cxxvi LIFE OF IZAAK WALTON. 



early the next morning, refused to take anything for my fare ; saying, 

 ' VTou seem to be travelling for the good of the world, and I cannot, I will 

 not charge you anything ; whenever you come this way, call and stay with 

 me, you shall be welcome.' This is the first instance of such hospitality 

 which I have met with in the United States." 



On this passage the American Reviewer observes : — 



" Upon reading this note, our faith in the doctrine of Pythagoras grew 

 strong. Can it be that the soul of that gentle parent of the angle, old Izaac 

 Walton, in winging its terrestrial flight from the margin of the sea, found a 

 kindred tenement in mine excellent host of Tennessee? We fear poor 

 Wilson never luxuriated over the verdant pages of that golden book, ' The 

 Complete Angler,' or he would have anticipated our passing tribute to its 

 author. We too had, peradventure, died in ignorance, had it not been 

 pointed out to us by the venerable author of the Man of Feeling, himself a 

 brother of the gentle craft. We recall the era of the event as one of the 

 greenest spots both in our literary and piscatory existence, and have ever 

 since held it a settled maxim of our belief, in defiance of which we are 

 ready to do battle, that no brother of the angle can by any possibility prove 

 a recreant. " * 



The following beautiful sonnet on Walton, by Mr Moxon, would 

 do credit to a veteran poet : — 



*' Walton I when weary of the worlj, I turn 

 My pensive soul to tiiee, and soothing find 

 The meekness of thy plain contented mind 

 Act like some healing charm. From thee I learn 

 To sympathise with Nature, nor repine 

 At Fortune, who, though lavish of her store, 

 Too often leaves her favourites richly poor ; 

 Wanting hoth health and energy divine, 

 Life's blessings to enjoy. Methinks, e'en now 

 J hear thee 'neath the milk-white scented thorn 

 Communing with thy pupil, as the morn 

 Her rosy cheek displays ; while streams that flow. 

 And all that gambol near their rippling source, 

 Enchanted listen to thy sweet discourse." 



Two scholars, of some celebrity for their accomplishments and 

 taste, have combined to do honour to Walton in the annexed 

 verses. The original was viritten by James Park, Esq., late 

 Professor of Law, of King's College, London ; ^ and the transla- 

 tion is by Archdeacon Wrangham : — 



" At nobis rigui fontes et fiumina cordi ; 

 Nos potius tua, Sancta Senex, veneranda per sevum 

 Auguria, et grato exequimur prsecepta labore ; 

 Omnia quse quondam Leae labentis ad undam 

 Cantasti : neque enim mihi fas, Waltone, tacere 

 Mentem in te facilem, et nuUis pallentia culpis 

 Pectora, et antique sanctam pietate senectam. 



* American Review, No. xvi. December 1830, p. 376, 

 s Printed in the Cambridge Triposes of 1802. 



