Izaak Walton 



master's doings by his beloved Lea, whither 

 he often repaired in the intervals of busi- 

 ness, history is, on the other hand, most 

 illiberal. We can only believe that he 

 pursued his favorite pastime with all dili- 

 gence ; for he acquired that expertness in 

 it which subsequently made him so fa- 

 mous. His proximity to the Thames and 

 its upper waters afforded to a man with 

 such ardor for fishing all the opportunities 

 essential for becoming a successful sports- 

 man and reliable guide. In those days, as 

 indeed to some extent even yet, the higher 

 Thames and the many feeders of that royal 

 river notably the Lea at Wareham, 

 some twenty miles from London, which 

 claimed the particular patronage of Wal- 

 ton formed the chief resort of anglers 

 from the metropolis. And when we re- 

 flect on the fact that most of the wayfar- 

 ing then had to be done on foot, the 

 knights of the gentle art, with their varied 

 and oftentimes burdensome paraphernalia, 

 must have been, to tramp that distance, 

 liberally endowed with patience and endur- 

 ance. These qualities at least were con- 

 spicuous in Walton, and, in all probability, 

 more highly developed in him during his 

 meanderings between Fleet Street and the 

 Lea than at any other time. The grow- 

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