25th of August following.3 That child was the only one which survived its mother: she received the name of Anne, and died in her second year on the 11th of May 1642.4 Walton has described an affectionate and dutiful wife, and the happiness of the married state, with so much effect, that it is probable his own home presented him with the originals. Speaking of Herbert and his wife, he observes: "The eternal lover of mankind made them happy in each other's mutual and equal affections and compliance; indeed so happy, that there never was any opposition betwixt them, unless it were a contest which should most incline to a compliance with the other's desires. And though this begot, and continued in them, such a mutual love, and joy, and content, as was no way defective; yet this mutual content, and love, and joy, did receive a daily augmentation, by such daily obligingness to each other, as still added such new affluences to the former fulness of these divine souls, as was only improvable in heaven, where they now enjoy it." 5 His most pleasing picture of wedded happiness is, however, in the Life of Bishop Sanderson: "The Giver of all good things was so good to him, as to give him such a wife as was suitable to his own desires; a wife that made his life happy, by being always content when he was cheerful; that was always cheerful when he was content; that divided her joys with him, and abated of his sorrow, by bearing a part of that burden; a wife that demonstrated her affection by a cheerful obedience to all his desires, during the whole course of his life; and at his death too, for she outlived him." " Only one allusion to his first wife, and even that may be merely imaginary, can be traced in Walton's works; and however sincere might be the compliment which is supposed to be there paid to her, it unfortunately brings to recollection the story of the man who had a picture painted of his first wife, and marrying again after her decease, desired the artist to erase the face from the canvas and to introduce the features of his new partner. In the stanzas called "The Angler's Wish," which were first printed in the third edition of the Complete Angler in 1664, and which were undoubtedly written by Walton, he speaks of the happiness it affords him to "Hear my Chlora sing a song," 3 Vide Notes B and H in the Appendix. 4 The following entry occurs, in Walton's own hand, in his Prayer Book, which is noticed in the Appendix, Note B: "Our Doghter Anne, born the 10th of July 1640, died the 11th of May 1642." 5 Walton's Lives, ed. Zouch, II. 67, 68. 6 Ibid. II. 183, 184. which song, he adds in the margin, was the well-known one of "Like Hermit poor :" but in the fifth edition of that work, which appeared in 1676, “Kenna" is substituted for "Chlora," though the name of the song which she sings is retained. With the alteration of one vowel, " Chlora" is the anagram of Rachel, whilst by Kenna he evidently meant his second wife, whose maiden name was Ken. It is however to be observed, that as his first wife died long before the publication of the song, it must, if she were alluded to, have been written some years previous to its being printed; that the death of his second wife occurred before the change was made in the name; and that if the verses were composed during the lifetime of the former, there is reason to believe that some other alterations were made for the purpose of adapting them to more recent circumstances. Two more productions of Walton's pen, about this period, remain to be noticed; but they do not deserve much attention from their merits or importance. In 1638 his friend, Lewis Roberts, published "The Merchants' Map of Commerce," which is considered to have been the earliest standard work on trade in our language, and Walton addressed to him the following verses, which are prefixed to it: "If thou wouldst be a Statesman, and survey If thou wouldst be a Gentleman, in more Or use, or to give curious ears content. If thou wouldst be a Merchant, buy this book, Reader, if thou be any or all three Iz. WA. " In 1642, George Cranmer's Letter to Hooker, concerning the new Church discipline, was printed as a small pamphlet, with Camden's eulogy of the writer as a preface; and it is likely that it was published by Walton, because in the copy which belonged to him he has made several corrections; and he always expressed great respect for Cranmer's learning and virtues.7 Upon the death of William Cartwright, the poet, in 1643, 7 Vide p. xxii. antea. This Letter was reprinted by Walton at the end of his Life of Hooker, in 1665. Walton's muse was again employed in commemorating the worth of his friends; and the following verses were prefixed to a collection of that writer's poems, which was published eight years after his decease: "I cannot keep my purpose, but must give Sorrow and verse their way; nor will I grieve And undissembled tears, Cartwright shall have Can in your absence weave an elegy; Sad looks, and sighs; the groundwork must receive For my friend's shroud: others have show'd their wit, Too mean to speak his praise, too mean to show To live belov'd, die mourn'd; thus in my grave Iz. WA." Walton continued to reside in Chancery Lane until about August 1644. He was appointed examiner of St Dunstan's on the 27th of August 1641; and in February 1644 was elected a vestryman of that parish; but at a vestry holden on the 20th of August in the same year, another person was chosen, "in the room of Izaak Walton lately departed out of this parish and dwelling elsewhere." 