the complete angler-第31章

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Abused　mortals　I　did　you　know　Where　joy；　heart's…ease；　and　comforts　grow；　You'd　scorn　proud　towers；　And　seek　them　in　these　bowers；　Where　winds；　sometimes；　our　woods　perhaps　may　shake；　But　blust'ring　care　could　never　tempest　make；　Nor　murmurs　e'er　come　nigh　us；　Saving　of　fountains　that　glide　by　us。

Here's　no　fantastick　mask；　nor　dance；　But　of　our　kids　that　frisk　and　prance；　Nor　wars　are　seen　Unless　upon　the　green　Two　harmless　lambs　are　butting　one　the　other；　Which　done；　both　bleating　run；　each　to　his　mother　And　wounds　are　never　found；　Save　what　the　plough…share　gives　the　ground。

Here　are　no　false　entrapping　baits；　To　hasten　too；　too　hasty　Fates；　Unless　it　be　The　fond　credulity　Of　silly　fish；　which　worldling　like；　still　look　Upon　the　bait；　but　never　on　the　hook；　Nor　envy；　unless　among　The　birds；　for　prize　of　their　sweet　song。

Go；　let　the　diving　negro　seek　For　gems；　hid　in　some　forlorn　creek：　We　all　pearls　scorn；　Save　what　the　dewy　morn　Congeals　upon　each　little　spire　of　grass；　Which　careless　shepherds　beat　down　as　they　pass：　And　gold　ne'er　here　appears；　Save　what　the　yellow　Ceres　bears；

Blest　silent　groves；　oh　may　ye　be；　For　ever；　mirth's　best　nursery　！　May　pure　contents　For　ever　pitch　their　tents　Upon　these　downs；　these　meads；　these　rocks；　these　mountains。　And　peace　still　slumber　by　these　purling　fountains：　Which　we　may；　every　year；　Meet　when　we　come　a…fishing　here。

Piscator。　Trust　me；　Scholar；　I　thank　you　heartily　for　these　Verses：　they　be　choicely　good；　and　doubtless　made　by　a　lover　of　angling。　Come；　now；　drink　a　glass　to　me；　and　I　will　requite　you　with　another　very　good　copy：　it　is　a　farewell　to　the　vanities　of　the　world；　and　some　say　written　by　Sir　Harry　Wotton；　who　I　told　you　was　an　excellent　angler。　But　let　them　be　writ　by　whom　they　will；　he　that　writ　them　had　a　brave　soul；　and　must　needs　be　possess　with　happy　thoughts　at　the　time　of　their　composure。

Farewell；　ye　gilded　follies；　pleasing　troubles；　Farewell；　ye　honour'd　rags；　ye　glorious　bubbles；　Fame's　but　a　hollow　echo；　Gold；　pure　clay；　Honour　the　darling　but　of　one　short　day；　Beauty；　th'　eye's　idol；　but　a　damask'd　skin；　State；　but　a　golden　prison；　to　live　in　And　torture　free…born　minds；　embroider'd　Trains；　Merely　but　pageants　for　proud　swelling　veins；　And　Blood　allied　to　greatness　is　alone　Inherited；　not　purchas'd；　nor　our　own。　Fame；　Honour；　Beauty；　State；　Train；　Blood　and　Birth；　Are　but　the　fading　blossoms　of　the　earth。

I　would　be　great；　but　that　the　sun　doth　still　Level　his　rays　against　the　rising　hill：　I　would　be　high；　but　see　the　proudest　oak　Most　subject　to　the　rending　thunder…stroke：　I　would　be　rich；　but　see　men；　too　unkind　Dig　in　the　bowels　of　the　richest　mind：　I　would　be　wise；　but　that　I　often　see　The　fox　suspected；　whilst　the　ass　goes　free：　I　would　be　fair；　but　see　the　fair　and　proud；　Like　the　bright　sun；　oft　setting　in　a　cloud：　I　would　be　poor；　but　know　the　humble　grass　Still　trampled　on　by　each　unworthy　ass：　Rich；　hated　wise；　suspected；　scorn'd　if　poor；　Great；　fear'd；　fair；　tempted；　high；　still　envy'd　more。　I　have　wish'd　all；　but　now　I　wish　for　neither。　Great；　high；　rich；　wise；　nor　fair：　poor　I'll　be　rather。

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。〃





End