the complete angler-第18节

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cially　against　rain：　the　Oak…fly；　on　the　butt　or　body　of　an　oak　or　ash；　from　the　beginning　of　May　to　the　end　of　August；　it　is　a　brownish　fly　and　easy　to　be　so　found；　and　stands　usually　with　his　head　downward；　that　is　to　say；　towards　the　root　of　the　tree：　the　small　black…fly；　or　Hawthorn…fly；　is　to　be　had　on　any　hawthorn　bush　after　the　leaves　be　come　forth。　With　these　and　a　short　line；　as　I　shewed　to　angle　for　a　Chub；　you　may　cape　or　cop；　and　also　with　a　grasshopper；　behind　a　tree；　or　in　any　deep　hole；　still　making　it　to　move　on　the　top　of　the　water　as　if　it　were　alive；　and　still　keeping　yourself　out　of　sight；　you　shall　certainly　have　sport　if　there　be　Trouts；　yea；　in　a　hot　day；　but　especially　in　the　evening　of　a　hot　day；　you　will　have　sport。

And　now；　scholar；　my　direction　for　fly…fishing　is　ended　with　this　shower；　for　it　has　done　raining。　And　now　look　about　you；　and　see　how　pleasantly　that　meadow　looks；　nay；　and　the　earth　smells　so　sweetly　too。　Come　let　me　tell　you　what　holy　Mr。　Herbert　says　of　such　days　and　flowers　as　these；　and　then　we　will　thank　God　that　we　enjoy　them；　and　walk　to　the　river　and　sit　down　quietly；　and　try　to　catch　the　other　place　of　Trouts。

Sweet　day；　so　cool；　so　calm；　so　bright；　The　bridal　of　the　earth　and　sky；　Sweet　dews　shall　weep　thy　fall　to…night；　For　thou　must　die。　Sweet　rose；　whose　hue；　angry　and　brave；　Bids　the　rash　gazer　wipe　his　eye；　Thy　root　is　ever　in　its　grave；　And　thou　must　die。

Sweet　spring；　full　of　sweet　days　and　roses；　A　box　where　sweets　compacted　lie；　My　music　shews　you　have　your　closes；　And　all　must　die。

Only　a　sweet　and　virtuous　soul；　Like　season'd　timber；　never　gives；　But　when　the　whole　world　turns　to　coal；　Then　chiefly　lives。

Venator。　I　thank　you；　good　master；　for　your　good　direction　for　fly…　fishing；　and　for　the　sweet　enjoyment　of　the　pleasant　day；　which　is　so　far　spent　without　offence　to　God　or　man：　and　I　thank　you　for　the　sweet　close　of　your　discourse　with　Mr。　Herbert's　verses；　who；　I　have　heard；　loved　angling；　and　I　do　the　rather　believe　it；　because　he　had　a　spirit　suitable　to　anglers；　and　to　those　primitive　Christians　that　you　love；　and　have　so　much　commended。

Piscator。　Well；　my　loving　scholar；　and　I　am　pleased　to　know　that　you　are　so　well　pleased　with　my　direction　and　discourse。

And　since　you　like　these　verses　of　Mr。　Herbert's　so　well；　let　me　tell　you　what　a　reverend　and　learned　divine　that　professes　to　imitate　him；　and　has　indeed　done　so　most　excellently；　hath　writ　of　our　book　of　Common　Prayer；　which　I　know　you　will　like　the　better；　because　he　is　a　friend　of　mine；　and　I　am　sure　no　enemy　to　angling。

What　！　Pray'r　by　th'　book　？　and　Common　？　Yes；　Why　not　？

The　spirit　of　grace　And　supplication　Is　not　left　free　alone　For　time　and　place；　But　manner　too：　to　read；　or　speak；　by　rote；　Is　all　alike　to　him　that　prays；　In's　heart。　what　with　his　mouth　he　says。

They　that　in　private；　by　themselves　alone；　Do　pray；　may　take　What　liberty　they　please；　In　chusing　of　the　ways　Wherein　to　make　Their　soul's　most　intimate　affections　known　To　him　that　sees　in　secret；　when　Th'　are　most　conceal'd　from　other　men。

