LIFE OF IZAAC WALTON. 



ZAAC WALTON was born at Stafford, on the 

 Ninth of August, 1593. We are in absolute 

 ignorance of how and where he passed his 

 youth ; but we feel sure that it was a simple, 

 manly, and godly youth. The early years of it would pro- 

 bably be spent at Stafford, where, too, he may have imbibed 

 that love of angling which stayed with him in late years, 

 and gave rise to the most beautiful English pastoral of its 

 kind. We can only imagine the journey of the youth to 

 London town to work his way in the world ; but in the year 

 1643 we find him settled in London, and following the trade 

 of a sempster. He had a shop in the Royal Bourse, on 

 Cornhill. Sir John Hawkins says : " In this situation he 



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