treasure he was preserving for posterity, but not dreaming of the honour in which his own name would lastingly be held for those labours of love." Nor have the fair sex withheld their admiration from Walton; and the following graceful verses were written in a copy of the "Complete Angler" which belonged to Sir Humphrey Davy, “by a noble lady, long distinguished at court for pre-eminent beauty and grace, and whose mind possesses undying charms," who is supposed to be the present Lady Charlotte Bury, then Lady Charlotte Campbell : More labour'd works, thy simple lore Our hearts and senses too, we see Content and peace, With health and ease, Walk by thy side; at thy command And joy in gifts that all may share, Gladly with thee I pace along, With more of worth, Because that time, upon its stream, C. C. 1812." There is much that the admirers of Walton will read with pleasure in a criticism which appeared in another quarter of the globe in "The American Review" of the Diary of Wilson, the ornithologist. Wilson says:— "1810. April 25. Breakfasted at Walton's, thirteen miles from Nashville. The hospitable landlord, Isaac Walton, upon setting out early the next morning, refused to take anything for my fare; saying, You 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! when weary of the world, I turn My pensive soul to thee, and soothing find Act like some healing charm. From thee I learn To sympathise with Nature, nor repine At Fortune, who, though lavish of her store, Communing with thy pupil, as the morn Her rosy cheek displays; while streams that flow, Two scholars, of some celebrity for their accomplishments and taste, have combined to do honour to Walton in the annexed verses. The original was written by James Park, Esq., late Professor of Law, of King's College, London ;5 and the translation is by Archdeacon Wrangham :— "At nobis rigui fontes et flumina cordi; Nos potius tua, Sancta Senex, veneranda per ævum American Review, No. xvi. December 1830, p. 376. 5 Printed in the Cambridge Triposes of 1802. Felix, cui placidæ fraudes atque otia curæ, 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 them 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 panegyric 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 description is still more 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 it 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 integrity, 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— 'Candida semper Gaudia, et in vultu curarum ignara voluptas.'" The cento of Walton's praises would not be complete without an allusion to the glowing descriptions of his merits, which occur in the edition of Pope's Works, as well as in the Life of Bishop Ken, by the Rev. William Lisle Bowles, whose genius and goodness alike give value to his eulogy. If the gentle spirit of "honest Izaak" is permitted to know by whom his memory is cherished, it has derived the highest gratification from the tributes paid to his virtues by the Rector of Bremhill, the friend of his descendant, and from congenial feelings, the warm admirer of the talents, piety, and moral excellence, for which Izaak Walton was distinguished. |