IZAAK WALTON. 63 



Tlie Perfect Ditirnall from the 9th to the i6th of May, 

 1653, thus : — 



" The Compleat Angler, or the 



Contemplative Man's Recreation, being 

 a discourse of Fish and Fishing, not 

 unworthy the perusal of most Anglers, 



of 18 pence price. Written by Iz. Wa 



printed for Richard Marriot, 



to be sold at his Shop in Saint 

 Dunstan's Churchyard. Fleet Street." 



It was similarly advertised in the Mercurius Politiais 

 from the 19th to the 26th of May. 



There was no indication of the name of the author on 

 the title-page, and he only signs himself Iz. Wa. at the 

 foot of the " Letter of Dedication " to John Offley, and of the 

 " Address to the Reader." The first sentence, ending with 

 " Recreation," of the title was engraved on a scroll, which 

 has " classic " dolphins above and below, with a string of 

 fish pendent on either side, and the whole resting on a 

 shell. It is a curious fact that the word " Compleat " which 

 appears on the scroll is printed ^'Complete" on all the 

 pages of the book, and since then the word seems to have 

 been printed indiscriminately in either form, according to 

 the fancy of Walton's editors, though most editions have 

 " CompA?/(?." On the title-page also appeared the text — 

 " Simon Peter said, I go a fishing ; and they said, we also 

 will go with thee. John 21, 3." A well preserved and 

 perfect copy of this edition is now worth about ;^ 50, and 

 perhaps more, and he who obtains one becomes in his way 

 as much of a hero as the owner of a winner of the Derby, 

 or the capturer of the largest salmon or Thames trout of 

 the season. The second edition, published in 1655, was 



