TO 



MY MOST WORTHY FATHER 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 understand, 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, 

 Your most affectionate son and servant, 



Bcrcsford, 

 of March, 1676. 



