xviii . INTRODUCTION. 



We may now run over briefly the dates and titles 

 of Walton's writings. His first appearance as an 

 author seems to have been in 1633, in an Elegy 

 which accompanied the first edition of Donne's 

 poems Walton, though his taste in poetry was 

 good, could boast but a limited share of the accom- 

 plishment of verse ; and the Elegy is neither above 

 nor below his modest poetical level. Where his 

 poetry is passable, it is chiefly because his prose 

 merits, his amiable sincerity, and succinct phrase 

 have crept in. 



Scarcely second in importance to " The Complete 

 Angler" are the "Lives." Boswell records that 

 this work was a prime favorite with Dr. Johnson; 

 and he adds that the Doctor once observed (rather 

 in Mr. Major's vein) that " it was wonderful that Wal- 

 ton, who was in a very low situation in life, should 

 have been familiarly received by so many great men, 

 and that at a time when the ranks of society were 

 kept more separate than they are now." 



There is perhaps ground for holding the gentle 

 and courteous Walton's welcome in good society 

 less "wonderful" than that of the Doctor him- 

 self, though Boswell is not likely to have sug- 

 gested it. 



The inception of the " Lives " was due to a happy 

 chance. While living in the parish of St. Dunstan 

 in the West, Walton became the friend and frequent 

 hearer of its vicar, the famous Dr. Donne, who was 

 also dean of St. Paul's. Upon Donne's death in 

 1631, he was engaged to collect materials for a 

 " Life " which Sir Henry Wotton, provost of Eton 

 College, was to write ; but Wotton dying before the 



