Introduction xiil 



the only known adventure in the long life of old 

 Izaak. The peaceful angler, with a royal jewel in 

 his pocket, must have encountered many dangers 

 on the highway. He was a man of sixty when 

 he published his Compleat Angler in 1653, an d so 

 secured immortality. The quiet beauties of his 

 manner in his various biographies would only have 

 made him known to a few students, who could 

 never have recognised Byron's "quaint, old, cruel 

 coxcomb" in their author. "The whole discourse 

 is a kind of picture of my own disposition, at least 

 of my disposition in such days and times as I allow 

 myself when honest Nat. and R. R. and I go a-fishing 

 together." Izaak speaks of the possibility that his 

 book may reach a second edition. There are now 

 editions more than a hundred ! Waltonians should 

 read Mr. Thomas Westwood's Preface to his Chron- 

 icle of the Compleat Angler: it is reprinted in Mr. 

 Marston's edition. Mr. Westwood learned to admire 

 Walton at the feet of Charles Lamb: 



" No fisher, 

 But a well-wisher 

 To the game," 



as Scott describes himself. 1 



Lamb recommended Walton to Coleridge; "it 

 breathes the very spirit of innocence, purity, and 

 simplicity of heart ; ... it would sweeten a man's 

 temper at any time to read it ; it would Christian- 

 ise every angry, discordant passion ; pray make your- 

 self acquainted with it" (Oct. 28, 1796.) Accord- 



1 Sir Walter was fond of trout-fishing, and in his Quarterly 

 review of Davy's Salmonia, describes his pleasure in wading' 

 Tweed, in " Tom Fool's light " at the end of a hot summer day. 

 In salmon-fishing he was no expert, and said to Lockhart that he- 

 must have Tom Purdie to aid him in his review of Salmonia. 

 The picturesqueness of salmon-spearing by torchlight seduced* 

 Scott from the legitimate sport. 



