To my dear Brother, Mr. Iz. Walton, on his
Compleat Angler.
This book is so like you, and you like it,
For harmless mirth, expression, art, and wit,
That I protest ingenuously 'tis true,
I love this mirth, art, wit, the book and you.
Rob. Floud, C.
Clarissimo amicissimoque; Fratri, Domino Isaaco Walton Artis Piscatoria peritissimo.
Unicus est medicus reliquorum piscis, et istis
Fas quibus est medicum tangere, certa salus
Hic typus est salvatoris mirandus Jesu,
Litera mysterium quælibet hujus habet.
Hunc cupio, hunc cupias (bone frater arundinis) ix0ùv;
Solverit hic pro me debita, teque Deo.
Piscis is est, et piscator (mihi credito) qualena
Vel piscatorem piscis amare velit.
Henry Bayley, Artium Magister.
Ad Virum optimum, et Piscatorem peritissimum
Isaacum Waltonum.
Magister artis docte piscatoria,
Waltone salve, magne arundinis,
Seu tu reductâ valle solus ambulas,
Præterfluentes interim observans aquas,
Seu fortè puri stans in amnis margine,
Sive in tenaci gramine et ripâ sedens,
Fallis perita squameum pecus manu ;
O te beatum ! qui procul negotiis,
Forique et urbis pulvere et strepitu carens,
Extraque turbam, ad lenè manantes aquas
Vagos honestá fraude pisces discipis.
Dum cætera ergo pænè gens mortalium
Aut retia invicem sibi et technas struunt,
Donis, ut hamo, aut divites captant senes,
Gregi natantúm tu interim nectis dolos,
Voracem inescas advenam hamo lucium,
Avidamvè percam parvulo alberno capis,
Aut verme ruffo, muscula aut truttam levi,
Cautumvè cyprinum, et ferè indocilem capi
Calamoque linoque (ars at hunc superat tua)
Medicamvè tincam, gobium aut esca trahis,
Gratum palato gobium, parvum licet,
Prædamvè, non acque salubrem barbulum,
Etsi ampliorem, et mystace insignem gravi.
Hæ sunt tibi artes, dum annus et tempus sinunt,
Et nulla transit absque linea dies.
Nec sola praxis, sed theoria et tibi
Nota artis hujus; unde tu simul bonus
Piscator, idem et scriptor; et calami potens
Utriusque necdum et ictus, et tamen sapis,
Ut hamiotam nempe tironem instruas!
Stylo eleganti scribus en Halientica
Oppianus alter, artis et methodum tuæ, et
Præcepta promis rite piscatoria,
Varias et escas piscium, indolem, et genus.
Nec tradere artem sat putas piscariam,
(Virtutis est hæc et tamen quædam schola
Patientiamque et temperantiam docet),
Documenta quin majora das, et regulas
Sublimioris artis, et perennia
Monimenta morem, vitæ et exempla optima;
Dum tu profundum scribis Hookerum, et pium
Domum ac disertum, sanctum et Herbertum, sacrum
Vatem; hos videmus nam penicillo tuo
Graphicè, et perita, Isaace, depictos manu.
Post fata factos hosce per te Virbios.
O quæ voluptas est legere in scriptis tuis!
Sic tu libris nos, lineis pisces capis,
Musisque litterisque dum incumbis, licet
Intentus hamo, interque piscandum studes.
Aliud ad Isaacum Waltonum, Virum et
Piscatorem Optimum.
Isaace, macte hac arte piscatoriâ;
Hac arte Petrus principi censum dedit;
Hac arte princeps nec Petro multo prior,
Tranquillus ille, teste Tranquillo, pater
Patria, solebat recreare se lubens
Augustus, hamo instructus ac arundine.
Tu nunc, amice, proximum clari est decus
Post Cæsarem hami, gentis ac Halienticæ :
Euge O professor artis haud ingloriæ,
Doctor cathedra, perlegens piscariam !
Na tu magister, et ego discipulus tuus,
Nam candidatum et me ferunt arundinis,
Socium hâc in arte nobilem nacti sumus,
Quid amplius, Waltone, nam dici potest?
Ipsi hamiota Dominus en orbis fuit!
CHAPTER I
Conference betwixt an Angler, a Hunter, and a Falconer; each commending his Recreation
PISCATOR, VENATOR, AUCEPS
ISCATOR. You are well overtaken, gentlemen; a good morning to you both; I have stretched my legs up Tottenham Hill to overtake you, hoping your business may occasion you towards Ware, whither I am going this fine, fresh May morning.
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 Theobald's, 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.
|