To write on Walton is, indeed, to hold a candle 

 to the sun. The editor has been content to give a 

 summary of the chief, or rather the only known, 

 events in Walton's long life, adding a notice of his 

 character as displayed in his Biographies and in The 

 Compleat Angler, with comments on the ancient 

 and modern practice of fishing, illustrated by pas- 

 sages from Walton's foregoers and contemporaries. 

 Like all editors of Walton, he owes much to his 

 predecessors, Sir John Hawkins, Oldys, Major, 

 and, above all, to the learned Sir Harris Nicolas. 

 The text here reprinted is, in the main, that of Sir 

 Harris Nicolas, which was printed from Walton's 

 Fifth Edition, 1676, the last that was revised by 

 the author. 



