THOMAS KEN AND IZAAK WALTON 171 



Letter from Sir Henry Harben 



"Dear Sir, — In answer to your inquiries 

 about the Izaak Walton cabinet, I bought it 

 from a gentleman at Ealing, to whom it had 

 been given as a wedding present, and who 

 would not have parted with it but that he 

 was going abroad, and could not take it with 

 him. 



" Before buying it, I had it examined by 

 an expert, and on sending him down I told 

 him the price asked for it, but told him 

 not to make any bid for it until he had con- 

 sulted me. 



"But he was so much impressed with its 

 value that he made an offer for it, lest it should 

 be sold elsewhere. 



"On reporting to me what he had done, he 

 said he was afraid lest if it were submitted to 

 auction it might fetch a price I might not like 

 to give. 



" I immediately sent to the gentleman, and 

 paid him the price he asked for it. 



" Pasted in one of the drawers is a piece of 

 printed paper, evidently from a catalogue of 

 sale of old date, of which I send you a copy. 



