Izaak Walton 



indeed we are told by one chronicler (Dr. 

 Zouche) that "such were his manners and 

 deportment, that he classed among his 

 friends the first and most illustrious of his 

 contemporaries/' Nor was Walton less 

 fortunate in his social connections. The 

 times in which he lived were times of 

 gloomy suspicion, of danger and distress, 

 when a severe scrutiny into the public and 

 private behavior of men established a rigid 

 discrimination of character. Walton's life 

 and conduct were, of course, exempt from 

 the slightest hint of distrust, and untouched 

 by the merest breath of suspicion. His 

 worldly prudence was but on a par with 

 his devout piety and austere simplicity; 

 and he joyed and jogged along the foot- 

 path ways of life, if, haply, now and 

 then with a grave and thoughtful brow at 

 the aspect of affairs around him, generally 

 with a mind at peace with itself, and with 

 a heart buoyant with sincere love towards 

 God and to man, and to all creatures and 

 things whatsoever of good report. He 

 must therefore be allowed to have pos- 

 sessed a peculiar excellence of disposition. 

 The singular circumspection which he ob- 

 served in the choice of his acquaintances 

 has not escaped the notice of Mr. Cotton, 

 who says : " My father Walton will be 

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