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小说: the complete angler 字数: 每页4000字

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Venator。 Sir; I; for my part; shall almost answer your hopes; for my purpose is to drink my morning's draught at the Thatched House in Hoddesden; and I think not to rest till I come thither; where I have appointed a friend or two to meet me: but for this gentleman that you see with me; I know not how far he intends his journey; he came so lately into my company; that I have scarce had time to ask him the question。

Auceps。 Sir; I shall by your favour bear you company as far as Theobalds; and there leave you; for then I turn up to a friend's house; who mews a Hawk for me; which I now long to see。

Venator。 Sir; we are all so happy as to have a fine; fresh; cool morning; and I hope we shall each be the happier in the others' company。 And; Gentlemen; that I may not lose yours; I shall either abate or amend my pace to enjoy it; knowing that; as the Italians say; 〃 Good company in a journey makes the way to seem the shorter 〃。

Auceps。 It may do so; Sir; with the help of good discourse; which; methinks; we may promise from you; that both look and speak so cheerfully: and for my part; I promise you; as an invitation to it; that I will be as free and open hearted as discretion will allow me to be with strangers。

Venator。 And; Sir; I promise the like。

Piscator。 I am right glad to hear your answers; and; in confidence you speak the truth; I shall put on a boldness to ask you; Sir; whether business or pleasure caused you to be so early up; and walk so fast ? for this other gentleman hath declared he is going to see a hawk; that a friend mews for him

Venator。 Sir; mine is a mixture of both; a little business and more pleasure; for I intend this day to do all my business; and then bestow another day or two in hunting the Otter; which a friend; that I go to meet; tells me is much pleasanter than any other chase whatsoever: howsoever; I mean to try it; for to…morrow morning we shall meet a pack of Otter…dogs of noble Mr。 Sadler's; upon Amwell Hill; who will be there so early; that they intend to prevent the sunrising。

Piscator。 Sir; my fortune has answered my desires; and my purpose is to bestow a day or two in helping to destroy some of those villanous vermin: for I hate them perfectly; because they love fish so well; or rather; because they destroy so much; indeed so much; that; in my judgment all men that keep Otter…dogs ought to have pen〃 signs from the King; to encourage them to destroy the very breed of those base Otters; they do so much mischief。

Venator。 But what say you to the Foxes of the Nation; would not you as willingly have them destroyed ? for doubtless they do as much mischief as Otters do。

Piscator。 Oh; Sir; if they do; it is not so much to me and my fraternity; as those base vermin the Otters do。

Auceps。 Why; Sir; I pray; of what fraternity are you; that you are so angry with the poor Otters?

Piscator。 I am; Sir; a Brother of the Angle; and therefore an enemy to the Otter: for you are to note; that we Anglers all love one another; and therefore do I hate the Otter both for my own; and their sakes who are of my brotherhood。

Venator。 And I am a lover of Hounds; I have followed many a pack of dogs many a mile; and heard many merry Huntsmen make sport and scoff at Anglers。

Auceps。 And I profess myself a Falconer; and have heard many grave; serious men pity them; it is such a heavy; contemptible; dull recreation。

Piscator。 You know; Gentlemen; it is an easy thing to scoff at any art or recreation; a little wit mixed with ill nature; confidence; and malice; will do it; but though they often venture boldly; yet they are often caught; even in their own trap; according to that of Lucian; the father of the family of Scoffers:

Lucian; well skilled in scoffing; this hath writ; Friend; that's your folly; which you think your wit: This you vent oft; void both of wit and fear; Meaning another; when yourself you jeer。

If to this you add what Solomon says of Scoffers; that they are an abomination to mankind; let him that thinks fit scoff on; and be a Scoffer still; but I account them enemies to me and all that love Virtue and Angling。

