IZAAK WALTON AND HIS FRIENDS 53 



Tegg in two volumes in 1826, the other published 

 by C. Tilt and others, in two volumes, in 1837 

 (32mo). This last is the smallest edition I can 

 find ever published. It has a note on page xi 

 in Vol. L, stating: "It has not been thought 

 necessary or desirable to introduce notes in this 

 edition of The Complete Angler, which is got up 

 rather in relation to its literary and poetical than 

 its technical character. To most readers they are 

 (un)necessary or readily supplied by the common 

 books of reference, while, on the other hand, they 

 have often only the effects of disturbing the tone of 

 the more agreeable thoughts excited by the text." 



Inasmuch as a nice copy of The Complete Angler 

 can now be bought for a few shillings there seems 

 no reason for giving further information as to its 

 contents. It is worth remarking that the first 

 edition of the book was published "of eighteen 

 pence price." Messrs Sotheby, in May 1898, sold 

 a beautiful set from the Ashburnham Library of 

 the first five editions, in the original bindings, 

 for £800 ! ^ For a few shillings a facsimile reprint 

 of the first edition can be bought. 



Americans are buying up all the best editions 

 of Walton. The reader may note that the second 

 edition of The Complete Angler is extremely scarce, 

 more so than the first edition. 



1 In May 1903, they sold a copy of the first edition for £405. 



