the complete angler-第3章

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ent　Art；　for　I　know　it　is　worthy　the　knowledge　and　practice　of　a　wise　man。

But；　Gentlemen；　though　I　be　able　to　do　this；　I　am　not　so　unmannerly　as　to　engross　all　the　discourse　to　myself；　and；　therefore；　you　two　having　declared　yourselves；　the　one　to　be　a　lover　of　Hawks；　the　other　of　Hounds；　I　shall　be　most　glad　to　hear　what　you　can　say　in　the　commendation　of　that　recreation　which　each　of　you　love　and　practice；　and　having　heard　what　you　can　say；　I　shall　be　glad　to　exercise　your　attention　with　what　I　can　say　concerning　my　own　recreation　and　Art　of　Angling；　and　by　this　means　we　shall　make　the　way　to　seem　the　shorter：　and　if　you　like　my　motion；　I　would　have　Mr。　Falconer　to　begin。

Auceps。　Your　motion　is　consented　to　with　all　my　heart；　and　to　testify　it；　I　will　begin　as　you　have　desired　me。

And　first；　for　the　Element　that　I　use　to　trade　in；　which　is　the　Air；　an　element　of　more　worth　than　weight；　an　element　that　doubtless　exceeds　both　the　Earth　and　Water；　for　though　I　sometimes　deal　in　both；　yet　the　air　is　most　properly　mine；　I　and　my　Hawks　use　that　most；　and　it　yields　us　most　recreation。　It　stops　not　the　high　soaring　of　my　noble；　generous　Falcon；　in　it　she　ascends　to　such　a　height　as　the　dull　eyes　of　beasts　and　fish　are　not　able　to　reach　to；　their　bodies　are　too　gross　for　such　high　elevations；　in　the　Air　my　troops　of　Hawks　soar　up　on　high；　and　when　they　are　lost　in　the　sight　of　men；　then　they　attend　upon　and　converse　with　the　Gods；　therefore　I　think　my　Eagle　is　so　justly　styled　Jove's　servant　in　ordinary：　and　that　very　Falcon；　that　I　am　now　going　to　see；　deserves　no　meaner　a　title；　for　she　usually　in　her　flight　endangers　herself；　like　the　son　of　Daedalus；　to　have　her　wings　scorched　by　the　sun's　heat；　she　flies　so　near　it；　but　her　mettle　makes　her　careless　of　danger；　for　she　then　heeds　nothing；　but　makes　her　nimble　pinions　cut　the　fluid　air；　and　so　makes　her　highway　over　the　steepest　mountains　and　deepest　rivers；　and　in　her　glorious　career　looks　with　contempt　upon　those　high　steeples　and　magnificent　palaces　which　we　adore　and　wonder　at；　from　which　height；　I　can　make　her　to　descend　by　a　word　from　my　mouth；　which　she　both　knows　and　obeys；　to　accept　of　meat　from　my　hand。　to　own　me　for　her　Master；　to　go　home　with　me；　and　be　willing　the　next　day　to　afford　me　the　like　recreation。

And　more；　this　element　of　air　which　I　profess　to　trade　in；　the　worth　of　it　is　such；　and　it　is　of　such　necessity；　that　no　creature　whatsoever…not　only　those　numerous　creatures　that　feed　on　the　face　of　the　earth；　but　those　various　creatures　that　have　their　dwelling　within　the　waters；　every　creature　that　hath　life　in　its　nostrils；　stands　in　need　of　my　element。　The　waters　cannot　preserve　the　Fish　without　air；　witness　the　not　breaking　of　ice　in　an　extreme　frost；　the　reason　is；　for　that　if　the　inspiring　and　expiring　organ　of　any　animal　be　stopped；　it　suddenly　yields　to　nature；　and　dies。　Thus　necessary　is　air；　to　the　existence　both　of　Fish　and　Beasts；　nay；　even　to　Man　himself；　that　air；　or　breath　of　life；　with　which　God　at　first　inspired　mankind；　he；　if　he　wants　it；　dies　presently；　becomes　a　sad　object　to　all　that　loved　and　beheld　him；　and　in　an　instant　turns　to　putrefaction。

Nay　more；　the　very　birds　of　the　air；　those　that　be　not　Hawks；　are　both　so　many　and　so　useful　and　pleasant　to　mankind；　that　I　must　not　let　them　pass　without　some　observations。　They　both　feed　and　refresh　him；　feed　him　with　their　choice　bodies；　and　refresh　him　with　their　heavenly　voices：…I　will　not　undertake　to　mention　the　several　kinds　of　Fowl　by　which　this　is　done：　and　his　curious　palate　pleased　by　day；　and　which　with　their　very　excrements　afford　him　a　soft　lodging　at　night：…These　I　will　pass　by；　but　not　those　little　nimble　musicians　of　the　air；　that　warble　forth　their　curious　ditties；　with　which　nature　hath　furnished　them　to　the　shame　of　art。

As　first　the　Lark；　when　she　means　to　rejoice；　to　cheer　herself　and　those　that　hear　her；　she　then　quits　the　earth；　and　sings　as　she　ascends　higher　into　the　air　and　having　ended　her　heavenly　employment；　grows　then　mute；　and　sad；　to　think　she　must　descend　to　the　dull　earth；　which　she　would　not　touch；　but　for　necessity。

