2O INTRODUCTORY ESSAY. 



from the circumstance of his father's dying when he was only 

 two years old, or even from his own choice ; and that there 

 existed no necessary incompatibility between the character he 

 held and that of a gentleman, surely he may be said to have 

 demonstrated, of whom that which is most certainly known 

 would do honor to any station whatever. His " only son 

 Isaac" we find bred to the church, seemingly as a matter of 

 course ; and that his only daughter was married to a dignified 

 clergyman, Dr. Hawkins of Winchester, strengthens all the 

 foregoing arguments.* 



All these particulars we are enabled to collect, notwithstand- 

 ing that history and tradition are equally parsimonious respect- 

 ing this extraordinary man ; wherever conjecture, therefore, 

 supplies, of necessity, the place of fact, let us in the name of 

 goodness (which were but synonymous with saying in the name 

 of Izaak Walton) regulate our decisions with one constant 

 view to his immortal honor ! There is, at least, one delight- 

 ful reflection to be drawn from the internal evidence of his 

 own work : he did really and substantially enjoy, in his own 

 person, that true happiness which he would teach us all to ac- 



* But I have now the pleasure of recording a very interesting new fact re- 

 lating to our author. So lately as June, 1844, a paper by John Nicholl, 

 Esq., of Islington, F.S.A., and of the Worshipful Company of Ironmongers 

 was read by Sir Henry Ellis, disclosing as follows : " 1617-18, Isaac Wal- 

 ton was made one of the Ironmongers' Company, by Thomas Grinsell, Citizen 

 and Ironmonger." This may be relied on, whether he had been previously 

 apprenticed to Henry Walton or not," but it does not appear when he was 

 bound or turned over to Grinsell." This tempting " item " was seized by our 

 keen antiquary, with the eye of a hawk and the avidity of a perch ; and he 

 has declared to some of his friends, that he is more pleased with the discov- 

 ery than with any other result of his researches among the archives of his 

 ancient fraternity. Walton was then about twenty-four years of age, before 

 which, in those days, no one could take up his freedom. Here, then, we have 

 the very first event of his manhood that can be confirmed by a date ; and I 

 still contend that he must have been surrounded by guardian friends, in 

 every part of his prosperous career. No further evidence is needed than 

 that of his will to show that the family of Grinsell or Grinsells were rela- 

 tions ; for amongst those to whom he leaves memorial rings there is thj 

 i " to my cosen Grinsells widow." 



