24 TREATISE ON FLY-FISHING. 



1683, when he was ninety years old, he published 

 " Thealma and Clearchus," a pastoral history, in 

 smooth and easy verse. He lived but a short 

 time after the publication of this poem ; for, as 

 Wood says, " he ended his days on the fifteenth 

 day of December, 1683, in the great frost at 

 Winchester, at the house of Dr. William Hawkins, 

 a prebendary of the church there, where he lies 

 buried." 



The " Complete Angler" has passed through 

 several editions ; and, although the art has greatly 

 improved since Walton's day, its perusal will 

 afford much information and amusement, as well 

 to the sportsman as the general reader ; for, in 

 the words of one of the editors, " let no man 

 imagine, that a work on such a subject, must 

 necessarily be unentertaining, or trifling, or even 

 uninstructive ; for the contrary will most evident- 

 ly appear, from a perusal of this excellent piece, 

 which, whether we consider the elegant sim- 

 plicity of the style; the ease, and unaffected 