How　do　the　Blackbird　and　Thrassel　with　their　melodious　voices　bid　welcome　to　the　cheerful　Spring；　and　in　their　fixed　months　warble　forth　such　ditties　as　no　art　or　instrument　can　reach　to！

Nay；　the　smaller　birds　also　do　the　like　in　their　particular　seasons；　as　namely　the　Laverock；　the　Tit…lark；　the　little　Linnet；　and　the　honest　Robin　that　loves　mankind　both　alive　and　dead。

But　the　Nightingale；　another　of　my　airy　creatures；　breathes　such　sweet　loud　musick　out　of　her　little　instrumental　throat；　that　it　might　make　mankind　to　think　miracles　are　not　ceased。　He　that　at　midnight；　when　the　very　labourer　sleeps　securely；　should　hear；　as　I　have　very　often；　the　clear　airs；　the　sweet　descants；　the　natural　rising　and　falling；　the　doubling　and　redoubling　of　her　voice；　might　well　be　lifted　above　earth；　and　say；　〃　Lord；　what　musick　hast　thou　provided　for　the　Saints　in　Heaven；　when　thou　affordest　bad　men　such　musick　on　Earth！　〃

And　this　makes　me　the　less　to　wonder　at　the　many　Aviaries　in　Italy；　or　at　the　great　charge　of　Varro's　Aviary；　the　ruins　of　which　are　yet　to　be　seen　in　Rome；　and　is　still　so　famous　there；　that　it　is　reckoned　for　one　of　those　notables　which　men　of　foreign　nations　either　record；　or　lay　up　in　their　memories　when　they　return　from　travel。

This　for　the　birds　of　pleasure；　of　which　very　much　more　might　be　said。　My　next　shall　be　of　birds　of　political　use。　I　think　it　is　not　to　be　doubted　that　Swallows　have　been　taught　to　carry　letters　between　two　armies；　but　'tis　certain　that　when　the　Turks　besieged　Malta　or　Rhodes；　I　now　remember　not　which　it　was；　Pigeons　are　then　related　to　carry　and　recarry　letters：　and　Mr。　G。　Sandys；　in　his　Travels；　relates　it　to　be　done　betwixt　Aleppo　and　Babylon；　But　if　that　be　disbelieved；　it　is　not　to　be　doubted　that　the　Dove　was　sent　out　of　the　ark　by　Noah；　to　give　him　notice　of　land；　when　to　him　all　appeared　to　be　sea；　and　the　Dove　proved　a　faithful　and　comfortable　messenger。　And　for　the　sacrifices　of　the　law；　a　pair　of　Turtle…doves；　or　young　Pigeons；　were　as　well　accepted　as　costly　Bulls　and　Rams；　and　when　God　would　feed　the　Prophet　Elijah；　after　a　kind　of　miraculous　manner；　he　did　it　by　Ravens；　who　brought　him　meat　morning　and　evening。　Lastly；　the　Holy　Ghost；　when　he　descended　visibly　upon　our　Saviour；　did　it　by　assuming　the　shape　of　a　Dove。　And；　to　conclude　this　part　of　my　discourse；　pray　remember　these　wonders　were　done　by　birds　of　air；　the　element　in　which　they；　and　I；　take　so　much　pleasure。

There　is　also　a　little　contemptible　winged　creature；　an　inhabitant　of　my　aerial　element；　namely　the　laborious　Bee；　of　whose　prudence；　policy；　and　regular　government　of　their　own　commonwealth；　I　might　say　much；　as　also　of　their　several　kinds；　and　how　useful　their　honey　and　wax　are　both　for　meat　and　medicines　to　mankind；　but　I　will　leave　them　to　their　sweet　labour；　without　the　least　disturbance；　believing　them　to　be　all　very　busy　at　this　very　time　amongst　the　herbs　and　flowers　that　we　see　nature　puts　forth　this　May　morning。

And　now　to　return　to　my　Hawks；　from　whom　I　have　made　too　long　a　digression。　You　are　to　note；　that　they　are　usually　distinguished　into　two　kinds；　namely；　the　long…winged；　and　the　short…winged　Hawk：　of　the　first　kind；　there　be　chiefly　in　use　amongst　us　in　this　nation；

The　Gerfalcon　and　Jerkin；　The　Falcon　and　Tassel…gentle；　The　Laner　and　Laneret；　The　Bockerel　and　Bockeret；　The　Saker　and　Sacaret；　The　Merlin　and　Jack　Merlin；　The　Hobby　and　Jack：　There　is　the　Stelletto　of　Spain；　The　Blood…red　Rook　from　Turkey；　The　Waskite　from　Virginia：　And　there　is　of　short…winged　Hawks；　The　Eagle　and　Iron　The　Goshawk　and　Tarcel；　The　Sparhawk　and　Musket；　The　French　Pye　of　two　sorts：

These　are　reckoned　Hawks　of　note　and　worth；　but　we　have　also　of　an　inferior　rank；

The　Stanyel；　the　Ringtail；　The　Raven；　the　Buzzard；　The　Forked　Kite；　the　Bald　Buzzard；

The　Hen…driver；　and　others　that　I　forbear　to　name。

Gentlemen；　if　I　should　enlarge　my　discourse　to　the　observation　of　the　Eires；　the　Brancher；　the　Ramish　Hawk；　the　Haggard；　and　the　two　sorts　of　Lentners；　and　then　treat　of　their　several　Ayries；　their　Mewi