestows on Angling: and how dear a lover, and great a practiser of it our learned Doctor Whitaker was, as indeed many others of great learning have been. But I will content myself with two memorable men, that lived near to our own time, whom I also take to have been ornaments to the art of Angling.

"The first is Doctor Nowell, some time Dean of the Cathedral Church of St Paul's in London, where his monument stands yet undefaced: a man that in the Reformation of Queen Elizabeth, not that of Henry VIII., was so noted for his meek spirit, deep learning, prudence and piety, that the then Parliament and Convocation both, chose, enjoined, and trusted him to be the man to make a Catechism for public use, such a one as should stand as a rule for faith and manners to their posterity. And the good old man, though he was very learned, yet knowing that God leads us not to heaven by many nor by hard questions, like an honest Angler, made that good, plain, unperplexed Catechism which is printed with our good old ServiceBook. I say, this good man was a dear lover, and constant practiser of Angling, as any age can produce; and his custom was to spend besides his fixed hours of prayer, those hours which by command of the Church were enjoined the Clergy, and voluntarily dedicated to devotion by many primitive Christians: I say, besides those hours, this good man was observed to spend a tenth part of his time in Angling; and also, for I have conversed with those which have conversed with him, to bestow a tenth part of his revenue, and usually all his fish, amongst the poor that inhabited near to those rivers in which it was caught; saying often, That Charity gave life to Religion and at his return to his house would praise God he had spent that day free from worldly trouble; both harmlessly, and in a recreation that became a Churchman. And this good man was well content, if not desirous, that posterity should know he was an Angler, as may appear by his picture, now to be seen, and carefully kept in Brazen-nose College, to which he was a liberal benefactor, in which picture he is drawn leaning on a desk with his Bible before him, and on one hand of him his lines, hooks, and other tackling lying in a round; and on his other hand are his Angle-rods of several sorts: and

by them this is written, That he died 13 Feb. 1601, being aged 95 years, 44 of which he had been Dean of St Paul's Church; and that his age had neither impaired his hearing, nor dimmed his eyes, nor weakened his memory, nor made any of the faculties of his mind weak or useless.' 'Tis said that Angling and Temperance were great causes of these blessings, and I wish the like to all that imitate him, and love the memory of so good

a man.

"My next and last example shall be that under-valuer of money, the late Provost of Eton College, Sir Henry Wotton, a man with whom I have often fished and conversed, a man whose foreign employments in the service of this nation, and whose experience, learning, wit, and cheerfulness, made his company to be esteemed one of the delights of mankind: this man, whose very approbation of Angling were sufficient to convince any modest censurer of it, this man was also a most dear lover, and a frequent practiser of the art of Angling; of which he would say, 'Twas an employment for his idle time, which was then not idly spent:' for Angling was, after tedious study, a rest to his mind, a cheerer of his spirits, a diverter of sadness, a calmer of unquiet thoughts, a moderator of passions, a procurer of contentedness :' and that it begat habits of peace and patience in those that professed and prac tised it.' Indeed, my friend, you will find Angling to be like the virtue of Humility, which has a calmness of spirit, and a world of other blessings attending upon it.

"Sir, this was the saying of that learned man, and I do easily believe that peace, and patience, and a calm content, did cohabit in the cheerful heart of Sir Henry Wotton, because I know that when he was beyond seventy years of age, he made this description of a part of the present pleasure that possessed him, as he sat quietly in a Summer's evening on a bank a-fishing; it is a description of the Spring, which, because it glided as soft and sweetly from his pen, as that river does at this time, by which it was then made, I shall repeat it unto

you.

"This day dame Nature seem'd in love;
The lusty sap began to move;
Fresh juice did stir th' embracing vines,
And birds had drawn their valentines;
The jealous Trout, that low did lie,
Rose at a well dissembled fly;
There stood my friend with patient skill,
Attending of his trembling quill.
Already were the eaves possest
With the swift Pilgrim's daubed nest:
The groves already did rejoice,
In Philomel's triumphing voice:
The showers were short, the weather mild,
The morning fresh, the evening smil'd.

Joan takes her neat rub'd pail, and now She trips to milk the sand-red cow;

Where, for some sturdy foot-ball swain
Joan strokes a syllabub or twain.
The fields and gardens were beset
With Tulips, Crocus, Violet ;

And now, though late, the modest Rose
Did more than half a blush disclose.
Thus all looks gay, and full of cheer,
To welcome the new livery'd year."

"These were the thoughts that then possessed the undisturbed mind of Sir Henry Wotton. Will you hear the wish of another Angler, and the commendation of his happy life, which he also sings in verse? viz. Jo. Davors, Esq.;

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 Dace,

And on the World and my Creator think; Whilst some men strive ill gotten goods t'embrace,

And others spend their time in base ex

cess

Of wine, or worse, in war and wanton

ness.

Let them that list these pastimes still pur

sue,

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;
Among the Daisies and the Violets blue,
Red Hyacinth, and yellow Daffodil,
Purple Narcissus like the morning rays,
Pale Gander-grass, and azure Culver-
keys.

I count it higher pleasure to behold
The stately compass of the lofty 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 roll'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 enclos'd with rivers running

Sir, I am glad my memory has not lost these last verses, because they are somewhat more pleasant and more suitable to May-day, than my harsh discourse, and I am glad your patience hath held out so long, as to hear them and me; for both of them have brought us within the sight of the Thatched-house: and I must be your debtor, if you think it worth your attention, for the rest of my promised discourse, till some other opportunity, and a like time of leisure.

That

"VEN. Sir, you have angled me on with much pleasure to the Thatched-house, and I now find your words true, good company makes the way seem short;' for, trust me, sir, I thought we had wanted three miles of this house till you shewed it to me; but now we are at it, we'll turn into it, and refresh ourselves with a cup of drink, and a little rest.

"Pisc. Most gladly, sir, and we'll drink a civil cup to all the Otter hunters that are to meet you to-morrow.

"VEN. That we will, sir; and to all the lovers of Angling too, of which number I am now willing to be one myself; for by the help of your good discourse and company, I have put on new thoughts both of the art of Angling, and of all that profess it; and if you will but meet me tomorrow, at the time and place appointed, and bestow one day with me and my friends in hunting the Otter, I will dedicate the next two days to wait upon you, and we two will for that time do nothing but Angle, and talk of fish and fishing.

"Pisc. "Tis a match, sir; I'll not fail you, God willing, to be at Amwell-hill tomorrow morning before Sun-rising."

Next day the three friends meet, and Piscator undertakes to initiate Venator and Auceps into the mysterious craft of angling. Fain would we extract largely, but where should we stop? For we hear the very rustling of the reeds, we smell the field-flowers, and not a fish leaps that we do not list