JETV. 51.] LIF£ OF IZAAK WALTON. xxxiii 



Walton's muse was again employed in commemorating the worth 

 of his friends ; and the following verses were prefixed to a col- 

 lection of that writer's poems, which was published eight years 

 after his decease : 



*' I cannot keep my purpose, but must give 

 Sorrow and verse their way ; nor will I grieve 

 Longer in silence ; no, that poor, poor part 

 Of nature's legacy, verse void of art, 

 And undissembled tears, Cartwright shall have 

 Fixt on his hearse ; and wept into his grave. 



Muses, I need you not ; for grief and I 

 Can in your absence weave an elegy; 

 Which we will do ; and often interweave 

 Sad looks, and sighs ; the groundwork must receive 

 Such characters or be adjudg'd unfit 

 For my friend's shroud : others have show*d their wit» 

 Leammg, and language fitly ; for these be 

 Debts due to his great merits ; but for me, 

 My aims are like myself, humble and low, 

 Too mean to speak his praise, too mean to show 

 The world what it hath lost in losing thee, 

 Whose words and deeds were perfect harmony. 



But now 'tis lost ; lost in the silent grave, 

 Lost to us mortals, lost, till we shall have 

 Admission to that kingdom, where he sings 

 Harmonious anthems to the King of kings. 

 Sing on, blest soul ! be as thou wast below, 

 A more than common instrument to show 

 Thy Maker's praise : sing on, whilst I lament 

 Thy loss, and court a holy discontent, 

 With such pure thoughts as thine, to dwell with me. 

 Then I may hope to live and die like thee, — 



To live belov'd, die moum'd ; thus in my grave 



Blessings that kings have wished, but cannot have. I2. Wa.** 



Walton continued to reside in Chancery Lane until about 

 August 1644. He was appointed examiner of St Dunstan's on 

 the 27th of August 164'! ;■ and in February 1644 was elected a 

 vestryman of that parish; but at a vestry holden on the 20th of 

 August in the same year, another person was chosen, " in the 

 room of Izaak Walton lately departed out of this parish and 

 dwelling elsewhere." ^ 



There is some doubt respecting the place of Walton's residence 

 between 1644 and 165 1 ; nor can it be stated with certainty 

 whether, as has been supposed by his former biographers, he 

 retired from business on leaving Chancery Lane. The state of 

 the times was little favourable to commercial industry ; and as an 

 absorbing love of gain, the common vice of mercantile pursuits, 

 was the subject of his frequent censure,^ it is most probable that 

 he considered the small competency realised during the •twenty 

 years he had been in trade sufficient for his future wants ; more 



8 Parish books of St Dunstan in the West 



9 Vide the Complete Angler, Lives of Wotton, Herbert, &c.. and Walton's Will. 



C 



