BUNSTER HILL, DOVE DALE 



CHAPTER I 



Prologue — Ken and Walton by Bowles — " Compleat 

 Angler," first edition — Sir John Hawkins's '* Life of 

 Walton " — " Lea and Dove " edition — Notes and Queries 

 — William Oldys found the principal facts for Sir John 

 Hawkins. 



Prologue 



npHE questions may well be asked : Why 

 another Life of Izaak Walton ? and what are 

 the qualifications of the writer ? My reply to the 

 first question must be apologetic, and my only plea 

 that " it is only a little one." 



As to the second inquiry my justification is that 

 I look upon myself as a sort of " poor relation " of 

 Izaak Walton. I have loved him from my youth, 

 and although I am but an indifferent angler, and 

 I never claimed to be anything more than an 

 amatetcr — time and opportunity have always com- 

 bined to prevent my being anything else — never- 

 theless, I call myself an unworthy disciple ; besides, 



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