IV PREFACE. 



countrymen, and not solely to a vain desire to 

 follow in the footsteps of that venerable 

 father of the angle. 



The favourable manner in which this little 

 volume has been received by many who 

 never in their lives cast a fly, encourages 

 the hope that it contains something besides 

 hints on " the art of ingeniously torment- 

 ing," and that the plea for the existence 

 of many remains of an older tongue in 

 the rural districts of our happy land, may 

 invite the attention and awaken the sym- 

 pathy of those who, in the language of 

 the learned Camden, " laugh at their great- 

 grandfathers' English." 



APARTMENTS OF THE 



SOCIETY OF ANTIQUARIES, LONDON, 



February 17, 1852. 



