400 THE COMPLETE ANGLES. [FART II. 



But what have we got here ? A rock springing up in the 

 middle of the river ! this is one of the oddest sights that ever 

 I saw. 1 



Pise. Why, sir, from that pike, 2 that you see standing up 

 there distant from the rock, this is called Pike-Pool. And 

 young Mr. Izaak Walton 3 was so pleased with it, as to draw 

 it in landscape in black and white, in a blank book I have at 

 home ; as he has done several prospects of my house also, 

 which I keep for a memorial of his favour, and will show 

 you, when we come up to dinner. 



Viat. Has young Master Izaak Walton been here too ? 



Pise. Yes, marry has he, sir, and that again, and again 

 too ; and in Prance since, and at Rome, and at Venice, and 

 I can't tell where ; but I intend to ask him a great many 

 hard questions so soon as I can see him, which will be, G-od 

 willing, next month. In the meantime, sir, to come to this 

 fine stream at the hea<J of this great pool, you must venture 

 over these slippery, cobbling stones. Believe me, sir, there 

 you were nimble, or else you had been down ! But now you 

 are got over, look to yourself; for, on my word, if a fish rise 

 here, he is like to be such a one as will endanger your tackle. 

 How now ! 



Viat. I think you have such command here over the fishes, 



1 Almost every rock in this charming river has its own peculiar name. 

 Some are called sugar-loaves, others shoulders of mutton, foxes-holes, the 

 twelve apostles, spires, &c. The rock Viator refers to here, stands in the 

 middle of the river. ED. 



2 It is a rock, in the fashion of a spire-steeple, and almost as big. It 

 stands in the midst of the river Dove, and not far from Mr. Cotton's house ; 

 below which place this delicate river takes a swift career betwixt many 

 mighty rocks, much higher and bigger than St. Paul's church before it was 

 burnt. And this Dove being opposed by one of the highest of them, has, 

 at last, forced itself a way through it; and after a mile's concealment, 

 appears again with more glory and beauty than before that opposition, 

 running through the most pleasant valleys and most fruitful meadows that 

 this nation can justly boast of. WALTON. 



3 In 1675, Izaak Walton, the younger, who appears to have been as 

 amiable and pious as his father, accompanied his uncle, Thomas Ken, in a 

 tour through Italy to Home, and other places. It was the year of the 

 great Papal Jubilee, a period of great interest to the travellers, and of fear 

 to some of their friends, lest, when many were wavering, they also might 

 receive contamination of their faith. Izaak Walton, however, returned to 

 occupy a canonry at Salisbury ; Ken, to fill a prebendal stall at Winchester, 

 and ultimately the bishopric of Bath and Wells. Life of Ken. 



