bestow a tenth part of his Revenue, and all his fish, amongst the poor
that inhabited near to those Rivers in which it was caught, saying
often, _That Charity gave life to Religion_: and at his return would
praise God he had spent that day free from worldly trouble, both
harmlesly and in a Recreation that became a Church-man.

My next and last example shall be that undervaluer of money, the late
Provost of _Eaton Colledg_, Sir _Henry Wotton_, (a man with whom I have
often fish'd and convers'd) a man whose forraign imployments in the
service of this Nation, and whose experience, learning, wit and
cheerfulness, made his company to be esteemed one of the delights of
mankind; this man, whose very approbation of Angling were sufficient to
convince any modest Censurer of it, this man was also a most dear
lover, and a frequent practicer of the Art of Angling, of which he
would say, "['Twas an imployment for his idle time, which was not idly
spent;]" for Angling was after tedious study "[A rest to his mind, a
cheerer of his spirits, a divertion of sadness, a calmer of unquiet
thoughts, a Moderator of passions, a procurer of contentedness, and
that it begot habits of peace and patience in those that profest and
practic'd it.]"

Sir, This was the saying of that Learned man; and I do easily believe
that peace, and patience, and a calm content did cohabit in the
cheerful heart of Sir _Henry Wotton_, because I know, that when he was
beyond seventy years of age he made this description of a part of the
present pleasure that possest him, as he sate quietly in a Summers
evening on a bank a fishing; it is a description of the Spring, which
because it glides as soft and sweetly from his pen, as that River does
now by which it was then made, I shall repeat unto you.