26 LIFE OF IZAAK WALTON. 



to enjoy his favourite diversion of angling 1 in the delightful 

 streams of the Dove, and on the ninetieth anniversary of 

 his birth -day, he, by his will, declares himself to be of perfect 

 memory.* 



As to his worldly circumstances, notwithstanding the 

 adverse accident of his being obliged, by the troubles of the 

 times, to quit London, and his occupation, they appear to 

 nave been commensurate, as well to the wishes as the wants 

 of any but a covetous and intemperate man ; and, in his rela- 

 tions and connections, such a concurrence of circumstances is 

 visible, as it would be almost presumption to pray for. For, 

 not to mention the patronage of those many prelates and 

 dignitaries of the church, men of piety and learning, with 

 whom he lived in a close intimacy and friendship ; or the 

 many ingenious and worthy persons with whom he corresponded 

 and conversed ; or the esteem and respect, testified by printed 

 letters and eulogiums, which his writings had procured him 

 to be matched with a woman of an exalted understanding and 

 a mild and humble temper, to have children of good incli- 

 nations and sweet and amiable dispositions, and to see them 

 well settled, is not the lot of every man that, preferring a 

 social to a solitary life, chooses to become the head of a family. 

 But blessings like these are comparatively light, when 



If the all-ruling Power please 



We live to see another May, 

 We '11 recompense an age of these 



Foul days in one fine fishing day. 



We then shall have a day or two, 



Perhaps a week, wherein to try 

 What the best master's hand can do 



With the most deadly killing fly : 



A day with not too bright a beam, - 



A warm, but not a scorching sun, 

 A southern gale to curl the stream, 



And, master, half our work is done. 



There, whilst behind some bush we wait 



The scaly people to betray, 

 We'll prove it just, with treacherous bait 



To make the preying trout our prey. 



And think ourselves, in such an hour, 



Happier than those, though not so high. 

 Who, like leviathans, devour 



Of meaner men the smaller fry. 



This, my best friend, at my poor home, 



Shall be our pastime and our theme ; 

 But then should you not deign to come, 



You make all this a flattering dream. 



* These, it must be owned, are words of course in a will ; but had the 

 fact been otherwise, he would have been unable to make such a judicious 

 disposition of his worldly estate as he had done, or with his own hand to 

 write so long an instrument as his will. 



