No empty hopes, no courtly fears him fright,
No begging wants his middle fortune bite,
But sweet content exiles both misery and spite.

His certain life, that never can deceive him,

Is full of thousand sweets and rich content;
The smooth leaved beeches in the field receive him,
With coolest shade, till noontide's heat be spent ;
His life is neither toss'd in boisterous seas

Or the vexatious world, or lost in slothful ease:
Pleased and full bless'd he lives, when he his God can please.

His bed, more safe than soft, yields quiet sleeps,
While by his side his faithful spouse hath place;

His little son into his bosom creeps,

The lively picture of his father's face;

His humble house or poor state ne'er torment him
Less he could like, if less his God had lent him,

And when he dies, green turfs do for a tomb content him.

Gentlemen, these were a part of the thoughts that then possessed me. And I here made a conversion of a piece of an old catch, and added more to it, fitting them to be sung by us anglers. Come, master, you can sing well: you must sing a part of it, as it is in this paper.

Peter. I marry, sir, this is music indeed: this has cheered my heart, and made me to remember six verses in praise of music, which I will speak to you instantly:

Music! miraculous rhetoric, that speak'st sense
Without a tongue, excelling eloquence;
With what ease might thy errors be excused,
Wert thou as truly loved as thou 'rt abused!

But though dull souls neglect, and some reprove thee,
I cannot hate thee, 'cause the angels love thee.

The song here sung can in no sense of the word be termed a catch. It was probably set to music at the request of Walton, and is to be found in a book, entitled Select Ayres and Dialogues for one, two, and three Voyces; to the Theorbo-lute, and Basse Viol. By John Wilson and Charles Coleman, doctors of music, Henry Lawes, and others, fol. London, 1659. It occurs in the first edition of Walton's book, published in 1653.

At the time when Walton wrote, and long before, music was so generally well understood, that a man who had any voice or ear, was always supposed to be able to sing his part in a madrigal or song, at sight. Peacham requires of his gentleman, only to be able to sing his part sure, and at the first sight; and withal, to play the same on the viol or lute."— Compleat Gentleman, 100. And Philomathes, in Morley's excellent Introduction to Practical Music, in folio, London 1597, thus complains, (at the banquet of master Sophobulus,) "Supper being ended, and music books, according to custom, being brought to table, the mistress of the house presented me with a part, earnestly requesting me to sing. But when, after many excuses, I protested unfeignedly that I could not, every one began to wonder; yea, some whispered to others, demanding how I was brought up. So that, upon shame of mine ignorance, I go nowe to seek out mine olde friend master Gnorimus, to make myself his scholar."

Venator. And the repetition of these last verses of music has called to my memory what Mr Edward Waller, a lover of the angle, says of love and music:

While I listen to thy voice,
Chloris, I feel my life decay:
That powerful noise

Calls my fleeting soul away:
Oh! suppress that magic sound,
Which destroys without a wound.

Peace, Chloris, peace, or singing die,
That together you and I

To heaven may go;

For all we know

Of what the blessed do above,

Is, that they sing, and that they love.

Piscator. Well remembered, brother Peter: these verses came seasonably, and we thank you heartily. Come, we will all join together, my host and all, and sing my scholar's catch over again; and then each man drink the other cup, and to bed; and thank God we have a dry house over our heads. Well, now good night to every body.

Peter. And so say I.

Venator. And so say I.

Coridon. Good night to you all; and I thank you.

Piscator. Good morrow, brother Peter; and the like to you, honest Coridon. Come, my hostess says there is seven shillings

* As the author's concern for the honour of angling induced him to enumerate such persons of note as were lovers of that recreation, the reader will allow me to add Mr John Gay to the number. Any one who reads the first canto of his Georgic, entitled Rural Sports, and observes how beautifully and accurately he treats the subject of fly-fishing, would conclude the author a proficient: but that it was his chief amusement, I have been assured by an intimate friend of mine, who has frequently fished with him in the river Kennet, at Amesbury, in Wilts, the seat of his grace the Duke of Queensbury.

