THOMAS KEN AND IZAAK WALTON 171 



Letter from Sir Henry Harben 



" Dear Sir, — In answer to your inquiries 

 about the Izaak Walton cabinet, I bought it 

 from a gentleman at Ealing, to whom it had 

 been given as a wedding present, and who 

 would not have parted with it but that he 

 was going abroad, and could not take it with 

 him. 



" Before buying it, I had it examined by 

 an expert, and on sending him down I told 

 him the price asked for it, but told him 

 not to make any bid for it until he had con- 

 sulted me. 



" But he was so much impressed with its 

 value that he made an offer for it, lest it should 

 be sold elsewhere. 



" On reporting to me what he had done, he 

 said he was afraid lest if it were submitted to 

 auction it might fetch a price I might not like 

 to give. 



*' I immediately sent to the gentleman, and 

 paid him the price he asked for it. 



" Pasted in one of the drawers is a piece of 

 printed paper, evidently from a catalogue of 

 sale of old date, of which I send you a copy. 



