INTRODUCTORY ESSAY. I/ 



almost an author by profession, having chosen disgusting topics 

 for many of his original compositions, now lives chiefly in 

 connection with the name of his venerable friend : or, to say 

 the least, the benign influence of a virtuous association was never 

 more strikingly illustrated, since his devoted attachment to 

 Walton forms the best evidence we have of his naturally amiable 

 disposition, and a more honorable, if not a more certain im- 

 mortality, is, on his part, the issue of this ever-memorable 

 friendship ; and yet it has been recently and justly observed, 

 that a judicious selection of his poems would stamp him as first 

 rate with the present age ; though his capacity to vie with the 

 most licentious wits of his own times injured his performances, 

 taken as a whole his Muse was truly ''fond to inspire" if 

 sometimes "ashamed to avow" he flew to his pen upon all 

 occasions, and was so ready at it, that he could disclose all his 

 troubles, and his own noble, generous, jovial, and even thankful 

 temper in half a score lines, as in the following part of an 

 epistle to his friend Sir Clifford Clifton. 



" He's good fellow enough to do every one right, 

 And never was first that asked what time of night ; 

 His delight is to toss the can merrily round, 

 And loves to be wet, but hates to be drowned ; 

 He fain would be just, but sometimes he cannot, 

 Which gives him the trouble that other men ha' not ; 

 He honors his friend, but he wants means to show it, 

 And loves to be rhyming, but is the worst poet. 

 Yet among all these vices, to give him his due, 

 He has virtue to be a true lover of you ; 

 But how much he loves you, he says you may guess it, 

 Since nor prose nor yet metre he swears can express it ! '* 



Right pithily, also, has honest Charles anticipated as full a 

 reply as will ever be necessary to all revilers of his favorite re- 

 creation : 



" We care not who says, 



And intends it dispraise, 

 That an angler to a fool is next neighbor ; 



