IZAAK WALTON AND HIS FRIENDS 119 



to believe that Walton, when nearly ninety years 

 of age, could be such a gay deceiver as some 

 would make him out to be, if he were really 

 the author himself of this work. The preface in 

 the book I here set out : — 



"The reader will find in this Book, what the 

 title declares, A Pastoral History, in smooth and 

 easie verse; and will in it find many Hopes and 

 Fears finely painted, and feelingly express'd. And 

 he will find the first so often disappointed, when 

 fullest of desire and expectation ; and the latter, 

 so often, so strangely, and so unexpectedly reliev'd 

 by an unforeseen Providence, as may beget in him 

 wonder and amazement. And the Eeader will 

 here also meet with Passions heightened by easie 

 and fit descriptions of Joy and Sorrow ; and find 

 also such various events and rewards of innocent 

 Truth and undissembled Honesty, as is like 

 to leave in him (if he be a good-natur'd 

 Reader) more sympathising and virtuous im- 

 pressions, than ten times so much time spent 

 in impertinent, critical, and needless Disputes 

 about Religion : and I heartily wish it may 

 do so. 



"And, I have also this truth to say of the Author, 

 that he was in his time a man generally known, and 

 as well belov'd ; for he was humble, and obliging 

 in his behaviour, a Gentleman, a Scholar, very 



