SOME ACCOUNT 



OF 



THE LIFE AND WRITINGS 



OF 



CHARLES COTTON, Esq. 



BY THE AMERICAN EDITOR. 



The friendship which our venerated "Walton had for Cotton, 

 besides his being the author of the following amusing and excel- 

 lent treatise, will naturally lead the reader to desire a better 

 knowledge of him ; but, it must be confessed, that the duty thus 

 laid upon the Editor, is by no means so pleasant as he could 

 wish. The character of the adopted son differs so widely from 

 that of his pure-minded father, as to make it a mystery how even 

 a common taste for ancrlins; could have made the friend of Wot- 

 ton bear with the habits of the younger man. Perhaps the 

 friendship Walton had for Cotton's father was affectionately en- 

 tailed upon the offspring ; perhaps similarity of political opinions 

 may have biased even the very sober judgment ; perhaps a chari- 

 table hope to do the reckless wit good by a close association, made 

 the merciful heart more tolerant ; no doubt the venerable presence 

 restrained the tongue from the license of the pen which the bur- 

 lesque poet made a second nature ; but however it came about, 

 an affectionate intercourse was maintained between them, as the 

 reader already knows, and will soon know further. Let us hope, 

 that Walton's serious occupations and intercourse with pious men 

 of learning kept him happily away from companions where loose 



