IZAAK WALTON. 75 



have well-nigh depopulated of their jack some of the best 

 Norfolk "Broads." 



And now by way of contrast we will add the famous — 

 it might almost be said " immortal " — passage anent the 

 nightingale, which more than one divine have quoted in 

 their sermons and commentaries — 



" But the nightingale, another of my airy creatures, breathes 

 such sweet loud music out of her little instrumental throat, that 

 it might make mankind to think miracles are not ceased. He 

 that, at midnight, when the very labourer sleeps securely, should 

 hear, as I have very often, the clear airs, the sweet descants, the 

 natural rising and falling, the doubling and redoubling of her 

 voice, might well be lifted above earth, and say, ' Lord, what 

 music has thou provided for the Saints in Heaven, when thou 

 afifordest bad men such music on Earth.' " 



Among Walton's contemporaries who were writers on 

 fish and fishing Barker has been already mentioned. 

 Colonel Robert Venables too, a strong royalist, has been 

 spoken of as the writer of the Experienced Angler, which 

 was first published in 1662 (though Mr. Estcourt says 

 1 661), and afterwards in the Universal Angler, or fifth 

 edition of Walton, in 1676. This treatise has gone through 

 six editions, the last dating 1827. The second edition, 

 the date of which is uncertain, was destroyed in the Great 

 Fire of London. Walton contributed a courtly commenda- 

 tion of the volume addressed to his " ingenious friend the 

 author" ; but though there is some fair reading in it, it 

 cannot rank in a high class of its kind. The remarks of 

 the Colonel on what was two centuries ago, and is still, a 

 vexata qticestio, namely, the respective merits of " up " and 

 " down " stream fishing, are in favour of the " downites." 

 They will give an example of his style : — 



" Fish are frightened with any, the least, sign or motion \ there- 



