genius and knowledge; a host in himself, as it regards our purpose, it were superflous to covet authorities, in addition to that of the, now, in these enlightened days, illustrious President of the Royal Society!

Again, for the honour of our author let us not forget that the brilliant Wit, Richard Brinsley Sheridan, is known to have declared that he never desired a better companion for a post-chaise, than this same angler, or Contemplative Man's Recreation.

To a theme so pleasing, it requires much resolution to fix the necessary bounds; if space were allowed, we could greatly swell our collection of laudatory extracts, even from popular authors: but the reader will here be relieved by the perusal of our author's Will; a composition illustrating equally his own benevolent character and the peculiar nature of his connexions.

August the ninth, one thousand six hundred eighty-three.

In the Name of God, Amen. I IZAAK WALTON the elder, of Winchester, being this present day, in the ninetyeth year of my age, and in perfect memory, for which praised be God, but considering how suddainly I may be deprived of both, do therefore make this my last Will and Testament as followeth: And first, I do declare my belief to be, that there is only one God, who hath made the whole world, and me and all mankind, to whom I shall give an account of all my actions, which are not to be justified, but I hope pardoned, for the merits of my Saviour Jesus; and because the profession of Christianity does, at this time, seem to be subdivided into Papist and Protestante, I take it, at least, to be convenient to declare my belief to be, in all points of faith, as the Church of England now professeth: and this I do the rather,

because of a very long and very true friendship with some of the Roman church. And for my worldly Estate (which I have neither. got by falsehood, or flattery, or the extreme cruelty of the law of this nation) I do hereby give and bequeath it as followeth: First, I give my son in law, Doctor Hawkins, and to his wife, to them I give all my title and right of or in a part of, a house and shop in Paternoster-row, in London, which I hold by lease from the Lord Bishop of London for about fifty years to come. And I do also give to them all my right and title of or to a house in Chancerylane, London, wherein Mrs. Greinwood now dwelleth, in which is now about sixteen years to come: I give these two leases to them, they saving my executor from all damage concerning the same. And I give to my son, Izaak, all my right and title to a lease of Norington Farme, which I hold from the Lord Bishop of Winton; and I do also give him all my right and title to a farm or land near to Stafford, which I bought of Mr. Walter Noell; I say, I give it to him and his heirs for ever; but upon the condition following, namely: if my son shall not marry before he shall be of the age of forty and one years, or, being married, shall dye before the said age, and leave no son to inherit the said farme or land; or if his son or sons shall not live to attain the age of twenty and one years, to dispose otherways of it; then I give the said farme or land to the towne or corporation of Stafford, in which I was borne, for the good and benefit of some of the said towne, as I shall direct, and as followeth (but first note, that it is at this present time rented for twenty-one pound ten shillings a year, and is like to hold the said rent, if care be taken to keep the barn and housing in repair ;) and I would have, and do give ten pound of the said rent, to bind out yearly, two boys, the sons of honest and poor parents, to be apprentices to some tradesmen or handycraft-men, to the intent the said boys may the better afterward get their own living. And I do also give five pound yearly, out of the said rent, to be given to some maid-servant, that hath attained the age of twenty and one year, not less, and dwelt long in one service, or to some honest poor man's daughter, that hath attained to that age, to be paid her at or on the day of her marriage: and this being done, my will is, that what rent shall remain of the said farme or land, shall

be disposed of as followeth: first I do give twenty shillings yearly, to be spent by the Major of Stafford, and those that shall collect the said rent, and dispose of it as I have, and shall hereafter direct; and that what money or rent shall remain undisposed of, shall be imployed to buy coals for some poor people, that shall most need them, in the said towne; the said coals to be delivered the first weeke in January, or in every first weeke in February; I say then, because I take that time to be the hardest and most pinching times with poor people; and God reward those that shall do this without partialitie, and with honesty, and a good conscience. And if the said Major and others of the said towne of Stafford, shall prove so negligent, or dishonest, as not to imploy the rent by me given as intended and exprest in this my will, which God forbid, then I give the said rents and profits of the said farme or land to the towne and chief magistrates, or governors of Ecleshall, to be disposed of by them in such manner as I have ordered the disposal of it by the towne of Stafford, the said farme or land being near the towne of Ecleshall. And I give to my son-in-law, Doctor Hawkins, whom I love as my own son, and to my daughter, his wife, and my son Izaak, to each of them a ring, with these words or motto, “ Love " to the Lord my memory, I. W. obiit.

