IZAAK WALTON AND HIS FRIENDS n 



remembering so many of these, and at the same 

 time lighting on an ingenious little book called 

 The Innocent Epicure, which more than doubled 

 my quantity, that first put me in the head of thus 

 adding a summary in verse to each chapter." The 

 full title of the interesting book referred to is The 

 Innocent Epicure ; or, The Art of Angling. A Poem. 

 It was published in 1697. The preface is by N. 

 Tate, who says: "The copy of this poem being 

 sent to me from the unknown author, with 

 commission to publish or suppress it, as I thought 

 fitting ; his indifi'erence about the matter con- 

 vinced me that he was a gentleman who wrote it 

 for his diversion, or at least in kindness to those 

 who are lovers of that ingenious and innocent 

 recreation, concerning which he has made so 

 judicious observations. I immediately communi- 

 cated the sight of his manuscript to several 

 experienced anglers, (and some of them no enemies 

 to the Muses) who agreed in their opinions, that 

 notwithstanding the confinement that verse lays 

 upon a writer, it far excels anything that has been 

 published in prose upon this subject, even in the 

 useful and instructive part of the work. They assured 

 me, that it contains all the necessary rules that 

 have yet been delivered ; and those rules digested 

 into a much better method ; together with several 

 uncommon and surprising remarks, which many 

 who are reputed artists at the Sport, may receive 



