the complete angler-第7部分

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　Angling　as　a　principal　recreation。　And　let　me　tell　you；　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。

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　Dr。　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　Dr。　Nowel；　sometime　dean　of　the　cathedral　church　of　St。　Paul；　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　Service…book。　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　ninety…five　years；　forty…　four　of　which　he　had　been　Dean　of　St。　Paul's　church；　and　that　his　age　neither　impaired　his　hearing；　nor　dimmed　his　eyes；　nor　weakened　his　memory；　nor　made　any　of　the　faculties　of　his　mind　weak　or　useless〃。　It　is　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；　〃　it　was　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　practiced　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　eves　possess　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…rubb'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　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　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　inclos'd　with　rivers　running　round；　These　rivers　making　way　through　nature's　chains；　With　headlong　course；　into　the　sea　profound；　The　raging　sea；　beneath　the　vallies　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；　Do　welcome　with　their　quire　the　summer's　Queen；　The　meadows　fair；　where　Flora's　gifts；　among　Are　intermix〃；　with　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　therein　no　little　delectation；　To　think　how　strange；　how　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。

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　together　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。

Venator。　Sir；　you　have　angled　me　on　with　much　pleasure　to　the　Thatched　House；　and　I　now　find　your　words　true；　〃　that　good　company　makes　the　way　seem　short　〃；　for　trust　me；　Sir；　I　thought　we　had　wanted　three　miles　of　this　house；　till　you　showed　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

Piscator。　Most　gladly；　Sir；　and　we'll　drink　a　civil　cup　to　all　the　Otter…　hunters　that　are　to　meet　you　to…morrow。

Venator。　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　to…morrow　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　too　will；　for　that　time；　do　nothing　but　angle；　and　talk　of　fish　and　fishing。

Piscator。　It　is　a　match；　Sir；　I　will　not　fail　you；　God　willing；　to　be　at　Amwell　Hill　to…morrow　morning　before　sun…rising。





The　second　day

On　the　Otter　and　the　Chub

Chapter　II

Piscator；　Venator；　Huntsman；　and　Hostess

Venator。　My　friend　Piscator；　you　have　kept　time　with　my　thoughts；　for　the　sun　is　just　rising；　and　I　myself　just　now　come　to　this　place；　and　the　dogs　have　just　now　put　down　an　Otter。　Look　！　down　at　the　bottom　of　the　hill　there；　in　that　meadow；　chequered　with　water…lilies　and　lady…　smocks；　there　you　may　see　what　work　they　make；　look！　look！　you　may　see　all　busy；　men　and　dogs；　dogs　and　men；　all　busy。

Piscato