Bishop of Winton a ring, with this motto, " A mite for a million, "I. W. obiit. " and to the friends hereafter named, I give to each of them a ring with this motto, “ A friend's farewell, I. W. obiit. " and my will is, the said rings be delivered within forty days after my death: and that the price or value of all the said rings shall be thirteen shillings and fourpence a-piece. I give to Doctor Hawkins, Doctor Donne's Sermons, which I have heard preached, and read with much content. To my son Izaak, I give Doctor Sibbs his Soul's Conflict; and to my daughter his Bruised Reed, desiring them to read them so as to be well acquainted with them. And I also give unto her all my books at Winchester and Droxford, and whatever in those two places are, or I can call mine, except a trunk of linnen, which I give to my son Izaak; but if he do not live to

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marry, or make use of it, then I give the same to my grand-daughter, Ann Hawkins; and I give my daughter, Doctor Hall's Works, which be now at Farnham. To my son Izaak, I give all my books, not yet given, at Farnham Castell, and a deske of prints and pictures; also a cabinett near my bed's head; in which are some little things that he will value, though of no great worth. And my will and desire is, that he will be kind to his aunt Beachame, and his aunt Rose Ken, by allowing the first about fifty shillings a-year, in or for bacon and cheese, not more, and paying four pounds a-year towards the boarding of her son's dyet to Mr. John Whitehead; for his aunt Ken, I desire him to be kind to her, according to her necessity and his own abilitie, and I commend one of her children, to breed up as I have said I intend to do, if he shall be able to do it, as I know he will; for they be good folke. I give to Mr. John Darbyshire the Sermons of Mr. Anthony Farringdon, or of Dr. Sanderson, which my executor thinks fit. To my servant, Thomas Edgill, I give five pound in money, and all my clothes, linen and woollen, except one suit of clothes: which I give to Mr. Holinshed, and forty shillings, if the said Thomas be my servant at my death; if not, my clothes only. And I give my old friend, Mr. Richard Marriot, ten pounds in money, to be paid him within three months after my death; and I desire my son to shew kindness to him if he shall neede, and my son can spare it: and I do hereby will and declare my son Izaak to be my sole executor of this my last will and testament, and Dr. Hawkins to see that he performs it; which I doubt not but he will. I desire my burial may be near the place of my death, and free from any ostentation or charge, but privately. This I make to be my last will, to which I shall only add the codicil for rings, this sixteenth day of August, one thousand six hundred eighty-three, Izaak Walton. Witness to this will.

The rings I give are as on the other side: to my brother John Ken, to my sister his wife, to my brother, Doctor Ken, to my sister Pye, to Mr. Francis Morley, to Mr. George Vernon, to his wife, to his three daughters, to Mistris Nelson, to Mr. Richard Walton, to

Mr. Palmer, to Mr. Taylor, to Mr. Thos. Garrard, to the Lord Bishop of Sarum, to Mr. Rede his servant, to my cozen Dorothy Kenrick, to my cousin Lewin, to Mr. Walter Higgs, to Mr. Charles Cotton, to Mr. Richard Marryot: 22, to my brother Beacham, to my sister his wife, to the Lady Anne How, to Mrs. King, Doctor Phillip's wife, to Mr. Valentine Harecourt, to Mrs. Eliza Johnson, to Mrs. Mary Rogers, to Mrs. Eliza Milward, to Mrs. Dorothy Wollop, to Mr. Will. Milward, of Christ-Church Oxford, to Mr. John Darbyshire, to Mr. Undevill, to Mrs. Rock, to Mr. Peter White, to Mr. John Lloyde, to my cousin Creinsell's widow, Mrs. Dalbin must not be forgotten: 16, Izaak Walton. Note, that several lines are blotted out of this will, for they were twice repeated: and that this will is now signed and sealed this twenty and fourth day of October, one thousand six hundred eighty-three, in the presence of us: Witness, Abraham Markland, Jos. Taylor, Thomas Crawley.

This Will was composed by him but a few months before his death, which took place on the 15th of December, 1683, at the house of his son-in-law, Dr. Hawkins, a Prebendary of Winchester, he having attained the great age of ninety-three. In the Cathedral of the same place, is a stone to his memory, but of such "uncouth rhymes" and "shapeless sculpture" as but coldly to invite either delineation or transcription; but in this respect we still hope to see justice done him: certain we are that this wonderful man is far from having "gathered all his fame;"-the bare hint will be sufficient to those that love "virtue and angling."

In the foregoing Will, as in every thing which he wrote, will be found something characteristic of the man ;-the subjoined genuine little scrap,