INTRODUCTORY ESSAY. xxxiii 



It is also probable that Walton might borrow 

 from " Barker's Art of Angling," first published in 

 1651, the idea of making his work humorous and 

 entertaining ; but how fine is the contrast between 

 the chastised mirth of a gentleman, and that of the 

 mere droll ! — for poor Mr. Barker aspires to no- 

 thing higher. 



As for Walton's morality, it is almost entirely his 

 own ; we cannot help noticing one remarkable in- 

 stance of his propriety and delicacy of feeling : he 

 is conscious that, for some very ardent minds, he 

 may have made his descriptions too seductive, and 

 consequently he takes especial care to furnish a 

 hint which may serve for a corrective : it occurs 

 near the commencement of Chap, v., where Peter 

 says, " I will promise you I will sing another 

 " song in praise of angling to-morrow night, for 

 " we will not part till then ; but fish to-morrow 

 " and sup together, and the next day every man 

 " leave fishing , and fall to his business!" 



This minute piece of admonition, is rendered the 

 more delicate from its timely utterance, being evi- 

 dently meant to remind us, that we should fix the 

 requisite limits to our pleasures, even before their 

 commencement. 



In resuming our purpose of pointing out the pro- 

 gressive and still growing reputation of our author, 

 it may be fairly premised that what we now present 

 is to be viewed as the grateful feeling of posterity, 

 in opposition to that contemporary applause which 

 c 



