COMMENDATORY VERSES.* TO MY DEAR BROTHER-IN-LAW,+ MR IZAAK WALTON, ERASMUS in his learned Colloquies Whether your matchless judgment most excel 'Twas so to me; who so the cheerful spring Jo. FLOUD, Mr. of Arts.‡ TO THE READER OF "THE COMPLETE ANGLER." FIRST mark the Title well: my Friend that gave it VARIATION.] 5 mirth.-2d edit. as in text in 3d edit. * None of the verses occur in the first, but they are all to be found in the second edition, excepting the two last by Dr Duport, which were inserted for the first time in the fifth edition. In the fifth edition, the words "in-law" are omitted; but as they correctly explain the writer's relationship, they are here adopted. Some account of this person, who was the brother of Walton's first wife, and of his family, will be found in the Life of Walton, at the commencement of the volume. For he that views it with judicious looks His baits will tempt us, and his hooks hold fast. Nor are we caught alone, but, which is best, And danger of a surfeit here is none. Is sauced, here, with such harmless recreation, More praise is due: for 'tis both positive CH. HARVIE, Mr. of Arts.* TO MY DEAR FRIEND, MR IZ. WALTON, IN PRAISE OF Down by this smooth stream's wandering side, Of Flora's wardrobe, where the shrill Aerial choir express their skill, First, in alternate melody,8 And, then, in chorus all agree. Whilst the charm'd fish, as ecstasied With sounds, to his own throat denied, VARIATIONS. 6 Down by this wand'ring stream's smooth side.-2d edit. 7 Choir of the air.-Ibid. 8 harmony.-Ibid. 9 Where.-Ibid. In the second and third editions the initials C. H. only occur; the name was printed at length in the fifth edition for the first time. An account of Harvey will be found in a subsequent note. Scorns his dull element, and springs Such as to body, soul, or fame,1 An obvious rod, a twist of hair, In this clear stream let fall a grub; The treacherous quill in this slow stream 2 And at that nimble ford, no doubt, 1 The following lines here occur in the 2d edition, but are omitted in all the others : "And there the cunning Carp you may 2 These two lines are omitted in the 2d edit. 3 in.-2d edit. Snig, a term more generally applied to the small nine-eyed eel, commonly found about the apron of an old weir, or in shallow parts of the river Lee, and forms the amusement of sniggling to youthful Anglers.-Eu. H. "If it prove big" alludes to one of the stories told of the Wise Men of Gotham, a facetious penny history much in circulation in the time of Walton. It is there related that the men of Gotham, upon a Good Friday, after due consultation, collected all their white herrings, red herrings, sprats, and salt fish, and cast the whole into a pond, in order to secure a sufficient store of fish for the next Lent. In due time upon dragging the pond, there was found only a very large eel, and it being suspected the same must, by the size, have devoured the intended stock, it was concluded that such a voracious monster ought to be destroyed, and, as a death-warrant, it was determined that it should be put in another pond, in order that it might be drowned.-Eu. H. When you these creatures wisely choose Fish from your arts do rescue men," Distemper'd, serious, turning sad; The water's calmness in your breast, Their fate oft makes the tale1 seem true. The daughter's dower, th' inheritance The harms and mischiefs which th' abuse 2 3 Make good the doctrine of the Turks, Then on these banks let me sit down, 5 Whilst.-2d edit. 7 you'll.-Ibid. VARIATIONS. 6 You fishes choose to rescue men.-Ibid. 8 Then this stream's calmness.-Ibid. 9 And give me cheap and quiet joys.-Ibid. Sweeter are cheap and silent joys. 3d edit. 1oft makes that fable true.-2d edit. 2 This, and the four following lines first appeared in the 3d edit. 3 that.-2d edit. 7 shall.-Ibid. 4 that.-Ibid. 5 this bank.-Ibid. 8 affords me such content.-Ibid. 6 lie.-Ibid. 9 so.-Ibid. 1649. As seldom fall unto the lot Of sceptres, though they're justly got. THO. WEAVER, Mr. of Arts.* TO THE READERS OF MY MOST INGENIOUS FRIEND'S HE that both knew and writ the Lives of men, Reader, this He, this Fisherman, comes forth, With which, when finely touch'd, and fitly strung, Or chain his fellow-Anglers from their prey. But now the music of his pen is still, And he sits by a brook, watching a quill: VARIATION.] 1 As falls but seldom to the lot.-2d edit. * The son of Thomas Weaver, of Worcester. He entered of Christ's Church, Oxford, in 1633, being then seventeen years of age, and took his Master's degree in 1640, about which time he was made one of the Chaplains or petty Canons of the Cathedral. He was ejected by the Parliament in 1648, when "he shifted from place to place, and lived upon his wits." After the Restoration, he was made an exciseman at Liverpool, and was commonly called Captain Weaver;" but "prosecuting too much the crimes of poets," he died at Liverpool on the 3d of January 1662-3. His works are Songs and Poems of Love, 1654; Choice Drollery, with Songs and Sonnets, 1656. Wood's Athen. Oxon., by Bliss, vol. iii. p. 623. No date occurs to the verses in the text in any earlier edition than the fifth. " † Dr Richard Holdsworth. See an account of him in the Fasti Oxon., by Bliss, p. 376; and in Ward's Lives of the Gresham Professors.-H. Dr Daniel Fairclough, alias Featly, about whom see Athen. Oxon., by Bliss, vol. iii. p. 156.-H. Said by Hawkins to have been Dr George Morley, who became Bishop of Worcester in 1660; was translated to Winchester in 1662; and died in 1684, to whom Walton dedicated his Life of Hooker. A Life of this prelate will be found in Wood's Athen. Oxon., by Bliss, vol. iv. p. 149. The only thing which renders it doubtful whether Bishop Morley was alluded to, is that it would seem, from the manner in which the person is mentioned, that he was not then, i.e., in 1650, living. |