IZAAK WALTON AT DROXFORD 171 



below. Then he would tell of the return of " the 

 beloved minister," and how he set himself to repair the 

 mischief which had been wrought, panelling the sanc- 

 tuary with oak, and fencing it off with stately altar 

 rails. These Jacobean altar rails have lately been 

 restored to the church, and it is pleasant to think that 

 the aged author of The Conipleat Angler must have 

 often leaned against them when he received the Holy 

 Communion from the hands of Dr. Hawkins or of 

 Mr. John Darbyshire. 



Thus the days of the old man at Droxford would 

 pass quietly and uneventfully by. In the month of 

 May he would listen to the " sweet loud music " of the 

 nightingale, which returns every year to the rectory 

 garden. Or he would take " a gentle walk to the 

 river," perhaps in company with his little grand- 

 daughter Anne, and point out to her " the lilies and 

 lady-smocks " in the glebe meadows. Beneath " the 

 cool shade of the honeysuckle hedge " he would rest 

 awhile, and watch the moorhens in " the gliding 

 stream," or listen to the notes of the sedge-warbler. 

 The old mill is still standing, on the bridge of which 

 the aged angler must have often lingered as he watched 

 the rush of water making pleasant music beneath his 

 feet. Indeed, the village is but little changed since 

 the days, now over two hundred years ago, when Dr. 

 Hawkins was rector and Mr. John Darbyshire looked 

 after the spiritual welfare of the people, and Squire 

 Morley presided at the parish meetings. The even 

 tenour of life went quietly on, broken only now and 

 again by some domestic affliction, or some family 

 rejoicing as when, it maj' be, in the presence of the 

 rector and Mr. John Darbyshire, and of the revered 

 and venerable fisherman, the Morley sundial was 

 placed in position on the lawn. 



