WALTON'S "COMPLEAT ANGLER." 



A SONNET BY T. WESTWOOD. 



WHA T, not a word for thee, O little tome, 

 Brown-jerkined, friendly-faced of all my books 

 The one that wears the quaintest, kindliest looks 

 Seems most completely, cosily at home, 

 Amongst its fellows. Ah ! if thou conldst tell 

 Thy story how, in sixteen fifty-three,* 

 Good Master Marriot, standing at his door, 

 Saw Anglers hurrying fifty nay, threescore, 

 To buy thec, ere noon pealed from Duns tan's 



bell : 

 And how he stared and . . . shook Jiis sides with 



glee. 



One story, this, which fact or fiction weaves. 

 Meanwhile, adorn my shelf, beloved of all 

 Old book ! ivith lavender between thy leaves, 

 And twenty ballads round thec on the wall. 



* 1653, the date of the publication of " The Compltal 

 Angler" in St. Dunstan's Churchyard. 



