THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 93 



scenery, in sentiments of the purest morality, or 

 in an unaffected love of the Creator and his 

 works, it has long ranked amongst the most 

 popular compositions in our language." It is, 

 indeed, a delightful work, breathing the perfume 

 of country air and of the flowers in the windows 

 of his cottages. The reader is charmed with the 

 varied pictures of rural scenery, and the descrip- 

 tions of placid trout streams. Even the snatches 

 of old songs have a peculiar interest, while the 

 simplicity and kindness of heart of the author, 

 and the manner in which the minute incidents 

 he meets with arc related, make us love as well 

 as admire him. Even his dinners with his 

 companions, at a village ale-house, are so well 

 described, that we can almost fancy we see the 

 party seated round their dish of fish, with a 

 foaming tankard of ale by their side, and that 

 we are listening to their harmless and amusing- 

 conversation. Walton, from the enjoyment of 

 country air, and the prospect of country sce- 

 nery, seemed to awake to a new life, which ad- 

 ded a charm to his descriptions, from the very 

 pleasure which they afforded him. The follow- 

 ing beautiful passage on the song of birds, sup- 

 plies a proof of this observation. 



" The Lark, when she means to rejoice, and 

 cheer herself and those that hear her, quits the 



