FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127  
128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   >>   >|  
was almost unconscious of what I was about, for my mind was not with my fish. I was thinking of my earlier years--of the Scottish crags and the heaths of Ireland--and sometimes my mind would dwell on my studies--on the sonorous stanzas of Dante, rising and falling like the waves of the sea--or would strive to remember a couplet or two of poor Monsieur Boileau. 'Canst thou answer to thy conscience for pulling all those fish out of the water, and leaving them to gasp in the sun?' said a voice, clear and sonorous as a bell. I started, and looked round. Close behind me stood the tall figure of a man, dressed in raiment of quaint and singular fashion, but of goodly materials. He was in the prime and vigour of manhood; his features handsome and noble, but full of calmness and benevolence; at least I thought so, though they were somewhat shaded by a hat of finest beaver, with broad drooping eaves. 'Surely that is a very cruel diversion in which thou indulgest, my young friend?' he continued. 'I am sorry for it, if it be, sir,' said I, rising; 'but I do not think it cruel to fish.' 'What are thy reasons for not thinking so?' 'Fishing is mentioned frequently in Scripture. Simon Peter was a fisherman.' 'True; and Andrew and his brother. But thou forgettest: they did not follow fishing as a diversion, as I fear thou doest.--Thou readest the Scriptures?' 'Sometimes.' 'Sometimes?--not daily?--that is to be regretted. What profession dost thou make?--I mean to what religious denomination dost thou belong, my young friend?' 'Church.' 'It is a very good profession--there is much of Scripture contained in its liturgy. Dost thou read aught besides the Scriptures?' 'Sometimes.' 'What dost thou read besides?' 'Greek, and Dante.' 'Indeed! then thou hast the advantage over myself; I can only read the former. Well, I am rejoiced to find that thou hast other pursuits beside thy fishing. Dost thou know Hebrew?' 'No?' 'Thou shouldst study it. Why dost thou not undertake the study?' 'I have no books.' 'I will lend thee books, if thou wish to undertake the study. I live yonder at the hall, as perhaps thou knowest. I have a library there, in which are many curious books, both in Greek and Hebrew, which I will show to thee, whenever thou mayest find it convenient to come and see me. Farewell! I am glad to find that thou hast pursuits more satisfactory than thy cruel fishing.' And the man
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127  
128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
fishing
 

Sometimes

 

undertake

 
pursuits
 

Scriptures

 

Hebrew

 

profession

 

rising

 

sonorous

 

Scripture


friend

 
diversion
 

thinking

 
belong
 
Andrew
 

fisherman

 

brother

 

Church

 

denomination

 

forgettest


regretted

 

follow

 

religious

 

readest

 

curious

 
library
 

knowest

 

yonder

 

mayest

 

satisfactory


Farewell

 

convenient

 
advantage
 

Indeed

 

contained

 

liturgy

 

shouldst

 

rejoiced

 

leaving

 

conscience


pulling
 
looked
 

started

 

answer

 

studies

 
stanzas
 

Ireland

 
heaths
 
Scottish
 

earlier