BIBLIOGRAPHICAL PREFACE. Ixxix 



infalliblv accurate, anv more than his other writincrs. is 

 really very valuable for the anecdotes and curious par- 

 ticulars which it has preserved. He was made Justice of 

 Peace for Middlesex in 1765, and in 1772 knighted for his 

 dispersion of a mob in Moorfields. He died in 1789. His 

 first edition w'as dedicated to Edward Popham, Esqr., of 

 Littlecot, Wilts., and declares that his '' only motives for 

 the work were a desire to perpetuate the memory of a 

 meek, benevolent, pious man, and to contribute something 

 to the improvement of an art of which he professed him- 

 self a lover." He prefixed to it a rather elaborate, though 

 not very accurate. Life of Walton, which has been the 

 basis of all the biographical memoirs since, and the 

 source of the popular information on the subject. He 

 subjoined to the text many Notes, Historical, Critical, 

 and Explanatory^ He also caused to be added three 

 plates, of fishing-tackle, flies, &c., with a portrait of 

 Cotton, prefixed to a Sketch of his Life and Writings, 

 furnished to the edition by another hand, and a view of 

 the fishing-house, " as it stands in a kind of peninsula, 

 with a delicate clear river about it." As we shall have 

 frequent occasion for reference to his commentaries, little 

 need be said here of their character. In general, his con- 

 tributions to our Waltonian knowledge are valuable, but 

 much as we owe him, we cannot help regretting that one 

 who did so w^ell, did no better. It has been several 

 times remarked that he is by no means accurate ; his 

 notes are not always in good taste ; he has overlooked 

 many passages which need illustration ; and he lacks, not- 

 withstanding his professions, a proper veneration for his 

 author ; nor would we suppose him to have been a 

 practical brother of the angle, if he had not declared 

 himself one, for he has not the true enthusiasm. Still, 

 he has deservedly linked his name to Walton's immor- 

 tality. 



