e were strolling in the garden." "Agreed," replied Philemon,--"the
quietness of the hour--the prospect, however limited, before us--(for
I shall not fail to fix my eyes upon a Froissart printed by Verard, or
a portrait painted by Holbein, while you talk)--every thing conspires
to render this discourse congenial." "As you have reminded me of that
pretty description of a repast in Walton," resumed Lysander, "I will
preface the sequel to my conversation by drinking a glass to your
healths--and so, masters, 'here is a full glass to you' of the liquor
before us." Lysander then continued, "It were to be wished that the
republic or region of LITERATURE could be described in as favourable a
manner as Camden has described the air, earth, and sky, of our own
country;[82] but I fear Milton's terrific description of the infernal
frozen continent,

beat with perpetual forms
Of whirlwind and dire hail,

_Par. Lost_, b. ii. v. 587.

is rather applicable to it. Having endeavoured to shew, my dear
friends, that the passionate love of hypothesis--(or a determination
to make every man think and believe as we do) incorrigible
carelessness--and equally incorrigible ill-nature--are each inimical
to the true interests of literature, let us see what other evil
qualities there are which principally frustrate the legitimate view of
learning.

[Footnote 81: _Complete Angler_, p. 335. Bagster's edit.
1808. In a similar style of description are "the faire grove
and swete walkes, letticed and gardened on both sides," of
Mr. Warde's letter--describing the nunnery of Little Gidding
in Huntingdonshire. See Hearne's edit. of _Peter Langtoft's
Chronicle_, vol. 1. p. cx.]

[Footnote 82: "The ayre is most temperate and wholesome,
sited in the middest of the temperate zone, subject to no
stormes and tempests, as the more southerne and northerne
are; but stored with infinite delicate fowle. For water, it
is walled and guarded with ye ocean most commodious for
trafficke to all parts of the world, and watered with
pleasant fishful and navigable rivers, which yeeld safe
havens and roads, and furnished with shipping and sailers,
that it may rightly be termed THE LADY OF THE SEA. That I
may say nothing of healthful bathes, and of meares stored
both with fish and fowl. The earth fertile of all kinde of
graine, manured with good husbandry, rich i