PREFACE. ix 



some names distinguished in literature, forming strong evidence 

 of the homage which, at the distance of nearly two centuries, 

 is paid by genius to the worth of " Honest Izaak." 



Among the individuals by whose contributions this edition 

 has been enriched, the names of Sir Henry Ellis, K.H., the 

 Principal Librarian of the British Museum ; the Rev. Dr Bliss, 

 of the Bodleian Library ; Charles George Young, Esq., York 

 Herald; George Frederick Beltz, Esq., K.H., Lancaster Herald; 

 the Rev. Joseph Hunter; Richard Thomson, Esq., of the 

 London Institution ; Mr John Baker ; Sir Francis Sykes, Bart. ; 

 Mr Cafe ; Thomas B. Chinn, Esq., of Lichfield ; Edward Jesse, 

 Esq., of Hampton Court; the late Joseph Haslewood, Esq.; 

 B. H. Bright, Esq. ; and Mr Hatcher, of Salisbury, are deserv- 

 ing of particular commemoration. 



As the Editor was well aware of his incompetency to make 

 any addition to the science of halieutics, he undertook with 

 reluctance the task of superintending an edition of the Complete 

 Angler. He felt that, on such matters, he might, like Alexander 

 Brome, in his address to Walton, ask himself, 



" What make I here, to write of that 

 I'm unskill'd in, and talk I know not what ? " 



His reluctance was, however, but of short duration, for no 

 one who daily witnessed the Publisher's enthusiasm could 

 possibly withstand its influence. He relieved him from all 

 his difficulties by selecting the notes which relate to the art ; 

 while his own attention was entirely bestowed on the literary 

 and biographical parts of the work. It has been to his friend 

 Mr Pickering literally a labour of love. Neither time nor 

 expense was spared to produce an edition of the Complete 

 Angler worthy of the state of the Arts at the present day, and 

 of the importance which was, in his opinion, due to the subject ; 



