THE LITERATURE OE EISHI.NG. 39 



Offley (first edit.), lie observes that he " could never yet 

 see in English" a treatise on Angling "worthy the 

 perusal " of " the unlearned angler." 



And now we come to the great Izaak himself. From 

 what has been already said it is clear that the title of 

 " Father of Angling," so often applied to him, is hardly 

 consistent with facts. He was neither the " Father of 

 Angling," as an angler himself, or as an author. 



" Vixerunt multi ante Agamemnona." 



At least some few notables in both respects ; and 

 Walton himself acknowledges in the " Dedicatory 

 Epistle " just quoted that " there be now many men 

 of great wisdom, learning, and experience, which love 

 and practise this Art." At the same time, however, 

 I am behind no one in my admiration of, and vene- 

 ration for, the famous old master in piscatorial Israel. 

 As a man, a Christian, and a gentleman, his character 

 shines forth as a bright star in the troublous times in 

 which he lived ; as an angler he was doubtless far before 

 all of his own time, and all who had gone before him, 

 though with his rude tackle and comparative want of 

 knowledge as a naturalist, he could not compete for a 

 moment with scores of modern anglers and zoologists; 

 and as an author he produced a book which will ever live 

 as one of the immortal classics of the English language. 

 This is a trite theme ; but how can any one essaying 

 " Notes on Fish and Fishing " avoid it, or even wish to 

 avoid it ? 



The first edition of his book was published in 1653 

 a.d. It was advertised by the " Enterprising Publisher," 

 as books are now in the "daily papers." Thus the 