And for you that have heard many grave; serious men pity Anglers; let me tell you; Sir; there be many men that are by others taken to be serious and grave men; whom we contemn and pity Men that are taken to be grave; because nature hath made them of a sour complexion; money…getting men; men that spend all their time; first in getting; and next; in anxious care to keep it; men that are condemned to be rich; and then always busy or discontented: for these poor rich…men; we Anglers pity them perfectly; and stand in no need to borrow their thoughts to think ourselves so happy。 No; no; Sir; we enjoy a contentedness above the reach of such dispositions; and as the learned and ingenuous Montaigne says; like himself; freely; 〃 When my Cat and I entertain each other with mutual apish tricks; as playing with a garter; who knows but that I make my Cat more sport than she makes me? Shall I conclude her to be simple; that has her time to begin or refuse; to play as freely as I myself have? Nay; who knows but that it is a defect of my not understanding her language; for doubtless Cats talk and reason with one another; that we agree no better: and who knows but that she pities me for being no wiser than to play with her; and laughs and censures my folly; for making sport for her; when we two play together?〃

Thus freely speaks Montaigne concerning Cats; and I hope I may take as great a liberty to blame any man; and laugh at him too; let him be never so grave; that hath not heard what Anglers can say in the justification of their Art and Recreation; which I may again tell you; is so full of pleasure; that we need not borrow their thoughts; to think ourselves happy。

Venator。 Sir; you have almost amazed me; for though I am no Scoffer; yet I have; I pray let me speak it without offence; always looked upon Anglers; as more patient; and more simple men; than I fear I shall find you to be。

Piscator。 Sir; I hope you will not judge my earnestness to be impatience: and for my simplicity; if by that you mean a harmlessness; or that simplicity which was usually found in the primitive Christians; who were; as most Anglers are; quiet men; and followers of peace; men that were so simply wise; as not to sell their consciences to buy riches; and with them vexation and a fear to die; if you mean such simple men as lived in those times when there were fewer lawyers; when men might have had a lordship safe'y conveyed to them in a piece of parchment no bigger than your hand; though several sheets will not do it safely in this wiser age; I say; Sir; if you take us Anglers to be such simple men as I have spoke of; then myself and those of my profession will be glad to be so understood: But if by simplicity you meant to express a general defect in those that profess and practice the excellent Art of Angling; I hope in time to disabuse you; and make the contrary appear so evidently; that if you will but have patience to hear me; I shall remove all the anticipations that discourse; or time; or prejudice; have possessed you with against that laudable and ancient Art; for I know it is worthy the knowledge and practice of a wise man。

But; Gentlemen; though I be able to do this; I am not so unmannerly as to engross all the discourse to myself; and; therefore; you two having declared yourselves; the one to be a lover of Hawks; the other of Hounds; I shall be most glad to hear what you can say in the commendation of that recreation which each of you love and practice; and having heard what you can say; I shall be glad to exercise your attention with what I can say concerning my own recreation and Art of Angling; and by this means we shall make the way to seem the shorter: and if you like my motion; I would have Mr。 Falconer to begin。

Auceps。 Your motion is consented to with all my heart; and to testify it; I will begin as you have desired me。

And first; for the Element that I use to trade in; which is the Air; an element of more worth than weight; an element that doubtless exceeds both the Earth and Water; for though I sometimes deal in both; yet the air is most properly mine; I and my Hawks use that most; and it yields us most recreation。 It stops not the high soaring of my noble; generous Falcon; in it she ascends to such a height as the dull eyes of beasts and fish are not able to reach to; their bodies are too gross for such high elevations; in the Air my troops of Hawks soar up on high; and when they are lost in the sight of men; then they attend upon and converse with the Gods; therefore I think my Eagle is so justly styled Jove's servant in ordinary: and that very Falcon; that I am now going to see; deserves no meaner a title; for she usually in her flight endangers herself; like the son of Daedalus; to have her wings scorched by the sun's heat; she flies so near it; but her mettle makes her careless of danger; for she then heeds nothing; but makes her nimble pinions cut the fluid air; and so makes her highway over the steepest mountains and deepest rivers; and in her glorious career looks with contempt upon those high steeples and magnificent palaces which we adore and wonder at; from which he

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