LIFE OF IZAAK WALTON. cxxvii 



Felix, cui placidfB fraudes atque otia curffi, 

 Piscator I tibi enim tranquillo in corde severum 

 Subsidet desiderium, tibi sedulus angor : 

 Dum tremula undarum facies, et mobilis umbra, 

 Dum puree grave murmur aquje, virtnte quietS 

 Composuere animum, et blandis aiFectibus iniplent," 



*' Mine be tiie brook's green side, the river stream. 

 Whilst stil', obedient to the in-^tructive theme, 

 Sport of thy simple muse by plidlng Lea., 

 I strive with grateful toil, to follow thee. 

 For, Walton, crime it were to leave unsung 

 Thy gentle mind, thy breast uublanch'd by wrong ; 

 And, vivid glowing on the graphic page, 

 Thy guileless mannerSj and thy hallowed age. 



Happy Piscator 1 with the viewless line 

 Tranquil to dupe the finny tribe was thine. 

 Fled from thy tranquil bosom gnawing care. 

 No tumult throbb'd, no malice darken d there ; 

 The stream light quivering to the summer breeze, 

 The quickly-shifting shade of clouds or trees. 

 The ripple's murmur breathed a holy re«t, 

 And to complacent calmness luU'd thy breast." 



There is truth in the remark of the first of the modern editors of 

 the "Complete Angler," the Reverend Moses Browne, that " it was 

 chiefly by Walton's pleasing sweetness of nature and conversation, 

 innate simplicity of manners, and, above all, his religious integrity 

 and undissembled honesty of heart, for which he was so remarked 

 and endeared to the affections of all that ever knew him. They 

 sat so naturally on him, you may trace thero in everything he writ ; 

 he drew his own picture in almost every line ; I think there are 

 hardly any writings ever showed more the features and limbs, the 

 very spirit and heart, of an author." 



Dr Zouch has almost exhausted panegj'ric in his praises of 

 Walton ; and has thus commented upon his personal appearance 

 in the conclusion of his memoir. The engraving to which he 

 alludes gives a very imperfect idea of the original ; but his de- 

 scription is still inore applicable to the perfect copy of Walton's 

 portrait, which is prefixed to this volume. " The features of the 

 countenance," he says, " often enable us to form a judgment, not 

 very fallible, of the disposition of the mind. In few portraits can 

 this discovery be more successfully pursued than in that of Izaak 

 Walton. Lavater, the acute master of physiognomy, would, I think, 

 instantly acknowledge in jt the decisive traits of the original, — 

 mild complacency, forbearance, mature consideration, calm activity, 

 peace, sound understanding, power of thought, discerning attention, 

 and secretly active friendship. Happy in his unblemished in- 

 tegrity, happy in the approbation and esteem of others, he inwraps 

 himself in his own virtue. The exultation of a good conscience 

 eminently shines forth in this venerable person — 



