the complete angler-第36节

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ly　stretch　all　together；　and　break　all　together；　which　hairs　of　an　unequal　bigness　never　do；　but　break　singly；　and　so　deceive　the　angler　that　trusts　to　them。

When　you　have　twisted　your　links；　lay　them　in　water　for　a　quarter　of　an　hour　at　least；　and　then　twist　them　over　again　before　you　tie　them　into　a　line：　for　those　that　do　not　so　shall　usually　find　their　line　to　have　a　hair　or　two　shrink；　and　be　shorter　than　the　rest；　at　the　first　fishing　with　it；　which　is　so　much　of　the　strength　of　the　line　lost　for　want　of　first　watering　it；　and　then　re…twisting　it；　and　this　is　most　visible　in　a　seven…　hair　line；　one　of　those　which　hath　always　a　black　hair　in　the　middle。

And　for　dyeing　of　your　hairs；　do　it　thus：　take　a　pint　of　strong　ale；　half　a　pound　of　soot；　and　a　little　quantity　of　the　juice　of　walnut…tree　leaves；　and　an　equal　quantity　of　alum：　put　these　together　into　a　pot；　pan；　or　pipkin；　and　boil　them　half　an　hour；　and　having　so　done；　let　it　cool；　and　being　cold；　put　your　hair　into　it；　and　there　let　it　lie；　it　will　turn　your　hair　to　be　a　kind　of　water　or　glass　colour；　or　greenish；　and　the　longer　you　let　it　lie；　the　deeper　coloured　it　will　be。　You　might　be　taught　to　make　many　other　colours；　but　it　is　to　little　purpose；　for　doubtless　the　water…colour　or　glass…coloured　hair　is　the　most　choice　and　most　useful　for　an　angler；　but　let　it　not　be　too　green。

But　if　you　desire　to　colour　hair　greener；　then　do　it　thus：　take　a　quart　of　small　ale；　half　a　pound　of　alum；　then　put　these　into　a　pan　or　pipkin；　and　your　hair　into　it　with　them；　then　put　it　upon　a　fire；　and　let　it　boil　softly　for　half　an　hour；　and　then　take　out　your　hair；　and　let　it　dry；　and　having　so　done；　then　take　a　pottle　of　water；　and　put　into　it　two　handfuls　of　marigolds；　and　cover　it　with　a　tile　or　what　you　think　fit；　and　set　it　again　on　the　fire；　where　it　is　to　boil　again　softly　for　half　an　hour；　about　which　time　the　scum　will　turn　yellow；　then　put　into　it　half　a　pound　of　copperas；　beaten　small；　and　with　it　the　hair　that　you　intend　to　colour；　then　let　the　hair　be　boiled　softly　till　half　the　liquor　be　wasted；　and　then　let　it　cool　three　or　four　hours；　with　your　hair　in　it；　and　you　are　to　observe　that　the　more　copperas　you　put　into　it；　the　greener　it　will　be；　but　doubtless　the　pale　green　is　best。　But　if　you　desire　yellow　hair；　which　is　only　good　when　the　weeds　rot；　then　put　in　more　marigolds；　and　abate　most　of　the　copperas；　or　leave　it　quite　out；　and　take　a　little　verdigris　instead　of　it。

This　for　colouring　your　hair。

And　as　for　painting　your　Rod；　which　must　be　in　oil；　you　must　first　make　a　size　with　glue　and　water；　boiled　together　until　the　glue　be　dissolved；　and　the　size　of　a　lye…colour：　then　strike　your　size　upon　the　wood　with　a　bristle；　or　a　brush　or　pencil；　whilst　it　is　hot：　that　being　quite　dry；　take　white…lead；　and　a　little　red…lead；　and　a　little　coal…black；　so　much　as　altogether　will　make　an　ash…colour：　grind　these　altogether　with　linseed…　oil；　let　it　be　thick；　and　lay　it　thin　upon　the　wood　with　a　brush　or　pencil：　this　do　for　the　ground　of　any　colour　to　lie　upon　wood。

