THOMAS KEN AND IZAAK WALTON 159 



know, for example, how Walton passed the last 

 seven years of his life. I have already referred to 

 the fact that in 1676 Charles Cotton pressed him 

 to pay a visit to Beresford Hall, and I have quoted 

 his letter promising to go there (Chap, x.), but we 

 have not a scrap of evidence that he ever did go. 

 That letter was written from Londo/i, April 29, 

 1676. 



In Longmafi's Magazine, Nov. 1904, the Rev. 

 Canon John Vaughan, Rector of Droxford, pro- 

 pounds a new and interesting theory evolved from 

 Walton's Will— 



" The passage in his will will be remem- 

 bered — * I also give unto my daughter all my 

 books at Winchester and Droxford, and what- 

 ever in those two places are or I can call 

 mine. To my son Izaak I give all my books 

 at Farnham Castell, and a deske of prints and 

 pictures, also a cabinett near my bed's head, 

 in which are some little things that he will 

 value, though of no great worth.' It is 

 evident from this passage that Izaak Walton 

 in his last years had some close connection, 

 not only with Farnham and Winchester, but 

 also with Droxford, a village in the Meon 

 Valley some fourteen miles from the cathedral 

 city. At Farnham, it is clear, he still had his 

 own chamber in the Castle, where he had 

 written the ' Lives' of Hooker and of Herbert, 

 and where he was always sure of a warm 



