_Pa. Every one to his Mind._ I love Hunting.
_Th._ And so do I too, but where are the Dogs? The hunting Poles? And
the hunting Nets?
_Pa._ Farewell Boars, Bears, Bucks, and Foxes, we'll lay Snares for
Rabbets.
_Vi._ But I'll set Gins for Locusts and Crickets.
_La._ But I'll catch Frogs.
_Ba._ I'll hunt Butterflies.
_La._ 'Tis difficult to follow flying Creatures.
_Ba._ It is difficult, but 'tis fine Sport; unless you think it finer
Sport to hunt after Earth-Worms, Snails or Cockles, because they have no
Wings.
_La._ Indeed I had rather go a Fishing; I have a neat Hook.
_Ba._ But where will you get Baits?
_La._ There are Earth-Worms enough every where to be had.
_Ba._ So there is, if they would but creep out of the Ground to you.
_La._ But I'll make a great many thousand jump out presently.
_Ba._ How? By Witch-Craft?
_La._ You shall see the Art. Fill this Bucket with Water, break these
green Peels of Walnuts to Pieces and put into it: Wet the Ground with
the Water. Now mind a little, do you see them coming out?
_Ba._ I see a Miracle. I believe the armed Men started out of the Earth
after this Manner from the Serpents Teeth that were sown: But a great
many Fish are of too fine and delicate a Palate to be catch'd by such a
vulgar Bait.
_La._ I know a certain Sort of an Insect that I us'd to catch such with.
_Ba._ See if you can impose upon the Fishes so, I'll make work with the
Frogs.
_La._ How, with a Net?
_Ba._ No, with a Bow.
_La._ That's a new Way of Fishing!
_Ba._ But 'tis a pleasant one; you'll say so, when you see it.
_Vi._ What if we two should play at holding up our Fingers?
_Ba._ That's an idle, clownish Play indeed, fitter for them that are
sitting in a Chimney Corner, than those that are ranging in the Field.
_Vi._ What if we should play at Cob-Nut?
_Pa._ Let us let Nuts alone for little Chits, we are great Boys.
_Vi._ And yet we are but Boys for all that.
_Pa._ But they that are fit to play at Cob-Nut, are fit to ride upon a
Hobby-Horse.
_Vi._ Well then, do you say what we shall play at; and I'll play at what
you will.
_Pa._ And I'll be conformable.
_SCHOLASTIC STUDIES._
The ARGUMENT.
_This Colloquy treats of scholastic Studies, and School
Plays, I. The Boys going into the School. The striking of
a Clock. A whipping Master. Of saying a Lesson. Fear
hurts the Memory. 2. Of Writing, the Paper sinks. Of
making a Pen. Of a hard Nip. A soft Nip. Of writing
quick, well._