For　a　green；　take　pink　and　verdigris；　and　grind　them　together　in　linseed　oil；　as　thin　as　you　can　well　grind　it：　then　lay　it　smoothly　on　with　your　brush；　and　drive　it　thin；　once　doing；　for　the　most　part；　will　serve；　if　you　lay　it　well；　and　if　twice；　be　sure　your　first　colour　be　thoroughly　dry　before　you　lay　on　a　second。

Well；　Scholar；　having　now　taught　you　to　paint　your　rod；　and　we　having　still　a　mile　to　Tottenham　High…Cross；　I　will；　as　we　walk　towards　it　in　the　cool　shade　of　this　sweet　honeysuckle　hedge；　mention　to　you　some　of　the　thoughts　and　joys　that　have　possessed　my　soul　since　we　two　met　together。　And　these　thoughts　shall　be　told　you；　that　you　also　may　join　with　me　in　thankfulness　to　the　Giver　of　every　good　and　perfect　gift；　for　our　happiness。　And　that　our　present　happiness　may　appear　to　be　the　greater；　and　we　the　more　thankful　for　it；　I　will　beg　you　to　consider　with　me　how　many　do；　even　at　this　very　time；　lie　under　the　torment　of　the　stone；　the　gout；　and　tooth…ache；　and　this　we　are　free　from。　And　every　misery　that　I　miss　is　a　new　mercy；　and　therefore　let　us　be　thankful。　There　have　been；　since　we　met；　others　that　have　met　disasters　or　broken　limbs；　some　have　been　blasted；　others　thunder…strucken：　and　we　have　been　freed　from　these；　and　all　those　many　other　miseries　that　threaten　human　nature；　let　us　therefore　rejoice　and　be　thankful。　Nay；　which　is　a　far　greater　mercy；　we　are　free　from　the　insupportable　burthen　of　an　accusing　tormenting　conscience；　a　misery　that　none　can　bear：　and　therefore　let　us　praise　Him　for　His　preventing　grace；　and　say；　Every　misery　that　I　miss　is　a　new　mercy。　Nay；　let　me　tell　you；　there　be　many　that　have　forty　times　our　estates；　that　would　give　the　greatest　part　of　it　to　be　healthful　and　cheerful　like　us；　who；　with　the　expense　of　a　little　money；　have　eat　and　drunk；　and　laughed；　and　angled；　and　sung；　and　slept　securely；　and　rose　next　day　and　cast　away　care；　and　sung；　and　laughed；　and　angled　again；　which　are　blessings　rich　men　cannot　purchase　with　all　their　money。　Let　me　tell　you；　Scholar；　I　have　a　rich　neighbour　that　is　always　so　busy　that　he　has　no　leisure　to　laugh；　the　whole　business　of　his　life　is　to　get　money；　and　more　money；　that　he　may　still　get　more　and　more　money；　he　is　still　drudging　on；　and　says；　that　Solomon　says　'‘The　diligent　hand　maketh　rich〃；　and　it　is　true　indeed：　but　he　considers　not　that　it　is　not　in　the　power　of　riches　to　make　a　man　happy；　for　it　was　wisely　said；　by　a　man　of　great　observation；　〃　That　there　be　as　many　miseries　beyond　riches　as　on　this　side　of　them　〃。　And　yet　God　deliver　us　from　pinching　poverty；　and　grant；　that　having　a　competency；　we　may　be　content　and　thankful。　Let　not　us　repine；　or　so　much　as　think　the　gifts　of　God　unequally　dealt；　if　we　see　another　abound　with　riches；　when；　as　God　knows；　the　cares　that　are　the　keys　that　keep　those　riches　hang　often　so　heavily　at　the　rich　man's　girdle；　that　they　clog　him　with　weary　days　and　restless　nights；　even　when　others　sleep　quietly。　We　see　but　the　outside　of　the　rich　man's　happiness：　few　consider　him　to　be　like　the　silk…worm；　that；　when　she　seems　to　play；　is；　at　the　very　same　time；　spinning　her　own　bowels；　and　consuming　herself；　and　this　many　rich　men　do；　loading　themselves　with　corroding　cares；　to　keep　what　they　have；　probably；　unconscionably　got　Let　us；　therefore；　be　thankful　for　health　and　a　competence；　and　above　all；　for　a　quiet　conscience。

