Preface. 



ILL the bibliopolift forgive me, if, partly 

 with a view to readers not abfolutely 

 of his clafs, and partly for my own 

 perfonal fatisfaction,I have introduced 

 into this catalogue raifonne of the 

 editions of the ' Compleat Angler,' certain digreflions, 

 which, on ftrict bibliographical grounds, maybe deemed 

 irrelevant. The fact is, that the work in queftion 

 lends itfelf, lefs than moft, to a mere technical and 

 matter-of-fact recapitulation. It is erlentially a book 

 to be loved, and to be difcourfed of lovingly. The 

 companion of our boyhood, the delight of our maturer 

 years, England's one perfect Paftoral — it is difficult, 

 in fumming up its revivals, and telling the tale of its 

 fucceffes, not to be tempted, occafionally, out of the 

 dufty highway of lift-making, into thofe finuous mea- 

 dow-paths of goffip and garrulity, that feem fo much 

 more germane to the matter. 



