Introduction 



honey-suckle hedges has no appeal in comparison with a creel full of 

 speckled trout, thinks but small beer of poor Izaak's antiquated 

 angling methods. It is probably among those who have never cast 

 a line (like the present editor), or, like Washington Irving, have 

 but fished " to satisfy the sentiment," that the majority of 

 Waltonians are to be found. 



As a practical guide to angling, 'The Compleat Angler was 

 exploded even in its own day. Robert Franck belonged to the 

 order of Philistine, as distinct from that of contemplative, anglers, 

 and naturally he had little patience with Walton's unpractical 

 digressions. He vents his spleen in a curious book, entitled 

 Northern Memoirs, written in dialogue between Theophilus and 

 Arnoldus, published in 1694, and re-edited by Sir Walter Scott, 

 in 1821. Arnoldus complains that Walton "stuffs his book with 

 morals from Dubravius and others, not giving us one precedent of 

 his own practical experiments." Theophilus loftily rejoins : " I 

 remember the book, but you inculcate his errata ; however, it may 

 pass muster among common muddlers." But Arnoldus thinks not, 

 " for," he continues, " I remember in Stafford, I urged his own argu- 

 ment upon him, that pickerel weed of itself breeds pickerel. Which 

 question was no sooner stated, but he transmits himself to his 

 authority, viz., Gesner, Dubravius, and Aldrovandus, which I readily 

 opposed, and offered my reasons to prove the contrary." Arnoldus 

 finally relates how the Compleat Angler, getting the worst of the 

 argument, dropped it, " and leaves Gesner to defend it," and " so 

 huffed away." 



Of course, from his point of view Franck was perfectly justified. 

 For one might as well consult a fifteenth-century pharmacopoeia on 

 Russian influenza as consult " Honest Izaak " on any of the 

 higher branches of his art. But who minds that ? Angling was 

 simply an excuse for Walton's artless garrulity, a peg on which to 

 hang his ever-fragrant discourse of stream and meadow. He 

 followed angling, as indeed any such sport is most intelligently 

 followed, as a pretext for a day or two in the fields, not so much 

 to fill his basket as to refresh his spirit, and store his memory 

 with the sweetness of country sights and sounds. The angler 



Ixv e 



