IZAAK WALTON AND HIS FRIENDS 15 



others. The reader may be referred to the 

 published prayers of George Dawson of Birming- 

 ham, as being seemingly almost inspired. Dawson 

 thought he might perhaps go down to posterity in 

 his prayers. Some persons dread any new forms 

 of service with prayers not found in the Prayer- 

 book. Christopher Wordsworth, the late Bishop 

 of Lincoln, said : " It would indeed be a misfortune 

 deeply to be regretted, if Convocation in these days 

 were to present itself before the public in the 

 character of a manufactory of prayers " (see his 

 Life, p. 172, Eivingtons). 



About the year 1644 Walton left London, 

 "finding it dangerous for honest men to be there." 

 He appears to have made money by his business, 

 and we expect he was an exception to the state- 

 ment that '' a merchant shall hardly keep himself 

 from doing wrong" (Ecclesiasticus, xxvi. 29), for 

 we cannot conceive him effecting a "deal" to the 

 detriment of anyone, or being a party to "the 

 wrongful dealings of men." We expect those who 

 did business with him soon found : — 



" His Nay was Nay, without recall ; 

 His Yea was Yea, and powerful all ; 

 He gave his yea with careful heed, 

 His thoughts and words were well agreed, 

 His word his bond and seal." 



Whilst engaged in his business and "midst the 

 crowd, the hum, the shock of men," we think he 