Let　me　tell　you；　Scholar；　that　Diogenes　walked　on　a　day；　with　his　friend；　to　see　a　country　fair；　where　he　saw　ribbons；　and　looking…glasses；　and　nutcrackers；　and　fiddles；　and　hobby…horses；　and　many　other　gimcracks；　and；　having　observed　them；　and　all　the　other　finnimbruns　that　make　a　complete　country…fair；　he　said　to　his　friend；　〃　Lord；　how　many　things　are　there　in　this　world　of　which　Diogenes　hath　no　need！〃　And　truly　it　is　so；　or　might　be　so；　with　very　many　who　vex　and　toil　themselves　to　get　what　they　have　no　need　of。　Can　any　man　charge　God；　that　He　hath　not　given　him　enough　to　make　his　life　happy？　No；　doubtless；　for　nature　is　content　with　a　little。　And　yet　you　shall　hardly　meet　with　a　man　that　complains　not　of　some　want；　though　he；　indeed；　wants　nothing　but　his　will；　it　may　be；　nothing　but　his　will　of　his　poor　neighbour；　for　not　worshipping；　or　not　flattering　him：　and　thus；　when　we　might　be　happy　and　quiet；　we　create　trouble　to　ourselves。　I　have　heard　of　a　man　that　was　angry　with　himself　because　he　was　no　taller；　and　of　a　woman　that　broke　her　looking…glass　because　it　would　not　shew　her　face　to　be　as　young　and　handsome　as　her　next　neighbour's　was。　And　I　knew　another　to　whom　God　had　given　health　and　plenty；　but　a　wife　that　nature　had　made　peevish；　and　her　husband's　riches　had　made　purse…　proud；　and　must；　because　she　was　rich；　and　for　no　other　virtue；　sit　in　the　highest　pew　in　the　church；　which　being　denied　her；　she　engaged　her　husband　into　a　contention　for　it；　and　at　last　into　a　law…suit　with　a　dogged　neighbour　who　was　as　rich　as　he；　and　had　a　wife　as　peevish　and　purse…proud　as　the　other：　and　this　law…suit　begot　higher　oppositions；　and　actionable　words；　and　more　vexations　and　lawsuits；　for　you　must　remember　that　both　were　rich；　and　must　therefore　have　their　wills。　Well！　this　wilful；　purse…proud　law…suit　lasted　during　the　life　of　the　first　husband；　after　which　his　wife　vext　and　chid；　and　chid　and　vext；　till　she　also　chid　and　vext　herself　into　her　grave：　and　so　the　wealth　of　these　poor　rich　people　was　curst　into　a　punishment；　because　they　wanted　meek　and　thankful　hearts；　for　those　only　can　make　us　happy。　I　knew　a　man　that　had　health　and　riches；　and　several　houses；　all　beautiful；　and　ready　furnished；　and　would　often　trouble　himself　and　family　to　be　removing　from　one　house　to　another：　and　being　asked　by　a　friend　why　he　removed　so　often　from　one　house　to　another；　replied；　〃　It　was　to　find　content　in　some　one　of　them〃。　But　his　friend；　knowing　his　temper；　told　him；　〃　If　he　would　find　content　in　any　of　his　houses；　he　must　leave　himself　behind　him；　for　content　will　never　dwell　but　in　a　meek　and　quiet　soul　〃。　And　this　may　appear；　if　we　read　and　consider　what　our　Saviour　says　in　St。　Matthew's　Gospel；　for　He　there　says—〃　Blessed　be　the　merciful；　for　they　shall　obtain　merc