TO 

 MY MOST WORTHY FATHEB AND FRIEND, 



MR. IZAAK WALTON, THE ELDER. 



SIR, Being you were pleased, some years past, to grant me your free leave to do 

 what I have here attempted; and observing you never retract any promise when 

 made in favour of your meanest friends ; I accordingly expect to see these following 

 particular directions for the taking of a trout, to wait upon your better and more 

 general rules for all sorts of angling. And though mine be neither so perfect, so well 

 digested, nor indeed so handsomely couch' d as they might have been, in so long a 

 time as since your leave was granted, yet I dare affirm them to be generally true : 

 and they had appeared too in something a neater dress, but that I was surprised with 

 the sudden news of a sudden new edition of your " Complete Angler ;" so that, having 

 little more than ten days' time to turn me in, and rub up my memory (for, in truth, I 

 have not, in all this long time, though I have often thought on't, and almost as often 

 resolved to go presently about it), I was forced, upon the instant, to scribble what I 

 here present you: which I have also endeavoured to accommodate to your own method. 

 And, if mine be clear enough for the honest brothers of the angle readily to under- 

 stand, which is the only thing I aim at, then I have my end, and shall need to make 

 no further apology ; a writing of this kind not requiring, if I were master of any such 

 thing, any eloquence to set it off, and recommend it ; so that if you, in your better 

 judgment, or kindness rather, can allow it passable for a thing of this nature, you will 

 then do me the honour if the cypher fixed and carved in the front of my little fishing- 

 house, may be here explained : and to permit me to attend you in public, who, in 

 private have ever been, am, and ever resolve to be, 



Sir, 



"Beresford, Your most affectionate son and servant, 



im of March, 1675-6. CHARLES COTTON. 



MY MOST HONOURED FRIEND, 



CHARLES COTTON, ESQ. 



SIR, You now see I have returned you your very pleasant and' useful discourse of 

 " The Art of Fly-fishing," printed just as it was sent me ; for I have been so obedient 

 to your desires, as to endure all the praises you have ventured to fix upon me in it. 

 And when I have thanked you for them, as the effects of an undissembled love, then, 

 let me tell you, sir, that I will readily endeavour to live up to the character you have 

 given of me, if there were no other reason, yet for this alone, that you, that love me 

 so well, and always think what you speak, may not, for my sake, suffer by a mistake 

 in your judgment. 



And, sir, I have ventured to fill a part of your margin, by way of paraphrase for 

 the reader's clearer understanding the situation both of your fishing-house, and the 

 pleasantness of that you dwell in. And I have ventured also to give him a "Copy of 

 Verses" that you were pleased to send me, now some years past, in which he may see 

 a good picture of both ; and so much of your own mind too, as will make any reader, 

 that is blessed with a generous soul, to love you the better. I confess, that for doing 

 this you may justly judge me too bold : if you do, 1 will say so too ; and so far com- 

 mute for my offence, that, though I be more than a hundred miles from you, 

 and in the eighty-third year of my age, yet I will forget both, and the next month 

 begin a pilgrimage to beg your pardon; for I would die in your favour, and till 

 then will live, 



Sir, 



London, Your most affectionate father and friend, 



April 29, 1676. IZAAK WALTON. 