8 There is some doubt respecting the place of Walton's residence between 1644 and 1651; nor can it be stated with certainty whether, as has been supposed by his former biographers, he retired from business on leaving Chancery Lane. The state of the times was little favourable to commercial industry; and as an absorbing love of gain, the common vice of mercantile pursuits, was the subject of his frequent censure, it is most probable that he considered the small competency realised during the twenty years he had been in trade sufficient for his future wants; more $ Parish books of St Dunstan in the West. 9 9 Vide the Complete Angler, Lives of Wotton, Herbert, &c., and Walton's Will. с especially as he was then upwards of fifty years of age, a widower, and childless. As might be expected from Walton's early habits and associations, he adhered steadfastly during the civil wars to the throne and the altar; and was in every sense of the word a devoted Royalist. His political and religious opinions occur in almost every page of his writings; and in common with other Royalists he suffered for his fidelity to his sovereign, though his comparatively obscure station and peaceable disposition protected him from heavy sacrifices. He was an intelligent, if not an impartial witness of the great struggle which agitated the country for nearly twenty years; and the account which he gives of many events of the period, in his Life of Hooker and of Sanderson, are worthy of the attention of historians. He introduces his account of the Scotch Covenanters, and the proceedings of the Long Parliament, in his Life of Bishop Sanderson, by stating that, in the year 1639, when a party of the Scots Church were desirous of reforming their kirk "this nation" was government, then happy and in peace, though inwardly sick of being well;" and thus proceeds: "There were so many chosen into the Long Parliament, that were of a conjunct council with those very zealous and as factious reformers, as begot such a confusion by the several desires and designs in many of the members of that parliament (all did never consent), and at last in the very common people of this nation, that they were so lost by contrary designs, fears, and confusions, as to believe the Scots and their Covenant would restore them to that former tranquillity which they had lost. And to that end the Presbyterian party of this nation did again, in the year 1643, invite the Scotch Covenanters back into England and hither they came, marching iwth it gloriously upon their pikes and in their hats, with this motto, 'For the Crown and Covenant of both Kingdoms.' This I saw and suffered by it. But when I look back upon the ruin of families, the bloodshed, the decay of common honesty, and how the former piety and plain-dealing of this now sinful nation is turned into cruelty and cunning; when I consider this, I praise God that He prevented me from being of that party which helped to bring in this Covenant, and those sad confusions that have followed it. And I have been the bolder to say this of myself, because in a sad discourse with Dr Sanderson, I heard him make the like grateful acknowledgment." 1 Walton relates from his own knowledge the following remark 1 Walton's Lives, ed. Zouch, II. 200, 201. able fact respecting the execution of Archbishop Laud, which took place on the 10th of January 1645: "About this time the Bishop of Canterbury having been by an unknown law condemned to die, and the execution suspended for some days, many citizens, fearing time and cool thoughts might procure his pardon, became so maliciously impudent as to shut up their shops, professing not to open them till justice was executed. This malice and madness is scarcely credible, but I saw it." 2 This statement proves that Walton was in London in January 1645; and it is certain, from the following circumstance, that he was also in the metropolis in December 1647. The House of Commons having ordered that all professors, heads of houses, and others in the University of Oxford, should take the covenant, negative oath, and the ordinance for Church discipline and worship, or be expelled, the University requested to be allowed to state its reasons for non-compliance. A committee was appointed to hear the arguments of the persons deputed for the purpose; and on the 2d of December 1647, Dr George Morley, a particular friend of Walton's, who was then canon of Christ Church, pleaded the right of the University to be heard by counsel with great effect. One of the members of the committee, whom Walton describes as "a powerful man in the Parliament," wishing to protect Morley from expulsion by the visitors who were soon afterwards despatched to Oxford to enforce the ordinance, sent for Walton, and, he says, "told me that he had such a love for Dr Morley, that knowing he would not take the oaths, and must therefore be ejected his college, and leave Oxford; he desired I would therefore write to him to ride out of Oxford when the visitors came into it, and not return till they left it, and he should be sure then to return in safety; and that by so doing he should, without taking any oath, or other molestation, enjoy his canon's place in the college. I did receive this intended kindness with a sudden gladness, because I was sure the party had a power to do what he professed, and as sure he meant to perform it, and did therefore write the doctor word; to which his answer was, that I must not fail to return my friend (who still lives) his humble and undissembled thanks, though he could not accept of his intended kindness; for when Dr Fell (then the dean), Dr Gardner, Dr Paine, Dr Hammond, Dr Sanderson, and all the rest of the college were turned out, except Dr Wall, he should take it to be, Walton's Lives, ed. Zouch, II. 224. 3 Walker's Sufferings of the Clergy, p. 130. Commons' Journals, V. 83, 284, |