92 Walton's Indebtedness to Barker. 



second title may be ; hundreds for whom 

 it is intended miss it, passing over the 

 large-type leading title which conveys 

 nothing. Such an ambiguous title, espe- 

 cially when it has no explanatory sub-title, 

 is the bane of the compiler of catalogues, 

 and frequently robs the author of much of 

 the credit to which he is entitled. 



Walton freely acknowledges his in- 

 debtedness to Barker. When Piscator 

 and Viator are sitting smoking in the 

 shade of the sycamore tree after break- 

 fast, Viator reminds his master of his 

 " promised direction for making and 

 ordering my artificial flye," and to this 

 replies : 



Piscator. "My honest Scholar, I will 

 do it, for it is a debt due unto you, by my 

 promise : and because you shall not think 

 your self more engaged* to me than indeed 

 you really are, therefore I will tell you 

 freely. I find Mr. Thomas Barker (a 

 Gentleman that has spent much time and 

 money in angling) deal so judicially and 

 freely in a little book of his of Angling, 

 and especially of making and angling with 

 a flye for a Trout, that I will give you his 

 very directions without much variation, 

 which shall follow." 



* Indebted. 



