I20 IZAAK WALTON AND HIS FRIENDS 



innocent and prudent : and indeed his whole life 

 was useful, quiet, and virtuous. God send the 

 Story may meet with, or make all Readers like 

 him. I.W. 



^' May 1th, 1678." 



This preface is followed by some verses ad- 

 dressed by Thomas Flatman, the poet, to Walton, 

 including the following lines : " Happy Old Man, 

 whose worth all mankind knows," and — 



" Hence did he kuow the Art of Hving well, 

 The bright Thealma was his Oracle : 

 Inspired by her, he knows no anxious cares, 

 Thro' near a Century of pleasant years : 

 Easie he lives, and cheerful shall he die. 

 Well spoken of by late Posterity." 



The ending of Thealma and Clearchus is 

 thus : — 



"never fear it, 

 Thealma lives." 



I cannot find that the phrases used in this poem 

 are similar to those Walton uses in his other 

 writings. I can see no internal evidence at 

 all that he was the author, such as there is in 

 the case of Love and Truth, to go towards 

 showing he wrote that work. Dr Zouch, however, 

 considers " the internal evidence in the poem itself 

 is strongly corroborative of the opinion as to the 

 unity of Chalkhill and Walton ! " It must follow, if 



