INTRODUCTORY ESSAY. xxxix 



This is precisely the treatment of our author 

 which agrees with our own views ; it requires not 

 so much the love of angling, as a relish for the ge- 

 neral charms of nature, to render any person of true 

 taste delighted with his pages. We have conse- 

 quently spared no effort to illustrate the literary 

 and rural beauties of the work : our numerous 

 topographical views,* with those other subjects which 

 have been suggested to the various artists as the 

 result of a long intimacy with these fascinating 

 pages, it is hoped, can leave but little to be desired 

 on this point, whilst the great pains which have 

 been taken to ensure correct delineations of the 

 FISH, f (the whole having been painted from nature ex- 

 pressly for this edition), may add to the character of 

 the work as connected with a popular branch of 

 natural history : — truly may it be said (after allow- 

 ing the painter, in each instance, due praise,) that 

 the " gravers," also, 



" had a strife 



With nature to outdo the life !" 



* Greatly varied in the present edition. 



t The list of engravings will shew that some entirely new 

 specimens of Fishes by artists of the highest rank are intro- 

 duced in this fourth edition. But the new designs by Mr. Abso- 

 lon form the crown of my present efforts — nothing could 

 exceed his zeal whilst they were on his easel — skilful anglers 

 stood for the men, and fair and handsome ladies volunteered 

 for the females ; the result, I warmly anticipate will come with 

 a pleasing surprise upon the minds of the most affectionate 

 admirers of our author. 



