28 INTRODUCTORY ESSAY. 



be loudest in his praise, who honor him most in every possible 

 way ; thus he is daily more and more appreciated as an honor 

 to the English character, whilst his increasing popularity is 

 doubtless an honor to the English people, who love him all the 

 more, because (though far from devoid of art) he drew like 

 his own nightingale all his graces * ' from beyond its reach. ' ' 

 In good truth, whoever drinks deep of the true spirit of our 

 glorious Izaak will be at a loss whether most to admire the 

 extreme clearness of his head or the extreme goodness of his 

 heart. 



To a theme so pleasing, it requires much resolution to fix 

 the necessary bounds ; if space were allowed, we could greatly 

 swell our collection of laudatory extracts, even from popular 

 authors : but the reader must now be relieved by the perusal of 

 our author's Will, a composition illustrating equally his own 

 benevolent character and the peculiar nature of his connec- 

 tions. 



August the ninth, one thousand six hundred eighty-three. 



En t|)e Name of CSfoll, Sfmen. I, IZAAK WALTON the elder, of Win- 

 chester, being this present day in the ninetyeth year of my age, and in per- 

 fect memory, for which praised be God, but considering how suddainly I 

 may be deprived of both, do therefore make this my last Will and Tes- 

 tament as followeth : And first, I do declare my belief to be, that there is 

 only one God, who hath made the whole world, and me and all mankind, 

 to whom I shall give an account of all my actions, which are not to be 

 justified, but I hope pardoned, for the merits of my Saviour Jesus ; and 

 because the profession of Christianity does, at this time, seem to be sub- 

 divided into Papist and Protestante, I take it, at least, to be convenient to 

 declare my belief to be, in all points of faith, as the Church of England 

 now professeth : and this I do the rather, because of a very long and very 

 true friendship with some of the Roman church. And for my worldly Estate 

 (which I have neither got by falsehood, or flattery, or the extreme cruelty 

 of the law of this nation) I do hereby give and bequeath it as followeth : 

 First, I give my son-in-law, Doctor Hawkins, and to his wife, to them I 

 give all my title and right of, or in a part of, a house and shop in Pater- 

 noster-row, in London, which I hold by lease from the Lord Bishop of 

 London for about fifty years to come. And I do also give to them all my 

 right and title of or to a house in Chancery-lane, London, wherein Mr*. 