But　he；　that　unto　others　leads　the　way　In　public　prayer；　Should　do　it　so；　As　all；　that　hear；　may　know　They　need　not　fear　To　tune　their　hearts　unto　his　tongue；　and　say　Amen；　not　doubt　they　were　betray'd　To　blaspheme；　when　they　meant　to　have　pray'd。

Devotion　will　add　life　unto　the　letter：　And　why　should　not　That；　which　authority　Prescribes；　esteemed　be　Advantage　got　？　If　th'　prayer　be　good；　the　commoner　the　better；　Prayer　in　the　Church's　words；　as　well　As　sense；　of　all　prayers　bears　the　bell。

And　now；　scholar；　I　think　it　will　be　time　to　repair　to　our　angle…rods；　which　we　left　in　the　water　to　fish　for　themselves；　and　you　shall　choose　which　shall　be　yours；　and　it　is　an　even　lay；　one　of　them　catches。

And；　let　me　tell　you；　this　kind　of　fishing　with　a　dead　rod；　and　laying　night…hooks；　are　like　putting　money　to　use；　for　they　both　work　for　the　owners　when　they　do　nothing　but　sleep；　or　eat；　or　rejoice；　as　you　know　we　have　done　this　last　hour；　and　sat　as　quietly　and　as　free　from　cares　under　this　sycamore；　as　Virgil's　Tityrus　and　his　Meliboeus　did　under　their　broad　beech…tree。　No　life；　my　honest　scholar；　no　life　so　happy　and　so　pleasant　as　the　life　of　a　well…governed　angler；　for　when　the　lawyer　is　swallowed　up　with　business；　and　the　statesman　is　preventing　or　contriving　plots；　then　we　sit　on　cowslip…banks；　hear　the　birds　sing；　and　possess　ourselves　in　as　much　quietness　as　these　silent　silver　streams；　which　we　now　see　glide　so　quietly　by　us。　Indeed；　my　good　scholar；　we　may　say　of　angling；　as　Dr。　Boteler　said　of　strawberries；　〃　Doubtless　God　could　have　made　a　better　berry；　but　doubtless　God　never　did　〃；　and　so；　if　I　might　be　judge；　God　never　did　make　a　more　calm；　quiet；　innocent　recreation　than　angling。

I'll　tell　you；　scholar；　when　I　sat　last　on　this　primrose…bank；　and　looked　down　these　meadows；　I　thought　of　them　as　Charles　the　emperor　did　of　the　city　of　Florence：　〃　That　they　were　too　pleasant　to　be　looked　on；　but　only　on　holy…days　〃。　As　I　then　sat　on　this　very　grass；　I　turned　my　present　thoughts　into　verse：　'twas　a　Wish；　which　I'll　repeat　to　you：…

The　Angler's　wish。

I　in　these　flowery　meads　would　be：　These　crystal　streams　should　solace　me；　To　whose　harmonious　bubbling　noise　I　with　my　Angle　would　rejoice：　Sit　here；　and　see　the　turtle…dove　Court　his　chaste　mate　to　acts　of　love：

Or；　on　that　bank；　feel　the　west　wind　Breathe　health　and　plenty：　please　my　mind；　To　see　sweet　dew…drops　kiss　these　flowers；　And　then　washed　off　by　April　showers：　Here；　hear　my　Kenna　sing　a　song；　There。　see　a　blackbird　feed　her　young。

Or　a　leverock　build　her　nest：　Here；　give　my　weary　spirits　rest；　And　raise　my　low…pitch'd　thoughts　above　Earth；　or　what　poor　mortals　love：　Thus；　free　from　law…suits　and　the　noise　Of　princes'　courts；　I　would　rejoice：

Or；　with　my　Bryan；　and　a　book；　Loiter　long　days　near　Shawford…brook；　There　sit　by　him；　and　eat　my　meat；　There　see　the　sun　both　rise　and　set：　There　bid　good　morning　to　next　day；There　meditate　my　time　away；　And　Angle　on；　and　beg　to　have　A　quiet　passage　to　a　welcome　grave。

