Venator.Marry, and that you shall; and as freely as I would have my honest master tell me some more secrets of fish and fishing, as we walk and fish towards London to-morrow.But, master, first let me tell you, that very hour which you were absent from me, I sat down under a willow-tree by the water-side, and considered what you had told me of the owner of that pleasant meadow in which you then left me; that he had a plentiful estate, and not a heart to think so ; that he had at this time many law-suits depending; and that they both damped his mirth, and took up so much of his time and thoughts, that he himself had not leisure to take the sweet content that I, who pretended no title to them, took in his fields: for I could there sit quietly; and looking on the water, see some fishes sport themselves in the silver streams, others leaping at flies of several shapes and colours; looking on the hills, I could behold them spotted with woods and groves; looking down the meadows, could see, here a boy gathering lilies and lady-smocks, and there a girl cropping culverkeys and cowslips, all to make garlands suitable to this present month of May: these, and many other field flowers, so perfumed the air, that I thought that very meadow like that field in Sicily of which Diodorus speaks, where the perfumes arising from the place make all dogs that hunt in it to fall off, and to lose their hottest scent I say, as I thus sat, joying in my own happy condition, and pitying this poor rich man that owned this and many other pleasant groves and meadows about me, I did thankfully remember what my Saviour said, that the meek possess the earth; or rather, they enjoy what the others possess, and enjoy not; for anglers and meek quiet-spirited men are free from those high, those restless thoughts, which corrode the sweets of life; and they, and they only, can say, as the poet has happily express it,Hail ! blest estate of lowliness;Happy enjoyments of such minds As, rich in self-contentedness, Can, like the reeds, in roughest winds, By yielding make that blow but small At which proud oaks and cedars fall.
There came also into my mind at that time certain verses in praise of a mean estate and humble mind: they were written by Phineas Fletcher, an excellent divine, and an excellent angler; and the author of excellent Piscatory Eclogues, in which you shall see the picture of this good man's mind: and I wish mine to be like it.
No empty hopes, no courtly fears him fright;No begging wants his middle fortune bite:
But sweet content exiles both misery and spite.
His certain life, that never can deceive him, Is full of thousand sweets and rich content The smooth-leav'd beeches in the field receive him, With coolest shade, till noon-tide's heat be spent.
His life is neither tost in boisterous, seas, Or the vexatious world, or lost in slothful ease;Please and full blest he lives when he his God can please.
His bed, more safe than soft, yields quiet sleeps, While by his side his faithful spouse teas place His little son into his bosom creeps, The lively picture of his father's face.
His humble house or poor state ne'er torment him Less he could like, if less his God had lent him;And when he dies, green turfs do for a tomb content him,Gentlemen, these were a part of the thoughts that then possessed me.
And I there made a conversion of a piece of an old catch, and added more to it, fitting them to be sung by us anglers.Come, Master, you can sing well: you must sing a part of it.as it is in this paper.
Man's life is but vain, for 'tis subject to pain, And sorrow, and short as a bubble;'Tis a hodge-podge of business, and money, and care, And care, and money, and trouble.
But we'll take no care when the weather proves fair;Nor will we vex now though it rain;
We'll banish all sorrow, and sing till to-morrow, And angle.and angle again.
Peter.I marry, Sir, this is musick indeed; this has cheer'd my heart, and made me remember six verses in praise of musick, which I will speak to you instantly.
Musick ! miraculous rhetorick, thou speak'st sense Without a tongue, excelling eloquence ;With what ease might thy errors be excus'd, Wert thou as truly lov'd as th' art abus'd!
But though dull souls neglect, and some reprove thee, I cannot hate thee, 'cause the Angels love thee.
Venator.And the repetition of these last verses of musick has called to my memory what Mr.Edmund Waller, a lover of the angle, says of love and musick Whilst I listen to thy voice, Chloris! I feel my heart decay That powerful voice Calls my fleeting soul away:
Oh! suppress that magic sound, Which destroys without a wound.
Peace, Chloris! peace, or singing die, That together you and ITo heaven may go;
For all we know Of what the blessed do above Is, that they sing, and that they love.
Piscator.Well remembered, brother Peter; these verses came seasonably, and we thank you heartily.Come, we will all join together, my host and all, and sing my scholar's catch over again; and then each man drink the tother cup, and to bed; and thank God we have a dry house over our heads.
Piscator.Well, now, good-night to everybody.Peter.And so say I.
Venator.And so say I.
Coridon.Good-night to you all; and I thank you.
The FIFTH day.
Piscator.Good-morrow, brother Peter, and the like to you, honest Coridon.
Come, my hostess says there is seven shillings to pay: let's each man drink a pot for his morning's draught, and lay down his two shillings, so that my hostess may not have occasion to repent herself of being so diligent, and using us so kindly.
Peter.The motion is liked by everybody, and so, hostess, here's your money: we anglers are all beholden to you; it will not be long ere I'll see you again; and now, brother Piscator, I wish you, and my brother your scholar, a fair day and good fortune.Come, Coridon, this is our way.