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Gentlemen,
if I should enlarge my discourse to the observations of the eires,
the brancher, the ramish hawk, the haggard, and the two sorts of
lentners, and then treat of their several ayries, their mewings,
rare order of casting, and the renovation of their feathers; their
reclaiming, dieting, and then come to their rare stories of practice;
I say, if I should enter into these, and many other observations
that I could make, it would be much, very much pleasure to me; but
lest I should break the rules of civility with you, by taking up
more than the proportion of time alotted to me, I will here break
off, and entreat you, Mr. Venator, to say what you are able in the
commendation of hunting, to which you are so much affected; and
if time will serve, I will beg your favour for a further enlargement
of some of those several heads of which I have spoken. But no more
at present.
Ven. Well, sir, and I will now take my turn, and will first begin
with a commendation of the earth, as you have done most excellently
of the air; the earth being that element upon which I drive my
pleasant, wholesome, hungry trade. The earth is a solid, settled
element; an element universally beneficial both to man and beast:
to men who have their several recreations upon it, as horse-races,
hunting, sweet smells, pleasant walks: the earth feeds man, and
all those several beasts that both feed him, and afford him recreation.
What pleasure doth man take in hunting the stately stag, the generous
buck, the wild boar, the cunning otter, the crafty fox, and the
fearful hare! And if I may descend to a lower game, what pleasure
is it sometimes with gins to betray the very vermin of the earth!
as namely, the fichat, the fulmart, the ferret, the pole-cat,
the mouldwarp, and the like creatures that live upon the face
and within the bowels of the earth. How doth the earth bring forth
herbs, flowers, and fruits, both for physic and the pleasure of
mankind! and above all, to me at least, the fruitful vine, of
which when I drink moderately, it clears my brain, cheers my heart,
and sharpens my wit. How could Cleopatra have feasted Mark Antony
with eight wild boars roasted whole at one supper, and other meat
suitable, if the earth had not been a bountiful mother?
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