When　I　had　ended　this　composure；　I　left　this　place；　and　saw　a　brother　of　the　angle　sit　under　that　honeysuckle　hedge；　one　that　will　prove　worth　your　acquaintance。　I　sat　down　by　him；　and　presently　we　met　with　an　accidental　piece　of　merriment；　which　I　will　relate　to　you；　for　it　rains　still。

On　the　other　side　of　this　very　hedge　sat　a　gang　of　gypsies；　and　near　to　them　sat　a　gang　of　beggars。　The　gypsies　were　then　to　divide　all　the　money　that　had　been　got　that　week；　either　by　stealing　linen　or　poultry；　or　by　fortune…telling　or　legerdemain；　or；　indeed；　by　any　other　sleights　and　secrets　belonging　to　their　mysterious　government。　And　the　sum　that　was　got　that　week　proved　to　be　but　twenty　and　some　odd　shillings。　The　odd　money　was　agreed　to　be　distributed　amongst　the　poor　of　their　own　corporation：　and　for　the　remaining　twenty　shillings；　that　was　to　be　divided　unto　four　gentlemen　gypsies；　according　to　their　several　degrees　in　their　commonwealth。　And　the　first　or　chiefest　gypsy　was；　by　consent；　to　have　a　third　part　of　the　twenty　shillings；　which　all　men　know　is　6s。　8d。　The　second　was　to　have　a　fourth　part　of　the　20s。；　which　all　men　know　to　be　5s。　The　third　was　to　have　a　fifth　part　of　the　20s。；　which　all　men　know　to　be　4s。　The　fourth　and　last　gypsy　was　to　have　a　sixth　part　of　the　20s。；　which　all　men　know　to　be　3s。　4d。

As　for　example；　3　times　6s。　8d。　are　20s。　And　so　is　4　times　5s。　are　20s。　And　so　is　5　times　4s。　are　20s。　And　so　is　6　times　3s。　4d。　are　20s。

And　yet　he　that　divided　the　money　was　so　very　a　gypsy；　that　though　he　gave　to　every　one　these　said　sums；　yet　he　kept　one　shilling　of　it　for　himself

As；　for　example；　　　　s。　　　d。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　6　　　8　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　5　　　0　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　4　　　0　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　3　　　4

make　but　。　。　。　。　。　。　　19　　　0

But　now　you　shall　know；　that　when　the　four　gypsies　saw　that　he　had　got　one　shilling　by　dividing　the　money；　though　not　one　of　them　knew　any　reason　to　demand　more；　yet；　like　lords　and　courtiers；　every　gypsy　envied　him　that　was　the　gainer；　and　wrangled　with　him；　and　every　one　said　the　remaining　shilling　belonged　to　him；　and　so　they　fell　to　so　high　a　contest　about　it；　as　none　that　knows　the　faithfulness　of　one　gypsy　to　another　will　easily　believe；　only　we　that　have　lived　these　last　twenty　years　are　certain　that　money　has　been　able　to　do　much　mischief。　However；　the　gypsies　were　too　wise　to　go　to　law；　and　did　therefore　choose　their　choice　friends　Rook　and　Shark；　and　our　late　English　Gusman；　to　be　their　arbitrators　and　umpires。　And　so　they　left　this　honeysuckle　hedge；　and　went　to　tell　fortunes　and　cheat；　and　get　more　money　and　lodging　in　the　next　village。

When　these　were　gone；　we　heard　as　high　a　contention　amongst　the　beggars；　whether　it　was　easiest　to　rip　a　cloak；　or　to　unrip　a　cloak　？　One　beggar　affirmed　it　was　all　one：　but　that　was　denied；　by　asking　her；　If　doing　and　undoing　were　all　one？　Then　another　said；　'twas　easiest　to　unrip　a　cloak；　for　that　was　to　let　it　alone：　but　she　was　answered；　by　asking　her；　how　she　unript　it　if　she　let　it　alone　？　and　she　confess　herself　mistaken。　These　and　twen