A CONFERENCE BETWIXT AN ANGLER, A FALCONER, 1PISCA CHAPTER I. PISCATOR, VENATOR, AUCEPS.* DISCATOR. 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 VARIATION. [Where not otherwise marked all the variations are in the first edition, 1653, in which the dialogue is between two persons, namely, Piscator and Viator.] 1 Piscator. You are well overtaken, Sir; a good morning to you; I have stretched my legs up Totnam Hill to overtake you, hoping your business may occasion you towards Ware, this fine pleasant fresh May-day in the morning. There is so striking a resemblance between the commencement of the first edition of "The Complete Angler," and the opening of "A Treatise of the Nature of God," 12m0, 1599, that it is almost certain it was the model of Walton's work. The conversation in that Treatise is between a "Gentleman" and a "Scholar," and commences thus: "Gent. Well overtaken, Sir! Scholar. You are welcome, Gentleman! Gent. No great gentleman, Sir; but one that wisheth well to all that mean well. I pray you, how far do you travel this way? Scholar. As far as York. Gent. I should be glad, if I might have your company thither. Scholar. And I, if my company might stand you in any stead; but howsoever it be, you may command it; and, by vouchsafing me the benefit of your company, make me much beholden to you," &c. Many other parts of the Treatise appear to have been imitated both by Walton and Cotton. |