kxiv LIFE OF IZAAK WALTON, [1668, 



diligence made such additions to them, as I hope will prove useful 

 to the completing of what I intend." 7 



In a candid address to his readers, Walton deprecated censure, 

 and solicited the correction of any errors in his work. He in- 

 vestigated at some length the authenticity of the last three Books 

 of the " Ecclesiastical Polity; " and though the garrulity of age may 

 be detected in the digressions into which he has fallen, as well as 

 in other parts of his work, it is nevertheless a very interesting 

 piece of biography ; and no one can read the concluding para- 

 graph without being forcibly impressed with the religious spirit of 

 the writer : " More he would have spoken, but his spirits failed 

 him, and after a short conflict betwixt nature and death, a quiet 

 sigh put a period to his last breath, and so he fell asleep. And 

 here, I draw his curtain, till with the most blessed Martyrs and Con- 

 fessors, this most learned, most humble, holy man, shall also awake 

 to receive an eternal tranquillity, and with it a greater degree of 

 glory than common Christians shall be made partakers of; till 

 which blessed time, let glory be to God on high, let peace be 

 upon earth, and good- will to mankind. Amen, Amen." 8 



This passage was however altered when the Memoir was re- 

 printed in 1670; and in the edition of 1675 it stands thus : 

 " More he would have spoken, but his spirits failed him, and after 

 a short conflict betwixt nature and death, a quiet sigh put a period 

 to his last breath, and so he fell asleep. And here I draw his 

 curtain, till with the most glorious company of the Patriarchs and 

 Apostles, the most noble army of Martyrs and Confessors, this 

 most learned, most humble, holy man shall also awake to receive 

 an eternal tranquillity, and with it a greater degree of glory than 

 common Christians shall be made partakers of. In the mean- 

 time, bless, O Lord ! Lord, bless his brethren, the clergy of this 

 nation, with ardent desires, and effectual endeavours to attain, if 

 not to his great learning, yet to his remarkable meekness, his godly 

 simplicity, and his Christian moderation, for these are praiseworthy ; 

 these bring peace at the last ! and let the labours of his life, his 

 most excellent writings, be blessed with what he designed when he 

 undertook them, which was, glory to thee, O God on high, peace 

 in thy church, and goodwill to mankind. Amen, Amen." 



The Life of Hooker was reprinted and attached to the "Ecclesias- 

 tical Polity" in 1666 ; and material alterations have been made in 

 the different editions of the Memoir. In 1668 Walton is said to 

 have written a letter to a kinsman at Coventry on the rejection 



7 Life of Hooker, ed. 1665, p. 5. 8 ibid. pp. 151, 152. 



