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第38节

the complete angler-第38节

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Would the World now adopt me for her heir; Would beauty's Queen entitle me the fair; Fame speak me fortune's minion; could I 〃 vie Angels 〃 with India with a speaking eye Command bare heads; bow'd knees; strike justice dumb; As well as blind and lame; or give a tongue To stones by epitaphs; be call'd 〃 great master 〃 In the loose rhymes of every poetaster ? Could I be more than any man that lives; Great; fair; rich wise; all in superlatives; Yet I more freely would these gifts resign Than ever fortune would have made them mine。 And hold one minute of this holy leisure Beyond the riches of this empty pleasure。

Welcome; pure thoughts; welcome; ye silent groves; These guests; these courts; my soul most dearly loves。 Now the wing'd people of the sky shall sing My cheerful anthems to the gladsome spring: A pray'r…book; now; shall be my looking…glass; In which I will adore sweet virtue's face。 Here dwell no hateful looks; no palace cares; No broken vows dwell here; nor pale…fac'd fears; Then here I'll sit; and sigh my hot love's folly; And learn t' affect an holy melancholy: And if contentment be a stranger then; I'll ne'er look for it; but in heaven; again。

Venator。 Well; Master; these verses be worthy to keep a room in every man's memory。 I thank you for them; and I thank you for your many instructions; which; God willing; I will not forget。 And as St。 Austin; in his Confessions; commemorates the kindness of his friend Verecundus; for lending him and his companion a country house; because there they rested and enjoyed themselves; free from the troubles of the world; so; having had the like advantage; both by your conversation and the art you have taught me; I ought ever to do the like; for; indeed; your company and discourse have been so useful and pleasant; that; I may truly say; I have only lived since I enjoyed them and turned angler; and not before。 Nevertheless; here I must part with you; here in this now sad place; where I was so happy as first to meet you: but I shall long for the ninth of May; for then I hope again to enjoy your beloved company; at the appointed time and place。 And now I wish for some somniferous potion; that might force me to sleep away the intermitted time; which will pass away with me as tediously as it does with men in sorrow; nevertheless I will make it as short as I can; by my hopes and wishes: and; my good Master; I will not forget the doctrine which you told me Socrates taught his scholars; that they should not think to be honoured so much for being philosophers; as to honour philosophy by their virtuous lives。 You advised me to the like concerning Angling; and I will endeavour to do so; and to live like those many worthy men; of which you made mention in the former part of your discourse。 This is my firm resolution。 And as a pious man advised his friend; that; to beget mortification; he should frequent churches; and view monuments; and charnel…houses; and then and there consider how many dead bodies time had piled up at the gates of death; so when I would beget content; and increase confidence in the power; and wisdom; and providence of Almighty God; I will walk the meadows; by some gliding stream; and there contemplate the lilies that take no care; and those very many other various little living creatures that are not only created; but fed; man knows not how; by the goodness of the God of Nature; and therefore trust in him。 This is my purpose; and so; let everything that hath breath praise the Lord: and let the blessing of St。 Peter's Master be with mine。

Piscator And upon all that are lovers of virtue; and dare trust in his providence; and be quiet; and go a Angling。

〃Study to be quiet。〃





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