The reader will excuse the following addition to this note, for the sake of a beautiful description of the materials used in 'fly-making, which is quoted from the above mentioned poem.

To frame the little animal, provide

All the gay hues that wait on female pride:
Let nature guide thee; sometimes golden wire
The shining bellies of the fly require;
The peacock's plumes thy tackle must not fail,
Nor the dear purchase of the sable's tail;
Each gaudy bird some slender tribute brings,
And lends the growing insect proper wings;
Silks of all colours must their aid impart,
And every fur promote the fisher's art:
So the gay lady, with expensive care,
Borrows the pride of land, of sea, of air;

Furs, pearls, and plumes, the glittering thing displays,
Dazzles our eyes, and easy hearts betrays.

to pay: let's each man drink a pot for his morning's draught, and lay down his two shillings, that so my hostess may not have occasion to repent herself of being so diligent, and using us so kindly.

Peter. The motion is liked by every body, ana so, hostess, here's your money; we anglers are all beholden to you; it will not be long ere I'll see you again. And now, brother Piscator, I wish you, and my brother, your scholar, a fair day and good fortune. Come, Coridon, this is our way.

CHAPTER XVII.

OF BOACH AND DACE, AND HOW TO FISH FOR THEM: AND OF CADIS.

ROACH-Cyprinus Rutilus.-LINNEUS.

Venator. GooD master, as we go now towards London, be still so courteous as to give me more instructions: for I have several boxes in my memory, in which I will keep them all vers safe, there shall not one of them be lost.

Piscator. Well, scholar, that I will: and I will hide nothing from you that I can remember, and can think may help you forward towards a perfection in this art. And because we have so much time, and I have said so little of Roach and Dace, I will give you some directions concerning them.

Some say the Roach is so called from rutilus, which they say signifies red fins. He is a fish of no great reputation for his dainty taste; and his spawn is accounted much better than any other part of him. And you may take notice, that as the 'Carp is

Venator. And the repetition of these last verses of music has called to my memory what Mr Edward Waller, a lover of the angle, says of love and music:

While I listen to thy voice,

Chloris, I feel my life decay:
That powerful noise

Calls any fleeting soul sway:
Oh suppress that magic sound,
Which destroys without a wound.

Peace, Chloris, peace, or singing die,
That together you and 1

To heaven may go;

For all we bu

Of what the blessed de shore.

is, that they sing, and that they low.

Pisoner. Well remembered, brother Peter: these verses came susembly, and we thrk you hardly. Come, we will sad sing my scholar's cateb ak the other cup, and to bed;

and thank God we have a dry house over qur heads.— WA

:

to pay let's each man drink a pot for his morning's draught, and lay down his two shillings, that so my hostess may not have occasion to repent herself of being so diligent, and using us so kindly.

Peter. The motion is liked by every body, ana so, hostess, here's your money; we anglers are all beholden to you; it will not be long ere I'll see you again. And now, brother Piscator, I wish you, and my brother, your scholar, a fair day and good fortune. Come, Coriden, this is our way.

CHAPTER XVII.

OF ROACH AND DACE, AND HOW TO FISH FOR THEM: AND OF CADIS.

ROACH-Cyprinus Rutilus. - LINNEUS.

Venator. Good master, as we go now towards London, be still so courteous as to give me more instructions: for I have several boxes in my memory, in which I will keep them all vers safe, there shall not one of them be lost.

Piscator. Well, scholar, that I will: and I will hide nothing from you that I can remember, and can think may help you forward towards a perfection in this art. And because we have so much time, and I have said so little of Roach and Dace, I will give you some directions concerning them.

Some say the Roach is so called from rutilus, which they say signifies red fins. He is a fish of no great reputation for his dainty taste; and his spawn is accounted much better than any other part of him. And you may take notice, that as the Carp is