How ignorant had we been of the beauty of Florence, of the monuments,
urns, and rarities that yet remain in and near unto old and new Rome, so
many as it is said will take up a year's time to view, and afford to
each of them but a convenient consideration! And therefore it is not to
be wondered at, that so learned and devout a father as St. Jerome, after
his wish to have seen Christ in the flesh, and to have heard St. Paul
preach, makes his third wish, to have seen Rome in her glory; and that
glory is not yet all lost, for what pleasure is it to see the monuments
of Livy, the choicest of the historians; of Tully, the best of orators;
and to see the bay trees that now grow out of the very tomb of Virgil!
These, to any that love learning, must be pleasing. But what pleasure is
it to a devout Christian, to see there the humble house in which St.
Paul was content to dwell, and to view the many rich statues that are
made in honour of his memory! nay, to see the very place in which St.
Peter and he lie buried together! These are in and near to Rome. And how
much more doth it please the pious curiosity of a Christian, to see that
place, on which the blessed Saviour of the world was pleased to humble
himself, and to take our nature upon him, and to converse with men: to
see Mount Sion, Jerusalem, and the very sepulchre of our Lord Jesus! How
may it beget and heighten the zeal of a Christian, to see the devotions
that are daily paid to him at that place! Gentlemen, lest I forget
myself, I will stop here, and remember you, that but for my element of
water, the inhabitants of this poor island must remain ignorant that
such things ever were, or that any of them have yet a being.
Gentlemen, I might both enlarge and lose myself in such like arguments.
I might tell you that Almighty God is said to have spoken to a fish, but
never to a beast; that he hath made a whale a ship, to carry and set his
prophet, Jonah, safe on the appointed shore. Of these I might speak, but
I must in manners break off, for I see Theobald's House. I cry you mercy
for being so long, and thank you for your patience.
Auceps. Sir, my pardon is easily granted you: I except against nothing
that you have said: nevertheless, I must part with you at this
park-wall, for which I am very sorry; but I assure you, Mr. Piscator, I
now part with you full of good thoughts, not only of yourself, but your
recreation. And so, Gentlemen, God keep you both.
Piscator. Well, now, Mr. Venator, you shall neither want time, nor my
attention to hear you enlarge your discourse concerning hunting.
Venator. Not I, Sir: I remember you said that Angling itself was of
great antiquity, and a perfect art, and an art not easily attained to;
and you have so won upon me in your former discourse, that I am very
desirous to hear what you can say further concerning those particulars.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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